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Toyota Highlander Transmission Problems

308 messages,  Last post on Apr 04, 2013 at 8:56 PM

You are in the Toyota Highlander Forum.

What is this discussion about? Toyota Highlander, Transmission, SUV

Messages Page 11 of 31

#98 of 308 Highlander Trannsmission Pause by jamo22

Jun 17, 2007 (3:46 pm)

I have a 2006 Toyota Highlander & the Transmission shifting pattern is so erratic and unpredictable that it causes me to continually tromping on the gas pedal and become an agressive driver.
Too many times, I have stepped on the gas & the car just goes into a time lag before it finally shifts.
I have taken it to Toyota & they tell me mall is well, and that it shifts, not on a preset pattern, but based on a sensor that determines your velocity & if you are trying to increase or decrease. It is a very poor explanation and even poorer transmission.
My wife has a 2002 Highlander with electronic transmission & it learns your driving pattern & adjusts accordingly. It is great. What happened Toyota?

#99 of 308 Re: Highlander Shifting Problem [wwest] by jamo22

Jun 17, 2007 (3:48 pm)

Replying to: wwest (May 08, 2007 10:04 am)
Read my post, you are not alone & it is not limited to RWD.
Jim

#100 of 308 Re: Highlander Trannsmission Pause [jamo22] by user777

Jun 18, 2007 (4:12 am)

Replying to: jamo22 (Jun 17, 2007 3:46 pm)
go to another dealership, and get their "it's operating normally" in writing.
 
video tape what your car is doing and diplomatically, with the help of a lawyer, suggest to toyota that either they fix the vehicle, buy you out, or you post it.
 
toyota needs to be shamed a whole lot more i guess into "moving forward" and taking care of it's owners with shifting problems in their brand new rides.
 
your dealer is giving you the party line.
 
you may need a TSB, and that might help some, but more likely, you have a defective part in one of these areas:
 
torque convertor,
transmission,
throttle body assembly,
accelerator pedal assembly

#101 of 308 Shift problem with automatic by rexhenderson

Oct 30, 2007 (12:36 am)

I have a 2003 HL with automatic transmission. Arriving home today, my shift surprisingly would not let me set to Park without extreme use of force on the shift button and lever both. It will not crank in Park anymore. I now have to force it back out of Park and put it in Neutral to crank the engine. Shifting works fine except for Park. Has anyone experienced anything similar and if so do you know what caused the problem?

#102 of 308 Toyota Transmission problems continue by eesti006

Nov 18, 2007 (4:47 am)

I bought a Toyota Highlander from a Maryland Dealer on April 1, 2007 and this car has some serious problems. The entire throttling, shifting, and braking mechanism is out of whack. When you start the car it idles at 1500 RPM. Then when the car warms up the car's idle speed is so high that the car will go 25 mph on its own (on level ground). The car has a tendency to accelerate erratically going from first to third gear.
 
Shortly after I purchased the car I took the car back to the Toyota Dealer and told them about this erratic throttling/shifting problem and they insist "its normal". This explanation is basically baloney and indicates to me that Toyota executives know they have a problem. The Toyota company have apparently instructed the dealers to use this standard line "Its normal". They even made me sign a statement when I picked up the car that the 3 problems I had complants about were "Normal". So the dealer refused to do anything about the problem. The salesman also indicated this is "Normal". Same lingo (how strange).
 
The car is dangerous because the throttle speeed is set to high and I am very apprehensive regarding winter weather (approaching) with the car accelerating when I want to slow down.
 
The car I purchased was masde in Newark, New Jersey and I bring up this point to warn any one who is contemplating purchasing a New Toyota Highlander should be extremely cautious if they discover the car was manufactured in Newark, NJ. Drive the car alone and test drive it at least twice because the problems aren't readily noticeable all the time.
 
I have now had the car about 7 months and its a lemon and also very very dangerous. I pray I won't get into a terrible accident this winter when throttling and shifting problems could become a potential "death trap".
 
Dave

#103 of 308 Re: Toyota Transmission problems continue [eesti006] by skinnytony

Nov 18, 2007 (10:35 am)

Replying to: eesti006 (Nov 18, 2007 4:47 am)
Sorry to hear about your troubles. One note, though: I don't think Toyota has a plant in Newark, NJ, do they?

#104 of 308 Re: Shift problem with automatic [rexhenderson] by andypando

Nov 24, 2007 (11:04 am)

Replying to: rexhenderson (Oct 30, 2007 12:36 am)
Having the same problem here as well, also a 2003 Highlander. The problem started randomly about a year ago and has gotten progressively worse, now to the point where it is a real inconvenience. A friend told me that it is a linkage adjustment between the shifter and the transmission, but I think it may be the park safety interlock hanging up. Anyone with some answers please help us!!! andypandomsn.com

#105 of 308 Re: Shift problem with automatic [andypando] by mdhutton

Dec 02, 2007 (7:23 pm)

Replying to: andypando (Nov 24, 2007 11:04 am)
Sure, I'll help. Take your 4 year-old cars' problems and visit a used car forum.

#106 of 308 Highlander Transmission Fluid Leak by ft20

Dec 14, 2007 (12:35 pm)

As if there aren't enough issues with the transmission on this SUV, add one more to your list....
 
I have a 2005 V6, AWD. I bought the car used with just 10000 miles on it. I have maintained it according to the owner's manual and have not abuse it in any shape or form. During an oil change at 62000 miles, the mechanic told me that there is a transmission fluid leak. I did some research on my own and found out that there is a TSB out for the transmission fluid leak on this model/vin. I can forward a copy of the TSB if anyone wishes to have it. If you read the bulletin, it becomes quite clear that the there is a faulty transmission seal that is prone to failure and Toyota has recently changed the seal in newer models. They are essentially hoping that no one will have this problem and even if they do, it would be outside the warranty period, as in my case! To make the long story short, took the car back to the dealer, they looked at it and sure enough is the seal that is mentioned in the TSB that has failed. The dealer quoted me a price of $1300 to have it fixed. The repair would have been covered under the 60K power train warranty but since my car now has 63K, I am basically SOL. I just called Toyota last night to ask for their assistance but not getting my hopes up. I think it is unfair for a company to know about a problem and not stand behind their product. I will keep you posted on what I hear back from Toyota.
  
In the mean time, if your 2004-2006 highlander is under 60K, please check for this leak problem. Make sure you document it and have stupid Toyota pay for this. Otherwise, get ready to fork up some dough soon as the warranty expires. Toyota should be ashamed of their business practices.

#107 of 308 Transmission leak- update by ft20

Dec 24, 2007 (4:39 pm)

So a week after contacting the customer assistance line, I was informed that Toyota will NOT cover any of the expenses related to fixing this faulty transmission seal. I have contacted the corporate office by mail and am waiting to hear back. Any other suggestions?

Messages Page 11 of 31

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