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Toyota Hybrid Highlander Interior & Passenger Comfort Concerns

40 messages,  Last post on Mar 12, 2008 at 12:58 PM

You are in the Toyota Highlander Hybrid Forum.

What is this discussion about? Toyota Highlander Hybrid, Heating / Cooling, Interior, SUV

Messages Page 2 of 4

#11 of 40 Re: seat heat [2hybrids] by montlakedawg

Feb 08, 2007 (2:36 pm)

Replying to: 2hybrids (Feb 08, 2007 7:40 am)
Yeah, I tried both starting it with the button off and on, but the results are the same. I eventually can feel a little bit of heat, but that lasts for maybe 10 seconds. If I drive long enough, the heat will come on in full force for about 20 seconds and then is completely off for maybe another 5-10 minutes, then on for 20 seconds, then off, etc. Makes for a fun dialogue with my wife on longer drives as we'll both give each other updates on when we suddenly will feel heat in our respective seats: "WIFE: Hey, I've got heat. Darn, now its gone.; ME: I've got nothing."
 
I'm with you on the regular heating system - even though the auto was on and working when I turn off the car, the next morning, I have to change the "mode" for it to come back on. I'm just thankful it barely gets freezing up here in Seattle. Negative 17 sounds horrible.
 
BTW - to top it off, my gas mileage is no better than what I get when I drive my wife's X3. The dealership service department told me that I don't have a long enough commute for the hybrid system to work, WHAT???? So our X3 gets 15 MPG on my 4 mile commute (about 10-15) minutes, and is rated at 17 MPG city. The hybrid gets 15 MPG or worse for the same route and is rated 31 MPG city??? I would be happy with something in the mid-20's, but I'm certainly not a happy hybrid owner at this point.

#12 of 40 Re: seat heat [2hybrids] by montlakedawg

Feb 08, 2007 (2:34 pm)

Replying to: 2hybrids (Feb 08, 2007 7:40 am)
Yeah, I tried both starting it with the button off and on, but the results are the same. I eventually can feel a little bit of heat, but that lasts for maybe 10 seconds. If I drive long enough, the heat will come on in full force for about 20 seconds and then is completely off for maybe another 5-10 minutes, then on for 20 seconds, then off, etc. Makes for a fun dialogue with my wife on longer drives as we'll both give each other updates on when we suddenly will feel heat in our respective seats: "WIFE: Hey, I've got heat. Darn, now its gone.; ME: I've got nothing."
 
I'm with you on the regular heating system - even though the auto was on and working when I turn off the car, the next morning, I have to change the "mode" for it to come back on. I'm just thankful it barely gets freezing up here in Seattle. Negative 17 sounds horrible.
 
BTW - to top it off, my gas mileage is no better than what I get when I drive my wife's X3. The dealership service department told me that I don't have a long enough commute for the hybrid system to work, WHAT???? So our X3 gets 15 MPG on my 4 mile commute (about 10-15) minutes, and is rated at 17 MPG city. The hybrid gets 15 MPG or worse for the same route and is rated 31 MPG city??? I would be happy with something in the mid-20's, but I'm certainly not a happy hybrid owner at this point.

#13 of 40 New feature..? by wwest

Feb 13, 2007 (1:41 am)

Ford was recently granted a US patent seemingly oriented toward their hybrid Escape and Mariner. The first idea was to dramatically reduce the level of regenerative braking when the climate was nearing or below freezing. The second was to disable ALL regenerative braking the instant the anti-lock system activated.
 
Regenerative braking CAN result in the anti-lock system becoming inoperative on a extremely slippery roadbed surface, just as would/might actual engine braking result in an unsafe situation on a FWD vehicle. And, obviously, as the OAT declines the potential for loss of directional control due to POWERFUL regenerative braking at the front on an icy roadbed increases dramatically.
 
Suppose Toyota and Lexus have recently licensed and adopted these same procedures?
 
In the wintertime the engine already needs to run more often to keep you WARM and the catalyst HOT. With the adoption of the patent techniques the engine would need to run even more often, or at higher power levels, to keep the hybrid battery recharged.
 
I could see that reducing the level and duration of seat heating might be a good move considering these circumstances. Are even like operating two A/Cs with a too small genset in a MH, lock one out while the other runs (heats).
 
Cloth seats, here we come...!

#14 of 40 Re: seat heat [montlakedawg] by stevedebi

Feb 13, 2007 (2:21 pm)

Replying to: montlakedawg (Feb 08, 2007 2:34 pm)
"I'm with you on the regular heating system - even though the auto was on and working when I turn off the car, the next morning, I have to change the "mode" for it to come back on."
 
Are you sure it isn't a "feature"? My Ford Freestyle auto climate control keeps the fans off in cold weather, until the engine heats up, at which time the fans come on to blow (warm) air. I can over ride the fans if desired, but I personally don't like cold air unless it's hot outside and I need A/C!

#15 of 40 Re: Hybrid Highlander - problem with heated seats [montlakedawg] by susannahmp

Mar 20, 2007 (7:04 pm)

Replying to: montlakedawg (Jan 23, 2007 5:39 pm)
Did you find a solution to this problem? I have the same problem with my 2 week old 2007 HiHy. I took it in and they said that they heat up. On my and my husband's insistance, they measured it a 86.2 degrees...I'm not noticing it either. What is it SUPPOSED to be?
 
Dealership (Michael's in Bellevue, WA--we bought from Burien, but Michael's is closer to us) said nothing is wrong. I can't believe it.
 
 

#16 of 40 Re: Hybrid Highlander - problem with heated seats [susannahmp] by susannahmp

May 30, 2007 (11:56 am)

Replying to: susannahmp (Mar 20, 2007 7:04 pm)
So a couple of months later, I am still working with the dealership on this problem. After Michael's dismissed me, I called Toyota Corporate and then the dealership where I bought my car...Burien Toyota. It's about a 40 minute drive from my house, but they agreed to make an exception and pick up my car and drop off a rental.
 
Today is the fifth time in (maybe fourth...who knows by now..).
 
They tweaked the computer and the amount the seats cycled and it worked for about 1/2 a day. They then got in a Toyota rep who said, yeah, the seats aren't working. They replaced the seat covers and elements and the drivers side bottom started to work well, but the backs did not heat up and the passenger side didn't work at all.
 
Yesterday, they took the car again since the Toyota Engineer was coming in and after a day of working on it, he found that 2 pins in the junction box were not connected.
 
SOOOOOO, they SAY they work and they test well, but we shall see (I should get car back today.
 
This has taken farrr too long. If you think the seats aren't heating up enough, they aren't. They should be mighty toasty.
 
 

#17 of 40 Re: Hybrid Highlander - problem with heated seats [susannahmp] by montlakedawg

Jun 06, 2007 (1:12 pm)

Replying to: susannahmp (May 30, 2007 11:56 am)
I haven't checked in in a while so I'm glad to read that I'm not the only one having this problem. Toyota of Seattle said that my heated seats range from 84 degrees to 104 degrees and that it cycles between those temps. Considering the human body is at 98.4 degrees, basically, I won't feel the heat every time it cycles below my body temperature, which is almost all of the time. They don't seem to have a solution. Please let me know if Michael's Toyota in Bellevue was finally able to fix it and I will take it there! Thanks so much - even though it is finally summer, I still want these darn seats to work.

#18 of 40 Re: Hybrid Highlander - problem with heated seats [montlakedawg] by wwest

Jun 06, 2007 (4:26 pm)

Replying to: montlakedawg (Jun 06, 2007 1:12 pm)
Your body's "core" temperature is supposed to be 98.6F. Your body's surface, skin, temperature is typically a lot lower.
 
You are driving a hybrid, you know....

#19 of 40 Re: Hybrid Highlander - problem with heated seats [montlakedawg] by susannahmp

Jun 06, 2007 (4:26 pm)

Replying to: montlakedawg (Jun 06, 2007 1:12 pm)
I wonder if that's where I am now. They said it was two pins that weren't connected and now the heat is worse than it was before.
 
Keep pushing back. Toyota Corporate is involved in mine. If more people complain, they'll have to do something about it.

#20 of 40 Housekeeping by pf_flyer HOST

Jun 07, 2007 (4:15 am)

I'm going ro rename this discussion to make it our home for interior issues for the Highlander hybrid.

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