NHTSA Complaint #10252755 — 2004 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER

THE CAR'S VSC (VEHICLE SKID CONTROL) SYSTEM ACTIVATED ON A DRY STRAIGHT ROAD. THE BRAKES WENT ON AND REDUCED THE SPEED TO ABOUT 5MPH, MAKING THE CAR UNDRIVABLE. GLAD THIS DIDN'T HAPPEN IN TRAFFIC. THE CAR WAS TURNED OFF, AND RESTARTED, AND I COULD GET IT TO ABOUT 10MPH, AND THEN IT WOULD APPLY THE BRAKES QUICKLY AND REDUCED POWER NO-MATTER WHAT THE THROTTLE POSITION WAS, AND THE CAR WAS LIMITED TO ABOUT 5MPH. ONCE THIS HAPPENED THE CAR HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO BE DRIVEN, UNLESS THE FUSES FOR THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKES ARE REMOVED. I DID THIS JUST TO GET IT TO THE DEALER... IT HAD BUZZERS AND WARNING LIGHTS GOING OFF. THE DEALER LOOKED AT IT AND THOUGHT THAT IT WAS THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKE & VSC "ECU", WHICH WAS GOING TO COST $2,400, BUT THERE COULD BE EXTRA SENSORS THAT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED TOO. THIS SEEMED VERY EXCESSIVE SO I DIDN'T HAVE THE WORK DONE. NOW THE CAR IS SITTING. I'VE HEARD THERE IS A SERVICE BULLETIN OUT ON THIS BUT I HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO FIND IT. I'VE HEARD THAT IT CAN BE THE STEERING ANGLE SENSOR, OR THE WHEEL ROTATIONS SENSORS, OR THE G-CENTER (ACCELEROMETER). EACH ONE IS SEVERAL HUNDRED DOLLARS APIECE. A FAILURE IN THE SKID CONTROL SYSTEM SHOULD JUST STOP WORKING AND NOT CAUSE THE BRAKES TO BE SLAMMED ON, LEAVING THE CAR UNDRIVABLE. AND THE REPAIR COST SHOULD NOT BE $2,500 TO OVER $4,000. THIS IS RIDICULOUS. *TR