NHTSA Complaint #10308598 — 2008 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER

2008 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER FAILS TO SHIFT INTO GEAR. MOST OCCURRENCES AT LOW SPEED AFTER SLOWING TO 5MPH VEHICLE DOES NOT RESPOND TO GAS PEDAL - OR WILL NOT ENGAGE INTO GEAR AND MOVE FORWARD. THIS OCCURS OR IS MOST NOTICEABLE AT SLOW SPEEDS WHEN THE GAS PEDAL IS PUSHED AFTER HAVING SLOWED DOWN OR IN THE MIDST OF A SLOW DOWN (NOT A COMPLETE STOP) USUALLY TO WAIT FOR TRAFFIC TO CLEAR. OCCURRED WITH EVERY DRIVER OF THE VEHICLE (4). MOST NOTABLE (SCARY) WHILE MY DAUGHTER WAS TURNING AND TRYING TO GET OUT OF THE WAY OF TRAFFIC. CAR WOULD NOT ENGAGE IN GEAR, RPM INCREASE, CAR REVES UP, BUT WILL NOT MOVE FORWARD OUT OF THE WAY OF TRAFFIC. MY DAUGHTER SCREAMED. TAKEN TO DEALER AT LEAST TWICE. AND CONTINUE TO CALL AND COMPLAIN. DEALER STATES THEY HAD EXPERTS LOOK AT CAR, REBOOTED COMPUTER (BECAUSE CAR RESPONDS TO DRIVER THAT DRIVES THE MOST!). SAID NOTHING IS WRONG OR CAN BE DONE. DEALER HAS ADMITTED THAT ENGAGING IS SLOW, NOTICEABLE. FAILURE TO ENGAGE OCCURS DAILY. CONSEQUENCE - IN DANGER OF NOT BEING ABLE TO MOVE CAR OUT OF THE WAY OF ONCOMING TRAFFIC. NOTHING WAS DONE TO REPAIR. COMPUTER RE-SET. (THIS IS WHAT I WAS TOLD) VEHICLE ALSO HAS EXPERIENCED TROUBLE WHILE DRIVING UP HILL. RPM WENT TO 4000 + AND WOULD NOT CHANGE GEARS. ON FREEWAY AND SLOWING DOWN. HAD 6 HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS IN CAR. ALSO HAS "DROPPED" INTO GEAR HEAVILY. *TR