NHTSA Complaint #10521163 — 2007 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER HYBRID

DRIVING MY BELOVED 2007 HIGHLANDER HYBRID (HH) HOME FROM WORK, I WAS ON THE FREEWAY IN THE SLOW LANE AND HEARD A LOUD "POP" SOUND. I IMMEDIATELY SAW NUMEROUS WARNING MESSAGES FLASH ON THE DASHBOARD - "CHECK HYBRID SYSTEM", "CHECK VCS SYSTEM", AND "CHECK POWER STEERING." THANKFULLY MY CAR DID NOT STOP IMMEDIATELY ON THE FREEWAY AS OTHERS HAVE BUT I WAS ABLE TO GET OFF THE FREEWAY AND TO MY TRUSTED MECHANIC BEFORE THE SYSTEM COMPLETELY FAILED. ACCORDING TO THE DEALERSHIP THAT NOW HAS MY CAR, THE INVERTER HAS FAILED BUT THIS VIN NUMBER WAS NOT IN THE TOYOTA RECALL OF 2006/2007 HH CARS. I HAVE 146,000 MILES AND THIS PART SHOULD NOT HAVE FAILED. THOUGH I PURCHASED THE CAR USED JUST 2 YEARS AGO, I HAVE MAINTAINED IT EXACTLY AS DIRECTED AND THE CARFAX ON THE CAR SHOWED THAT THE PREVIOUS OWNER HAD ALL OF THE REQUIRED MAINTENANCE DONE AT A DEALERSHIP USING THE TOYOTA MAINTENANCE SCHEDULE. THOUGH THE FULL EXTENT OF THE DAMAGE WILL NOT BE DETERMINED UNTIL AFTER THE INVERTER IS REPLACED (IT IS BELIEVED THAT THE POWER STEERING WENT OUT AT THE SAME TIME AND THERE IS THE POTENTIAL FOR OTHER DAMAGE AS WELL), THE INVERTER ISSUE ON THESE VEHICLES CONTINUE TO PLACE PEOPLE IN VERY DANGEROUS SITUATIONS. I FEEL VERY FORTUNATE THAT I WAS NOT IN ONE OF THE FAST LANES AND THAT THE CAR DIDN'T STOP WORKING; I WAS FORTUNATE TO GET OFF THE FREEWAY AND TO A SAFE LOCATION. I KNOW THAT THE NHTSB HAD A HAND IN THE 2011 RECALL OF THE 2006/2007 HH VEHICLES AND I BELIEVE THAT THERE ARE STILL VEHICLES ON THE ROAD THAT WERE NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL THAT PROBABLY SHOULD HAVE BEEN (MINE INCLUDED.) PLEASE CONTINUE TO MONITOR THIS SITUATION AND HOLD TOYOTA ACCOUNTABLE FOR THE POOR DESIGN/MANUFACTURING OF THEIR HYBRID TECHNOLOGY. *TR