NHTSA Complaint #10598817 — 2008 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER

WE WERE STARTING OFF TO GO ON VACATION WHEN WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON THE DASHBOARD AND INFORMATION PANEL WITH HYBRID SYSTEM WARNINGS AND BRAKE WARNINGS THEN THE CAR COMPLETELY STOPPED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD AND STEERING WAS LOST. WE WERE ABLE TO GET OFF TO THE SIDE ENOUGH TO PREVENT CAUSING AN ACCIDENT HOWEVER WE WERE ON A BUSY STREET. HAD IT TOWED TO THE LOCAL TOYOTA DEALER AND THE DIAGNOSIS WAS A FAILED COIL. THEY REPLACED ALL 3 COILS SAYING THAT IT WOULD BE PRUDENT AS THE ENGINE WAS ALREADY APART (I AGREE). THEY ALSO SAID THAT THIS IS A RELATIVELY COMMON OCCURRENCE WITH SOME OF THE HIGHLANDER HYBRIDS. I HAVE THE PART AND IT LOOKS LIKE THE TOP OF THE COIL BECAME OVER HEATED AND BLEW OUT THE TOP PLASTIC COMPOUND. I CONSIDER MYSELF VERY LUCKY THAT THIS DID NOT HAPPEN WHILE ON A HIGHWAY ON A RAINY DAY WHERE THE VEHICLE ABRUPTLY STOPPING WOULD CERTAINLY HAVE CAUSED ME TO BE IN AN ACCIDENT. THIS IS CERTAINLY A FLAW THAT TOYOTA SHOULD ADDRESS FOR SAFETY REASONS AND IT MAKES ME HESITANT TO WANT TO PURCHASE ANOTHER TOYOTA PRODUCT AGAIN. *TR