NHTSA Complaint #11205833 — 2013 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER

OUR 2013 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER HAS HAD 3 OF THE 4 DOOR ACTUATORS FAIL IN A 26 MONTH PERIOD. THE FIRST ACTUATOR FAILED IN IN MARCH 2017 (CAR WAS ONLY 3 YEARS, 8 MONTHS OLD), THE SECOND ACTUATOR FAILED IN FEBRUARY 2018 (CAR WAS 4 YEARS, 7 MONTHS OLD) AND THE THIRD ACTUATOR FAILED IN MAY 2019 (CAR WAS ONLY 5 YEARS 10 MONTHS OLD). BECAUSE THE DOOR ACTUATOR FAILED, THE DOOR DID NOT LOCK WHEN PLACING THE CAR IN DRIVE WHICH INCREASED THE CHANCES THE DOOR WOULD OPEN IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH; THEREBY, REDUCING THE STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY OF THE VEHICLE IN A CRASH. SINCE THE ACTUATORS ALSO FAILED TO AUTOMATICALLY UNLOCK WHEN THE CAR WAS PLACED IN PARK, THE ACTUATORS WOULD NOT AUTOMATICALLY UNLOCK THE DOORS IN THE EVENT OF AN AIRBAG DEPLOYMENT; THEREBY, POSSIBLY IMPEDING THE ABILITY TO ENTER/EXIT THE CAR IN AN EMERGENCY SITUATION. A COMPLAINT WAS LODGED WITH TOYOTA AND A CASE NUMBER WAS ESTABLISHED. HOWEVER, TOYOTA INDICATED THAT THERE IS NOT A RECALL RELATED TO DOOR ACTUATORS AT THIS TIME AND THERE IS NOTHING THE COULD DO ABOUT THE PROBLEM.