NHTSA Complaint #11253911 — 2009 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER

THIS IS FOR A 2009 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER HYBRID LIMITED WITH ABOUT 142000 MILES. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN IN ANY ACCIDENTS AND IS NOT ABUSED IN ANY WAY. ALL MAINTENANCE ARE UP TO DATE WITH THE MAJOR TIMING KIT REPLACED MOST RECENTLY AT ABOUT 140000. WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE ON NORMAL ROADS (SOMETIMES HIGHWAY, SOMETIME CITY ROADS), I GET THREE WARNINGS THAT POP UP AT THE CENTER SCREEN BETWEEN THE AIR VENTS; 1) CHECK ABS, 2) CHECK BRAKE SYSTEM, AND 3) BRAKE MALFUNCTION. FOR THE FIRST TWO WARNINGS, IT IS FOLLOWED BY "HAVE YOUR VEHICLE CHECKED BY DEALER." BUT, FOR THE THIRD WARNING, IT IS ACCOMPANIED BY "STOP THE VEHICLE IN A SAFE PLACE IMMEDIATELY AND CONTACT DEALER." THESE WARNINGS ALSO CORRESPOND TO THREE LIGHTS THAT POP UP BY THE SPEEDOMETER; 1) VSC, 2) ABS, AND 3) BRAKE. THE LIGHTS STAY ON FOR TWO TO THREE DAYS AT A TIME AND THEN WILL GO AWAY WITHOUT ANY REASONABLE EXPLAINATION. THIS HAPPENS ABOUT EVERY OTHER WEEK. I WAS UNABLE TO BRING IT TO A DEALERSHIP WHEN THE LIGHT IS ON AS I LIVE VERY FAR AWAY FROM THE DEALERSHIP. WHEN I CALL AND DESCRIBE THE WARNINGS, I AM TOLD THAT THIS MAY BE A PROBLEM WITH THE ACTUATOR AND IT IS COMMON. THE DEALER ESTIMATED THE COST TO BE AROUND $3500. I DID A QUICK SEARCH ONLINE AND FIND THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM AMONG SAME GENERATION HIGHLANDERS. I SHOULD NOT HAVE TO PAY FOR THIS AND THE MANUFACTURER NEEDS TO GET THE VEHICLE RIGHT. I FEEL UNSAFE DRIVING THIS VEHICLE WITH THE UNCERTAINTY OF BEING ABLE TO STOP SAFELY WHEN NECESSARY. I UNDERSTAND THAT TOYOTA HAD A RECALL ON THE BRAKE SYSTEM FOR THE PRIUS AND CAMRY, BUT DID NOT INCLUDE THE HIGHLANDER. THEY SHOULD HAVE SINCE THIS IS A SAFETY PROBLEM THAT IS COMMON WITH THE FIRST AND SECOND GENERATION HIGHLANDERS. PLEASE GET TOYOTA TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY BEFORE AN ACCIDENTS OCCURS. BRAKES ARE AN IMPORTANT SAFETY FEATURE THAT SHOULD NOT BE COMPROMISED.