2009 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER HYBRID Engine Problems

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER HYBRID. WHILE DRIVING UP A HILL AT 20 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED AND THE ABS, TRACTION CONTROL, STEERING SYSTEM, AND BATTERY WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. IN ADDITION, "STOP VEHICLE IN A SAFE PLACE IMMEDIATELY" APPEARED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE CONTACT HAD TO DEPRESS THE BRAKE PEDAL WITH EXCESSIVE FORCE TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT COASTED THE VEHICLE OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND HAD IT TOWED HOME. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER OR AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE FAILURE RECURRED AND THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO ROYAL SOUTH TOYOTA (LOCATED AT 3115 S WALNUT ST, BLOOMINGTON, IN 47401, (812) 331-1100) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED, BUT NO FAILURE CODE WAS FOUND. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 124,842.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER HYBRID. WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, THE CONTACT HEARD A CLUNKING NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE LOST POWER AND FAILED TO ACCELERATE OR RESTART. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER. THE DEALER IMMEDIATELY NOTICED THAT THE VEHICLE SEEMED TO CONSUME ABNORMAL QUANTITIES OF OIL. THE VEHICLE HAD AN OIL CHANGE A MONTH AND A HALF PRIOR TO THE FAILURE AND THE OIL METER MEASURED ONE QUART OF ENGINE OIL LEFT IN THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. SEVERAL MONTHS LATER, THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 13V396000 (HYBRID PROPULSION SYSTEM). AFTER THE RECALL REPAIR WAS PERFORMED, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 125,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

DRIVING ABOUT 40MPH WENT TO ACCELERATE AND THE WHOLE CAR STOPPED RESPONDING TO ANYTHING. COULDN'T DRIVE IT AT ALL, WAS ABLE TO LIMP TO SIDE OF ROAD, AT FIRST COULDN'T TURN VEHICLE OFF. ONCE ABLE TO TURN OFF AND BACK ON CAR WOULD DRIVE. WARNING MESSAGES CAME ON "CHECK BRAKE SYSTEM-HAVE YOUR VEHICLE CHECKED BY DEALER IMMEDIATELY" AND THEN "CHECK HYBRID SYSTEM-STOP THE VEHICLE IN A SAFE PLACE (AS IF I HAD A CHOICE SINCE THE VEHICLE STOPPED ITSELF0, IMMEDIATELY CONTACT DEALER" HAD IT TOWED TO DEALER WHO DID A CHECK AND INFORMED ME THAT THE PROBLEM IS A PART OF THE MOST RECENT RECALL HOWEVER THEY DO NOT HAVE THE PARTS AS OF YET AND ARENT SURE WHEN THEY ARE GOING TO GET THEM.

DEPRESSED ACCELERATOR AFTER BEING STOPPED AT TRAFFIC LIGHT. CAR JERKED FORWARD, STOPPED AND WOULD NOT RESTART. WARNING MESSAGES FOR THE HYBRID SYSTEM (MESSAGE WAS 'STOP IMMEDIATELY AND NOTIFY DEALER'), BRAKE SYSTEM AND 4 WHEEL DRIVE. CAR WAS TOWED TO DEALER WHO DETERMINED IT WAS FAILURE OF HYBRID INVERTER REQUIRING COMPLETE REPLACEMENT. I'M CONCERNED BECAUSE THIS SOUND SIMILAR TO ISSUES REPORTED FOR 2006 AND 2007 HIGHLANDER MODELS. *TR