2005 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER Power Train Problems

TRANSAXLE VENT IS LEAKING TRANSMISSION FLUID ONTO EXHAUST, POTENTIAL OF CATASTRAPHIC TRANSMISSION FAILURE DUE TO TOTAL SUDDEN LOSS OF TRANSMISSION FLIUD. LEAK IS CAUSE BY A DEFECTIVE SEAL

MY HIGHLANDER HAS 120,000 MILES ON IT AND THE TRANSMISSION SUDDENLY GAVE OUT WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY. IT STARTED BY DOWNSHIFTING SUDDENLY, MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO RETAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. THEN I LOST ALL FORWARD POWER AND HAD TO COAST TO A STOP ON THE SIDE OF THE INTERSTATE. I AM NOW STUCK PAYING A $3500+ REPAIR BILL DESPITE KEEPING UP ON REGULAR MAINTENANCE ACCORDING TO THE MANUFACTURERS MAINTENANCE GUIDE. AFTER TALKING WITH SEVERAL MECHANICS, I FOUND OUT THIS IS APPARENTLY A COMMON PROBLEM ON THE TRANSMISSIONS USED BY THE RAV4S AND HIGHLANDERS, BUT TOYOTA HAS ONLY ISSUED RECALLS FOR THE RAV4S? VERY DISAPPOINTING. *TR

BOUGHT THE CAR AND NOT EVEN A WEEK AFTER OWNING IT I HAD TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS, I TOOK IT BACK TO THE DEALER THEY REPLACED THE TRANS AND UPDATED THE COMPUTER. THE PROBLEM STILL PERSIST, THERE IS A HUGE HESITATION IN THE TRANSMISSION WHEN SLOWING TO AN ALMOST STOP AND RE ACCELERATING. THE RPM'S REV UP BUT THE CAR DOES NOT RESPOND SOMETIMES. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS WHEN GOING THROUGH INTERSECTIONS OR MERGING INTO TRAFFIC. THERE ARE NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS FROM PEOPLE EXPERIENCING THE SAME PROBLEM. I HAVE A NEW TRANS IN MY CAR, FLUID LEVELS ARE PERFECT THE COMPUTER HAS BEEN UPDATED AND STILL HAVING HUGE ISSUES WITH MY TRANS. THIS IS DANGEROUS VERY DANGEROUS.

WHEN I WAS TRYING TO PARK MY TOYOTA HIGHLANDER 2005 IN FRONT OF THE BUILDING WHERE I WORK, BACKING UP, THE ENGINE IDDLE WENT EXTREMELY HIGH AND I TRIED TO STOP, BUT I COULD NOT DO IT BECAUSE THE STEERING WHEEL AND THE BRAKES LOCKED. I TRIED TO PUT THE GEAR IN NEUTRAL, BUT INSTEAD, IT WENT STRAIGH TO DRIVE, SO IT CAUSES MAJOR DAMAGES TO 2 VEHICLES BEHIND MINE, AND OTHER 3 IN FRONT OF MINE TOO. ALSO MY VEHICLE DESTROYED A MAIL BOX AND A TREE, BUT I COULD NOT STOP UNTIL MY HIGHLANDER STOPPED BY ITSELF TOTALLY DESTROYED. I ENDED UP IN THE HOSPITAL WITH SOME TRAUMA.

HAVE DOCUMENTED TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS SINCE THE PURCHASE OF THE VEHICLE. CONTACTED TOYOTA WITH MY CONCERNS, NO HELP WAS PROVIDED. TRANSMISSION FAILED. PROVIDED TOYOTA WITH COMPLAINT ON OCT.14,2015. AND MANY TIMES BEFORE THEN. AFRAID FOR MY LIFE TO DRIVE IT. TURNING, JERKING, HESITATION IN TAKE OFF. ETC.

I'M THE ORIGINAL OWNER & SOLE DRIVER OF THE VEHICLE & EVER SINCE I TEST DROVE IT THE DAY I PURCHASED IT THIS CAR'S HAD ISSUES WITH "JERKY/DELAYED" ACCELERATION. DURING THE TEST DRIVE I WAS TOLD THAT THE CAR ADJUSTS TO HOW I DRIVE & IT'LL GET BETTER. THIS HAPPENS PRETTY MUCH EVERY TIME I ACCELERATE THE VEHICLE AFTER IT'S BEEN STOPPED OR THE SPEED SLOWED SUBSTANTIALLY. EACH & EVERY TIME I TRY TO GENTLY ACCELERATE THE VEHICLE FROM A STOP, THERE'S A TINY DELAY IN VEHICLE RESPONSE FROM WHAT I AM INPUTTING TO THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL. THEN AFTER THE DELAY, IT'S LIKE THE VEHICLE TRIES TO SUDDENLY CATCH UP WITH WHERE IT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE IN THE ACCELERATION PROCESS & SUDDENLY JERKS FORWARD WITH A LOT OF ACCELERATION. THIS POSES A SAFETY PROBLEM WHEN TRYING TO PULL OUT INTO TRAFFIC & NEEDING THE VEHICLE TO RESPOND TO THE...

I AM THE ORIGINAL OWNER OF THE VEHICLE AND THROUGHOUT MY OWNERSHIP SINCE 2/2005 WHEN IT WAS BOUGHT THIS CAR HAS ISSUES WITH ACCELERATION. IT USUALLY OCCURS WHEN YOU ARE SITTING AT A STOP AND TRY TO ACCELERATE THE VEHICLE. THE CAR DOES NOT RECOGNIZE WHEN YOU ARE PUSHING THE ACCELERATION PEDAL AND HAS A DELAY WHEN IT FINALLY RESPONDS. THERE HAVE BEEN NUMEROUS INCIDENTS WHERE I HAVE TRIED TO CROSS A BUSY INTERSECTION OR PULL OUT INTO TRAFFIC AND THE VEHICLE HESITATES WHEN TRYING TO ACCELERATE, ENDING WITH A JERK OF THE VEHICLE. I HAVE ALMOST BEEN T-BONED A FEW TIMES TRYING TO CROSS BUSY INTERSECTIONS AND THE CAR DOESN'T WANT TO MOVE. I HAVE BROUGHT THIS TO THE DEALERSHIP NUMEROUS TIMES AND THE ONLY RESPONSE THEY HAVE IS THAT THE CAR ADJUSTS TO DIFFERENT DRIVERS AND IT THEN PROGRAMS ITSELF BASED OFF YOUR DRIVING HABITS, SO THEY RESET...

TRAVELING AT APPROX 35MPH THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY AND WITHOUT WARNING DECELERATED RAPIDLY TO ZERO MPH AND A LOUD GEAR - LIKE CRUNCHING AND GRINDING SOUND WAS HEARD UNDER THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THE VEHICLE WOULD ONLY MOVE AT 1 MPH TO PULL OFF THE ROAD AND WAS TOTALLY DISABLED. VEHICLE HAD TO BE TOWED. MECHANICS CONCLUDED THE FRONT DRIVE DIFFERENTIAL SUFFERED A MAJOR FAILURE AND THEN RUINED THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. *JS

MY TRANSMISSION HAS FAILED ON MY TOYOTA 2005 HIGHLANDER AFTER 96,000 MILES. I HAVE READ OTHER CONSUMER COMPLAINTS AND I AM CONVINCED THERE IS A SERIOUS PROBLEM WITH THE2005 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER HYBRID TRANSMISSION. I SPOKE TO TOYOTA AND THEY ADVISED ME TO TAKE MY CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP. I WAS TOLD THAT THE TRANSMISSION HAD TO BE REPLACED AND THAT IT WOULD COST $5060,00 TO REPLACE. TOYOTA OFFERED ME .10% OFF THE COST OF REPAIRS. I WAS SHOCKED AS I HAVE ONLY OWNED THE VEHICLE FOR 15 MONTHS AND HAVE A 4 YEAR NOTE. I AM VERY FORTUNATE THAT I DID NOT HAVE A HORRIBLE ACCIDENT AS I WAS COMING DOWN A VERY STEEP INCLINE ON THE HIGHWAY WHEN THE TRANSMISSION BEGAN TO FAIL. I AM FORCED TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE AS I AM NOT IN THE POSITION TO PURCHASE ANOTHER VEHICLE. I WOULD LIKE FOR THE NHTSA TO LOOK...

BOUGHT THE CAR USED WITH 49K MILES APPROXIMATELY. DID NOT DO THIS FOR THE FIRST 1.5 YRS WE OWNED THIS NOW PROBLEMS WITH THE TRANNY AND DEALER TOLD US IT IS SUPPOSE TO DO THAT. I DONT THINK SO BY OTHER PEOPLE IN THE TOYOTA HIGHLANDER FORUMS. THERE ARE THOUSANDS OF OWNERS WITH THIS TRANNY PROBLEM AND TOYOTA HAS NO FIX BUT TO REPLACE THE TRANNY FOR $5000.00 WIFE'S 2005 HIGHLANDER IS NOT SHIFTING CORRECT WHEN SHE SLOWS DOWN AND THEN TRIES TO SPEED UP OR WHEN SHE GOES AROUND A CORNER SLOW AND SPEEDS UP THE TRANNY HAS A DELAY AND THEN SHIFTS KINDA HARD. WHEN STARTING FROM A DEAD STOP SHIFTS FINE NO PROBLEMS JUST SLOWING DOWN AND THEN ACCELERATING IT WILL DELAY THEN SHIFT. IT KIND OF JERKS THE CAR AND MAKES YOU WONDER WHAT IS GOING ON. CAR HAS BEEN DOING THIS FOR ABOUT 6 MONTHS....

ENGINE/TRANSMISSION IS VERY JERKY AND ON AGAIN OFF AGAIN WITH ACCELERATION AND DECELERATION. THIS HAS ALMOST CAUSED ME TO HAVE SEVERAL ACCIDENTS, AND I AM CONSIDERING GETTING RID OF THE CAR. IT SEEMS THAT TOYOTA HAS KNOWN ABOUT THIS PROBLEM WITH HIGHLANDER FOR SOME PERIOD OF TIME. AND I FEEL THAT THEY SHOULD HONOR THE HARD WORKING CITIZENS THAT BUY THEIR VEHICLES AND PROVIDE A RECALL TO REPAIR THE AFORE MENTIONED PROBLEMS. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE NOTICED TRANSMISSION FLUID LEAKING FROM THE TRANSMISSION. THE VEHICLE WAS NEITHER DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 99,000. *TR

I HAVE 2005 HIGHLANDER LIMITED V6 AWD. THE CAR HAS ISSUES WITH THE DIFFERENTIAL FLUID LEAKING AFTER 30,000 MILES OR EVERY TWO YEARS. THE DEALER FIXED THE LEAKING FOR MY CAR AT 35,429 MILES (NO CHARGE DUE TO WARRANTY) IN 2008; HOWEVER, THE DIFFERENTIAL WAS LEAKING AGAIN AT 67,329 MILES THIS YEAR. I CONTACTED TOYOTA AND THEY TOLD ME THAT THE WARRANTY FOR THE DIFFERENTIAL IS 5 YEARS OR 60,000 MILES, WHICHEVER COMES FIRST. ONCE THE VEHICLE IS OUTSIDE OF THESE WARRANTY GUIDELINES THE COST OF REPAIRS BECOMES THE OWNER?S RESPONSIBILITY. *TR

FRONT DIFFERENTIAL CATASTROPHICALLY FAILED ON 2005 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER (4WD) (65,220 MI) WHILE TRAVELING AT 65 MPH ON INTERSTATE. VEHICLE INSTANTANEOUSLY LOST SPEED (TO 30 MPH) & WE NARROWLY AVOIDED BEING RUN OVER BY SEMITRAILER AT HIGHWAY SPEED. DUE TO CONFIGURATION OF ROAD - ONLY SPORADIC SHOULDERS BECAUSE OF TERRAIN - THIS WAS A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION. CAR STUCK IN TRAVEL LANES FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD. FEEL VERY LUCKY THAT NO ONE WAS HURT. REPAIRING DEALER ASSERTED THAT THE PART HAD NO FLUID REMAINING DUE TO SEAL LEAK. VEHICLE WAS LAST SERVICED BY LOCAL DEALER ~2,000 MILES EARLIER (63,226 MI) WITH NO LEAKAGE SEEN. ENTIRE FRONT DIFFERENTIAL / TRANSFER CASE ASSEMBLY WAS REPLACED (STILL HAVE PART). CAR WAS TOTALLY INSPECTED BY REPAIRING DEALER AT THE TIME (65,220 MI) AND NO OTHER PROBLEMS FOUND. ONE MONTH LATER FOUND FLUID PUDDLE IN DRIVEWAY (66,216 MI). DEALER INVESTIGATED AND REPORTED THAT THE INSPECTION PLUG...

THE REAR WHEEL BEARINGS ON OUR 2005 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER FAILED AT 94,000 MILES. WE HEARD STRANGE NOISES FROM THE REAR END AND ASKED OUR MECHANIC TO CHECK. HE INDICATED THAT THE RIGHT REAR TIRE WAS "CUPPED" AND SUGGESTED REPLACEMENT. SINCE IT WAS TIME FOR NEW TIRES ANYWAY, WE DID THAT BUT THE NOISE CONTINUED. UPON RETURNING TO THE MECHANIC HE DUG FURTHER AND REPORTED THAT BOTH REAR WHEEL BEARINGS WERE WORN, THE LEFT (TO THE POINT OF BEING DANGEROUS) MORE THAN THE RIGHT, TO THE POINT THAT THEY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. WE WENT TO THE TOYOTA DEALER FROM WHO WE PURCHASED THE CAR AND THEIR SERVICE DEPARTMENT CONFIRMED THE DIAGNOSIS AND WE ARRANGED FOR THE NEEDED REPAIRS. WHEN WE ASKED THE DEALER AND TOYOTA DIRECTLY WHETHER THIS WAS PROBLEM THEY HAD SEEN BEFORE THEY INDICATED IT WAS JUST WEAR AND TEAR AND BASICALLY, OUR HARD LUCK. *TR

I OWN A 2005 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER. I WENT TO A FRIEND'S HOUSE AND PARKED VEHICLE IN FRONT OF THE HOUSE IN THE DRIVEWAY BY PLACING THE GEAR SHIFT IN THE PARK POSITION. I LEFT THE VEHICLE IDLING WHILE I WENT INTO MY FRIEND'S HOUSE TO GET A GROCERY LIST. I WENT IN AND OUT OF THE HOUSE ON 2 DIFFERENT OCCASIONS OVER A PERIOD OF ABOUT 10- 15 MINUTES TO RETRIEVE ITEMS FOR MY FRIEND THAT WERE OUTSIDE. ON BOTH OCCASIONS MY VEHICLE WAS IN THE DRIVEWAY IDLING. WHILE I WAS BACK INSIDE RETRIEVING THE GROCERY LIST MY FRIEND AND I OBSERVED MY VEHICLE MOVING THROUGH HER BACK YARD AND PROCEEDED INTO THE WOODS BEHIND HER HOUSE WHERE IT CAME TO A STOP AFTER HITTING A TREE. THIS VEHICLE SOMEHOW TOOK ITSELF OUT OF THE PARK POSITION AND INTO DRIVE!!!! I REPORTED THIS TO MY TOYOTA DEALER AND THE INSURANCE...

MY 2005 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER, V6 MODEL, ALWAYS ON APPLYING THE BRAKES THE FIRST TIME AFTER STARTING IN THE MORNING IS LIKE THE ABS SYSTEM IS ENGAGED, IT TAKES LONGER TO STOP THAN IT WILL ON THE SUCCEEDING BRAKING APPLICATIONS. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS, ESPECIALLY TO SOMEONE WHO MAY NOT BE PREPARED FOR THIS OR IS NOT THE USUAL DRIVER. AT FIRST I THOUGHT THIS WAS JUST HYDRAULICS BUT NOW I THINK IT IS TIED TO THE ABS SYSTEM, AFTER READING OF THE PROBLEM WITH ACCELERATION. *TR