Major Problems with 2003 Toyota Highlander Derived from Complaints & Recalls

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Worst 3 complaints of 2003 Toyota Highlander

2003 Toyota Highlander AIR BAGS Victims: 2 Mileage: 67000 miles

2003 Toyota Highlander SERVICE BRAKES Victims: 1

2003 Toyota Highlander AIR BAGS Victims: 1 Mileage: 148000 miles

Browse 2003 Toyota Highlander complaints by category

Problems with ENGINE, ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING and VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL are the most frequent issues recorded by the NHTSA from Toyota Highlander owners.

Problem Category	Number of Problems
ENGINE tl* the contact owns a 2003 toyota highlander. while traveling 55 mph the contact noticed that the vehicle had began...	40 ~ 113583 miles
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING two months after buying my new 2003 highlander it developed a loud ticking in the engine. toyota told me that...	26 ~ 105931 miles
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL sudden acceleration while brake was depressed. vehicle went up a two foot embankment and thru a chain link fence. vehicle	24 ~ 73695 miles
VISIBILITY temp (hot/cold) dial electrical short. temp setting continuously fails to hold set temp & blows opposite of setting. fear of...	19 ~ 61164 miles
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC problems with vehicle brakes master cylinder was faulty. *mr the brakes faded while the consumer attempted to stop the vehicle....	15 ~ 43936 miles
EXTERIOR LIGHTING headlight lenses have become progressively translucent blocking significant light energy from vehicle to operate vehicle in a totally safe manner....	14 ~ 102047 miles
ENGINE > ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING a few months after the purchase of my new 2003 toyota highlander it has developed a pronounced "ticking" sound within...	14 ~ 92252 miles
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM temp (hot/cold) dial electrical short. temp setting continuously fails to hold set temp & blows opposite of setting. fear of...	13 ~ 116246 miles
BODY > STRUCTURE i picked up car at the dealer and the same evening rolled the rear windows down slightly and the result...	11 ~ 60514 miles
SERVICE BRAKES i have a 2003 highlander. when i press the brake only the driver side of the tail/brake light becomes...	10 ~ 125315 miles
AIR BAGS dt*: the consumer hit a patch of black ice traveling at 45 mph when approaching a stop sign the vehicle...	8 ~ 94327 miles
POWER TRAIN gentlemen: i am writing you this e-mail because there is a problem with my car that is not only irritating...	7 ~ 68734 miles
COOLING SYSTEM > ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING the suv was out of coolant & water and my husband take the car to the dealer to check this...	6 ~ 115050 miles
STEERING 1) vibration with one or more windows down. 2) front end pulling to one side while driving at highway speed....	6 ~ 78720 miles
UNKNOWN OR OTHER annoying wind noise when driving with either or both rear windows open. opening front window alleviates the noise. flawed design....	6 ~ 20032 miles
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE replacement of a charcoal canister on a 2003 toyota highlander. no accidents occurred as a result of the replacement of...	5 ~ 72652 miles
AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION > POWER TRAIN 2003 toyota highlander 4 cyl auto trans. between 25 and 45 mph when you apply the brake on the auto...	5 ~ 73290 miles
POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS > VISIBILITY on the way home from the dealer we opened the rear windows slightly. the result was a pulsating pressure painful...	5 ~ 32829 miles
SUSPENSION vsc (vehicle stability control including abs) & check engine lights have been turning on intermittently almost from the start of...	4 ~ 74800 miles
SEAT BELTS i own a 2003 toyota highlander purchased november 2002 with current mileage 49 570. i just noticed that the strap...	4 ~ 23500 miles
ACCELERATOR PEDAL > VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL consumer feels that the location of the brake/gas pedal are too close. this resulted in accidental acceleration while reversing.*ak...	4 ~ 21757 miles
STRUCTURE when the driver's window was down a loud whistling noise was heard. *jb...	4 ~ 9820 miles
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM car accelerated and chased into house in nov 20011. car accelerated in parking lot dec. 2012. no damage this time...	3 ~ 97833 miles
ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL vsc skid control/ecu failure in 2003 highlander. this has happened to me on three separate occasions: my car lightly skidded...	3 ~ 98783 miles
DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM > VISIBILITY manual heater control dial lost function to control temperature. heater only blows cold air. recommendation was to replace heater control	3 ~ 64000 miles
VISIBILITY/WIPER tl* the contact owns a 2003 toyota highlander. the contact stated that while driving 30 mph the sun visor failed....	3 ~ 109667 miles
TREAD/BELT > TIRES i purchase a new toyota highlander august 2003. had a flat tire 6 september 2004. went to get the tire...	3
ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP > SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC the consumer noticed that the vehicles brakes were soft and the vehicle experienced extended stopping distance. nlm the vehicle was...	3 ~ 1767 miles
EXHAUST SYSTEM > ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING replacement of a charcoal canister on a 2003 toyota highlander. no accidents occurred as a result of the replacement of...	2 ~ 106136 miles
REAR > SUSPENSION rear left strut spindle attachment bolt (bolt adjust wheel tilt) broke in half at cam. *tr...	2 ~ 93500 miles
ELECTRICAL HEATING ELEMENT > WINDSHIELD > DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM heater control unit malfunction. heat to cold switch stops working dealer states that the whole heater control unit has to...	2 ~ 33500 miles
TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM gentlemen: i am writing you this e-mail because there is a problem with my car that is not only irritating...	2 ~ 52925 miles
WHEELS 2003 toyota highlander 4.0 have had serious problems with the brakes on this vehicle since i purchased it due to...	2 ~ 100000 miles
TIRES tires slid dangerously at 35 mph while braking with 9000 miles on tread. 2 tire valves have failed & had	2 ~ 11500 miles
SIDEWALL > TIRES goodyear integrity passenger car tires came on my 2003 toyota highlander suv. lf tire blew out at 11 350 miles...	2
GASOLINE > ENGINE > ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING my 2003 highlander limited 6-cyl. 4wd vehicle has a loud audible clicking noise (sounds like valve lifters ticking) eminating from...	2 ~ 33580 miles
DOOR > BODY > STRUCTURE passenger side doors (front & back) become off balanced. then the doors have to be closed very hard. *jb ...	2 ~ 97 miles
EQUIPMENT ADAPTIVE/MOBILITY drivers side seat belt nylon webbing (actual belt portion) has started to severely unravel in several different places. i feel...	1 ~ 44000 miles
HEADLIGHTS > EXTERIOR LIGHTING the headlight lenses are completely fogged and impairs driving after dusk. this is a safety issue and a recall should	1 ~ 100000 miles
UNDERBODY SHIELDS > FRAME AND MEMBERS > STRUCTURE 2003 toyota highlander - 109 032 miles i was told that the engine sub-frame was rotted/rusted and needed to be...	1
SERVICE BRAKES, ELECTRIC toyota highlanders suv brake lights for years 2002-2003 has a serious issue with either the left or right brake lighting....	1
MECHANICAL > EQUIPMENT vsc (vehicle stability control including abs) & check engine lights have been turning on intermittently almost from the start of...	1 ~ 97000 miles
ELECTRICAL > EQUIPMENT vsc (vehicle stability control including abs) & check engine lights have been turning on intermittently almost from the start of...	1 ~ 97000 miles
DRIVELINE > POWER TRAIN 2003 v6 awd toyota highlander front to rear drive shaft failure (propeller shaft). *tr...	1 ~ 65000 miles
BRAKE LIGHTS > EXTERIOR LIGHTING tl* the contact owns a 2003 toyota highlander. while parked the contact noticed that the driver side brake light would...	1 ~ 90000 miles
MASTER CYLINDER > FOUNDATION COMPONENTS > SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC 2003 toyota highlander. consumer writes regarding brake fluid leak *tgw the consumer stated the brake master cylinder had to be	1
HEATER CORE > DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM > VISIBILITY heat stopped working blowing cold air. the problem is the ribbon wire from the temperature control knob to the electronic...	1 ~ 59000 miles
ROTOR > DISC > FOUNDATION COMPONENTS tl*the contact owns a 2003 toyota highlander. the contact stated that toyota is placing new brake pads on vehicles which...	1 ~ 58400 miles
SEATS tl*the contact owns a 2003 toyota highlander. the contact stated that toyota is placing new brake pads on vehicles which...	1 ~ 58400 miles
BELTS AND ASSOCIATED PULLEYS > GASOLINE > ENGINE 2003 toyota highlander v6 4wd 45000 miles. it wa s already more than 2 years i have been experiencing exactly...	1 ~ 20000 miles
LATCH > DOORS > LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES 1. notice or recall received ssc 40b highlander child protection lock system safety recall 2. contacted 2 toyota dealerships to...	1
FUSES AND CIRCUIT BREAKERS > WIRING > ELECTRICAL SYSTEM dt: 2003 toyota highlander. the vehicle died while going 70 mph. the vehicle was pulled over. the consumer pulled out...	1
FLOOR SHIFT > LEVER AND LINKAGE > AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION dt: the contact noticed while stopping at a red light she reached over to get something and hit the gear...	1 ~ 18000 miles
VALVE > TIRES tires slid dangerously at 35 mph while braking with 9000 miles on tread. 2 tire valves have failed & had	1
POWER ASSIST > SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC pulling into parking space the brakes did not stop the car even a that slow rate. my car hit the...	1 ~ 25000 miles
MOTOR > WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER > VISIBILITY windshield wipers came on and off. consumer drove vehicle to the dealer for inspection mechanic determined that the windshield wiper	1
FUEL GAUGE SYSTEM > STORAGE > FUEL SYSTEM, OTHER gas gauge broke 2/12/04 4/20/04 and 6/11/04. when you put gas in the car the needle would not register. service	1 ~ 3973 miles
AIR CONDITIONER > APPLIANCE > EQUIPMENT i have now had my air conditioner's blower unit go bad twice in the past 6 months. in october of...	1 ~ 16500 miles
SENSOR/CONTROL MODULE > FRONTAL > AIR BAGS air bag computer system had a defect that caused the air bag warning light to come on and the system	1 ~ 6000 miles
CHILD SEAT owners manual instructions state that consumer can place a child into the convertible child seat facing forward from 20-30 lbs...	1 ~ 51000 miles
OWNERS/SERVICE/OTHER MANUAL > OTHER > EQUIPMENT owners manual instructions state that consumer can place a child into the convertible child seat facing forward from 20-30 lbs...	1 ~ 51000 miles
LUGS/NUTS/BOLTS > WHEELS the locking lug nuts on the toyota highlander wheels break and fragment with sharp metal shards when they are removed...	1
PADS > DISC > FOUNDATION COMPONENTS consumer feels that the location of the brake/gas pedal are too close. this resulted in accidental acceleration while reversing.*ak...	1 ~ 4529 miles
TANK ASSEMBLY > STORAGE > FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE while driving. a loud noise was heard as if the vehicle had ran over something large in the road. the...	1
WIRING > ELECTRICAL SYSTEM electrical short in headliner between sun roof and sun visor. burn mark 5-6 inches long through headliner. no fire or	1
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES the automatic door locks were inoperative.*jb...	1

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