2001 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER Engine And Engine Cooling Problems

2001 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER PURCHASED NEW. ABOUT ONCE A YEAR IT ACCELERATES ON ITS OWN. REPORTED PROBLEM TO TOYOTA DEALER IN 2002 OR 2003 - HAVE RECEIPT. WE CAN STOP THE CAR WITH FIRM PRESSURE ON THE BRAKE. IN MOST CASES WHEN WE PUT THE TRANSMISSION INTO PARK THE ENGINE CONTINUED TO RACE AT HIGH RPM. I CAN'T REMEMBER ALL INCIDENTS, BUT BELIEVE THAT IN SOME CASES WAS ABLE TO SLOW THE ENGINE DOWN BY KEEPING MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE AND PUTTING THE CAR BACK INTO DRIVE. OTHER TIMES I TURNED OFF THE IGNITION. WHEN I RESTART THE CAR IT IS FINE. MOST RECENT OCCURRENCE WAS SUNDAY 4/18/2010 IN PARKING LOT OF A&P ON SOUTH AVENUE IN CLARK OR WESTFIELD, NJ. MY WIFE WAS IN THE CAR WITH ME. I HAD BEEN DRIVING THE CAR FOR ABOUT AN HOUR. THE LAST HALF HOUR WAS ON THE GARDEN STATE PARKWAY AT 55+ MILES PER HOUR. WAS OFF THE PARKWAY FOR LESS THAN 5 MINUTES WHEN I MADE LEFT TURN INTO A&P PARKING LOT AND ANOTHER LEFT IN THE PARKING LOT. DRIVING LESS THAN 15 MILES PER HOUR. THEN WAS ALMOST STOPPED AS I WAS ABOUT TO TURN LEFT INTO PARKING SPACE. NOTICED THE ENGINE RPM SEEMED A LITTLE HIGHER THAN NORMAL AND I BECAME MORE CAUTIOUS AND MADE SURE MY FOOT WAS FIRMLY ON THE BRAKE PEDAL. THE ENGINE RPM BEGAN TO INCREASE RAPIDLY. I PRESSED ON THE BRAKE PEDAL AS HARD AS POSSIBLE AND WAS ABLE TO KEEP THE CAR FROM MOVING FORWARD, BUT THE ENGINE WOULD NOT STOP RACING. I PUT THE TRANSMISSION IN PARK AND THE ENGINE CONTINUED TO RACE AT FULL THROTTLE. I TURNED OFF THE IGNITION AND THE ENGINE STOPPED. RESTARTED THE CAR AFTER A MINUTE AND IT WAS FINE. DON'T BELIEVE I WAS PRESSING ON THE GAS AT THE SAME TIME AS THE BRAKE BECAUSE THE TWO PEDALS ARE FAR ENOUGH APART THAT TO DO SO MY FOOT COULD ONLY BE HALFWAY ON THE BRAKE PEDAL. IN THAT CASE WHEN I PRESS HARD MY ANKLE STARTS TO TWIST. I AM SURE MY FOOT WAS CENTERED ON THE BRAKE IN THIS INCIDENT BECAUSE I HAD TIME TO PREPARE AND IT FELT FIRMLY IN THE CENTER. I DON'T THINK THE GAS PEDAL WAS STUCK BECAUSE I HAD BEEN DRIVING VERY SLOWLY IMMEDIATELY BEFORE THE INCIDENT. *TR

Mileage: 20,000

CAR BEGAN SURGING ON THREE OCCASIONS. CAR WAS PARKED, IN PARK AT THE CURB, AND ENGINE WAS SURGING FROM IDLE TO APROX 2500 RPM. I PLUGGED AN OBD INTO THE CAR TO LOOK FOR ERROR CODES AND THERE WERE NONE. I CYCLED THE OBD AGAIN AND THE SURGING STOPPED. ?? *TR

Mileage: 52,000

WHILE MY 2001 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER WAS IN OPERATION THE ENGINE BOLTS PULLED LOOSE CAUSING THE ENGINE TO SEIZE AND BE DESTROYED. THE CAR WAS STOPPED AT A LIGHT AT THE TIME AND HAD IT BEEN IN OPERATION ON THE FREEWAY COULD HAVE CAUSED A SERIOUS ACCIDENT. THE ENGINE IS DESTROYED AND A NEW ENGINE WOULD COST $7000. I BELIEVE THAT THERE HAVE BEEN NUMEROUS INCIDENTS INVOLVING ENGINE BOLTS ON TOYOTA CARS AND TRUCKS AND THAT TOYOTA HAS ALWAYS BLAMED OTHER THINGS AND NOT ADDRESSED WHETHER THE BOLTS ARE DEFECTIVE OR HAVE NOT BEEN INSTALLED PROPERLY. THERE ARE VARIOUS REFERENCES ON THE INTERNET OF CUSTOMERS HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE ENGINE BOLTS ON TOYOTA VEHICLES..TOYOTA HAS NO EXPLANATION FOR WHAT HAPPENED TO MY CAR. I BELIEVE IT MAY BE THE INSTALLATION OF THE BOLTS OR THE QUALITY OF THEM. *TR

Mileage: 76,000

THIS IS NOT A SAFETY COMPLAINT. IT IS AN ATTEMPT TO GET TOYOTA MOTOR TO ADMIT A DEFECT IN MANY OF THEIR ENGINES. OIL AND COOLANT LEAKING FROM THE ENGINE OF MY 2001 HIGHLANDER. I WAS TOLD BY TOYOTA SERVICE THAT THEY FOUND 3 STRIPPED HEAD BOLTS WHICH CAUSE THE LEAK AND IT ENDED UP COSTING ME $3,500 TO REPAIR THE HEAD AND BLOCK. NO GUARANTEE THAT THE BOLTS WOULD NOT SKIP OUT AGAIN. I HAVE READ A GROWING NUMBER OF COMPLAINTS FROM TOYOTA OWNERS WHO HAVE FACED THE SAME PROBLEM AND TOYOTA REFUSES TO HELP OR ADMIT THAT THIS MAYBE A ENGINE FLAW. *TR

Mileage: 139,723

2.4 (4CYL) ENGINE MAKING NOISE, SOUNDS LIKE ROD KNOCKING. TOYOTA DEALER SAID SAME THING. ENGINE BLEW UP AT 45 MPH. OIL WAS ALWAYS CHANGED AT APPROXIMATELY 3000 MILES. USED ON HIGHWAYS AND CITY STREETS. CONTACTED TOYOTA CORPORATE AND THEY DIDN'T SEEM TO CARE. OUT OF WARRANTY. NEVER HEARD OF A TOYOTA ENGINE BLOWING A ROD. THIS HIGHLANDER WAS IN EX. COND. TO SOLD AS JUNK NEVER BUY ANOTHER TOYOTA AGAIN !!!!!! *TR

Mileage: 48,800

WE BOUGHT OUR HIGHLANDER JUST OVER A YEAR AGO AND WE HAVE TO CONSTANTLY PUT OIL INTO VEHICLE. IT ONLY HAS 80,000 ON IT, AND WE HAVE TO PUT ABOUT A LITER OF OIL INTO IT EVERY OTHER WEEK. THE MANUFACTURER OF OUR AREA CHECKED IT TWICE, AND DETERMINED THAT WE NEED ANOTHER ENGINE, BUT THE COST WAS AROUND $7000 IN CANADIAN THAT ENGINE WOULD COME FROM JAPAN, AND IT WOULD BE A USED ONE, AND WOULD ONLY WARRANTY THAT FOR 1 YEAR. THEN WHAT AM COMPLETELY DISGUSTED!! WE PLAN ON GETTING RID OF THIS THING AS FAST AS POSSIBLE AND WILL NEVER BUY ANOTHER TOYOTA AGAIN..DO YOURSELVES A FAVOR AND TELL PEOPLE ABOUT THIS SO NO ONE GOES THIS .*AK

Mileage: 75,000

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED, WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH A NOISE WAS HEARD COMING FROM THE ENGINE. THE VEHICLE WAS MANEUVERED OFF THE ROAD WHERE IT STALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHO DETERMINED THE ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED DUE TO SLUDGE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN INTO THE DEALER ONCE BEFORE FOR THIS PROBLEM AND THE ENGINE WAS CLEANED. THE MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN ALERTED.

Mileage: 65,000

OXYGEN SENSOR FAILED (CAUSED CHECK ENGINE LIGHT TO GO ON), WITHIN 24 HOURS OF HAVING IT REPLACED CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WENT ON AGAIN AND A SECOND OXYGEN SENSOR HAD FAILED,WHICH ALSO HAD TO BE REPLACED. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT IS ON AGAIN. *NM

Mileage: 42,269

PURCHASED THE VEHICLE USED AT ABOUT 42,000 MILES. IT BURNED OIL (1 QUART PER 1,000 MILES) FROM THE FIRST DAY I HAD IT. THE TOYOTA DEALERSHIP HAS BEEN MONITORING THE OIL EVERY 1,000 MILES FOR ABOUT 6 MONTHS AND AGREED IT HAS A PROBLEM BUT IT WILL COST ME $2,600 FOR THEM TO TEAR DOWN THE ENGINE TO SEE IF THEY CAN FIND OUT WHAT'S WRONG. THEY REPORT THERE IS "SLUDGE" IN THE ENGINE AND I SHOULD HAVE CHANGED THE OIL MORE OFTEN. THEY WON'T DETERMINE A PROBLEM OR DO ANYTHING ELSE FOR FREE EVEN THOUGH THEY SAY I DO HAVE A PROBLEM AND THEY KNOW THE WARRANTY IS UP IN ABOUT 2,500 MORE MILES WHICH SHOULD COVER THE ENGINE AND DRIVETRAIN. PLEASE HELP. *JB

Mileage: 42,000

WHILE DRIVING AT 60 MPH. SUDDENLY THE VEHICLE SLOWED DOWN THE SPEED, AT THE SAME CONSUMER HEARD A NOISE COMING FROM THE ENGINE. AS A RESULT, ENGINE CAUGHT ON FIRE. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THE NEED TO INSTALL A NEW ENGINE. HOWEVER, WARRANTY EXPIRED. *AK

CHECK ENGINE AND ABS BRAKE LIGHT COME ON AT THE SAME TIME; AFTER A WHILE UPON RESTARTING THE ABS BRAKE GOES OFF AND THE CHECK ENGINE STAYS ON FOR A FEW HOURS THEN GOES OFF UPON RESTARTING.*AK

Mileage: 30,000

ENGINE LIGHT STARTED FLASHING RIGHT AT 25,000. CAR GAVE NO SIGN OF FAILURE OR ANYTIME OF PROBLEM. OIL CHANGES WAS PERFORMED EVERY 5000/MI AND CAR WAS RUNNING FINE UNTIL THE LIGHT STARTED TO FLASH AND WE TOOK CAR TO CONCORD TOYOTA TO CHECK ON THE ENGINE LIHT PROBLEM. CONCORD TOYOTA SAID THE ENGINE WAS BURNED IN AND OUT DUE TO LACK OF OIL AND BLAMED THA CUSTOMER FOR POOR MAINTENANCE TO THE CAR AND REFUSE TO FIX THE CAR UNDER THE WARRANTY. IT'S BEEN 3MONTHS THAT CONCORD TOYOTA STILL HAS POSSESSION OF THE CAR WITH THE ENGINE OPENED APART AND STILL REFUSED TO COVER UNDER THE WARRANTY.

Mileage: 25,129

MY HIGHLANDER HAD SLUDGE IN THE ENGINE. THE ENGINE WAS CLEANED OUT. I WAS TOLD THAT IF I CHANGE MY OIL EVERY 3,000 MILES INSTEAD OF 7,500.00 THAT WOULD NOT HAPPEN. THE TOYOTA MANUEL STATES EVERY 7,500. REMEMBER MY CAR ONLY HAS 18,202 MILES ON IT. IT'S NOT EVEN 2 YR OLD YET. THE SERVICE ADVISOR ASSURED ME THAT IF I CHANGE MY OIL EVERY 3,000 AND NOT EVERY 7,500 LIKE THE MANUAL SAYS THAT IF THIS HAPPEN AGAIN THEY WOULD COVER THE PROBLEM.

Mileage: 18,000

OIL SLUDGE ISSUE. THE TOYOTA WAS IN THE SHOP FOR 1.5 WEEKS. THE FINAL BILL DID NOT INCLUDE ANY TOTALS, BUT THE SERVICE MANAGER INDICATED PARTS ALONE WERE CLOSE TO $1600. WE WERE VERY DISTURBED WITH TOYOTA'S POSITION THAT THIS PROBLEM WAS A MAINTENANCE ISSUE AND THAT THEY WOULD ONLY REPAIR THIS ISSUE ONCE WITHIN THE FIRST EIGHT YEARS. THEY INDICATED THAT WE FOLLOWED THE WRONG MAINTENANCE SCHEDULE OF NORMAL RATHER THAN SEVERE CONDITIONS FOR FLORIDA. CONSIDERING THE OWNERS MANUAL DOES NOT SPECIFY THIS, AND THAT I OWN A LEXUS THAT HAS NO SIGNS OF PROBLEM AFTER FOLLOWING THE SAME SCHEDULE, WE WERE DISAPPOINTED WITH THEIR RESPONSE. SINCE THE SERVICE MANAGER AT THE DEALERSHIP COULD GIVE US NO GUARANTEE THAT THIS WOULD HAPPEN AGAIN IN THE NEAR FUTURE, EVEN IF THEY CHANGED THE OIL EVERY 5000 MILES AS HE DIRECTED, WE TURNED AROUND AND TRADED THE VEHICLE IN ON A HONDA THE SAME DAY. I DID CONTACT SW TOYOTA CUSTOMER SERVICE AND THEY ACCUSED US OF THE SAME FAULTY MAINTENANCE AS THE SERVICE MANAGER. IT WAS OBVIOUS AFTER SEVERAL CONVERSATIONS THAT TOYOTA NO LONGER STANDS FOR QUALITY AND CUSTOMER SERVICE. AS I INDICATED TO THEM IN A RECENT EMAIL AND A LETTER THAT I AM CURRENTLY DRAFTING, THEY HAVE LOST A TOYOTA OWNER FOREVER. NOW THAT WE HAVE DIVESTED OURSELVES OF THE HIGHLANDER, I PLAN TO SELL THE LEXUS AS WELL. I KNOW YOU DIDN'T NEED TO HEAR ALL THIS, BUT TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS. TOYOTA HONORED ITS CSP (ONCE IN EIGHT YEARS), BUT I UNSURE HOW MUCH THE REPAIR COST WERE.

Mileage: 32,000

ENGINE OIL SLUDGE. THE ESTIMATED COST OF OUR ENGINE PROBLEM WAS $7,200 (CANADIAN) AND IT STARTED AT 38,000 KM (24,000 MILES). THE MATTER WAS RESOLVED WHEN WE DUG UP AN OLD OIL CHANGE SLIP THAT MY WIFE AND I HAD FORGOTTEN ABOUT ALTOGETHER. BEFORE THE DISCOVERY WE WERE UNABLE TO PROVIDE A RECEIPT FOR EACH YEAR THAT WE HAVE OWNED THE CAR SO TOYOTA INSISTED THAT IT WAS CUSTOMER NEGLIGENCE THAT RESULTED IN THE OIL SLUDGE. TOP ENGINE BLOCK WAS REPLACED AND WE GOT OFF SCOTT FREE. WHEN AN OIL LEAK WAS DETECTED AFTER A WEEK OF GETTING THE CAR BACK FROM THE SHOP, WE BROUGHT IT BACK IN AND THEY FIXED IT AGAIN - NO CHARGE. I FEEL THAT THIS WAS A BIT LIKE DAVID KNOCKING OUT GOLIATH.

Mileage: 24,000

OIL SLEDGING PROBLEM IN MY 2001 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER. I AM CONCERNED THAT TOYOTA'S CSP POLICY WILL NOT GO FAR ENOUGH TO RECTIFY THIS PROBLEM. THE DEALERSHIP AND TOYOTA'S CUSTOMER SERVICE LINE BOTH BLAME FAULTY MAINTENANCE FOR THIS ISSUE, BUT THE OIL WAS CHANGED EVERY 7500 MILES AS INDICATED IN THE OWNER'S MANUAL. TOYOTA'S CSP WILL ONLY REPAIR THE ISSUE ONCE IN 8 YEARS, AND NEITHER WILL ADDRESS WHAT WILL HAPPEN SHOULD THIS ARISE AGAIN. THE DEALER MAINTAINED THIS WAS OUR FAULT UNTIL WE PRESENTED RECEIPTS TO SHOW THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN MAINTAINED APPROPRIATELY. IT WAS AT THIS TIME THAT THE DEALER SUGGESTED THAT IT WAS POSSIBLE THE MECHANICS THAT CHANGED OUR OIL NEVER ACTUALLY CHANGED IT. BASED ON THE NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS AND FORUMS I MONITORED ONLINE, I FEEL THIS IS TOYOTA'S ATTEMPT TO AVOID TAKING RESPONSIBILITY FOR A LARGER PROBLEM. I ALSO OWN A LEXUS GS300, AND THE OIL WAS CHANGED AT THE SAME TIME AS THE HIGHLANDER AND I DO NOT HAVE ANY ISSUES WITH IT. *LA

Mileage: 32,000

MY 2001 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER IS BURNING APPROXIMATELY 1.5 QUARTS OF OIL EVERY 3,000 MILES. TOYOTA USA SAYS THAT THE ALLOWABLE LIMIT IS 1 QUART EVERY 1,000 MILES AND WILL NOT LOOK AT MY VEHICLE EVEN THOUGH IT IS STILL UNDER WARRANTY. *LA

Mileage: 40,000