The car has been meticulously maintained by the dealership since it was purchased new and has never been used for towing. We were driving normally when we began noticing a series of recurring hydraulic-like pulsations and noises whenever depressing the brake pedal even when the vehicle isn't moving. The pulsation sensation can be felt throughout the brake system when the brakes are applied even when not moving. The series of noises are coming directly from the ABS system/actuator under the hood whenever the brake pedal is depressed. I believe this is due to an abnormal leak in the accumulator. The vehicle previously showed no signs of any issues when the toyota service technician last inspected it. We have since paid a significant amount of money to have the brakes inspected and fluid changed, but that did absolutely nothing to resolve the issue. After doing research we are confident the issue is exactly as hundreds of other owners have previously reported to toyota, bbb, and the federal safety agency. Toyota has since issues recalls and warranty extensions for the other toyota hybrid model that utilize the same platform/system but just not for the later 2008 highlander hybrid. Someone needs to step up and hold toyota accountable for the same faulty parts they continued to install in their other hybrid vehicles they sold to consumers. The ABS system is clearly not functioning properly as hundreds of consumers have previously noted. Why would toyota cover the cost of repair for other hybrids with this same defect but not others? There needs to be a recall or warranty extension issued for this model/year as toyota has issued for other hybrid models using the same platform. I am seriously concerned and troubled by the safety factors this malfunction presents especially when traveling at any speed. This is clearly a well-documented problem for the 2008 models.
2008 Toyota Highlander Hybrid brakes complaints
Page 3 of 5: complaints 41 to 70 of 113, newest first, as owners wrote them.
Abs module went out during ice storm making car unsafe to drive. Looking online, I see that this has been a fairly common problem with this year and model of my particular car. I was lucky that I live in houston which rarely has icy roads
Tl* the contact owns a 2008 toyota highlander hybrid. While driving approximately 35 MPH, the brakes failed to operate when the brake pedal was depressed. There were no warning indicators illuminated. The contact managed to drive the vehicle to her residence. A month later, while driving approximately 30 MPH, the check vehicle system and the brake malfunction indicators illuminated. The vehicle was pulled over to the side of the road. The contact called puente hills toyota at 626‑964‑7100 (located at 17070 gate ave, hacienda heights, ca 91745) and was informed to tow the vehicle to the shop. The contact decided to take the vehicle to toyota of whittier (14577 e. Whittier blvd, whittier, ca 90605) where it was diagnosed that a new brake system was needed. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 108,000.
I was driving to work when suddenly my dashboard displayed the ABS vsc warning lights. I brought my car to toyota dealership for them to run the diagnostics on it, which cost me $ 100. After which I was informed that the ABS actuator needs to be replaced for about $4500. So I asked if the car was drivable and if the breaks are still ok and working, they said it was fine to drive but to replace as soon as possible. I was about to go on a vacation so didnt have (the time )or money to spend on a part that in my mind should have been recalled by the manufacturer. I then attempted to call toyota to check for any recalls on my model...they had none. As I was coming back from my vacation, doing about 60mph a lady pulled out in front of my car causing me to rearend her vehicle. My breaks locked up and thankfully no one got hurt. I am interested in contacting a lawyer to see what can be done.
Brakes stopped working with lights coming on requesting to take it to dealership. Dealership says it is the ABS actuator which is malfunctioning and requesting me to replace it at 3500$. Toyota has been making this part defective and has been recalling this for similar model years. 2007 has a recall. 2008 camry hybrid has a recall. They should just recall this part across the board.
Upon starting car, brake light came on, plus warning messages saying brake malfunction, check ABS, and check vsc system. Took to dealer. Dealer says it needs new ABS actuator which will cost $3,300 with installation. I was also told part is on national backorder, and may take 1-2 months to receive. Didn't take much effort to learn on the internet that this seems to be a common problem, and that other toyota cars around the same period had recalls on this part. Why no recall on this model and year?
Abs system malfunction,stationary,went online found numerous accounts
My 2008 highlander hybrid has a c1391 ABS accumulator trouble light close to a $5000.00 repair. I have noticed the prior 2 years have had same issue with recalls and numerous complaints for this year. Will the federal safety agency be looking into this?
I was driving in 295 I hearing a sound coming from the daskboard and a light appeared stated need to check ABS break system by dealer. I said to myself I'll have it check when I got home. I was doing 65 miles per hour, I was pressing break there were no break, pump the break several times, no break, I pressed the emergency break and thanks to the lord the car slow down and eventually stop. Apparently dealer asked me $5,500. To fix this issue and I don't have this type of money, and I'm still making payment on this vehicle can't even drive; I believe this type of issue should be a recall. I need help please!!!!! [xxx] information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6).
Brake malfunction on 2008 highlander hybrid with 100,495 miles: I had the following warnings appear on the electronic screen - 'ABS system malfunction - park car in a safe place and call the dealer', 'vsc system failure', ' brake system warning'. A loud alarm came on suddenly when I was driving the vehicle, and is now constant when the ignition 'on' button is pressed, (I.e. When car is moving or in park). I need to use very high foot pressure to make the brakes work at all and this situation could easily have caused an accident if I needed to stop suddenly. I read the many similar brake related complaints on the federal safety agency and toyota blog pages. The local toyota dealer is charging $2,435 [20-25% of net worth of vehicle] to replace the brake booster pump assembly which they indicate is only the first step in debugging the ABS/brake/vsc messages are due to. The replacement part costs $1,200 (with overnight shipping) but the dealer is charging $1,781. Even after this part is replaced, fixing the issue may require additional parts/work. I am very disappointed with toyota us customer service who indicated that they cannot help to cover any part of this repair at all, even though brake failure is life safety issue. Given the brake warranty extension by toyota for 2007-2011 camry and for 2006, 2007 highlander hybrid and given that the 2008 model year highlander is built on the camry platform, I am requesting that the federal safety agency strongly urge toyota to issue a brake warranty extension for 2008 model year highlander hybrid.
Driving approximately 30k / hr on september 22, around 6pm. Little traffic as the road leads deep to the country. No rain, great visibility. We'd just stopped to follow someone to a remote location and had not gotten out of the car at that time as the friend came to the driver's side door. A few minutes later, an alarm sounded and the indicator displayed "brake malfunction". The brakes were not working and at the same moment, smoke began filling the vehicle from the front vents. At this time you could also see small flames from the front hood of the vehicle. We immediately exited the car once it came to a complete stop (forced to park position). Flames could be seen falling from the passenger side front end. My husband shut off the vehicle. We ran around a ned in the road to get to safety. Within minutes (5-7 max) the car was engulfed in flames. The gentleman we were following turned around to see where we were when he realized that the car was in flames. Toyota ces has been contacted as we were hoping for help with an investigation. We are a military family, stationed overseas. The vehicle was shipped here 2.5 years ago at government expense once we received new orders. Toyota has been less than accommodating with providing any information. This happened with little time to get to safety. My hope is information can be gathered from other consumers that may have experienced similar situations. Lives could potentially be saved if we work together to get facts documented. Stateside number provided. We can be reached at +34 642 47 0598
Tl* the contact owns a 2008 toyota highlander hybrid. While reversing at 5 MPH, the vsc, check traction control, ABS, and brake malfunction warning indicators illuminated. The contact was still able to drive to drive to his destination, but the indicators remained illuminated. The local dealer was not contacted or made aware of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 147,200. ...updated 10/23/17 *bf updated 10/26/2017
Abs brake actuator failed at 98470 miles on a dealer maintained schedule. Faint but constant brake pulsation was felt 80% of the time when braking. Dealership currently has car as issue was diagnosed today. Vehicle has done nothing but highway and city driving, no towing or extreme conditions.
Abs brake actuator failed while driving. 2008 toyota highlander hybrid - same failed part as camry-as noted by toyota master tech yet only camry gets extended warranty not highlander. Should be safety recall asap. Faulty brake parts should be recalled asap!!! Class action media next
Car seemingly running fine. Vsc light, ABS light and brake malfunctiom light come on out of nowhere. Told to tow to dealership. $3450 to replace ABS actuator. Same part has been recalled in other years and models but not 2008 highlander hybrid. This repair is 1/10 the cost of the original purchase price of the new car. Car has 116,000 miles on it.
Vehicle makes a very scary "eeek eeek" noises when the brake pedal is depressed both when car is not moving and also during braking. Dealer diagnosed the issue to a malfunction of ABS actuator (part # 44510-48080 superseded by part # 44050-48320). Total cost of parts plus labor quoted over $4000. Note: toyota has done warranty extension for same type of problem with other models like the 07-08 highlander hybrid, prius hybrid, lexus rx400h, etc. However 2008+ highlander hybrids have not been included yet. This should be a recall or warranty extension.
I was driving straight on a city street at 40 MPH when the vehicle stability control and check brake system warnings alerted, as well as the cabin alarm. At that time I pulled into a gas station and realized the brakes had gone soft and were not functioning properly. I turned off and restarted the car; the problem persisted. I cautiously drove a half mile to my house and connected my vehicle to a diagnostic tool. The codes indicated c1252-7 (brake booster pump motor), c1256-7 (low pressure accumulator), and c1345-7 (linear solenoid valve offset learning undone). The combination of codes points to the brake actuator and pump needing to be replaced. The brake pads, speed sensors, wheel bearings, and relays are all good. After much online research I discovered that brake actuator/pump failure is a common complaint on this vehicle and costs thousands to repair. 2006-2007 brake actuators are already recalled, as well as 07-11 camry hybrid and prius which use the same platform. I contacted a local toyota dealership who offered no help. The part itself is $1800+ without factoring in labor. I am also troubled by the safety factor this malfunction presents, especially we're it to occur at a higher speed.
While have tires and brake pads changed, toyota dealership noted ABS actuator not functioning properly and once I declined to have it replaced that day due to cost and time, vehicle is now alarming to get back to dealership and have ABS checked immediately. This alarm was not on before my service appointment. No abnormal noises were noted prior to appointment, either.
Brake malfunction warning stop the vehicle and contact a dealer, check brake system, check vsc (vehicle stability system)
Check brake systems, check vsc lights, brake malfunction etc lights have come on. This same part was already covered under a warranty extension for the camry hybrid, and they were built from the same platform!!!!
While operating at highway speeds, we had the abrupt onset of a high-pitched, constant sound. When attempting to decelerate to exit the highway, we found that the brakes were no longer functioning and had to apply the parking/emergency brake to get off of the highway without causing an accident. We were towed to a toyota dealership who reported failure of the ABS actuator assembly and the brake pump resulting in complete loss of brake function. Repair quoted at ~$3000. This is a repeat failure of these parts in this vehicle, which the dealer does not believe is due to the first replacement parts being faulty.
My 2008 toyota highlander hybrid has been making noise every 5 seconds and the noise last for 3 seconds. This happens when the car is stationary whether the engine is on or off. It might have happened when it is running (as many others have reported online) but I have not heard of it when the car is on the move. I was concerned and checked online to find out that it is the ABS accumulator pump and there are plenty of highlander owners that have or are experiencing the same problem. Toyota has recently issued an extension of warranty on its 2006/2007 model but, unfortunately, not on 2008. I have also read from a forum that the same part on camry hybrid has been recalled. It is a very expensive part and critical to the lives of highlander hybrid owners. Toyota should act on it by issuing a warranty extension on the 2008 highlander hybrid model.
Brake malfunction/ ABS malfunction/ needs new brake actuator/ 3600.00 to repair this. Happened when we had to apply brakes repetitively in stalled traffic.
The ABS system failure warning light came on along with a brake malfunction warning. I had the ABS accumulator replaced and the ABS pump replaced, but now toyota is telling me that I need to have the ABS actuator replaced as well. The ABS system in the 2008 highlander hybrid is faulty and eventually leaks the hydraulic fluid rendering the ABS system inoperable. This tends to happen over a long period of time and gets worse with age. Thus it typically occurs after all warranties are expired. The parts required to fix this problem cost over $5000 from toyota and only dealers have the expertise to attempt this fix. Toyota did make a voluntary recall "customer service update" for the 206 and 2007 highlander hybrids ABS systems. However, the 2008 still has tremendous ABS system problems, and the parts should last the lifetime of the car, but toyota has yet to issue a recall on the 2008 hh ABS system. This is a well documented problem for the 2008 hh and the ABS system needs to be recalled as this is a safety issue and most cannot afford to pay almost the value of the car just to have it be in a safe, driveable condition.
My 2008 toyota highlander hybrid was just deemed totaled by the car dealership (newburgh toyota) and my insurance company (liberty mutual), because of excessive rodent damage. It turns out that the rodents were attracted to the wiring because toyoyta uses eco-friendly soy-based coating on their wires which attract rodents!! Rodents chewed wires, the wiring harness, plugged drainage holes with their bedding thus causing water damage, and ruined the hybrid batteries. The damage was estimated at more than $12,000, which of course toyota would not cover under warranty. The vehicle would not start unless the battery was unhooked to "clear" the computer system. When it started the error messages/warning lights on dash were lit up everywhere, indicating it was unsafe to drive. It was taken to the dealership where a service tech stripped the interior and discovered rodents nests, droppings, water, and lots of damage. Photos attached. Parts alone for the repair were more than $10,000, and that did not take into account additional diagnostics or labor costs. As you can imagine, this has been a giant headache!
The brakes have been making a chirping noise while stopped for the last few months. Starting yesterday the car info screen started displaying warnings such as check ABS, brake malfunction, etc. The brakes can be difficult to press sometimes, like it is losing pressure. I took the vehicle to a local mechanic and they said the brake actuator/modulator needs to be replaced. They said they are seeing this on a lot of toyota/lexus built suvs. From what I have read today, it looks like many people are having this problem.
The brake system and other warning lights went on suddenly. The car still stopped, but the brakes required more pressure. Toyota confirmed that the brake actuator assembly needed replacement, this part alone is $1600. Another related part toyota says is required costs another $2600. Toyota has issued a warranty enhancement for the 2006 and 2007 models. Given that the problem is the same and involves vehicle safety, toyota should extend the warranty to the 2008 highlander's.
I started the car one morning to find all of my brake warnings suddenly on. The vehicle showed no signs of any issues prior to this, and upon getting the vehicle to the mechanic, it was diagnosed as an abnormal leak in the accumulator. No incident or signs of issues LED up to the sudden malfunction--it was in great operating shape leading up to the incident, and even upon parking and disengaging the car the evening before. There have been other accounts of this happening with highlander hybrid owners, even in the middle of driving somewhere. I just happened to be lucky enough to encounter the problem upon turning on the car.
My vehicle was purchased from a dealership in january 2017 and three weeks later, the ABS control module/pump failed. Without a properly functioning ABS control module/pump, operating the vehicle would be dangerous due to the 'sticking brake' behavior. My toyota-certified garage charged me over $3,000 to replace this part. The garage, who I've been using for over 7 years and absolutely trust, said that the local toyota parts distributor had over 10 units of this part in stock, which the garage said was highly unusual for an item this expensive. I searched multiple online forums (toyotanation.com, us.toyotaownersclub.com) and this same premature failing of the ABS actuator within the ABS control module/pump has happened to hundreds of owners, usually after their highlander hybrid passes 100,000 miles. I feel that this problem is due to a defective part and based on the high inventory levels kept on hand by toyota parts distributors, it appears that toyota is aware of this problem. I feel that toyota should provide an extended warranty for this ABS assembly and refund the amount that owners have had to pay out of pocket to have this defective part replaced.
While driving slowly in a school zone I attempted to stop for the crossing guard and children. The brake peddle began pulsating but I was able to stop using the emergency brake. The brake dashboard warning lights came on and showed ABS and vsc failure. The vehicle was taken to the nearest toyota dealership who advised they would have to special order a part and charged me $1,800.00 for the part. They received the part 1 week later and called to advise that it was the wrong part and that the correct part was $1,000.00 more because they needed the whole assembly. I complained to the service manager and the toyota motor corp. And they were unwilling to help me. My vehicle was removed from the dealership and taken to a certified independent repair shop. The owner, (a retired certified toyota master technician) advised he could order the oem assembly, install it, and provide the same warranty as the dealership for $ 2,100.00. He further stated that while working for toyota he had replaced hundreds of assemblies on 2007-2011 toyota camry hybrid models as part of "toyotas limited repair assistance campaign". He further advised the assembly was the same for both the camry hybrid & highlander hybrid models. Additionally he could supply acceptable paperwork if toyota conducts a limited repair assistance campaign for the 2008 highlander hybrid
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