2001 Toyota Highlander transmission problems

Filed Sep 26, 2013 · Transmission · 160,000 miles · FL · crash · 1 injury

On wed, 4 sep 2013 at approximately 12:00, I parked my car in the driveway and got out of the car to pick up mail. After picking up the mail, I returned to the car and leaned over the car to retrieve my purse from the passenger seat when my SUV started rolling backwards. My car which was on an incline in my driveway kept rolling backwards. I fell on my back on the concrete driveway and the front tire of my car rolled over my left thigh. The car rolled back and stopped in the middle of the street. My neighbor across the street called 911.

Filed Jul 20, 2012 · Transmission · 151,000 miles · VA

As my wife was slowing the vehicle to a stop in a parking lot, the vehicle seemed to experience an acceleration on its own. She felt as if the accelerator got stuck so she immediately pressed brake with her left foot and accelerator with the right foot in an effort to 'release' the accelerator pedal. This was a reflex move on her part because it happened so fast. The vehicle hopped over the parking lot curb, landed on the grass and came to a stop. I was standing 50 feet from the car when this happened. The only thing I noticed was a braking sound and when I turned around the car had hopped and was on the grass. We took the car to the local dealership who couldn't find the cause or replicate the problem. They said there's no problem with the car. A month has gone by since the incident and there hasn't been anything unusual with the car since.

Filed Mar 20, 2012 · Acceleration, Transmission · 56,600 miles · CT · crash

I was backing out of the garage when the car accelerated. I kept hitting the brake and it finally stopped. I put the car back into drive and it accelerated again. I tried hitting the brake and it wouldn't stop until it hit the garage door. I don't know how fast it was going, but it seemed like it was going at an excessive speed.

Filed Jan 29, 2008 · Transmission · 10,103 miles · CA · crash · 1 injury

When shifted to reverse gear from parked condition car accelerated and caused crash to the rear of the car to wall.

Filed Jul 21, 2006 · Transmission · 84,900 miles · GA

I own a 2001 toyota highlander, 85000 miles. 3 weeks ago the transmission failed. I called the toyota dealership and was told they could not help me. I had a transmission shop rebuild the transmission and when taking it apart, they found 4 planetary gears that had sustained random breaking and chipping. This appears to be a quality issue. I have reported this to toyota at corporate and dealership levels and requested I be informed of any secret warranties that exist to cover this expense. I have not yet received a response.

Filed Nov 12, 2004 · Transmission · MD

2001 toyota highlander, v6 engine, auto transmission. There is a definite hesitation/lag/delay in shifting and acceleration. This condition happens almost all of the time and creates a real safety concern. Moderate acceleration will produce this condition. Toyota is aware of this condition but is doing nothing to correct it.

Filed Mar 26, 2003 · Transmission · 50,000 miles · GA

I bought my 2001 toyota highlander in august 2001..........at 15 months/50,000 miles my transmission started leaking and when it started slipping toyota rapidly replaced my transmission. A leak was determined within weeks of the replacement and the torque converter seal (tcs) had to be replaced. Upon replacing the tcs the drive shaft was found to be damaged and had to be replaced. Has the highlander required transmission replacements?

Filed Jan 30, 2002 · Transmission · VA

Harmonic noise from beneath car at 30 MPH with power applied, similar noise, of lessened magitude at 60 MPH. Dealer replaced rear differential and then transmission. Noise remains. Dealer says lexus rx300, with same transmission, has had same problem. Unknown cause as yet.

Filed Nov 4, 2001 · Transmission · KS

The design of the automatic shifter places it almost directly over the cup holders of the center console. Using the cupholders makes accidential contact with the shift lever very likely, and when this happens the shifter can be easily knocked out of drive and into neutral. There is no detent or other restriction to keep a slight brush with the shifter from allowing the lever to move from drive to neutral. This has happend to me three times, even though I am trying to avoid this accidental contact.

Filed Oct 25, 2001 · Transmission · NC

This complaint relates to a design defect which makes the instrument cluster and especially the speedometer unreadable a significant amount of the time when the driver is wearing sunglasses. I cant't drive without sunglasses. The problem is that there is not enough light incident on the recessed instruments to make them readable under these conditions. This vehicle like all in the southeast u.s and lots of other areas has the tinted "privacy glass" installed on the rear windows which contributes to less light inside the vehicle. I believe that this is a safety issue in that I depend on the speedometer to know how fast I am going when entering curves, on-ramps, etc. The vehicle is too smooth and quiet to judge speed any other way. This could be inexpensively fixed just by having the instrument cluster lights on all the time.