2003 Toyota Highlander: check engine light

Filed May 12, 2017 · Electrical · VA

Check engine light keeps reporting an issue and despite takata recall - spending thousands of dollars on coded repairs, the light comes back on. I have spent numerous dollars to replace cat converter, 2 sets of injectors, fuel pump, on and on......within 2 days, the light is back on. I saw a service campaign release 12/6/2006, but my 4 cylinder highlander VIN does not show up on your list. Next would be a class action suit for lost monies?

Filed Mar 3, 2015 · Engine · 121,321 miles · CA

Check engine light went on the morning of february 23, 2015. White smoke emerged from vehicle as I was driving. Then, the vehicle started overheating. Mechanic indicates head gaskets were blown and short block screws stripped and bent, leaking coolant on my 4 cylinder 2003 highlander. He repaired the same make, model and year the prior year with the same issue. $69,000 for a new engine. $44,00 for a rebuilt one. I have never had any mechanical issues with this car since I purchased it two years old in 2005. Although, I have kept up with the servicing, this type of sudden malfunction is a shocker.

Filed Mar 9, 2013 · Engine · 91,000 miles · CA

Original owner of a 2003 toyota highlander 2.4l 4-cylinder engine, serviced by toyota dealer and local repair shop. 4 months ago it was making a fluttering noise and I had it serviced, it needed an oil pan gasket, got a full oil change, too. But apparently it also had a bad water pump, and had developed a coolant leak, and was burning oil. -- we never noticed any white smoke coming out the back, and no coolant temperature variance, always in the middle after warming up. We never got a low oil light warning, no check engine light while driving. --- the SUV shut down on it's own just coming off a highway exit ramp. I started it up again to pull over a block away and then shut it off. It steamed up, overheated. The tow service guy couldn't restart it. --- my repair shop serviceman told me the radiator was almost empty, and it likely had a blown head gasket - a $2500 repair by my local repair shop. But when he went to take off the head, the bolt cylinders came out too, almost all were loose and apparently caused the leakage over time. He didn't have the tooling to fix the bolt sleeve issue, and I'd need a water pump, too. So for less than the cost of all the repairs, known and possible future problems, like rust or other worn internal parts, he recommended a rebuilt engine, with higher quality steel bolt sleeves, (the way the original engine should have been made). He investigated and alerted me to the complaints online, and reminded me to keep the repair receipts. --- I am devastated, and had to borrow money from retirement to pay for this, since the kelly blue book value was still a few thousand higher than the repair cost. I bought this car new and serviced it with the anticipation of driving it for at least another 50k miles. It never had a single overheat problem, ran like a top, driving me back and forth to work 45 min away.

Filed Jul 17, 2012 · Engine · 87,000 miles · IL

The incident occurred on a family road trip from chicago, il to hamilton, on, canada. After driving about 7 hours into the 8.5 hour trip, I noticed the check engine light appear and the temperature gauge rise to the very top. I immediately pulled over and assumed that there was not enough coolant to keep the engine cool, as it was a hot day. After several minutes, I restarted the car and noticed the temperature gauge had returned to its normal position. I re-entered the highway and was only able to drive for about 10 minutes before I noticed the temperature gauge begin to rise once again. I exited the highway and found a canadian tire store in london, on, canada where a mechanic looked at the vehicle and concluded that there was some sort of leak in the engine. I was told that it could be one of two very uncommon problems that would both cost a great amount of money to fix and would most likely extend my family's stay in canada. We were told that we could stay in london and have a mechanic begin working on the vehicle the next day or continue on to hamilton by stopping every few miles to refill the coolant, as we were only about an hour away. We decided to continue on to hamilton and stopped around 5 times to refill the coolant level. Upon reaching hamilton, on, canada we found a local mechanic who took a closer look at the vehicle and its engine. We took the vehicle to him on friday, july 6, 2012 and he told us that it looked like an intake manifold gasket leak. On saturday, july 7, 2012 the mechanic informed us that the leak was in fact coming from one of the 4 cylinder heads as the bolts on the engine were stripped. Our only option was to completely replace the engine. The mechanic was able to find a matching engine nearby and completed the replacement by tuesday, july 10, 2012. We returned home to chicago the very same day without any problems along the way.

Filed Apr 26, 2012 · Engine · 114,000 miles · CA

There are two speeds associated with this. It was on the freeway driving back home when the check engine light came on at about 65 MPH. Later, after exiting the freeway and driving for about 10 minutes, the radiator hose blew off from the pressure, shooting coolant and contents of the radiator back onto the engine (4 cylinder). I was going 40 MPH at the time. The thermostat must not have been working because I wasn't reading any overheating going on, though there obviously was. After getting it diagnosed, apparently the bolts were stripped, the head gasket blew, and the engine got too hot. I am now asked to pay almost $3,000 to rebuild the engine (rethread, etc.). This thing with the head gasket and the bolts failing at relatively low mileage (114,000 in my case) seems to be a recurrent problem with this particular make and model. I had been driving it and keeping it well maintained for about five years with relatively few problems until this happened.

Filed Dec 30, 2010 · Engine · 40,000 miles · VA

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 toyota highlander. While driving approximately 55 MPH the check engine, asc, and traction control lights began illuminating on the dashboard. The vehicle began to lose control and the wheels would spin uncontrollably while accelerating. The vehicle was taken to an independent repair shop where they were unable to diagnose the failure because the check engine light was no longer illuminated. The failure recurred and the vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer where the contact was told that the oxygen sensors failed. The oxygen sensors were replaced. The failure continued to recur intermittently. After each failure the oxygen sensors were replaced again. The failure mileage was 40,000 and the current mileage was 55,000.

Filed Sep 12, 2010 · Brakes, Driver assistance · 97,000 miles · MI

Vsc (vehicle stability control, including ABS) & check engine lights have been turning on intermittently almost from the start of our ownership of this 2003 toyota highlander v6 awd limited and after costly repairs at the dealer they are still on continuously. Last time (may-june 2010) dealer replaced front brake pads & rotors; rear axles and speed sensors and now wants to replace additional components that do not appear connected. First time car was serviced under warranty at dealer and that too did not last for long. Toyota car satisfaction center has not been helpfull. Case # [xxx]. Ford has issued a recall for similar issue recently: 10s13 for rear axle breakage in the snow belt! Toyota refuses to acknowledge issue and internet has many discussions on topic. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6).

Filed Mar 1, 2010 · Driver assistance · 105,850 miles · VA

Vsc skid control/ecu failure in 2003 highlander. This has happened to me on three separate occasions: my car lightly skidded on ice or water and the check engine/vsc and traction control lights came on. Every time the car skids, the lights come on and the skid control appears to be disabled.

Filed May 1, 2009 · Engine · 64,417 miles · PR

The SUV was out of coolant & water and my husband take the car to the dealer to check this problem and for regular maintenance (the car only has received service at the dealer, except for tires). The diagnostic was that the shock block has it threads separated from the screws (or bolts). The engine has to be removed in order to change the shock block. The repair has cost $4701.31, because it was also recommended to change the oil pump. Previous to this repair, the SUV was taken to the dealer because there was a recall to reprogram its computer because the check engine light turned on (this happened twice). We have a full record in the dealer of all maintenance checks and repairs the SUV had.

Filed Nov 5, 2007 · Engine · 40,000 miles · NY

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 toyota highlander. While driving at an unknown speed, the check engine light illuminated. Two to three months later, the contact received a recall notice regarding the engine. Toyota repaired the vehicle. The current mileage was 50,000 and failure mileage was 40,000.

Filed Apr 17, 2007 · Engine · 67,000 miles · TX

1) noticed radiator fluid slowly leaking under bottom (towards back of engine). Had mechanic check engine, - was leaking at back of head gasket, took apart engine and noticed 3 back bolts to engine block (heads) could be removed by hand. When heads were fixed could not install new bolts (would not tighten) - mechanic said there is a manufacturer defect - no threads. 2) cannot fix engine - need new engine 3) trying to get toyota to pay for repair - in progress with them now - no resolution yet.