2019 Toyota Highlander: false forward collision warnings

Filed Jun 28, 2026 · NC

Since October 2025 I have had intermittent issues where the car battery suddenly loses power when driving. I have had to pull over on highway medians and shoulders. A few seconds before it loses power, multiple dash alerts go off: pre-collision malfunction, hybrid system malfunction, check engine. It has been seen now by multiple mechanics including Toyota dealership. It is now on its third battery. Replaced yesterday and lost power on highway today. Please investigate this issue.

Filed Apr 20, 2025 · WV

While driving my Hybrid System Malfunction, check AWD, check engine, and Pre-Collision System Malfunction all came on simultaneously, it also said to put in P. It wouldn’t accelerate so I had to have it towed to the dealer since it had only been 3 days since I bought it. It was sent to a Toyota service center where it took 3 weeks for them to diagnose and replace the high pressure fuel pump. I got the vehicle back, it drove fine for a week until the same thing happened again. It stopped accelerating, said to shift into P-only the Hybrid System Malfunction, check engine, and Pre-Collision System Malfunction came up this time. I had it towed back to the Toyota service center since the problem clearly wasn’t solved and am awaiting a new diagnosis.

Filed Sep 21, 2024 · Electrical, Engine · MI

Was stuck in traffic on a highway for about 25 minutes going 0 miles per hour because of an accident about 5 miles away. Then the traffic started to clear and began driving on the road again. About five minutes later, the vehicle lost full drive abilities and the check engine light came on, traction control light on, brake light was on, ABS light was on, stability control warning light on, and then on the info screen the vehicle stated, "Hybrid System Malfunction Stop in a Safe Place, See Owner's Manual", screen then showed within 2-seconds, "Pre-Collision System Malfunction Visit Your Dealer", then in about 2 additional seconds later the info screen stated, "Check Engine Visit Your Dealer", then most every waring light turned on, and there was no power for drive with either hybrid or gasoline engine. The vehicle basically came to a sudden halt in the middle of traffic with steering wheel locked and no control. Had to get police involved and a tow to get off the road. Had vehicle towed to a local toyota dealership and they do not open until Monday at 9am. This incident occurred on Saturday around 3pm.

Filed Sep 11, 2021 · Brakes, Driver assistance · SC · crash

While driving threw a construction zone the car upfront of me stopped. Upon applying the brakes nothing happened. There was a tractor trailer beside us and I was at the reR and another car was at the front plenty of time to stop. Brakes didn't activate until right before impact and the nose dove down. ABS never activated and the collision avoidance never activated. I was traveling with my wife and two young kids lucky no one was hurt and I had no avenue of escape due to cement barriers and 18 wheeler.

Filed Aug 7, 2021 · Acceleration, Driver assistance · MN

Problems: 1) Check Engine Light lit up. 2) "Hybrid System Malfunction" warning on heads-up display. 3) "Pre-Collision System Failure" warning on Heads-Up Display. 4) Gasoline engine stalls after an intentional deceleration and is unable to come back up to speed. First Event: On July 4th, my wife and I were driving on an interstate highway. We entered an exit ramp interchange to merge onto another highway and when trying to accelerate the car suddenly became sluggish, and gave messages for problems 1), 2), and 4) stated above. Problem 3) did not occur during this event. Messages stated to pull over in a safe location. We parked on the shoulder and immediately shut the car off, waited 5 minutes and then started the car again. We were able to drive to the next off-ramp to a city street (about 100 yards) before the engine started becoming sluggish again and lurching, error messages remained throughout the event. OBD codes stated simply "faulty engine" on a car with 16,000 miles. Dealership was unable to find a cause, but did find a code for ignition failure. They checked some things but did not do any repairs, and were unable to replicate the issue as it seemed to have cleared. Diagnosis was "vapor-lock" and no explanation for why. Second Event: On August 6th, my wife was driving the vehicle to visit family, when pulling onto an exit ramp, was unable to accelerate again afterwards. All the same warnings popped up, but this time also had problem 3). Engine stalled when warnings appeared and did the same sluggish lurching. After pulling off in a safe area, Shut the car off and tried to restart 4 times, warning did not clear. Gasoline Engine does not operate when pedal is pressed. Shut the car down for 2 hours and tried to restart afterwards, warnings still present, engine now runs when pedal is pressed, but stalls when idle. Shutdown for another hour while waiting for a tow, warnings still present, still stalls when idle. Waiting on callback from dealership.

Filed Jun 19, 2021 · Fuel system · OK

While driving approximately 70mph on an interstate, lost ability to accelerate. Car started to slow down, forcing us to stop. Very fortunate no one was behind us or we would have been rear-ended. Multiple warning lights came on at this point, including the check engine light, AWD malfunction, pre-collision system malfunction and hybrid system malfunction. Contacted Toyota dealership immediately and slowly drove the car to dealership. Upon inspection, was told that the fuel pump failed. Was also told that the problem is a recall issue for other Toyota models but not for the Hylander. Car is now at dealership being repaired.

Filed Jun 18, 2021 · Fuel system · CO

In the morning of 6/15/2021 while driving the 2019 Toyota Highlander Hybrid in 90+ degree heat on a busy Denver suburb thoroughfare, the Denso fuel pump failed causing multiple malfunction messages to be displayed and the engine to stall placing the SUV and me in a very unsafe situation in traffic. The SUV was partially in traffic because a curb prevented me from driving the vehicle out of traffic and the fail safe mode did not allow me to drive to a cross street to get the SUV out of traffic. Fortunately, a police squad arrived, parked behind me with emergency lights flashing until the tow truck arrived. The SUV was taken to a nearby Toyota dealer where Toyota service personnel in conjunction with Toyota engineering determined the Denso fuel pump was the problem and was replaced. Toyota has the Denso fuel pump. Moments before the SUV stalled multiple malfunction messages started being displayed including but not limited to: check engine light see dealer, pre-collision system malfunction, AWD system malfunction, Hybrid System malfunction, etc.

Filed Aug 14, 2019 · Engine, Steering · 10,800 miles · NV

While driving, the vehicle had a slight lag when I applied gas then started beeping and provided the warnings: check engine, hybrid system malfunction, pre-collision system malfunction, check awd system. I turned the car off multiple times, the errors were still on the car the next morning when I started the car to take it to the service appt. When I got to the dealership I turned the car off to check it in, when I came back the error was gone. They checked out the car they said there was nothing wrong with it and thought it was just 'ambient conditions'. Two weeks later, I was driving and I had the same lag in power then the same alarms and started driving toward the dealership (about 3 miles away) and the hybrid system and power steering shut down in the middle of the road leaving me with no power. I turned the vehicle off and back on and the errors were still there and it shut down again another half mile down the road. It is at the dealership again. The vehicle has 10,800 miles and should not be having these significant issues. I was driving in the city during all these events.