10.0
really awful- Crashes / Fires:
- 0 / 4
- Injuries / Deaths:
- 2 / 0
- Average Mileage:
- 36,599 miles
About These NHTSA Complaints:
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« Read the previous 20 complaints
Hello, I would like to get NHTSA's help because Toyota won't provide any remedy for this problem. On 4/17/2015, I bought a Toyota 2015 Highlander le plus from Toyota North brunswick (NJ) and noticed buzzing sound after driving only ~30 minutes. Buzzing sound comes from dashboard area constantly, ~once every minute (in the beginning of driving) to ~every second (after driving an hour). The noise is from the air blend servo (related to ac) as acknowledged by local Toyota service dpt, but Toyota keeps saying that the noise is normal no matter how often it happens because the regional Toyota field technical specialist (fts) [xxx] said so, I.e. Toyota can't help you. (note: He hasn't even checked my vehicle in person.) I think the noise itself can happen from time to time, but the problem is frequency, just like sneezing every second is not normal even though sneezing itself is normal to human. A Toyota technician told me the other day that replacing air blend servo is pretty expensive because the whole dashboard needs to be taken apart. I suspect Toyota won't fix this under its warranty unless this problem becomes life threatening, I.e. too expensive for Toyota. My family and friends ask "how can you drive with this crazy noise?". the noise is almost like sleeping w/ 100 gnats in the same room. I am a drive with over 20 years' experience and have always used new vehicles, but never experienced this kind of problem with new vehicles from other manufacturers. Please help me with this problem. Thank you. P.S. I also found more people with same problem and frustration: www.toyotanation.com/forum/333-3rd-generation-2014/1077937-weird-vibrating-buzzing-noise.html.
- Norwood, NJ, USA
I parked my car in the garage and several hours later I happened to need something out there. When I entered I heard an electric motor running even though the car had been turned off for several hours. Crawling under the car I found that the sound was comming from a motor near the rear axle. I reported it to my Toyota dealer and they advised that it was a motor that may run hours after the car is turned off to purge the carbon canister. They advised that they found that information in their service manual, but not the owners manual. One time our lawn mower decided to leak during the night resulting in heavy gasoline fumes in the garage. My concern is that if something like that should happen again I do not think any electric motor on the car should be able to unilaterally decide when to run after the car is turned off.
- Anacortes, WA, USA
- West Newbury, MA, USA