At approximately 215,000 miles, the reverse gear (and ONLY the reverse gear!) in my Highlander started slipping. I've never seen any other reports anywhere of anyone else having this same issue with the Highlander. First time I noticed it, I was reversing up a mild (3% or less) gravel grade with myself and roughly 150 pounds of equipment in the car. I assumed the noise was loose gravel giving way. I managed to back up, but it took more effort and momentum than it should have.
The next time it happened, it was on a similarly sloped asphalt road. Again, I managed to back up, but the car shook and shuddered quite a lot doing it and the slippage was very loud. Sounded like someone dragging a heavy desk across a sticky floor. I knew then something more serious was wrong. I recreated it on returning home and found it consistently happens when reversing with expediency or when reversing from a standstill on a grade. I contacted a mechanic friend and asked him what he thought, and he suggested checking the fluid to ensure the transmission fluid isn't low.
On getting it checked (which was a $140 dollar job since there is NO transmission dipstick on this vehicle!) the transmission fluid was at a normal level and showed no signs of aging out or overheating. This confirmed that the transmission itself was at fault and would need to be either replaced or rebuilt. Unfortunately, the replacement costs about $8000 dollars (more than the car's worth), and in order to get a quote for a rebuild, the car would have to be left in the next county over for over a month so that the only guy in a 50 mile radius that rebuilds automatic transmissions can get caught up with it, upon which it would probably be another month and a half before the car could be fixed. Unfortunately, with the mileage the vehicle has, my best option is to sell it at a loss or auction it and buy a new vehicle.
My lesson has been learned - don't buy a high mileage used vehicle, not even a Toyota!
At approximately 215,000 miles, the reverse gear (and ONLY the reverse gear!) in my Highlander started slipping. I've never seen any other reports anywhere of anyone else having this same issue with the Highlander. First time I noticed it, I was reversing up a mild (3% or less) gravel grade with myself and roughly 150 pounds of equipment in the car. I assumed the noise was loose gravel giving way. I managed to back up, but it took more effort and momentum than it should have.
The next time it happened, it was on a similarly sloped asphalt road. Again, I managed to back up, but the car shook and shuddered quite a lot doing it and the slippage was very loud. Sounded like someone dragging a heavy desk across a sticky floor. I knew then something more serious was wrong. I recreated it on returning home and found it consistently happens when reversing with expediency or when reversing from a standstill on a grade. I contacted a mechanic friend and asked him what he thought, and he suggested checking the fluid to ensure the transmission fluid isn't low.
On getting it checked (which was a $140 dollar job since there is NO transmission dipstick on this vehicle!) the transmission fluid was at a normal level and showed no signs of aging out or overheating. This confirmed that the transmission itself was at fault and would need to be either replaced or rebuilt. Unfortunately, the replacement costs about $8000 dollars (more than the car's worth), and in order to get a quote for a rebuild, the car would have to be left in the next county over for over a month so that the only guy in a 50 mile radius that rebuilds automatic transmissions can get caught up with it, upon which it would probably be another month and a half before the car could be fixed. Unfortunately, with the mileage the vehicle has, my best option is to sell it at a loss or auction it and buy a new vehicle.
My lesson has been learned - don't buy a high mileage used vehicle, not even a Toyota!
- punkt, Elkview, US