At highway speeds or accelerating, a slight pause or loss of power is noticeable. It seems as if fuel is cut off or engine does not have maximum engine power to maintain speeds for very short periods of time.

- Irvine, CA, USA

On 3 separate occasions at 30,000, 40,000 and 42,000 miles when driving at interstate highway speeds (around 70 mph) with cruise control engaged, the vehicle has suddenly without warning switched to a low power limp home mode resulting in rapid deceleration in the midst of high speed highway traffic. I believe this is a very dangerous situation. Multiple warnings appeared on the dash including low power mode, check AWD system, and see your dealer. Shutting off the vehicle and restarting it allowed the vehicle to be driven normally again. After all three incidents the vehicle was taken to the dealer for diagnosis. All 3 times the computer had stored codes for random multiple misfires along with a few others. All three times the dealer indicated that the codes did not point to a specific faulty part that they could replace, so there was nothing they could do. At my insistence that something be done after the third incident the dealer opened a case with the Toyota tas system to ask for assistance in diagnoses. The only result of this was to switch some of the coil pack positions to see if the misfires followed the coil pack. The end result is that I have to drive it until it fails again, putting myself and others at risk. I also opened a case with the Toyota customer experience center, they confirmed this was all Toyota would do at this point.

- Pittsburgh, Pa, PA, USA

At 62K miles I noticed a little pink on garage floor and had a mechanic look at the problem and found I had a inlet water thermostatic housing leaking. He installed new one at my cost. Power train warranty was up to 60K miles. Found a few days later still leaking and this time water pump. Combined cost for 2 repairs at local Toyota was right at $1600. I bought this new and prior to this I have had great service from my Toyota. Thought corporate Toyota would take care of this but no way. I have spoke to several other owners of this year including rav owners and they had same issue. Hopefully Toyota recalls these water pumps because no new cars water pump should go out less than 100K miles, this vehicle cost me $48K and what a waste of money. When I called Toyota yesterday to check to see if there was a recall they said no but there was a campaign fix on a oil hose, even though I was registered with them they did not notify me of this campaign. I will file complaints with various advocates for consumers, this is very unsatisfactory especially for Toyota and my wallet. Booh Toyota..!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

- Nebo, NC, USA

29K on the car and fourth time at the dealership for transmission problems, this time they replaced the transmission.

- Hanover Park, IL, USA

The contact owns a 2017 Toyota Highlander. While the contact was parking the vehicle, it suddenly sped forward, drove over a median, and crashed into a tree. There were no injuries and a police report was not filed. The manufacturer offered to inspect the vehicle or process a request for the vehicle to be repurchased. The contact was unsure of which option to take. Darcars Toyota frederick (5293 buckeystown pike, frederick, md 21704, (301) 696-6300) was contacted, but did not diagnose or repair the vehicle. The cause of the failure was not determined. The failure mileage was 14,680. Manufacture was notified.

- Hagerstown, MD, USA

On Saturday April 27 at 2 pm I put my car in park and was getting out. The car started rolling backwards and as I went to react was knocked down and pinned under the front left tire of the car. My three children were in the back watching their mother lying on the ground helpless and screaming for help. Thank god to good samaritan's they lifted the car off of me while I waited for the ems to arrive. Several witnesses said the car was in fact in park and this should have never happened. I am severely sore and injured and this should not ever happen. This happened on hylan blvd. Party city in staten island New York.

- Staten Island, NY, USA

I stopped at my neighbors house to give her something, I left the engine running when I went in to her house as soon as I went into her house I heard a noise looked out and couldn't see the car, I went out side and the car had jumped in to gear and went into her garage ( the door was open) the car hit her bike, golf clubs there was a 2X4 on a chair the car hit the 2X4 and then the other end of the 2X4 hit her washing machine witch stopped the car.the door was locked so I went home (3 houses from her house) to get the other set of keys the car still wouldn't unlock so I used the the key that is in the remote control to unlock it and shut the engine off.I can't believe the car locked because the keys were in my purse that was in the car.the 2X4 went into the engine and a tow truck had to take it to the garage.I can't believe the car jumped into gear and moved on its own. At one time when we had and oil change my husband told the service manager that when we put the car in gear the car would make a clunk noise and he said they all do that. Maybe they do but I wouldn't think so after what happened.

- North Port, FL, USA

Automatic transmission failed/quit working at a stop light in cheyenne, Wyoming 28 December 2018 with only 25,000 miles on the vehicle. I had it towed back to the dealership for repairs.

- Cheyenne, WY, USA

While coming to a stop at a red light, the vehicle started jolting like it was going to shut off. Once at a full stop, the car did not shut off. Instead, once I lifted my foot off the break, the vehicle would not move. I shifted into park, back to drive, reverse, and even manual but the car would not move. I was stuck on a road where cars drive 60-70 mph if the light is green I was afraid that I would be read-ended. I was helped by a good samaritan off the road and was forced to tow the vehicle to my house. Next morning, the car still would not move and was forced to tow it to the Toyota dealership. Outside of some irregular down-shifting, the dealer could not duplicate the problem. Ultimately, the system was rebooted and the vehicle was returned to me after I test drove it with the shop foreman. Because the problem was not diagnosed, I feel unsafe driving the vehicle and afraid that problem may reoccur, leaving me in a dangerous situation. The dealership itself was very helpful but they relied on corporate Toyota to guide them with diagnosing and fixing the problem. It seems they came up short.

- Turlock, CA, USA

On Sunday Oct 21 2018, the driver had just left the olin rest area in North Carolina, heading northbound on rt 77. After driving for a little bit the car suddenly acceleration unintentionally by itself. And the car started to zig zag across the highway lanes without the driver turning the steering wheel. The driver tried to press on the brake but it was not effective. The car then grazed an highway guardrail and it partially ripped off the rear left side and rear bumper. The driver kept pressing the brake without effect while swerving across the lanes. Then suddenly the brakes started to work and the driver was able to bring the car to a stop on the right shoulder. The driver put it into park but the engine kept revving at high RPM until the driver turned off the engine. I think the car had a sudden unintended acceleration incident due to the electronic throttle control. In addition, I think the zig zag was due to the electronic traction/ stability control, sending excessive power to a wheel on a particular side of the vehicle when it didn't need it.

- Buford, GA, USA

Transmission failure. Toyota replaced entire transmission

- Rosemount, MN, USA

Hello, there. I want to share my experience about Highlander problem. My wife and me went to mystic, ct from my home for pleasure August 8. I used cruise control with 65 mph on highway. After I finished traveling there, I tried to use the same cruise control on the way home. And then suddenly my car made problem in the middle of driving on highway. RPM went up to over 3000 and RPM needle on dashboard started dancing. And I watched 'check AWD system','traction control turned off','check engine visit your dealership' coming up. Automatically my car lost power control. We were very scared because everyone there was driving a car with high speed at night. I turned on emergency light and put my car on service road. Fortunately, no body followed behind my car at that time. If someone kept approaching my car, we would have made big traffic accident. This is safety issue for us. Even if we are still alive, I don't have any courageous idea about my car. I will not be satisfied with my car. Whenever I drive it, I have to think about my car condition. For example, I found the same story about my Highlander through carcomplaints.com that car was eventually burned in the middle of highway. So I want my money back by lemon law.

- Astoria, NY, USA

Since I leased by Highlander I have noticed that the car shifts very hard, sometimes sputtering between 5-10mph and then accelerating. Dealer reflashed the computer based on technical bulletin tsb-0194-17. They have now had the car for 3 days and have replicated the issue and I am awaiting guidance. The vehicle has 13,000 miles on it, there should not be major transmission issues. My complaint doesn't seem isolated.

- Arlington, VA, USA

At about 11,000 miles, a high pitch whining sound appeared during acceleration. The dealer identified a problem that requires a new transmission. The parts are back ordered. I was advised to continue to drive the car until Toyota approved the repair and the parts were available. Research indicated that this issue is common and may lead to complete transmission failure presenting a safety issue.

- Chester, NJ, USA

4 weeks ago there was a noticeable high pitched whine during acceleration from 40 mph and up. The whine's pitch would change up or down when the automatic transmission changed gears and the vehicle's speed changed. On 2/12/2018, the transmission let go (the engine would rev, but no power to the wheels) while my wife was driving on a busy 45 mph street. Fortunately, the person behind here didn't rear-end her and my wife was able to pull the vehicle into a turning lane and stop with flashers on. She turned the vehicle off and on. The transmission engaged and she was able to drive the vehicle home. Right before the transmission let go, she heard a grinding noise. When I drove the vehicle to the dealership, the whine was gone on acceleration, but now it would whine on deceleration! the mechanic at the dealership determined the transmission needed to be replaced due to an internal clip that becomes unseated. The clip can cause internal damage to the transmission. They were working on another Highlander with the exact same problem. There is a conversation published on edmunds.com with other people reporting the same issue I had with my Highlander's 8-speed automatic transmission. My Highlander had 13.200 miles on it when I took it to the shop. It took 9 calendar days to get the vehicle fixed due to limited availability of the transmission. The dealership told me my replacement transmission was the only one in the country (usa) when they ordered it! if this is happening with so many Highlanders with this 8-speed automatic transmission, it's just a matter of time before a serious accident results from the transmission failing on someone else.

- Bennington, NE, USA

As I was turning left at a green arrow across a divided highway, the car stopped moving in the middle of the intersection. There were no warning lights or alarms in advance of the stop, nor were there any crunching or grinding sounds at the time the car stopped. I could tell when I stepped on the accelerator at the time the light turned green that something wasn't right. After the car stopped, I tried to re-start 2X in the intersection, then pushed the car out of the intersection. The lights and electrical came on, but when I put it in gear and hit the accelerator, the engine revved and the rpms went up, but the tires did not engage. Toyota dealership with calls to Toyota engineering took 2 days to diagnose it as a transmission " production error" that required a "countermanded" replacement. They have had the car in for service for over 30 days. I was contacted last Friday the 12th to be told that the replacement part was in, but have not been contacted to pick up.

- Rosemont, PA, USA

While driving up the I-5 grapevine at 72 mph the car suddenly slowed without any warning to under 20 mph. The check engine light turned on and the dash said AWD system disengaged or error or some similar message and to take to the dealer. I was barely able to accelerate to get off the road. I pulled off, turned the car off and back on, and it started running again. I'm lucky I was not rear ended.

- Bend, OR, USA

Driving approximately 72 mph when vehicle died causing a potentially very hazardous situation - check engine light came on, master warning light came on, see dealer for repair message displayed. Was able to limp to side of road and had vehicle towed to dealership. After 2 days of diagnostic testing the engine control module (ECM) was replaced under warranty (less than 12,000 miles on vehicle). The vehicle is running, however, now notice a decrease in gas mileage and difference in transmission shifting since replacement.

- Wesley Chapel, FL, USA

The contact owns a 2017 Toyota Highlander. While attempting to accelerate from a stop, the vehicle would not drive forward and rolled backwards. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the rear axle shaft support bearing retaining ring failed and caused the axle to separate from the trans axle. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 192.

- Montreat, NC, USA