CarComplaints.com Notes: 2008 is the first year of the 2nd generation Highlander, & it may be a model year to avoid as Toyota most likely worked out some production quality issues with the new model.
The 2009 Highlander is the has far fewer complaints.
The arm rests built into the doors on this car - so far only I the two fronts ones - both have broken under the weight of my wife shifting in her seat with her elbow on the door's arm rest. The first one was the drivers door, and the plastic substrate below the padded vinyl snapped ad created an indented valley in the armrest. W took it to the dealer, who told us that this fell under the category of normal wear and tear. I swore a little and told them this is cheesy design. They said I could buy all new door panels for $900 or so. I almost went ballistic. A year or so later my wife was a passenger when I was driving our family somewhere as she caused the same thing to happen on the passenger door. My wife is not obese, and I could have caused this to happen as well. We're average Americans. Ridiculous. I've had it in my mind to some day remove the door panels as do some sort of repair, but haven't found the time or courage. Argh!
How the heck do armrests break anyway? The plastic must have been really thin for them to cave in like that. The driver's side armrest not only caved in but the vinyl covering ripped open as well. This car was only driven about 8000 miles/year. The armrests broke during the second year of ownership. I do not have pointy elbows! :)
- Janice D.,
West Covina, CA, US
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The arm rests built into the doors on this car - so far only I the two fronts ones - both have broken under the weight of my wife shifting in her seat with her elbow on the door's arm rest. The first one was the drivers door, and the plastic substrate below the padded vinyl snapped ad created an indented valley in the armrest. W took it to the dealer, who told us that this fell under the category of normal wear and tear. I swore a little and told them this is cheesy design. They said I could buy all new door panels for $900 or so. I almost went ballistic. A year or so later my wife was a passenger when I was driving our family somewhere as she caused the same thing to happen on the passenger door. My wife is not obese, and I could have caused this to happen as well. We're average Americans. Ridiculous. I've had it in my mind to some day remove the door panels as do some sort of repair, but haven't found the time or courage. Argh!
- Bill H., Hanover, MA, US