This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.
So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.
When braking, the vehicle often "slips" for a moment. There is a moment of acceleration when braking at low speeds. It has caused me to bump into the shelves in my garage. It has also caused me to rear-end another vehicle. I was slowing down at some train tracks and rolled into the car ahead of me. The car ahead of me suffered no damage, but my bumper was completely destroyed from the trailer hitch of the other car. The braking is inconsistent and unpredictable. I am just glad no one got hurt.
I have a 2006 Toyota Highlander hybrid that I purchased on April 2010 with a little over 40K miles. I noticed at low speeds and when going over bumps\train tracks a slip in the braking of the SUV for 1 or 2 second or less. This issue is very easy to reproduce..just drive it over a bumpy road or train tracks and this braking issue will occur. I've read online this issue had something to do with the regenerative brakes and hydraulic braking systems and the transfer between the two at low speeds. If this is the case I feel that this is a manufacture defect and a safety issue. If I need to stop really fast on a bumpy road and I have a 1 or 2 second delay in stopping I could end up in an accident.
My wife was parked in front of our apartment building, idling with her foot on the brake, when our 2006 Toyota Highlander hybrid suddenly accelerated and crashed into a gate. Before the car crashed, she repeatedly applied the brake and even put the car in park. The car did not stop. After the impact, the engine continued to rev and accelerate before finally stopping. This had never happened before. The body has been repaired, but per Toyota, nothing mechanical or electronic has been touched. Last week Toyota sent a specialist out to inspect the car and download data. We were present at the time, and 5 dtc codes displayed. The descriptions displayed on the investigator's lap top mentioned vehicle speed sensors on right wheel and left wheel, the emps, body ECU switch circuit and "low or high power supply voltage". the car was test driven, and no errors or codes were reported. The car is now waiting to be taken to a dealer to be reviewed and fixed.
I have an 06 Highlander hybrid, a have problem with its brakes it losses it grip for 1 second or less on light braking and sometimes it surges before the brakes hold. This happened usually in the morning at cold starts occurring 3-4 times a week. I complained to a Toyota dealership and they told me that it is because of the transition from regenerative to traditional braking. I just felt not safe because it might lead to accident.
- Mountain House, CA, USA
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We've owned the car for about a year and this problem has happened to my wife and I both while driving. While braking the brake pedal rises against your foot and the vehicle surges forward then as you apply more force the pedal goes down and the vehicle stops suddenly. It happens intermittently and the brake wear and fluid levels have always been fine, it seems to be a problem with the power assist to the brake maybe as the hybrid model engine starts because it seems to happen when braking after coasting so the engine would be off but as the brakes are applied about halfway through the normal stop you feel the brake pedal get hard and then normal again. During the brake pedal hardness the speed of the vehicle increases which reacts in a harder brake pedal pressure but by then the assist is back and the stop is sudden. This could cause both an accident from hitting someone during the loss of brake and from behind because of the sudden stop.
I have experienced many instances of loss of braking power, particularly while traveling on an incline, decline, or over an uneven surface. I have complained of this problem since I began driving the vehicle in 2006. When attempting to stop on one of these surfaces, there is a momentary loss of braking power and the SUV seems to lurch forward for an instant before braking power returns and the vehicle stops.
In our 2006 Highlander hybrid we have had a repeated feeling that the brakes are giving way. The problem has been present for the 10 months we've owned this vehicle. The condition seems to occur regardless of conditions. I don't notice it after hitting a bump like is reported with other Toyota. This problem seems to resolve itself within a moment or two of the give way. It definitely is a concern when braking in traffic at a red light or coming down a hill to a stop. There is definitely a greater chance for rear-ending the vehicle in front of us when this occurs. I would estimate that this has happened weekly, if not daily. So far, the problem doesn't seem to be getting worse - it's just something you can count on. I've seen this problem reported on multiple car forums. It's also been described as a lurch, feeling of brief acceleration, give-way, brake gap and others. I haven't read anywhere yet that Toyota has a fix for this problem. Would like info if there is.
On numerous occasions both my wife and I have experienced a momentary loss of braking while going over bumps on a nearby street to our house. It only happens for a second or two and then normal slowing continues.
My Highlander hybrid 2006 model has trouble with slippage when I brake. I notice it mainly at low speed, leaving my neighborhood in the morning. It is happening a lot lately, and this could be because of the cold weather we are having in charlotte (based on what I have read in the forums, cold weather could be a factor). This has been happening for a very long time, but I am noticing that this is happening a lot more often lately.
2006 Toyota Highlander hybrid brakes malfunction on rough roads, rain, bumps. This happens everyday to and from work or driving around town. Toyota said this is how a hybrid drives, no action taken by Toyota. I drive slow to avoid accidents.
I have a Toyota Highlander hybrid and have been experiencing inconsistent brake feel since the time I bought this vehicle. The vehicle just goes forward at times when you apply the brake as if there is no brake, it happens only for a second or 2 but I almost had had a few accidents because of this. I have complained to the dealership and also to Toyota and nothing has been done. The dealership dismisses my claims saying there is nothing wrong and it's the ABS and since I cannot recreate it at the dealership its been a tough. It is the exact same issues as mentioned with prius.
2006 Highlander hybrid exhibits same braking problem described for prius. I owned one for three years and made repeated attempts to have it repaired. I traded on a rav 4 in March 2009. This car has exactly the same problem with jumping forward when braking and hit a pothole etc.
Multiple instances of momentary loss of braking power on uneven surface. Automobile: 2006 Toyota Highlander hybrid. Dealer states it is 'normal' and that the newer Highlander hybrids have been redesigned.
During constant braking of my 2006 Toyota Highlander hybrid (such as when approaching a red light), there is sometimes a momentary, but noticeable failure of the brakes (which causes slight acceleration), before the condition resolves itself on its own. At the moment of failure, it feels as if the brakes are released for a split second and then the condition self-corrects before there is time to react. I have noticed this perhaps 30 times in the nearly three years that I have driven the vehicle. My wife has also noticed this condition. About a year ago I received a service letter from Toyota which, I thought, was intended to address this issue. I took the car to the deal to have it serviced, but the problem persists.
My 2006 Highlander hybrid brakes do not grab immediately when I am driving forward and going over a pot hole or train tracks while braking to reduce my speed. This occurs any time I am in that situation. It is even more noticeable when turning and braking while going over a pot hole or train tracks. I have asked the dealer to check this out 2-3 times. They don't seem to test drive it, just test the brakes and say they are okay.
2006 Toyota Highlander hybrid the vehicle lurches forward whenever slow braking (gas pedal not pushed) ever since purchase in 2006, and still behaves this way now. We have contacted our dealer on at least three different occasion, and one additional time after the recall being issued. Each time, the dealer says that there is nothing wrong with the car. The dealers most resent response (02/02/2010) was that our car is not in the recalled list, and there is nothing wrong with our car. The dealer can check again but if they still finds nothing wrong, we have to pay for the check up. But we hear so many reports of identical experience to ours in Toyota hybrid cars (prius, Camry and highlander) that does not involve the gas pedal. The car lurches or accelerate when slow braking!!!
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- Il, IL, USA