9.0

really awful
Typical Repair Cost:
No data
Average Mileage:
38,500 miles
Total Complaints:
4 complaints

Most Common Solutions:

  1. not sure (4 reports)
2013 Toyota Highlander engine problems

engine problem

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2013 Toyota Highlander Owner Comments

problem #4

Dec 092019

Highlander LX 3.2L V6

  • Automatic transmission
  • 72,492 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

If I die, I blame it on this vehicle and hold Toyota Motor Company as responsible. When I pull into an intersection and give the car gas, I get nothing. I sit in the intersection and watch cars coming at me, beeping their horns, swerving to miss me. I am going to die or kill others. I've taken it to 2 Toyota Dealerships 5 times for this problem. Because they cannot recreate this and the computer shows no error codes, they do nothing.

It's probably happened 40 times over the last 3 years. At first I thought it could be me... or a rug jammed under the pedal. At first, I thought I might be imagining it. But after all these time, I try to breathe and give it a chance to get going. It's crazy. I've floored the pedal down, nothing. I pumped the pedal off and on, nothing. It takes 2 or 3 seconds to wake up and start moving. The longest 3 seconds of my life.

I can't afford to buy another car. Just retired after 33 years of teaching in the public school system. When you see that I was killed in an accident and the report states that I pulled into an intersection and slowed down...you'll know why. Please pray from me and my family. Toyota apparently doesn't care... I have nothing to hide. I am Rick Swyers from Richmond Virginia. Any help would be appreciated.

- Richard S., Midlothian, US

problem #3

Dec 032018

Highlander Limited 3.2L

  • Automatic transmission
  • 60,364 miles

WE LIKE OUR HIGHLANDER, BUT SOMETIMES IT HAPPENS THAT ACCELERATION SUDENLY WHEN I AM TAKIN A TURN THE CAR LOOSE SPEED LIKE THERE IS NO GAS WHILE I PRESS THE ACCELERATOR. I HAVE REPORT IT TO THE DEALER BUT THE PROBLEM PERSIST. I THOUGHT THAT IS HAS TO BE THAT IS THE WAY THAT THE CAR COMPUTER WORKS OR NOBODY AT THE DEALER SERVICE DEPT DONT KNOW HOW TO FIX THIS PROBLEM OR EVEN TOYOTA MOTORS WANT TO DEAL WITH THIS PROBLEM.

- Anibal S., san juan, US

problem #2

Nov 212014

Highlander Limited V6

  • Automatic transmission
  • 10,600 miles

I have posted about this problem before, but the answer that I finally got from Toyota is ridiculous and probably illegal. The car hesitates when you put your foot on the gas pedal. This can happen at any speed and at any time. We turned it into City Toyota and Melody Toyota several times and got no satisfaction. However, the only explanation that we got was that this was happening because my husband is a two footed driver. He is disabled his right leg is 1 3/4" shorter than the left. He wears a lift on his shoe and it is not easy to drive with the right foot only. This problem has happened to me several times, but not as often as him. The technician told us that this was a safety precaution because Toyota had cases where the autos would speed up and could not be stopped. There was a case where it happened to a CHP owner and he and his family were killed. This seems like a ridiculous solution and a very dangerous one. I do have this in writing and am thinking of filing a lawsuit for discrimination against the handicapped.

- aherne, Daly City, CA, US

problem #1

Nov 242014

Highlander Limited V6

  • Automatic transmission
  • 10,500 miles

I HAVE PLACED ANOTHER COMPLAINT ON THIS SITE, BUT THE MAIN PROBLEM IS WHEN YOU STEP ON THE GAS AND NOTHING HAPPENS. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS AS IT CAN HAPPEN WHEN CHANGING LANES ON THE FREEWAY OR JUST AN ORDINARY STREET, BUT WHEN IT HAPPENS I AM AFRAID THAT SOMEONE WILL REAREND ME. THE PAUSE BEFORE THE ENGINE KICKS IN AGAIN CAN BE ANYWHERE FROM 3 TO 8 SECONDS. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS AND TOYOTA TELLS ME THAT THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE AND THAT THEY CANNOT DUPLICATE ATHE PROBLEM. THIS HAPPENS ALMOST EVERY DAY. ONCE IT HAPPENED 8 TIMES IN ONE DAY. I AM VERY FRUSTRATED WITH TOYOTA AND THEIR SERVICE.

- aherne, Daly City, CA, US

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