113 complaints reported

2002 Toyota Highlander Visibility

Owner-reported problems and safety issues filed with NHTSA. Review common failures, severity levels, and complaint trends over time.

Reports
113
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
0

Complaint Timeline

Chronological view of owner reports

Aug 2010

DRIVER'S SIDE SUNVISOR KEEPS FALLING IN TO MY LINE OF VISION UNEXPECTEDLY. IT'S ON MY 2002 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER. IT IS TERRIFYING WHEN YOU'RE ON THE HIGHWAY IN TRAFFIC AND IT FALLS! *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2002 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER, Manufacturer: Toyota Motor Corporation
Incident: Jan 2010
Jul 2010

DEFECTIVE VISOR ON 2002 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER THAT WILL NOT REMAIN IN "UP" POSITION. ANY BUMP WILL CAUSE THE VISOR TO FALL, AND POTENTIALLY BLOCK THE DRIVER'S FIELD OF VISION. DEALER WANTS $667 TO REPLACE THE VISOR - MORE THAN I PAID FOR MY FIRST CAR! *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2002 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER, Manufacturer: Toyota Motor Corporation
Incident: Oct 2006
Jul 2010

MY 2002 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER DRIVER'S SIDE SUN VISOR CONTINUOUSLY FALLS DOWN AND WILL NOT STAY IN PLACE. THE PASSENGER SIDE SUN VISOR STAYS IN PLACE IF THE CAR ISN'T MOVING, BUT WILL SUDDENLY FALL DOWN UNEXPECTEDLY WHEN THE CAR IS IN MOTION. THE DEALER SAYS IT WOULD COST $600 TO REPLACE EACH VISOR, BUT MY QUESTION IS, WHY SHOULD I OR ANY CONSUMER HAVE TO PAY FOR A MANUFACTURER DEFAULT? I HAVE RESORTED TO PLACING A VELCRO STRIP ON THE CEILING TO KEEP THE SUN VISOR IN PLACE, WHICH OF COURSE PREVENTS ME FROM USING THE VISOR AT ALL. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2002 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER, Manufacturer: Toyota Motor Corporation
Incident: Jan 2006
Jul 2010

I HAVE A TOYOTA HIGHLANDER 2002 LIMITED, V6, BOTH SUN VISORS CONSTANTLY FALL DOWN AND WON'T STAY UP EVEN WITH HEAVY DUTY VELCRO STRIPS. IT IS DISTRACTING AND BLOCKS THE DRIVERS VIEW. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2002 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER, Manufacturer: Toyota Motor Corporation
Incident: Oct 2008
Jun 2010

I HAVE A 2002 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER. THE SUN VISORS WILL NOT STAY IN THE UP POSITION. THEY RANDOMLY FALL DOWN PARTIALLY BLOCKING MY VIEW AND CREATING A SAFETY HAZZARD. I ORIGINALLY TOOK IT BACK TO THE DEALER WHO HAD IT REPLACED BUT THE SAME THING KEPT HAPPENING. I WENT ONLINE AND DISCOVERED THAT IT'S NOT JUST MY 2002 HIGHLANDER. I'VE TRIED VELCRO BUT THAT WON'T HOLD IT IN PLACE. I'VE HAD SEVERAL NEAR ACCIDENTS ON THE HIGHWAY AS A RESULT OF THIS ISSUE. IT HAPPENED AGAIN TODAY AND I JUST CAN'T TAKE IT ANYMORE. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2002 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER, Manufacturer: Toyota Motor Corporation
Incident: Jun 2010
May 2010

WE HAVE A 2002 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER WHICH WE PURCHASED NEW IN APRIL 2002. THE VEHICLE HAS ABOUT 39,000 MILES. FOR THE PAST 3 YEARS THE DRIVER'S SIDE SUN VISOR SUDDENLY FALLS DOWN AND PARTIALLY OBSTRUCTS THE DRIVER'S VISION. IT FALLS DOWN AT SLOW SPEED WHEN THE VEHICLE GOES OVER BUMPS. IT FALLS DOWN ON THE INTERSTATE AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS FROM VIBRATIONS - SUCH AS EXPANSION JOINTS IN THE ROAD. IT IS USUALLY JUST ANNOYING BUT ONCE IN AWHILE IT IS VERY DANGEROUS SUCH AS WHEN YOUR ARE PASSING ON A TWO LANE ROAD IT WILL SUDDENLY DROP DOWN OBSTRUCTING THE DRIVER'S VISION. I HAVE LOOKED ON LINE AND FOUND THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE 2002 HIGHLANDER. AND IT IS VERY EXPENSIVE TO FIX IF YOU HAVE THE GARAGE DOOR REMOTE BUILT INTO THE VISOR - AS WE DO. ABOUT AN $800 REPAIR - WITH THE MAJORITY OF THE COST BEING THE PART. I THINK THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE AND THESE DEFECTIVE VISORS SHOULD BE REPLACED BY TOYOTA. I DON'T KNOW THE EXACT DATE OR MILEAGE WHEN THIS PART STARTED TO FAIL SO I ESTIMATED BOTH. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2002 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER, Manufacturer: Toyota Motor Corporation
Incident: Jan 2007
May 2010

2002 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER DRIVERS SIDE VISOR WILL NOT STAY UP. THIS IS THE SECOND $850 UNIT IN 2 YEARS. IT'S ANNOYING, NOT TO MENTION DANGEROUS WHEN IT DROPPED DOWN UNEXPECTEDLY AND BLOCKED MY VIEW THROUGH THE WINDSHIELD. BETWEEN THE VISOR AND THE HOOD OF THE VEHICLE, I COULD SEE ABOUT A 2" STRIP OF ASPHALT ABOUT 10 FEET IN FRONT OF THE HOOD. VERY VERY DANGEROUS!!!!!! *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2002 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER, Manufacturer: Toyota Motor Corporation
Incident: May 2010
May 2010

THE DRIVER'S SIDE SUN VISOR ON MY 2002 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER DROPS DOWN BLOCKING THE DRIVER'S VISION. WHEN PUSHED UP IT SIMPLY FALLS BACK DOWN. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2002 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER, Manufacturer: Toyota Motor Corporation
Incident: May 2010
Apr 2010

HOW MANY COMPLAINTS DO HIGHLANDER OWNERS HAVE TO SUBMIT ABOUT SUN VISORS DROPPING BEFORE SOMETHING DONE ABOUT IT. IS TOYOTA GOING TO WAIT UNTIL SOMEONE GETS IN AN ACCIDENT DUE TO IT. I HAVE A 2002 HIGHLANDER AND HAVE BEEN TRYING DIFFERENT THINGS TO MAKE THE VISOR STAY UP FOR YEARS, WITH LITTLE SUCCESS. WERE THERE ANY DEATHS OR INJURIES? NO NOT YET WHY WAIT UNTIL IT HAPPENS! [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2002 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER, Manufacturer: Toyota Motor Corporation
Incident: Apr 2010
Mar 2010

THE DRIVERS SIDE SUN VISOR, WHICH HAS THE ELECTRONICS BUILT IN, UNEXPECTEDLY FLOPS DOWN. IT STARTED IN 2004 AND HAS PROGRESSIVELY GOTTEN WORSE. TOYOTA WANTS OVER $750 TO REPLACE IT. REPAIR IS NOT OFFERED. IT OCCASIONALLY FALLS UNEXPECTEDLY AND BLOCKS MY VISION OF TRAFFIC LIGHTS. HOWEVER, I DIDN'T CONSIDER IT A REAL SAFETY HAZARD UNTIL RECENTLY. IT FELL AT AN INOPPORTUNE MOMENT, DISTRACTED ME, AND I WAS ALMOST ENVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT. THERE IS NO REASON THIS ITEM SHOULD HAVE FAILED AFTER ONLY 1 1/2 YEARS USE AND THERE IS NO REASON A REPLACEMENT SHOULD COST $750. THIS IS A DESIGN DEFECT AND IT IS A SAFETY HAZARD.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2002 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER, Manufacturer: Toyota Motor Corporation
Incident: Mar 2010
Mar 2010

MY 2002 HIGHLANDER ALSO HAD THE FLOPPY VISOR SYNDROME WHEN OUT OF WARRANTY. COST TO REPLACE WAS $660 BUT NORTH KINGSTOWN TOYOTA DID A COURTESY REPLACEMENT AT NO CHARGE. ALL WHO HAVE PAID FOR THIS REPAIR SHOULD CONSIDER A CLASS ACTION SUIT AGAINST TOYOTA FOR IGNORING ANOTHER SAFETY PROBLEM. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2002 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER, Manufacturer: Toyota Motor Corporation
Incident: Apr 2008
Mar 2010

2002 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER: BOTH DRIVER'S SIDE AND PASSENGER SIDE SUNVISORS WILL NOT STAY IN UP POSITION. THE VISORS DROP WITHOUT WARNING MULTIPLE TIMES EVERY DAY SINCE THE PROBLEM BEGAN TO OCCUR. THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD AS THE DRIVER'S SIDE SUNVISOR RANDOMLY DROPS DOWN WITHOUT WARNING COMPLETELY OBSCURING THE DRIVER'S VISION. REPORTED THE DEFECT TO MY TOYOTA DEALER AND THEY INFORMED ME THAT THE ONLY OPTION WAS TO PAY FOR REPLACEMENTS AT A COST OF SEVERAL HUNDRED DOLLARS EACH. THIS ASSESSMENT WAS GIVEN WITHOUT ANY INSPECTION OF THE VEHICLE AND IN A MANNER WHICH STRONGLY IMPLIED THAT THIS WAS A PROBLEM WHICH THEY WERE VERY FAMILIAR WITH. AFTER SPEAKING TO TOYOTA, I DECIDED TO RESEARCH THIS FOR MYSELF ON THE WEB AND FOUND MANY SIMILAR INCIDENTS. THIS IS CLEARLY A DANGEROUS DESIGN DEFECT AND NEEDS TO BE REMEDIATED BY THE MANUFACTURER URGENTLY BEFORE SOMEONE'S FAMILY IS KILLED BECAUSE THE VISOR DROPS AND BLOCKS THEIR VIEW OF THE TRAFFIC AHEAD. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2002 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER, Manufacturer: Toyota Motor Corporation
Incident: Jan 2010
Mar 2010

THE 2002 HIGHLANDER DRIVER SIDE SUN VISOR DROPS DOWN AND OBSTRUCTS THE DRIVER'S VIEW OF THE ROADWAY. TOYOTA CHARGES +/- $600.00 FOR THE PART ALONE. THERE IS A BLOG WITH TOYOTA OWNERS THAT DEMONSTRATES THIS PROBLEM IS VERY COMMON AND IS DEFINITELY A SAFETY ISSUE. THE VISOR DROPS EVERY TIME THE CAR IS IN USE, ESPECIALLY IN WARM WEATHER. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2002 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER, Manufacturer: Toyota Motor Corporation
Incident: Mar 2010
Feb 2010

THE DRIVER SIDE VISOR CONSTANTLY FOLDS DOWN BLOCKING MY VISION WHEN I AM DRIVING. VISOR IN LOOSE. THIS HAPPENS ALL THE TIME. AVOIDED A FEW ACCIDENTS ALREADY. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2002 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER, Manufacturer: Toyota Motor Corporation
Incident: Jan 2004
Feb 2010

2002 HIGHLANDER VISOR DOES NOT STAY IN POSITION, TENDS TO FALL DOWN WHEN IT SHOULD BE UP. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2002 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER, Manufacturer: Toyota Motor Corporation
Incident: Jul 2009
Feb 2010

MY 2002 LIMITED TOYOTA HIGHLANDER HAS A SUN VISOR THAT WONT STAY UP. IT IS THE DRIVER SIDE AND I AM VERY CONCERN ESPECIALLY WHEN HITTING MILD ROAD BUMPS IT FALLS DOWN. I AM HOLDING IT WITH VELCRO AND I HAVE TO CHANGE THAT EVERY OTHER MONTH. THIS IS A SAFETY PROBLEM AND WOULD APPERICATE IF SOMEONE CAN LOOK INTO IT. I LOOKED AT THE ONLINE FORUMS FOR HIGHLANDERS AND THEY ARE REPORTING THE SAME PROBLEM.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2002 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER, Manufacturer: Toyota Motor Corporation
Incident: Sep 2009
Feb 2010

2002 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER. DRIVER'S SIDE SUN VISOR DOES NOT STAY UP OR DOWN. WHILE TRYING TO MAKE IT WORK PROPERLY I AM DISTRACTED FROM MY PRIMARY DUTY OF DRIVING THE VEHICLE. TOYOTA DOES NOT RECOGNIZE THIS A SAFETY OR RECALL ISSUE. COST TO REPLACE $1000.00. IF YOU CHECK THE INTERNET THIS IS NOT AN ISOLATED PROBLEM AND HAS BEEN IGNORED BY TOYOTA FOR MANY YEARS. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2002 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER, Manufacturer: Toyota Motor Corporation
Incident: Jan 2009
Jan 2010

THE SUN VISOR ON MY TOYOTA HIGHLANDER 2002 DOESN'T REMAIN IN PLACE. IT STARTED LAST YEAR AND NO MATTER WHAT I DO IT KEEP ON FALLING. I BELIEVE THIS IS A DESIGN PROBLEM AND A SAFETY HAZARD THAT NEEDED TO BE ADDRESSED OR FIXED BY TOYOTA CORPORATION. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2002 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER, Manufacturer: Toyota Motor Corporation
Incident: Jan 2009
Oct 2009

SUNVISOR ON DRIVERS SIDE DOES NOT STAY UP. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2002 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER, Manufacturer: Toyota Motor Corporation
Incident: Jun 2006
Oct 2009

BOTH SUN VISORS ON MY 2002 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER LIMITED FALL DOWN BY THEMSELVES. BOTH HAVE THE LIGHTED MIRROR AND THE RIVER SIDE INCLUDES THE HOMELINK CONTROL. THERE ARE NO OTHER ITEMS ATTACHED TO THE VISORS. IT HAPPENS ALL THE TIME, WHETHER OR NOT I HIT A BUMP IN THE ROAD. I'VE ADDED VELCRO TAPE TO THE VISORS, BUT THE WEIGHT OF THEM IS TOO MUCH FOR THE TAPE TO STICK TO THE CEILING, SO AFTER A WHILE, THE VISORS FALL DOWN AGAIN. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2002 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER, Manufacturer: Toyota Motor Corporation
Incident: Jan 2007
Oct 2009

SUN VISOR PROBLEM ... MY DRIVER SIDE SUN VISOR WILL NOT STAY UP AND HAS BECOME AN HAZARD. I'VE ALSO NOTICE THE SAME THING STARTING TO HAPPEN TO MY PASSENGER SUN VISOR, A SEAT IN WHICH IS ALL MOST NEVER OCCUPIED! *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2002 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER, Manufacturer: Toyota Motor Corporation
Incident: Aug 2006
Oct 2009

SUN VISOR ON DRIVER'S SIDE OF 2002 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER CAN'T BE USED TO PROTECT DRIVER FROM THE BRIGHT SUNLIGHT AS IT CANNOT BE RATCHETED UP OR ADJUSTED AND JUST HANGS LOOSELY BLOCKING DRIVER'S VIEW OF WINDOW AND REQUIRING DRIVER TO HOLD IT IN PLACE WITH ONE HAND. PROBLEM HAS EXISTED ALMOST FROM BEGINNING. OTHERS HAVE REPORTED SIMILAR PROBLEMS ESPECIALLY WITH THAT MODEL YEAR. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2002 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER, Manufacturer: Toyota Motor Corporation
Incident: Sep 2008
Sep 2009

SUNVISOR ON 2002 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER CONSTANTLY FALLS DOWN INTO DRIVER'S FIELD OF VISION. VISOR WAS REPLACED ONE TIME UNDER WARRANTY BUT PROBLEM HAS RETURNED. COST TO REPAIR PER TOYOTA DEALER IS $650 FOR PARTS PLUS LABOR - THE VISOR CONTAINS A LIGHTED VANITY MIRROR AND A HOMELINK REMOTE CONTROL SO IT IS AN EXPENSIVE PART TO REPAIR. THE VISOR CANNOT BE USED IN A 'PARTIALLY LOWERED' POSITION TO BLOCK SUN OR REFLECTIONS AS IT CONSTANTLY FALLS INTO THE 'FULLY LOWERED' POSITION WHICH OBSTRUCTS THE DRIVER'S FIELD OF VIEW. THE ONLY WAY TO KEEP THE VISOR FROM SAGGING INTO THE DRIVER'S FIELD OF VIEW IS TO USE TAPE OR VELCRO TO ATTACH IT TO THE CEILING. THIS PREVENTS THE VISOR FROM BEING USED IN THE INTENDED MANNER TO BLOCK SUN OR REFLECTIONS. THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD BECAUSE THE DRIVER CAN'T PREVENT SUNLIGHT AND GLARE FROM DIMINISHING VISIBILITY. THIS INCREASES THE CHANCE FOR ACCIDENTS OR HITTING OBJECTS OR PEDESTRIANS IN THE ROAD. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2002 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER, Manufacturer: Toyota Motor Corporation
Incident: Jan 2005
Aug 2009

I SEEM TO BE ONE OF MANY THAT IS HAVING AN ISSUE WITH THE SUN VISOR ON A 2002 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER. THE DRIVER SIDE SUN VISOR WILL NO LONGER STAY IN PLACE PROPERLY. THIS RESULTS IN IT FALLING DOWN AND BLOCKING THE VISION OF THE DRIVER. A RECALL IS NEEDED IN ORDER TO PREVENT THE POTENTIAL DANGER. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2002 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER, Manufacturer: Toyota Motor Corporation
Incident: Aug 2009
Aug 2009

2002 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER SUN VISOR KEEPS FALLING DOWN ON ITS OWN. NOTICED THAT THIS IS A COMMON COMPLAINT ON THE INTERNET. THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD AND THE VISOR SHOULD BE RECALLED. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2002 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER, Manufacturer: Toyota Motor Corporation
Incident: Aug 2008

Trend Over Time

Complaints by year

Quick Summary

The 2002 Toyota Highlander has 113 Visibility complaints on file. Review the timeline above for detailed owner experiences.