2005 Toyota Highlander Power Train

TRANSAXLE VENT IS LEAKING TRANSMISSION FLUID ONTO EXHAUST, POTENTIAL OF CATASTRAPHIC TRANSMISSION FAILURE DUE TO TOTAL SUDDEN LOSS OF TRANSMISSION FLIUD. LEAK IS CAUSE BY A DEFECTIVE SEAL

BOUGHT THE CAR AND NOT EVEN A WEEK AFTER OWNING IT I HAD TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS, I TOOK IT BACK TO THE DEALER THEY REPLACED THE TRANS AND UPDATED THE COMPUTER. THE PROBLEM STILL PERSIST, THERE IS A HUGE HESITATION IN THE TRANSMISSION WHEN SLOWING TO AN ALMOST STOP AND RE ACCELERATING. THE RPM'S REV UP BUT THE CAR DOES NOT RESPOND SOMETIMES. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS WHEN GOING THROUGH INTERSECTIONS OR MERGING INTO TRAFFIC. THERE ARE NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS FROM PEOPLE EXPERIENCING THE SAME PROBLEM. I HAVE A NEW TRANS IN MY CAR, FLUID LEVELS ARE PERFECT THE COMPUTER HAS BEEN UPDATED AND STILL HAVING HUGE ISSUES WITH MY TRANS. THIS IS DANGEROUS VERY DANGEROUS.

MY HIGHLANDER HAS 120,000 MILES ON IT AND THE TRANSMISSION SUDDENLY GAVE OUT WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY. IT STARTED BY DOWNSHIFTING SUDDENLY, MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO RETAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. THEN I LOST ALL FORWARD POWER AND HAD TO COAST TO A STOP ON THE SIDE OF THE INTERSTATE. I AM NOW STUCK PAYING A $3500+ REPAIR BILL DESPITE KEEPING UP ON REGULAR MAINTENANCE ACCORDING TO THE MANUFACTURERS MAINTENANCE GUIDE. AFTER TALKING WITH SEVERAL MECHANICS, I FOUND OUT THIS IS APPARENTLY A COMMON PROBLEM ON THE TRANSMISSIONS USED BY THE RAV4S AND HIGHLANDERS, BUT TOYOTA HAS ONLY ISSUED RECALLS FOR THE RAV4S? VERY DISAPPOINTING. *TR

HAVE DOCUMENTED TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS SINCE THE PURCHASE OF THE VEHICLE. CONTACTED TOYOTA WITH MY CONCERNS, NO HELP WAS PROVIDED. TRANSMISSION FAILED. PROVIDED TOYOTA WITH COMPLAINT ON OCT.14,2015. AND MANY TIMES BEFORE THEN. AFRAID FOR MY LIFE TO DRIVE IT. TURNING, JERKING, HESITATION IN TAKE OFF. ETC.

TRAVELING AT APPROX 35MPH THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY AND WITHOUT WARNING DECELERATED RAPIDLY TO ZERO MPH AND A LOUD GEAR - LIKE CRUNCHING AND GRINDING SOUND WAS HEARD UNDER THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THE VEHICLE WOULD ONLY MOVE AT 1 MPH TO PULL OFF THE ROAD AND WAS TOTALLY DISABLED. VEHICLE HAD TO BE TOWED. MECHANICS CONCLUDED THE FRONT DRIVE DIFFERENTIAL SUFFERED A MAJOR FAILURE AND THEN RUINED THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. *JS

MY TRANSMISSION HAS FAILED ON MY TOYOTA 2005 HIGHLANDER AFTER 96,000 MILES. I HAVE READ OTHER CONSUMER COMPLAINTS AND I AM CONVINCED THERE IS A SERIOUS PROBLEM WITH THE2005 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER HYBRID TRANSMISSION. I SPOKE TO TOYOTA AND THEY ADVISED ME TO TAKE MY CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP. I WAS TOLD THAT THE TRANSMISSION HAD TO BE REPLACED AND THAT IT WOULD COST $5060,00 TO REPLACE. TOYOTA OFFERED ME .10% OFF THE COST OF REPAIRS. I WAS SHOCKED AS I HAVE ONLY OWNED THE VEHICLE FOR 15 MONTHS AND HAVE A 4 YEAR NOTE. I AM VERY FORTUNATE THAT I DID NOT HAVE A HORRIBLE ACCIDENT AS I WAS COMING DOWN A VERY STEEP INCLINE ON THE HIGHWAY WHEN THE TRANSMISSION BEGAN TO FAIL. I AM FORCED TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE AS I AM NOT IN THE POSITION TO PURCHASE ANOTHER VEHICLE. I WOULD LIKE FOR THE NHTSA TO LOOK INTO THIS ISSUE FURTHER. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE NOTICED TRANSMISSION FLUID LEAKING FROM THE TRANSMISSION. THE VEHICLE WAS NEITHER DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 99,000. *TR

BOUGHT THE CAR USED WITH 49K MILES APPROXIMATELY. DID NOT DO THIS FOR THE FIRST 1.5 YRS WE OWNED THIS NOW PROBLEMS WITH THE TRANNY AND DEALER TOLD US IT IS SUPPOSE TO DO THAT. I DONT THINK SO BY OTHER PEOPLE IN THE TOYOTA HIGHLANDER FORUMS. THERE ARE THOUSANDS OF OWNERS WITH THIS TRANNY PROBLEM AND TOYOTA HAS NO FIX BUT TO REPLACE THE TRANNY FOR $5000.00 WIFE'S 2005 HIGHLANDER IS NOT SHIFTING CORRECT WHEN SHE SLOWS DOWN AND THEN TRIES TO SPEED UP OR WHEN SHE GOES AROUND A CORNER SLOW AND SPEEDS UP THE TRANNY HAS A DELAY AND THEN SHIFTS KINDA HARD. WHEN STARTING FROM A DEAD STOP SHIFTS FINE NO PROBLEMS JUST SLOWING DOWN AND THEN ACCELERATING IT WILL DELAY THEN SHIFT. IT KIND OF JERKS THE CAR AND MAKES YOU WONDER WHAT IS GOING ON. CAR HAS BEEN DOING THIS FOR ABOUT 6 MONTHS. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS WHEN IN TRAFFIC WITH THE DELAY SHIFTING TRYING TO MERGE IN STOP AND GO TRAFFIC. MANY CLOSE CALLS OF GETTING INTO AN ACCIDENT. BEEN ON MANY FORUMS AND MANY PEOPLE HAVE BEEN TOLD BY THE TOYOTA DEALERS THAT THIS IS NORMAL WHICH I FEEL IS A BULL CRAP STORY JUST TO GET RID OF THE PERSON/COMPLAINT. I'M PUTTING IN THIS COMPLAINT BECAUSE IT IS A SAFETY COMPLAINT IN MY JUDGMENT AND TOYOTA NEEDS TO FIX THESE TRANNY PROBLEMS. THANKS *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER. WHILE THE CONTACT SHIFTED THE GEAR INTO THE PARK POSITION, THE TRANSMISSION BEGAN TO JERK WITH HESITATION. THE FAILURE OCCURRED INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 29,000.

I HAVE A TOYOTA HIGHLANDER 2005 V6 4WD, WHICH SUFFERS FROM A TRANSMISSION SHIFT DELAY AND HESITATION ,WHICH NORMALLY OCCURS WHEN UPSHIFTING OR DOWNSHIFTING BETWEEN 2ND AND 3RD GEAR. THIS SHIFT DELAY IS NOT ONLY A HEADACHE, BUT A SAFETY CONCERN TO ME AND MANY OTHER FELLOW HIGHLANDER OWNERS AS SEEN ON VARIOUS ONLINE FORUMS. WHILE DRIVING MY VEHICLE I HAVE TO CONSTANTLY TRY TO ANTICIPATE HOW IT MIGHT REACT IN ORDER TO PREVENT AN ACCIDENT FROM HAPPENING,WHILE IN TRAFFIC. IT SEEMS AS IF THIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN KNOWN BY TOYOTA SINCE 2000 AND THEY HAVE NOT DONE ENOUGH TO GET IT FIXED. *TR

MY 2005 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER DEVELOPED A LEAK FROM THE TRANSFER CASE, WHICH HAS THE POTENTIAL TO CAUSE A COMPLETE LOSS OF TRANSMISSION FLUID AS WELL AS LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL. THERE ARE DOCUMENTED ACCIDENTS WHICH HAVE OCCURRED AS A RESULT OF THIS PROBLEM. THIS REPAIR WOULD NORMALLY BE COVERED BY A 5 YEAR/60,000 MILE POWER TRAIN WARRANTY HOWEVER THE LEAK WAS DISCOVERED A FEW MONTHS AFTER THE 5 YEAR TIME PERIOD EXPIRED. I HAVE SINCE LEARNED THAT TOYOTA WAS AWARE OF THIS POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS PROBLEM AND FIRST RELEASED A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN (TSB) IN NOVEMBER OF 2007 WITH THE MOST RECENT TSB BEING ISSUED MAY OF 2010. MY VEHICLE WAS CLEARLY UNDER WARRANTY AT THE TIME THAT THE TSB'S WERE INITIALLY ISSUED, BUT TOYOTA WITHHELD THIS INFORMATION FROM THE CONSUMER. THIS RESULTS IN A COST OF SEVERAL THOUSAND DOLLARS TO THE CONSUMER IN POTENTIAL REPAIRS. I HAVE CONTACTED TOYOTA CORPORATE HEADQUARTERS AND THEY REFUSE TO NEGOTIATE ANY TYPE OF REIMBURSEMENT FOR REPAIRS. TOYOTA HAS CONTINUED TO ISSUE TSB'S FOR THE SAME PROBLEM FOR 3 YEARS AND HAS APPARENTLY MADE NO ATTEMPT TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM DURING PRODUCTION. *TR

I HAVE 2005 HIGHLANDER LIMITED V6 AWD. THE CAR HAS ISSUES WITH THE DIFFERENTIAL FLUID LEAKING AFTER 30,000 MILES OR EVERY TWO YEARS. THE DEALER FIXED THE LEAKING FOR MY CAR AT 35,429 MILES (NO CHARGE DUE TO WARRANTY) IN 2008; HOWEVER, THE DIFFERENTIAL WAS LEAKING AGAIN AT 67,329 MILES THIS YEAR. I CONTACTED TOYOTA AND THEY TOLD ME THAT THE WARRANTY FOR THE DIFFERENTIAL IS 5 YEARS OR 60,000 MILES, WHICHEVER COMES FIRST. ONCE THE VEHICLE IS OUTSIDE OF THESE WARRANTY GUIDELINES THE COST OF REPAIRS BECOMES THE OWNER?S RESPONSIBILITY. *TR

FRONT DIFFERENTIAL CATASTROPHICALLY FAILED ON 2005 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER (4WD) (65,220 MI) WHILE TRAVELING AT 65 MPH ON INTERSTATE. VEHICLE INSTANTANEOUSLY LOST SPEED (TO 30 MPH) & WE NARROWLY AVOIDED BEING RUN OVER BY SEMITRAILER AT HIGHWAY SPEED. DUE TO CONFIGURATION OF ROAD - ONLY SPORADIC SHOULDERS BECAUSE OF TERRAIN - THIS WAS A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION. CAR STUCK IN TRAVEL LANES FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD. FEEL VERY LUCKY THAT NO ONE WAS HURT. REPAIRING DEALER ASSERTED THAT THE PART HAD NO FLUID REMAINING DUE TO SEAL LEAK. VEHICLE WAS LAST SERVICED BY LOCAL DEALER ~2,000 MILES EARLIER (63,226 MI) WITH NO LEAKAGE SEEN. ENTIRE FRONT DIFFERENTIAL / TRANSFER CASE ASSEMBLY WAS REPLACED (STILL HAVE PART). CAR WAS TOTALLY INSPECTED BY REPAIRING DEALER AT THE TIME (65,220 MI) AND NO OTHER PROBLEMS FOUND. ONE MONTH LATER FOUND FLUID PUDDLE IN DRIVEWAY (66,216 MI). DEALER INVESTIGATED AND REPORTED THAT THE INSPECTION PLUG ON THE REAR DIFFERENTIAL WAS RAPIDLY LEAKING DIFFERENTIAL FLUID. TOLD NOT TO DRIVE VEHICLE TILL PLUG AND GASKET REPLACED. SEEMS TO BE OK NOW. SO, WITHIN A MONTH AND 1,000 MI USE, BOTH THE FRONT DIFFERENTIAL AND THE REAR DIFFERENTIAL RAPIDLY LOST FLUIDS. I SUSPECT BAD GASKETS WERE USED IN MANUFACTURE. *TR

I OWN A 2005 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER. I WENT TO A FRIEND'S HOUSE AND PARKED VEHICLE IN FRONT OF THE HOUSE IN THE DRIVEWAY BY PLACING THE GEAR SHIFT IN THE PARK POSITION. I LEFT THE VEHICLE IDLING WHILE I WENT INTO MY FRIEND'S HOUSE TO GET A GROCERY LIST. I WENT IN AND OUT OF THE HOUSE ON 2 DIFFERENT OCCASIONS OVER A PERIOD OF ABOUT 10- 15 MINUTES TO RETRIEVE ITEMS FOR MY FRIEND THAT WERE OUTSIDE. ON BOTH OCCASIONS MY VEHICLE WAS IN THE DRIVEWAY IDLING. WHILE I WAS BACK INSIDE RETRIEVING THE GROCERY LIST MY FRIEND AND I OBSERVED MY VEHICLE MOVING THROUGH HER BACK YARD AND PROCEEDED INTO THE WOODS BEHIND HER HOUSE WHERE IT CAME TO A STOP AFTER HITTING A TREE. THIS VEHICLE SOMEHOW TOOK ITSELF OUT OF THE PARK POSITION AND INTO DRIVE!!!! I REPORTED THIS TO MY TOYOTA DEALER AND THE INSURANCE COMPANY. THE TOYOTA DEALER AND THE REGIONAL TOYOTA MANAGER SAID THERE WAS NO WAY THIS COULD HAVE HAPPENED AND THAT IT WAS NOT THE SAME ISSUE BEING INVESTIGATED (GAS PEDAL ISSUE). I WENT AHEAD AND HAD THE CAR REPAIRED AND THE INSURANCE COMPANY PAID FOR IT (EXCEPT FOR MY $500.00 DEDUCTIBLE) WITH NO INVESTIGATION OR QUESTIONS. I PICKED THE CAR UP TODAY AND NOW I AM HEARING ON THE NEWS THAT MANY OF THE SO CALLED GAS PEDAL INCIDENTS HAVE NOT BEEN EXPLAINED AND THAT IT IS POSSIBLE THAT MANY OF THE PREVIOUSLY REPORTED INCIDENTS CAN ONLY BE EXPLAINED BY A FAULTY COMPUTER. RIGHT AFTER THE ACCIDENT I ASKED THE TOYOTA DEALER/REGIONAL MANAGER SPECIFICALLY IF MY INCIDENT COULD HAVE BEEN CAUSED BY A COMPUTER MALFUNCTION. THE ANSWER WAS NO! *TR

MY 2005 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER HAS CHRONIC TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS. WHEN ACCELERATING, THE ENGINE REVS BUT THE TRANSMISSION HESITATES NOTICEABLY BEFORE GOING INTO GEAR. SOMETIMES THE HESITATION LASTS SO LONG THAT IT INTERFERES WITH MY ABILITY TO MERGE ONTO THE FREEWAY AND THOSE ARE VERY SCARY SITUATIONS. SOMETIMES THE TRANSMISSION CANNOT DECIDE WHAT GEAR TO BE IN AND WHEN IT DOES ENGAGE THE WHOLE CAR BUCKS OR SHUDDERS. EVERYONE WHO DRIVES MY CAR EXPERIENCES THE SAME PROBLEM. EVEN THE PASSENGERS NOTICE. THE TOYOTA DEALER CLAIMS THAT THERE IS NO PROBLEM WITH THE VEHICLE AND THAT THE PROBLEM IS MY DRIVING AND THAT I HAVE NOT ADJUSTED TO THE CAR'S "DRIVE BY WIRE" SYSTEM. ONE MECHANIC DID ADMIT THAT THERE WERE ISSUES WITH THE TRANSMISSION'S COMPUTER FOR THIS MODEL YEAR. OTHER THAN THAT, TOYOTA INSISTS THAT THERE IS NO PROBLEM AND THAT I HAVE TO LEARN HOW TO DRIVE THE CAR. *TR

2005 HIGHLANDER LTD. HAS A SURGING EFFECT SINCE DAY ONE. ALSO SURGES SLIGHTLY WHEN APPLYING BRAKES. DEALER SAID NOTHING WRONG WITH VEHICLE. TOYOTA SAID AT TIME TO CONTACT DEALER. TOYOTA HAS KEPT IT'S HEAD IN THE SAND TOO LONG. *TR

I HAVE A 2005 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER AND THE TRANSMISSION HAS SLIPPED FROM ABOUT 45,000 MILES WHEN IT SHIFT FROM 3RD TO 4TH. TAKEN IT TO DEALER FOR UPGRADE ON ECM AND THIS DID NOT FIX PROBLEM AND IT IS GETTING WORSE. *TR

AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION IS FORCING FLUID OUT THROUGH VENT CAUSING LOSS OF FLUID AND POSSIBLE DAMAGE TO TRANSMISSION. DEALER SAID IT IS CAUSED BY BEARING GOING BAD IN THE TRANSMISSION. VEHICLE HAS ALMOST 90,000 MILES. DEALERSHIP SAID PROBLEM IS COVERED UNDER EXTENDED WARRANTY SINCE IT WAS A CERTIFIED USED VEHICLE. *TR

2005 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER WITH ONLY 72000 MILES (12,000 MILES OUT OF WARRANTY), SEALS ON TRANSFER CASE OF TRANSMISSION LEAKS ONTO EXHAUST PIPE CAUSING SMOKING AND SMELL OF BURNT FLUIDS. *TR

I HAVE A 2005 HIGHLANDER THAT DEVELOPED A TRANSMISSION FLUID LEAK AT 62,000 MILES. TOYOTA CURRENTLY HAS A SERVICE BULLETIN OUT STATING THAT THE TRANSMISSION SEAL ON CERTAIN AWD HIGHLANDERS AND SIENNAS ARE PRONE TO PREMATURE FAILURE. THIS CAN RESULT IN LEAK OF TRANSMISSION OR FRONT DIFFERENTIAL FLUID. THE REPAIR IS NOT BEING COVERED UNDER THE WARRANTY FOR ME SINCE THE CAR IS BEYOND THE 60000 MILE POWERTRAIN WARRANTY. THE LOSS OF TRANSMISSION OR GEAR OIL CAN LEAD TO SUDDEN FREEZING OF DIVE-AXLE, WHICH SHOULD BE CONSIDERED A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE. *TR

PURCHASED A NEW 2005 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER 4WD. AFTER 45K MILES THE 4WD TRANSFER CASE BEGAN TO LEAK GEAR OIL AND TRANSMISSION FLUID. I NOTICED THIS SINCE I DO ALL MY OWN OIL CHANGES ON THE VEHICLE. NO HARM WAS DONE, BUT I HAVE BROUGHT THE SAME PROBLEM TO THE DEALERSHIP 5 TIMES. EACH TIME THEY STATED THAT THEY HAVE REPAIRED THE PROBLEM. HOWEVER, WITHOUT FAIL SEVERAL MONTHS LATER I AM STILL EXPERIENCING THE PROBLEM. TOYOTA'S CUSTOMER SERVICE WAS NOT VERY FRIENDLY OR HELPFUL. ONE REPRESENTATIVE STATED THAT THE DEALERSHIP REALLY DID NOT HAVE THE TOOLS TO PROPERLY FIX THE TRANSFER CASE SEALS PROPERLY. MY SAFETY ISSUE: IF THIS TRANSFER CASE FAILS AGAIN AND I DO NOT NOTICE IT, THEN I FEAR THAT THE VEHICLE COULD BE SENT INTO AN UNCONTROLLABLE SPIN OR EVEN WORSE. THUS FAR TOYOTA HAS REPLACED THE TRANSFER CASE TWICE AND THE TRANSMISSION ONCE WITH A RE-MANUFACTURED TRANSMISSION. *JB

2005 V6 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER - TRANSMISSION UPDATE FLASH - DOES NOT RESOLVE LAG ISSUE AS INTENDED, AND LATER MAKES TRANSMISSION STUTTER AND JERKY - NOT RESOLVED AFTER TRANSMISSION FLUID CHANGE AND INSPECTION. TWO DEALERS STATED: COULD NOT REPLICATE ISSUE. FAMILY AND FRIENDS HAVE DRIVEN AND RIDDEN IN VEHICLE AND STATE THEY FEEL IT DRIVES LIKE AN OLD CAR OR WORSE - MAKES NOISES AND IS NOT SMOOTH, ALSO CAN BE DANGEROUS IF A QUICK RESPONSE IS NECESSARY. *TR

TOYOTA HILANDER LIMITED. I HAVE A HESITATION WHEN I ACCELERATE. I HAVE HAD IT BACK TO TOYOTA AT LEAST 3 TIMES CONCERNING THIS PROBLEM. THEY TELL ME THAT'S THE WAY IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE. IT'S DANGEROUS IF YOU ARE TRYING TO GET ON AN INTERSTATE AND DON'T HAVE THE ACCELERATION YOU NEED. *AK

THIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN HAPPENING FROM THE FIRST MONTH I BOUGHT MY 2005 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER NEW AT THE DEALERSHIP. TRANSMISSION SHIFT ERRATICALLY. JOLTING SHIFTS ALL THE TIME; ESPECIALLY WHEN ACCELERATING. LAGS IN DOWNSHIFTING, HESITATION IN SHIFTING. I'VE TAKEN IT TO THE TOYOTA DEALERSHIP MANY TIMES. THEY HAVE SAID IT IS LEARNING MY DRIVING HABITS. ONE DEALERSHIP TOLD ME TO TAKE MY FOOT OFF THE GAS AND DEPRESS IT AGAIN - THIS TELLS THE TRANSMISSION WHAT I REALLY WANT TO DO. HE ALSO SAID TO BE AGGRESSIVE WITH THE GAS. MOST OF THE TIME THE DEALERSHIPS SAY THERE DOESN'T SEEM TO BE ANYTHING WRONG WITH IT. BUT I'VE NOTED THAT THEY NEVER TYPE IN MY COMPLAINT ON THE WORK ORDERS. *JB

LONG HESITATION WHEN TRYING TO ACCELERATE FROM A STOP OR LOW SPEEDS. *JB