29 complaints reported

2006 Toyota Highlander VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

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

Reports
29
Crashes
10
Fires
1
Injuries
6

Complaint Timeline

Chronological view of owner reports

Jun 2018

THE VEHICLE ACCELERATES SEEMINGLY ON IT'S OWN. WHILE DRIVING IT PICKS UP SPEED THEN SLOWS DOWN SOME.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2006 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER, Manufacturer: Toyota Motor Corporation
Incident: Jun 2018
Jan 2018

2006 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO VEHICLE SUDDEN ACCELERATION ACCIDENT. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED AND JUMPED A CURB AND HIT A BUILDING WHILE THE BRAKES WERE BEING DEPRESSED. *JS

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2006 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER, Manufacturer: Toyota Motor Corporation
Incident: Jan 2016
Nov 2013 Crash Injury

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 2 MPH, THE VEHICLE ERRONEOUSLY ACCELERATED AND THE CONTACT CRASHED INTO A POLE. THE PASSENGER SUSTAINED BRUISING TO THE CHEST. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED ABOUT THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 200,000......UPDATED 06-19-13 *BF UPDATED 06/27/2013 *JS

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2006 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER, Manufacturer: Toyota Motor Corporation
Incident: Apr 2013
Mar 2013

VEHICLE HESITATES OR STALLS ON ACCELERATION. VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION TO BE IN IF PULLING INTO TRAFFIC AND NOT ABLE TO ACCELERATE. VEHICLE WILL ALSO LUNG OR OVER ACCELERATE ON SOME OCCASIONS AFTER HESITATION. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2006 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER, Manufacturer: Toyota Motor Corporation
Incident: Feb 2011
Mar 2013 Crash Injury

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH, THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED CONTINUOUSLY HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE RAPIDLY. THE CONTACT CRASHED INTO THE REAR OF ANOTHER VEHICLE, CAUSING A CHAIN REACTION CRASH. THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED AND BRUISED THE CONTACT'S LEFT ARM, CHEST AND NECK. THE CONTACT ALSO SUSTAINED MULTIPLE BRUISES FROM THE SEAT BELT. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED OF THE INCIDENT. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A COLLISION CENTER FOR INSPECTION OF THE MASSIVE FRONT END DAMAGES. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE INCIDENT. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 99,000.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2006 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER, Manufacturer: Toyota Motor Corporation
Incident: May 2013
Dec 2011 Crash Injury

I HAD AN ACCIDENT WHEN I WAS DRIVING MY TOYOTA 2006 HIGHLANDER BECAUSE OF UNINTENDED ACCELERATION. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2006 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER, Manufacturer: Toyota Motor Corporation
Incident: Feb 2011
Aug 2011

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD MOMENTARILY SURGE FORWARD WHEN THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED. THE FAILURE OCCURRED ON AN INTERMITTENT BASIS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER, WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT A BRAKE MODULE AND THE TRANSMISSION WERE DEFECTIVE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER, WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT CLIPS ON THE FLOOR MATS WERE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS AGAIN REPAIRED, BUT THE FAILURE CONTINUED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE, BUT OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 55,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 60,000.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2006 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER, Manufacturer: Toyota Motor Corporation
Incident: Dec 2010
May 2011

I RECEIVED YOUR RESPONSE TO MY LETTER OF COMPLAINT DATED FEB 24, 2011. IT DID NOT ADDRESS MY CONCERN WITH THE DELAYED RESPONSE BETWEEN THE DEPRESSED ACCELERATOR AND A DELAYED ENGINE RESPONSE. RATHER I WAS INFORMED BY A FORM LETTER THAT NY COMPLAINT WOULD BE SATISFIED WITH A "FLOOR MAT ADJUSTMENT". I WAS ADDITIONALLY NOTIFIED THAT A 2ND LETTER FROM TOYOTA WOULD ARRIVE BY EARLY MAY 2011 WHEN "PARTS ARE READY AND PREPARATIONS ARE COMPLETE. I HAVE NOT RECEIVED THIS NOTIFICATION AS OF THIS DATE. I REPEAT; MY ACCELERATOR DOES NOT STICK". SOMETIMES THERE IS A ONE OR TWO SECOND DELAY WHEN THE ACCELERATOR IS DEPRESSED AND THE ENGINE RESPONDS CAUSING A FAST "LURCH FORWARD" RATHER THAN A GRADUAL INCREASE FORM THE CURRENT SPEED OR SOMETIMES FROM A COMPLETE STOP IT WILL HAPPEN. THE DELAYED ENGINE RESPONSE TO A DEPRESSED ACCELERATOR IS A SERIOUS PROBLEM WITH POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS CONSEQUENCES. SINCERELY, *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2006 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER, Manufacturer: Toyota Motor Corporation
Incident: Aug 2011
May 2011

TOYOTA OR THE DEALER HAS FAILED TO REMEDY THE DEFECT (ACCELERATOR PEDAL) WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME FOR MY 2006 HIGHLANDER. *KB

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2006 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER, Manufacturer: Toyota Motor Corporation
Incident: May 2011
Dec 2010 Crash

I WAS PARKING MY TOYOTA HIGHLANDER WHEN SUDDENLY THE CAR ACCELERATED WHILE I HAD MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE. I BRAKED AS HARD AS I COULD AND THE CAR CONTINUED TO MOVE FORWARD UNTIL I PUT THE CAR IN PARK AND TURNED OFF THE IGNITION. I MOVED A PARKED CAR COMPLETELY OUT OF THEIR PARKING SPACE AND I WENT OVER HALF WAY THRU THE SAME SPACE BEFORE I WAS ABLE TO STOP MY CAR. MY BRAKES WERE SMOKING AND I LEFT TIRE MARKS ON THE ASPHALT. THIS ALL BEGAN WHEN I WAS ALMOST COMPLETELY STOPPED IN THE PARKING SPACE. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2006 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER, Manufacturer: Toyota Motor Corporation
Incident: Sep 2010
Nov 2010

CRUISE CONTROL. IF CRUISE IS SET AT 70 MPG AND YOU RELEASE IT BY THE BRAKE THEN TRY TO RESUME THE CRUISE AFTER THE VEHICLE HAS GONE TO 65 IT WILL ACCELERATE TO 72 OR 74 THEN DROP TO 70. I WILL NOT LET THIS HAPPEN NOW BY LETTING THE SPEED GET TO WHATEVER I HAD BEFORE, THEN RESUME TO THE ORIGINAL SPEED. I CAN DUPLICATE THIS ANY TIME. THE DEALER SAID THIS WAS THE WAY IT NOW WORKED. MY 1998 AVALON DOES NOT DO THIS WHEN CRUISE IS TURNED ON. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2006 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER, Manufacturer: Toyota Motor Corporation
Incident: Apr 2007
Aug 2010 Crash

SUDDEN ACCELERATION OF A 2006 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER WHILE IN REVERSE RESULTING IN DEATH. UPDATED 04/22/10 *BF *TR UPDATED 07/12/10. *JB UPDATED 9/27/2011*CW

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2006 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER, Manufacturer: Toyota Motor Corporation
Incident: Nov 2010
Aug 2010

ON BUMPY ROADS OR DITCHES, MY 2006 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER HYBRID VEHICLE DOES NOT BRAKE OR THE BRAKE SLIPS. IT FEELS LIKE IT SUDDENLY ACCELERATES WITH BRAKING BECOMING INEFFECTIVE.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2006 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER, Manufacturer: Toyota Motor Corporation
Incident: Oct 2009
Jun 2010 Crash Injury

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH WHEN THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED. THE CONTACT DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL BUT THE VEHICLE DID NOT SLOW DOWN. SHE SWERVED LEFT TO RIGHT IN AN ATTEMPT TO STOP THE VEHICLE; INSTEAD, THE VEHICLE FLIPPED OVER. THE CONTACT CLIMBED OUT THE FRONT WINDOW AND SUSTAINED HEAD INJURIES AS NONE OF THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE CONTACT HAD NOT CALLED THE MANUFACTURER AT THE TIME OF THE COMPLAINT. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 55,000.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2006 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER, Manufacturer: Toyota Motor Corporation
Incident: Apr 2010
May 2010

ON MONDAY OCT.4 I WAS DRIVING MY 2006 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER WHEN I WAS APPROACHING A STOP SIGN. I LET OF THE ACCELERATOR AND STARTED TO STOP. SUDDENLY THE ENGINE STARTED REVVING UP ON ITS OWN AND CONTINUED TO REV UP HIGHER AND HIGHER. I PUT THE CAR IN NEUTRAL AND IT CONTINUED TO RACE TO OVER 6000 RPM BEFORE IT FINALLY KICKED OUT. THIS VEHICLE HAS NEVER DONE THIS BEFORE. IT HAS 50,000 MILES . THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN TOYOTAS ACCELERATOR RECALL AND I NEVER GAVE IT ANY THOUGHT ON MINE. I ALWAYS ASSUMED MINE WAS O.K. BUT THIS EXPERIENCE HAS REALLY SHOOK ME UP. NOW I AM SCARED TO DRIVE THIS VEHICLE IN CASE THIS HAPPENS AGAIN. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2006 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER, Manufacturer: Toyota Motor Corporation
Incident: Apr 2010
May 2010 Crash

2006 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER HYBRID - I WAS STOPPED IN A RIGHT TURN ONLY LANE. THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME BEGAN TO MAKE A RIGHT TURN ON A RED LIGHT. AS HE MOVED FORWARD, I SLIGHTLY RELEASED PRESSURE ON THE BRAKES AND MY VEHICLE LUNGED FORWARD AND CRASHED INTO THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME WHICH HAD STOPPED SUDDENLY. THIS "LUNGING" IS A COMMON OCCURRENCE IN THIS TOYOTA VEHICLE. WE HAD THOUGHT IT WAS JUST AN IDIOSYNCRASY OF THE HYBRID VEHICLE. HOWEVER, MY BROTHER HAS A NEWER MODEL HIGHLANDER HYBRID AND HE DOES NOT EXPERIENCE THIS LUNGING. WHAT I MEAN BY LUNGING IS THAT THE VEHICLE, AT TIMES, WILL LUNGE FORWARD AS YOU RELEASE THE BRAKE AT HIGHER SPEED THAN AN IDLE. IN THE SIMPLE ACCIDENT MENTIONED ABOVE, MY VEHICLE SUSTAINED OVER $3000 IN DAMAGE, WHICH IS QUITE AN EXTRAORDINARY AMOUNT FOR THIS TYPE OF ACCIDENT. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2006 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER, Manufacturer: Toyota Motor Corporation
Incident: Sep 2009
Apr 2010

MY 2006 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER OCCASIONALLY FAILS TO ACCELERATE WHILE TURNING. THE MOST PREDICTABLE TIME THIS OCCURS IS WHEN SLOWING TO ALMOST A STOP INTO A LEFT TURN AND THEN ATTEMPTING TO ACCELERATE INTO THE TURN. DEPRESSING THE ACCELERATOR ONLY CAUSES THE VEHICLE TO ACCELERATE SLIGHTLY. I NORMALLY HAVE TO ACCELERATE HARD OR REACCELERATE TO GET THE CAR MOVING. THERE IS ABOUT A 2-3 SECOND DELAY BETWEEN THE TIME YOU DEPRESS THE ACCELERATOR AND WHEN THE CAR RESPONDS IN THE MANNER YOU EXPECT. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2006 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER, Manufacturer: Toyota Motor Corporation
Incident: Nov 2010
Apr 2010

VEHICLE TOYOTA, 2006 HIGHLANDER LIMITED LETTER SENT TO TOYOTA MOTOR SALES USA INC WITH THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION. "AFTER COMING TO A STOP WHEN I DEPRESS THE ACCELERATOR TO RESUME A FORWARD MOTION THERE IS SOMETIMES A ONE OR TWO SECOND DELAY BEFORE THE ENGINE RESPONDS. AND THAT RESUMPTION OF ENGINE SPEED IS NOT A NORMAL RATE BUT AT A HIGHER RATE CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO "JUMP A LITTLE FORWARD" BEFORE RESUMING A NORMAL INCREASE IN ACCELERATOR SPEED. IN A GENERAL SENSE I WOULD DESCRIBE THE PROBLEM AS A "DELAYED ACCELERATOR RESPONSE" THAT HAPPENS OCCASIONALLY. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2006 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER, Manufacturer: Toyota Motor Corporation
Incident: Mar 2010
Apr 2010

WE HAVE A 2006 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER HYBRID. I SHOULD START OFF BY STATING THAT WE LOVE THIS VEHICLE. WE HAVE, HOWEVER, NOTICED A "GLITCH" THAT MIGHT BE RELATED TO THE SAME PROBLEM THAT THE PRIUS HAS AND THOUGHT WE SHOULD REPORT IT. OCCASIONALLY, WHEN WE STEP ON THE BRAKE, AND AFTER THE CAR IS SLOWING DOWN, THE ENGINE WILL SURGE FORWARD AS IF IT WANTS TO ACCELERATE AGAIN. PUMPING THE BRAKES WORKS AND THE CAR STOPS. I DON'T THINK THIS IS A PEDAL PROBLEM BUT A COMPUTER PROBLEM. SINCE WE NEVER TAILGATE AND WE ALWAYS ALLOW FOR DISTANCE TO STOP, THIS HAS NEVER POSED A PROBLEM FOR US BUT IT IS AN ISSUE WORTH NOTING. *TR

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

REFERENCE: NHTSA ODI NUMBER 10185505 DATED MARCH 14, 2007. THIS IS MY ORIGINAL COMPLAINT ABOUT TOYOTA ACCELERATION PROBLEMS THAT HAS BEEN POSTED ON THIS SITE FOR 3 YEARS AND I'VE NEVER HAD ANY RESPONSE OF ANY KIND. I HAD TAKEN THE CAR TO THE TOYOTA DEALER A TOTAL OF 3 TIMES FOR THE SAME PROBLEM AND THEY WERE UNABLE TO FIX IT AND SAID THAT IS JUST THE WAY TOYOTAS ACT. I LIVE IN FLORIDA AND UNDER FLORIDA LAW A LEMON IS A CAR THAT HAS BEEN TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR 3 TIMES AND NOT FIXED ... GUESS I GOT A LEMON. NOW I NEVER HEARD FROM YOU SO I GUESS YOU REALLY DON'T EITHER. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2006 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER, Manufacturer: Toyota Motor Corporation
Incident: Mar 2007
Feb 2010

I HAD A 2006 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER HYBRID. IN FEBRUARY OF 2007, I TOOK IT TO THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP BECAUSE I HAD EXPERIENCED THE CAR SURGING/ACCELERATING UPON BRAKING AND WAS UNPREDICTABLE AS TO WHEN IT MAY OCCUR. THE TECH DIDN'T EXPERIENCE THIS ISSUE/ALSO RAN DIAGNOSTICS WHICH CAME BACK AS "NO CODES FOUND". SINCE I CONTINUED TO EXPERIENCE THIS ISSUE, AND AFTER LEARNING OF SIMILAR ISSUES OCCURRING IN OTHER TOYOTA MODELS AND NOW THE RECALLS, I TOOK IT BACK, AND AGAIN THEY WERE UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE ISSUE AND GOT THE SAME "NO CODES FOUND" WHEN DIAGNOSTICS WERE APPLIED. AFTER THESE EXPERIENCES, AND READING ABOUT OTHER 2006 HIGHLANDER HYBRID ISSUES, I DECIDED I NO LONGER FELT SAFE DRIVING MY VEHICLE AND SINCE THE DEALERSHIP WAS UNABLE TO REPAIR THIS ISSUE, EVEN WHILE UNDER WARRANTY, I DECIDED TO TRADE MY VEHICLE. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2006 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER, Manufacturer: Toyota Motor Corporation
Incident: Feb 2010
Feb 2010

HELLO, I WOULD LIKE TO FILE A SAFETY COMPLAINT ON MY 2006 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER HYBRID, I HAD THIS CAR FOR THE PAST FOUR MONTHS AND I EXPERIENCED SUDDEN ACCELERATION, IT HAPPENS 3- 4 TIMES A WEEK, OR MAY BE EVEN MORE SINCE I SHARE THE CAR WITH MY HUSBAND I AM NOT SURE HOW OFTEN HE GETS IT. THE LAST TIME THE SUDDEN ACCELERATION HAPPENED IS TODAY, LUCKILY WE WERE NOT DRIVING CLOSE TO ANOTHER CAR. IT FEELS LIKE AS IF SOME ONE PUSHED THE CAR FROM BEHIND. THANKS FOR CONSIDERING THIS ISSUE SERIOUSLY AND THIS IS NOT A PANIC REQUEST AFTER THE RECALL, IT IS A REAL AND SERIOUS ISSUE. *TR

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

2006 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER HYBRID SOMETIMES SURGES FORWARD ON BRAKING. SEEMS UNPREDICTABLE AS TO WHEN IT MIGHT HAPPEN. BOTH MY WIFE & MYSELF HAVE EXPERIENCED THIS ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. I WONDER IF IT IS RELATED TO THE OTHER SUDDEN ACCELERATION RECALL OF OTHER MODEL YEARS. I SEE THE 2007 TO 2010 CAMRY IS PART OF THE RECALL. MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT THE HIGHLANDER SHARES A LOT OF PARTS WITH THAT MODEL. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2006 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER, Manufacturer: Toyota Motor Corporation
Incident: Aug 2007
Jan 2010 Crash Fire Injury

I WAS DRIVING MY CAR INTO AN UNDERGROUND PARKING LOT. I PUT ON THE BRAKES AND THEY WOULD NOT ENGAGE. I TRIED AGAIN. I EVENTUALLY SLAMMED INTO THE WALL AT THE END OF THE PARKING LOT. MY CAR CAUGHT ON FIRE AND I WAS HURT, TAKEN TO THE HOSPITAL. THE CAR WAS INSPECTED AND FOUND TO HAVE NO BRAKE PROBLEMS, SO I WAS DEEMED AT FAULT FOR THE ACCIDENT. THIS WAS BEFORE WE FOUND OUT ABOUT THE FLOOR MAT AND ACCELERATOR PROBLEMS WITH TOYOTAS. MY INCIDENT WAS OBVIOUSLY ONE OF A RUNAWAY CAR. IT WAS A 2007 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2006 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER, Manufacturer: Toyota Motor Corporation
Incident: May 2007
Nov 2009 Crash

I WAS IN A PARKING LOT, MADE A RIGHT TURN TO PULL INTO A PARKING SPACE. I SLOWED DOWN BUT IT SEEMED THE CAR ACCELERATED. IN A MATTER OF SECONDS, THE CAR WENT THROUGH A ROW OF BUSHES AND SLAMMED INTO A TREE. THE ENTIRE FRONT END OF THE CAR HAD TO BE REPLACED. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2006 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER, Manufacturer: Toyota Motor Corporation
Incident: Sep 2009

Trend Over Time

Complaints by year

Quick Summary

The 2006 Toyota Highlander has 29 VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL complaints on file. 10 crashes have been reported. Review the timeline above for detailed owner experiences.