2011 Toyota Highlander Body & Structure Problems

The contact owns a 2011 Toyota Highlander. The contact stated that the sun visors on the driver’s and passenger’s sides were hanging down and would not stay in the upright position. The contact stated that the sun visors obstructed her vision while driving at various speeds. The contact called the dealer and was informed that there was a recall on the vehicle for the sun visors; however, the recall had expired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 108,000.

POWER LIFTGATE MOTOR ARM DETACHED FROM THE UPPER PORTION OF THE REAR DOOR. UPON REPEATED USE AND TIGHTENING IT BECOMES STRIPPED. FORUMS REPORTS THIS IS COMMON FOR SEVERAL MODEL YEARS - NO RECALL. HOLE TO SCREW BECOMES STRIPPED OVER TIME. NO ACCESS TO THE BACK END TO APPLY NUT. DEALER RECOMMENDS TAKING IT TO A BODY SHOP FOR DOOR REPLACEMENT AT $3200 - $3900 DOLLARS. EXTREMELY BAD DESIGN FLAW. IF LIFTGATE SEEMS WEAK IN OPENING NAND CLOSING, THIS COULD BE PART OF THE PROBLEM. SHOWED WEAKNESS FOR WEEKS UNTIL I HEARD THE POP AND REALIZED THE POWER ROD CAME OUT. WHEN I WENT TO SCREW IT BACK IN - IT'S STRIPPED. OUT OF WARRANTY PERIOD. NO SOLUTION FOUND OTHER THAN REPLACING THE REAR LIFTGATE.

I NOTICED IN NOVEMBER 2016 THAT THE PAINT ON MY 2011 TOYOTA ROOF WAS PEELING OFF. I TOOK IT TO A TRUSTED BODY SHOP AND THE OWNER ADVISED MY TO TAKE IT TO THE DEALERSHIP AS IT APPEARED TO BE A MANUFACTURER DEFECT. I DID AS HE SUGGESTED AND I WAS SUBJECTED TO MONTHS OF UNRESPONSIVE BEHAVIOR BEFORE I WAS FINALLY TOLD MY CAR WAS BEYOND THE 3YEAR WARRANTY THEREFORE NOT THEIR PROBLEM IN OCTOBER OF 2017. SINCE THIS TIME, THE PAINT FAILURE HAS PROGRESSED TO INCLUDE NEARLY EVERY PANEL ON MY VEHICLE. I HAVE ALSO LEARNED THAT TOYOTA IS RECALLING BLIZZARD PEARL VEHICLES DUE TO THIS EXACT PROBLEM BUT MY VIN IN NOT INCLUDED. I FEEL THIS NEEDS TO BE REMEDIED IMMEDIATELY AS THIS MANUFACTURER DEFECT GREATLY IMPACTS THE VALUE OF MY INVESTMENT. **I AM UNABLE TO ATTACH MORE THAN ONE PICTURE TO MY COMPLAINT. HOWEVER, I HAVE MULTIPLE PHOTOS AND SOME DAMAGE IS IMPOSSIBLE TO SUCCESSFULLY DOCUMENT BUBBLING PAINT. *TR

WHEN TRYING TO OPEN THE REAR HATCH FROM THE INSIDE, THE BEEPING SOUND WOULD NOT TURN OFFICE AND WHEN I WENT TO INVESTIGATE WHAT WAS WRONG WITH THE HATCH THE HYDRAULIC ARM HAD BROKEN AND THE MOLDING POPPED OFF PREVENTING IT FROM WORKING. I TOOK IT INTO TOYOTA DEALERSHIP AND THEY REPLACED THE WHOLE MOTOR/ARM ON THE HATCH. THIS WAS COVERED THROUGH MY WARRANTY.

THE DRIVER SIDE WINDOW IS OFF THE TRACK AND UNABLE TO ROLL UP. PRIOR TO THE WINDOW FALLING OFF THE TRACK, THE DRIVER SIDE WINDOW WOULD MAKE A POPPING NOISE AND WOULD RATTLE WHEN GOING UP OR DOWN. THE ISSUE IS EXACTLY LIKE THE 2010 NHTSA REFERENCE #10037962 AND TSB REFERENCE #T-SB-0010-11.

I PRESSED THE REAR HATCH BUTTON TO CLOSE IT FROM DRIVER'S SEAT, HATCH ARM BROKE AND SPEWED PLASTIC AND METAL PARTS WHILE PARKED, ONTO MALL PARKING LOT. TOYOTA STATES "ROD HAS FALLEN OFF OF MOTOR CONNECT...T-SB-0038-15 POWER BACK DOOR DOES NOT CLOSE PROPERLY...BIG GAP ON DRIVER SIDE HINGE FOR BACK HATCH."TOYOTA SOLD ME $2299 SERVICE CONTRACT W/PORTFOLIO ELITE PROTECTION PLAN WHICH SAYS WILL NOT COVER IT. DIAGNOSIS FROM TOYOTA IN UPLOADED FILE.

6MONTH AFTER I HAD BOUGHT MY VEHICLE I MADE AN APPOINTMENT TO HAVE CHECK MY MOON ROOF LEAKING,AND WORKING OUT OF CONTROL AFTER RAINING,THEY SAID THEY FOUND NOTHING, AND BETWEEN OIL CHANGE ASK TO RE-CHECK MOON ROOF AND NOTHING WRONG THEY ONLY KEPT ONE TIME "CHECK" FOR THE ISSUE THEN LAST YEAR FOR THE BAD WINTER WE HAD I FOUND MY CAR FLOOR TOO WET AND THOUGH IT WAS THE SNOW NOT THE MOON ROOF, SO I BROUGHT IT LAST APRIL AND THE SAID THEY WILL TRY TO SEE WHAT WAS WRONG BUT THAT MY GUARANTEE WAS EXPIRED AND THEY DID FIND OUT FROM WHERE WAS THE LEAK, CAUSE MY CAR WILL BE PARK OVERNIGHT RAINING AND WILL BE IN THE MORNING SOAK N WET, SO I BROUGHT IT TO MY MECHANIC HE FOUND LIKE ITS FROM FACTORY DEFECT NOT A HOLE FOR A ONE HOSE TO THROW OUT THE WATER FROM MOON ROOF. SO MY CAR HAS MOLD, MY DAUGHTER AND I SUFFER FROM RESPIRATORY ILLNESS, AND SHE IS A CHILD, I AM VERY DISTRESS AND EMOTIONAL VERY WORRY CAUSE THAT PROBLEM IS MAKING US SEE K MOST OF THE TIME, I WANT THIS PROBLEM TO BE SOLVE.IM A SINGLE MOM WHO PAYS THIS VEHICLE WITH A LOT OF EFFORTS AND DON'T KNOW WHO COULD HELP ME I'M VERY DEPRESSED I NEED HELP CAN SOME BODY HELP US? THANK YOU. THIS IS ALSO A SAFETY ISSUE CAUSE MY FEET ARE GETTING SLEEPER I.E. DUE TO THE MOLD AS I DRIVE AROUND. *TR

THE GLASS ON THE DRIVER SIDE WINDOW IS OFF THE RAILS AND WOULD COME OFF THE WINDOW AT AN ANGLE WHEN ITS BEING RAISED. CURRENTLY WE CANNOT ROLL THE WINDOW GLASS UP AND DOWN. SIMILAR SYMPTONS ARE BEING SEEN ON THE PASSENGER SIDE WINDOW NOW . I HAVE OWNED CARS IN THE PAST AND THIS IS THE FIRST TIME I AM SEEING THIS KIND OF AN ISSUE AND TOYOTA REFUSES TO CONSIDER THIS AS A QUALITY ISSUE. WHEN I GO ONLINE, I HAVE SEEN MULTIPLE USERS HAVING SIMILAR ISSUE WITH TOYOTA HIGHLANDER AND IT SURPRISES ME THAT A COMPANY LIKE TOYOTA WONT DO ANYTHING TO HELP THE CUSTOMER.

REAR LIFTGATE WILL NOT STAY OPEN AND HAS FALLEN ON MY WIFE. TOYOTA HAS ISSUED A SERVICE BULLETIN BUT WILL NOT FIX THERE PROBLEM EST. COST TO REPAIR $3000. VEHICLE HAS NEVER BEEN IN ACCIDENT. PROBLEM STARTED ABOUT 10 MONTHS AGO WITH 46000 MILES VEHICLE NOW HAS 56000.

THE OPEN REAR AUTOMATIC DOOR FAILED, IMMEDIATELY CLOSING ON MY WIFE'S BACK AS SHE WAS REMOVING A BAG FROM THE REAR CARGO AREA. THE FAILURE HAPPENED WITHOUT WARNING AND CAME DOWN HARD. AS THE VEHICLE IS OUT OF WARRANTY, TOYOTA WOULD NOT REPLACE AT THEIR COST. *TR

POWER BACK DOOR DOES NOT CLOSE PROPERLY, BROKEN AT 43,326 MILES AFTER THE 36 MONTHS OR 36,000 MILES. *TR

THE AUTO LIFTGATE FOR THE REAR DOOR WOULD NOT GO UP AND DOWN. TOYOTA HAS REFUSED TO FIX THIS PROBLEM EVEN THOUGH A SERVICE BULLETIN HAS GONE OUT FOR THIS DEFECT! *TR

REAR LIFT GATE STOPPED OPENING AND CLOSING WITH BUTTON ON DASH. HYDRAULIC ARM POPPED OFF. WAS ABLE TO REATTACH, BUT TOYOTA DEALER SAID IT WOULD KEEP HAPPENING BECAUSE THE HINGES OF THE DOOR WERE SEPARATING FROM THE DOOR AND TO GET THAT REPAIRED I WOULD NEED TO SEND IT TO THE BODY SHOP. THE ARM HAS SINCE SNAPPED IN HALF AND THE DOOR CAN ONLY BE OPENED/CLOSED MANUALLY, BUT TOYOTA WARNED ME THAT THE HINGES WILL CONTINUE TO BEND. I AM FEARFUL AS I HAVE TWO SMALL CHILDREN AND DO NOT TRUST THE DOOR TO BE SAFE. TOYOTA DEALER WILL NOT REPAIR AT THEIR EXPENSE EVEN THOUGH THERE HAVE BEEN LAWSUITS AND ARE SO MANY DOCUMENTED CASES.

THE AUTOMATIC LATCH OF THE LIFTGATE STARTED TO FAIL. THE LIFTGATE NOT LONGER OPENS AUTOMATICALLY. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY REJECTED TO FIX THE PROBLEM BECAUSE THE VEHICLE IS NOT LONGER UNDER WARRANTY. *TR

THE POWER LIFT-GATE DOOR DOES NOT OPEN OR CLOSE PROPERLY, BROKE ABOUT 50000 MILES AFTER THE 36 MONTHS OR 36,000 MILES. THE CAR WAS TOYOTA CERTIFIED. I FEEL THIS SHOULD BE HANDLED AS A RECALL INSTEAD OF TSB BECAUSE IT WAS A DESIGNED ISSUES REASON TOYOTA UPGRADED WITH BETTER DESIGNED HINGES. ALSO, IT WILL BE NICE IF TOYOTA INFORMED US ABOUT THE TSB BY WRITING SO OWNER CAN DOUBLE CHECK. *TR

DRIVER SIDE VISOR HANGS DOWN AND WILL NOT RETURN TO UP POSITION. THERE HAVE BEEN SEVERAL CONCERNS OF THIS TYPE NOTED A ON THIS DATABASE AND THIS SHOULD BE ADDRESSED AS A SAFETY RECALL ISSUE SINCE IT OBSTRUCTS DRIVER VISIBILITY. *TR

I HAVE A 2011 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER. THE ARM OF THE AUTOMATIC LIFT GATE DETACHED FROM THE BODY OF THE CAR. ON FEB 5, THE TOYOTA DEALER INFORMED ME THAT NOT ONLY WAS THE END OF THE ARM STRIPPED AND WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED BUT THAT THE MOTOR HAD BURNED OUT AND WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED AS WELL. I RARELY USE THE AUTO LIFT GATE, SO I WAS SHOCKED TO HEAR THIS.OF COURSE IT'S OUT OF WARRANTY BY 3,000 MILES. I CALLED TOYOTA AND THEY SAID THERE ARE NO KNOWN PROBLEMS BUT AFTER DOING SOME INVESTIGATING, THERE HAVE BEEN QUITE A FEW COMPLAINTS FILED OVER THIS ISSUE. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE REAR HATCH DOOR GATE AND WINDOW SUDDENLY OPENED WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION. THE CONTACT INDICATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS RECURRING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE REAR GATE DOOR HINGE WAS BENT AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND NO SOLUTION WAS OFFERED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,000.

THE AUTOMATIC LATCH OF THE LIFTGATE STARTED TO FAIL. THE LIFTGATE NOT LONGER OPENS AUTOMATICALLY. I WAS TOLD IT IS PROBABLY THE MOTOR AND THE PARTS COST ALONE IS OVER $1,200. I CANNOT AFFORD THIS AND AM DOING WITHOUT THAT FEATURE, BUT ANNOYED! *TR

THE POWER FUNCTION LIFT ARM BROKE OFF FROM WHERE IT CONNECTS INTO THE REA DOOR ON MY 2011 HIGHLANDER. TOYOTA DIDN'T MENTIONED ABOUT THE DOOR HINGES RELATED ISSUES AND I HAD TO PAY FOR THE REPAIR/REPLACEMENT OF THE HINGES. THIS, OF COURSE DIDN'T PREVENTED NOR RESOLVED THE ISSUE WITH THE POWER FUNCTION LIFT ARM THAT NOW IS BEYOND REPAIR; THE BOLT AND SCREW HOLE ARE NOW STRIPPED.