2003 Toyota Highlander Wipers & Visibility Problems

THE SUN VISOR (DRIVER SIDE) SUDDENLY DROPPED DOWN AND OBSCURED MY VISION OF A RED TRAFFIC LIGHT AT AN INTERSECTION I WAS APPROACHING AND MY VISION WAS IMPAIRED. *TR

THE DRIVER'S SIDE SUN VISOR FLOPS DOWN, BLOCKING THE DRIVER'S VISION. IT WILL NOT STAY IN THE "UP" POSITION. WHEN IT FALLS DOWN, THIS IS A POTENTIAL SAFETY HAZARD THAT NEEDS TO BE CORRECTED TO PREVENT SERIOUS INJURIES OR DEATHS. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, THE SUN VISOR FAILED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE PUT THE VISOR UP BUT IT FELL SEVERAL TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 102,000.

THE DRIVER SIDE SUN VISOR WILL NOT STAY UP ALL OF THE WAY, IT HANGS DOWN AND AS I DRIVE IT FALLS ALL OF THE WAY DOWN. I FEEL THIS IS A HAZARD AS IT INTERFERES WITH VISION WHILE DRIVING. *TR

THE DRIVER SIDE SUN VISOR DOES NOT STAY UP, IT HANGS DOWN INTERFERING WITH VISION AND FALLS DOWN AS I DRIVE. I FEEL THIS IS A HAZARD TO VISION WHILE DRIVING. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DRIVER'S SIDE SUN VISOR BROKE AND BLOCKED HER VISIBILITY. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE FAILURE OCCURRED SEVERAL TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE VISOR ASSEMBLY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 42,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 68,000. UPDATED 05/24/12*LJ

DRIVERS SIDE SUN VISOR WON'T STAY AGAINST WINDSHIELD - IT IS BLOCKING VIEW OF THE ROAD - A SAFETY HAZARD. *TR

TOYOTA HIGHLANDER VISOR DEFECT. FALLS DOWN WHILE DRIVING AND BLOCKS VIEW, REPLACEMENT COST IS $700. SHOULD BE RECALLED DUE TO DANGEROUS VISION OBSTRUCTION. *TR

2003 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER DRIVER'S SIDE SUN VISOR DROOPS AND WILL NOT STAY UP. BLOCKS VISION AND IS A SAFETY HAZARD. SYSTEMIC PROBLEM ON ALL HIGHLANDERS. HAS BEEN A PROBLEM ON MY CAR SINCE ABOUT 2007. REPLACEMENT COST OF $750 IS RIDICULOUS AND PROHIBITORY. *TR

RIGHT PASSENGER WINDOW AUTOMATICALLY ROLLED ALL THE WAY DOWN AND THE ELECTRONIC CONTROLS FOR THE WINDOW FAILED TO WORK. WE WERE UNABLE TO CLOSE THE WINDOW. THIS OCCURRED DURING A WIND AND RAIN STORM RESULTING IN RAIN GETTING IN THE CAR AND A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE FOR PASSENGERS IN THE CAR. LUCKILY, THE CAR WAS NOT MOVING AT THE TIME OF THE OCCURRENCE. A MECHANIC DETERMINED THERE WAS A COMPLETE FAILURE OF THE WINDOW REGULATOR MOTOR AND REPLACED IT. *TR

TOYOTA HIGHLANDER VISOR DEFECT. FALLS DOWN WHILE DRIVING AND BLOCKS VIEW. REPLACED ONCE, BUT REPLACEMENT IS DEFECTIVE AS WELL. REPLACEMENT COST IS $700. SHOULD BE RECALLED DUE TO DANGEROUS VISION OBSTRUCTION. *TR

2003 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER 4.0 SUN VISOR ON DRIVERS SIDE FALLS DOWN ON ITS OWN AND WILL NOT STAY WHERE YOU PUT IT, WHEN I ATTEMPT TO PUSH IS MORE TOWARDS THE WINDSHIELD IT FALLS BACK DOWN WHEN I ATTEMPT TO PUT IT UP IN ITS NORMAL POSITION IT FALLS BACK DOWN AND HAS A TENDENCY TO OBSCURE ONES VISION WHILE DRIVING AND THERE IS NO RECALL ON THIS ISSUE ALTHOUGH IT SEEMS MANY HERE HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THIS AND ALL THE THINGS I AM HAVING ISSUES WITH. *TR

SUNDAY 8/1/10 THE DRIVERS' SIDE VISOR IN OUR 2003 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER WAS FINE. MONDAY 8/2/10 WHEN ATTEMPTING TO POSITION THE VISOR IT WOULD FLOP DOWN AND HANG IN A VERTICAL POSITION OBSTRUCTING THE DRIVERS VIEW OF THE ROAD, YOU COULD NOT BEND IT BACK AGAINST THE WINDSHIELD. IT BLOCKS THE DRIVER'S VIEW MAKING IT UNUSABLE AND UNSAFE. I WENT TO THE TOYOTA DEALER TO HAVE IT REPAIRED. THE DEALER CLAIMED THAT IT COULD NOT BE REPAIRED AND THAT A REPLACEMENT WOULD COST OVER $700 DOLLARS. THE ATTACHMENT IS WHERE THE PROBLEM IS. THEY CLAIMED THEY COULDN'T FIX IT. THIS IS A CLEAR SAFETY ISSUE AND I FEEL THAT TOYOTA SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR ITS REPAIR. *TR

HAVE AN 2003 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER THAT I BOUGHT NEW. HAVE USED SUN VISORS ON A REGULAR BASIS, AS THEY WERE INTENDED TO BE USED. THE DRIVER SIDE SUN VISOR KEEPS FALLING DOWN AND BLOCKING MY VIEW. THIS PARTICULARLY HAPPENS WHEN ANY BUMP IN THE ROAD IS RUN OVER. THIS CREATES A HAZARD DUE TO LIMITING MY SIGHT. I HAVE ATTEMPTED TO FIX BY TIGHTENING THE BOLTS THAT HOLD THE VISOR TO THE CEILING AND BY USING VELCRO TO HOLD THE VISOR TO THE ROOF. NEITHER OF THESE WORKED...THE VELCRO WILL NOT STICK TO THE CEILING ROOF. *TR

DRIVER SIDE SUN VISOR WILL NOT STAY IN PLACE. FLOPS DOWN TO OBSCURE VISION.

FOR THE LAST YEAR, THE DRIVER'S SUN VISOR ON MY 2003 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER LIMITED HAS BEEN LOOSE AND DOES NOT STAY UP - IT IS ESPECIALLY LOOSE DURING WARMER WEATHER. THE VISOR WILL FALL DOWN IN FRONT OF THE DRIVER'S FACE, ESPECIALLY WHEN GOING OVER BUMPS OR ROUGH ROADS. THIS IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS AND A SAFETY HAZARD WHICH COULD LEASE TO A SERIOUS INCIDENT. I HAVE MENTIONED THIS TWICE WHILE BRINGING MY VEHICLE FOR MAINTENANCE AND HAVE BEEN TOLD IT CANNOT BE REPAIRED AND I WOULD HAVE TO BUY A NEW VISOR. LAST WEEK I SPOKE WITH THE PARTS DEPARTMENT AND WAS TOLD THIS IS COMMON AND A NEW VISOR COST MORE THAN $700 BECAUSE IT HAS THE HOMELINK. IT WAS SUGGESTED I GET A VISOR WITHOUT HOMELINK FOR AROUND $70. WHILE THIS IS AFFORDABLE, I WOULD THEN LOSE THE HOMELINK FEATURE, WHICH WAS PART OF MY DECISION-MAKING TO BUY THE HIGHLANDER. MY GUESS IS THE DRIVER'S SUN VISOR IS HAVING THE PROBLEM DUE TO THE ADDITIONAL WEIGHT CAUSED BY THE HOMELINK. I CANNOT AFFORD TO REPLACE THE VISOR, AND BELIEVE TOYOTA SHOULD REPLACE OR REPAIR AT THEIR COST. *TR

MY 2003 HIGHLANDER HAS AN ISSUE WITH THE DRIVER SIDE SUNVISOR. DURING MOVEMENT OF THE CAR IT'S CONSTANTLY FALLING DOWN INTO MY LINE OF VISION DURING DRIVING. IT STARTED FALLING DOWN ONLY OCASSIONALLY OVER SPEED BUMPS AND NOW IT JUST FALLS DOWN ALMOST EVER FEW MINUTES WHILE DRIVING. I TRIED TO GET THE LOCAL TOYOTA DEALERSHIP TO REPACE THE VISOR UNDER MY EXTENDED WARRANTY BUT WAS TOLD THAT IT WAS NOT COVERED BY IT. AFTER READING MANY POSTINGS ON THE WEB IT SEEMS THAT MANY TOYOTA HIGHLANDER OWNERS HAVE THIS SAME PROBLEM. MY VISOR HAS BUILT IN ELECTRICAL PARTS ON IT THAT ARE SUPPOSED TO CONTROL A GARAGE DOOR, HOUSE LIGHTS, ETC. IN WHICH TOYOTA SAY IS A "HOME CENTER CONTROL" - I HAVE NOT PUT ANYTHING ON THE VISOR TO MAKE IT ANY HEAVIER THAN HOW THE FACTORY PRODUCED IT. THE VISOR IS TOO HEAVY AND IT CAN NOT BE SUPPORTED BY THE METAL PART THAT CONNECTS IT TO THE ROOF OF THE CAR. THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP GAVE NO SOLUTION OTHER THAN TO REPLACE THE VISOR AT MY COST BUT I HAVE READ OTHER PEOPLES POSTS SAYING THAT THE ISSUE WILL ONLY HAPPEN AGAIN. THEY INFORMED ME THE PART ALONE IS $800 WITHOUT INSTALLATION. I THOUGHT THAT MAYBE VELCRO WOULD WORK SO I TRIED TO VELCRO THE VISOR TO THE ROOF OF MY CAR BUT UNFORTUNATELY THE VELCOR IS NOT STRONG ENOUGH TO HOLD THE VISOR TO THE ROOF AND DURING THE SUMMER THE GLUE MELTS AND DOESN'T ALLOW THE VELCRO TO STICK TO THE ROOF THUS I CAN NOT KEEP THE VISOR UP. THIS ISSUE STARTED ABOUT 2007 AND PROGRESSIVELY GOT WORSE AND NOW THE VISOR WILL NOT STAY UP MORE THAN A COUPLE OF MINUTES - ESPECIALLY IN THE SUMMER. FIRSTLY THE VISOR ITSELF IS DISTRACTION, SECONDLY ONCE IT'S DOWN IT BLOCKS A PORTION OF THE DRIVER'S VIEW, AND THIRDLY IT'S A DISTRACTION TO HAVE TO USE ONE HAND TO PUT THE VISOR BACK UP. YOU CAN NOT EVEN TRY TO MOVE IT TO THE SIDE AS IT'S STILL TOO LOW TO SEE OUT THE DRIVER SIDE WINDOW AND ALSO THER ARE NO ACCESSIBLE SCREWS TO REMOVE THE VISOR MYSELF. ALL IN ALL THIS ISSUE IS A HUGE HAZARD AND SHOULD BE CORRECTED BY TOYOTA.

TOYOTA HIGHLANDER 2003 SUN VISOR SAFETY ISSUE. THE SUN VISOR OF MY VEHICLE HAS A SAFETY HAZARD. I HAD IT REPLACED FOR A NEW ONE, AND THE PROBLEM CAME BACK AGAIN. THE SUN VISOR ON THE DRIVER SIDE WITH HOMELINKED/LIGHTED ON IT. IT DOES NOT STAY UP AND IT BLOCKS MY VIEW WHEN I AM DRIVING. I NOTICED ON THE INTERNET THAT MANY PEOPLE HAD THE SAME ISSUES WITH THIS SUN VISOR. THE TOYOTA REFUSED TO REPLACE IT. *TR ANDY NGUYEN

2003 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER DRIVER'S SIDE SUN VISOR KEEPS FALLING DOWN. SAFETY CONCERNS AS IT BLOCKS VIEW WHILE DRIVING. RIDICULOUS COST TO REPLACE WITH NEW NOT ASSURED IT WON'T HAPPEN AGAIN SOON. *TR

ON THE TOYOTA HIGHLANDER FROM AT LEAST 2002 THROUGH CURRENT MODELS THE DRIVER'S SIDE SUN VISOR FAILS TO STAY IN THE FORWARD DETENT POSITION. WHEN THE FAILURE OCCURS, THE VISOR FALLS TO THE VERTICAL POSITION, BLOCKING THE DRIVER'S VIEW OF THE ROAD UNEXPECTEDLY. THIS CAUSES CONFUSION AND DISTRACTION WHICH POTENTIALLY COULD CAUSE LOSS OF CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE WITH DAMAGE AND INJURY OR DEATH RESULTING. THIS HAS BEEN REPORTED TO TOYOTA BY ME AND ACCORDING TO GOOGLE SEARCHES BY NUMEROUS PERSONS. TOYOTA DENIES ANY PROBLEM EXISTS. *TR

THE DRIVER'S SUN VISOR OF MY 2003 HIGHLANDER DOES NOT STAY IN ITS PROPER PLACE. IN INTERNET FORUMS THIS SEEMS TO BE A PREVAILING SAFETY ISSUE. SOME SAY THE VISOR FLAPS DOWN WHEN THE HIGHLANDER HITS A BUMP. THIS CAN BE A POTENTIAL SAFETY ISSUE. IT HAS STARTLED SOME DRIVERS AND IS DISCONCERTING TO OTHERS. A NEW VISOR WOULD COST OVER $625 TO REPLACE, WHICH SOME HAVE DONE ONLY TO FIND THAT IN 3 TO 4 MONTHS, THE SAME THING OCCURS. TOYOTA DOES NOT WARRANT THE VISOR. *TR

MANUAL HEATER CONTROL DIAL LOST FUNCTION TO CONTROL TEMPERATURE. HEATER ONLY BLOWS COLD AIR. RECOMMENDATION WAS TO REPLACE HEATER CONTROL PANEL AT COST OF APPROXIMATELY $600 FOR THE PART ALONE. LABOR ADDITION CHARGE. *TR

THIS IS REGARDING MY 2003 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER. IN JANUARY 2007, THE REAR PASSENGER WINDOW CAME OFF ITS TRACK AND CEASED TO WORK. THE ADJUSTED THE REGULATOR AND PUT IT BACK ON TRACK AND CHARGED ME $210. IN JUNE 2008 THE SAME THING HAPPENED TO THE DRIVERS SIDE REAR WINDOW. THIS IS VERY COINCIDENTAL THAT IT WOULD HAPPEN TO BOTH WINDOWS. *TR

HEAT STOPPED WORKING, BLOWING COLD AIR. THE PROBLEM IS THE RIBBON WIRE FROM THE TEMPERATURE CONTROL KNOB TO THE ELECTRONIC BOARD BEHIND THE SWITCH BREAKS, THIS IS CAUSED FROM THE KNOB STEM LOOSENING, EVENTUALLY BREAKING THE WIRE. DEALER WILL REPLACE THE UNIT FOR $900 FOUND MANY PEOPLE WITH THIS PROBLEM ON TUNDRASOLUTIONS AND FOUND INSTRUCTIONS TO REMOVE THE UNIT AND SOLDER THE WIRES, WORKS LIKE NEW NOW. SEEMS LIKE THIS PROBLEM MAY ALSO BE THE ROOT CAUSE OF THE DASHBOARD FIRES LISTED ON THIS SITE. *TR

TEMPERATURE KNOB IS LOOSE CAUSING HEAT TO ONLY WORK INTERMITTENTLY. *TR

HEATER CONTROL UNIT MALFUNCTION. HEAT TO COLD SWITCH STOPS WORKING, DEALER STATES THAT THE WHOLE HEATER CONTROL UNIT HAS TO BE REPLACE. AFTER EXTENSIVE SEARCHING, I HAVE FOUND THAT THE PROBLEM IS WHEN A NUT BECOMES LOSE HOLDING THE CONTROL KNOB, IT SHAKES AND THE WIRES BREAK OF MAKE THE UNIT STOP WORKING. *TR

AUTOMATIC WINDOW LOCK MECHANISM CONTINUED TO GO UP AND DOWN WITH A SINGLE TOUCH. THIS ONLY HAPPENED ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE. CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO THE DEALER, BUT THE DEALER STATED THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO, AND FOR THE CONSUMER TO CALL TOYOTA. CONSUMERS MAIN CONCERN WAS THAT A CHILD COULD GET STRANGLED TO DEATH IF UNSUPERVISED. *AK

WINDSHIELD WIPERS CAME ON AND OFF. CONSUMER DROVE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION,MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK

WHEN DRIVING WITH THE THE WINDOWS DOWN THERE WAS A LOUD NOISE, AND IT INCREASED WHEN VEHICLE SPEED INCREASED. MANUFACTURE STATED THAT THEY WERE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. IT WAS A DESIGN ISSUE, AND WILL NOT REPAIR IT UNLESS THEY WAS A LARGE VOLUME OF COMPLAINTS.*AK

ON THE WAY HOME FROM THE DEALER WE OPENED THE REAR WINDOWS SLIGHTLY. THE RESULT WAS A PULSATING PRESSURE PAINFUL TO THE EARS OF ALL OCCUPANTS. INCREASING SPEED INCREASED THE PAINFUL EFFECT WE LATER LEARNED WAS SOMETHING EXPERIENCED BY ALL HIGHLANDERS FROM 2001. THE DEALER SAID IT WAS THE "FIRST" HE HEARD OF THIS PHENOMENON. TOYOTA CUSTOMER RELATIONS SAID THEY WERE AWARE THIS HAPPENS WHEN YOU OPEN REAR WINDOW(S) IN A HIGHLANDER AND AGREES THAT IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN DISCLOSED TO US GIVING US AN OPPORTUNITY TO PURCHASE ANOTHER MODEL INSTEAD. AT THIS POINT THIS CONDITION IS TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE AND THE DEALER IS GIVING US NO INDICATION THEY ARE GOING TO DO ANYTHING BUT HOPE I GIVE UP. TO PURCHASE A CAR FOR $30,000+ AND BE TOLD NOT TO OPEN THE WINDOWS IS ABSURD. IT IS UNFORTUNATE I AM BEING FORCED TO GO TO ARBITRATION WHEN THE CAR HAS SUCH LOW MILEAGE. I HAVE SINCE FOUND OUT THAT THE HIGHLANDER IS ON THE NATIONAL LEMON LIST. I HOPE THIS WILL HELP ANYONE CONSIDERING THE PURCHASE OF A TOYOTA HIGHLANDER.*AK