2009 Toyota Highlander Engine Problems

Your engine oil filler cap had an internal motor part that melted and nearly broke through while driving. When you opened the hood, you found a 2-inch cylindrical part that had failed. Your brakes, traction control, and stability control all engaged as the engine nearly failed, and your brake pedal went to the floor, though the vehicle stopped before traffic. The engine appears to have experienced severe internal combustion issues that may have affected multiple systems.

Your engine makes a grinding or metallic noise when starting, even when the engine is already warmed up. The dealer says this is normal for cold starts, but you're experiencing it regardless of engine temperature. Toyota has refused to fix the issue.

BRIEF ENGINE KNOCK/RATTLE NOISE AT COLD STARTUP (1AR2AR) VDS(S):DA41A,ZA3EH WM(S)5TD

OIL COOLER CONNECTED TO ENGINE BLOCK WITH A RUBBER HOSE. HOSE FAILED WITH OIL LEAK WHICH CAUSED LOSS OF ENGINE OIL. CAR TOWED AND REPAIRED BEFORE ENGINE SEIZED. IT APPEARS RUBBER HOSE WAS NOT PROTECTED FROM HEAT OF CATALYTIC CONVERTER AND RUBBER DEGRADED. VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION ON INTERSTATE HIGHWAY WHEN FIRST NOTICED LOSS OF OIL PRESSURE. ADDED OIL BUT OIL LOSS CONTINUED. WHEN WARNING LIGHT WENT ON SECOND TIME STOPPED VEHICLE AND TOWED TO SERVICE. EVENT OCCURRED ON MAY 15, 2020.

VVTI CAM GEAR ISSUE, MAKING GRINDING NOISE.VEHICLE JUST HIT 60,000 AND OUT OF WARRANTY. EARLIER TSB FROM TOYOTA DIDN'T COVER THIS SINCE THE VEHICLE DIDN'T SHOW ANY SIGNS.

OIL COOLANT LINE BURSTS WHICH CAUSES IMMEDIATE LOSS OF ALL OIL. PROBLEM HAPPENS WHILE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION, AND IN THIS CASE WHILE IN MOTION ON A HIGH TRAFFICKED FREEWAY. FIX COST ABOUT $1,000 OUT OF POCKET. THIS IS A VERY LARGE LEAK WHICH COVERS THE GROUND, ENGINE, AND UNDERCARRIAGE. IF THE OIL LINE RUPTURES WHILE DRIVING, THE LOW ENGINE OIL MESSAGE AND ENGINE OIL PRESSURE WARNINGS WILL ILLUMINATE. CONTINUED USE AFTER THESE WARNINGS WILL RESULT IN COMPLETE ENGINE FAILURE DUE TO OIL STARVATION. THE LINE IS KNOWN TO BE DEFECTIVE, AND A REVISED PART HAS BEEN ISSUED BY TOYOTA BUT RECALL HAS NOT BEEN ISSUED. COVERED UNDER A WARRANTY ISSUED BY TOYOTA BUT COVERS UNDER A SHORT TIME FRAME.

I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE INTERSTATE IN WISCONSIN DURING RUSH HOUR WHEN I TOOK OFF MY CRUISE CONTROL TO SLOW DOWN TO TAKE THE NEXT EXIT. I NOTICED AN ABNORMAL DOWN SHIFT WHEN I TOOK OFF THE CRUISE CONTROL. ALMOST IMMEDIATELY THE OIL AND TRACTION CONTROL LIGHTS CAME ON. AS I SLOWED TO THE STOP SIGN AT THE END OF THE EXIT THE DISPLAY SCREEN BEGAN DINGING AND READ LOW OIL PRESSURE AND IMMEDIATELY STOP THE CAR AND TURN OFF THE ENGINE. I IMMEDIATELY PULLED OVER ONCE OUT OF THE WAY OF TRAFFIC AND SHUT DOWN THE CAR. UPON CHECKING THE OIL THERE WAS NONE ON THE DIPSTICK. THERE WAS OIL DRIPPING DOWN FROM THE GRILL ALL UNDERNEATH THE CAR INCLUDING IN THE FRONT TIRE WHEEL WELLS. I ALSO HEARD KNOCKING FROM THE ENGINE, SO I AM CONCERNED THAT THE LIFTERS AND THE TOP END OF THE ENGINE MAY BE COMPROMISED. THIS A KNOWN ISSUE WITH TOYOTA, WHO HAS REFUSED TO ISSUE A RECALL FOR FAULTY OIL LINES AND SEALS. LUCKILY, I WAS AT AN EXIT WHERE I COULD SAFELY PULL OVER BEFORE MORE MAJOR DAMAGE WAS DONE TO THE VEHICLE. MY PERSONAL SAFETY, THE SAFETY OF MY FAMILY AS WELL AS OTHER DRIVERS COULD HAVE COMPROMISED BY THE NEGLECT THAT TOYOTA HAS SHOWN BY CONTINUING TO IGNORE THIS ISSUE.

WHEN VEHICLE IS STATIONARY, ENGINE ALWAYS MAKES STRANGE NOISE UPON INITIAL START.

I WAS TURNING INTO A PARKING LOT AND I STARTED GETTING "LOW OIL PRESSURE" ALERTS ON MY DASHBOARD. I WAS WORRIED IF IT WAS A SENSOR ISSUE AND KEPT MOVING TILL I PARKED MY VEHICLE. UPON FURTHER INVESTIGATION, I SAW THAT OIL HAD STARTED TO DRIP FROM WHERE I HAD TURNED, AND WHEN I PARKED THE CAR THE OIL DRIP GOT BIGGER AND HAD POOLED UNDER THE VEHICLE. BASED ON THE INFORMATION I GOT FROM THE TOYOTA DEALERSHIP, THIS WAS A KNOWN ISSUE WHICH STARTS AS A SMALL LEAK BUT DUE TO PRESSURE, THE OIL COOLER PIPE BURSTS OPEN. THIS KNOWN PROBLEM IS DOCUMENTED HERE: HTTPS://WWW.TOYOHEADQUARTERS.COM/THREADS/2007-2011-TOYOTA-SIENNA-HIGHLANDER-AND-VENZA-ENGINE-OIL-COOLER-PIPE-LEAK-LSC-ZE2.358/ TOYOTA REFUSED TO PAY MY REPAIR BILL AS I WAS OVER THE MILEAGE REQUIREMENT BY 2700 MILES. I CANNOT UNDERSTAND WHY TOYOTA DID NOT CONSIDER THIS A SAFETY ISSUE/RECALL. IF THIS HAD HAPPENED WHILE I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY, MY ENGINE COULD HAVE BEEN COMPLETELY DAMAGED AND THE HEAVILY LEAKING OIL COULD HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO AN ACCIDENT(S). THE TOYOTA DEALERSHIP ALSO AGREED WITH ME THAT THIS SHOULD HAVE BEEN A SAFETY RECALL. TOYOTA CLAIMS THEY SENT OUT A LETTER FOR THIS WARRANTY ENHANCEMENT (ZE2) WHICH I NEVER RECEIVED. TOYOTA HAS REFUSED TO ESCALATE THIS ISSUE WITHIN THE COMPANY.

OIL COOLER HOSE BURST IN CAR. YO HAVE ABOUT 20 SECONDS TO TURN THE ENGINE OFF BEFORE IT SEIZES UP BECAUSE ALL THE OIL IS POURING OUT OF THE CAR. WE HAD IT TOWED TO MIDAS DEALERSHIP AND THEY FIXED IT. I CALLED TOYOTA BECAUSE I NOTICED THEY HAD A CUSTOMER SUPPORT PROGRAM COVERING THIS PROBLEM. I WAS TOLD IF I WOULD HAVE TAKEN IT STRAIGHT TO THE DEALERSHIP, IT WOULD BE COVERED BUT INSTEAD I HAD TO SUBMIT PAPERWORK WHICH I DID. WELL IT IS NOT COVERED. THEY ARE CLAIMING THAT THE PART ON THE INVOICE IS NOT COVERED. HOWEVER, THE OIL COOLER HOSE THAT BURST WHICH IS ORIGINAL TO THE CAR WAS RUBBER AND THE TOYOTA REPLACEMENT PART IS METAL. THEY ARE MERELY NOT COVERING THIS BECAUSE IT IS NOT A RECALL AND THEY ARE NOT GETTING IN TROUBLE FOR IT. IT IS A HUGE SAFETY ISSUE, AS WHEN THIS BURSTS (WITH NO HEADS UP), YOU HAVE ONLY A FEW SECONDS TO GET TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND TURN OFF THE ENGINE. TOYOTA IS FULLY AWARE OF THE ISSUE BUT THE GOV'T HAS NOT REQUIRED THEM TO PUT IN A RECALL.

THE COOLANT PUMP PULLEY BROKE AND ENGINE GOT OVERHEATED AND STOPPED ON A MAJOR HIGHWAY AND HAD TO BE TOWED. THE VEHICLE HAS LESS THAN 60K MILES ON IT. DEALER TELLS ME THAT BOTH THE ENGINE AND WATER PUMP HAVE TO BE REPLACED AND WOULD COST OVER $9,000.

2009 HIGHLANDER, PURCHASED NEW, HAD 105000 MILES ON 3.5L V6 ENGINE. OIL CHANGED EVERY 7000 MILES, FULLY SYNTHETIC. NO WARNING LIGHTS OR ENGINE NOISES PRIOR TO INCIDENT. CAR STARTED AFTER WORK, DROVE .6 MILE. STARTED RUNNING VERY ROUGH, PULLED OVER TO SHOULDER THINKING I HAD A FLAT TIRE. CAR DIED BEFORE FINISHING MANEUVER, COASTED TO SHOULDER. ENGINE WOULD NOT START. TOWED TO REPAIR SHOP, THEY DIAGNOSED "ENGINE FULLY SEIZED UP". CONTACTED TOYOTA, THEY OFFERED NO SATISFACTION AS " CAR NOT BEING REPAIRED BY DEALER, NOT UNDER WARRANTY". I FIND THIS ANSWER TO BE WRONG, DUE TO LOW MILEAGE, HISTORY OF MAINTENANCE, NO REASON FOR CATASTROPHIC FAILURE OF ENGINE. MECHANIC STATED THEORY OF "OIL PORTS CLOGGING UP", SINCE HEARD THEORY OF "OIL PUMP FAILURE".

MARCH 10, 2016 VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO DEALER FOR OIL CHANGE. PARKED VEHICLE AFTER RETURN HOME (10 MILES DRIVE BETWEEN DEALERSHIP AND HOME) SAME DAY AND AFTER A FEW HOURS, NOTICED ALL OIL HAD LEAKED FROM VEHICLE. VEHICLE WAS TOWED BACK TO DEALER THAT DAY. UPON INVESTIGATION DEALER SAID THE PROBLEM WAS THE OIL COOLER PIPE. DEALER SAID TOYOTA ISSUED A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN T-SB-0201-11 OVER 5 YEARS PRIOR THAT ISSUED A REPAIR PROCEDURE TO REPLACE THIS OIL COOLER PIPE. DEALER REPLACED OIL COOLER PIPE UNDER WARRANTY PER TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN AND ASSURED ME THAT NO DAMAGE TO THE ENGINE WAS "APPARENT" AFTER THE REPAIR. JULY 18, 2016 RETURNED TO SAME DEALER FOR A PROBLEM WITH THE ENGINE MAKING A LOUD KNOCKING SOUND UPON FAST ACCELERATION. DEALER DIAGNOSED PROBLEM AS A ROD KNOCK AND CONFIRMED IT WAS DUE TO THE OIL COOLER PIPE LEAK FROM MARCH. THE REPAIR INVOLVES REPLACING THE ENGINE AN EXTENSIVE AND VERY EXPENSIVE REPAIR. TOYOTA NEEDS TO MAKE THIS TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN PROBLEM A RECALL TO AVOID UNNECESSARY ENGINE DAMAGE AND POTENTIAL SAFETY HAZARD TO THE 533500 ESTIMATED VEHICLES INCLUDED IN THE BULLETIN.

THE WATER PUMP WENT ON MY TOYOTA HIGHLAND. I LOOKED IT UP ONLINE AND FOUND OUT THE WATER PUMPS ARE FAULTY AND WILL MAKE A SOUND LIKE THERE IS GRAVEL IN THE MOTOR. I HAD TOYOTA FIX THE PROBLEM UNDER WARRANTY, BUT I LOOKED ONLINE AND FOUND THAT OTHER PEOPLE HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. SHOULD BE LOOKED INTO DUE TO BEING BAD PUMPS.

NOTICED LARGE OIL PUDDLE IN DRIVEWAY. HAD CAR TOWED AS OIL LOSS COULD HAVE CAUSED FATAL DAMAGE TO THE ENGINE. THE OIL LINE WAS DIAGNOSED AS DRY ROTTED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE REPLACEMENT OIL LINE WAS VASTLY DIFFERENT THAN THAT OF THE ORIGINAL LINE INDICATING A PROBLEM WITH THE PREVIOUS DESIGN. THE LEAK BEGAN WHILE DRIVING AND WE WERE ABLE TO TRACE THE OIL FOR MILES LEADING HOME. THE OIL INDICATOR LIGHT DID NOT COME ON TO WARN OF LOW OIL. TOYOTA DID RECALL OTHER VEHICLES FOR THE SAME PROBLEM HOWEVER NOT THIS PARTICULAR MAKE AND MODEL. AFTER TALKING TO TOYOTA'S RECALL DEPARTMENT I WAS TOLD IF I HAD HAD THE REPAIRS TAKEN CARE OF AT A TOYOTA DEALERSHIP I MAY HAVE BEEN ABLE TO BE REIMBURSED SLIGHTLY (A PERCENTAGE OF THE BILL) HOWEVER SINCE I USED THE SHOP OF MY CHOICE THERE IS NO OPTION FOR ANY REIMBURSEMENT.

WE WERE TRAVELING DOWN A STATE ROUTE HIGHWAY AT 50 MPH WHEN SUDDENLY WE LOST POWER TO THE CAR, WE WERE BETWEEN TWO MAC TRUCKS, AND THE OIL LIGHT STARTED FLASHING. WE HAD TO QUICKLY GET OFF THE ROADWAY (NO BREAKDOWN LANES) AND FIND A SAFE SPOT TO STOP ON SOME GRASS. THE RUBBER OIL LINE HAD CRACKED/RUPTURED AND DRAINED THE OIL FROM THE CAR RAPIDLY CAUSING THE ENGINE TO LOSE POWER AND MAKE NOISE. I FOUND OUT ONLINE THAT THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE BUT NO RECALL HAS BEEN DONE AS TOYOTA CLAIMS THIS IS NOT SAFETY ISSUE. HOWEVER, IN MY CASE IT WAS VERY MUCH A SAFETY ISSUE AS THIS HAPPENED ON A HIGHWAY IN RAPID SUCCESSION WITH NO SAFE PLACE TO LEAVE THE ROADWAY.

MASSIVE OIL LEAK FROM OIL COOLER LINE OF 2009 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER WITH TOW PACKAGE AT ~78,000 MILES. RUBBER HOSES BURST AND OIL LEAKED OUT FROM ENGINE.

THE RUBBER HOSE BETWEEN THE OIL PUMP AND THE VVT KEEPS BREAKING. I WAS DOING SOME RESEARCH AND FOUND THAT THE RUBBER HOSE HAS BEEN REPLACE WITH A METAL ONE. CAN YOU PLEASE HELP ME? IS THIS SOMETHING THAT IS POSSIBLY STILL UNDER WARRANT AND CAN BE FIXED? THANK YOU FOR HELP IN ADVANCE. *TR

I'M CONTACTING YOU ABOUT AN ISSUE RECENTLY ENCOUNTERED ON MY 2009 HIGHLANDER. THE OIL HOSE ATTACHMENT LOCATED AT THE BOTTOM OF THE CAR HAD PIN SIZE HOLE THAT PUSHED ALL THE OIL OUT OF MY CAR. THE OIL HOSE IS IN A LOCATION THAT WOULD NOT BE EXPOSED TO ANY ELEMENT. I TRULY FEEL THAT THIS IS A MANUFACTURE DEFECT BUT CAN'T FIND RECALL INFORMATION ON THE SITE. I HAD THE CAR TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP THAT SAID THIS PART WILL TAKE UP TO 3 WEEKS TO RECEIVE. THEY ALSO HAD A FEW OTHER TOYOTA CARS IN REPAIR FOR THE SAME ISSUE. THIS IS ALARMING SINCE IT LOOKS LIKE A KNOWN ISSUE AND THE HOSE LOCATION IS NOT EXPOSED. THE DEALERSHIP ALSO TOLD ME ONCE REPAIRED THEY DON''T KNOW THE EXTENT OF THE DAMAGE SINCE THE OIL WAS DRAINED OUT AT FAST PACE. PLEASE LOOK INTO THIS ISSUE AND HELP PROTECT OTHERS THAT MIGHT NOT BE AWARE OF THIS DEFECT. *TR

I WAS TRAVELING 50 -60 MILES PER HOUR ON THE NEW JERSEY GARDEN STATE PARKWAY. WHILE DRIVING ALL OF A SUDDEN A HUGE VIBRATION OCCURRED THROUGH OUT THE VEHICLE. WHILE IT VIBRATED A LOUD NOISE OCCURRED. IT WAS SO LOUD MY DOG BEGAN TO BARK AND MY EARS COULD NOT TAKE THE NOISE OF THE VEHICLE. I TRIED TO BRAKE AND THE NOISE CONTINUED AS WELL AS THE VIBRATION. I CONTINUED TO TRY AND GET IN THE RIGHT LANE HOWEVER THE NOISE AND VIBRATION CONTINUED. THE VIBRATION FELT LIKE WHEN YOU GO ACROSS SPEED BUMPS THAT GIVES A RUMBLE SOUND. THE ROAD WAS SMOOTH AND THERE WERE NO SPEED BUMPS HOWEVER IT FELT AS IF I WAS GOING OVER SPEED BUMPS. ON 10/25/12 I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO TOYOTA OF HACKENSACK NJ WHERE THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED ON. I INFORMED THE SERVICE GUY ABOUT THE SITUATION. THEY DID A MULTI-POINT INSPECTION AND NOTHING CAME UP. THEY TEST DROVE THE VEHICLE IN CITY LIMITS AND NOTHING CAME UP. I THEN INFORMED THEM THAT THE VIBRATION DOES NOT OCCUR UNTIL YOU ARE ON THE HIGHWAY. THE TECHNICIAN THEN TEST DROVE WITH ME IN THE VEHICLE. THE VIBRATION DID NOT OCCUR. THIS SPECIFIC VIBRATION AND NOISE HAS ONLY OCCURRED TWICE SINCE I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE. I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE OVER A MONTH AGO DUE TO A FAULTY 2005 KIA SORENTO CRANKSHAFT BOLT DESIGN. IF IT HAPPENS AGAIN I WILL FILE ANOTHER COMPLAINT. *TR

BRAND NEW 2009 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER DEFECTIVE FRONT O2 SENSOR MADE OUT OF CERAMIC BUILT INTO ALL CARS IN JAPAN THEN SHIPPED TO U.S. FIRST SIGN OF SENSOR DAMAGE THE CARS TRACTION CONTROL LIGHT GOES ON. SOON AFTER THE FRONT O2 CERAMIC SENSOR HEATS UP. THEN THE CAR WILL NOT START. WHEN YOU TRY TO START IT UP AT THIS POINT ENGINE HAS CAUGHT ON FIRE. THE GENERAL MANAGER OF DEALERSHIP STATED THAT TOYOTA KNOWS OF THIS DEFECTIVE PART BUT WILL NOT RECALL. WE BELIEVE OWNERS SHOULD BE NOTIFIED. THE PART WAS REPLACED. HOWEVER, WE DID NOT FEEL CAR WAS SAFE AFTER SEEING ENGINE ON FIRE. THE DEALERSHIP WOULD NOT REFUND MONEY. OUR ONLY OPTION ALLOWED WAS TO TRADE IN CAR FOR ANOTHER AT OUR COST. THIS ALL HAPPENED WITHIN 3 DAYS OF TAKING DELIVERY OF THE VEHICLE AND HAVING ONLY DRIVEN IT 40 MILES.*TR

2009 TOYOTA HIGHLAND HAD BEEN DRIVED FOR ABOUT 10 MINUTES, PARKED, LOCKED AT 7:25 AM ON JAN 22, 2010. APPROXIMATELY 20 MINUTES LATER A 6TH FT HIGH FLAMES WERE DISCOVERED BY THE OWNER COMING FROM THE ENGINE. SOMEONE HAD ALREADY REPORTED THE FIRE AND THE FIRE DEPARTMENT RESPONDED BY 7:50 AM.*CW