2011 Toyota Highlander Wipers & Visibility Problems

DRIVER SIDE SUN VISOR STUCK IN DOWN POSITION, AND WILL NOT MOVE UPWARD OUT OF THE WAY, OBSTRUCTING DRIVER'S VIEW. IT CAN BE MOVED TO THE SIDE WINDOW, BUT THEN THE SIDE VIEW IS OBSTRUCTED. I HESITATE TO TRY AND FORCE IT UP, BECAUSE IT FEELS LIKE IT WOULD BREAK AND JUST FLOP AROUND. RESEARCHING THE PROBLEM, I HAVE LEARNED OF MANY OTHER OWNERS OF SIMILAR-VINTAGE TOYOTA HIGHLANDERS WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEM. THE TOYOTA DEALER QUOTED OVER $300 TO REPLACE WITH A NEW PART. THIS IS SAFETY ISSUE THAT SHOULD BE RECALLED BY THE MANUFACTURER.

THERE IS A KNOWN DEFECT IN TOYOTA HIGHLANDERS (2010 - 2013) SUN VISORS. THE VISOR NO LONGER STAYS IN EITHER THE UPRIGHT OR DOWNWARD POSITION. IT IS EITHER AT A 45 DEGREE ANGLE WHEN PLACED IN THE "UP" POSITION OR IS IN A POSITION TO SLIGHTLY OBSCURE VISIBILITY IN THE "DOWN" POSITION. TOYOTA OFFERED A WARRANTY ENHANCEMENT (LETTER ZF1) HOWEVER I AM NOW PAST THE EXTENDED WARRANTY PERIOD. THIS IS A HAZARD IN DRIVING AND WOULD BE HAZARDOUS TO THE DRIVER SHOULD THERE BE AN ACCIDENT - THE VISOR WOULD HIT THE DRIVER IN THE FOREHEAD OR FACE SHOULD THERE BE AN IMPACT.

DRIVER SIDE SUN VISOR NO LONGER STAYS UP AND BLOCKS THE DRIVERS VISION WHILE DRIVING. THIS SEEMS TO BE A ON GOING PROBLEM WITH TOYOTA SUN VISORS.

MY DRIVER SIDE VISOR LOST ALL TENSION. I HAD TO EITHER HOLD IT UP OR TIE IT OUT OF THE WAY. I HAD IT REPLACED AT LOWE TOYOTA IN WARNER ROBINS, GA FOR $199.87. I WOULD NOT EXPECT A VISOR TO TEAR UP EVEN FOR A 2011 MODEL. IT WAS A SAFETY ISSUE THAT NEEDED TO BE FIXED. I THINK THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL ON THESE VISORS AND REIMBURSEMENT FOR REPLACING THEM. THANKS, [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

DRIVER'S SIDE VISOR IS BROKEN AND STUCK AT A 45 DEGREE ANGLE, AND WILL NOT STAY IN THE UPRIGHT POSITION, OBSTRUCTING VISIBILITY WHEN DRIVING. THIS APPEARS TO BE A DESIGN ISSUE OF THIS PARTICULAR MODEL, AS THERE ARE MANY SIMILAR COMPLAINTS ONCE DOING A SIMPLE INTERNET SEARCH.

DRIVER'S SIDE VISOR WON'T STAY CLOSE TO THE CEILING .

AS I ATTEMPTED TO LOWER THE VISOR ON THE DRIVERS SIDE, THE MECHANISM BROKE AND IT WOULD NEITHER STAY OR OR DOWN - BLOCKING VISIBILITY. I KNOW A COUPLE OF MY FRIENDS WHO OWN HIGHLANDERS HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM AND THE DEALERSHIP I WENT TO SAID THAT TOYOTA WAS GOING TO DO SOME TYPE OF "EXTENDED WARRANTY" TO COVER THE COST. HOW DO I APPLY FOR THAT?

THE DRIVER'S SIDE VISOR IS STUCK IN THE DOWN POSITION. THIS IS CREATING DIFFICULTY SEEING AND I HAVE HIT MY HEAD ON THE VISOR A FEW TIMES. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO TOYOTA EXPECTING IT TO BE COVERED UNDER MY EXTENDED WARRANTY ONLY TO BE TOLD THAT THE COST WAS ROUGHLY $230 FOR THE PART AND AN ADDITIONAL $30 TO INSTALL. CLEARLY WITH THIS CREATING A VISIBILITY HAZARD AND THE SHEER NUMBER OF COMPLAINTS THIS SHOULD BE A FACTORY RECALL. ...UPDATED08/20/15 *BF UPDATED 11/27/15*JS

THE SUN VISOR ON THE DRIVER SIDE FAILED AND FLIPPED DOWN, IT HAS SINCE REMAINED IN THE DOWN POSITION AND NO LONGER LOCKS IN PLACE. I AM TALLER THAN MY WIFE SO IT IS A PROBLEM FOR ME WHEN I DRIVE HER CAR. I JUST CHECKED THE FORUMS AND THIS IS SUCH A COMMON PROBLEM THAT YOU CAN'T EVEN ORDER REPLACEMENT SUN VISORS SINCE THEY SELLOUT VERY QUICKLY. *TR

FOR NO REASON AT ALL MY SUNVISOR ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE WILL NOT STAY UP. IT IS VERY DISTRACTING TRYING TO DRIVE WITH IT HALF WAY DOWN AND OBSTRUCTS MY VISION. I HAVE NOT YET PUT IT IN THE SHOP YET SO DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH IT WILL COST TO FIX IT, BUT IT HAS TO BE FIXED. IT IS DRIVING ME CRAZY! *TR

I HAVE A 2011 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER. THE DRIVERS SIDE SUN VISOR HAS BROKEN FROM ITS INTERNAL GUIDE ON THE VISOR, MAKING IT UNSAFELY AND UNCONTROLLABLY FLIP & FLOP AROUND. I HAVE BEEN TRYING TO GET A REPLACEMENT, BUT THE DEALER TOLD ME THERE ARE MORE THAN 200 ON BACKORDER, AND IT COULD TAKE ONE OR MORE MONTHS TO GET A REPLACEMENT. FURTHER RESEARCH SHOWS PREVIOUS RECALLS ON TOYOTA SUN VISORS. SO, WITH MORE THAN 200 ALREADY NEEDING REPLACEMENTS ON WHAT SHOULD BE A STRONG PART, IT SUGGESTS A LARGER PROBLEM WORTHY OF YOUR ATTENTION AND A POSSIBLE RECALL. THANKS.

THE DRIVER SIDE SUN VISOR SPRING BROKE PREVENTING THE VISOR FROM EITHER FOLDING BACK UP OR COMING DOWN COMPLETELY, CAUSING A VISIBILITY PROBLEM AND A SAFETY HAZARD. *TR

THE DRIVER SIDE SUN VISOR SPRING IS BROKE SO THAT VISOR BLOCKS DRIVER'S VISION CAUSING POTENTIAL SAFETY ISSUE. STAYS IN PARTIALLY DOWN POSITION. CONTACTED DEALER AND TOYOTA CUSTOMER CARE. THERE WERE OVER 300 SUN VISORS ON BACK ORDER WITH NO DELIVERY PROMISE DATE AS PRODUCTION OF VISOR HAS BEEN HALTED. THERE ARE NO REPAIRS. INTERESTING TO NOTE THAT 17 OF THE 66 COMPLAINTS IN DATA BASE FOR HIGHLANDER ARE SUN VISOR ISSUES. TOYOTA CUSTOMER CARE SAYS NO RECALLS, SERVICE BULLETINS. DEALER WANTS OVER $300 TO REPAIR, IF HE COULD GET A VISOR. THIS CLEARLY A GENERIC ISSUE WITH SAFETY IMPLICATIONS! *TR

DRIVER-SIDE SUN VISOR BROKE AND FAILED TO STAY IN UP POSITION, BLOCKING DRIVER'S VIEW OF ROAD AND CREATING A DISTRACTION. CAR WAS BROUGHT INTO DEALERSHIP FOR REPAIRS ON 16 AUGUST BUT SERVICE PERSONNEL INDICATED THAT THEY HAD NO VISORS IN STOCK. ORDERED ONE THAT DAY BUT COULD NOT GET THE PART UNTIL MID SEPT. PEOPLE AT THE DEALERSHIP INDICATED THAT THEY WERE HAVING TROUBLE GETTING THE PART BECAUSE THIS WAS A NATIONWIDE PROBLEM AND SUPPLIER COULD NOT KEEP UP WITH DEMAND. *TR

DRIVER SIDE SUN VISOR SUDDENLY DROPS BLOCKING VIEW ALMOST HITTING A DEER ON THE ROAD. SUN VISOR (NOT USE OFTEN) IS NOW LOOSE AND WILL NOT GO BACK IN PLACE. SUN VISOR NOW BLOCKS VIEW WHICH DRAMATICALLY INCREASE THE PROBABILITY OF AN ACCIDENT THAT COULD BE FATAL. *TR

2011 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO DRIVER SIDE SUN VISOR NO LONGER STAYS IN PLACE. *SMD

THE DRIVERS SIDE VISOR WILL NOT STAY UP FLOPS AROUND BLOCKING FULL VISION . THIS SEEMS TO BE AN ONGOING PROBLEM WITH HIGHLANDERS AND SHOULD NOT BE AN ISSUE ON A PART WITH LIMITED USE AND A VEHICLE THIS NEW. *TR

DRIVER SIDE VISOR WILL NOT STAY UP. BLOCKS DRIVERS VISION. APPEARS TO BE WIDESPREAD FAILURE SINCE 2002. TOYOTA WILL NOT COVER OUT OF WARRANT, WANTS $650 FOR REPLACEMENT PART!! *TR

DRIVER SIDE SUN VISOR WILL NO LONGER GO UP ALL THE WAY. IT IS STUCK PARTIALLY UP AND HAS RESISTANCE. IT IS NOW ONLY DOWN AND BLOCKING MY VIEW OF DRIVING. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE AND NEED TO BE RECALLED. *TR

DRIVER SIDE SUN VISOR WILL NO LONGER GO UP ALL THE WAY. IT IS STUCK PARTIALLY UP AND HAS RESISTANCE. IT IS NOW ONLY DOWN AND BLOCKING MY VIEW OF DRIVING. THIS IS SAFETY ISSUES AND A RECALL ORDERED. *TR

SUN VISOR WILL NO LONGER GO UP ALL THE WAY. IT IS STUCK PARTIALLY UP AND HAS RESISTANCE. IT IS NOW ONLY DOWN AND BLOCKING MY VIEW OF DRIVING. *TR

THE DRIVER'S SIDE VISOR WILL NOT STAY UP ANY LONGER. IT HANGS HALF WAY DOWN BLOCKING MY VISION WHILE DRIVING. THIS IS A DANGEROUS SAFETY ISSUE. *TR

THE DRIVER'S SIDE VISOR NO LONGER STAYS UP...IT FALLS DOWN HALFWAY WHICH IS BLOCKING MY VISION. THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS SAFETY CONCERN. I CALLED THE DEALER AND WAS TOLD IT WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED FOR A COST OF $318.00. THIS IS OUTRAGEOUS AND TOYOTA SHOULD BE ASHAMED FOR NOT POSTING A RECALL ON SOMETHING SO DANGEROUS WHEN THERE ARE SO MANY COMPLAINTS. *TR

DRIVERS SIDE VISOR IS BROKEN & WILL NOT STAY UP! ONLY REMEDY FROM TOYOTA DEALERSHIP IS TO PAY FOR ANOTHER (PROBABLY DEFECTIVE) VISOR (PARTS & INSTALLATION). THIS IS DEFINITELY A SAFETY HAZARD & TOYOTA NEEDS TO BE PROFESSIONAL ENOUGH TO FIX THIS PROBLEM (WITHOUT CHARGING THEIR CUSTOMERS)! I'M EXTREMELY DISAPPOINTED IN THIS LACK OF QUALITY FROM TOYOTA. *TR

DRIVERS SIDE VISOR IS BROKEN & WILL NOT STAY UP! ONLY REMEDY FROM TOYOTA DEALERSHIP IS TO PAY FOR ANOTHER (PROBABLY DEFECTIVE) VISOR (PARTS & INSTALLATION). THIS IS DEFINITELY A SAFETY HAZARD & TOYOTA NEEDS TO BE PROFESSIONAL ENOUGH TO FIX THIS PROBLEM (WITHOUT CHARGING THEIR CUSTOMERS)! I'M EXTREMELY DISAPPOINTED IN THIS LACK OF QUALITY FROM TOYOTA. *TR

DRIVERS SIDE SUN VISOR WILL NOT STAY IN UPRIGHT POSITION OR IN CORRECT SUN BLOCKING POSITION. IT IS CONSTANTLY IN THE PARTIAL DOWN POSITION AND DOES NOT ALLOW FOR PROPER VISIBILITY. *JS

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DRIVER'S SIDE SUN VISOR FELL DOWN AND FAILED TO REMAIN UPRIGHT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS ADVISED THAT THE SUN VISOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 74,000. *TR

SUN VISOR DOES NOT RETURN TO UPRIGHT POSITION. IT HANGS AND OBSTRUCTS DRIVER'S VISION. I HAVE READ ONLINE THE EXCESSIVELY HIGH NUMBER OF TOYOTA OWNERS WHO EXPERIENCE THIS PROBLEM. IT IS SO DANGEROUS AND A FIX IS COST PROHIBITIVE. TOYOTA SHOULD BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR MANUFACTURING A DEFECTIVE PART. VISION IS PROBABLY THE MOST CRITICAL COMPONENT FOR A DRIVER AND WHEN IT IS OBSTRUCTED BY A PART OF THE MANUFACTURER'S NEGLECT, THEN IT SHOULD BE ADDRESSED IMMEDIATELY. *TR

LEFT SIDE SUN VISOR FAILED, VISOR DROPS DOWN IN FRONT OF DRIVER. *TR

FRONT WINDSHIELD SEALER BEAD NOT ADHERED TO THE GLASS. TOYOTA TACOMA. *TR