2015 Toyota Highlander Cruise Control Problems

Your vehicle experienced unintended acceleration on a highway, reaching 100 mph without your control. You were forced to drive off the road into obstacles to stop the vehicle, resulting in a total loss. This issue involves the speed control system and requires immediate investigation by a technician to determine the root cause.

Your Highlander has been idling too high during normal driving, making it difficult to slow down quickly when needed. You were involved in a rear-end collision where your vehicle struck a stopped truck, and you received a ticket for not reducing speed in time. The high idle speed made it challenging to stop quickly in the driving conditions you experience, and this issue could be more dangerous in wet or slippery weather.

Your check engine light came on while driving, and you noticed the transmission was shifting hard. You switched to manual drive mode to get to your destination. The issue appears to involve both the engine and transmission systems.

AS I WAS PULLING INTO A PARKING SPACE AND APPLYING THE BRAKES, THE CAR UNEXPECTEDLY ACCELERATED AND HIT THE BUILDING WALL. SINCE I WAS PUZZLED BY WHAT HAPPENED, I READ SEVERAL ARTICLES ABOUT TOYOTA AUTOMOBILES DOING JUST THIS SAME THING. MOST OF THE ARTICLES COVERED TOYOTA AUTOMOBILES OLDER THAN MINE, I DID FIND SEVERAL RECENT REPORTS, INCLUDING TWO THAT INVOLVED 2015 HIGHLANDER MODELS JUST LIKE MINE. I PLAN TO ALSO NOTIFY THE MANUFACTURER, TOYOTA.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER. ON AUGUST 31, 2018, WHILE DRIVING AT UNKNOWN SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE SURGED. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE LOCAL DEALER (LAKESIDE TOYOTA, 3701 N CAUSEWAY BLVD, METAIRIE, LA 70002, (877) 512-8274) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE THROTTLE BODY NEEDED TO BE CLEANED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. ADDITIONALLY, ON AUGUST 31, 2018, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED WITHOUT WARNING, JUMPED THE PARKING BUMPER, AND CRASHED INTO THE QUARTER PANEL OF A TRANSPORT VAN. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED CHEST INJURIES AND MEDICAL ATTENTION WAS PROVIDED. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE SAME DEALER, BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AT 800-331-4331, EXT 73822 AND PROVIDED CASE NUMBER: 1809053132. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THE EVENT DATA RECORDER WOULD BE RETRIEVED FROM THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 68,000. *DT *JB

I WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT THAT I BELIEVE WAS CAUSED BY SUDDEN UNINTENDED ACCELERATION (SUA). I WAS PULLING INTO A DIAGONAL PARKING SPACE ON A CITY STREET, PROCEEDING AT A VERY SLOW SPEED, WHEN THERE WAS A SUDDEN SURGE IN ACCELERATION ACCOMPANIED BY A GRINDING SOUND. I HIT THE BRAKE TO NO EFFECT, AND THE VEHICLE JUMPED THE CURB AND HIT A POLE (NOT CONNECTED TO ANYTHING). THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY, AND WE WERE SHAKEN UP BUT NOT INJURED. THE CAR WAS NOT DRIVABLE AND WAS TOWED TO A BODY SHOP.

DRIVING FORWARD INTO PARKING SPACE. JUST ABOUT STOPPED. PRESSED BREAK. CAR LURCHED FORWARD AT HIGHT SPEED SUDDENLY, CAUSING CAR TO JUMP CURB AT TOP OF PARKING SPOT AND CAREEN DOWN HILL (ONTO SIDE WALK). CAR OUT OF CONTROL FOR ABOUT 2 SECONDS. WAS ABLE TO BREAK IN HILL, WHICH PREVENTED ME FROM HITTING CAR PARKED PERPENDICULAR ON STREET BELOW. BOTTOM OF CAR SCRAPED CURB WHEN CAR JUMP CURB AND LURCHED FORWARD. BOTTOM FRONT BUMPER SCRAPED. THERE WAS AN ICY PATCH AT TOP OF PARKING SPACE. IT SEEMS LIKE WHEN WHEELS ROLLED ON TOP OF ICY PATCH, THE CAR LURCHED FORWARD. CAR MIGHT HAVE ACCIDENTALLY BEEN ON CRUISE CONTROL AT THE TIME.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 5 MPH WITH THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL BEING DEPRESSED, THE VEHICLE DECREASED IN SPEED AND AN UNKNOWN WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER, BUT THE FAILURE WAS UNABLE TO BE DETERMINED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CONTACT WAS TOLD THAT THE FAILURE OCCURRED DUE TO DRIVER ERROR AND WAS DOCUMENTED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS ON THE VEHICLES BLACK BOX. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 10,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER. WHEN THE CRUISE CONTROL WAS ACTIVATED AND SET AT 55 MPH, THE CRUISE CONTROL FAILED TO MAINTAIN THE SET SPEED WHEN GOING DOWNHILL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED BY THE DEALER THAT THE FUNCTION WAS NORMAL WHEN TRAVERSING A HILL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 2,999. UPDATED 01/27/16*LJ UPDATED 02/04