2004 Toyota Highlander
Problems, recalls and owner-reported issues
Power train is the leading concern among 286 owner complaints filed for this model year. This is the 6th highest complaint count among 25 Highlander model years with reports.
Of the 2004 reports, 32 involved a crash and 3 involved a fire. 23 people were injured and 47 people died.
What owners report most often
Recalls and investigations
Engine and engine coolingNov 9, 2011
TOYOTA IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2004 AVALON VEHICLES; 2004 AND 2005 CAMRY, CAMRY SOLARA, HIGHLANDER, AND SIENNA VEHICLES, 2006 HIGHLANDER HYBRID; 2004 AND 2005 LEXUS ES330 AND RX330; AND 2006 LEXUS RX400H VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM JUNE 1, 2004 THROUGH MARCH 31, 2005, EQUIPPED WITH THE 1MZ-FE OR 3MZ-FE ENGINE. THE AMOUNT OF ADHESIVE AGENT APPLIED BETWEEN THE OUTER RING AND THE TORSIONAL RUBBER DAMPER (INNER RING) IN THE CRANKSHAFT PULLEY MAY BE INADEQUATE. IF THE ADHESIVE IS INSUFFICIENT, THERE IS A POSSIBILITY THAT THE OUTER RING MAY BECOME MISALIGNED AND IT MAY NOT PROPERLY ROTATE WITH THE INNER RING, CAUSING NOISE AND/OR ILLUMINATION OF THE BATTERY DISCHARGE INDICATOR LIGHT.
IN SOME CASES, THE BELT FOR THE POWER STEERING PUMP MAY BECOME DETACHED FROM THE PULLEY WHICH COULD RESULT IN A LOSS OF POWER STEERING AND A SUDDEN INCREASE IN STEERING EFFORT, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
TOYOTA WILL NOTIFY OWNERS, AND DEALERS WILL CHECK THE CRANKSHAFT PULLEY TO IDENTIFY WHETHER IT WAS PRODUCED BY THE U.S. SUPPLIER. IF SO, THE DEALER WILL REPLACE THE PULLEY WITH A NEW ONE AT NO CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN DURING EARLY JANUARY 2012. OWNERS MAY CONTACT TOYOTA AT 1-800-331-4331.
Campaign 11V539000 on NHTSA.gov
Vehicle speed control, accelerator pedalFeb 24, 2011
TOYOTA IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2004-2006 HIGHLANDER, HIGHLANDER HYBRID, AND MODEL YEAR 2004-2007 LEXUS RX330, RX350, AND RX400H VEHICLES. IF THE FORWARD RETENTION CLIP USED TO SECURE THE FLOOR CARPET COVER, WHICH IS LOCATED IN FRONT OF THE CENTER CONSOLE, IS NOT INSTALLED PROPERLY THE COVER MAY LEAN TOWARD THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL AND INTERFERE WITH THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL ARM.
IF THIS OCCURS, THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL MAY TEMPORARILY BECOME STUCK IN A PARTIALLY DEPRESSED POSITION RATHER THAN RETURN TO THE IDLE POSITION. A STUCK ACCELERATOR PEDAL MAY RESULT IN UNINTENDED AND SUSTAINED VEHICLE SPEEDS AND MAKE IT DIFFICULT TO STOP, INCREASING THE RISK OF A VEHICLE CRASH.
DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE FLOOR CARPET COVER WITH A NEWLY DESIGNED ONE FREE OR CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN DURING MARCH 2011. OWNERS MAY CONTACT TOYOTA AT 1-800-331-4331.
Campaign 11V112000 on NHTSA.gov
Service brakes, hydraulic, foundation components, master cylinderOct 21, 2010
TOYOTA IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2005-2006 AVALON, MODEL YEAR 2004-2006 HIGHLANDER, MODEL YEAR 2004-2006 LEXUS RX, AND MODEL YEAR 2006 LEXUS GS AND IS VEHICLES. BRAKE FLUID CONTAINING POLYMERS IS USED THAT ACTS AS LUBRICANTS FOR CERTAIN BRAKE SYSTEM COMPONENTS. IF REPLACEMENT BRAKE FLUID IS USED THAT DOES NOT CONTAIN SUCH POLYMERS, OR THAT CONTAINS ONLY SMALL AMOUNTS, A PART OF THE RUBBER SEAL LOCATED AT THE REAR OF THE BRAKE MASTER CYLINDER MAY BECOME DRY, AND THE SEAL MAY CURL DURING MOVEMENT OF THE PISTON. IF THIS OCCURS, A SMALL AMOUNT OF BRAKE FLUID COULD SLOWLY LEAK FROM THE SEAL INTO THE BRAKE BOOSTER.
A LEAK OF BRAKE FLUID COULD LEAD TO A CHANGE IN BRAKE PEDAL FEEL AND OVERTIME A DEGRADATION IN BRAKING PERFORMANCE INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE SEAL WITH A NEWLY DESIGNED ONE. THIS SERVICE WILL BE PERFORMED FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON NOVEMBER 15, 2010. OWNERS MAY CONTACT TOYOTA AT 1-800-331-4331 AND LEXUS AT 1-800-255-3987.
Campaign 10V499000 on NHTSA.gov
Vehicle speed control, accelerator pedalJul 13, 2006
ON CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY AND HYBRID VEHICLES, THE TWO RETAINING CLIPS FOR THE DRIVER'S SIDE FORWARD CENTER CONSOLE CAN BECOME LOOSE. IF BOTH CLIPS SEPARATE FROM THE FLOOR CARPET COVER, THE COVER MAY LEAN TOWARD THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL, CAUSING INTERFERENCE WITH THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL ROD.
THIS CONDITION MAY INTERFERE WITH THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL RETURNING TO THE IDLE POSITION INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE TWO FLOOR CARPET COVER RETAINING CLIPS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON JULY 24, 2006, AND SHOULD BE COMPLETED BY EARLY SEPTEMBER 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT TOYOTA AT 1-800-331-4331 OR LEXUS AT 1-800-255-3987.
Campaign 06V253000 on NHTSA.gov
Latches/locks/linkages, doors, latchApr 15, 2004
CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES HAVE A CHILD PROTECTION LOCK (CPL) SYSTEM ON BOTH OF THE REAR SIDE DOORS. WHEN AN OPERATOR OF THE VEHICLE CLOSES THE DOOR VERY HARD WITH THE CPL LEVER SET TO THE LOCK POSITION, THERE IS A POSSIBILITY THAT THE LEVER MAY CONTACT THE BODY PANEL, CAUSING THE CPL LEVER TO MOVE INTO THE UNLOCK POSITION.
THIS CONDITION COULD ALLOW THE DOOR TO BE OPENED WITH THE INSIDE WHILE THE OPERATOR BELIEVES THAT THE CPL WAS ACTIVATED. IF THE DOOR WERE OPENED FROM THE INSIDE WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION, AN OCCUPANT COULD FALL OUT AND BE INJURED.
DEALERS WILL SHORTEN THE CPL LEVER. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN MAY 7, 2004. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT TOYOTA AT 1-800-331-4331.
Campaign 04V181000 on NHTSA.gov
Representative owner complaints: visibility
29 reports, newest first. Show all
Visibility, Jul 30, 2007
MOON ROOF BEGAN MAKING SLIGHTLY FUNNY SOUND ON OCCASION, THEN WAS FINE AND STOPPED MAKING NOISE, THEN VERY SHORTLY AFTER WARRANTY WAS UP IT STOPPED OPENING AND WON'T SHUT.*JB
Visibility, Aug 12, 2005
2004 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER DESIGN DEFECT IN THE OUTSIDE SIDE VIEW MIRRORS. *MR THE CONSUMER STARTED ADJUSTING THE LEFT DOOR MIRROR AND DISCOVERED A BLIND SPOT WHEN ANOTHER VEHICLE WAS RIGHT AT THE HIGHLANDERS REAR BUMPER. WHEN APPROACHING A PASSING LANE, THE VEHICLE ABSOLUTELY DISAPPEARS NO MATTER HOW HIGH THE MIRROR WAS ADJUSTED. *SC
Visibility, May 3, 2005
WHILE DRIVING THE NORMAL VIBRATION OF THE VEHICLE CAUSES THE DRIVER'S SIDE VISOR TO FALL DOWN OBSTRUCTING THE VIEW OF THE ROAD. THIS OCCURS FREQUENTLY ESPECIALLY IF THE ROAD IS UNEVEN AND ON THE FREEWAY. THE VISOR CONTAINS A FACTORY GARAGE DOOR OPENER BUILT IN. I AM 6'1" TALL; THUS, THE VIEW OF THE ROAD IS MOSTLY OBSTRUCTED. THIS FIRST OCCURRED AS I WAS DRIVING AT FREEWAY SPEEDS, FORTUNANTLY I WAS NOT INVOLED IN AN ACCIDENT. IF I WAS IN HEAVY TRAFFIC THERE WAS A GOOD CHANCE OF THIS CAUSING AN ACCIDENT. I HAVE CONTACTED TOYOTA REQUESTING INFORMATION ON A QUICK FIX, IF APPLICABLE, AND ASKED IF THEY ARE WILLING TO COVER THE COST OF REPAIRING THE DEFECT AS THE WARRANTY OF THE VEHICLE HAS EXPIRED.
Visibility, Dec 7, 2004
WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, THE DRIVER HEARD A LOUD SQUEAKING NOISE COMING FROM BOTH PASSENGER AND DRIVER REAR WINDOWS. SUDDENLY THE VEHICLE JERKED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE MECHANIC WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM AT THIS TIME. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS. *JB THE CONSUMER STATED THAT SHE ALMOST LOOSES CONTROL DUE TO THE NOISE. THE NOISE FROM THE WINDOW NOT ONLY CHANGES THE AIR PRESSURE WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH OR FASTER IT HURTS BOTH THE DRIVER AND THE PASSENGERS EARS. THE CONSUMER IS UNABLE TO HEAR EMERGENCY VEHICLES AS THEY APPROACH. *TC