2004 Toyota Highlander Automatic Transmission Problems
- 46
- Owner complaint records in our dataset
Records are owner complaints, not a measured failure rate.
Owner complaint recordsComplaint records reflect reports in our dataset and do not measure how frequently the problem occurs across all vehicles.
Among these 46 stored complaint records:
- 1 indicate a crash
- 1 indicate injury
- 0 indicate fire
What owners report
- automatic transmission · 6 records
- upon acceleration · 5 records
Mileage in stored records
| Band | Records |
|---|---|
| 1–30k mi | 26 |
| 60–100k mi | 5 |
| 30–60k mi | 2 |
| 100–150k mi | 1 |
Complaint records
Owner-submitted complaint content, presented as stored.
Automatic Transmission
Car lags when shifing whn cold. Toyota claims this is 'normal"*ak
ODI 10095823
Automatic Transmission
Press the gas pedal and nothing happens leaving you stuck in traffic. Transmission and or gas kick in 2 seconds later. *jb
ODI 10095883
Automatic Transmission
Toyota 2004 highlander purchased new on 7/1/04 has transmission surging and drivetrain "clunk" when downshifting from 3rd to 2nd gear. Dealer has replaced transmission to no avail and claims it is part of "fly-by-wire" desing by manufacturer. *ak
ODI 10093383
Automatic Transmission
The vehicle has a constant minor hesitation and surging behavior in acceleration and deceleration situations. I don't know if it could be a true 'hazard' but it is quite annoying.*ak
ODI 10093251
Automatic Transmission
Our 2004 toyota highlander has consistent acceleration "delays" that not only make the vehicle a chore to drive but at times can be dangerous ex. Merging with moving traffic.*ak
ODI 10091300
Automatic Transmission
I have owned a 2004 toyota highlander v6 4-wd vehicle since july 10, 2004. About two weeks ago i noticed there was some hesitation upon acceleration and on occasion the vehicle seems to down shift for no apparent reason. This is extremely dangerous when making a left-hand turn against traffic without a turn arrow or pulling out into any kind of traffic. Sometimes it will go - often times there is a 1-2 second delay.…
ODI 10090804
Automatic Transmission · Control Module (Tcm, Pcm)
My 2004 toyota highlander v6 (3.3l with 5-speed transmission) has an intermittent fault where the automatic transmission will abrubtly drop down a gear (or gears) while simultaneously trying to accelerate creating a sensation like it is bucking or porpousing. Usuall stepping off of the accelerator is sufficient to eliminate the bucking sensation. This has occured since i purchased the vehicle new in august 2004.
ODI 10128904
Automatic Transmission
I purchased a toyota highlander in march 2004, largely on the merits of toyota's safety record and user reviews of driveability. Within the first few weeks of driving, i started to notice that there was a hesitation in the throttle upon acceleration at low speeds...as if the car had to "think about it" before deciding to respond. Took it in to dealer who found "nothing wrong"...needed break-in period, he said.…
ODI 10095601
Automatic Transmission
I have a 2004 toyota highlander limited v6 4wd. I was merging on a highway entrance ramp slowing down to time the traffic when i saw a gap to merge. I pressed on the gas and the highlander hesitated and would not accelerate. I keep pumping on the gas and the hl would not accelerate, luckly for me the truck pulling a trailer that i was merging infront of moved to the next lane in time or he would have plowed me into…
ODI 10093622
Automatic Transmission · Vehicle Speed Control
My 2004 toyota highlander makes a terrible humming / moaning sound on acceleration that resonates within the vehicles and disturbs the driver. The problem typically occurs during speeding up from 0 mph. It is terribly frustrating that a brand new car makes such a annoying sound. It is also hesitates a lot during 20-40 mph speed range. The vehicle does not respond as it supposed to on acceleration and that too…
ODI 10104409
Automatic Transmission
When attempting to accelerate to merge with faster moving traffic there is a significant hesitation. I've nearly been hit several times because i just couldn't get up to speed in time. This is a 2004 toyota highlander, v6 awd. I contacted the manufacturer with no results.*ak
ODI 10100216
Automatic Transmission
Vehicle; 2004 toyota highlander limited, v6 engine, auto transmission. There is a definite hesitation/lag/delay in shifting and acceleration. This condition happens almost all of the time and creates a real safety concern. Moderate acceleration will produce this condition. Toyota is aware of this condition but is doing nothing to correct it.
ODI 10090943
Automatic Transmission
2004 toyota highlander with approx. 11,000 miles. 6cyl. 2w/d i have noticed a slight but consistent hesitation between pressing the accelerator and actually accelerating. I recently experienced that when accellerating heavily, as to pass another car, the highlander actually seems to pause, and to even momentarily slow down instead of acellerating. And then it suddenly accelerates. This delay is greater than 1-2…
ODI 10090696
Automatic Transmission
We purchased a 2004 v6/5 speed auto 2wd toyota highlander in june, 04. It has a hesitation problem which creates a safety hazard. It loses power for several seconds after decelerating and re- accelerating to change lanes or make left turns, thereby exposing a powerless, decelerating car to oncoming traffic. Have taken the car to the dealer twice. They claim it is a design problem, they cannot fix. They say it occurs…
ODI 10086822
Automatic Transmission
2004 toyota highlander hesitates on acceleration as when trying to merge into traffic. There is no way to determine when this hesitation will occur making it very dangerous because there is no way to judge when it is safe to merge or when someone might rear end you.
ODI 10096134
Automatic Transmission
Hesitation upon acceleration. Happens each time air conditioner is on...not just an isolated case.*ak
ODI 10095798
Automatic Transmission
2004 toyota highlander hesitates on acceleration making driving in traffic extremely hazardous. It is impossible to merge into traffic and adds more risk to being rear ended. Toyota acknowledges the problem but has no fix. *jb after several attempts to have it repaired i was told there isn't a way to repair it, yet the dealer refuses to refund the cost of a 4 month old car with 5000 miles on it. *jb
ODI 10091128
Automatic Transmission
The vehicle has a dangerous hesitation on low speed acceleration. When slowly rolling forward, and then accelerating, such as to pull out from a side street, the vehicle will often hesitate for 1 second or more. This sometimes results in almost getting into a side impact crash, as the vehicle will not pull across the lane out of the way of on coming traffic. *jb
ODI 10088361
Automatic Transmission
Bought a new '04 toyota highlander may 3. Within a few weeks driving it became dangerous because of hesitation upon acceleration. It is unsafe to drive in heavy/fast traffic. The dealership said they could find no problem until i insisted repeatedly. Then they 'found the problem' but there is no fix. This is dangerous because it will eventually cause someone to be killed. Why isn't toyota responsible for fixing this…
ODI 10088769
Automatic Transmission
I have a 2004 toyota highlander, v6, fwd. The transmission seems to downshift somewhat unexpectedly, but worse, when i need to accelerate quickly such as merging in to traffic on and interstate highway, there is a hesitation or lag before the vehicle starts to accelerate. This problem started when we purchased the vehicle in april and happens on a continuing basis.
ODI 10097988
Automatic Transmission · Delivery
The automatic transmission electronics get confused at street speeds, not allowing me to accelerate, especially when making a left across traffic. I have been nearly t-boned on numerous occasions. I talked to the toyota dealership about a year ago, and the technician said that he was aware of the problem and expects toyota to come up with a software update to fix the problem. Recently, i left a message with the same…
ODI 10144572