Problems with 2005 Toyota Highlander ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Short in master window switch

Tl* the contact owns a 2005 toyota highlander. after the vehicle was started, the abs, traction control off, vsc, tire pressure, and emergency brake warning lights illuminated. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where the technician was not able to diagnose the failure. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was not notified of the failure. the failure mileage was 134,000. ...updated 09/28/15 *bf the consumer stated the vehicle would lose steering control as if the vehicle was going to lose power. the consumer stated it would happen on an intermittent basis. updated 10/06/15*jb

When i started my car i noticed the abs,brake,tire,trac off&vsc lites were all lit. i couldn't get a diagnosis from mechanic.these lights continue to stay lit. i don't know if it is safe. i have read at least a hundred of the same complaint on blogs.

Driving down the freeway the rear passenger wheel locked up. had to cut across two lanes of traffic to the side. the wheel still totally locked when it had to be dragged onto a flat bed. luckily there was no injuries. still not 100% sure or what's wrong but guessing it has something to do with the traction/abs control system. they really should look into a recall because this seems to be a common issue. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2005 toyota highlander. the contact stated that the power windows failed to properly function for the front passenger side window intermittently and the rear windows failed to electronically close and open. the vehicle was taken to (texas toyota of grapevine, 701 e state hwy 114, grapevine, tx 76051, (817) 329-5949) for inspection and diagnosis. in addition, the vin was included in nhtsa campaign number: 11v112000 (vehicle speed control) and the contact was uncertain as to when the dealer may provide the repair. the manufacturer stated that the vehicle was excluded from an electrical recall to service the power master window switch failure for the windows. the failure mileage was not available. parts distribution disconnect.

Air conditioner, can be on the coldest seating and then turn extremely hot. seems like when a bump is hit, it effects when this happens.

For a few days the driver side door lock hesitated opening with remote key access. after a few days, it would not unlock at all. the key does not unlock the door either. i must enter on the passenger side to unlock driver side door. *tr

This problem was for the heating and a\c. this website tells of the problem in the manufacture of the vehicle: www.devalcourt.com/2010/03/fixing-2004-toyota-highlander-ac-and-heat-issue/ . the way toyota made the wiring (too short for the dial) was faulty in that, after repeated use (who doesn't use their heating and a/c regularly?) the wires would break off causing a short. whenever we drive over a bump in the road, the a/c shifts to heat or the heat shifts to a/c. we used to remove the cover of the knob and tighten the hex nut there, but now that doesn't work. this is especially worrisome in the winter when the defrost shifts to a/c and the front window starts to "fog" up. this makes for extremely dangerous driving and inhibits your ability to see clearly and navigate the roads. this should be considered a design flaw by toyota and should be recalled. please note, on the website mentioned above -- there are many more year models (2001, 2004 were also mentioned) that are affected by this. thank you! *tr

Car loss control due to electrical power is gone. car loss speed at 45mph and has to pull over and stop. diagnosis latter found battery is good, but alternator is bad. in my case, battery was replaced 2 years ago. *tr

On 7/23/2011 i was at a complete stop in my vehicle. i was hit from behind by a car traveling 70mph+ and pushed into a car in front of me. the air bag light went off, but air bags did not deploy.

Tl*the contact owns a 2005 toyota highlander hybrid. the contact stated that while driving approximately 25 mph, the inverter stalled. all the warning lights illuminated after the failure. the vehicle was able to be restarted but it would not move. the vehicle was towed where the contact was informed that the inverter had failed. the vehicle was repaired. the failure mileage was approximately 55,000. the vin was unavailable.

Toyota highlander 2005 - 4 cyl driving in the rain, over puddles of water that create a splash up to about 3/4 the height of the tire (passenger side), will cause the discharge warning light to come on and cause loss of power steering (hard to turn). suddenly, the warning light will go off and power steering will return. this is my wife's vehicle and i just noticed this issue recently while driving in heavy rain. the fault is repeatable as i noticed it for a second time today, and i managed to have it repeat the failure every time. this failure can cause a serious accident. in a rainstorm it will be typical to create a splash when turning into another street, as it is common for water to pond at the turn. loss of power steering will cause the driver to turn the wheel harder, and when the power steering returns, then the vehicle will likely oversteer and spin out or hit anything on the direction that it is oversteered into. this incident actually occurred in two separate occasions when i was turning in the rain. the first was ...

2005 toyota highlander. erratic temperature control from heater. when set on cool will suddenly blow hot air and vice versa. on-line complaints indicate this is a common problem resulting from defective control unit in this and other toyota vehicles over several years. the control know comes loose and then the wiring behind it breaks from the circuit board resulting in erratic air temperatures. i also have concern that this electrical failure could cause other electrical shorts or problems. dealer recommends replacement of entire control unit at prices ranging from $500 to $1500. on-line consumers report fix only requires resoldering the 3-wire contacts at a cost of a few dollars. it is obvious toyota knows about this issue and the relatively easy fix documented with pictures on-line but continues to deny that it is their problem. it is a manufacturing defect that should have been dealt with several years ago, but charging owners huge fees for replacing a simple component seems to be what toyota feels is the appropriate solution. *tr

Heater/ac functions intermittently then fails completely. well know problem where placement of ribbon cable to potentiometer breaks loose, partially (intermittent failure), then completely (total failure). quoted cost at any dealership $900-$1,000. i did repair myself in one hour for a cost of $10. quick search on the web uncovered many many of same incident and, fortunately, detailed repair instructions.

I wish to report a safety defect on my 2005 toyota highlander. when traveling at speeds above about 35 mph i cannot hear the turn signal clicker. i am 69 years old, but do not have any significant hearing loss. not being able to hear the clicker sometimes causes me to leave the turn signal on when it should be off. although i have not had any accidents due to this problem, it could cause other drivers to make hazardous decisions. for example, if i had my right turn signal on by mistake someone waiting to make a right turn onto the roadway could be thinking i was about to make a right turn off the road. i've contacted toyota about changing to a louder flasher, but they do not have one. they were not able to help me at all. yes, the turn signal indicator lights work on the dash, but they are not in my field of view when i'm looking at the road and looking at them is an unnecessary distraction. i think audible turn signal indicators should be on all cars and the sound level should ...