Common Problems with Toyota Highlander

Toyota Highlander is a reliable and family friendly SUV. However, like all cars, it does have its share of problems. If you’ve noticed something out of the ordinary happening with your Highlander, read on to find out what could be causing it and how to fix it!

Transmission Failure

The transmission failure can occur in a variety of ways. The traction control light may come on, your car could start to slip or shift problems may arise. You may also notice engine noise, rough shifting or slipping.

If you experience any of these symptoms it may be time to take your Highlander in for service!

Water Leak

When water leaks in the Highlander, it can cause some serious damage. Water can leak into your engine and cause rusting. In some cases, this may lead to the need for an expensive repair or even replacement of a part. Luckily, there are ways you can avoid this problem and keep your Highlander running well for years to come.

To determine if you have a water leak, first check for any spots under your vehicle where water pools up after driving through puddles or rain. If there are no obvious signs of leaks from these sources (such as wet footprints), then look inside your vehicle at places like door seams or around buttons on windows and locks—these areas are common culprits for moisture accumulation due to condensation buildup from high humidity levels within the cabin during winter months or when using air conditioning during summer months (which is why we recommend investing in window tinting).

Common Misdiagnoses

Perhaps the most common misdiagnosis that can be made in relation to a P0122 code is to think that it’s actually a P0122 code. This is an understandable mistake, since both codes relate to the same thing: a voltage drop from the TPS sensor. To avoid this error, make sure you’re looking at the right code for your car!

Power Steering Issue

The power steering fluid leaks from the reservoir. The problem is due to a faulty seal in the reservoir cap. Toyota has issued a recall notice for this issue and has recommended that you contact your dealer so they can replace the cap with a redesigned one.

Oil Leaks

Oil leaks can be a major problem with any engine. They can cause engine damage, as well as other issues with your Toyota Highlander. When you’re having problems with an oil leak, it’s important to first identify where the leak is coming from so that you can fix it.

Here are some common sources of oil leaks:

Check the oil level in your car. If there’s low levels of oil in your car, then this could be causing the leak and needs to be replaced ASAP
Check the oil pan – This is one of the most common places for an engine’s leak to occur so make sure that yours isn’t broken or cracked before proceeding! If there aren’t any cracks yet on yours but they feel loose when touching them firmly (as if something inside wasn’t secured properly), then now would be a perfect time for replacement work! It’ll save money down the road by preventing further damage later on down south

The Car Has Trouble Accelerating

If your Toyota Highlander is having trouble accelerating, you may have a problem with the car’s fuel injection system.

If the car doesn’t get enough air, it won’t be able to start properly or run at full throttle. This could be caused by a faulty intake valve gasket or a leaky mass airflow sensor that needs to be replaced.

If there isn’t enough spark for combustion in the engine, it will stall out during acceleration and also experience rough idling when stopped at traffic lights or stop signs. This means that either spark plugs need replacing or there’s a fault in ignition coil or CDI module (if not using distributorless ignition).

If compression is low in cylinders due to worn piston rings/cylinder head gasket/leaky valves etc., then this will cause poor acceleration and poor performance overall as well as misfires which can lead to further damage if left unchecked

Check Engine Lights are on

If your check engine light is on, it could mean that the car’s computer has detected a problem with one of its components.

But don’t panic! A “check engine” light doesn’t necessarily mean you need to spend thousands of dollars replacing parts in your car. In fact, many times all it means is that you need a new gas cap or that one of the sensors in your vehicle needs a little bit of extra attention.

If you notice that the check engine light is on, take note of what other lights are illuminated as well—and turn around and head back home if they indicate something serious like an overheating engine or fuel leak! If there are no other warning lights on at all and only the “check engine” indicator shows up when driving, then maybe just follow these steps

Cracked Air Intake Hose

One of the most common problems with a Toyota Highlander is a cracked air intake hose.

A cracked air intake hose can cause the engine to overheat, which is obviously not good for your vehicle.

How do you know if you have an issue with your air intake hose?

The first sign of trouble is when your car starts to run rough and experience engine trouble during normal operation or while driving at high speeds on the highway. The second sign that something may be wrong with your vehicle is that it begins to blow smoke out of its exhaust pipes and hear odd noises coming from under the hood when starting up or accelerating quickly. If these symptoms sound familiar, then there’s a good chance that you have a broken pipe somewhere in your system, which means it’s time to take it in for some repairs.

The Engine is Knocking

If the engine is knocking, it means that one or more of the following issues have occurred:

The piston rings have worn out. This can be caused by lack of oil, in which case you’ll need to change your oil more often and not let it get so low. It also might be a sign that your car is consuming too much oil, which could mean that you’re burning more fuel than usual due to worn piston rings.

The valves are worn down and need replacing. This can happen over time as part of normal wear and tear if they haven’t been replaced since they were installed during manufacture, but most likely this would require an expensive trip to the mechanic (and possibly an overnight stay).

Your car has developed a problem with its pistons—the cylinders themselves may have bent or even cracked open; if this happens then your engine will need to be replaced entirely because there’s no way around it other than rebuilding everything from scratch (which costs thousands).

The cylinder head itself has become damaged due to aging or other factors such as overheating/cooling cycles; luckily for us humans who love having transportation options available via vehicle ownership this isn’t usually something we have to worry about unless there’s been some sort of accident involving our Highlander whereupon we’d probably just buy another one anyway.

Rattling Noise from Front Suspension

If you hear a rattling noise coming from the front suspension when going over bumps, it may be caused by a loose strut mount. This can be fixed by tightening the nuts on the struts and bolts on the strut mounts.

Toyota recommends that you check your vehicle’s tires and wheels for proper air pressure every month. If there’s a leak in one of your tires or if it has low pressure, it can cause damage to other parts of your car – including its suspension system.

Conclusion

It’s important to know the symptoms of common problems affecting your Toyota Highlander. This will help you determine if a repair is necessary, or if it can wait until later. If you’re unsure about whether or not to get a certain type of repair done, find another mechanic for a second opinion before deciding.

Check for oil leaks regularly by inspecting under the car and around the engine compartment. Leaks are usually easy to spot in most cases, as they tend to be black or dark brown liquid stains on whatever surface they land on. If you see any oil leaking from your vehicle, take it in immediately so that any underlying damage can be addressed by professionals before it becomes too severe.

If there are no obvious signs of leaking fluids such as oil or coolant (aside from when these fluids have been used up), check underneath the car with a flashlight every few months just in case something has gone unnoticed over time.