MY TOYOTA HIGHLANDER HYBRID '08 HAS ALWAYS HAD A UNNERVING BRAKING ISSUE. OFTEN, ESPECIALLY AT SLOWER SPEEDS, WHEN I FIRST APPLY THE BRAKES, INSTEAD OF BRAKING, THE CAR ACTUALLY JUMPS FORWARD. I HAVE ASKED THE TOYOTA SERVICE (WHERE I GET MY OIL CHANGED) ABOUT THIS AND THEY SAY IT'S JUST THE WAY THE HYBRID BRAKE SYSTEM WORKS. WHILE I HAVEN'T GOTTEN IN AN ACCIDENT BECAUSE OF THIS DELAYED BRAKE RESPONSE (KNOCK ON WOOD), IT REALLY DOES NOT SEEM LIKE AN APPROPRIATE WAY FOR BRAKES TO WORK. DO THE PRIUS HYBRIDS AND THE HIGHLANDER HYBRIDS SHARE THE SAME BRAKING SOFTWARE? *TR
2006
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
MY 17-YEAR-OLD DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING ON I-5 IN NORTHERN CALIFORNIA. SHE HAD CRUISE CONTROL SET AT 70MPH AND WAS TRAVELING UP HILL WHEN CRUISE CONTROL SUDDENLY POPPED OFF AND CAR WENT DEAD. SHE HAD NO POWER, AND POWER STEERING WENT OUT. SHE MANAGED TO COAST TO THE CREST OF THE HILL AND DOWN THE OTHER SIDE TO PULL OFF THE ROAD, BUT WAS IN A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION NEAR TRUCK WEIGH STATION WITH BIG RIGS PULLING ON AND OFF HIGHWAY. CAR HAD TO BE TOWED TO DEALERSHIP. WE WERE INFORMED THAT HYBRID INVERTER WAS DEAD AND WOULD COST $8,000.00+ TO REPAIR. CONTACTED CORPORATE AND WAS INFORMED THAT SINCE THE CAR WAS OUT OF WARRANTY THEY WOULD OFFER NO ASSISTANCE IN REPAIR COSTS. HAVE SINCE HEARD OTHER SIMILAR STORIES REGARDING 2006 TOYOTA HYBRIDS. *TR
