This is an online automotive information provider of a detailed information on complaints, defects and recalls for Toyota HIGHLANDER 2003 engine and engine cooling cooling system. Our users can find data on mass market car models from most popular brands. The service allows to compare and analyze statistics for reported problems, complaints, recalls for various manufacturers. We hope our site will help with selecting of a reliable and safe car. By using this tool, you will be able to get records with description of safety issues for vehicles, equipment, tires and child restraints. These issues include safety recalls for your Toyota HIGHLANDER 2003 engine and engine cooling cooling system and complaints other owners have filed.

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2003 Toyota HIGHLANDER Engine And Engine Cooling Cooling System Problems, Complaints and Defects

Issue ID	723973
Internal NHTSA #	10268801
Manufacurer	TOYOTA MOTOR CORPORATION
Brand	TOYOTA
Model	HIGHLANDER
Model Year	2003
File date	01/11/07
Component	ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM
Product type code	VEHICLE
Description of the problem	While driving on the highway, my engine temp in my 4 cyl, 4wd 2003 highlander suddenly spiked high. I had to pull of the road. Towed to dealer. Dealer said bolts on short block of engine were stripped and allowed coolant to leak out and engine overheated. I was at 68,000 miles, so over the warranty period. I took it to my local dealer and they said i had a bad water pump... I paid to have that fixed, but the car still overheated. I took it back to the dealer and they then said it was the engine itself.. The short block, something about the screws were stripped, that i had gotten a bad engine with stripped screws. Dealers service manager told me this was a known issue on some 4cyl 2003 highlander but couldn't help me as it was out of warranty!!! The service manager called me back later and said that toyota would help out... I ended up paying a total of almost $1000 for the replacement short block, with toyota paying the rest of the cost for the short block replacement. This was on top of the cost i paid just a few days prior for a water pump that turned out to not be the issue. Very frustrating... I have all my receipts for maintenance and for these repairs. I am filling out this complaint over a year after the incident, because i have seen the same thing in the complaints and wanted to add mine. I do have all the documentation for my repairs for this and am more than willing to answer any questions, thank you.
Vehicle Mileage at Failure	68000
Number of Occurences	1
Source of the issue	NHTSA WEB SITE
City and State	PUYALLUP, WA
VIN pattern	JTEHD21A430XXXXXX
Was vehicle invloved in a crash?	N
Was vehicle involved in a fire?	N
Was incedent reported to police?	N
Was medical attention required?
Was part original equipment?
No. of injured persons
No. of fatalities
Date of purchase	08/08/26
Was original owner?	N
Anti-lock brakes	N
Cruise control	N
Number of cylinders	4
Drive train type	4WD
Transmission type
Vehicle speed	65
DoT tire identifier
Tire size
Location of tire code
Type of tire failure code
Was defective tire repaired?
Date of manufacture
Type of child seat code
Type of restraint
Dealer's name
Dealer's telephone number
Dealer's city
Dealer's state code
Dealer's ZIP code

What is Recall?
A recall is when a product is removed from the market or a correction is made to the product because it is either defective or potentially harmful.
What is Failure?
Failure is the state or condition of not meeting a desirable or intended objective, and may be viewed as the opposite of success. Product failure ranges from failure to sell the product to fracture of the product, in the worst cases leading to personal injury, the province of forensic engineering.
What is Defect?
Non-conformance of a car component with the specified requirements, or non-fulfillment of user expectations, including the safety aspects.

Last decoded VIN:

5NMSHDAGXAH392118 VF7YD3MFB12C24653 WBA1H1107EVZ98768 WDC1660562A620537 LVMCAHEL3TDC11571 XW8ZZZ61ZEG062657 KMHDH4AE7BU102785 1N4AL3A98DC219390 2FMPK3J93KBC06742 1GKUKJE36AR238442 WAUZZZ8E68A003201 1GKFC16J77J174082

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2003 Toyota HIGHLANDER Engine And Engine Cooling Cooling System Problems, Complaints and Defects, Recalls and Failures

2003 Toyota HIGHLANDER Engine And Engine Cooling Cooling System Problems, Complaints and Defects

What is Recall?

What is Failure?

What is Defect?