| Issue ID | 1569128 |
| Internal NHTSA # | 11217171 |
| Manufacurer | Toyota Motor Corporation |
| Brand | TOYOTA |
| Model | HIGHLANDER |
| Model Year | 2008 |
| File date | 27/04/19 |
| Component | ENGINE |
| Product type code | VEHICLE |
| Description of the problem | The car was traveling approx. 65 mph on the freeway when suddenly i noticed smoke coming up from under the hood. I immediately pulled off the freeway and in the process noticed the engine sounding different and performance level quickly dropping. I then noticed the oil light come on, so i continued to find the first safe spot available to pull over. I then called aaa and they had to tow the vehicle because the car had evidently drained all of its oil, leaving a puddle. The car was then towed to neighborhood car care in mission viejo. It was noticed at the shop that the engine and compartment were covered in oil. I was told the engine oil cooler line had failed and would need to be replaced with an upgraded part. I was also informed that having the engine coated in oil is a fire hazard, and he told me i was lucky my engine didn't catch fire while on the freeway. He told me after the repair, that i would need to get the engine and compartment cleaned to avoid a fire. Out of concern of the potentially dangerous situation i was in, i contacted toyota. They were aware of the probable failure of the part, and said there was a warranty, but they don't inform customers unless they have a failure within the warranty period. Had i been informed of this potential danger, i would have had it repaired immediately, before putting myself and family at risk. |
| Vehicle Mileage at Failure | 149259 |
| Number of Occurences | |
| Source of the issue | NHTSA WEB SITE |
| City and State | MISSION VIEJO, CA |
| VIN pattern | JTEDS42A282XXXXXX |
| Was vehicle invloved in a crash? | N |
| Was vehicle involved in a fire? | N |
| Was incedent reported to police? | N |
| Was medical attention required? | N |
| Was part original equipment? | |
| No. of injured persons | |
| No. of fatalities | |
| Date of purchase | 07/08/26 |
| Was original owner? | N |
| Anti-lock brakes | N |
| Cruise control | N |
| Number of cylinders | |
| Drive train type | |
| 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 |