Toyota - Highlander :: 2002 - Hesitates Upon Acceleration At Low Speeds
Apr 12, 2014
I have a 2002 Toyota Highlander that sort of chokes. At random times while driving, the car hesitates on acceleration, chokes a little, and then continues to accelerate. It is an automatic transmission but it feels like I can feel the shift in gears. usually happens at low speeds (20 mph). no matter time of day or warm up period. I have been having regular maintenance at dealer. there was a caution note that I would need spark plugs replaced... is this it? a result o f needing new spark plugs? or something else?
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My 2002 Toyota Highlander burned up to a quart of oil very 300 miles when on a recent long distance freeway trip. It must be burning it out the back as there is no drip. Clearly, there is a leak, but why only when driving on long freeway trips? Can this be due to pressure build-up and a clogged PCV?
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My 2009 Toyota Highlander Hybrid makes an intermittent noise when I accelerate from a stop or decelerate to a stop. My best description of the sound is a sharp thud or a dull knock (maybe a dull pop). It happens almost exclusively when I accelerate from a full stop or from moving very slowly. A similar sound happens when I decelerate to a full or near stop. I'm very certain that the sound is coming from the rear suspension or drive train of the vehicle, but I have not proven it. When I'm moving along at normal speeds, I don't hear any sounds and the car feels solid. By pure luck, going over the right sort of bumps causes a somewhat similar noise, but that might be a read herring.
Trips to two separate Toyota dealers have not fixed the issue since it is not easily repeatable. The first dealer tried tightening some bolts. The second replaced one of the front(!) struts, tightened bolts and lubricated things. I have managed to reproduce the issue for the second dealer, but the noise wasn't persistent enough for them to track it down.
This type of SUV should be regarded as all-wheel-drive, but power is mostly delivered by the front tires. The rear tires are driven by an independent electric motor and differential. The front and rear drive trains operate separately; the only mechanical connection between them is the rest of the vehicle. I'm wondering if the electric motor could be slipping a little bit.
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During very smooth acceleration at any speed, steering vibration is felt which seems to come from bad engine support absorbers. Dealer said this is normal due to powerful V6 engine. Also hear disturbing exhaust sound when accelerating. Wonder if these conditions are related to steering vibration?
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Every time I reach about 64 mph, the car begins to sputter spontaneously. As I give constant gas to keep it at that speed, the car hesitates, as if the gas isn't combusting consistently. This sputter also happens sometimes when I'm simply accelerating for example from a stop sign, however, it is CONSISTENTLY doing it at about 64 mph. I can go faster and the sputtering seems to lessen (at 70+mph, as long as I'm accelerating). Took to mechanic, he couldn't figure it out, although they suggest getting yet another computer.I've replaced:Distributor capDistributorSpark plugsComputer (from ebay, remanufactured)
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I am trying to replace the alternator. I have removed the top pivot bolt, the lower bolt going through the tensioning device, and the bolt that adjusts the tension. The thing still won't come out. I can move it up and down (like it is pivoting on the pivot bolt) but it won't come out from between the area that the pivot bolt slides into. Tried using a large screwdriver to pry it out but it doesn't budge.
Is there a secret to remove this that I haven't discovered?
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Everything electric works fine, windows, radio and all. The car will not start. New battery, still no start, not even trying. Put a new starter on and still nothing, but when you arc it you can hear it free spinning next to the fly wheel.... what to do next? some people have said it needs to be shimmed, how would I go about trying that?
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In my 2002 Highlander, the top cluster of my center console controls (clock, hazard lights, passenger seatbelt warning, cycle air button, A/C button, rear defrost) have not been working for about two and a half weeks. It's been on my radar, but I hadn't had time to take it in yet. Drove fine, A/C worked, all of that – mostly just the clock was an inconvenience.
Two weekends ago, my battery died. Took it in, Advance checked it out and topped off the fluids, cleaned corrosion and sent me on my way – said the corrosion might just be shorting it out (it was bad), but that while the battery was old (4.5yrs) it might still be fine, so to try that and come back in 100 miles or so before buying a new battery.
Worked fine that week, died this past Saturday. Went in to get a replacement battery, had it put in, all good. Chugged a little on the first start after the battery was installed, had them check the starter/alternator, they were fine. Started normal after the first time.
Went to leave, and noticed my air conditioning was now coming out of the defrost, instead of the forward setting I left it on. Long story short, now that dial doesn't work, and I can't change the airflow direction. (Something with the battery resetting the switch to the default).
The temperature control still seems to work – it doesn't get quite as cold as it did (not sure if that's a new issue as well, or just how the defrost portion works). I can also still change the strength of the air blowing out – basically, the other two A/C controls work, I just can't change WHERE it's blowing out.
My guess was that it would be fuse-related, but I checked all the fuses that I could tell from the manual might have something to do with the A/C (or the center console controls I mentioned), and none looked blown/broken. What I could look for?
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150,000 No loss of power. Only very small loss of oil in 3000 miles. Could it be valve seals. At what point is this a fix it problem. Would like to run car as long as possible. Great car. I had valve seals replaced years ago in a Chevy 305. That was so bad that I needed a stand off plug to prevent fouling and skipping. Should I look to trade or will the fix not be too bad.
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I have a 2002 Toyota Highlander 6 cyl, 148,000 miles. I get a cloud of white smoke from the tailpipe upon starting a cold engine. Smokes for about 1-2 minutes, then smoke stops.
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I have a 2002 Toyota Highlander. The rear right turn signal and break light don't work when I apply the brakes. When I use the turn signal or brakes while driving or parked there is no problem, but once I apply the break the back right side does not work. The light bulbs also burn out faster on that side.
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My 02 F150 4.6 has 84K miles on it, and started stumbling/hesitating during accellartion about three weeks ago. Before this problem started (about 2,000 miles ago), I installed a new fuel filter and air filter. Since I noticed the problem, I installed new plugs. The problem didn't go away, so today I checked the fuel pressure. At idle the pressure is 32psi with the vacuum line left on the fuel pressure regulator (30-45 is normal as per Chilton's), and 42 with the vacuum line off (40-50 is normal as per Chilton's). I also had someone else rev the engine so I could observe, and found that the fuel pressure went as low as 28 when the engine speed was quickly increased. The standing fuel line pressure is 30 (30 is normal as per Chilton's) Does this sound like a fuel pump problem, or is there something else that I'm missing.
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Intermittent problem, noticed mostly at low speeds, where car will buck or lurch forward. Most noticeable when accelerating after a slowdown, i.e. applying gas after coasting. No check engine lights, oil & transmission fluid is full. Car has 105K miles, tranny & coolant flushed every 30K, oil changed every 3K, tuneup w/plugs& wires @ approx. 93K, timing belt @ 70k. This car is a gem, mostly driven on the highway that has been perfect until now. Things I've considered doing: replacing timing belt, transmission solenoid, computer sensor that controls tranny. My suspicion is its tranny related but maybe not. Is there a way to check/set the timing on this car? I remember years ago using a timing light on my chevy. This is weird, it will run perfect smooth in the morning and rough with lurching in the afternoon. Could be a total coincidence but it seems to run ok when its cool and not so when it is hotter.
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I have a 2002 4Runner that has recently developed a vibration at freeway speeds. I purchased new tires about two months before the vibration started. I have been back to the place where I bought my tires and the assure me that they are balanced.
I have been dealing with this problem for the past couple of months and have been getting nowhere. When I took my 4Runner into the dealership to get the lower ball joint replaced I spoke with the service folks about the vibration problem and all I got in response was "we've never heard of that before".
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Just as the title says, 214k great shape just wont get going more you mash the less it goes.... fuel pump already replaced, can undo battery and take a while to reset feels to do fine then goes back to bogging down... TPS ? idle air control?
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I have a 1998 Jeep Cherokee with a straight 6. Lately I have been having trouble with hesitation when I accelerate. It happens at all speeds. It is a stick shift, and as I push in the clutch pedal, the engine races a bit and then as a let it out the car hesitates and/or bucks if I don't give it a shit load of gas. Also, if I let off the gas completely and then try to accelerate quickly it will pause and buck unless I do it really gradually. This problem is intermittent, so I am thinking it might be something with a sensor. Also, if it stalls out completely, restarting the car requires me to hold the gas to the floor. I have already replaced the camshaft and throttle position sensors. Not sure what the deal is.
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My 2008 Ford Focus SE hesitates at highway speeds, seems to decelerate and accelerate, sometimes more, sometime less and sometime not at all. dosn't seem to affect the acceleration.
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About a year ago our headlights were getting dim . Our dealer referred us to a company that had a process to polish the lights and restore their brightness. Now after a year or so the lights are again cloudy and need attention. I purchased a kit but haven't tried it yet because of winter in Wisconsin.
I've also read that toothpaste can be used to clean and polish the lens on headlights.
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Looking to buy a used bmw x3 (75K miles) 2006 model versus a toyota highlander limited hybrid 2010 with 65K miles. The bmw is priced at 14K, while the highlander is priced at 26K. Both cars drive good, clean records. However the hybrid I fear has hidden costs.
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I just bought an 05 Camry with 40k miles. Runs great. Decided I'd have a tranny flush and coolant flush done. Oil was done recently. A couple hundred miles later and today I've got a noticeable hesitation when accelerating. It's not a herky jerky stutter, but a smooth, consistent like a loss of power like I'm quickly letting my foot off and back on the accelerator. Doesn't seem to do it when not in gear, just under acceleration. Checked trsnny fluid and it's ok and full.
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Purchased this car new. 2008 GLS w/ V6 2.7L engine. Wife's car, so I rarely drive it. She's complained for a month about an intermittent issue with the jar "jerking", usually during slow speeds.
I felt it for the first time myself. Was halfway through a pretty tight curve at around 20 MPH, starting to slowly accelerate when I felt a definitive lurch. might have been momentary loss of acceleration, or transmission. Not sure which. No CEL thrown.
I did see another thread mentioning a 2007 with a similar issue, but that person had codes thrown that pointed to a Throttle position sensor and a need to reflash a transmission. Think I'm seeing the same situation, or would this be different ? Absent any CEL, I'm sure the dealer will not be able to find it....
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