Toyota Highlander:  Brake Lights Not Working Diagnosis

Brake lights are one of the most critical safety features that your Toyota Highlander has.  They let other drivers know when you are slowing down, and that they need to slow down too.  If your brake lights aren’t working, you’re way more likely to get rear ended than normal.  The good news is that troubleshooting … Read more

Toyota Highlander Dies After Starting Diagnosis

It can be very disconcerting if your Toyota Highlander is starting and then dies.  It is most likely caused by some type of issue with the electrical or fuel system.  But, there can be other causes as well. Your Highlander’s engine needs 3 things constantly and in the proper proportion to keep running. Air Fuel … Read more

Toyota Highlander: Shaking When Accelerating → Diagnosis

One of the more common issues that can occur is a vehicle that shakes when accelerating.  If your Toyota Highlander is shaking when accelerating, it’s something that should not be ignored.  While the vibration can be annoying, it is often indicative of a serious problem.   Speed Matters Vehicle speed matters when you feel a … Read more

Toyota Highlander:  Lifter Ticking Diagnosis

One of the most annoying things that you can coming from under the hood of your Toyota Highlander is a ticking lifter.  The ticking noise makes it sound like the engine is going to give up the ghost at any time.  There are a few things that can cause a lifter to tick, such as … Read more

Toyota Highlander:  VSC Light Meaning + Diagnosis

The VSC (Vehicle Stability Control) system is a traction/stability control system designed by Toyota and is used on all of their modern cars and trucks, including the Highlander.  Like any other electronics system in a vehicle, it can malfunction.  We’ll go over how the VSC system works and what can cause it to malfunction below. … Read more

Toyota Highlander: P0171 and P0174 Diagnosis

P0171 and P0174 both indicate that there is a lean condition present in your Toyota Highlander.  By themselves, these are some of the most common OBD2 codes.   When they appear together, it indicates that the entire engine is running lean. Definition Both of these codes are generic, which means they have the same meaning … Read more

Toyota Highlander:  Clutch Slipping → Diagnosis

Your Toyota Highlander’s clutch provides a direct connection between the engine and transmission.  Without it, it can’t move at all. This connection requires a tremendous amount of pressure.  This guide is intended to help you determine why your clutch is slipping on the flywheel. Note:  This article is for manual cars only.  Here’s the automatic … Read more