Complaint 2203854

Complaint Summary

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Owner Narrative

Door lock actuators, yes it is available for inspection. Doors cannot be locked or unlocked with a remote key fob or the interior power door locks. Lock defect poses a significant safety hazard in that a single or multiple doors may not lock at any time, whether the vehicle is on or off and despite actions or commands by the driver. The alleged defect is dangerous to passengers as it can cause unintentional door openings while a vehicle is in use, result in inoperable doors during emergency situations, and leave a vehicle and any contents therein more vulnerable to theft. This poses serious safety concerns, for example when vehicles are involved in vehicular accidents because the occupants may become entrapped when the Door Actuator Defect prevents an occupant from unlocking the doors. Furthermore, this defect jeopardizes the safety of vehicle occupants given that not all doors are capable of being manually unlocked from the exterior. Since owning my highlander I've taken it to the dealership several times for this issue. The front door driver and passenger were replaced and a lock switch however dealership claimed they could not recreate the issue for all doors yet the issue continued and is noted several times in service history. Even when under warranty they refused to change the parts despite multiple service notes and verbal compilations due to their claim of not being able to recreate the issue. There were no warning lights or messages or other symptoms prior to failure. I've had this car since 2019 and it's been an issue notably since 2021. I fear the safety of myself, my family and other passengers are compromised every time we enter the vehicle.

Owner-submitted narrative on file with NHTSA. Complaint narratives are self-reported and have not been verified.