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2011 Toyota highlander limited 200k+ miles

4K views 18 replies 8 participants last post by  sweeneyp 
#1 ·
Driving home from work last night I heard a knock in the engine. No flashing engine warning appeared. Checked oil & it is completely empty. NO OIL PRESSURE LIGHT EVER CAME ON PRIOR TO THIS. I'm being told I need a new engine.
 
#5 ·
Unless you spot a ~6 quart puddle, or smoked the hell out of the engine with that 6 quarts spraying all over the place and burning, then you could've simply run out of oil because you didn't check or top it off frequently enough.


●Check the oil level on the dipstick every time you refill the vehicle
 
#9 ·
Mine has a bad timing cover leak at 160k. Leaks on my driveway. I've owned since new and spend tons on maintenance.

Non repairable unless you drop the engine.

And vvt rattle

And rubber oil cooler line

3 bad wheel bearings

Replacement transmission due to TSB whine

Replacement power lift gate due to broken welds/hinges.

Shall I go on?

Did you know the third generation leaks too?

Guess this master Toyota tech is wrong eh?

 
#10 ·
I don't know what you do to your car to cause so many bearing failures, but having been on this site for 10+ years and very involved in it in the past, I've never seen anyone have as many issues as you post...And people post on forums to complain typically, not the other way around. The overwhelming majority never have anywhere near as many issues as you have. Take that how you want. I know of many 2nd gens with several hundreds of thousands of miles and had almost no issues...my old one included. There are little things here and there that are annoyances (transmission whine, vvt-i rattle, timing chain leak; mine had all 3), but they don't cause day-to-day drivability. The oil hoses and tailgate hinges are cheap and fairly easy to replace if your handy. That's <$250 to bulletproof those issues. Did that as well. I understand most don't want to proactively fix things, but that's cheap insurance over the life of the car.

My point with my original post, to say the engine is bad when there is a timing chain cover leak... seems excessive. There are millions of these engines on the road between the 2GR-FE and newer variants, and they are know to last a long time. A lot of fleet cars use them for that reason (think taxi's and siennas).

My $0.02, I'm out lol
 
#11 ·
Its interesting that even your 2gr fe leaked oil too. So they pretty much all do it. My dealer told me mine was low and it needed to be repaired because it would keep leaking and ultimately destroy the engine.

Its a very common problem. I have no issues with repairs and leaks, sh!t happens.

But this isn't easily fixed, you gotta drop the entire engine.

And I posted a link from a Toyota master tech that says he repairs these ALL THE TIME in the 2nd and 3rd gen.

I mean comon if oil leaks are acceptable to you then fine.

But again it's not a coincidence that yours had it too...
 
#12 ·
No oil leaks, oil cooler line fixed UNDER WARRANTY by my dealer PROACTIVELY, already has the metal VVT line. Use right oil and VVT is quiet. Mine is 155k mi and quiet as they come. Other than the last oil change (did myself) has been only at dealer. They install Mobil 1 and of course factory oil filter. Last change I did myself and used factory filter (bought at dealer) and Supertech Advanced Synthetic 0-20 instead of M1. Only work done is ORIGINAL brakes replaced in front at 150k (done at dealer), spark plugs and coolant flush. All at my dealer. Water pump and everything else on the car still the ones it was born with.
I guess some folks are like the Schmoo (from lil Abner) crap follows them.
 
#13 · (Edited)
The timing cover leak is a VERY common issue...so...yeah. even SweenyP has it.

Mine developed at 160k. 5k synthetic changes, diff, trans, coolant flushes, plugs changed etc.

But no amount of maintenence can prevent the leak. Its just a defective FIPG sealant that fails when exposed to oil.

Just Google 2gr fe timing cover leak and you'll get tons of hits in Highlanders, RX350, Camry etc that use that motor. Also Google Car Care Nut, master Toyota tech with hundreds of thousands of followers. He has a whole video on common failures and this is noted

It is STILL happening in the third generation

Glad yours isn't leaking but no amount of maintenance can prevent it.

Mine is quiet as can be as well, but it leaks oil
 
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