[toto]

Mine is straight across the back and gaps are even across the sides of the hatch and identical for both sides.

I believe you, but that's hard to tell from the pictures. The two big pics in your post make it look like the door sticks out a little farther on the passenger side based on the alignment of the lenses for the lights. My point is that It's very difficult to tell how good or bad it is from pictures, because the slightest change in angle can make a gap look huge or it can make the gap look normal.

I looked at mine and the gaps around the edge are all pretty darn even. The driver's side seems just a hair low, based on how the lenses line up, but it's still darn good and you can't really tell unless you run your finger across the gap and over-analyze it. The top edge of mine up by the spoiler looks just like the pics Ruby Red posted, where it almost seems like the curve of the door at the top isn't quite identical to the curve of the roof at the opening. Mine has equal gaps on both sides and it's fine at the top edge of the opening.

Clearly the door is designed to have some tolerance in it for the benefit of the all the motorized parts (the closer and the lift mechanism). Most parts are made to make the car easy to manufacture, and they can't spend 10 minutes per car aligning the door on the assembly line. If all of those motorized parts required very tight tolerance, they'd be completely unreliable in weather extremes (hot or cold). It's probably a good thing that it's designed the way it is.

If the OP's door looks as uneven in person as the pictures 142633 and 142639 make it seem, then the dealer should have had a much better attitude about making an effort to adjust it. Hopefully it all gets worked out.

 

[Ruby Red]

Ok Toyota lovers, last development. The dealer tech rep called me back, he has contacted Toyota with pic , Toyota approved repair, so car ar body shop, so it's either hatch alignment, or repair and replacement. So we shall see what Toyota body shall say about.
But he mentioned, Toyota said as looked the pictures it's not acceptable with a such huge gap and misalignment.

Emmm..... Let's see if the cure is worse than the problem. IF IF IF they replace it, gosh, who knows if the paint will match. Will new noises be introduced. Leaks. Can of worms.

Mine aligns with the roof line in the middle of the roof. If you were to shift things with out bending, that would make it worse. Catching water as you drove.

I will pop the lid and look. It is not freezing here. I can say it is almost warm.... Maybe there is some adjustment, but hard to just guess.

If you are willing to accept the chances of more issues, go for it.

Me not so sure, right now. Those nits are not big enough, bad enough, to get me excited, right now.

 

[__serge]

I have the same issue on my XLE - left side is good, right side is not aligned

 

[phlfly]

So I have picked up car today it's way better not perfect bu better. You can see the hinges bolt got move to diffrent position and still big gap on right side compare to left, just my finger would go between hatch and frame ~0.3 to 0.5 inch and nothing on rigth side. Anyway I think it's ok but not perferct I wish they do a better jon

 

[phlfly]

Just side by side before and after full size pic attac

hed

 

[Ruby Red]

What about at the top?

BTW: My sorry eyes do not see a difference worth noting in the last pictures.

I forgot to take pictures but at the top mine is well off on both sides, but but but, it looks like it needs the clearance to open. I stared at it while I opened and closed the rear lid.

Maybe I can take a video.....but it is close up there.

 

[turtle93]

What about at the top?

BTW: My sorry eyes do not see a difference worth noting in the last pictures.

I forgot to take pictures but at the top mine is well off on both sides, but but but, it looks like it needs the clearance to open. I stared at it while I opened and closed the rear lid.

Maybe I can take a video.....but it is close up there.

Camry too! Terrible fit n finish!

 

[turtle93]

Camry too! Terrible fit n finish!

 

[phlfly]

I got some picture below it's look fine after adjustment. sorry for bad picture I was lazy re-park away from sun this morning.

What about at the top?

BTW: My sorry eyes do not see a difference worth noting in the last pictures.

I forgot to take pictures but at the top mine is well off on both sides, but but but, it looks like it needs the clearance to open. I stared at it while I opened and closed the rear lid.

Maybe I can take a video.....but it is close up there.

 

[phlfly]

toyota needs get a better quality control after line assymb. But may be because of covid and low on staff that has been moved to dealership to worry about and toyota has not refusing to pay dealer for this as they know what is going.

 

[Carlos1972]

I almost don’t care. As long as it seals, closes properly and does not whistle, who cares?????? It is cosmetic in the rear of the car. It is really a $34k body with extra stuff added for higher trims.

There very well may be engineering reasons why they made it fit like this which is not up to our aesthetic expectations.

Face it, it is a mass produced consumer car and not a high end, limited production, ultra finessed luxury exotic. We drive beer pocket book cars. Do not have champagne taste expectations.

They aint see Jeep Grand Cherokee’s famous back door driver side gap... Better dont , they can have a massive heart attack. Worst on a $73K SRT


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[Carlos1972]

Camry too! Terrible fit n finish!

Correct! Prior to the HL I had a 2018 SE Camry, with that same defect, Also the hood and front, too.

But I agree with you. Toyota and other consumer brands are mass production, mass customer service... For better finish and high end customer services are the high end brands, those that give you free coffee, fast wifi, nice music and a loaner with the “ Courtesy Transportation” written on the doors.


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[phlfly]

Dodge is different story, but is it reason we are going and buy Toyota even with 3 years/36K warranty when you get Hyundai with 100K warranty but unknown value loss and bad aging of the interior ?

They aint see Jeep Grand Cherokee’s famous back door driver side gap... Better dont , they can have a massive heart attack. Worst on a $73K SRT


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[phlfly]

we have lots different family cars - first gen Acadia that after 3 years all this interior just look like 20 years old car, traded for used 2005 Lexus RX330 and look inside like "new" well I meant way better even with all plastic controls, than after that 2009 Cadillac Escalade long base, than has door handles just fall apart from touch and interior handle pill off and cut fingers, radio just stop working no reason, the dash board trim cracked as I thought we have been shot, and interior got old so fast. So we switched back to Toyota, and Sienna and I actually loved but I'm 6 and it was uncomfy driver seat and not enough left leg room to rest. For the shorter people is good. But it was great van and my wife love it too. We switched to Highlander as we lots miles (as do Uber part time ) and a deal was really good plus new tech is nice to have as well, less cost actually. Sienna value amazing the trade was great deal .

 

[Brassboy77]

Never really looked at mine until now. Seems better than the original poster but not perfect
The tailgate works fine and doesn’t leak so I guess is okay.

 

[gidiver]

318691[/ATTACH]

I realise it's a little late now as you already got the bodyshop on the case...However the very first thing I noticed looking at the first pic was the visible gasket material in the gap where it runs below the rear window. Not saying the factory did or didn't put the gasket on backwards, but Hatti58 just might be on to something. Could this be an issue with the door gasket?

 

[phlfly]

Door gasket is may be the problem. But its interesting enough above post has same problem on same side of the car. So to me something went wrong with right side installation, gasket or alignment machine.

 

[SmoothRunnings]

Does it affect your ability to drive?
Does anything get through the cracks?

I know if we all were to look at ever little detail on our Highlander we would find all the imperfections. If the imperfections don't cause the vehicle to drive sideways down the roads, leak during car washes, etc. Then don't worry about it because when people see you on the road they aren't going have enough time to see your imperfections.

 

[mlimberg]

We just got Highlander XLE with really good deal during end year sale event from Auto Nation Toyota Leesburg VA. We traded our Sienna as kids big enough to drive. All good its gray I have attached files. But Jan 2 morning when rain finally stopped I walk out to take look what we got as 31/1st all day rain, and I saw rear hatch (tail gate) misaligned with the body see pic. So I got to Toyota as on Wed as we have just over 100 miles and showed them. They called me back same day and said it's all in tolerance limits!!!! Really about 1 cm misalignment is all “fine”. Well also they told today there is auto body person visits dealership, he will take look if any adjustment can be made.



Do we have here Toyota rep? May they take look at pic and tell it’s normal …. View attachment 318691

Keep in mind that the gasket is new around the gate and that over time, and a short amount of time, the gasket will form around the gate and body. I think within a few months, it will look fine, and be in alignment. I've seen it before. You don't want the gasket to leak, so this isn't a bad thing.... and you have 3 years if something goes South....

 

[phlfly]

This cars are not cheap by any means. Just think about sticker price, not what you paid as most of you paid at least 2k to 5 K below sticker price. The well-equipped XLE is 45 K, compare to meduim family income to 68 K. That is 66%. Or its no payment down over 60 months - 800 to 900 dollars a month.
I would manufactures pay more attention to this detail, at least door and hatches align properly, so car would not look crooked.