Q: Lost oil until motor siezed
I am pretty surprised with the fact that my 2008 Toyota Highlander is already having severe problems mechanically. I went for Toyota because of their stellar reputation with reliability. The timing belt cover is leaking out oil at 72,000 miles and now it looks like the repair cost is gonna be in the four-digits. Not happy at all. Were there signs I missed that could have prevented this issue? What can I do to avoid this in the future?
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This is a common issue for this generation of Highlander. Toyota released a technical service bulletin (TSB) related to cam housing oil leaks. The associated TSB (T-SB-0321-08) covers the inspection, diagnosis and repair of the cam housing oil leak. However, coverage under this TSB is only applicable during the 60 month/60,000 mile power train warranty period. Your local Toyota dealer can provide further information. If the unit is not covered under warranty, a local mechanic (like those with YourMechanic) can perform the TSB repairs. It is worth noting that this is a very thorough repair that takes about 18 hours of labor to complete. Unfortunately, there is not much that could have been done to prevent this as it was a manufacturing defect. The best way to avoid this in the future is to research, research, and research before purchasing a new or used vehicle.
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