# 2008 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER — ENGINE
> NHTSA complaint `1691045` · 2020-09-09 · Toyota Motor Corporation
## Severity
- **Deaths:** 0
- **Injured:** 0
- **Fire:** Yes
- **Crash:** No
- **Police report:** No
- **Medical attention:** No
- **Vehicle towed:** No
## Vehicle
- **Make:** TOYOTA
- **Model:** HIGHLANDER
- **Year:** 2008
- **Manufacturer:** Toyota Motor Corporation
- **Component:** ENGINE
- **Miles at failure:** 131,000
- **Speed:** 35 mph
## Narrative
I HAD AN ENGINE OIL COOLER HOSE RUPTURE AT 131000 MILES.  I LEFT AN OIL SLICK A MILE LONG ON THE STREET CAUSING A HAZARD IN THE ROAD AND A MESS IN MY GARAGE.  ENGINE OIL HAD SPRAYED ALL OVER THE LOWER HALF OF THE ENGINE AND ONTO THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER WHICH WAS HEAVILY SMOKING AND I NOTICED A SMALL FIRE DOWN IN THE LOWER HALF OF THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT SO I HAD TO POUR WATER ON THE FIRE.  TOYOTA HAS KNOWN ABOUT THIS ISSUE FOR A GOOD 7 YEARS BECAUSE I RECEIVED A "WARRANTY ENHANCEMENT NOTICE" (ZE2) IN 2014 STATING THAT THE OIL COOLER HOSE COULD SPRING A "LEAK" AND THEY WERE EXTENDING THE WARRANTY FOR SAID PART TO 10 YEARS OR 150,000 MILES.  BUT TOYOTA PLAYED DOWN THE SEVERITY OF THE ISSUE STATING THAT A MAJORITY OF VEHICLES WITH THIS KNOWN DEFECTIVE PART WOULDN'T FAIL.  TOYOTA KNEW THAT THE RUBBER HOSE WILL FAIL ON ALL VEHICLES DUE TO THE HEAT/COOL CYCLE BY ITS CLOSE PROXIMITY TO THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER (ABOUT 6 INCHES AWAY) SO THEY REDESIGNED THE OIL COOLER LINES TO BE ALL METAL.  ALL TOYOTA/LEXUS VEHICLES WITH THE 2GR-FE ENGINE (2007-2011) WILL EXPERIENCE THIS CATASTROPHIC FAILURE OF THE RUBBER OIL COOLER HOSE(S) OVER TIME AND I'M SURE VEHICLE FIRES HAVE ALREADY HAPPENED DUE TO THIS KNOWN DESIGN FLAW.
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*Source: [NHTSA ODI](https://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/downloads/) · AI Analytics · CC0 1.0*