Highlander Hybrid improvement list - GreenHybrid

MI-HiHy · #1 (**permalink**) 05-06-2006, 06:18 AM

Its been almost two months since I picked up my HiHy. Overall I am very pleased with the vehicle but there are a few areas that could be improved.

Telescoping steering wheel - even my '02 Passat had a tilt/telescoping wheel!
Audio jack for mp3 player - vehicles for 1/2 the price have one
Internal lighting control - in order to see the stereo/fan controls the main dash lights have to be turned up to a VERY bright setting. The dash should have separate controls from the center console.
Window lock - it should NOT lock the driver's window controls, only the passenger controls!

Its doubtful anyone from Toyota will see this and it is likely many of these issues will be addressed in the next Highlander, but I just felt like venting

Dirty Hybrid · #2 (**permalink**) 05-07-2006, 02:34 PM

I definately see the telescoping wheel issue, especially on the freeway. I'm 6'5" and I like to lean back a bit but w/o the telescoping I've got to stay much more upright than is ultimately comfortable.
Have you seen the new one coming out? I"m sure it's got all the b and w you desire...but I think it's kinda ugly.

MI-HiHy · #3 (**permalink**) 05-13-2006, 06:12 AM

One more thing to add:

5) a new horn!

I believe the current one was taken from a clown car at the circus. After two months of ownership I had to finally use the horn. The person in front of me at a stoplight was so preoccupied with their cell phone call that they failed to notice the light was green. After about five seconds I tapped the horn to get their attention... and busted out laughing when I heard it!

petesell · #4 (**permalink**) 05-26-2006, 10:21 AM

agreed. horn sound is too wimpy for an suv. i'd like to replace it w/aftermarket horn, but that's pretty low on my list of things to do.

hsolo142 · #5 (**permalink**) 05-26-2006, 01:21 PM

This is a nit pick. But, sometimes when I start the HiHy, the climate control settings is set to re-circulate, even if it wasn't set to that when I had turned the engine off from the prior trip.<<<
Need a save/restore settings for the power seat. I know... whah... but it really is necessary if you have more than 1 person driving the HiHy regularly.<<<
There MUST be a way to not have to select that legal mumbo-jumbo Warning message every single friggin' time you start the HiHy and the navigation system. That's ridiculous! I checked out a friend's benz which also has a nav system, and it doesn't have a Warning nag screen.<<<
Ability to input addresses, etc in the nav system while the HiHy is moving. That this is disabled why the vehicle is moving is of course, a safety feature, but its real, real annoying especially if you have person in the front passenger seat who can be inputting this info while you drive. It's also helpful if you're just plain lost and want to hit home to get yourself unlost... have to stop the vehicle? what if I'm on the freeway? Anyways, again with the friend's benz's nav system... it can also accept input while the car is driving. (note: to Toyota's credit, their nav system kicks benz's butt. their's isn't even a touch screen. you have to click on buttons on the side)<<<
More power when reversing. Has anyone tried going in reverse from a full stop up an incline? It's cool that it's all electric. It's not so cool that you have to push down the accelerator quite a bit before that power kicks in. Very disconcerting, especially going backwards up an incline.<<<
More fuel economy, same power. When you're cruising on the freeway, it would be great if the HiHy could shut down a couple of it's cylinders (to effectively operate as a V4 and get the corresponding fuel economy). Honda's Odyssey currently does this. However, what is annoying about Honda's implementation is that this results in a pause in power when you're trying to accelerate (presumably as it transitions from a V4 to a V6). However, with a hybrid, I would think the electric power could compensate for that potential perceived dip in power.<<<
Rear camera and video interface on nav screen. The Lexus SUV hybrid (400h) already provides this feature. I think for families this should be a standard option that the customer should be able to add.<<<
Something... I dunno what, to keep things from banging/rolling around in that big ol' "trunk" space. I've never had an SUV before, so I'm not used to all that cargo space. So I guess this is a common problem for all SUVs.<<<
Another nit pick: ability to adjust the climate control settings without having to turn the climate control on. (only applicable for those with a nav system). If I know I don't want A/C, but the A/C was on the last time I used the climate control, I should be able to turn off the A/C before I turn on the climate control.<
I've mentioned this before, and I'll mention it again. That warning chime when the passenger seat belt is not fastened is annoying as hell, especially when the frequency starts increasing. That's has got to be toned down. I've never seen this safety "feature" before in any other vehicle. It's condescending in my view; like we're a bunch of little children that need to be reminded to eat their vegetables.<

tomdavie · #6 (**permalink**) 05-26-2006, 05:55 PM

gang

i gotta agree that the nav screen warning is annoying.

inability to imput addresses while moving is just dumb.

need upgrade to the sound system -esp in a $40k car

and of course, the PLUG IN OPTION -but im currently dreaming on that one.

hsolo142 · #7 (**permalink**) 05-26-2006, 06:55 PM

Although I don't have either of these, this is probably important to a lot of folks:

Support for iPod
Option for satellite radio (XM)

DesertHH · #8 (**permalink**) 05-26-2006, 11:30 PM

Bypass the nav input-address-while-moving lockout by:

Press the Menu button on the dash.
Press the Volume button on the screen.
Press the upper left corner of the screen. (Where the speaker icon is located.)
Press the lower left corner of the screen.
Press the upper left corner of the screen again.
Press the lower left corner of the screen again.

On the screen that appears:
Press the Override button and hold it until you hear a beep. The Override letters turn black in color showing it is deselected.
Press the Back button to get back to the previous screen.

Destinations can be entered while the vehicle is moving. The lockout will remain disabled until nav power is cycled.

thanks to
http://hybridcars.about.com/od/ownership/ss/navigation.htm

hsolo142 · #9 (**permalink**) 05-27-2006, 09:30 AM

DesertHH,

Wow, thanks for that tip! Too bad we can't save that setting. Does anyone know what all those other menu options do? The TEL voice sounds intriguing... I wonder what other "easter egg" diag stuff is hidden in this thing?

hsolo142 · #10 (**permalink**) 05-27-2006, 09:36 AM

That site that DesertHH provided also has a article for getting iPod support: http://hybridcars.about.com/od/owner...dSoundlinQ.htm

Here's another for the rear camera + video interface in nav system: http://www.coastaletech.com/hybrid_highlander.htm