Toyota Highlander problems, complaints & recalls by model year
Across 8 model years (2018–2025), NHTSA has logged 2,062 owner complaints and 21 safety recalls for the Toyota Highlander. That averages 44.5 complaints per year on the road — a typical number of complaints (index 1.06 against all tracked vehicles). Within the Midsize SUVs segment it ranks #7 of 14 for fewest complaints per year; the segment average is 53.1.
Counts are normalized by time on the road, not by sales volume: a popular model generates more reports than a rare one, and complaints are not verified individually. How we count
Analysis
Across eight model years from 2018 to 2025, NHTSA has logged 2,062 owner complaints and 21 safety recalls for the Toyota Highlander, with the 2021 model year showing the highest rate at 91.0 complaints per year while the 2025 model year shows the lowest at 5.4. The most common problem area is Transmission / powertrain, which accounts for 29.4% of complaints and occurs 2.5 times as often here as across all tracked vehicles, with recurring terms including "whining", "transmission", "noise", "whine" and "t-sb". Owners report 112 injuries and 1 death across all model years, while 118 complaints (5.7%) describe a crash or fire, and the complaint pace is rising with 686 filed in the last 12 months versus 426 previously. Although half of all reported incidents occur within 44 months of a model year's start, the 2023 and 2024 models run 26% below older models, whereas the 2021 model year runs at least 50% above the model's own average.
Summary drafted by an AI model running on our own server from the figures on this page, and checked number by number against the data before publishing. The statistics and the analysis above come from our fixed methodology, not from the model.The trend is improving. Measured on complaints filed in the first two years on the road and compared with other vehicles of the same model year, the 2023 and 2024 models run 26% below the 2018 and 2019 models (62 early complaints per model year versus 87).
The 2021 model year has the highest rate (91.0 complaints per year) and the 2025 model year the lowest (5.4). The 2021 model year runs at least 50% above the model's own average — the one to research most carefully. The 2024 model year sits well below the model's average.
Across all tracked model years the most common problem area is Transmission / powertrain (29.4% of complaints), followed by Body & structure (10.8%) and Engine (10.3%). Transmission / powertrain complaints are 2.5 times as common here as across all tracked vehicles. Recurring terms in owner reports: “whining”, “transmission”, “noise”, “whine” and “t-sb”. 118 complaints (5.7%) describe a crash or fire; across all model years owners report 112 injuries and 1 death.
In the last 12 months owners filed 686 complaints versus 426 in the previous 12 months — the pace is rising. The 2021 model year generated the most recent reports (185). Across model years, half of all reported incidents occur within 44 months of the model year's start.
Recalls: 21 recall campaigns across the tracked model years, most of them received in 2020 (4). 1 NHTSA defect investigation has covered this model; the latest is “Pedestrian alert sounds” (opened 2023-01-27, closed 2023-08-07).
Segment peers with fewer complaints per year include Dodge Durango, Honda Passport, Nissan Pathfinder and Kia Sorento; Hyundai Santa Fe, Ford Explorer, Honda Pilot and Kia Telluride have more.
Model years at a glance
| Year | Complaints | Complaints per year on the road | Complaint index | Complaints in first 2 years on the road | vs. same-year average | Last 12 months | Recalls | Most common issue | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 269 | 31.0 | 0.74 | 56 | 0.63 | 53 | 5 | Transmission / powertrain | View › |
| 2019 | 481 | 62.7 | 1.49 | 119 | 1.47 | 149 | 3 | Transmission / powertrain | View › |
| 2020 | 318 | 47.6 | 1.13 | 46 | 0.81 | 102 | 5 | Transmission / powertrain | View › |
| 2021 Years to research carefully | 516 | 91.0 | 2.16 | 85 | 1.39 | 185 | 5 | Transmission / powertrain | View › |
| 2022 | 242 | 51.8 | 1.23 | 77 | 1.04 | 94 | 6 | Body & structure | View › |
| 2023 | 185 | 50.4 | 1.2 | 101 | 1.22 | 71 | 9 | Body & structure | View › |
| 2024 | 42 | 15.7 | 0.37 | 24 | 0.34 | 24 | 7 | Interior & equipment | View › |
| 2025 Fewest complaints | 9 | 5.4 | 0.13 | — | — | 8 | 3 | Interior & equipment | View › |
1.00 means the same rate as the comparison group. 2.00 means twice as many complaints per year on the road. Complaints in first 2 years on the road: vs. same-year average. How we count
Trend · vs. same-year average
Complaints in first 2 years on the road ÷ All-vehicle average (1.00)
When complaints were filed
Last 12 months: 686 · Previous 12 months: 426 Rising
Problem areas
Transmission / powertrain ›
606 · 29.4% · 2.53 vs. all vehicles · Rising
- transmission544
- whining266
- noise250
- whine93
Body & structure ›
222 · 10.8% · 1.17 vs. all vehicles · Rising
- bumper56
- structure50
- detached35
- side mirror21
Interior & equipment ›
210 · 10.2% · 1.14 vs. all vehicles · Rising
- sunroof40
- glass37
- exploded29
- loud36
Airbags & seat belts ›
156 · 7.6% · 1.98 vs. all vehicles · Falling
- air bags68
- bags recall42
- notification air40
- confirms available34
Other
56 · 2.7% · 1.5 vs. all vehicles · Rising
- seat28
- child11
- second-row6
- forward14
Wheels, tires & suspension ›
41 · 2.0% · 0.8 vs. all vehicles · Too few recent reports to judge
- tire25
- alenza7
- bridgestone8
- dot8
Driver-assist systems
31 · 1.5% · 0.26 vs. all vehicles · Too few recent reports to judge
- pre-collision system5
- center lane4
- malfunction pre-collision3
- headlight system3
Steering
20 · 1.0% · 0.15 vs. all vehicles · Too few recent reports to judge
- steering15
- wheel11
- lanes5
- side7
Lighting
16 · 0.8% · 0.5 vs. all vehicles · Too few recent reports to judge
- headlights10
- aimed5
- high11
- beams5
Only problem areas with at least 40 complaints get their own page.
Common terms in reports
- whining300
- transmission636
- noise357
- whine98
- t-sb84
- hybrid164
- xle51
- bumper84
Vehicle age at incident
Median age at incident: 44 months
What owners report
Incident: [XXX] Conditions: Clear daylight, dry pavement, normal highway conditions Crash/Injuries: Allstate Claim #[XXX]; several people injured At approximately [XXX], I was driving my 2020 Toyota Highlander Hybrid at about 55 mph in the slow/right lane.
The Pre-Collision System (PCS) failed to engage the automatic emergency braking during a stop-and-go traffic, thereby, resulting in rear-ending the vehicle ahead of our 2018 Highlander Limited vehicle.
The UA80 8-speed automatic transmission failed at 87,896 miles. Symptoms began as slipping in 1st and 2nd gears and harsh jerking when accelerating from a stop, with the engine revving while the vehicle failed to move.
1. The car makes a squeaky sound when I accelerate. The faster I go the louder the noise becomes. I took the car to the Toyota dealership and was told that the transmission needs to be replaced. The car is only 5 years old.
While driving and applying the brakes to come to a complete stop at low speed (approximately 5–15 mph), the vehicle intermittently loses brake responsiveness for a brief moment during the transition from regenerative braking to hydraulic (friction) braking.
Excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA, trimmed for length. The ODI number is NHTSA's record identifier.
Segment peers · Midsize SUVs
| # | Models | Complaints | Complaints per year on the road | Complaint index | Trend | Recent activity | Recalls | Most common issue |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dodge Durango | 752 | 15.2 | 0.36 | Improving | Steady | 18 | Lighting |
| 2 | Honda Passport | 652 | 17.6 | 0.42 | Improving | Rising | 16 | Engine |
| 3 | Nissan Pathfinder | 566 | 20.1 | 0.48 | Worsening | Rising | 12 | Engine |
| 4 | Kia Sorento | 1,382 | 36.2 | 0.86 | Stable | Rising | 17 | Engine |
| 5 | Ford Edge | 2,164 | 43.6 | 1.04 | Improving | Steady | 20 | Engine |
| 6 | Chevrolet Traverse | 1,657 | 43.8 | 1.04 | Stable | Steady | 13 | Transmission / powertrain |
| 7 | Toyota Highlander | 2,062 | 44.5 | 1.06 | Improving | Rising | 21 | Transmission / powertrain |
| 8 | Hyundai Santa Fe | 1,968 | 58.3 | 1.38 | Worsening | Rising | 26 | Engine |
| 9 | Ford Explorer | 3,122 | 65.6 | 1.56 | Improving | Steady | 70 | Transmission / powertrain |
| 10 | Honda Pilot | 2,824 | 67.4 | 1.6 | Stable | Steady | 26 | Engine |
| 11 | Kia Telluride | 1,945 | 73.6 | 1.75 | Improving | Rising | 17 | Body & structure |
| 12 | Subaru Outback | 3,749 | 77.0 | 1.83 | Improving | Steady | 15 | Body & structure |
| 13 | Jeep Grand Cherokee | 3,335 | 85.9 | 2.04 | Worsening | Rising | 49 | Electrical |
| 14 | Hyundai Palisade | 2,277 | 102.2 | 2.43 | Worsening | Steady | 13 | Airbags & seat belts |
Recalls by year received
- Campaigns: 21
- Do-not-drive / park-outside: 0
- Over-the-air fix: 0
Safety recalls: 2018 (5) · 2019 (3) · 2020 (5) · 2021 (5) · 2022 (6) · 2023 (9) · 2024 (7) · 2025 (3)
Investigations
- Pedestrian alert sounds Closed
NHTSA received a petition on or about July 18, 2022, requesting that Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 141 be applied to all electric and hybrid vehicles operating in the United States. The petition can be reviewed at NHTSA.gov under ODI Number 11486072. FMVSS 141 establishes performance requirements for pedestrian alert sounds for motor vehicles. The standard applies to hybrid and ele…
Frequently asked questions
Which Toyota Highlander model year has the most complaints?
The 2021 model year has the highest rate (91.0 complaints per year) and the 2025 model year the lowest (5.4).
Is the Toyota Highlander getting better or worse?
The trend is improving. Measured on complaints filed in the first two years on the road and compared with other vehicles of the same model year, the 2023 and 2024 models run 26% below the 2018 and 2019 models (62 early complaints per model year versus 87). In the last 12 months owners filed 686 complaints versus 426 in the previous 12 months — the pace is rising.
What are the most common Toyota Highlander problems?
Across all tracked model years the most common problem area is Transmission / powertrain (29.4% of complaints), followed by Body & structure (10.8%) and Engine (10.3%). Recurring terms in owner reports: “whining”, “transmission”, “noise”, “whine” and “t-sb”.
How does the Toyota Highlander compare with other Midsize SUVs?
Within the Midsize SUVs segment it ranks #7 of 14 for fewest complaints per year; the segment average is 53.1. Segment peers with fewer complaints per year include Dodge Durango, Honda Passport, Nissan Pathfinder and Kia Sorento; Hyundai Santa Fe, Ford Explorer, Honda Pilot and Kia Telluride have more.
Does the Toyota Highlander have recalls or open investigations?
Recalls: 21 recall campaigns across the tracked model years, most of them received in 2020 (4). 1 NHTSA defect investigation has covered this model; the latest is “Pedestrian alert sounds” (opened 2023-01-27, closed 2023-08-07).