Toyota Highlander Engine problems
0.45 vs. all vehicles Within ±30% year on year
218 of the 2,162 complaints about the Toyota Highlander (10.1%) concern Engine, making it the model's third-largest problem area. That share is 0.5× the Engine share across all tracked vehicles.
218Complaints · Engine
10.1%Share of complaints
0.45×vs. all vehicles
45Last 12 months
6.9%Share involving a crash or fire
0Related recalls
Analysis
45 Engine complaints were filed in the last 12 months versus 39 in the 12 months before — up 15%.
15 of these reports (6.9%) describe a crash or fire, with 7 injuries and 0 deaths mentioned.
No recall campaign addresses Engine for the tracked model years.
By model year
When complaints were filed
Last 12 months: 45 · Previous 12 months: 39
What owners report
The contact owns a 2023 Toyota Highlander. The contact stated that while driving at lower speeds, pulling into an uphill driveway, the vehicle had independently accelerated while the accelerator pedal was depressed.
My vehicle was parked for about an hr 30 min , and it started smoking from dashboard area and immediately went into flames .
I own a 2021 Toyota Highlander Platinum AWD equipped with the 3\.5L V6 and approximately 77,000 miles\. The vehicle developed a humming/whining, airplane\-like noise from the front drivetrain while accelerating\.
I bought a vehicle in cash three weeks ago at Universal Toyota located at [XXX] . Two days later, I called the sellers [XXX] and [XXX] to have a noise fix /checked. It turns out the transmission is bad/damaged and of course it's not safe to drive.
The contact owns a 2020 Toyota Highlander. The contact stated that while driving, the vehicle stalled and abruptly stopped in traffic at a traffic light. The driver exited the vehicle. The vehicle failed to restart, and the steering wheel was inoperable.
The contact owns a 2021 Toyota Highlander. While driving 20 MPH uphill, the messages "Engine Failure," "Brake Failure," and "Pull Over to A Safe Place, See Owner's Manual" were displayed, and several unknown warning lights illuminated.
Excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA, trimmed for length. The ODI number is NHTSA's record identifier.
Related recalls
No recall campaign addresses Engine for the tracked model years.
Problem areas · Toyota Highlander
- Transmission / powertrain651
- Body & structure227
- Engine218
- Unspecified or other217
- Brakes212
- Airbags & seat belts162
- Fuel system155
- Electrical141
- Wheels, tires & suspension42
Toyota Highlander problems, complaints & recalls by model year ›
Related reading
- Why modern engines burn oil, and what owner complaints revealDesign choices linked to oil consumption in recent engines, the warning signs owners describe, what counts as normal, and which tracked models currently have the highest engine share in their complaints.