Toyota Highlander 2014–2019
3rd generation (XU50)
NHTSA data through 12 August 20261,886 complaints, 885 with mileageMethod
On this generation, 37% of failures fall within the first 12,000 miles — a rate roughly 5 times higher than during the rest of the car's life.
- First 12,000 miles — 37% of all failures
- Rest of the range
- Median
- 200,000+ — 7 complaints (0.8%), plotted separately
- 10%
- 1,000
- 25%
- 6,000
- Median
- 20,000
- 75%
- 46,000
- 90%
- 80,000
Show the numbers
| Mileage | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 0–10,000 | 289 | 32.7% |
| 10,000–20,000 | 152 | 17.2% |
| 20,000–30,000 | 95 | 10.7% |
| 30,000–40,000 | 86 | 9.7% |
| 40,000–50,000 | 67 | 7.6% |
| 50,000–60,000 | 45 | 5.1% |
| 60,000–70,000 | 35 | 4.0% |
| 70,000–80,000 | 27 | 3.1% |
| 80,000–90,000 | 20 | 2.3% |
| 90,000–100,000 | 15 | 1.7% |
| 100,000–110,000 | 16 | 1.8% |
| 110,000–120,000 | 3 | 0.3% |
| 120,000–130,000 | 4 | 0.5% |
| 130,000–140,000 | 9 | 1.0% |
| 140,000–150,000 | 2 | 0.2% |
| 150,000–160,000 | 1 | 0.1% |
| 160,000–170,000 | 4 | 0.5% |
| 170,000–180,000 | 3 | 0.3% |
| 190,000–200,000 | 5 | 0.6% |
| 200,000+ | 7 | 0.8% |
What this can and cannot tell you: these are complaints owners chose to file, not a failure rate. Popular models accumulate more of them simply by being common. How this is built.
Owners filed 1,886 complaints with NHTSA about the 2014–2019 Toyota Highlander, and 885 of them record the mileage at which the failure happened. That is enough to show not just what fails, but when.
37% of failures fall within the first 12,000 miles — a rate roughly 5 times higher than during the rest of the car's life. Failures clustered that early usually indicate a design or manufacturing problem rather than wear.
The most-reported areas are the transmission and driveline (17.7% of complaints, typically around 38,000 miles), problems owners could not categorise (14.1% of complaints, typically around 14,000 miles), the electrical system (12.0% of complaints, typically around 35,000 miles).
14 recall campaigns cover this generation.
What fails, and when
- Transmission and driveline38,000median 38,000 miles, middle half 13,000 to 90,000
- Problems owners could not categorise14,000median 13,700 miles, middle half 4,000 to 38,000
- Electrical system35,000median 35,000 miles, middle half 10,000 to 53,000
- Engine17,000median 17,050 miles, middle half 7,000 to 46,000
- Fuel and propulsion system10,000median 9,800 miles, middle half 4,000 to 18,000
- Brakes15,000median 15,000 miles, middle half 6,500 to 35,000
- Body structure25,000median 25,022 miles, middle half 12,000 to 55,000
| System | Complaints | Share | Median | 25–75% |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Transmission and driveline | 333 | 17.7% | 38,000 | 13,000–90,000 |
| Problems owners could not categorise | 266 | 14.1% | 14,000 | 4,000–38,000 |
| Electrical system | 226 | 12.0% | 35,000 | 10,000–53,000 |
| Engine | 167 | 8.9% | 17,000 | 7,000–46,000 |
| Fuel and propulsion system | 143 | 7.6% | 10,000 | 4,000–18,000 |
| Brakes | 135 | 7.2% | 15,000 | 6,500–35,000 |
| Body structure | 102 | 5.4% | 25,000 | 12,000–55,000 |
| Airbag system | 63 | 3.3% | 16,000 | 6,500–30,000 |
| Steering | 57 | 3.0% | 24,000 | 6,000–63,000 |
| Throttle and speed control | 55 | 2.9% | 12,000 | 4,500–25,000 |
Which systems, and when
Complaints about this generation are not spread evenly across the vehicle, and the systems that generate the most of them do not all fail at the same point in a car's life. The median failure across all systems here is 20,000 miles; the figures below show which parts of the car run ahead of that and which run behind.
The transmission and driveline accounts for 17.7% of complaints (333 reports, 74 of them with a mileage figure), and it fails late — a median of 38,000 miles, considerably beyond the vehicle's overall median. That pattern is consistent with normal service life rather than a defect, though it matters for anyone buying an example already near that mileage. The middle half of these reports falls between 13,000 and 90,000 miles.
Problems owners could not categorise accounts for 14.1% of complaints (266 reports, 135 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 13,700 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 4,000 and 38,000 miles.
The electrical system accounts for 12.0% of complaints (226 reports, 114 of them with a mileage figure), and it fails late — a median of 35,000 miles, considerably beyond the vehicle's overall median. That pattern is consistent with normal service life rather than a defect, though it matters for anyone buying an example already near that mileage. The middle half of these reports falls between 10,000 and 52,682 miles.
The engine accounts for 8.9% of complaints (167 reports, 80 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 17,050 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 7,100 and 46,000 miles.
The fuel and propulsion system accounts for 7.6% of complaints (143 reports, 67 of them with a mileage figure), and it fails early — a median of 9,800 miles, well before the vehicle's overall median. Failures clustered this far below the rest of the car usually point to a design or manufacturing problem rather than wear, because wear does not selectively target one system on low-mileage examples. The middle half of these reports falls between 4,000 and 18,000 miles.
The brakes account for 7.2% of complaints (135 reports, 62 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 15,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 6,600 and 35,000 miles.
Differences between model years
Within this generation, complaint volume is not constant across model years. The 2019 model year drew the most — 622 complaints — while 2016 drew the fewest at 137. The median year sits at 300.
That makes 2019 an outlier: roughly 2.1 times the median year of this generation. A single year standing that far apart usually reflects either a first-year issue that was later corrected, or a component change introduced for that year. Anyone shopping this generation has a straightforward reason to prefer a different year, all else being equal.
Recalls and what they cover
NHTSA records 14 recall campaigns covering vehicles in this generation. A recall means the manufacturer or the regulator concluded there was a safety defect or a standard was not met, and that a free remedy is owed to owners — including second and later owners.
The campaigns cluster around equipment (4), the fuel system (3), the electrical system (2). Repeated recalls against the same area of the car generally mean the first remedy did not fully resolve the underlying problem.
Recall status is specific to the individual vehicle, not the model. Checking a VIN against NHTSA's lookup is free and takes under a minute, and it is the only way to know whether a particular car has had the work done.
Reported severity
Of the 1,886 complaints filed against this generation, 162 reported a crash; 17 reported a fire; 149 reported an injury; 1 reported a fatality. Crash-involved reports represent 8.6% of the total.
These are owner-reported outcomes, not verified investigations, and they are not adjusted for how many of these vehicles are on the road. They are included because the distinction between a fault that strands a car and a fault that causes a collision is the one that matters most, and it is not visible in a complaint count alone.
What this means if you are buying one
For a buyer, an early-failure pattern is comparatively good news on a used example: 37% of the reported failures occur in the first 12,000 miles, which on a car of this age means they have already happened or they were never going to. Service history matters more than mileage here.
On inspection, the transmission and driveline and problems owners could not categorise are where this generation's reports concentrate, so those are the areas worth a specific look. Problems owners could not categorise in particular shows a median failure mileage of 13,700, which gives a concrete number to compare against the odometer of any car you are considering.
None of this is a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection on the individual car. Aggregate patterns describe a population; the example in front of you has its own history.
Documented problems
Fuel System 2018–2019
Denso low-pressure fuel pump impeller can deform and bind, stopping the pump and stalling the engine. Very large multi-brand recall.
By model year
| Year | Complaints | With mileage |
|---|---|---|
| 2014 | 161 | 110 |
| 2015 | 250 | 164 |
| 2016 | 137 | 84 |
| 2017 | 366 | 173 |
| 2018 | 350 | 155 |
| 2019 | 622 | 199 |
Recalls (14)
| Campaign | Date | Component |
|---|---|---|
| 20V682000 | 2021-01-21 | Fuel System, Gasoline:delivery:fuel Pump |
| 20V012000 | 2020-05-01 | Fuel System, Gasoline:delivery:fuel Pump |
| 19V244000 | 2019-05-24 | Equipment:other:labels |
| 18V211000 | 2018-05-09 | Service Brakes, Hydraulic:power Assist:vacuum |
| 17V831000 | 2018-01-23 | Equipment:other:labels |
| 17V520000 | 2017-09-29 | Equipment |
| 17V295000 | 2017-06-15 | Tires:temporary/Emergency Spare Tire |
| 16V775000 | 2016-11-14 | Electrical System:wiring |
| 16V420000 | 2016-07-14 | Equipment:other:labels |
| 15V144000 | 2015-05-07 | Steering:electric Power Assist System |
| 14V576000 | 2014-11-17 | Fuel System, Gasoline:delivery:hoses, Lines/Piping, and Fittings |
| 14V274000 | 2014-07-14 | Seats:mid/Rear Assembly |
| 14V272000 | 2014-06-27 | Electrical System:software |
| 14V051000 | 2014-03-17 | Seat Belts:rear/Other |
What owners reported
Factory installed gps system when set to a destination will take you off the main road just prior to your destination and direct you in circles then tell you to get back on the main road that you just got off of. This creates an issue as one time it took us in a undesirable neighborhood; but more often than not will…
2014 · 5 miles · Equipment
Automatic/power liftgate does not close all the way. Starts - then stops half to 90% closed. Requires manually lowering to close. Happens 75% of the time. Toyota dealer reluctantly acknowledged a service bulletin and says they will replace motor but it took some pushing to get past the service desk and tech who…
2014 · 5 miles · Electrical system
This complaint relates to transmission shift sequences. When starting out, the transmission is in fourth gear. If you are at say a traffic light and are making a left turn, and then need to make a rapid acceleration, the transmission shifts down to a lower gear, probably 1st gear. When this happens, there is a…
2014 · 100 miles · Transmission and driveline
Our 2014 Toyota Highlander limited was purchased new with 18 miles on february 25, 2014. On march 7, 2014 while driving on city streets another driver failed to stop at a red light so i pressed the horn to alert the driver while i swerved out of his path. The horn did not work so the driver was not alerted and…
2014 · 400 miles · Electrical system
Built from 885 NHTSA complaints with mileage · snapshot 2026-08-12 · open data · reproduce this page