Toyota Highlander 2014–2019 problems by year and mileage
3rd generation (XU50)
NHTSA data through 24 September 20261,477 complaints, 684 with mileageMethod
Which year is yours? Tap it to see what breaks on it.
The 2014 Toyota Highlander
Close- Median failure report
- 35,000 mi
- Complaints filed
- 137
- Recalls naming this year
- 4
Most reported on the 2014
- Electrical system36 reports
- Problems owners could not categorise33 reports
- Body structure32 reports
4 recall campaigns name the 2014: Fuel system, gasoline — delivery; Seats — mid/rear assembly; Electrical system — software. Not every car in a campaign is affected — check the VIN at NHTSA. Recall repairs are free.
The 2015 Toyota Highlander
Close- Median failure report
- 30,000 mi
- Complaints filed
- 196
- Recalls naming this year
- 1
Most reported on the 2015
- Electrical system54 reports · median 39,000 mi
- Problems owners could not categorise44 reports
- Body structure32 reports
1 recall campaign names the 2015: Steering — electric power assist system. Not every car in a campaign is affected — check the VIN at NHTSA. Recall repairs are free.
The 2016 Toyota Highlander
Close- Median failure report
- 25,000 mi
- Complaints filed
- 116
- Recalls naming this year
- 2
Most reported on the 2016
- Brakes22 reports
- Problems owners could not categorise22 reports
- Electrical system14 reports
2 recall campaigns name the 2016: Electrical system — wiring; Equipment — other. Not every car in a campaign is affected — check the VIN at NHTSA. Recall repairs are free.
The 2017 Toyota Highlander
Close- Median failure report
- 20,000 mi
- Complaints filed
- 270
- Recalls naming this year
- 3
At least 40% of the complaints about the 2017 were filed after 2020, and most complaints filed since then carry no odometer reading. The median here rests on the earlier reports and likely understates the mileage these failures happen at.
Most reported on the 2017
- Transmission and driveline73 reports
- Problems owners could not categorise53 reports
- Engine48 reports
3 recall campaigns name the 2017: Fuel system, gasoline — delivery; Equipment; Tires — temporary/emergency spare tire. Not every car in a campaign is affected — check the VIN at NHTSA. Recall repairs are free.
The 2018 Toyota Highlander
Close- Median failure report
- 16,000 mi
- Complaints filed
- 270
- Recalls naming this year
- 4
At least 40% of the complaints about the 2018 were filed after 2020, and most complaints filed since then carry no odometer reading. The median here rests on the earlier reports and likely understates the mileage these failures happen at.
Most reported on the 2018
- Transmission and driveline65 reports
- Brakes53 reports
- Problems owners could not categorise45 reports · median 9,000 mi
4 recall campaigns name the 2018: Fuel system, gasoline — delivery; Service brakes, hydraulic — power assist; Equipment — other. Not every car in a campaign is affected — check the VIN at NHTSA. Recall repairs are free.
The 2019 Toyota Highlander
Close- Median failure report
- 11,000 mi
- Complaints filed
- 488
- Recalls naming this year
- 3
At least 40% of the complaints about the 2019 were filed after 2020, and most complaints filed since then carry no odometer reading. The median here rests on the earlier reports and likely understates the mileage these failures happen at.
Most reported on the 2019
- Transmission and driveline195 reports
- Fuel and propulsion system86 reports · median 6,500 mi
- Problems owners could not categorise81 reports
3 recall campaigns name the 2019: Fuel system, gasoline — delivery; Equipment — other. Not every car in a campaign is affected — check the VIN at NHTSA. Recall repairs are free.
Each tile shows the median mileage at which that model year’s failures were reported. † marks a year whose median likely understates the mileage: much of its reporting came after 2020, when most complaints stopped recording an odometer reading. The 2014 reports latest and the 2019 earliest, but part of that gap is age: the 2014 has had 5 more years on the road to accumulate mileage.
The short answer
“Is the 2014–2019 Toyota Highlander reliable?”
- Median of reported failures
- 20,000 mi
- 90% of reports came by
- 80,000 mi
- Reports with mileage
- 684
- Recalls
- 14
At least 40% of this generation’s complaints were filed after 2020, and most complaints filed since then carry no odometer reading, so the median likely understates the mileage these failures happen at.
Most reported
- Transmission and driveline23.6% of complaints · median 38,000 mi
- Problems owners could not categorise18.8% of complaints · median 13,000 mi
- Electrical system15.6% of complaints · median 35,000 mi
Owners filed 1,477 complaints with NHTSA about the 2014–2019 Toyota Highlander; the transmission and driveline leads with 23.6% of them, and half of the 684 that record an odometer reading came by 20,000 miles. A count like this can’t rate reliability on its own: NHTSA records what owners chose to report, not how many of each car were sold.
37% of complaints that record mileage fall within the first 12,000 miles, against 4.6 reports per 1,000 miles between 20,000 and 80,000. Failures clustered that early usually indicate a design or manufacturing problem rather than wear.
Before-you-buy checklist ↓At your mileage ↓Check this VIN — NHTSA ↗
How many miles does a 2014–2019 Toyota Highlander last?
Complaint records can’t measure how long a car lasts; they show when reported failures happened. On the 2014–2019 Toyota Highlander, half of the 684 complaints that record an odometer reading were filed by 20,000 miles and 90% by 80,000 miles.
12 reports came in past 150,000 miles and 3 past 200,000 — each one proof that a Highlander reached that mileage, not that it failed there.
Figure 1 · Toyota Highlander 2014–2019 · 684 reports with mileage
Mileage at failure
Complaints per 10,000-mile bin, 0 to 200,000 miles, equal bins on a linear scale. Tallest bar = 223 complaints.
- First 12,000 miles — 37% of all failures
- Rest of the range
- Median
- 200,000+ — 3 complaints (0.4%), plotted separately
- 10%
- 905
- 25%
- 6,000
- Median
- 20,000
- 75%
- 48,000
- 90%
- 80,000
Show the numbers
| Mileage | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 0–10,000 | 223 | 32.6% |
| 10,000–20,000 | 115 | 16.8% |
| 20,000–30,000 | 69 | 10.1% |
| 30,000–40,000 | 67 | 9.8% |
| 40,000–50,000 | 48 | 7.0% |
| 50,000–60,000 | 38 | 5.6% |
| 60,000–70,000 | 29 | 4.2% |
| 70,000–80,000 | 26 | 3.8% |
| 80,000–90,000 | 17 | 2.5% |
| 90,000–100,000 | 13 | 1.9% |
| 100,000–110,000 | 12 | 1.8% |
| 110,000–120,000 | 3 | 0.4% |
| 120,000–130,000 | 4 | 0.6% |
| 130,000–140,000 | 6 | 0.9% |
| 140,000–150,000 | 2 | 0.3% |
| 150,000–160,000 | 1 | 0.1% |
| 160,000–170,000 | 5 | 0.7% |
| 170,000–180,000 | 1 | 0.1% |
| 190,000–200,000 | 2 | 0.3% |
| 200,000+ | 3 | 0.4% |
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation, public domain. Complaint counts reflect what owners reported and are not a measure of failure rate per vehicle sold.
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.
Common Highlander problems, and when they happen
Figure 2 · Toyota Highlander 2014–2019
When each system fails
Bar spans the middle half of reports; the notch inside each bar is the median. Miles at failure on a proportional scale — equal distances are equal ratios, not equal miles.
- Fuel and propulsion system146 reports9,5004,000–18,000Fuel and propulsion system: 146 reports, median 9,500 miles, middle half 4,000 to 18,000 miles.
- Problems owners could not categorise278 reports13,0003,500–38,000Problems owners could not categorise: 278 reports, median 13,000 miles, middle half 3,500 to 38,000 miles.
- Engine175 reports16,0007,000–41,000Engine: 175 reports, median 16,000 miles, middle half 7,000 to 41,000 miles.
- Brakes139 reports16,0006,500–42,000Brakes: 139 reports, median 16,000 miles, middle half 6,500 to 42,000 miles.
- Body structure102 reports22,00011,000–50,000Body structure: 102 reports, median 22,000 miles, middle half 11,000 to 50,000 miles.
- Electrical system231 reports35,00012,000–53,000Electrical system: 231 reports, median 35,000 miles, middle half 12,000 to 53,000 miles.
- Transmission and driveline349 reports38,00013,000–90,000Transmission and driveline: 349 reports, median 38,000 miles, middle half 13,000 to 90,000 miles.
- Your odometer — appears after you enter it in “Where your car sits”
Ordered by median mileage, earliest first. The first 12,000 miles are shaded: that is the boundary this site uses between a manufacturing defect and ordinary wear, not a property of the world.
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation, public domain.
All systems in a table
| System | Complaints | Share | Median | 25–75% |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Transmission and driveline | 349 | 23.6% | 38,000 | 13,000–90,000 |
| Problems owners could not categorise | 278 | 18.8% | 13,000 | 3,500–38,000 |
| Electrical system | 231 | 15.6% | 35,000 | 12,000–53,000 |
| Engine | 175 | 11.8% | 16,000 | 7,000–41,000 |
| Fuel and propulsion system | 146 | 9.9% | 9,500 | 4,000–18,000 |
| Brakes | 139 | 9.4% | 16,000 | 6,500–42,000 |
| Body structure | 102 | 6.9% | 22,000 | 11,000–50,000 |
| Airbag system | 62 | 4.2% | 16,000 | 6,500–30,000 |
| Steering | 58 | 3.9% | 24,000 | 6,000–56,000 |
| Throttle and speed control | 56 | 3.8% | 13,000 | 6,000–28,000 |
System by system, in words
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 23.6% of complaints (349 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 18.8% of complaints (278 reports, 140 of them with a mileage figure), and it fails early — a median of 13,000 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 3,500 and 38,000 miles.
The electrical system accounts for 15.6% of complaints (231 reports, 116 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 12,000 and 53,000 miles.
The engine accounts for 11.8% of complaints (175 reports, 85 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 16,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 7,000 and 41,000 miles.
The fuel and propulsion system accounts for 9.9% of complaints (146 reports, 70 of them with a mileage figure), and it fails early — a median of 9,500 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 9.4% of complaints (139 reports, 66 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 16,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 6,500 and 42,000 miles.
Known problems with the 2014–2019 Highlander
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.
Before you buy a 2014–2019 Highlander: the 3-minute check
Generated from 684 mileage-tagged complaints, 14 recall campaigns, 1 documented problem area. Print this page — the checklist survives print.
- Run the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. 14 campaigns cover this generation; an open recall is a free repair you can make the seller's problem.
- Ask for fuel and propulsion system repair records. Reports on this area come at a median of 9,500 miles — on any car this age it already happened or never will; the question is whether it was fixed under warranty.
- Check fuel system on 2018–2019 cars. Denso low-pressure fuel pump impeller can deform and bind, stopping the pump and stalling the engine. Very large multi-brand recall.
- Complaint reports are not spread evenly across model years here — see the by-model-year table below before you settle on a year.
- End with a pre-purchase inspection of this car. Aggregate data describes the population; the example in front of you has its own history.
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 13,000, 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.
Highlander problems by mileage: where your car sits
Type your odometer reading, or read the common mileages in the table. Your marker lands on the timing chart above and on the curve below.
| System | Middle half of reports, mi | At 60k mi82% below | At 90k mi92% below | At 120k mi96% below | At 150k mi98% below | At 200k mi100% below |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Transmission and driveline | 13,000–90,000 | in window | earlier | earlier | earlier | earlier |
| Problems owners could not categorise | 3,500–38,000 | earlier | earlier | earlier | earlier | earlier |
| Electrical system | 12,000–53,000 | earlier | earlier | earlier | earlier | earlier |
| Engine | 7,000–41,000 | earlier | earlier | earlier | earlier | earlier |
| Fuel and propulsion system | 4,000–18,000 | earlier | earlier | earlier | earlier | earlier |
| Brakes | 6,500–42,000 | earlier | earlier | earlier | earlier | earlier |
| Body structure | 11,000–50,000 | earlier | earlier | earlier | earlier | earlier |
Figure 3 · Toyota Highlander 2014–2019 · 684 reports with mileage
Share of reports below each mileage
Share of mileage-tagged reports filed at or below each odometer reading. Steps rise only at bin edges, by exact counted shares.
- 60,000 mi — 82% of reports below
- 90,000 mi — 92% of reports below
- 120,000 mi — 96% of reports below
- 150,000 mi — 98% of reports below
- 200,000 mi — 100% of reports below
- Median — the staircase crosses the 50% line here
- Your odometer — appears after you enter it above
The staircase tops out at 100%: the remaining 0.4% of reports (3) came above 200,000 miles.
Nothing is smoothed or interpolated. Linear axis, same as Figure 1.
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation, public domain.
2014–2019 Toyota Highlander recalls (14)
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). Several campaigns against one area can mean a remedy that did not hold, or separate defects in parts filed under the same heading; the summaries below name each defect.
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.
Nov 2020 · 2017–2019 · Fuel System, GasolineIf the fuel pump fails, the engine can stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.
The defect. Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2018-2019 4Runner, 2019-2020 Avalon, 2019 Corolla Hatchback, 2017-2019 Highlander, 2018-2020 Camry, 2020 Corolla, 2018-2019 Land Cruiser, 2017-2020 Tacoma, 2019-2020 RAV4, 2019-2020…
What can happen. If the fuel pump fails, the engine can stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.
The free fix. Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel pump assembly with an improved one, free of charge. Owners of specific models were notified that remedy parts were available starting…
Jan 2020 · 2018–2019 · Fuel System, GasolineIf the fuel pump fails, the engine can stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.
The defect. Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) recalled certain 2018-2019 4Runner, Highlander, Camry, Land Cruiser, Sequoia, Sienna, Tacoma and Tundra, and Lexus RC 300, RC 350, GS 350, GX 460, IS 300, LC 500, LS 500, LX 570, RX 350L, and 2019 Toyota…
What can happen. If the fuel pump fails, the engine can stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.
The free fix. Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel pump, free of charge. The recall began May 4, 2020. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-888-270-9371 or Lexus customer service…
Mar 2019 · 2019 · EquipmentIf the driver cannot read the label, they may unknowingly overload the vehicle, increasing the risk of a…
The defect. Gulf States Toyota (GST) is recalling certain 2019 C-HR, 4Runner, Avalon, Avalon Hybrid, Camry, Camry Hybrid, Highlander, Land Cruiser, Prius, RAV4, Sequoia, Tacoma, Sienna, Tundra and Yaris vehicles. The text on the load capacity label may become illegible.…
What can happen. If the driver cannot read the label, they may unknowingly overload the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
The free fix. GST will notify owners, and dealers will provide corrected load carrying capacity modification labels, free of charge. The recall began May 24, 2019. Owners may contact GST customer service at…
Apr 2018 · 2018 · Service Brakes, HydraulicA sudden loss of braking assist can increase the risk of a crash.
The defect. Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2018 Toyota Camry and Highlander vehicles, 2017 Toyota Sienna and Tacoma vehicles and 2017 Lexus RX350 vehicles. During the manufacturing process, the oil galley in the rotor for the brake…
What can happen. A sudden loss of braking assist can increase the risk of a crash.
The free fix. Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will replace the brake booster vacuum pump, free of charge. The recall began on May 9, 2018. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-888-270-9371, or…
Dec 2017 · 2018 · EquipmentAn incorrect load information label can result in the operator overloading the vehicle and increasing the…
The defect. Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2017-2018 Toyota 4Runner and Tundra, 2018 Toyota Highlander, RAV4 and Lexus GX460 and 2017 Toyota Sienna and Tacoma vehicles. These vehicles may have incorrect load carrying capacity…
What can happen. An incorrect load information label can result in the operator overloading the vehicle and increasing the risk of a crash.
The free fix. Toyota will notify owners and provide them with corrected labels, free of charge. The recall began on January 23, 2018. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's numbers…
Aug 2017 · 2017 · EquipmentThe roof rails may loosen and possibly detach from the vehicle, becoming a road hazard and increasing the…
The defect. Gulf States Toyota, Inc. (GST) is recalling certain 2017 Toyota Highlander and Highlander Hybrid vehicles equipped with accessory roof rail cross bars. The fasteners for the roof rails may not be torqued properly.
What can happen. The roof rails may loosen and possibly detach from the vehicle, becoming a road hazard and increasing the risk of a crash.
The free fix. GST will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and properly torque the fasteners, free of charge. The recall began September 29, 2017. Owners may contact GST customer service at 1-800-444-1074.…
May 2017 · 2017 · TiresA spare tire that is not inflated to the proper value may not perform as intended, increasing the risk of a…
The defect. Gulf States Toyota, Inc. (Gulf States) is recalling certain 2017 4Runner , 86, Avalon, Camry, Camry Hybrid, Corolla, Corolla iM, Highlander, Highlander Hybrid, Prius, Prius C, RAV4, RAV4 Hybrid, Sienna and Yaris vehicles. The spare tire air pressure was not…
What can happen. A spare tire that is not inflated to the proper value may not perform as intended, increasing the risk of a crash.
The free fix. Gulf States will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the spare tires, adjusting their pressure as necessary, free of charge. The recall began June 15, 2017. Owners may contact Gulf States…
Oct 2016 · 2016 · Electrical SystemIf the brake fluid level is low and is not detected, the braking performance may be decreased, increasing the…
The defect. Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain model year 2016 Highlander vehicles manufactured May 26, 2016, to September 16, 2016. The brake fluid level sensor may not be connected to the wire harness, preventing the sensor from…
What can happen. If the brake fluid level is low and is not detected, the braking performance may be decreased, increasing the risk of a crash.
The free fix. Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and, as necessary, connect the wire harness to the sensor, free of charge. The recall began November 14, 2016. Owners may contact Toyota customer…
Jun 2016 · 2016 · EquipmentAn incorrect label may lead an owner to overload the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
The defect. Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC (SET) is recalling certain model year 2016 Toyota Camry and Highlander, 2015-2016 Toyota Tundra, Scion FR-S, and tC vehicles. The Load Carrying Capacity Modification Label may not reflect the correct added weight of the…
What can happen. An incorrect label may lead an owner to overload the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
The free fix. SET will notify owners, and provide a corrected label for placement over the inaccurate label, free of charge. The recall began on July 14, 2016. Owners may contact SET customer service at…
Mar 2015 · 2015 · SteeringAn unexpected loss of power steering increases the risk of a crash.
The defect. Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain model year 2015 Camry, Camry Hybrid, Highlander, and Highlander Hybrid, and 2014-2015 RAV4 vehicles. A component of the electric power steering (EPS) electronic control unit (ECU) may have…
What can happen. An unexpected loss of power steering increases the risk of a crash.
The free fix. Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the serial number of the EPS ECU or steering column assembly. If the number is within the affected range, the EPS ECU will be replaced, free of…
Sep 2014 · 2014 · Fuel System, GasolineA fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source increases the risk of a fire.
The defect. Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain model year 2014 Toyota Avalon, Camry, Sienna, and Highlander and model year 2015 Lexus RX350 vehicles. Fuel may leak from the one of the fuel delivery pipes in the engine compartment.
What can happen. A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source increases the risk of a fire.
The free fix. Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will replace any of the suspect fuel delivery pipes free of charge. The recall began November 17, 2014. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at…
May 2014 · 2014 · SeatsIf the seat does not fully lock into the inboard seat track, the seat could move, increasing the risk of…
The defect. Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain model year 2014 Highlander vehicles manufactured April 23, 2014, through April 29, 2014. The affected vehicles may have a second row right-hand seat assembly that does not fully lock into…
What can happen. If the seat does not fully lock into the inboard seat track, the seat could move, increasing the risk of injury to an occupant in the event of a crash.
The free fix. Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and, if necessary, replace the second row right-hand seat, free of charge. The recall began in July 2014. Owners may contact Toyota customer…
May 2014 · 2014 · Electrical SystemIn the event of a crash, a larger front passenger seat occupant may not be properly restrained and be at an…
The defect. Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain model year 2014 Highlander and Highlander Hybrid vehicles. The affected vehicles may have improper software installed in the air bag electronic control unit (ECU) for the operation of the…
What can happen. In the event of a crash, a larger front passenger seat occupant may not be properly restrained and be at an increased risk of injury.
The free fix. Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will install a software update in the air bag electronic control unit, free of charge. The recall began on June 27, 2014. Owners may contact Toyota customer…
Feb 2014 · 2014 · Seat BeltsA seat belt that is not properly secured to its anchorage could increase the risk of injury to an occupant in…
The defect. Toyota is recalling certain model year 2014 Highlander vehicles manufactured November 20, 2013, through January 18, 2014. The third row middle seat belt assembly might not have been properly secured to the vehicle floor anchorage during vehicle assembly. As…
What can happen. A seat belt that is not properly secured to its anchorage could increase the risk of injury to an occupant in the event of a crash.
The free fix. Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the third row middle seat belt anchor, and, if necessary, properly secure it to the vehicle floor anchorage, free of charge. The recall is expected…
Crashes, fires and injuries owners reported
What owners reported alongside the failure itself, out of 1,477 complaints against this generation:
- Crashes
- 100 (6.8%)
- Fires
- 13
- Injury reports
- 68
- Fatality reports
- 1
These flags are self-reported by complainants and unverified by NHTSA; one report can carry several flags, so the counts overlap and do not sum to a total. They are not adjusted for how many of these vehicles are on the road. No chart is drawn here on purpose: overlapping counts spanning very different magnitudes cannot be honestly encoded as lengths.
Highlander problems by model year
The 2019 drew the most complaints of this generation, 488, most of them about the transmission and driveline, and the 2016 the fewest, 116. A typical year drew about 233.
That makes the 2019 stand out at roughly 2.1 times a typical year. A count like this follows how many cars of each year were sold and how long they have been on the road as much as how often they failed, so it is not by itself evidence of a worse year; what each year's reports name, in its card and row, is the useful part.
| Year | Complaints | With mileage | Median miles | Most reported | Recalls |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | 137 | 95 | 35,000 | Electrical system (36) | 4 |
| 2015 | 196 | 126 | 30,000 | Electrical system (54) | 1 |
| 2016 | 116 | 77 | 25,000 | Brakes (22) | 2 |
| 2017 | 270 | 126 | 20,000† | Transmission and driveline (73) | 3 |
| 2018 | 270 | 115 | 16,000† | Transmission and driveline (65) | 4 |
| 2019 | 488 | 145 | 11,000† | Transmission and driveline (195) | 3 |
What Highlander owners reported
The contact owns a 2016 Toyota Highlander. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, the rear taillight covers cracked due to the high outdoor temperatures, and there was condensation inside the taillight housing. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was determined that the rear taillight covers…
2016 · 70,000 miles · Exterior lighting
The contact owns a 2019 Toyota Highlander. The contact stated that while attempting to depress the brake pedal, the brakes failed to operate as intended. The contact stated that after taking the foot off the brake pedal, the brakes started working as intended. The vehicle was drivable. The vehicle was driven to the…
2019 · 69,000 miles · Brakes
The contact owns a 2015 Toyota Highlander. The contact stated that the power liftgate consistently failed halfway through while opening and closing the liftgate. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact became aware of information online about Technical Service…
2015 · 133,000 miles · Electrical system
The contact’s daughter owns a 2018 Toyota Highlander. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, there was a clunking sound coming from the front driver’s side of the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, and the owner was informed that the struts needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not…
2018 · 101,000 miles · Body structure
Built from 684 NHTSA complaints with mileage · snapshot 2026-09-26 · open data · how it is built
Other Highlander generations
- Highlander 2001–2007 1,633 reports with mileage, most about throttle and speed control
- Highlander 2008–2013 1,267 reports with mileage, most about the brakes
- Highlander 2020–2025 178 reports with mileage, most about the transmission and driveline