Toyota Highlander 2020–2025 problems by year and mileage
4th generation (XU70)
NHTSA data through 24 September 20261,353 complaints, 178 with mileageMethod
Which year is yours? Tap it to see what breaks on it.
The 2020 Toyota Highlander
Close- Median failure report
- 20,000 mi
- Complaints filed
- 324
- Recalls naming this year
- 5
Most reported on the 2020
- Transmission and driveline125 reports
- Problems owners could not categorise43 reports
- Brakes38 reports
5 recall campaigns name the 2020: Air bags — sensor; Structure — body; Electronic stability control (esc) — control module. Not every car in a campaign is affected — check the VIN at NHTSA. Recall repairs are free.
The 2021 Toyota Highlander
Close- Median failure report
- 24,000 mi
- Complaints filed
- 532
- Recalls naming this year
- 5
Most reported on the 2021
- Transmission and driveline222 reports
- Brakes66 reports
- Problems owners could not categorise63 reports
5 recall campaigns name the 2021: Seats — mid/rear assembly; Tires; Air bags — sensor. Not every car in a campaign is affected — check the VIN at NHTSA. Recall repairs are free.
The 2022 Toyota Highlander
Close- Median failure report
- 30,000 mi
- Complaints filed
- 255
- Recalls naming this year
- 6
Most reported on the 2022
- Transmission and driveline53 reports
- Body structure43 reports
- Brakes39 reports
6 recall campaigns name the 2022: Seats — mid/rear assembly; Tires; Structure — body. Not every car in a campaign is affected — check the VIN at NHTSA. Recall repairs are free.
The 2023 Toyota Highlander
Close- Median failure report
- too few reports to time
- Complaints filed
- 190
- Recalls naming this year
- 9
Most reported on the 2023
- Problems owners could not categorise40 reports
- Body structure35 reports
- Engine28 reports
9 recall campaigns name the 2023: Seats — mid/rear assembly; Back over prevention — display function; Electrical system — instrument cluster/panel. Not every car in a campaign is affected — check the VIN at NHTSA. Recall repairs are free.
The 2024 Toyota Highlander
Close- Median failure report
- too few reports to time
- Complaints filed
- 42
- Recalls naming this year
- 7
Most reported on the 2024
- Problems owners could not categorise13 reports
- Brakes8 reports
- Fuel and propulsion system7 reports
7 recall campaigns name the 2024: Seats — mid/rear assembly; Seat belts — rear/other; Back over prevention — display function. Not every car in a campaign is affected — check the VIN at NHTSA. Recall repairs are free.
The 2025 Toyota Highlander
Close- Median failure report
- too few reports to time
- Complaints filed
- 10
- Recalls naming this year
- 4
Most reported on the 2025
- Throttle and speed control3 reports
- Forward collision avoidance2 reports
- Brakes2 reports
4 recall campaigns name the 2025: Seats — mid/rear assembly; Seat belts — rear/other; Back over prevention — display function. 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. The 2022 reports latest and the 2020 earliest, but part of that gap is age: the 2020 has had 2 more years on the road to accumulate mileage. 3 of these years carry fewer than 30 reports with an odometer reading and show no median at all, rather than one computed from a handful.
The short answer
“Is the 2020–2025 Toyota Highlander reliable?”
- Median of reported failures
- 27,000 mi
- 90% of reports came by
- 89,000 mi
- Reports with mileage
- 178
- Recalls
- 15
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 driveline31.3% of complaints · median 69,000 mi
- Problems owners could not categorise14.6% of complaints
- Brakes12.7% of complaints · median 15,000 mi
Owners filed 1,353 complaints with NHTSA about the 2020–2025 Toyota Highlander; the transmission and driveline leads with 31.3% of them, and half of the 178 that record an odometer reading came by 27,000 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.
35% of complaints that record mileage fall within the first 12,000 miles, against 1.3 reports per 1,000 miles between 20,000 and 80,000. On a generation this new that is expected: few examples have been driven further yet, so the timing says little about design or wear so far.
Before-you-buy checklist ↓At your mileage ↓Check this VIN — NHTSA ↗
How many miles does a 2020–2025 Toyota Highlander last?
The newest model years (2024–2025) are too young to have reached high mileage; most reports with an odometer reading come from the earlier years of the generation.
Complaint records can’t measure how long a car lasts; they show when reported failures happened. On the 2020–2025 Toyota Highlander, half of the 178 complaints that record an odometer reading were filed by 27,000 miles and 90% by 89,000 miles.
4 reports came in past 150,000 miles and 2 past 200,000 — each one proof that a Highlander reached that mileage, not that it failed there.
Figure 1 · Toyota Highlander 2020–2025 · 178 reports with mileage
Mileage at failure
Complaints per 20,000-mile bin, 0 to 200,000 miles, equal bins on a linear scale. Tallest bar = 78 complaints.
- First 12,000 miles — 35% of all failures
- Rest of the range
- Median
- 200,000+ — 2 complaints (1.1%), plotted separately
- 10%
- 950
- 25%
- 6,000
- Median
- 27,204
- 75%
- 57,000
- 90%
- 89,000
Show the numbers
| Mileage | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 0–20,000 | 78 | 43.8% |
| 20,000–40,000 | 33 | 18.5% |
| 40,000–60,000 | 29 | 16.3% |
| 60,000–80,000 | 16 | 9.0% |
| 80,000–100,000 | 8 | 4.5% |
| 100,000–120,000 | 3 | 1.7% |
| 120,000–140,000 | 5 | 2.8% |
| 140,000–160,000 | 4 | 2.2% |
| 200,000+ | 2 | 1.1% |
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 2020–2025
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 system84 reports1,000473–5,000Fuel and propulsion system: 84 reports, median 1,000 miles, middle half 473 to 5,000 miles.
- Brakes172 reports15,0004,000–27,000Brakes: 172 reports, median 15,000 miles, middle half 4,000 to 27,000 miles.
- Engine108 reports17,0003,500–59,000Engine: 108 reports, median 17,000 miles, middle half 3,500 to 59,000 miles.
- Electrical system85 reports28,00011,000–78,000Electrical system: 85 reports, median 28,000 miles, middle half 11,000 to 78,000 miles.
- Body structure167 reports30,00010,000–51,000Body structure: 167 reports, median 30,000 miles, middle half 10,000 to 51,000 miles.
- Airbag system122 reports42,00031,000–67,000Airbag system: 122 reports, median 42,000 miles, middle half 31,000 to 67,000 miles.
- Transmission and driveline423 reports69,00058,000–99,000Transmission and driveline: 423 reports, median 69,000 miles, middle half 58,000 to 99,000 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 | 423 | 31.3% | 69,000 | 58,000–99,000 |
| Problems owners could not categorise | 198 | 14.6% | — | — |
| Brakes | 172 | 12.7% | 15,000 | 4,000–27,000 |
| Body structure | 167 | 12.3% | 30,000 | 10,000–51,000 |
| Airbag system | 122 | 9.0% | 42,000 | 31,000–67,000 |
| Engine | 108 | 8.0% | 17,000 | 3,500–59,000 |
| Electrical system | 85 | 6.3% | 28,000 | 11,000–78,000 |
| Fuel and propulsion system | 84 | 6.2% | 1,000 | 473–5,000 |
| Forward collision avoidance | 42 | 3.1% | — | — |
| Throttle and speed control | 42 | 3.1% | 13,000 | 2,000–20,000 |
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 27,000 miles; the figures below show which parts of the car run ahead of that and which run behind.
The transmission and driveline accounts for 31.3% of complaints (423 reports, 28 of them with a mileage figure), and it fails late — a median of 69,000 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 58,000 and 99,000 miles.
A single system taking 31.3% of all complaints is a concentration worth noting. It means that for this generation, most of what owners reported came back to one area of the car rather than being distributed across many small faults.
The brakes account for 12.7% of complaints (172 reports, 12 of them with a mileage figure), and they fail early — a median of 15,000 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 4,000 and 27,000 miles.
Body structure accounts for 12.3% of complaints (167 reports, 38 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 30,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 10,000 and 51,000 miles.
The airbag system accounts for 9.0% of complaints (122 reports, 12 of them with a mileage figure), and it fails late — a median of 42,000 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 31,000 and 67,000 miles.
The engine accounts for 8.0% of complaints (108 reports, 16 of them with a mileage figure), and it fails early — a median of 17,000 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 59,000 miles.
The electrical system accounts for 6.3% of complaints (85 reports, 22 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 28,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 11,000 and 78,000 miles.
Known problems with the 2020–2025 Highlander
Fuel System 2020–2021
Denso low-pressure fuel pump recall extends into the early years of this generation.
Engine 2023–2025
The 2023 switch from the long-serving 2GR-FKS V6 to the T24A-FTS turbo four is a major mid-generation powertrain change; the turbo four has no established long-term failure record yet and should be tracked separately from the V6 years on the page.
Before you buy a 2020–2025 Highlander: the 3-minute check
Generated from 178 mileage-tagged complaints, 15 recall campaigns, 2 documented problem areas. Print this page — the checklist survives print.
- Run the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. 15 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 1,000 miles — a newer example may not have reached that mileage yet, so ask what was repaired under warranty and what the warranty still covers.
- Check fuel system on 2020–2021 cars. Denso low-pressure fuel pump recall extends into the early years of this generation.
- Check engine on 2023–2025 cars. The 2023 switch from the long-serving 2GR-FKS V6 to the T24A-FTS turbo four is a major mid-generation powertrain change; the turbo four has no established long-term failure record yet and should be tracked separately…
- 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 of a newer example: 35% of the reported failures occur in the first 12,000 miles, and many of these cars have not covered that yet. The early window may still be ahead, so check what the factory warranty still covers and whether any recall on the VIN is open.
On inspection, the transmission and driveline and the brakes are where this generation's reports concentrate, so those are the areas worth a specific look. The brakes in particular shows a median failure mileage of 15,000, 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 mi79% below | At 90k mi91% below | At 120k mi94% below | At 150k mi98% below | At 200k mi99% below |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Transmission and driveline | 58,000–99,000 | in window | in window | earlier | earlier | earlier |
| Brakes | 4,000–27,000 | earlier | earlier | earlier | earlier | earlier |
| Body structure | 10,000–51,000 | earlier | earlier | earlier | earlier | earlier |
| Airbag system | 31,000–67,000 | in window | earlier | earlier | earlier | earlier |
| Engine | 3,500–59,000 | earlier | earlier | earlier | earlier | earlier |
| Electrical system | 11,000–78,000 | in window | earlier | earlier | earlier | earlier |
| Fuel and propulsion system | 473–5,000 | earlier | earlier | earlier | earlier | earlier |
Figure 3 · Toyota Highlander 2020–2025 · 178 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 — 79% of reports below
- 120,000 mi — 94% of reports below
- 200,000 mi — 99% of reports below
- Median — the staircase crosses the 50% line here
- Your odometer — appears after you enter it above
The staircase tops out at 99%: the remaining 1.1% of reports (2) came above 200,000 miles.
Nothing is smoothed or interpolated. Linear axis, same as Figure 1.
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation, public domain.
2020–2025 Toyota Highlander recalls (15)
NHTSA records 15 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 seats (2), equipment (2), the tyres (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.
Mar 2026 · 2021–2025 · SeatsA seat back that fails to lock may not properly restrain an occupant during a crash, increasing the risk of…
The defect. Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2021-2025 Highlander and Highlander Hybrid vehicles. The second-row seat backs may fail to lock into position during seat back adjustment.
What can happen. A seat back that fails to lock may not properly restrain an occupant during a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
The free fix. Dealers will replace the return springs in the seat back recliner assemblies, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed September 9, 2026. This is a phased recall. Owners may contact Toyota’s…
Dec 2025 · 2024–2025 · Seat BeltsA seat belt that does not properly restrain an occupant increases the risk of injury during a crash.
The defect. Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2024-2025 Highlander and Highlander Hybrid vehicles. The third row center seat belt roof anchor may have been installed at an incorrect angle, preventing the seat belt from properly…
What can happen. A seat belt that does not properly restrain an occupant increases the risk of injury during a crash.
The free fix. Dealers will reinstall the seat belt anchor with a new bolt, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 27, 2026. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331.…
Oct 2025 · 2023–2025 · Back Over PreventionA rearview camera that fails to display an image can reduce the driver's view behind the vehicle, increasing…
The defect. Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2022-2026 Toyota, Lexus, and Subaru Solterra vehicles equipped with a Panoramic View Monitor (PVM) system. Please see the recall report for a complete list of models. A software error may…
What can happen. A rearview camera that fails to display an image can reduce the driver's view behind the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
The free fix. Dealers will update the parking assist software, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed January 2, 2026. Owners may contact Toyota's customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's numbers for this…
Sep 2025 · 2023–2025 · Electrical SystemAn instrument panel display that does not show critical information can increase the risk of a crash or…
The defect. Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2023-2024 Toyota Venza, 2023-2025 RAV4 Prime, RAV4, Highlander, GR Corolla, Crown, 2024-2025 Lexus TX, LS, Toyota Tacoma, Grand Highlander, and 2025 Lexus RX, Toyota Crown Signia, Camry…
What can happen. An instrument panel display that does not show critical information can increase the risk of a crash or injury.
The free fix. Dealers will update the instrument panel software over-the-air (OTA) for non-PHEV vehicles, free of charge. For PHEV vehicles, dealers will inspect the instrument panel assembly, and either replace…
Jan 2025 · 2023 · SteeringA deactivated driver's air bag will not deploy as intended, increasing the risk of injury during a crash.
The defect. Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2023 Toyota Corolla, Corolla Cross, Corolla Cross Hybrid, Highlander, Highlander Hybrid, Tacoma, Lexus RX350, 2023-2024 NX250, and NX350 vehicles that may have been incorrectly repaired…
What can happen. A deactivated driver's air bag will not deploy as intended, increasing the risk of injury during a crash.
The free fix. Dealers will inspect and replace the spiral cable assembly as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 17, 2025. Owners may contact Toyota's customer service at…
Jul 2024 · 2023–2024 · EquipmentA vehicle with an incorrect maximum capacity weight value may be overloaded, which can increase the risk of a…
The defect. Gulf States Toyota, Inc. (GST) is recalling certain Toyota 2023 GR Supra, 2024 4 Runner, Corolla, Grand Highlander, Grand Highlander Hybrid, Land Cruiser Hybrid, Tacoma, Tacoma Hybrid, 2023-2024 BZ4X, Corolla Cross Hybrid, GR Corolla, GR86, Highlander…
What can happen. A vehicle with an incorrect maximum capacity weight value may be overloaded, which can increase the risk of a crash.
The free fix. GST will mail new labels to owners, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed September 16, 2024. Owners may contact GST customer service at 1-800-444-1074. GST's number for this recall…
Jun 2024 · 2021–2024 · TiresTires with an insufficient load rating can be overloaded and fail, increasing the risk of a crash.
The defect. Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC (SET) is recalling certain 2021-2024 Highlander vehicles. The 20-inch accessory tires with an insufficient load rating for the vehicle's Gross Axle Weight Rating (GAWR) were installed. As such, these vehicles fail to comply…
What can happen. Tires with an insufficient load rating can be overloaded and fail, increasing the risk of a crash.
The free fix. SET will inspect and replace the tires and information placard, as necessary free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 16, 2024. Owners may contact SET's customer service at…
Jun 2024 · 2022–2024 · TiresTires with an insufficient load rating may be overloaded and fail, increasing the risk of a crash.
The defect. Gulf States Toyota, Inc. (GST) is recalling certain 2022-2024 model year Highlander L and Highlander LE vehicles equipped with the Blackout Package that includes 20" black alloy wheels and tires. The installed tires have an insufficient load rating. As such…
What can happen. Tires with an insufficient load rating may be overloaded and fail, increasing the risk of a crash.
The free fix. GST will inspect and replace the tires as necessary, and install a new tire information label as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 8, 2024. Owners may contact…
Dec 2023 · 2020–2021 · Air BagsAn air bag that does not deploy during a crash increases the risk of injury.
The defect. Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Avalon, Avalon Hybrid, Corolla, Highlander, Highlander Hybrid, RAV4, RAV4 Hybrid, Lexus ES350, Lexus RX350, Lexus RX450H, 2021 Sienna Hybrid, Lexus ES250, 2020-2022 Camry, Camry…
What can happen. An air bag that does not deploy during a crash increases the risk of injury.
The free fix. Dealers will inspect and replace the sensor as necessary, free of charge. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed in February 2024. Some final remedy owner letters were mailed…
Oct 2023 · 2020–2023 · StructureA detached front bumper cover can become a road hazard, increasing the risk of a crash.
The defect. Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2020-2023 Highlander & Highlander Hybrid vehicles. During normal vehicle operation, minor impact to the front lower bumper cover may result in the cover coming loose or detaching.
What can happen. A detached front bumper cover can become a road hazard, increasing the risk of a crash.
The free fix. Dealers will repair or replace the upper and lower front bumper covers as necessary, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed April 22, 2024. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at…
Jul 2023 · 2023 · Air BagsA deactivated driver's air bag that does not deploy as intended increases the risk of injury during a crash.
The defect. Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2023 Corolla, Corolla Cross, Corolla Cross Hybrid, Highlander, Highlander Hybrid, Tacoma, 2023 Lexus RX350, RX350 Hybrid, RX500 Hybrid, 2023-2024 Lexus NX250, NX350, and NX350 Hybrid…
What can happen. A deactivated driver's air bag that does not deploy as intended increases the risk of injury during a crash.
The free fix. Dealers will inspect and replace the spiral cable assembly, if necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed September 8, 2023. Owners may contact Toyota's customer service at…
May 2022 · 2022 · EquipmentAn illegible label may allow the vehicle to be overloaded, increasing the risk of a crash.
The defect. Gulf States Toyota, Inc. (GST) is recalling certain 2022 4Runner, Tacoma, Highlander, and Highlander Hybrid vehicles. The load carrying capacity modification labels may not be permanent and can fade, becoming illegible. As such, these vehicles fail to comply…
What can happen. An illegible label may allow the vehicle to be overloaded, increasing the risk of a crash.
The free fix. GST will notify owners by mail, including a replacement load carrying capacity modification label for their vehicle and detailed replacement instructions, free of charge. Owner notification letters…
Apr 2022 · 2020–2022 · Electronic Stability Control (esc)Driving with a deactivated stability control system increases the risk of a crash.
The defect. Toyota Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2022 Lexus LX 600, Lexus NX 350h, Lexus NX 450h+, Toytoa RAV4 Hybrid, 2021-2022 Lexus LS 500h, Toyota Mirai, RAV4 PRIME, Sienna, Venza, and 2020-2022 Toyota Highlander Hybrid vehicles. The Skid…
What can happen. Driving with a deactivated stability control system increases the risk of a crash.
The free fix. Dealers will update the Skid Control ECU software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed May 27, 2022. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's number…
Oct 2020 · 2020 · SeatsImproper deployment of the seat-mounted side air bag increases the risk of injury in the event of a crash.
The defect. Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2020 Highlander and Highlander hybrid vehicles. Incorrect seat trim covers on one or both of the front seats can prevent the seat-mounted side air bag from deploying properly.
What can happen. Improper deployment of the seat-mounted side air bag increases the risk of injury in the event of a crash.
The free fix. Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the front seats and replace the seat trim covers as necessary, free of charge. The recall began December 11, 2020. Owners may contact Toyota…
Mar 2020 · 2020 · EngineImproper fuel supply programming can result in a vehicle stall, increasing the risk of a crash.
The defect. Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2020 Highlander vehicles equipped with a 3.5 L, V6 (2GR-FKS) gasoline engine. Due to an Engine Control Unit (ECU) programming error, fuel may not be correctly supplied to the engine while…
What can happen. Improper fuel supply programming can result in a vehicle stall, increasing the risk of a crash.
The free fix. Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the ECU, free of charge. The recall began May 15, 2020. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-888-270-9371. Toyota's number for this…
Crashes, fires and injuries owners reported
What owners reported alongside the failure itself, out of 1,353 complaints against this generation:
- Crashes
- 65 (4.8%)
- Fires
- 5
- Injury reports
- 47
- 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 2021 drew the most complaints of this generation, 532, most of them about the transmission and driveline, and the 2024 the fewest among the 5 years with at least 20 complaints, 42. A typical year drew about 255.
That makes the 2021 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 324 | 64 | 20,000 | Transmission and driveline (125) | 5 |
| 2021 | 532 | 50 | 24,000 | Transmission and driveline (222) | 5 |
| 2022 | 255 | 36 | 30,000 | Transmission and driveline (53) | 6 |
| 2023 | 190 | 22 | under 30 reports | Problems owners could not categorise (40) | 9 |
| 2024 | 42 | 3 | under 30 reports | Problems owners could not categorise (13) | 7 |
| 2025 | 10 | 3 | under 30 reports | Throttle and speed control (3) | 4 |
What Highlander owners reported
The contact owns a 2025 Toyota Highlander. The contact stated that while leaving the driveway at the doctor's office on a slope, the accelerator pedal was depressed while making a left turn, but the vehicle failed to move. The vehicle then rolled into traffic. The brake pedal was depressed, but the vehicle was slow to…
2025 · 15,000 miles · Brakes
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 was concerned the vehicle might move forward. The…
2020 · 29,000 miles · Engine
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. The contact turned off and restarted the vehicle, but the failure persisted. After…
2021 · 123,000 miles · Electrical system
The contact owns a 2021 Toyota Highlander. The contact stated that while driving 22 MPH, there was an abnormal sound coming from the vehicle. The dealer was contacted by phone and made aware of the failure. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed with transmission failure. The contact was informed…
2021 · 58,000 miles · Transmission and driveline
Built from 178 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 2014–2019 684 reports with mileage, most about the transmission and driveline