Toyota Highlander Reliability
Quick answer
The Toyota Highlander has 1.45 NHTSA owner complaints per 1,000 vehicles sold across the 2015–2022 model years. In CarWhere's ranking of 26 SUVs by NHTSA complaints per 1,000 sold (2015–2022, serious complaints weighted double and adjusted for vehicle age), the Highlander places 9th: a lower complaint rate than most. Across model years 2008–2025, owners filed 4,539 complaints with NHTSA, most often about the transmission and the brakes, and NHTSA lists 48 recall campaigns. CarWhere's year-by-year analysis flags 2008 and 2017–2023 as years to avoid. Model years 2024–2025 have had less than three years on the road, so their complaint counts are still building.
By CarWhere Research · Last reviewed 2026-11-10 · Source: NHTSA
1.45
Complaints per 1,000 sold (2015–2022)
4,539
NHTSA owner complaints (2008–2025)
48
Recall campaigns
8
Years to avoid
Most-reported Toyota Highlander problems
NHTSA owner complaints for model years 2008–2025, by the component owners named, filed 2007–2026. A complaint can name more than one component. The last three columns count complaints that report a crash, a fire or an injury.
| Component | Complaints | Share | Crash | Fire | Injury |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Powertrain / transmission | 901 | 20% | 18 | 1 | 10 |
| Service brakes | 672 | 15% | 81 | 2 | 29 |
| Electrical system | 559 | 12% | 14 | 22 | 10 |
| Engine | 469 | 10% | 18 | 16 | 10 |
| Body structure | 387 | 9% | 31 | 3 | 16 |
| Air bags | 312 | 7% | 113 | 0 | 80 |
| Steering | 286 | 6% | 17 | 1 | 10 |
| Fuel / propulsion system | 269 | 6% | 13 | 0 | 7 |
Of all 4,539 complaints, 304 (7%) report a crash, 46 (1%) a fire and 185 (4%) an injury.
For 2020-and-newer models (1,411 complaints), the most-reported areas are the transmission (437), the brakes (186), the body structure (170), air bags (131).
Toyota Highlander complaints by model year
Where problems concentrate. Year flags come from CarWhere's years-to-avoid analysis, which compares each Highlander model year with the model's other years. The full year-by-year verdicts are on the years-to-avoid page.
| Model year | Complaints | Recalls | Most-reported area | Flag |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 603 | 14 | Service brakes | Avoid |
| 2009 | 174 | 10 | Service brakes | — |
| 2010 | 238 | 11 | Electrical system | — |
| 2011 | 187 | 5 | Visibility / wipers | — |
| 2012 | 191 | 2 | Steering | — |
| 2013 | 212 | 3 | Steering | — |
| 2014 | 138 | 5 | Electrical system | — |
| 2015 | 197 | 2 | Electrical system | — |
| 2016 | 117 | 3 | Service brakes | — |
| 2017 | 275 | 4 | Powertrain / transmission | Avoid |
| 2018 | 280 | 5 | Powertrain / transmission | Avoid |
| 2019 | 516 | 3 | Powertrain / transmission | Avoid |
| 2020 | 332 | 5 | Powertrain / transmission | Avoid |
| 2021 | 553 | 5 | Powertrain / transmission | Avoid |
| 2022 | 273 | 6 | Powertrain / transmission | Avoid |
| 2023 | 199 | 9 | Body structure | Avoid |
| 2024(new) | 43 | 7 | Service brakes | — |
| 2025(new) | 11 | 4 | Speed control / throttle | — |
Raw counts are not adjusted for how many of each year were sold, and older years have had longer to collect complaints. Years marked "new" have had less than three years on the road. — = not flagged either way.
Toyota Highlander recalls
NHTSA lists 48 recall campaigns across Toyota Highlander model years 2008–2025. The ones below cover the most model years. Recall repairs are free at a dealer.
| NHTSA campaign | Model years | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 26V128000Mar 5, 2026 | 2021–2025 | Seats — mid/rear assembly / recliner | 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. |
| 18E107000Nov 27, 2018 | 2014–2018 | Electrical system | Fujian Wanda Automobile Glass Industry (Wanda) is recalling certain aftermarket Replacement Windshields sold for use in 2014-2018 Toyota Highlander vehicles. The windshields have an attached wire harness that water may leak into, possibly… |
| 13V014000Jan 16, 2013 | 2009–2013 | Air bags — frontal / sensor/control module-inactive | Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC (SET) is recalling certain models interspersed through model years 2009 through 2013 as follows: model year 2009-2012 Tacoma, 4Runner, Camry, Camry Hybrid, Prius, and RAV4; model year 2009-2010 Avalon, FJ… |
| 24V452000Jun 18, 2024 | 2021–2024 | Tires | 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… |
| 23V720000Oct 26, 2023 | 2020–2023 | Body structure — body / bumpers | 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… |
Best and worst Highlander years
- Years to avoid: 2008 and 2017–2023.
- No model year stands out as clearly better than the rest.
- 2024–2025: too new to judge fully; complaint counts are still building.
Toyota Highlander years to avoid: the verdict for every model year →
What to inspect on a used Toyota Highlander
Based on the components owners report most. None of these replaces an independent pre-purchase inspection.
- Transmission: test-drive from cold through every gear, feel for slipping, harsh or delayed shifts and shudder, and ask whether the fluid has been serviced.
- Brakes: check pedal feel, pulling and grinding, and look at rotor and pad wear; ask when the brake fluid was last changed.
- Body: look under the car for rust or damaged subframe and rocker areas, and check panel gaps for signs of repair.
- Air bags: make sure the air bag warning light goes out after start-up and that any air bag recall was completed on this VIN.
- Recalls: check the VIN for open recalls; open recalls are repaired free at a dealer.
- History: run the VIN for salvage, theft and odometer records before you pay.
Check this exact car
Any Toyota Highlander can be better or worse than the model's record. The CarWhere Used Car Report checks one VIN for salvage records, salvage-auction records (with damage photos when the auction published them), stolen-vehicle records, the odometer trail and its listing and price history since 2015. Free preview first; the full report is $12.99, one time.
Toyota Highlander reliability FAQ
Is the Toyota Highlander reliable?
The Toyota Highlander has 1.45 NHTSA owner complaints per 1,000 vehicles sold across the 2015–2022 model years. In CarWhere's ranking of 26 SUVs by NHTSA complaints per 1,000 sold (2015–2022, serious complaints weighted double and adjusted for vehicle age), the Highlander places 9th: a lower complaint rate than most. Across model years 2008–2025, owners filed 4,539 complaints with NHTSA, most often about the transmission and the brakes, and NHTSA lists 48 recall campaigns. CarWhere's year-by-year analysis flags 2008 and 2017–2023 as years to avoid. Model years 2024–2025 have had less than three years on the road, so their complaint counts are still building.
What are the most common Toyota Highlander problems?
In NHTSA owner complaints for model years 2008–2025, the most-reported areas are the transmission (901), the brakes (672), the electrical system (559) and the engine (469). For 2020-and-newer models, the most-reported areas are the transmission, the brakes and the body structure. One complaint can name more than one component, and complaints are unverified owner reports.
What years of the Toyota Highlander should you avoid?
CarWhere's year-by-year analysis flags 2008 and 2017–2023 as years to avoid. Each model year is compared only with other Highlander years: complaints are adjusted for time on the road, and serious ones (engine, transmission, brakes, steering, fuel system, or a reported crash, fire or injury) count double, with a smaller adjustment for recall campaigns.
How long does a Toyota Highlander last?
In CarWhere's lifespan study, 4.6% of 21,622 used Highlander listings in the US had passed 200,000 miles and 16.2% had passed 150,000. Among those 10+ years old, 16.8% are past 200,000 miles. Maintenance history matters more than the model average for any one car.
How many recalls does the Toyota Highlander have?
NHTSA lists 48 recall campaigns covering Toyota Highlander model years 2008–2025. The one covering the most model years is 26V128000 (seats, 2021–2025). Recall repairs are free at a dealer, and whether one was done is tracked by VIN.
How do I check a specific used Toyota Highlander?
Run its VIN. The CarWhere Used Car Report checks one VIN for salvage records, salvage-auction records (with damage photos when the auction published them), stolen-vehicle records, the odometer trail and its listing and price history since 2015, with a free preview first and the full report at $12.99, one time. Pair it with an independent pre-purchase inspection.
How we measure Highlander reliability
- Complaints are every NHTSA owner complaint filed for the Toyota Highlander, model years 2008–2025, across all the body-style and trim names NHTSA files them under, de-duplicated by complaint number. They are unverified owner reports.
- Complaints per 1,000 sold divides the 2,543 complaints for the 2015–2022 model years by 1,749,226 vehicles sold in the US in those calendar years (published sales figures), times 1,000.
- The SUVs ranking uses the same complaints and sales, weights serious complaints double and adjusts for vehicle age, then compares 26 models. See the full ranking.
- Year flags compare each Highlander model year only with other Highlander years, so they say which years to prefer, not how the Highlander compares with other models.
- This is federal complaint and recall data, not a survey and not comparable to Consumer Reports or J.D. Power ratings. It does not estimate repair costs.
Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation owner complaints and NHTSA recall campaigns (api.nhtsa.gov), retrieved 2026-11-10; published U.S. sales figures; CarWhere years-to-avoid analysis.
More Toyota Highlander research
Toyota Highlander reliability by model year: