2003 Toyota Highlander Reliability
The 2003 Toyota Highlander has 270 owner complaints and 2 recall campaigns on file with NHTSA, most often about engine & cooling and engine. Compared with nearby Highlander model years (2001–2005), it rates as a caution year: complaints run above the Highlander's typical year, while the 2001 has a cleaner record.
By CarWhere Research · Updated 2026-11-04 · Source: NHTSA
270
NHTSA owner complaints
2
Recall campaigns
34
Complaints citing a crash
1
Complaints citing a fire
2003 Toyota Highlander complaints by component
Owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2003 model year, filed between 2003 and 2026. A complaint can name more than one component.
| Component | Complaints | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Engine & cooling | 48 | 18% |
| Engine | 42 | 16% |
| Service brakes | 34 | 13% |
| Visibility / wipers | 34 | 13% |
| Speed control / throttle | 31 | 11% |
| Body structure | 19 | 7% |
| Powertrain / transmission | 17 | 6% |
| Exterior lighting | 15 | 6% |
2003 Toyota Highlander recalls
2 recall campaigns on NHTSA record for the 2003 model year, by the date NHTSA received the manufacturer's report. Recall repairs are free at a dealer.
| NHTSA campaign | Date | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 02V339000 | Dec 17, 2002 | Wheels | On certain sport utility vehicles equipped with five factory alloy wheels (model 6934 and 6936), with factory llat, and with port installed wr4, four alloy wheel upgrade processed at the jacksonville, florida port and distributed by southeast Toyota… |
| 04V181000 | Apr 15, 2004 | Latches, locks & linkages — doors / latch | Certain sport utility vehicles have a child protection lock (cpl) system on both of the rear side doors. When an operator of the vehicle closes the door very hard with the cpl lever set to the lock position, there is a possibility that the lever may contact… |
How the 2003 compares with nearby Highlander years
Verdicts come from CarWhere's year-by-year Highlander analysis where it covers the year, otherwise from the years shown here.
| Model year | Complaints | Recalls | Most-reported area | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | 136 | 3 | Visibility / wipers | Solid |
| 2002 | 327 | 2 | Visibility / wipers | Caution |
| 2003 (this page) | 270 | 2 | Engine & cooling | Caution |
| 2004 | 286 | 5 | Powertrain / transmission | Avoid |
| 2005 | 225 | 6 | Powertrain / transmission | Avoid |
Complaints are unverified owner reports filed with NHTSA and are not adjusted for how many of each year were sold, so they compare years of the same model rather than different models.
What to check on a used 2003 Toyota Highlander
- Engine & cooling: look for coolant leaks or low coolant, watch the temperature gauge on a long test drive, and check for overheating history.
- Engine: cold-start it yourself, listen for ticking or knocking, check for oil leaks and oil consumption, and ask for oil-change records.
- Brakes: check pedal feel, pulling and grinding, and look at rotor and pad wear; ask when the brake fluid was last changed.
- Visibility: test the wipers at every speed, washers, defrosters and the climate system (fogging is a common complaint).
- Recalls: confirm each of the 2 campaigns above was completed on this VIN; open recalls are repaired free at a dealer.
- History: run the VIN for salvage, theft and odometer records, and have an independent mechanic inspect the car before you pay.
Check this exact car
Any 2003 Toyota Highlander can be better or worse than its model year. 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.
2003 Toyota Highlander reliability FAQ
Is the 2003 Toyota Highlander reliable?
The 2003 Toyota Highlander has 270 owner complaints and 2 recall campaigns on file with NHTSA, most often about engine & cooling and engine. Compared with nearby Highlander model years (2001–2005), it rates as a caution year: complaints run above the Highlander's typical year, while the 2001 has a cleaner record.
What are the most common 2003 Toyota Highlander problems?
The most-reported problem areas in NHTSA owner complaints for the 2003 Toyota Highlander are engine & cooling (48), engine (42), service brakes (34), visibility / wipers (34). One complaint can name more than one component.
Does the 2003 Toyota Highlander have recalls?
NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns for the 2003 Toyota Highlander, including 02V339000 (wheels) and 04V181000 (latches, locks & linkages — doors / latch). Recall repairs are free at a dealer, and whether one was done is tracked by VIN.
How does the 2003 Toyota Highlander compare with the 2002 and 2004 models?
By NHTSA records, the 2002 has 327 complaints and 2 recalls (caution); the 2004 has 286 complaints and 5 recalls (avoid). The 2003 has 270 complaints and 2 recalls.
How do I check a specific used 2003 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.
More Toyota Highlander research
Other Toyota Highlander model years:
Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation owner complaints (all body-style listings for the 2003 Highlander, de-duplicated by complaint number) and NHTSA recall campaigns, retrieved 2026-11-04.