2006 Toyota Highlander Reliability
The 2006 Toyota Highlander has 649 owner complaints and 11 recall campaigns on file with NHTSA, most often about service brakes and electrical system. Compared with nearby Highlander model years (2004–2008), it rates as a year to avoid: its complaint rate runs well above the Highlander's typical year.
By CarWhere Research · Updated 2026-11-04 · Source: NHTSA
649
NHTSA owner complaints
11
Recall campaigns
63
Complaints citing a crash
11
Complaints citing a fire
2006 Toyota Highlander complaints by component
Owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2006 model year, filed between 2005 and 2026. A complaint can name more than one component.
| Component | Complaints | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Service brakes | 240 | 37% |
| Electrical system | 100 | 15% |
| Speed control / throttle | 76 | 12% |
| Engine & cooling | 49 | 8% |
| Hybrid propulsion system | 46 | 7% |
| Engine | 44 | 7% |
| Powertrain / transmission | 41 | 6% |
| Steering | 41 | 6% |
2006 Toyota Highlander recalls
11 recall campaigns on NHTSA record for the 2006 model year, by the date NHTSA received the manufacturer's report. Recall repairs are free at a dealer.
| NHTSA campaign | Date | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 06V253000 | Jul 13, 2006 | Speed control / throttle — accelerator pedal | On certain sport utility and hybrid vehicles, the two retaining clips for the driver's side forward center console can become loose. If both clips separate from the floor carpet cover, the cover may lean toward the accelerator pedal, causing interference with… |
| 09V223000 | Jun 15, 2009 | Equipment — other / labels | Toyota is recalling 27,080 model year 2005 through 2010 passenger cars built from September 1, 2005 to May 4, 2009. These vehicles were not equipped with load carrying capacity modification labels which fails to conform with the requirements of federal motor… |
| 10V035000 | Feb 3, 2010 | Equipment — other / labels | Gulf states Toyota is recalling certain model year 2005-2010 vehicles for failing to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 110, "tire selection and rims." these vehicles were sold between September 1, 2005 and June 2, 2008… |
| 10V036000 | Feb 3, 2010 | Equipment — other / labels | Southeast Toyota is recalling certain model year 2005-2011 passenger vehicles for failing to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 110, "tire selection and rims." these vehicles were sold without the requisite load carrying… |
| 10V499000 | Oct 21, 2010 | Service brakes — foundation components / master cylinder | Toyota is recalling certain model year 2005-2006 avalon, model year 2004-2006 Highlander, model year 2004-2006 lexus rx, and model year 2006 lexus gs and is vehicles. Brake fluid containing polymers is used that acts as lubricants for certain brake system… |
| 11V112000 | Feb 24, 2011 | Speed control / throttle — accelerator pedal | Toyota is recalling certain model year 2004-2006 Highlander, Highlander hybrid, and model year 2004-2007 lexus rx330, rx350, and rx400h vehicles. If the forward retention clip used to secure the floor carpet cover, which is located in front of the center… |
| 11V342000 | Jun 29, 2011 | Electrical system | Toyota is recalling certain model year 2006-2007 Highlander hybrid and lexus rx400h passenger cars manufactured from February 16, 2005, through August 30, 2006. A module inside the inverter module may contain inadequately soldered transistors that during… |
| 11V539000 | Nov 9, 2011 | Engine & cooling | Toyota is recalling certain model year 2004 avalon vehicles; 2004 and 2005 camry, camry solara, Highlander, and sienna vehicles, 2006 Highlander hybrid; 2004 and 2005 lexus es330 and rx330; and 2006 lexus rx400h vehicles manufactured from June 1, 2004 through… |
| 13V396000 | Sep 4, 2013 | Hybrid propulsion system — inverter | Toyota is recalling certain model year 2006-2010 Highlander hybrid vehicles manufactured February 16, 2005, through July 29, 2010; and model year 2006-2008 Lexus RX400h vehicles manufactured February 23, 2005, through December 2, 2008. The Intelligent Power… |
| 14V743000 | Nov 19, 2014 | Seats — front assembly / seat heater/cooler | Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC (SET) is recalling certain model year 2010-2011 Prius and Corolla, 2009-2011 Venza, 2006-2010 Avalon, 2007-2010 FJ Cruiser, 2005-2011 Sienna and Sequoia, 2006-2011 Tacoma 4x2 and 4x4, Camry, Highlander, Tundra 4x2 and 4x4,… |
| 16V396000 | Jun 2, 2016 | Seats — front assembly / seat heater/cooler | Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC (SET) is recalling certain 2005-2011 4Runner, Highlander, Sequoia, and Sienna, 2005-2010 Avalon and Tundra, 2006-2008 Camry Solara, 2006-2010 Highlander hybrid, 2006-2011 Rav4 and Tacoma, 2007-2010 FJ Cruiser, 2007-2011… |
How the 2006 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | 286 | 5 | Powertrain / transmission | Avoid |
| 2005 | 225 | 6 | Powertrain / transmission | Avoid |
| 2006 (this page) | 649 | 11 | Service brakes | Avoid |
| 2007 | 234 | 6 | Service brakes | Avoid |
| 2008 | 602 | 14 | Service brakes | 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.
The 2006 Toyota Highlander on the used market
- 73 of 202 2006 Toyota Highlander listings in CarWhere's lifespan study showed 200,000 miles or more.
What to check on a used 2006 Toyota Highlander
- Brakes: check pedal feel, pulling and grinding, and look at rotor and pad wear; ask when the brake fluid was last changed.
- Electrical: test every light, window, lock, the infotainment screen and the charging system; scan for stored fault codes.
- Throttle and speed control: check for surging, hesitation or a reduced-power warning, and test cruise control.
- Engine & cooling: look for coolant leaks or low coolant, watch the temperature gauge on a long test drive, and check for overheating history.
- Recalls: confirm each of the 11 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 2006 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.
2006 Toyota Highlander reliability FAQ
Is the 2006 Toyota Highlander reliable?
The 2006 Toyota Highlander has 649 owner complaints and 11 recall campaigns on file with NHTSA, most often about service brakes and electrical system. Compared with nearby Highlander model years (2004–2008), it rates as a year to avoid: its complaint rate runs well above the Highlander's typical year.
What are the most common 2006 Toyota Highlander problems?
The most-reported problem areas in NHTSA owner complaints for the 2006 Toyota Highlander are service brakes (240), electrical system (100), speed control / throttle (76), engine & cooling (49). One complaint can name more than one component.
Does the 2006 Toyota Highlander have recalls?
NHTSA lists 11 recall campaigns for the 2006 Toyota Highlander, including 06V253000 (speed control / throttle — accelerator pedal) and 09V223000 (equipment — other / labels). Recall repairs are free at a dealer, and whether one was done is tracked by VIN.
How does the 2006 Toyota Highlander compare with the 2005 and 2007 models?
By NHTSA records, the 2005 has 225 complaints and 6 recalls (avoid); the 2007 has 234 complaints and 6 recalls (avoid). The 2006 has 649 complaints and 11 recalls.
How do I check a specific used 2006 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 2006 Highlander, de-duplicated by complaint number) and NHTSA recall campaigns, retrieved 2026-11-04.