2008 Toyota Highlander Reliability
The 2008 Toyota Highlander has 602 owner complaints and 14 recall campaigns on file with NHTSA, most often about service brakes and electrical system. Compared with other Highlander model years, it rates as a year to avoid: its complaint rate runs well above the Highlander's typical year, while the 2009 has a cleaner record.
By CarWhere Research · Updated 2026-11-04 · Source: NHTSA
602
NHTSA owner complaints
14
Recall campaigns
50
Complaints citing a crash
18
Complaints citing a fire
2008 Toyota Highlander complaints by component
Owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2008 model year, filed between 2007 and 2026. A complaint can name more than one component.
| Component | Complaints | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Service brakes | 195 | 32% |
| Electrical system | 79 | 13% |
| Engine | 68 | 11% |
| Speed control / throttle | 63 | 10% |
| Air bags | 60 | 10% |
| Steering | 46 | 8% |
| Stability control | 40 | 7% |
| Tires | 34 | 6% |
2008 Toyota Highlander recalls
14 recall campaigns on NHTSA record for the 2008 model year, by the date NHTSA received the manufacturer's report. Recall repairs are free at a dealer.
| NHTSA campaign | Date | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 08V181000 | Apr 18, 2008 | Seat belts — rear/other | Toyota is recalling 90,189 my 2008 Highlander and Highlander hybrid passenger vehicles equipped with a third row seat. These vehicles fail to conform to the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 208, "occupant crash protection." the… |
| 09E022000 | Apr 27, 2009 | Equipment | Toyota is recalling 39,100 stainless steel exhaust tips sold by Toyota as an optional accessory for use on my 2008 Highlander and Highlander hybrid vehicles. Due to improper heat treatment during the manufacturing process, the original clamp used to secure… |
| 09E028000 | May 14, 2009 | Equipment | Southeast Toyota is recalling 3,499 stainless steel exhaust tips sold by southeast Toyota as an optional accessory for use on my 2008 Highlander and Highlander hybird vehicles. Due to improper heat treatment during the manufacturing process, the original… |
| 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… |
| 10V023000 | Jan 27, 2010 | Speed control / throttle — accelerator pedal | Toyota is recalling certain model year 2008-2010 Highlander, model year 2009-2010 corolla, venza and matrix passenger vehicles. The accelerator pedal can get stuck in the wide open position due to its being trapped by an unsecured or incompatible driver's… |
| 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… |
| 11V245000 | Apr 21, 2011 | Air bags | Toyota is recalling certain model year 2008 Highlander, Highlander hybrid, and model year 2007-2008 rav4 vehicles. In the curtain shield airbag (csa) system, there are two sensors in the airbag sensor assembly which are designed to detect vehicle roll angle.… |
| 12V491000 | Oct 10, 2012 | Visibility / wipers — power window devices and controls | Toyota is recalling certain model year 2007-2009 Camry, Camry Hybrid, RAV4, Corolla, Corolla Matrix, Tundra, Sequoia, Highlander, Highlander Hybrid, Yaris, Scion xB, Scion xD and Pontiac Vibe vehicles. The power window master switch assemblies in some of… |
| 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… |
| 14V168000 | Apr 9, 2014 | Air bags — frontal / driver side / inflator module | Toyota is recalling certain model year 2006-2008 RAV4, 2006-2010 Yaris, 2008-2010 Highlander, and 2009-2010 Tacoma, Corolla, Corolla Matrix and General Motors Pontiac Vibe vehicles. In the affected vehicles, the steering column assembly contains electrical… |
| 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,… |
| 15V689000 | Oct 22, 2015 | Visibility / wipers — power window devices and controls | Toyota Motor Company (Toyota) is recalling certain model year 2009-2011 Tundra, Sequoia, Corolla, Corolla Matrix and Scion xB, 2008-2011 Highlander and Highlander Hybrid, 2007 Camry and Camry Hybrid, 2009 Camry and Camry Hybrid, 2006-2011 RAV4, 2006-2010… |
| 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 2008 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | 649 | 11 | Service brakes | Avoid |
| 2007 | 234 | 6 | Service brakes | Avoid |
| 2008 (this page) | 602 | 14 | Service brakes | Avoid |
| 2009 | 174 | 10 | Service brakes | Solid |
| 2010 | 238 | 11 | Electrical system | Caution |
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 2008 Toyota Highlander on the used market
- 136 of 469 2008 Toyota Highlander listings in CarWhere's lifespan study showed 200,000 miles or more.
What to check on a used 2008 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.
- Engine: cold-start it yourself, listen for ticking or knocking, check for oil leaks and oil consumption, and ask for oil-change records.
- Throttle and speed control: check for surging, hesitation or a reduced-power warning, and test cruise control.
- Recalls: confirm each of the 14 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 2008 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.
2008 Toyota Highlander reliability FAQ
Is the 2008 Toyota Highlander reliable?
The 2008 Toyota Highlander has 602 owner complaints and 14 recall campaigns on file with NHTSA, most often about service brakes and electrical system. Compared with other Highlander model years, it rates as a year to avoid: its complaint rate runs well above the Highlander's typical year, while the 2009 has a cleaner record.
What are the most common 2008 Toyota Highlander problems?
The most-reported problem areas in NHTSA owner complaints for the 2008 Toyota Highlander are service brakes (195), electrical system (79), engine (68), speed control / throttle (63). One complaint can name more than one component.
Does the 2008 Toyota Highlander have recalls?
NHTSA lists 14 recall campaigns for the 2008 Toyota Highlander, including 08V181000 (seat belts — rear/other) and 09E022000 (equipment). Recall repairs are free at a dealer, and whether one was done is tracked by VIN.
How does the 2008 Toyota Highlander compare with the 2007 and 2009 models?
By NHTSA records, the 2007 has 234 complaints and 6 recalls (avoid); the 2009 has 174 complaints and 10 recalls (solid). The 2008 has 602 complaints and 14 recalls.
How do I check a specific used 2008 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 2008 Highlander, de-duplicated by complaint number) and NHTSA recall campaigns, retrieved 2026-11-04.