Car Defect Radar
Get the report
Built from NHTSA complaints and recalls collected for this model, generated October 26, 2026. Totals reflect what has been collected, not every complaint ever filed.
Confirm 4 recalls before you buy.

Ask the seller for proof the repair was completed, or run the free VIN check. Recall repairs are done at no cost by a dealer.

Recalls

4 total · 4 to confirm

Safety issues the manufacturer must repair for free. A recall means confirm the fix was done, not walk away.

Airbags recall

Confirm it was repairedRecall 23V865000 · Dec 2023

An air bag that does not deploy during a crash increases the risk of injury.

Remedy
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 October 31, 2024. Letters will continue to be mailed in phases through January 2026. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's number for this recall is 23TB15/23TA15 Lexus 23LB03/23LA03.
Status
Remedy available. Confirm by VIN that this repair was completed.
What to do
Enter the VIN on NHTSA's recall lookup to confirm this car was repaired.

Structure recall

Confirm it was repairedRecall 23V720000 · Oct 2023

A detached front bumper cover can become a road hazard, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy
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 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's number for this recall is 23TB12/23TA12.
Status
Remedy available. Confirm by VIN that this repair was completed.
What to do
Enter the VIN on NHTSA's recall lookup to confirm this car was repaired.

Airbags recall

Confirm it was repairedRecall 20V633000 · Oct 2020

Improper deployment of the seat-mounted side air bag increases the risk of injury in the event of a crash.

Remedy
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 customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's number for this recall is 20TB14 / 20TA14.
Status
Remedy available. Confirm by VIN that this repair was completed.
What to do
Enter the VIN on NHTSA's recall lookup to confirm this car was repaired.

Fuel system recall

Confirm it was repairedRecall 20V162000 · Mar 2020

Improper fuel supply programming can result in a vehicle stall, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy
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 recall is 20TA06.
Status
Remedy available. Confirm by VIN that this repair was completed.
What to do
Enter the VIN on NHTSA's recall lookup to confirm this car was repaired.

Owner complaints by system

314 total

Unverified reports owners filed with NHTSA, grouped by the part of the car. Useful for spotting patterns. Open a group to read recent examples.

Engine & powertrain

Worth reading
163

Most reports here involve transmission slipping. Of these, 3 mention a crash, 2 mention an injury.

transmission slipping 71premature wear 46
A recent report: My Highlander started making a whining noise while accelerating. Took it to my local dealership and was told I need a new transmission. I have 87,000 miles on it! Total cost = $8,000.

Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11765030 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov

Electrical & infotainment

Minor
13

Most reports here involve software faults.

software faults 8sudden stalling 2
A recent report: While driving my navigation system/screen/radio screen goes completely black! Which is dangerous when I’m using gps on the interstate! It does not come back on until I restart the car.

Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11746932 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov

Brakes

Worth reading
35

Most reports here involve loss of braking. Of these, 6 mention a crash, 8 mention an injury.

loss of braking 22unintended acceleration 9software faults 2
A recent report: Incident: [XXX] Conditions: Clear daylight, dry pavement, normal highway conditions Crash/Injuries: Allstate Claim #[XXX]; several people injured At approximately [XXX], I was driving my 2020 Toyota…
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Incident: [XXX] Conditions: Clear daylight, dry pavement, normal highway conditions Crash/Injuries: Allstate Claim #[XXX]; several people injured At approximately [XXX], I was driving my 2020 Toyota Highlander Hybrid at about 55 mph in the slow/right lane. The vehicle ahead suddenly made a hard stop. I immediately and forcefully applied the brakes for an emergency stop. My front-seat passenger, [XXX], also saw the danger and yelled for me to stop at the same time. Based on our recollection, approximately five seconds elapsed between his warning and the collision. Despite the rapidly closing distance, the Toyota Pre-Collision System (PCS) did not appear to activate. There was no audible warning/beeping, no flashing red warning, and no “BRAKE!” indicator on the dashboard. This was also observed by [XXX] and [XXX], who was seated in the second row and is particularly attentive to warning signals. The vehicle also did not appear to provide any automatic emergency braking or brake-assist intervention. Despite my immediate and forceful braking, the vehicle did not stop in time and collided with the vehicle ahead, causing significant damage and injuries. The forward-facing sensors and windshield were clean and unobstructed. There were no dashboard warning lights or known system malfunction indicators before the crash. I purchased the Toyota Plus service package after completing the required maintenance during the initial coverage period. All scheduled maintenance and inspections were performed on time by certified Toyota technicians. I was repeatedly assured that the vehicle, including the braking system, was operating normally. I request that NHTSA investigate the possible failure of the PCS, forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking/brake assist, and their integration with the braking system. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11759973 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov

Steering, suspension & tires

Worth reading
12

Most reports here involve premature wear. Of these, 2 mention a crash, 3 mention an injury.

premature wear 4sudden stalling 1
A recent report: Both front struts and bearing plates failed at 75k miles. They were leaking oil before that mileage. Approximate date of failure was 1/5/24. No parts were available until now. Parts were on…
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Both front struts and bearing plates failed at 75k miles. They were leaking oil before that mileage. Approximate date of failure was 1/5/24. No parts were available until now. Parts were on back-order for upwards of a year for this model of Highlander in the FWD configuration, with 18” wheels. Prematurely failure causes a lot of bouncing in the car, therefore making the vehicle unresponsive to quick steering maneuvers. The bounce also made it so that typical driving within the city is dangerous as the bounce makes the car difficult to control. This is an issue that is documented on Toyota forums for FWD models. An accident has not been caused by this failure as of yet. Vehicle will be repaired soon. Mechanic was finally able to get two factory struts and bearing plates. Each strut is $200 and mounting plates are about $150 each. Parts + labor are expensive, but at least now it will be fixed.

Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11670793 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov

Airbags & seat belts

Worth reading
29

Most reports here involve software faults. Of these, 2 mention a crash, 4 mention an injury.

software faults 4airbags not deploying 3
A recent report: The contact owns a 2020 Toyota Highlander. the contact stated that while driving, the back driver side , the minor child occupant expressed an issue with the seatbelt which began to tighten, The…
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The contact owns a 2020 Toyota Highlander. the contact stated that while driving, the back driver side , the minor child occupant expressed an issue with the seatbelt which began to tighten, The vehicle was stopped to assist the minor child occupant, the seatbelt became tighter and the contact had to go into a store to get scissors to free the minor occupant from the seatbelt. The minor occupant sustained light abrasions from the seatbelt rubbing but no medical treatment was sought. The vehicle was taken to the dealer; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed of repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 59,000.

Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11742080 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov

Structure & body

Worth reading
46

Most reports here involve fluid leaks. Of these, 2 mention a crash, 3 mention an injury.

fluid leaks 1premature wear 1
A recent report: I was traveling on hwy US1 South about 56-58 mph when I heard what sounded like a gunshot. I immediately slowed down and pulled off the road. As I drove off road on grass/gravel I heard crumbling of…
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I was traveling on hwy US1 South about 56-58 mph when I heard what sounded like a gunshot. I immediately slowed down and pulled off the road. As I drove off road on grass/gravel I heard crumbling of glass above on sunroof. The sunroof glass exploded. I called the nonemergency 911 for a police officer to come to the scene. I explained what happened and that there was no rock or large debris. He inspected and suggested I contact my insurance and if they needed a police report it would be in the system.

Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11765140 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov

Other systems

Minor
16

Most reports here involve fluid leaks.

fluid leaks 5software faults 1
A recent report: Air conditioning has leaked after only 60,000 miles, costing me thousands in repairs. This is a recall on other models, but not this one. Mine and my baby’s safety is put at risk by being forced to…
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Air conditioning has leaked after only 60,000 miles, costing me thousands in repairs. This is a recall on other models, but not this one. Mine and my baby’s safety is put at risk by being forced to drive around in the heat of summer without air conditioning. There were no warning lights. It was verified by the dealer, and I have a video of the inspection.

Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11745556 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov

Is 314 complaints a lot? They were filed between 2020 and 2026, roughly 48 a year, which is more than the typical model in this dataset. We do not have sales figures for this model, so treat this as a rough volume, not a rate per car on the road. Popular, high-volume models naturally collect more complaints over time.

How does it compare with other years? The 2020 has 314 complaints on file, fewer than the 2019 (480) and fewer than the 2021 (512). Of the 15 model years of the Toyota Highlander we cover, the 2021 has the most (512). Older model years have had longer to collect complaints.