151 of the
1,104 complaints filed about the Toyota Highlander Hybrid
are about the electrical system —
14% of everything owners reported.
The worst model year for it is 2006.
The contact owns a 2022 Toyota Highlander Hybrid. The contact stated that the second-row seats had been making an abnormal rattling sound. Additionally, the contact stated that there was an abnormally strong foul odor inside the vehicle. The contact stated that upon taking the vehicle to the car wash, the contact was informed that the foul odor was coming from the steering wheel. The contact stated that the foul odor was stronger while the steering heater was engaged, causing the contact to suffer from headaches. The contact stated that the foul odor was transferred to the driver's hands, requiring the driver to thoroughly wash his hands. The contact had not received medical assistance. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the VIN was only included in the second-row seats recall. The contact was referred to the dealer for assistance. The dealer was not yet contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 30,000.
NHTSA complaint #11722206 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The contact owns a 2021 Toyota Highlander Hybrid. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle, the instrument panel lights were flashing. The vehicle then independently turned off and restarted repeatedly. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where it was determined that the battery level was low and needed to be replaced. The battery was replaced, and other unknown repairs for shifting failure were performed. The vehicle was driven back to the residence; however, the failure recurred upon starting the vehicle the following day. Additionally, the seat belt chime reminders engaged even though the seat belts were securely fastened, and the tailgate had failed to open. The dealer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the VIN was not included in TSB Number: T-SB-0019-21. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, and the contact requested a trade-in or buy-back assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 77,900.
NHTSA complaint #11720641 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2008 Toyota Highlander Hybrid. The contact stated that it was discovered that there was a mileage discrepancy. The vehicle was a private sale. At the time of purchase, the vehicle mileage was 92,000, and at the time of registration, it was discovered that the mileage was 212,000.
NHTSA complaint #11680234 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The contact's wife owns 2022 Toyota Highlander Hybrid. The contact stated that while his wife was driving 70 MPH, the vehicle shut off with the "Maintenance Required Visit Your Dealer" message displayed. The contact’s wife restarted the vehicle and immediately pulled over to the shoulder. Despite the failure, the contact's wife was able to drive back to the residence. The contact stated that prior to the failure, a similar warning light illuminated and disrupted the contact's ability to use the GPS feature. The contact called the local dealer and scheduled an appointment. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 23,000.
NHTSA complaint #11620999 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The contact owns a 2023 Toyota Highlander Hybrid. The contact stated that while depressing the brake pedal, there was a hesitation, and the vehicle surged forward before coming to a stop. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact became aware of TSB 0059/23, NHTSA ID Number: 10244133 (Electrical System, Air Bags, Service Brakes) for the 2021 - 2022 Toyota Highlander. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed with brake failure. The contact was informed that the brake actuator needed to be replaced; however, the dealer confirmed that the year, make, and model were not included in the TSB. The dealer attempted to update the brake actuator module according to the TSB; however, the update failed due to the year the vehicle was manufactured. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and a case was opened. The approximate failure mileage was 6,000.
NHTSA complaint #11611346 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER HYBRID. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE DID NOT START AND THE HYBRID WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED THREE PREVIOUS TIMES BY NAGUABO AUTO TOYOTA (CARRETERA 31 KM 3.9, NAGUABO, PR 00718) REGARDING THE HYBRID MODULE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED AGAIN. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 150,000.
NHTSA complaint #11288602 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I REPLACED MY BRAKES AFTER SEVERAL WARNING LIGHTS AND CODES KEPT POPPING UP ON MY DASH. HAD THE ROTORS TURNED. BUT WHEN I RETURNED TO DRIVING MY CAR AFTER I THOUGHT IT WAS FIXED THE BRAKES WOULD ALL OF A SUDDEN JUST GO OUT THE HYDRAULIC PART WOULD GO COMPLETELY TO THE FLOOR. THE CAR WOULD MAKE A HIGH PITCHED NOISE AND THEN NO BRAKES. TOOK IT TO TOYOTA IN CLINTON TN. SAID MY ABS BRAKE ACTUATOR WAS FAILING. WOULD COST ME 2200 DOLLARS TO FIX. THIS CERTAIN PART ON YOUR CAR IS SUPPOSED TO LAST YOU A LIFETIME. I DONT HAVE MONEY LIKE THAT NOW IT WAS TAKE ME A LIFETIME TO SAVE UP FOR THE REPAIRS. VERY SCARY. THIS WOULD HAPPEN TO ME RANDOMLY AS I WAS DRIVING NO MATTER WHERE OR HOW FAR THE TRIP I WAS TAKING. DIDN'T KNOW IF I WAS GOING TO BE ABLE TO MAKE IT HOME SOMETIMES. YOU JUST NEVER KNEW WHEN. SOMETIMES IT WOULD BE FINE AND OTHERS IT WOULD BE ABSOLUTELY SCARY.
NHTSA complaint #11234591 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
VSC LIGHT CAME ON AND THE CAR WOULD NOT DRIVE. TOWED TO TOYOTA AND HAD IT DIAGNOSED. THE POA80, P3020 HV BATTERY INOPERATIVE/SHORTED. THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION ON THE HIGHWAY WHEN IT HAPPENED.
NHTSA complaint #11233520 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
BRAKE ACTUATOR ASSEMBLY ON MY 2008 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER HYBRID HAS BEEN FAILING. KNOW ISSUE. I'VE TAKEN EXCELLENT CARE OF THIS VEHICLE AND HAD IT SERVICED AT THE DEALERSHIP. THE MANUFACTURING IS REPLACE THE PREVIOUS YEARS, BUT NOT THE 2008 WHICH IS THE EXACT SAME COMPONENT. PLEASE LET ME KNOW WHY THIS IS HAPPENING. NOT JUST TO ME, BUT OTHERS TOO. PLEASE HELP US. THANKS
NHTSA complaint #11209225 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
INTERMITTENTLY, WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD, ALL OF THE DASH LIGHTS COME ON, THERE IS A HIGH BEEPING SOUND, AND THE BRAKES STOPPED FUNCTIONING PROPERLY. THE BRAKES EITHER NEED TO BE MATCHED WITH EXTREME FORCE OR THE BRAKES WILL SLAM BY BARELY TOUCHING THE BRAKE PEDAL. TOYOTA ACKNOWLEDGES THAT THIS IS AN ISSUE AND OFFERED A WARRANTY EXTENSION TO OWNERS OF THIS VEHICLE. I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE AFTER THE EXTENSION WAS OFFERED AND HAVEN'T HAD ISSUES UNTIL RECENTLY. I AM CONCERNED FOR NOT ONLY MY SAFETY BUT THE SAFETY OF MY FAMILY. I HAVE BEEN A TOYOTA FAN FOR ALL OF MY ADULT LIFE. HOWEVER, AFTER DEALING WITH THIS ISSUE AND BEING QUOTED $2000 TO FIX IT, I WOULD OFFER ADVICE TO ANYBODY OR NOT TO BUY A TOYOTA OR AT LEAST NOT A TOYOTA HYBRID. BUYER AND DRIVER BEWARE!
NHTSA complaint #11190314 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
VEHICLE HYBRID/ENGINE SHUT OFF WHILE DRIVING. VARIOUS WARNING LIGHTS LIT UP INCLUDING VSC, HYBRID SYSTEM, AND CHECK ENGINE. I WAS FORCED TO CHANGE LANES WITH THE CAR OFF BUT MOVING AT ABOUT 40 MPH AND PULL OVER ON A SIDE STREET. I AS ABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE AND CONTINUE MY DRIVE. THE FOLLOWING DAY, EVEN THOUGH THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT AND ALL WARNINGS HAD CLEARED, THE CAR TURNED OFF AGAIN WHILE I WAS DRIVING AND BREAKING AT A RED LIGHT. THE CAR FAILED TO PROPERLY RESTART AFTER THIS SECOND INCIDENT. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A TOYOTA DEALERSHIP WHICH SPECIFIED THAT THE ISSUE IS THE HYBRID INVERTER. THE VEHICLE ONLY HAS ABOUT 81,000 MILES AND ACCORDING TO TOYOTA A RECALL HAD ALREADY BEEN PERFORMED ON THE INTELLIGENT POWER MODULE FOR THE INVERTER IN 2014.
NHTSA complaint #11114691 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
WHILE DRIVING MY VEHICLE ON THE NORTHBOUND I-405 AT ABOUT 4:30 PM ON FRIDAY AFTERNOON, THE VEHICLE'S ELECTRIC ENGINE SHUT-OFF WITH NO WARNING OR EXPLANATION. DASH LIGHTS WERE STILL LIT AND VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION. COULD NOT GET OUT OF TRAFFIC SAFELY EXCEPT WITH REMAINING MOMENTUM FROM THE NO. 3 LANE OF TRAFFIC. ELECTRIC ENGINE WOULD NOT POWER-UP. THERE WERE NO FUEL OR BATTERY PROBLEMS. THE TECHNICIAN'S TEST NARROWED THE PROBLEM TO THE DC INVERTER WHICH WAS PREVIOUSLY A RECALL ISSUE. THIS RECALL DOESN'T APPEAR TO HAVE BEEN RESOLVED, THOUGH THE DEALER CLAIMS IT WAS. THANK YOU.
NHTSA complaint #11101344 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
FIRST A LOUD RINGING HAPPENED AND CAR WOULD NOT STOP. WE HAVE SERVICED CAR REGULARLY, BRAKES ARE NEW, BUT CAR DOES NOT STOP. TRYING TO BRAKE AT THE INTERSECTION, STOP LIGHT AND HIGHLANDER WOULD NOT STOP. PUT US IN DANGER ALMOST LED ME INTO ACCIDENT, WAS TOLD IT WAS THE ABS SYSTEM AND THAT TOYOTA IS AWARE OF THIS. THIS IS A HUGE SAFETY DESIGN ISSUE AND EXPENSIVE FIX TOYOTA NEEDS TO FIX THEIR DESIGN FLAWS. THERE IS NOT PHYSICAL CONTACT OR WEAR AND TEAR ON THE PART FOR IT TO FAIL. MS. DEBORAH HUSTON AT TOYOTA STONE WALLS THE PROCESS TO GET THIS RESOLVED. SHE CLAIMS TOYOTA IS NOT AWARE OF THESE ISSUES, BUT THE NHTSA RECORDS SHOW CUSTOMERS HAVE BEEN COMPLAINING FOR A LONG TIME AND THAT THEY KNOW.
NHTSA complaint #11100406 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I WAS PREGNANT AND DRIVING WITH 2 SMALL CHILDREN WHEN THE LIGHTS ON MY DASHBOARD CAME ON ABOUT VSC AND A LOUD RINGING HAPPENED AND THEN I TRIED TO BRAKE AT THE STOP LIGHT AND THEY WERE SO DIFFICULT TO PUSH I BARELY STOPPED IN TIME TO AVOID AN ACCIDENT. WAS TOLD IT WAS THE ABS SYSTEM AND THAT TOYOTA IS AWARE OF THIS BUT PUT STIPULATIONS ON AN EXTENDED WARRANTY RATHER THAN RECALL SO IT'S TOO LATE FOR MOST TO GET FIXED AND BE COVERED. THIS IS A HUGE SAFETY ISSUE AND EXPENSIVE FIX TOYOTA NEEDS TO STAND BEHIND.
NHTSA complaint #11092444 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
CAR HAS 84,000 MILES ON IT. AFTER A 40 MINUTE HIUGHWAY DRIVE, CAR LOST POWER AND STALLED. ENGINE LIGHTS "CHECK HYBRID SYSTEM" "CHECK ABS" AND "CHECK VCS" CAME ON. TOWED TO DEALER, DIAGNOSTIC CHECK SAID THE PROBLEM WAS WITH A WIRING HARNESS FOR THE HYBRID ELECTRICAL CABLE, WHICH SUFFERED FROM CORROSION AND THUS WAS LEAKING VOLTAGE. COST TO FIX MINIMUM OF $3500. FAULTY DESIGN??
NHTSA complaint #11080900 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
2006 HIGHLANDER HYBRID, CHECK HYBRID SYSTEM, CHECK VSC LIGHT, BRAKE AND ABS LIGHT ALL ON PERMANENTLY AND MY BRAKES AREN'T WORKING. I WAS FORTUNATE NOONE GOT HURT.. IT WAS REALLY DANGEROUS WHEN YOU PRESS THE BRAKE AND IT DOESN'T STOP. ... FROM WHAT I READ ABS ACCUMULATOR WHICH COST 3K+ TO REPLACE AND THE HYBRID INVERTER WHICH COST 5K+ TO REPLACE. NHTSA PLEASE ISSUE A RECALL ON THIS ISSUES.
NHTSA complaint #11073977 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
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
NHTSA complaint #11073201 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY 65MPH THE VEHICLE LOST ALL POWER,THE CHECK HYBRID LIGHT WAS FLASHING, WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER AND STOP. WAS ABLE TO RESTART VEHICLE AND DRIVE 110 MILE HOME.
NHTSA complaint #11048624 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
CAR WAS PARKED IN DRIVEWAY AND WAS STATIONARY. WARMING CAR UP TO GET RID OF FROST ON WINDSHIELD. THE CAR STARTED ON FIRE - TOTAL LOST. 3 TO 4 FEET FLAMES COMING OUT OF ENGINE.
NHTSA complaint #11044702 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I WAS DRIVING IN 295 I HEARING A SOUND COMING FROM THE DASKBOARD AND A LIGHT APPEARED STATED NEED TO CHECK ABS BREAK SYSTEM BY DEALER. I SAID TO MYSELF I'LL HAVE IT CHECK WHEN I GOT HOME. I WAS DOING 65 MILES PER HOUR, I WAS PRESSING BREAK THERE WERE NO BREAK, PUMP THE BREAK SEVERAL TIMES, NO BREAK, I PRESSED THE EMERGENCY BREAK AND THANKS TO THE LORD THE CAR SLOW DOWN AND EVENTUALLY STOP. APPARENTLY DEALER ASKED ME $5,500. TO FIX THIS ISSUE AND I DON'T HAVE THIS TYPE OF MONEY, AND I'M STILL MAKING PAYMENT ON THIS VEHICLE CAN'T EVEN DRIVE; I BELIEVE THIS TYPE OF ISSUE SHOULD BE A RECALL. I NEED HELP PLEASE!!!!! [XXX] INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).
NHTSA complaint #11035649 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.