33 of the 311 complaints about the 2022 Toyota Highlander are about the driver-assist systems — 11% of everything reported for this model year. Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before 20,000 miles.
33
Complaints
7
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
Filed with NHTSA, in their own words.
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: WARNINGS
PKSB malfunction, LTA system malfunction, SRS system malfunction, Per-Collision system malfunction, Headlight system malfunction and Front camera unavailable.
NHTSA complaint #11735084 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: WARNINGS
Headlight system malfunction, Pre-collision system malfunction and LTA malfunction
NHTSA complaint #11735085 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
LANE DEPARTURE: WARNING
Headlight system malfunction, Pre-collision system malfunction and LTA malfunction
NHTSA complaint #11735085 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: WARNINGS
During start up Headlight system malfunction and Pre-Collision system failure lights and waring came on.
NHTSA complaint #11732193 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
LANE DEPARTURE: WARNING
During start up LTA malfunction, Pre-Collision system malfunction and Headlight system malfunction lights and warning indicators came on.
NHTSA complaint #11732194 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: WARNINGS
During start up LTA malfunction, Pre-Collision system malfunction and Headlight system malfunction lights and warning indicators came on.
NHTSA complaint #11732194 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
LANE DEPARTURE: WARNING
During start up SRS airbag system malfunction, front camera unavailable, pre-collision system malfunction and LTA malfunction lights and warnings came on.
NHTSA complaint #11732195 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: WARNINGS
During start up SRS airbag system malfunction, front camera unavailable, pre-collision system malfunction and LTA malfunction lights and warnings came on.
NHTSA complaint #11732195 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: WARNINGS
Parked in sun and the SRS system malfunctioned, after power reset the system reset ok. Front camera malfunction, RSA malfunction & Pre-collision malfunction.
NHTSA complaint #11713582 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
BACK OVER PREVENTION: WARNINGS
Parked in sun and the SRS system malfunctioned, after power reset the system reset ok. Front camera malfunction, RSA malfunction & Pre-collision malfunction.
NHTSA complaint #11713582 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: WARNINGS
Parked in sun and the SRS system malfunctioned, after power reset the system reset ok, LTA malfunction, headlight system malfunction Pre-collision malfunction.
NHTSA complaint #11713591 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
LANE DEPARTURE: WARNING
Parked in sun and the SRS system malfunctioned, after power reset the system reset ok, LTA malfunction, headlight system malfunction Pre-collision malfunction.
NHTSA complaint #11713591 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
BACK OVER PREVENTION: WARNINGS
When starting up the vehicle, the headlight system malfunctioned light came on and a pre-collision system light came on. After shutting it off and restarting the vehicle. The lights were off.
NHTSA complaint #11701324 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
LANE DEPARTURE: BLIND SPOT DETECTION
See attached document for complaint.
NHTSA complaint #11696328 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING
I reported twice to Tustin Toyota that my car seemed to have a strange braking issue. It felt like the car lurched/lunged forward as I was braking. Every time I brought it into service, I verbally mentioned it to the technician checking my vehicle in. I was repeatedly told there was no issue. Turns out there is an active bulletin (T-SB-0059-23) that came out but now my vehicle is out of warranty and they won't fix it unless I pay out of pocket. Why was the dealership not aware. Why is this not a recall for all affected years regardless of warranty? There have been multiple reports online with people have the same issue.
NHTSA complaint #11693589 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING
I own a 2022 Toyota Highlander XLE (UA80E transmission, ~66k mi). The vehicle exhibits a severe transmission defect: uncommanded braking/drag at 35–40 mph and sudden loss of power when accelerating from a stop, making merging/crossing intersections dangerous. Two Toyota dealers (Bryan Toyota and Plano Toyota) reproduced the issue, documented the vehicle as unsafe to drive, and recommended full transmission replacement. The failed unit is preserved at the dealer for inspection. (Toyota Corporate Case #250917001779.) This mirrors long-standing defects within Toyota’s UA80 family that Toyota itself has documented: • Customer Support Program ZJC / POL19-04 (4/18/2019)—UA80 whine, harsh shifts, reduced power 2019 MC-10159730-9999 . • T-SB-0160-18 Rev1 (12/17/2018)—UA80 whine/harsh shift/MIL/reduced power 2018 MC-10198131-9999 . • T-SB-0001-18 Rev2 (1/8/2018)—ECM/UA80 mismatch causing harsh shifts 2018 MC-10185780-9999 . • T-SB-0008-21 (2/9/2021)—UA80E/F failures in 2021 Highlander (whine/grind, pinion shaft) 2021 MC-10188917-9999 . The same safety-critical behavior now recurs in my 2022 model. I request NHTSA investigate this as an ongoing UA80 transmission safety defect trend and consider recall/coverage for affected vehicles.
NHTSA complaint #11687960 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
BACK OVER PREVENTION: WARNINGS
Two weeks ago, I had my 2022 Toyota Highlander serviced at Romano Toyota for my state inspection and regular maintenance. The dealership passed the inspection and did not mention any problems with my vehicle. However, just two days after the maintenance, the check engine light came on unexpectedly. The vehicle began to hesitate and shift roughly, with noticeable jerking during acceleration and delayed gear engagement. This created a safety hazard, especially when merging into traffic or crossing intersections, because the SUV would not respond quickly when pressing the accelerator. A diagnostic scan revealed transmission-related trouble codes (P2714 – Pressure Control Solenoid D, and/or P2757 – Torque Converter Clutch Pressure Control Solenoid Performance). I returned to the dealer, and they confirmed the issue but could not provide an immediate fix due to parts availability. They advised continuing to drive, which I feel is unsafe. The symptoms persist, and the transmission sometimes feels like it is slipping, which could result in loss of power in high-speed situations. This issue appears similar to other UA80 8-speed automatic transmission problems reported by Toyota owners from 2017–2022. Publicly available NHTSA records show over 200 similar complaints involving hesitation, rough shifting, and transmission failure. These reports suggest a potential widespread defect that may affect vehicle safety. Given the safety risk of delayed acceleration and possible transmission failure, I believe this defect needs investigation and corrective action.
NHTSA complaint #11678354 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
BACK OVER PREVENTION
The contact owns a 2022 Toyota Highlander. The contact stated that while in reverse(R), the backup camera would intermittently fail to operate as the screen would appear blank. The contact also stated that the warning chime would fail to alert the driver to people or objects in the vicinity of the vehicle while reversing. The dealer was notified of the failure, and the contact was given an estimate for a diagnostic. After negotiating with the dealer, they agreed to reset the vehicle's sensors; however, the failure persisted. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, and the contact was informed that the backup camera was not covered under the warranty. The contact then stated that while backing out of a parking space, the back up system failed to alert her of her proximity to another parked vehicle; as a result, the contact crashed into a parked vehicle. The air bags did not deploy, no injuries were reported, and a police report was not filed. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 20,000.
NHTSA complaint #11674960 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING
My father in law drove my highlander car and got into an accident on 8/27/2024. Front of the car was damaged but did not deploy the airbags. And as far I know it is equipped with automatic braking system but the damaged looks really bad.
NHTSA complaint #11611843 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING
On March 16, 2024 this vehicle experienced a complete brake system failure. This is a very serious braking issue and the vehicle has had several braking incidents leading up to the complete failure. Toyota Motor Corp has dismissed the issue each time as there have been no codes or warning lights prior to this incident. We filed a complaint concerning this braking issue on June 12, 2023, Ref#11526496 Since that first report there have been several other incidents where the brake pedal went soft and depressed to the floor as the vehicle accelerated forward. Since the complete system failure occurred on a Saturday, as of this writing, it has not yet been reported to the service department. We filed a complaint with Toyota Motor Corp stating that this is a very serious safety concern that could lead to injury or death and they dismissed it.
NHTSA complaint #11577882 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: WARNINGS
Was in a frontal collision air bags failed to deploy and forward collision system did not work. Received error messages from both systems that they failed
NHTSA complaint #11563583 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING
Was in a frontal collision air bags failed to deploy and forward collision system did not work. Received error messages from both systems that they failed
NHTSA complaint #11563583 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING
The highlander has been having starting issue where the dash reads that the hybrid system is not functioning and won’t turn over. There is a consumer report program instead of a recall. This is deceiving. This morning the TPMS was reading that all tired were at 32 pounds of air when in fact the right front passenger was complete flat to the rim. Clearly the computer was malfunctioning with not just one aspect of the car but multiple. The local dealership isn’t helpful in that they charge $185 for diagnostic tests.
NHTSA complaint #11551911 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
LANE DEPARTURE: ASSIST
No
NHTSA complaint #11542442 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
LANE DEPARTURE: BLIND SPOT DETECTION
No
NHTSA complaint #11542442 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: WARNINGS
On June 26 2023 the vehicle didn't stop automatically when another car was in view in the intersection, the automatic breaking system didn't work and the air bags didn't deploy,
NHTSA complaint #11529595 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
LANE DEPARTURE: ASSIST
The system designed to prevent lane departure has a particular issue with the dashed road markings that denote the entrance to tapered deceleration lanes or right-hand exit ramps on Oregon freeways. I have not noticed an issue when similar markings are on the driver's side. In particular, the in section 360, figure 360-A of the ODOT Traffic Line Manual (https://www.oregon.gov/odot/Engineering/Documents_TrafficStandards/Traffic-Line-Manual.pdf) the line marked "WD" is consistently able to fool the lane departure system and allow the vehicle to drift or steer toward the "Physical Gore Point" as shown in the figure. On November 11th, 2022, I very briefly took my hands off the steering wheel to unscrew the cap on my water bottle while lane centering was activated on the lane departure avoidance system and the vehicle steered to the right without warning while passing an exit lane having the "WD" markings. This nearly resulted in my Highlander leaving the road at freeway speeds. Now, I understand this is not responsible behavior on my part, but these things occur, and it may result in accident or death in the future if it hasn't already. The system is otherwise quite reliable. However, I was previously aware of the issue as it has happened for as long as I've owned the vehicle. This is the first time it nearly caused an incident because I normally do not remove my hands from the steering wheel completely and can correct the steering manually. No warning lamps or messages were observed, but the lane departure warning may have sounded after passing the "WD" markings. The issue has not been reproduced by any service center on my vehicle, nor has it been inspected by another party. On carcomplaints.com another Oregon resident mentioned a similar issue as an additional note about an unrelated braking issue: https://www.carcomplaints.com/Toyota/Highlander/2022/brakes/service_brakes.shtml I would be willing to make the vehicle available for testing/inspection.
NHTSA complaint #11499719 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
LANE DEPARTURE: WARNING
The system designed to prevent lane departure has a particular issue with the dashed road markings that denote the entrance to tapered deceleration lanes or right-hand exit ramps on Oregon freeways. I have not noticed an issue when similar markings are on the driver's side. In particular, the in section 360, figure 360-A of the ODOT Traffic Line Manual (https://www.oregon.gov/odot/Engineering/Documents_TrafficStandards/Traffic-Line-Manual.pdf) the line marked "WD" is consistently able to fool the lane departure system and allow the vehicle to drift or steer toward the "Physical Gore Point" as shown in the figure. On November 11th, 2022, I very briefly took my hands off the steering wheel to unscrew the cap on my water bottle while lane centering was activated on the lane departure avoidance system and the vehicle steered to the right without warning while passing an exit lane having the "WD" markings. This nearly resulted in my Highlander leaving the road at freeway speeds. Now, I understand this is not responsible behavior on my part, but these things occur, and it may result in accident or death in the future if it hasn't already. The system is otherwise quite reliable. However, I was previously aware of the issue as it has happened for as long as I've owned the vehicle. This is the first time it nearly caused an incident because I normally do not remove my hands from the steering wheel completely and can correct the steering manually. No warning lamps or messages were observed, but the lane departure warning may have sounded after passing the "WD" markings. The issue has not been reproduced by any service center on my vehicle, nor has it been inspected by another party. On carcomplaints.com another Oregon resident mentioned a similar issue as an additional note about an unrelated braking issue: https://www.carcomplaints.com/Toyota/Highlander/2022/brakes/service_brakes.shtml I would be willing to make the vehicle available for testing/inspection.
NHTSA complaint #11499719 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING
My mother was killed on 5/27/22 by her brand new 2022 Highlander Platnum with about 2000 miles on it. There wasn’t anyone inside her car at the time of her wrongful death. No person’s car should kill it’s owner in her own driveway at anytime especially when the car was empty. The Police report has not been completed by the local Police department yet. The day before the accident she took her car to her dealership Hansel Toyota Petaluma at 9am where she bought her car only a few weeks earlier bc her front bumper had fallen off on the freeway to ask them to put her bumper back on but Hansel Toyota of Petaluma refused her reasonable request. What they told my parents was to go file a claim with her auto insurance carrier. So they did. The next day my mother was run over and killed by her own car. Why did Hansel Toyota refuse to fix my mother’s front bumper that day? Isn’t that their job? Isn’t that their legal responsibility? Doesn’t the front bumper affect the safety the vehicle? So why did Hansel Toyota of Petaluma refuse service when the car’s warranty was in effect? We feel my mother was wrongly killed by a machine that malfunctioned. Her front bumper was dragging on the ground for a few miles on the freeway when it abruptly fell off and hence exposed a metal part of the car. This unfortunate event should never have happened. Our mother would still be alive today had it not been for other peoples irresponsible behavior. We believe the missing bumper played a role in her death. We also believe her car malfunctioned that led to her wrongful death.
NHTSA complaint #11499811 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: WARNINGS
My mother was killed on 5/27/22 by her brand new 2022 Highlander Platnum with about 2000 miles on it. There wasn’t anyone inside her car at the time of her wrongful death. No person’s car should kill it’s owner in her own driveway at anytime especially when the car was empty. The Police report has not been completed by the local Police department yet. The day before the accident she took her car to her dealership Hansel Toyota Petaluma at 9am where she bought her car only a few weeks earlier bc her front bumper had fallen off on the freeway to ask them to put her bumper back on but Hansel Toyota of Petaluma refused her reasonable request. What they told my parents was to go file a claim with her auto insurance carrier. So they did. The next day my mother was run over and killed by her own car. Why did Hansel Toyota refuse to fix my mother’s front bumper that day? Isn’t that their job? Isn’t that their legal responsibility? Doesn’t the front bumper affect the safety the vehicle? So why did Hansel Toyota of Petaluma refuse service when the car’s warranty was in effect? We feel my mother was wrongly killed by a machine that malfunctioned. Her front bumper was dragging on the ground for a few miles on the freeway when it abruptly fell off and hence exposed a metal part of the car. This unfortunate event should never have happened. Our mother would still be alive today had it not been for other peoples irresponsible behavior. We believe the missing bumper played a role in her death. We also believe her car malfunctioned that led to her wrongful death.
NHTSA complaint #11499811 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.