When people shop for a used Highlander they ask which years to avoid. NHTSA's complaint database is the one place where owners of every year file the same form, so it is the fairest single source. This guide lists complaint counts, safety outcomes and the three most-named components for every model year from 2008 to 2023, then says what the numbers can and cannot tell you.
How this list is built. On October 21, 2026 we queried NHTSA's complaints-by-vehicle service for the Toyota Highlander, one model year at a time from 2008 to 2023, and counted the components named in each complaint and the crash, fire, injury and death flags. One complaint can name more than one component, so component counts overlap and can exceed the complaint total. We did not read every complaint, and NHTSA does not verify them. The Highlander Hybrid was not queried under a separate model name.
Complaints by Model Year
| MODEL YEAR | COMPLAINTS | CRASHES | FIRES | INJURIES | DEATHS | MOST-NAMED COMPONENTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 404 | 44 | 14 | 42 | 2 | service brakes 81, engine 58, air bags 57 |
| 2009 | 134 | 6 | 5 | 9 | 0 | service brakes 26, engine 23, electrical 20 |
| 2010 | 238 | 19 | 2 | 15 | 0 | electrical 55, service brakes 36, visibility/wipers 31 |
| 2011 | 186 | 14 | 0 | 8 | 0 | steering 34, structure 27, visibility/wipers 25 |
| 2012 | 191 | 16 | 3 | 13 | 0 | steering 47, electrical 30, structure 22 |
| 2013 | 212 | 26 | 0 | 12 | 0 | steering 46, engine 32, speed control 31 |
| 2014 | 136 | 5 | 1 | 6 | 1 | electrical 35, structure 32, power train 9 |
| 2015 | 192 | 17 | 6 | 16 | 0 | electrical 52, structure 32, steering 25 |
| 2016 | 111 | 14 | 1 | 11 | 0 | service brakes 19, electrical 14, air bags 10 |
| 2017 | 270 | 18 | 2 | 26 | 0 | power train 76, engine 47, electrical 46 |
| 2018 | 269 | 23 | 1 | 25 | 0 | power train 69, service brakes 58, engine 34 |
| 2019 | 498 | 22 | 1 | 18 | 0 | power train 208, fuel/propulsion 88, engine 69 |
| 2020 | 320 | 16 | 0 | 20 | 0 | power train 126, service brakes 41, air bags 32 |
| 2021 | 531 | 16 | 4 | 18 | 0 | power train 227, service brakes 68, structure 52 |
| 2022 | 263 | 19 | 1 | 15 | 1 | power train 54, structure 43, service brakes 39 |
| 2023 | 187 | 12 | 0 | 12 | 0 | structure 32, engine 28, power train 20 |
What the Numbers Say
2008 is the standout on safety. The 2008 model year has 404 complaints, 44 crashes, 14 fires, 42 injuries and 2 deaths, the most severe outcomes of any year by a wide margin. The same year has the most recalls (seat belt, air bags, accelerator pedal, window switch, seat heaters). See the recall guide.
2017 to 2021 is the power train era. Power train jumps from single digits in 2014 to 76 in 2017, 208 in 2019 and 227 in 2021, the largest component counts in the data. The 2019 and 2021 model years also have the most total complaints. Power train is a broad NHTSA label, and we cannot tell from component labels alone which part owners meant. The 2020 and 2021 years are the first years with the redesigned truck and the 2.5L hybrid.
2011 to 2015 is steering and electrical. Steering complaints lead in 2011 to 2013 (34, 47, 46) and electrical leads in 2014 and 2015 (35, 52). There is a power steering recall (15V144) for 2015.
Brakes show up across years. Service brakes is a top-three component in 2008, 2009, 2010, 2016, 2018, 2020, 2021 and 2022.
The lowest counts are 2016 (111), 2009 (134) and 2014 (136). A low count can mean a good truck or fewer owners filing, and we can't separate those.
What the Numbers Do Not Say
- Counts are not rates. Toyota sold more Highlanders in some years than others, so a higher count is not automatically a worse truck.
- Complaints are unverified. Owners filed them and NHTSA does not check them.
- Older years have had longer to accumulate complaints. A 2008 truck has had 18 years of owners, but a 2023 has had three.
- Component labels are broad. Power train and electrical cover many different parts.
How to Use This
- Run the VIN for open recalls. That is where Toyota has confirmed defects.
- Pick the year by the fix, not the count. If a year's weak spot has a recall or a service bulletin that was done, the truck can be a fine buy.
- Inspect for the year's named component, for example the drivetrain on 2017 to 2021 trucks and steering on 2011 to 2013.
- File your own complaint at nhtsa.gov if something is wrong.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which Toyota Highlander years have the most complaints?
By NHTSA complaint count, 2021 (531), 2019 (498) and 2008 (404) are highest for model years 2008 to 2023.
Which Highlander years have the fewest complaints?
2016 (111), 2009 (134) and 2014 (136). The counts are not adjusted for sales.
What is the most common Highlander complaint?
Power train, named in 864 complaints across all years, then service brakes (505), electrical system (504) and engine (437).
Has the Highlander had deaths reported?
Four deaths in total across 2008 to 2023: two on the 2008 model year, one on 2014 and one on 2022. These are as reported by owners and are not verified.
Do NHTSA complaints prove a defect?
No. They are unverified owner reports. They show where to look, and recalls show what Toyota has confirmed.
Related Guides
- Toyota Highlander Recalls 2008–2023: Every Campaign
- Toyota Highlander MPG by Year: 2008–2023
- Toyota Highlander Recalls: Every Recall 2024–2026
- Toyota Highlander Problems: NHTSA Complaints 2024–2026
- Toyota Highlander MPG: Gas and Hybrid 2024–2026
- Toyota Grand Highlander Recalls: Every Recall 2024–2026
- Toyota RAV4 Known Issues: NHTSA Complaints by Year
Sources: NHTSA, complaints by vehicle (Toyota Highlander, model years 2008–2023), queried October 21, 2026.
Keep reading
Toyota Highlander MPG by Year: 2008–2023
The Toyota Highlander's EPA combined mpg runs from 19 (2008 to 2013 V6 AWD) to 36 (2020 to 2023 Hybrid FWD). The gas V6 improved from 19–20 mpg in 2008 to 23–24 mpg by 2020. The hybrid went from 26 mpg (2008 to 2010) to 28–29 mpg (2011 to 2019) and then jumped to 35–36 mpg with the 2.5L four-cylinder hybrid in 2020. In 2023 the gas truck changed to a 2.4L turbo four rated 24 to 25 mpg. The newer 2024 to 2026 ratings are in the 2024–2026 mpg guide.
Toyota Highlander Recalls 2008–2023: Every Campaign
NHTSA lists 45 recall campaigns on the Toyota Highlander for model years 2008 to 2023. 9 are label corrections and 3 are accessory or aftermarket parts, which leaves 33 campaigns on the trucks themselves. The biggest by reach are the 2010 accelerator pedal recalls (10V017, 10V023), the fuel pump recalls (20V012, 20V682, 20V162) on 2017–2020 V6 trucks, and air bag and steering column recalls from 2011, 2014, 2020 and 2023 to 2025. The 2023 spiral cable recalls (23V480, 25V040) and the 2026 second-row recliner recall (26V128) are the newest. Run your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Toyota Highlander MPG: Gas and Hybrid 2024–2026
The gas Highlander is rated 24 to 25 mpg combined and the Highlander Hybrid 35 to 36 mpg. The EPA's 2024 front-wheel-drive gas truck is 22 city / 29 highway / 25 combined (24 on the other label), the AWD gas truck 21 / 28 / 24, the Hybrid FWD 36 / 35 / 36 and the Hybrid AWD 35 / 35 / 35. Over 15,000 miles at EPA combined, the hybrid AWD burns about 429 gallons against 625 for the gas AWD, a gap of about 196 gallons a year.
Toyota Highlander Problems: NHTSA Complaints 2024–2026
NHTSA holds 53 complaints on the Toyota Highlander for model years 2024 to 2026: 43 for 2024, 10 for 2025 and none for 2026. After a general "other" bucket (15 mentions), the most-named components are service brakes (10), fuel/propulsion system (8), electrical system (7) and engine (6). Six complaints report a crash and six report an injury. None report a fire or a death. Complaints are voluntary and unverified, and the numbers are small, so treat them as a pointer, not a failure rate.