The current Highlander's complaint list is short compared with many Toyotas. That is partly a sign of a well-liked truck and partly the effect of low volume in these model years. This guide counts what the complaints name and says plainly what the data does and does not show.
How this list is built. On October 21, 2026 we queried NHTSA's complaints-by-vehicle service for the Toyota Highlander, model years 2024, 2025 and 2026, and counted the components each complaint names. We did not rank by severity. A single complaint can name several components, so component counts overlap. Complaints are not failure rates, they are not verified by NHTSA or Toyota, and they do not account for how many trucks were sold.
Complaints by Model Year
| MODEL YEAR | COMPLAINTS |
|---|---|
| 2024 | 43 |
| 2025 | 10 |
| 2026 | 0 |
| Total | 53 |
Safety Outcomes Reported
Across the 53 complaints, 6 mention a crash, 0 mention a fire, 6 report an injury and 0 report a death. These are what owners reported, not findings.
What the Counts Say
Brakes lead the named components. Service brakes appear in 10 complaints, the largest single named system. Two of those also name the engine or electrical system, and one names vehicle speed control. Toyota has not issued a brake recall on the Highlander in model years 2024 and 2025.
Fuel and propulsion, engine and power train together appear in about 17 mentions. We cannot tell from component labels alone whether these are hybrid system, gas engine or transmission concerns.
Driver assistance (vehicle speed control and forward collision avoidance) shows up in 4 and 3 complaints, often alongside brakes. That pattern is worth noting, but it is a handful of reports.
Known recalls. The confirmed defects are on the recall list: the second-row seat recliner (26V128), the third-row center belt anchor (25V872), tire load ratings and software.
The 2026 Highlander
NHTSA has no complaints on file for the 2026 Highlander as of our query. A zero is not a clean bill of health on a truck that has been on sale for a short time. Check your VIN for recalls.
How to Use This
- Run the VIN for open recalls. That is where Toyota has confirmed defects.
- Write down the details if the truck does something odd: speed, weather, warnings and the date. Dealers act on specifics.
- File your own complaint at nhtsa.gov if something is wrong. The database is only as good as the reports in it.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the most common Toyota Highlander problems?
By NHTSA complaint count for 2024 to 2026, service brakes (10), fuel/propulsion system (8), electrical system (7) and engine (6) are the most-named components, after a general "other" group (15).
How many complaints does the Highlander have?
53 as of October 21, 2026: 43 for the 2024 model year, 10 for 2025 and none for 2026.
Has the Highlander had any injuries reported?
Complaints report 6 injuries and 6 crashes in total. No fires and no deaths are reported.
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: Every Recall 2024–2026
- Toyota Highlander MPG: Gas and Hybrid 2024–2026
- Toyota Grand Highlander Recalls: Every Recall 2024–2026
- Toyota Grand Highlander MPG: Gas, Hybrid and Hybrid MAX
- Toyota RAV4 Known Issues: NHTSA Complaints by Year
Sources: NHTSA, complaints by vehicle (Toyota Highlander, model years 2024–2026), queried October 21, 2026.
Keep reading
Toyota Highlander Complaints by Year: 2008–2023
NHTSA holds 4,142 owner complaints on the Toyota Highlander for model years 2008 to 2023. The most complaints are on 2021 (531), 2019 (498) and 2008 (404). The fewest are on 2016 (111), 2009 (134) and 2014 (136). Power train is the most-named component overall (864 mentions), then service brakes (505), electrical system (504) and engine (437). Across all years complaints report 287 crashes, 41 fires, 266 injuries and 4 deaths. Complaint counts are voluntary, unverified and not adjusted for sales, so they point at where to look rather than which year is worst.
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.