Problems · by component

2007 Toyota Highlander Hybrid electrical system problems

51 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2007 Toyota Highlander Hybrid cite electrical system, 22% of all 234 complaints for this model year. NHTSA also lists 1 recall on this component.

Complaints
51
22% of all complaints
Crashes
2
Reported by owners
Fires
2
Reported by owners
Injuries
0
Reported by owners
01 —Owner reports

What owners say about the electrical system

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“Odometer Fraud. The contact owns a 2007 Toyota Highlander. The vehicle was purchased from a private seller on Facebook Marketplace on 9/3/2025. The mileage at the time of purchase was 129,950. The contact wanted a larger vehicle and called another dealer on Facebook Marketplace to trade the vehicle and was provided the most recent mileage recorded for the vehicle on November 17, 2021, at 262,597 miles. The dealer informed the contact that the VIN was recorded to have over 150,000 miles over 4 years before the purchase. The contact reached out to the owner who sold the vehicle to the private seller who the contact purchased the vehicle from, and it was confirmed that on July 27, 2025, the vehicle was sold at 299,150 miles. The contact had not reported to any other agencies but had planned to.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 22, 2025Electrical systemODI 11688863
“2007 HYBRID ABS BRAKE ACTUATOR PROBLEM. THE PRIMER MOTOR CONTINUES TO RUN TO PRIME THE PUMP EVEN WHEN CAR IF OFF. THE HUMMING NOISE CHANGES WHEN YOU PRESS ON THE BRAKES TO LOAD KNOCKING GROANING NOISES. NO DASH WARNING SIGNS. I BOUGHT THIS CAR USED AND IT HAS ALWAYS MADE THE HUMMING NOISE SINCE I BOUGHT IT. I THOUGHT THIS WAS NORMAL FOR A HYBRID. SOMETIMES BRAKE PEDAL WOULD PUSH EASILY TO FLOOR, BUT THEN GET TIGHTER. I WOULD HEAR THE KNOCKING GRINDING NOISE. NO WARNING LIGHTS, HAD BRAKES CHECKED AND THEY ARE GOOD. THOUGHT MAYBE AIR IN LINE. THIS NOISE AND LOOSE PEDAL STARTED ABOUT 1 YEAR AGO. 6/2024 IT DID NOT HAPPEN ALL THE TIME. I ALSO HAVE A COMPANY CAR, SO I DO NOT DRIVE THE TOYOTA HIGHLANDER THAT OFTEN. NOW I CANNOT DRIVE IT AT ALL. FOR FEAR THAT THE BRAKES WOULD GO OUT. I STARTED LOOKING FURTHER ONLINE ON INFORMATION REGARDING THIS. IT SEEMS TOYOTA AND LEXUS RX 300 HYBRIDS (SAME PART MODEL NUMBER) 44510-48060 ARE ALL DOING THIS. I LOOKED UP RECALL'S AND NOTHING FOR ABS HYBRID PROBLEMS. JUST LAST WEEK ALL WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON IN MY CAR BRAKE VSC. READING ALL THE PROBLEMS WITH THIS ABS ACTUATOR PUMP, THIS SHOULD BE RECALLED. 6/2025 PER ONLINE, IT IS A…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 4, 2025Electrical system, Service brakesODI 11671239
“Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2007 Toyota Highlander. The contact stated that while attempting to register the vehicle, it was discovered that there was a mileage discrepancy. The vehicle was a private sale. At the time of purchase, the mileage was 116,000, and at the time of registration, it was discovered that the mileage was 240,126. The contact also stated that the seller had crossed out the mileage and penned in "EXEMPT" on the tile. Local authorities were notified.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Apr 10, 2025Electrical systemODI 11653924
“Subject: Urgent Safety Concern - Recurring Issues with Toyota Highlander Hybrid Models Dear National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, We owned the car since almost new, after repeated attempts with Toyota, like others 300K customers from their own site, I am writing to file a formal complaint regarding persistent safety issues with Toyota Highlander Hybrid models, specifically between the years 2004 and 2007. Despite previous reports and numerous attempts to seek assistance from Toyota, the response has been unsatisfactory, with the company deflecting responsibility rather than providing a resolution. **Vehicle Information:** - Make: Toyota - Model: Highlander Hybrid - Year: 2007 - VIN: [XXX] **Description of the Issue:** 1) The primary concerns involve the hybrid a) BRAKE actuators failing/loosing braking power 2) the electrical inverters, which have shown a pattern of failure across many vehicles, including my own. 3) Leaky blow back from engine into intake. 4) Seat belts are not properly retracting, These failures could compromise the safety of the vehicle but also risk to the driver, passengers, and others on the road. **Previous Reports:** I have…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled May 25, 2024Electrical system, Seat belts, Service brakesODI 11590708
“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.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 24, 2019Steering, Electrical system, Electronic stability control (esc)ODI 11234591
“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.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 20, 2019Electrical systemODI 11233520

Showing 6 of 51 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 11, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
02 —Related recalls

1 recall on this component

Electrical system

Remedy pending

TOYOTA IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2006-2007 HIGHLANDER HYBRID AND LEXUS RX400H PASSENGER CARS MANUFACTURED FROM FEBRUARY 16, 2005, THROUGH AUGUST 30, 2006. A MODULE INSIDE THE INVERTER MODULE MAY CONTAIN INADEQUATELY SOLDERED TRANSISTORS THAT DURING HIGH-LOAD DRIVING, MAY BE DAMAGED BY HEAT CAUSED BY THE LARGE CURRENT. IF THIS OCCURS, VARIOUS WARNING LAMPS, INCLUDING THE MALFUNCTION INDICATOR LAMP, SLIP INDICATOR LIGHT, BRAKE SYSTEM WARNING LIGHT, AND MASTER WARNING LIGHT, WILL BE ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL.

Electrical systemReported Jun 29, 2011NHTSA 11V342000
Data from NHTSA Recalls API · synced Nov 11, 2026

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.

Other 2007 Highlander Hybrid problem areas