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Research · Sport Utility Vehicle - 2WD

2004 Toyota HighlanderRecalls, problems, MPG & safety

NHTSA lists 5 safety recalls and 286 owner complaints for the 2004 Toyota Highlander. Most complaints involve power train (58) and vehicle speed control (40). The EPA rates it 19–22 mpg combined.

Check a VINAdd to my garage
Combined MPG
19–22mpg
EPA · 4 versions
NHTSA overall
—
Not rated by NCAP
Safety recalls
5campaigns
Latest Nov 2011
Owner complaints
286
Top: power train
Fuel cost / yr
$2,900est.
EPA estimate, best version
01 —Recalls

Safety recalls

5 NHTSA campaigns · applies to some vehicles, check your VIN

Engine and engine cooling

Free remedy

TOYOTA IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2004 AVALON VEHICLES; 2004 AND 2005 CAMRY, CAMRY SOLARA, HIGHLANDER, AND SIENNA VEHICLES, 2006 HIGHLANDER HYBRID; 2004 AND 2005 LEXUS ES330 AND RX330; AND 2006 LEXUS RX400H VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM JUNE 1, 2004 THROUGH MARCH 31, 2005, EQUIPPED WITH THE 1MZ-FE OR 3MZ-FE ENGINE. THE AMOUNT OF ADHESIVE AGENT APPLIED BETWEEN THE OUTER RING AND THE TORSIONAL RUBBER DAMPER (INNER RING) IN THE CRANKSHAFT PULLEY MAY BE INADEQUATE. IF THE ADHESIVE IS INSUFFICIENT, THERE IS A POSSIBILITY THAT THE OUTER RING MAY BECOME MISALIGNED AND IT MAY NOT PROPERLY ROTATE WITH THE INNER RING, CAUSING NOISE AND/OR ILLUMINATION OF THE BATTERY DISCHARGE INDICATOR LIGHT.

Engine and engine coolingReported Nov 9, 2011NHTSA 11V539000

Vehicle speed control: accelerator pedal

Free remedy

TOYOTA IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2004-2006 HIGHLANDER, HIGHLANDER HYBRID, AND MODEL YEAR 2004-2007 LEXUS RX330, RX350, AND RX400H VEHICLES. IF THE FORWARD RETENTION CLIP USED TO SECURE THE FLOOR CARPET COVER, WHICH IS LOCATED IN FRONT OF THE CENTER CONSOLE, IS NOT INSTALLED PROPERLY THE COVER MAY LEAN TOWARD THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL AND INTERFERE WITH THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL ARM.

Vehicle speed controlReported Feb 24, 2011NHTSA 11V112000

Service brakes

Free remedy

TOYOTA IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2005-2006 AVALON, MODEL YEAR 2004-2006 HIGHLANDER, MODEL YEAR 2004-2006 LEXUS RX, AND MODEL YEAR 2006 LEXUS GS AND IS VEHICLES. BRAKE FLUID CONTAINING POLYMERS IS USED THAT ACTS AS LUBRICANTS FOR CERTAIN BRAKE SYSTEM COMPONENTS. IF REPLACEMENT BRAKE FLUID IS USED THAT DOES NOT CONTAIN SUCH POLYMERS, OR THAT CONTAINS ONLY SMALL AMOUNTS, A PART OF THE RUBBER SEAL LOCATED AT THE REAR OF THE BRAKE MASTER CYLINDER MAY BECOME DRY, AND THE SEAL MAY CURL DURING MOVEMENT OF THE PISTON. IF THIS OCCURS, A SMALL AMOUNT OF BRAKE FLUID COULD SLOWLY LEAK FROM THE SEAL INTO THE BRAKE BOOSTER.

Service brakes, hydraulicReported Oct 21, 2010NHTSA 10V499000
See all 5 recalls with remedies
Data from NHTSA Recalls API · synced Oct 27, 2026 · All recall detailsNHTSA vehicle page
02 —Complaints

Owner complaints by component

286 complaints filed with NHTSA · Mar 2004 – May 2026
  1. Power train58
  2. Vehicle speed control40
  3. Steering35
  4. Visibility21
  5. Engine and engine cooling20
  6. Electrical system18
  7. Engine16
  8. Service brakes, hydraulic16
  9. Electronic stability control (esc)15

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

By model year

Complaints for each Highlander model year we’ve synced.

View as table
Model yearNHTSA complaints
2001136
2002327
2003270
2004286
2005225
2006278
2007124
2008406
2009134
2010238
2011187
2012191
2013212
2014138
2015193
2016111
2017271
2018273
2019508
2020323
2021535
2022266
2023189
202443
202510
Crashes reported
32
Fires reported
3
Injuries reported
23
Deaths reported
47
Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Oct 27, 2026 · Full problem breakdownNHTSA vehicle page
03 —Common problems

What owners report most

Verbatim excerpts from NHTSA complaints, by component

Power train

58 reports1 crash
“VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN NORMALLY AND PARKED. WHILE PARKED, OWNER NOTICED SMALL LEAK UNDER FRONT AXLE, INVESTIGATED AND LEAK APPEARED TO BE TRANSMISSION FLUID OR ANTIFREEZE. OWNER DROVE VEHICLE NEXT DAY, PARKED AND NOTICED LEAK WAS LARGER. OWNER TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER NEXT MORNING AND WAS TOLD THE HEAD GASKET WAS FAILING. DEALER SAID ALTERNATIVES WERE TO REPAIR HEAD GASKET ($3200+), REPLACE ENGINE OR BUY ANOTHER VEHICLE. OWNER DECLINED REPAIR AND TOOK VEHICLE TO INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, WHO CONFIRMED HEAD GASKET LEAK AND RECOMMENDED EITHER SEALANT ($250) OR HEAD GASKET REPAIR ($1200). OWNER CHOSE SEALANT. ABOUT FOUR DAYS AFTER SEALANT FIX, OWNER WAS DRIVING VEHICLE AND STOPPED AT A STARBUCKS DRIVE-THROUGH. MINUTES INTO THE WAIT, THE VEHICLES TEMP GAUGE BEGAN TO CLIMB RAPIDLY. OWNER REVVED ENGINE AND TEMP DECLINED. OWNER DROVE VEHICLE HOME AND INSPECTED ENGINE, DISCOVERED COOLANT HAD BEGUN TO SPRAY FROM OVERFLOW RESERVOIR. OWNER LET VEHICLE COOL. NEXT DAY, OWNER DROVE VEHICLE AT MODEST SPEED ACROSS TOWN, WATCHING THE TEMP GAUGE. TEMP WOULD INCREASE INCREMENTALLY, THEN DECLINE, BUT NO OVERHEATING APPEARED. THIRD DAY, OWNER DID SAME, BUT THIS TIME, AS OWNER APPROACHED HIS…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Apr 6, 2013Power train, EngineODI 10507360

Vehicle speed control

40 reports19 crashes
“WHILE TRAVELING THROUGH A HIGHWAY CONSTRUCTION ZONE MY CAR SUDDENLY BECAME HARD TO STEER, AND MY SPEED BECAME GREATER, TRIED TO (BREAK) DECELERATE THE CAR BEGAN SLIDING OUT OF CONTROL-PLOWING INTO THE ROAD CONSTRUCTION BARRIERS PART LODGED IN FRONT PASSENGER WINDSHIELD. THE CAR WENT THROUGH THE DITCH BECAME AIRBORNE THROUGH A ROD IRON FENCE SHATTERED THE REAR SECOND-ROW RIGHT SIDE WINDOW SPUN OUT , AND CAME TO REST JUST FEET FROM THE SOME PILEINGS. THIS IS THE INFORMATION OF MY DAUGHTER WHOM IS AN OUT OF STATE COLLEGE SENIOR AND VERY SHAKEN UP FROM THIS ORDEAL, THIS HER STATEMENT TO THE BEST OF MY KNOWLEDGE. POSSIBLY THE PLACEMENT OF THE 🚧 COULD HAVE BEEN A CONTRIBUTOR, AND THE UNCONTROLLABLE ACCELERATION. VEHICLE WAS BOUGHT USED A YEAR AGO. CAN YOU HELP UP LEARN WHY?”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 14, 2020Steering, Vehicle speed control, Electronic stability control (esc)Crash reportedODI 11355039

Steering

35 reports1 crash
“Hello, I am the Buyer of the subject Vehicle, Upon doing my research, I found out several reports stating that The subject vehicle's 2.4L engine has manufacturing defect, that causes Head Bolts to get stripped/melt down in to oil causing Engine failures and Life threating risk in the middle of the road.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled May 22, 2026Steering, EngineODI 11739508
All 2004 Highlander problemsSend a problem to a mechanic on findmechanic.ai
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Oct 27, 2026
04 —Key specs

Engines, transmissions & drive

4 versions rated by the EPA
EPA class
Sport Utility Vehicle - 2WD, Sport Utility Vehicle - 4WD
Engines
2.4L 4-cyl · 3.3L 6-cyl
Transmissions
Automatic 4-spd · Automatic 5-spd
Drive
Front-Wheel Drive · 4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive
Fuel
Regular Gasoline

Towing, payload and dimensions aren’t in the EPA or NHTSA data, so we don’t list them.

Data from EPA fueleconomy.gov · synced Oct 27, 2026EPA listing
05 —Fuel economy

EPA fuel economy by version

City / highway / combined, annual fuel cost and CO₂
EPA
VersionCityHwyComb.Fuel / yrCO₂ g/mi
Highlander 2WD
Auto 4-spd, 4 cyl, 2.4 L · Front-Wheel Drive
192522$2,900404
Highlander 4WD
Auto 4-spd, 4 cyl, 2.4 L · 4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive
182320$3,200444
Highlander 2WD
Auto 5-spd, 6 cyl, 3.3 L · Front-Wheel Drive
172319$3,400468
Highlander 4WD
Auto 5-spd, 6 cyl, 3.3 L · 4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive
162219$3,400468
  • Highlander 2WD
    Auto 4-spd, 4 cyl, 2.4 L
    19 city · 25 hwy · $2,900/yr
    22
    mpg comb.
  • Highlander 4WD
    Auto 4-spd, 4 cyl, 2.4 L
    18 city · 23 hwy · $3,200/yr
    20
    mpg comb.
  • Highlander 2WD
    Auto 5-spd, 6 cyl, 3.3 L
    17 city · 23 hwy · $3,400/yr
    19
    mpg comb.
  • Highlander 4WD
    Auto 5-spd, 6 cyl, 3.3 L
    16 city · 22 hwy · $3,400/yr
    19
    mpg comb.
Estimate your fuel costCost of ownership
Data from EPA fueleconomy.gov · synced Oct 27, 2026 · Fuel cost is EPA’s annual estimate (15,000 mi, 55% city)
06 —Safety

NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings

1 tested variant
NHTSA has not published 5-Star Safety Ratings for the 2004 Toyota Highlander as of Oct 27, 2026.
Data from NHTSA NCAP Safety Ratings API · synced Oct 27, 2026Vehicle 1291
07 —Maintenance

Maintenance basics

General guidance, not the OEM schedule. Check your owner’s manual.
General guidance
ItemMilesTimeNote
Engine oil & filter5,000–10,000 mi6–12 monthsFollow the oil-life monitor if fitted
Tire rotation5,000–7,500 miEvery oil changeCheck pressure monthly
Engine air filter15,000–30,000 mi1–2 yearsSooner in dusty areas
Cabin air filter15,000–25,000 mi1–2 years
Brake fluid—2–3 yearsAbsorbs moisture over time
Coolant60,000–100,000 mi5–10 yearsLong-life coolants last longer
Spark plugs60,000–100,000 mi—Iridium/platinum plugs at the long end
12V battery—3–5 yearsHeat shortens battery life
  • Engine oil & filter5,000–10,000 mi
    6–12 months
  • Tire rotation5,000–7,500 mi
    Every oil change
  • Engine air filter15,000–30,000 mi
    1–2 years
  • Cabin air filter15,000–25,000 mi
    1–2 years
  • Brake fluid—
    2–3 years
  • Coolant60,000–100,000 mi
    5–10 years
  • Spark plugs60,000–100,000 mi
    —
  • 12V battery—
    3–5 years
Typical intervals for modern cars. Severe service (towing, short trips, extreme heat or cold) shortens them.
09 —FAQ

2004 Highlander questions

How many recalls does the 2004 Toyota Highlander have?

5 safety recalls as of Oct 27, 2026, according to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at a dealer. Check your VIN to see whether your car is included and whether the repair was done.

What are the most common 2004 Toyota Highlander problems?

Owners filed 286 complaints with NHTSA. The most-cited components are power train (58), vehicle speed control (40), steering (35). Complaints are unverified owner reports and aren't adjusted for how many cars were sold.

What MPG does the 2004 Toyota Highlander get?

The EPA rates the 2004 Toyota Highlander at 19–22 mpg combined, depending on engine and drivetrain (4 versions rated).

Data from NHTSA & EPA · synced Oct 27, 2026