Problems · by component

2006 Toyota Highlander vehicle speed control problems

43 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2006 Toyota Highlander cite vehicle speed control, 15% of all 278 complaints for this model year. NHTSA also lists 1 recall on this component.

Complaints
43
15% of all complaints
Crashes
14
Reported by owners
Fires
1
Reported by owners
Injuries
11
Reported by owners
01 —Owner reports

What owners say about the vehicle speed control

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“THE BRAKE ACTUATOR IS FAILING AND IS MAKING LOUD NOISES. THE CAR DOES NOT BRAKE NORMALLY. I HAVE REPORTED BRAKING PROBLEMS SINCE I BOUGHT THE VEHICLE IN 2007. WHEN IT HITS A BUMP IT ACCELERATES AND I MUST STAND ON THE BRAKES SO I DO NOT HIT SOMEONE. IT LURCHES FORWARD WHEN IT HITS A POTHOLE OR SOME KIND OF OBSTRUCTION IN THE ROAD. WHEN I WORKED DOWN NEAR THE BUS STATION I WOULD HIT THE AREAS IN THE ROAD WHERE THE BUSES CREATED BUMPS IN THE ROADWAY AND IT WOULD LURCH FORWARD. I REPORTED THIS NUMEROUS TIMES AT NORTH BAKERSFIELD TOYOTA. I RECENTLY WENT IN TO REPORT THE NOISE I WAS HEARING AND THEY FINALLY FIGURED OUT THAT THE BRAKE ACTUATOR IS FAILING. I WAS TOLD THAT IT WAS NOT A HAZARD BUT THEY COULD NOT TELL ME WHEN IT WILL TOTALLY FAIL. I BELIEVE IT IS A SAFETY HAZARD AND THERE HAS BEEN A PROBLEM FROM DAY ONE”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Apr 26, 2021Vehicle speed control, Service brakesODI 11413884
“THE VSC LIGHT, ABS LIGHT, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT AND SOUND IS ARE ON. THE CODE IS BACK AS WELL C1391 FOR THIS BRAKE ACTUATOR. IT IS A WELL KNOWN PROBLEM WITH TOYOTAS . THIS WAS FIXED ONCE ALREADY BY TOYOTA DEALER AND FAILED AFTER 40K MILES AGAIN. HOW CAN A PART HAS FAILED AGAIN IN SUCH A SHORT TIME AND MILES? THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM AND WE CAN'T GET HELP FROM TOYOTA COMPANY OTHER THAN TO PAY FOR THEIR LACK OF QUALITY ON PARTS? I CAN'T AFFORD $4000 PLUST TO FIX A PART THAT ONLY LASTED 40,000 MILES. WHEN IS TOYOTA GOING TO DO A RECALL ON THIS PART AND FIX IT FOR GOOD?”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Mar 30, 2021Vehicle speed control, Service brakesODI 11405584
“ONCE AFTER PARKING AND THEN TWICE WHILE DRIVING ON A HIGHWAY, THE CHECK HYBRID SYSTEM LIGHT, THE VSC LIGHT, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT, AND THE CAUTION LIGHT ALL ILLUMINATED AND THE VEHICLE LOST ALL POWER INCLUDING STEERING ASSISTANCE . EACH TIME REQUIRING MULTIPLE KEY TURNS TO RESTART THE VEHICLE INTO LIMP HOME MODE. THIS VEHICLE HAS BEEN REPAIRED ONCE BEFORE FOR A SIMILAR ISSUE WHICH OCCURRED WHILE DRIVING UP A HILL IN MODERATE TRAFFIC. THE TANK IS FULL OF FUEL, THE TIRES ARE LESS THAN A YEAR OLD, AND THE VEHICLE UNDERGOES REGULAR MAINTENANCE(WHICH INCLUDES A NEW BATTERY AS THE ONE BOUGHT FROM TOYOTA HAD A FEW DEAD CELLS AFTER ONLY A YEAR OR TWO). I'VE READ MULTIPLE COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS ONLINE WHILE SEARCHING FOR THE UNDERLYING ISSUE AND THERE SEEMS TO BE A RELATED RECALL THAT DOESN'T INCLUDE MY VIN. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled May 21, 2020Steering, Vehicle speed control, Electronic stability control (esc), Fuel/propulsion systemODI 11325484
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER. WHILE MAKING A TURN AT 5 MPH, THE CONTACT DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL AND THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED. AS A RESULT, THE VEHICLE STRUCK A PEDESTRIAN. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE PEDESTRIAN SUFFERED INJURIES AND MEDICAL ATTENTION WAS REQUIRED. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN. *JS”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 9, 2018Vehicle speed control, Service brakesCrash reportedODI 11139259
“2006 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO VEHICLE SUDDEN ACCELERATION ACCIDENT. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED AND JUMPED A CURB AND HIT A BUILDING WHILE THE BRAKES WERE BEING DEPRESSED. *JS”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Mar 1, 2018Vehicle speed controlODI 10845498
“STEERING RECALL: I HAVE A 2006 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER HY WITH THE P/S (POWERS STEERING) LIGHT ON. I'VE BEEN TO TOYOTA TWICE IN THE PAST WEEK AND ONLY OWNED THE VEHICLE FOR 2 WEEKS. THEY SAY THEY CANNOT DO ANYTHING WITHOUT KNOWING THE PROBLEM AND I'VE TOLD THEM THE PROBLEM. THE VEHICLE ALSO TRIES TO ACCELERATE ON ITS ON WHEN AT A COMPLETE STOP.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Apr 5, 2017Steering, Vehicle speed controlODI 10970680

Showing 6 of 43 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Oct 27, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
02 —Related recalls

1 recall on this component

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
Data from NHTSA Recalls API · synced Oct 27, 2026

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

Other 2006 Highlander problem areas