Problems · NHTSA complaints
2007 Toyota Highlander problems
Owners filed 124 complaints about the 2007 Toyota Highlander with NHTSA between Dec 2006 and Oct 2026. The most-cited component is service brakes (29).
Complaints
124
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
11
Reported by owners
Fires
1
Reported by owners
Injuries
7
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
Complaints by component
One complaint can cite several components
- Service brakes29
- Electrical system23
- Vehicle speed control16
- Tires8
- Visibility8
- Power train8
- Engine7
- Visibility/wiper7
- Steering6
- Service brakes, hydraulic6
- Wheels5
- Structure5
- Electronic stability control (esc)4
- Fuel system, gasoline3
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.
Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Nov 7, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
When complaints were filed
Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
2
8
7
9
18
6
8
10
5
4
9
0
3
5
12
4
6
2
1
4
1
View as table
| Model year | Complaints filed per calendar year |
|---|---|
| 2006 | 2 |
| 2007 | 8 |
| 2008 | 7 |
| 2009 | 9 |
| 2010 | 18 |
| 2011 | 6 |
| 2012 | 8 |
| 2013 | 10 |
| 2014 | 5 |
| 2015 | 4 |
| 2016 | 9 |
| 2017 | 0 |
| 2018 | 3 |
| 2019 | 5 |
| 2020 | 12 |
| 2021 | 4 |
| 2022 | 6 |
| 2023 | 2 |
| 2024 | 1 |
| 2025 | 4 |
| 2026 | 1 |
Mileage at failure isn’t a structured field in NHTSA complaint data, so we don’t chart it. Some owners mention it in their reports below.
Top problems in owners’ words
Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
Service brakes
29 reports
“The brake actuator for the hybrid system has failed. My vehicle brake pedal is difficult do depress and unsafe to drive. This is a known issue with other Toyota hybrids that have been recalled but for some reason the highlander is not recalled even though it uses the same problem part as the recalled vehicles. The replacement part and repair is typically more than value of the car and it being a safety issue with brake system caused by a known faulty component Toyota should repair these.”
Electrical system
23 reports1 crash1 fire
“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.”
Vehicle speed control
16 reports8 crashes
“My vehicle about a year ago started to display the dash lights for the VSC, ABS, and Emergency Brake however there was no indication from the feel of the brakes as they were applied, or any indication that something was wrong with the vehicle. I had my brakes replaced on my rear tires, and for a time the lights went off. In April of 2025, the lights came back on however this time there was a distinct feeling that the brakes weren't working. I had the calipers, pads, rotors, and a tube replaced, however the lights are still on, and the vehicle now violently shakes after reaching speeds of 45 mph (mirroring the complaints from the following site: [XXX] ). Toyota has refused to acknowledge this and put consumers out thousands of dollars. This is clearly something toyota needs to honor.”
Tires
8 reports
“Only six months after installation as a set of 4 new tires at Sam's Club in May 2021, multiple cracks start to develop around the rims on both inside and outside of the tires. With time, the cracks grow in size. This happens on two tires, one is on the front passage side, and the other on the rear driver side.”
Visibility
8 reports
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE REAR WINDOW FAILED TO CLOSE OR OPEN. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 90,000.”
Power train
8 reports
“WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY, LEFT REAR AXLE SNAPPED OFF AND FELL OFF VEHICLE. THE TRANSFER ASSEMBLY HAS BEEN FOUND TO BE DEFECTIVE. THERE IS NO EXPLANATION AS TO HOW THIS HAPPENED AND IF THERE ARE OTHER DEFECTIVE PARTS IN THE DRIVE TRAIN.”
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 7, 2026
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.