Problems · NHTSA complaints

2010 Toyota Highlander problems

Owners filed 238 complaints about the 2010 Toyota Highlander with NHTSA between Dec 2009 and May 2026. The most-cited component is electrical system (55).

Complaints
238
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
19
Reported by owners
Fires
2
Reported by owners
Injuries
15
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Electrical system55
  2. Visibility/wiper31
  3. Service brakes30
  4. Vehicle speed control23
  5. Steering23
  6. Engine15
  7. Structure15
  8. Air bags14
  9. Exterior lighting12
  10. Visibility12
  11. Power train6
  12. Electronic stability control (esc)6
  13. Fuel/propulsion system4
  14. Wheels4

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 Oct 27, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
02 —Trend

When complaints were filed

Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
View as table
Model yearComplaints filed per calendar year
20092
201031
201113
20128
201318
201431
201520
201615
201720
201827
201912
202010
202110
20227
20235
20245
20252
20262

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.

03 —Owner reports

Top problems in owners’ words

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first

Electrical system

55 reports1 crash2 fires
“When applying the brake slowly all of a sudden the car went full acceleration and crashed 500ft away at high speed. The car is crashed but available for inspection for a short period of time until the insurance company takes full posession. There are not open recalls. The only lights on the dash were for TPMS sensor.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Mar 5, 2026Electrical system, Vehicle speed controlCrash reportedODI 11722240

Visibility/wiper

31 reports
“SUN ROOF GLASS EXPLODED WHILE DRIVING ON A HIGHWAY AT ABOUT 60 TO 65 MILES PER HOUR. WE HAD THE SUN SHADE CLOSED SO WE DID NOT KNOW THE SUN ROOF GLASS HAD EXPLODED. PULLED OFF THE ROAD, NO OTHER CAR OR TRUCK WAS NEAR US, AND DISCOVERED THE SUN ROOF GLASS HAD EXPLODED AND GLASS WAS PREVENTED FROM ENTERING THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT BECAUSE THE SHADE WAS CLOSED. WENT TO A TOYOTA DEALER ABOUT 10 MILES AWAY AND THEY SAID IT WAS PROBABLY CAUSED BY A ROCK. I SAID NO ONE WAS NEAR US, FRONT OR BACK, AND THEY SAID WE MIGHT HAVE HAD A CHIP IN THE SUN ROOF GLASS FROM BEFORE THIS HAPPENED. IT WAS A NICE DAY, NO RAIN, NOT TOO HOT, AROUND 65 DEGREES, COMFORTABLE, SUN WAS OUT. THEY TAPED THE GLASS THAT WAS STILL TOGETHER SO WE COULD DRIVE HOME AND HAVE IT REPAIRED. THEY DID NOT HAVE THE GLASS AND WOULD TAKE SEVERAL DAYS. THIS HAPPENED IN JULY, 2012.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 20, 2017Visibility/wiperODI 11035198

Service brakes

30 reports4 crashes
“We received this from Toyota. Customer Support Program Bulletin Date: Page: POL19-06 6/6/2019 1 of 3 REVISED 8/28/19 CUSTOMER SUPPORT PROGRAM BULLETIN (ZKC): REPAIR COVERAGE FOR BRAKE ACTUATOR ASSEMBLY AND BRAKE BOOSTER PUMP ASSEMBLY ON CERTAIN 2008-2010 MY HIGHLANDER HYBRID VEHICLE. When we received this bulletin, we asked our Toyota Dealer Service Department (Stevenson Toyota East, Denver, CO) to address this issue multiple times when bringing in our vehicle for service in 2019 and 2020 and were told repeatedly they would not fix this issue since the ABS light was not on. Now that this bulletin is expired the ABS light is on. We took our Highlander to the Toyota Dealership in Melbourne, Florida and were told that this repair will now cost us $2473.89. Our 2010 Highlander is barely worth that, and now we have to repair this on our own even though Toyota knew the brake actuator assembly and brake booster pump would eventually fail at some point in time. Despite this, Toyota refused to resolve this issue when we asked (more than once) right after receiving the service bulletin in 2019 and as a result is causing a safety issue for our college aged son who drives…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 24, 2024Service brakes, Forward collision avoidanceODI 11604358

Vehicle speed control

23 reports7 crashes2 related recalls
“AS I SLOWLY PULLED INTO A PARKING SPACE, THE HIGHLANDER SUDDENLY ACCELERATED QUICKLY, JUMPED THE CONCRETE PARKING STOP AND SLAMMED INTO A RETAINING WALL. IT HAPPENED VERY QUICKLY AND UNEXPECTED. I AM ORIGINAL OWNER. THE VEHICLE HAS 56000 MILES AND HAS BEEN SERVICED ONLY BY THE DEALER. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVABLE AND WAS TAKEN IMMEDIATELY TO THE DEALER FOR 2 DAYS TO INSPECT THE SYSTEMS. BECAUSE OF THE AMOUNT OF DAMAGE, THE REPAIR SHOP GOT THE VEHICLE IN IMMEDIATELY AND ESTIMATE REPAIRS AT $10,000. I AM VERY FRIGHTENED OF THIS VEHICLE RIGHT NOW AS ANOTHER INCIDENT LIKE THIS COULD PRODUCE MUCH WORSE RESULTS.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Feb 1, 2017Vehicle speed controlCrash reportedODI 10948819

Steering

23 reports1 crash
“WHILE I WAS DRIVING, THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED AND I WAS NOT ABLE TO MOVE THE CAR. I PUT THE CAR ON PKG AND IT GOT LOCKED TOO. COULD NOT PUT IN REVERSE OR DRIVE. WINDOWS GOT LOCKED TOO. THE ABS SYSTEM LIGHT UP. A MIRACLE THAT FEW MINUTE BEFORE I EXITED A HIGHWAY. A TOW TRUCK TOOK THE CAR AND IT HAS BEEN IN THE TOYOTA DEALER FOR THE PAST WEEK AND THEY DO NOT NOW WHAT IS WRONG WITH THE CAR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 19, 2021Steering, Electrical system, Unknown or otherODI 11388800

Engine

15 reports1 crash1 fire
“Driving with small child daughter in suv, after getting car wash and ice cream, got on highway then got off…never any oil or engine lights illuminating ever. Smoke coming from front and tire areas. Other people in cars staring and pointing at our suv! Very scary! Oil leaking from front passenger area all over ground trailing. Pulled over! Pulled dip stick it was bone dry. Still no oil light! No engine light! Conrad’s shop looked at it got estimate it is the Toyota oil cooler line that failed that soooo many ppl have had but there’s no recall yet from Toyota seriously dangerous and horrible! Suv only has 86000 miles on it!”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 16, 2022EngineODI 11469674
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Oct 27, 2026

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