Problems · by component
2011 Toyota Highlander structure problems
27 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2011 Toyota Highlander cite structure, 14% of all 187 complaints for this model year.
Complaints
27
14% of all complaints
Crashes
0
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
1
Reported by owners
What owners say about the structure
Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“The contact owns a 2011 Toyota Highlander. The contact stated that the sun visors on the driver’s and passenger’s sides were hanging down and would not stay in the upright position. The contact stated that the sun visors obstructed her vision while driving at various speeds. The contact called the dealer and was informed that there was a recall on the vehicle for the sun visors; however, the recall had expired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 108,000.”
“I NOTICED IN NOVEMBER 2016 THAT THE PAINT ON MY 2011 TOYOTA ROOF WAS PEELING OFF. I TOOK IT TO A TRUSTED BODY SHOP AND THE OWNER ADVISED MY TO TAKE IT TO THE DEALERSHIP AS IT APPEARED TO BE A MANUFACTURER DEFECT. I DID AS HE SUGGESTED AND I WAS SUBJECTED TO MONTHS OF UNRESPONSIVE BEHAVIOR BEFORE I WAS FINALLY TOLD MY CAR WAS BEYOND THE 3YEAR WARRANTY THEREFORE NOT THEIR PROBLEM IN OCTOBER OF 2017. SINCE THIS TIME, THE PAINT FAILURE HAS PROGRESSED TO INCLUDE NEARLY EVERY PANEL ON MY VEHICLE. I HAVE ALSO LEARNED THAT TOYOTA IS RECALLING BLIZZARD PEARL VEHICLES DUE TO THIS EXACT PROBLEM BUT MY VIN IN NOT INCLUDED. I FEEL THIS NEEDS TO BE REMEDIED IMMEDIATELY AS THIS MANUFACTURER DEFECT GREATLY IMPACTS THE VALUE OF MY INVESTMENT. **I AM UNABLE TO ATTACH MORE THAN ONE PICTURE TO MY COMPLAINT. HOWEVER, I HAVE MULTIPLE PHOTOS AND SOME DAMAGE IS IMPOSSIBLE TO SUCCESSFULLY DOCUMENT BUBBLING PAINT. *TR”
“POWER LIFTGATE MOTOR ARM DETACHED FROM THE UPPER PORTION OF THE REAR DOOR. UPON REPEATED USE AND TIGHTENING IT BECOMES STRIPPED. FORUMS REPORTS THIS IS COMMON FOR SEVERAL MODEL YEARS - NO RECALL. HOLE TO SCREW BECOMES STRIPPED OVER TIME. NO ACCESS TO THE BACK END TO APPLY NUT. DEALER RECOMMENDS TAKING IT TO A BODY SHOP FOR DOOR REPLACEMENT AT $3200 - $3900 DOLLARS. EXTREMELY BAD DESIGN FLAW. IF LIFTGATE SEEMS WEAK IN OPENING NAND CLOSING, THIS COULD BE PART OF THE PROBLEM. SHOWED WEAKNESS FOR WEEKS UNTIL I HEARD THE POP AND REALIZED THE POWER ROD CAME OUT. WHEN I WENT TO SCREW IT BACK IN - IT'S STRIPPED. OUT OF WARRANTY PERIOD. NO SOLUTION FOUND OTHER THAN REPLACING THE REAR LIFTGATE.”
“WHEN TRYING TO OPEN THE REAR HATCH FROM THE INSIDE, THE BEEPING SOUND WOULD NOT TURN OFFICE AND WHEN I WENT TO INVESTIGATE WHAT WAS WRONG WITH THE HATCH THE HYDRAULIC ARM HAD BROKEN AND THE MOLDING POPPED OFF PREVENTING IT FROM WORKING. I TOOK IT INTO TOYOTA DEALERSHIP AND THEY REPLACED THE WHOLE MOTOR/ARM ON THE HATCH. THIS WAS COVERED THROUGH MY WARRANTY.”
“ISSUE WITH THE GLASS DOOR BACK (HATCH) DOES NOT CLOSE OR OPEN PROPERLY. I DID MAKE SURE THE DOOR ARE CLOSED BEFORE STARTING THE VEHICLE AND ONCE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION THE GLASS DOOR (HATCH) OPENS AND I HAD TO STOP THE VEHICLE AND CLOSE IT, WHICH IS VEERY INCONVENIENCE AND SAFETY ISSUE.”
“6MONTH AFTER I HAD BOUGHT MY VEHICLE I MADE AN APPOINTMENT TO HAVE CHECK MY MOON ROOF LEAKING,AND WORKING OUT OF CONTROL AFTER RAINING,THEY SAID THEY FOUND NOTHING, AND BETWEEN OIL CHANGE ASK TO RE-CHECK MOON ROOF AND NOTHING WRONG THEY ONLY KEPT ONE TIME "CHECK" FOR THE ISSUE THEN LAST YEAR FOR THE BAD WINTER WE HAD I FOUND MY CAR FLOOR TOO WET AND THOUGH IT WAS THE SNOW NOT THE MOON ROOF, SO I BROUGHT IT LAST APRIL AND THE SAID THEY WILL TRY TO SEE WHAT WAS WRONG BUT THAT MY GUARANTEE WAS EXPIRED AND THEY DID FIND OUT FROM WHERE WAS THE LEAK, CAUSE MY CAR WILL BE PARK OVERNIGHT RAINING AND WILL BE IN THE MORNING SOAK N WET, SO I BROUGHT IT TO MY MECHANIC HE FOUND LIKE ITS FROM FACTORY DEFECT NOT A HOLE FOR A ONE HOSE TO THROW OUT THE WATER FROM MOON ROOF. SO MY CAR HAS MOLD, MY DAUGHTER AND I SUFFER FROM RESPIRATORY ILLNESS, AND SHE IS A CHILD, I AM VERY DISTRESS AND EMOTIONAL VERY WORRY CAUSE THAT PROBLEM IS MAKING US SEE K MOST OF THE TIME, I WANT THIS PROBLEM TO BE SOLVE.IM A SINGLE MOM WHO PAYS THIS VEHICLE WITH A LOT OF EFFORTS AND DON'T KNOW WHO COULD HELP ME I'M VERY DEPRESSED I NEED HELP CAN SOME BODY HELP US? THANK YOU. THIS IS ALSO A SAFETY ISSUE…”
Showing 6 of 27 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 10, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.