Problems · by component
2013 Toyota Highlander vehicle speed control problems
31 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2013 Toyota Highlander cite vehicle speed control, 15% of all 212 complaints for this model year.
Complaints
31
15% of all complaints
Crashes
7
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
2
Reported by owners
What owners say about the vehicle speed control
Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“AS I BEGIN DRIVING AND COME TO STOP IT TENDS TO REV UP AND THEN DROPS BACK TO NORMAL. IT FEELS LIKE VEHICLE REVS UP A LITTLE WHILE YOU ARE TRYING TO STOP IT BY PRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL.IT FEELS LIKE VEHICLE DOES NOT WANT TO STOP AND YOU HAVE THE FEELINGS TO PRESS THE BRAKE EVEN HARDER.”
“THE DOOR LOCKS STOPPED WORKING AND I WAS FORCED TO PAY TO REPAIR THEM AFTER OWNING CAR FOR LESS THAN 6 MONTHS. THE POWER WINDOWS FAIL TO OPERATE AT RANDOM TIMES. THERE WAS A SIMILAR PROBLEM WITH THE 2010 TOYOTA YARIS WINDOW PANEL. THE CAR JUMPS OR SKIPS WHILE ACCELERATING.”
“ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS SINCE PURCHASING MY 2014 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER LIMITED THE CAR LURCHES FORWARD WHILE MY FOOT IS FIRMLY PRESSED ON THE BRAKE. ON TWO OCCASIONS I COULD NOT STOP THE LURCHING OF THE VEHICLE WITHOUT STANDING UP WITH BOTH FEET ON THE BRAKE PEDAL HAVING HIT THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME WHILE MY CAR CONTINUED TO PUSH THEM AGAIN WHILE APPLYING BOTH FEET ON THE BRAKE PEDAL. I WAS NOT IN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AS IF SOMETHING WAS PRESSING THE GAS PEDAL WHILE I WAS STOPPED. IN BOTH OF THESE ACCIDENTS SITUATIONS I HAD PROGRESSED FORWARD STOPPING AND STARTING. ONCE IN A DRIVE THRU AND THE SECOND TIME IN LINE LEAVING A SHOPPING CENTER. IT IS AS IF THE CAR WANTS TO KEEP GOING FORWARD AFTER MULTIPLE STOPS AND STARTS.”
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE STOPPED AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT AND DEPRESSING THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO LOSE POWER WITHOUT WARNING. THE FAILURE WAS PERSISTENT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE DETERMINED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 10.....UPDATED 07/05/16 *BF *CN”
“LETTER FROM CONSTITUENT REGARDING THE ISSUE OF UNINTENDED ACCELERATION IN TOYOTA AND LEXUS VEHICLES. *SMD 2013 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER. THE CONSUMER STATED AS SHE WAS ABOUT TO PUT THE VEHICLE IN REVERSE TO REPOSITION THE VEHICLE, IT SUDDENLY LURCHED FORWARD WITH THE ENGINE RACING . IT WAS IF THE ACCELERATOR WAS FLOORED. WITHIN A COUPLE OF SECONDS THE VEHICLE JUMPED OVER THE CEMENT PARKING BLOCK AND INTO A POLE. THE VEHICLE HAD SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE BETWEEN $13,000 AND $15,000. THE CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THE CARPET FLOOR MAT WAS FOUND TO BE UNATTACHED. *JB”
“PERIODICALLY HESITATES WHEN ACCELERATING - DOESN'T MOVE, DOESN'T ACCELERATE - NOTHING - ALMOST LIKE CAR NOT RUNNING. DOES IT FROM STOPPED POSITION OR WHILE MOVING. HAPPENED TWICE YESTERDAY, AFTER BEING STOPPED AT RED LIGHT AND WHEN TURNING ACROSS LANE OF TRAFFIC (CITY STREET). HAS DONE IT WHEN PASSING ON INTERSTATE - NEVER KNOW WHEN IT WILL HAPPEN. IT'S SCARY AND BY THE TIME IT KICKS IN, TRAFFIC IS FAST APPROACHING. WORRY THAT ONE DAY IT WILL NOT ENGAGE AND I WILL GET HIT. DOESN'T MATTER IF HOT OR COLD, WET OR DRY, DRIVING SHORT TIME OR LONG TIME. DEFINITELY AN ACCIDENT (AND DEATH) WAITING TO HAPPEN. DEALERSHIP SAID THEY HAVE NOT HEARD COMPLAINT BEFORE AND CAN'T FIX IT UNLESS CODE APPEARS. FIND THAT HARD TO BELIEVE SINCE OWNER'S WIFE DROVE IT. SENT COMPLAINT TO TOYOTA WITH COPIES OF SIMILAR COMPLAINTS FOUND POSTED ONLINE. WONDER IF IT IS RELATED TO TRANSMISSION BECAUSE I CAN SOMETIMES FEEL BRIEF CHANGES IN RPM (OUTSIDE OF HESITATION ISSUE). PLEASE HELP!”
Showing 6 of 31 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 3, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.