Research · Small Sport Utility Vehicle 2WD

2016 Toyota HighlanderRecalls, problems, MPG & safety

NHTSA lists 3 safety recalls and 111 owner complaints for the 2016 Toyota Highlander. Most complaints involve service brakes (19) and electrical system (14). The EPA rates it 20–22 mpg combined, and NHTSA gives it 5 stars overall.

Combined MPG
20–22mpg
EPA · 3 versions
NHTSA overall
5of 5 stars
NCAP crash tests
Safety recalls
3campaigns
Latest Nov 2018
Owner complaints
111
Top: service brakes
Fuel cost / yr
$2,900est.
EPA estimate, best version
01 —Recalls

Safety recalls

3 NHTSA campaigns · applies to some vehicles, check your VIN

Electrical system

Free remedy

Fujian Wanda Automobile Glass Industry (Wanda) is recalling certain aftermarket Replacement Windshields sold for use in 2014-2018 Toyota Highlander vehicles. The windshields have an attached wire harness that water may leak into, possibly causing damage to the vehicle's Engine Control Module (ECM).

Electrical systemReported Nov 27, 2018NHTSA 18E107000

Electrical system: wiring

Free remedy

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain model year 2016 Highlander vehicles manufactured May 26, 2016, to September 16, 2016. The brake fluid level sensor may not be connected to the wire harness, preventing the sensor from detecting the brake fluid level. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 135, "Light Vehicle Brake Systems."

Electrical systemReported Oct 24, 2016NHTSA 16V775000

Equipment: labels

Free remedy

Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC (SET) is recalling certain model year 2016 Toyota Camry and Highlander, 2015-2016 Toyota Tundra, Scion FR-S, and tC vehicles. The Load Carrying Capacity Modification Label may not reflect the correct added weight of the installed accessories. As a result, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 110, "Tire Selection and Rims for Passenger Cars."

EquipmentReported Jun 9, 2016NHTSA 16V420000
Data from NHTSA Recalls API · synced Nov 3, 2026 · All recall detailsNHTSA vehicle page
02 —Complaints

Owner complaints by component

111 complaints filed with NHTSA · Dec 2015 – Oct 2026
  1. Service brakes19
  2. Electrical system14
  3. Air bags10
  4. Exterior lighting9
  5. Engine9
  6. Tires7
  7. Visibility/wiper7
  8. Steering6
  9. Wheels4

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

By model year

Complaints for each Highlander model year we’ve synced.

View as table
Model yearNHTSA complaints
2001136
2002327
2003270
2004286
2005225
2006278
2007124
2008406
2009134
2010238
2011187
2012191
2013212
2014138
2015193
2016111
2017271
2018273
2019508
2020323
2021535
2022266
2023189
202443
202510
Crashes reported
14
Fires reported
1
Injuries reported
11
Deaths reported
0
Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Nov 3, 2026 · Full problem breakdownNHTSA vehicle page
03 —Common problems

What owners report most

Verbatim excerpts from NHTSA complaints, by component

Service brakes

19 reports7 crashes
“The contact owned a 2016 Toyota Highlander. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed low speeds on a decline, the brake pedal depressed all the way to the floorboard. As a result, the vehicle rolled downhill into a busy intersection and was struck by another vehicle on the passenger side door. The air bags did not deploy. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was towed to a tow yard and deemed at total lose by the contacts insurance provider. A police report was filed with no injuries reported. The manufacturer was notified of the failure; a case was opened, and the contact was referred to the NHTSA hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 62,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Dec 2, 2024Service brakesCrash reportedODI 11628348

Electrical system

14 reports1 crash1 fire
“The contact owns a 2016 Toyota Highlander. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, the trunk power switch failed to function as intended. The contact stated that the trunk power switch was enabled to unlock, however the trunk door did not unlock. The contact stated that the trunk power switch failed to unlatch the trunk door and the trunk door was stuck. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed with battery failure due to a lack of voltage. The contact was informed that the battery needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure reoccurred. The contact stated that the failure reoccurred intermittently. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The contact stated that a Representative provided remedy options over the phone. The contact stated that the failure reoccurred intermittently. The failure mileage was approximately 48,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Nov 20, 2024Electrical system, Latches/locks/linkagesODI 11626493

Air bags

10 reports6 crashes
“I was traveling on an interstate going home from work. My speed was approximately 65mph. I noticed traffic slowing up ahead. I began to drop my speed (cost down), as I was approaching the traffic the car in front of me was applying their brakes; I had already began to apply mine. I was applying more pressure to my brakes to slow down more as the person in front of me began to slow more quickly. The person in front of me then had to slam their brakes on and I was not able to stop in time to avoid collision with the car in front of me. That driver did not come in contact with any other vehicle. The impact was at approximately 50mph. I was then very quickly hit from behind by the car behind me. The vehicle behind me hit of center and more on the right back corner of my car. My vehicle sustained significant front-end damage; the hood was folded, the grill was gone, the radiator was pushed back. As I looked up after the impact and saw my hood folded I then noticed that my air bag had not gone off. How could the air bag have not gone off in an impact such as that. My safety was compromised by the possibility of hitting the steering wheel or worse such as impacting…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 27, 2025Air bags, Unknown or otherCrash reportedODI 11695898
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 3, 2026
04 —Key specs

Engines, transmissions & drive

3 versions rated by the EPA
EPA class
Small Sport Utility Vehicle 2WD, Standard Sport Utility Vehicle 4WD
Engines
2.7L 4-cyl · 3.5L 6-cyl
Transmissions
Automatic (S6)
Drive
Front-Wheel Drive · All-Wheel Drive
Fuel
Regular Gasoline

Towing, payload and dimensions aren’t in the EPA or NHTSA data, so we don’t list them.

Data from EPA fueleconomy.gov · synced Nov 3, 2026EPA listing
05 —Fuel economy

EPA fuel economy by version

City / highway / combined, annual fuel cost and CO₂
EPA
VersionCityHwyComb.Fuel / yrCO₂ g/mi
Highlander 2WD
Auto (S6), 4 cyl, 2.7 L · Front-Wheel Drive
202522$2,900398
Highlander 2WD
Auto (S6), 6 cyl, 3.5 L · Front-Wheel Drive
192521$3,050425
Highlander AWD
Auto (S6), 6 cyl, 3.5 L · All-Wheel Drive
182420$3,200437
  • Highlander 2WD
    Auto (S6), 4 cyl, 2.7 L
    20 city · 25 hwy · $2,900/yr
    22
    mpg comb.
  • Highlander 2WD
    Auto (S6), 6 cyl, 3.5 L
    19 city · 25 hwy · $3,050/yr
    21
    mpg comb.
  • Highlander AWD
    Auto (S6), 6 cyl, 3.5 L
    18 city · 24 hwy · $3,200/yr
    20
    mpg comb.
Data from EPA fueleconomy.gov · synced Nov 3, 2026 · Fuel cost is EPA’s annual estimate (15,000 mi, 55% city)
06 —Safety

NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings

2 tested variants
Overall rating
5/ 5
5 of 5
Toyota Highlander SUV FWD
Frontal crash
4 of 5
Side crash
5 of 5
Side pole
5 of 5
Rollover
4 of 5
Rollover risk
18.5%
Overall
5 / 5
Toyota Highlander SUV AWD
Frontal crash
4 of 5
Side crash
5 of 5
Side pole
5 of 5
Rollover
4 of 5
Rollover risk
16.9%
Data from NHTSA NCAP Safety Ratings API · synced Nov 3, 2026Vehicle 10121Vehicle 10120
07 —Maintenance

Maintenance basics

General guidance, not the OEM schedule. Check your owner’s manual.
General guidance
ItemMilesTimeNote
Engine oil & filter5,000–10,000 mi6–12 monthsFollow the oil-life monitor if fitted
Tire rotation5,000–7,500 miEvery oil changeCheck pressure monthly
Engine air filter15,000–30,000 mi1–2 yearsSooner in dusty areas
Cabin air filter15,000–25,000 mi1–2 years
Brake fluid—2–3 yearsAbsorbs moisture over time
Coolant60,000–100,000 mi5–10 yearsLong-life coolants last longer
Spark plugs60,000–100,000 mi—Iridium/platinum plugs at the long end
12V battery—3–5 yearsHeat shortens battery life
  • Engine oil & filter5,000–10,000 mi
    6–12 months
  • Tire rotation5,000–7,500 mi
    Every oil change
  • Engine air filter15,000–30,000 mi
    1–2 years
  • Cabin air filter15,000–25,000 mi
    1–2 years
  • Brake fluid—
    2–3 years
  • Coolant60,000–100,000 mi
    5–10 years
  • Spark plugs60,000–100,000 mi
    —
  • 12V battery—
    3–5 years
Typical intervals for modern cars. Severe service (towing, short trips, extreme heat or cold) shortens them.
09 —FAQ

2016 Highlander questions

How many recalls does the 2016 Toyota Highlander have?

3 safety recalls as of Nov 3, 2026, according to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at a dealer. Check your VIN to see whether your car is included and whether the repair was done.

What are the most common 2016 Toyota Highlander problems?

Owners filed 111 complaints with NHTSA. The most-cited components are service brakes (19), electrical system (14), air bags (10). Complaints are unverified owner reports and aren't adjusted for how many cars were sold.

What MPG does the 2016 Toyota Highlander get?

The EPA rates the 2016 Toyota Highlander at 20–22 mpg combined, depending on engine and drivetrain (3 versions rated).

How safe is the 2016 Toyota Highlander?

NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program gives the 2016 Toyota Highlander 5 out of 5 stars overall.

Data from NHTSA & EPA · synced Nov 3, 2026