Seats: mid
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2021-2025 Highlander and Highlander Hybrid vehicles. The second-row seat backs may fail to lock into position during seat back adjustment.
NHTSA lists 9 safety recalls and 189 owner complaints for the 2023 Toyota Highlander. Most complaints involve structure (32) and engine (28). The EPA rates it 24–25 mpg combined, and NHTSA gives it 5 stars overall.
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2021-2025 Highlander and Highlander Hybrid vehicles. The second-row seat backs may fail to lock into position during seat back adjustment.
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2022-2026 Toyota, Lexus, and Subaru Solterra vehicles equipped with a Panoramic View Monitor (PVM) system. Please see the recall report for a complete list of models. A software error may cause the rearview camera to freeze or display a blank screen when the vehicle is in reverse. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 111, "Rear Visibility."
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2023-2024 Toyota Venza, 2023-2025 RAV4 Prime, RAV4, Highlander, GR Corolla, Crown, 2024-2025 Lexus TX, LS, Toyota Tacoma, Grand Highlander, and 2025 Lexus RX, Toyota Crown Signia, Camry, RAV 4 Plug-in Hybrid (PHEV), and 4 Runner vehicles. Due to an error in the instrument panel software at vehicle startup, the instrument panel may fail to display vehicle speed, brake system, and tire pressure warning lights.
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.
Complaints for each Highlander model year we’ve synced.
| Model year | NHTSA complaints |
|---|---|
| 2001 | 136 |
| 2002 | 327 |
| 2003 | 270 |
| 2004 | 286 |
| 2005 | 225 |
| 2006 | 278 |
| 2007 | 124 |
| 2008 | 406 |
| 2009 | 134 |
| 2010 | 238 |
| 2011 | 186 |
| 2012 | 191 |
| 2013 | 212 |
| 2014 | 138 |
| 2015 | 193 |
| 2016 | 111 |
| 2017 | 271 |
| 2018 | 273 |
| 2019 | 508 |
| 2020 | 323 |
| 2021 | 535 |
| 2022 | 266 |
| 2023 | 189 |
| 2024 | 43 |
| 2025 | 10 |
“Rear Power Lift Gate Struts continue to malfunction. Sometimes works, Sometimes Partially Works. My vehicle currently has 40,000 miles and according to Social Media and AI this has become a large Problem for a large number of People.”
“Ongoing severe engine surge after coasting while braking lightly during moderate downhill drives on pavement. It happens consistently with different drivers at speeds between 25 to 45 mph. The surge can cause the vehicle to lurch forward enough to move the vehicle forward suddenly, and rapidly to other cars ahead. This is an unpredictable issue, but occurs multiple times daily. Very concerning for everyone at risk in the vehicle. This issue was presented to several Toyota dealers in the San Diego (Carlbad, CA) and Temecula, CA areas during routine servicing during new car regular servicing up to 36k mi. It was documented at those dealers 4 times. They could not reproduce it until the 4th service appt at Temecula, CA Toyota. Toyota has a remedy for previous years' models of Highlander Hybrid, which was a software upgrade to the hybrid braking/engine system. But not the 2023 year. Yet.”
“The contact owns a 2023 Toyota Highlander. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 26V128000 (Seats); however, the parts required for the recall repair were not yet available. The vehicle was taken to the dealer for another recall repair but was not serviced for the subject recall. The dealer confirmed that the parts were unavailable. The contact stated the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time to provide a remedy for the recall. The manufacturer was notified of the issue.”
Towing, payload and dimensions aren’t in the EPA or NHTSA data, so we don’t list them.
| Version | City | Hwy | Comb. | Fuel / yr | CO₂ g/mi |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Highlander Auto (S8), 4 cyl, 2.4 L, Turbo, SIDI & PFI; with Stop-start · Front-Wheel Drive | 22 | 29 | 25 | $2,550 | 359 |
| Highlander Auto (S8), 4 cyl, 2.4 L, Turbo, SIDI & PFI · Front-Wheel Drive | 21 | 28 | 24 | $2,700 | 370 |
| Highlander AWD Auto (S8), 4 cyl, 2.4 L, Turbo · All-Wheel Drive | 21 | 28 | 24 | $2,700 | 371 |
| Item | Miles | Time | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Engine oil & filter | 5,000–10,000 mi | 6–12 months | Follow the oil-life monitor if fitted |
| Tire rotation | 5,000–7,500 mi | Every oil change | Check pressure monthly |
| Engine air filter | 15,000–30,000 mi | 1–2 years | Sooner in dusty areas |
| Cabin air filter | 15,000–25,000 mi | 1–2 years | |
| Brake fluid | — | 2–3 years | Absorbs moisture over time |
| Coolant | 60,000–100,000 mi | 5–10 years | Long-life coolants last longer |
| Spark plugs | 60,000–100,000 mi | — | Iridium/platinum plugs at the long end |
| 12V battery | — | 3–5 years | Heat shortens battery life |
9 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.
Owners filed 189 complaints with NHTSA. The most-cited components are structure (32), engine (28), seats (21). Complaints are unverified owner reports and aren't adjusted for how many cars were sold.
The EPA rates the 2023 Toyota Highlander at 24–25 mpg combined, depending on engine and drivetrain (3 versions rated).
NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program gives the 2023 Toyota Highlander 5 out of 5 stars overall.