2016 Toyota Highlander Problems & Owner Complaints

Unknown Or Other 21 1 crash 1 injury

“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.…”
NHTSA complaint #11695898, 2025 · crash · 1 injury(ies)

“While driving down the road the panoramic moonroof section of the sunroof exploded. This included a lout shotgun like sound. The sound, in addition to not having sufficient roof coverage, resulted in a safety issue. Glass shards may have also been thrown to vehicles behind us. The dealer is closed today, but I will be contacting them in the morning to report the issue and to see if it is covered. I understand that this happens relatively frequently, but no recall has been issued. I have reached out to insurance and will likely be filing a claim if Toyota doesn't cover it. No party has i…”
NHTSA complaint #11467621, 2022

“UNKNOWN please investigate this vehicle. The recalls we're never addressed. The dealership I purchased the car from, AutoNation Honda Roseville refused to service this car after a maintenance required warning light and tire pressure warning light came on and gasoline averaging 9mpg I complained about on 1-5-2022”
NHTSA complaint #11446735, 2022

Service Brakes 19 7 crash 5 injury

“MY WIFE WAS DRIVING WITH OUR TWO DAUGHTERS (AGES 12 AND 14). IT HAD JUST STARTED TO SNOW AND MY WIFE SAID THE ROAD WAS SLIPPERY SHE PUT THE CAR INTO LOW GEAR AND TRAVELED SLOWLY. SHE WAS RIGHT AROUND THE CORNER FROM OUR HOUSE WHEN SHE COULD NO LONGER CONTROL THE VEHICLE. SHE HIT A TREE, A FENCE, AND THEN TWO MORE TREES, TRAVELING MORE THAN 600 FEET. EVEN THOUGH SHE WAS TRAVELING DOWNHILL SHE SAID THE BRAKES DID NOT ENGAGE THE ABS AND THEN TOWARD THE END OF THE CRASH, BEFORE HITTING THE THIRD TREE THE CAR ACCELERATED ON ITS OWN. UPON HITTING THE THIRD TREE ALL AIR BAGS DEPLOYED AND FIRE,…”
NHTSA complaint #10949888, 2017 · crash · 3 injury(ies)

“I have had problems with the brakes since I bought the vehicle new in 2016. I have the brakes checked every year and when I had problems but they never found the problem why the brakes do not work. The worse accident was on November 19, 2022 when my wife was using the car. She was in the car alone. She went to brake and the brakes did not engage, she slammed on the brakes 4 times and the car did not even slow down and she rear-ended the car in front of her. The air bags did not engage and she was injured. The brakes do not always work, I have gone through stop signs and red lights but th…”
NHTSA complaint #11540443, 2022 · crash · 1 injury(ies)

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 20 MPH, THE BRAKES MALFUNCTIONED AND THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE REAR ENDED ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO STOP WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE SUSTAINED SIGNIFICANT FRONT END DAMAGE, BUT THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE FRONT PASSENGER SUSTAINED CHEST INJURIES THAT DID NOT REQUIRE MEDICAL ATTENTION. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED FROM THE SCENE. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE LOCAL DEALER (KENNY KENT TOY…”
NHTSA complaint #11030387, 2017 · crash · 1 injury(ies)

Electrical System 14 1 crash 1 fire 1 injury

“THE LIFTGATE HIT MY 73 YEAR OLD MOTHER IN THE HEAD KNOCKING HER BACKWARDS WITHOUT ANY SAFETY FEATURE STOPPING OR REVERSING THE DOOR AS IT CLOSED.”
NHTSA complaint #11302752, 2020 · 1 injury(ies)

“I had bought my vehicle 5 months ago in an authorized Toyota dealer, on Easter Day we got on the vehicle drove 15 minutes from home to the park, parked my vehicle, turn it off and went to the park are next to where my vehicle was parked, from where i was sitting i was able to see my vehicle and we wasn't that far, not even 5 minutes after that i walked near the vehicle and notice it was on fire. No light was on in the dashboard, everything was working fine, the vehicle just had an oil change at the begging March 2022 and now in April 2022 it caught fire. This was my dream vehicle and i worked…”
NHTSA complaint #11462149, 2022 · fire

“PARKING SENSORS AND PARK ASSIST RANDOMLY TURNS ITSELF OFF. WILL NOTICE THE SENSORS NOT DETECTING WHILE BACKING UP AND NOTICE DASH LIGHT IS NOT ILLUMINATED. NOT FUNCTIONING WHEN BACKING AND PARKING.”
NHTSA complaint #11244734, 2019 · crash

Air Bags 10 6 crash 6 injury

“I OWN A 2016 HIGHLANDER LIMITED PLATINUM AND AFTER A MAJOR ACCIDENT I HAVE A SERIOUS CONCERN ABOUT THE SAFETY CLAIMS. YESTERDAY MY WIFE WAS IN A ROLLOVER (2 FULL ROTATIONS) ACCIDENT IN HER 2016 HIGHLANDER PLATINUM. CAR WAS DESTROYED, HER HEAD HIT BOTH THE STEERING WHEEL AND THE B-PILLAR, BOTH HAVE AIRBAGS. NOT A SINGLE AIRBAG WAS DEPLOYED. DRIVER AND FRONT PASSENGER SEAT-MOUNTED SIDE AIRBAGS, DRIVER KNEE AIRBAG, FRONT PASSENGER SEAT-CUSHION AIRBAG AND ALL-ROW ROLL-SENSING SIDE CURTAIN AIRBAGS = ALL A TOTAL FAIL, NONE OF THAT WORKED. THE ONSTAR LADY DID HOWEVER SENSE THE ACCIDENT A…”
NHTSA complaint #10918511, 2016 · crash · 2 injury(ies)

“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.…”
NHTSA complaint #11695898, 2025 · crash · 1 injury(ies)

“I have had problems with the brakes since I bought the vehicle new in 2016. I have the brakes checked every year and when I had problems but they never found the problem why the brakes do not work. The worse accident was on November 19, 2022 when my wife was using the car. She was in the car alone. She went to brake and the brakes did not engage, she slammed on the brakes 4 times and the car did not even slow down and she rear-ended the car in front of her. The air bags did not engage and she was injured. The brakes do not always work, I have gone through stop signs and red lights but th…”
NHTSA complaint #11540443, 2022 · crash · 1 injury(ies)

Engine 9

“The water pump on my 2016 Toyota Highlander XLE disintegrated while I was driving in heavy traffic. The pulley came loose from the water pump shaft. I have the water pump. Our safety was at risk because this happen in heavy traffic and it could have effected my control of the vehicle if it had came off completely. The pulley was wedge between the wheel well and fame. I sent a claim to Toyota and it was rejected due to the vehicle be out of warranty. I'm saying this is a manufacturing defect. No warning before it happen.”
NHTSA complaint #11631008, 2024

“2016 toyota highlander le model v-6 cylinder. The FUEL PUMP runs after engine has been turned off for several hours, even up to as many as 8 hours. This situation can be heard in a closed in garage, in the completely quiet of night time, and at multiple times during the same time period. It happens intermittently with various levels of gas in the tank. The length of time FUEL PUMP can run can be as little as 10 minutes to over 60 minutes.”
NHTSA complaint #11561849, 2023

“The contact owns a 2016 Toyota Highlander. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle would shut-off without warning. The contact would be able to restart the vehicle a few minutes after the failure. The contact had taken the vehicle to an unknown dealer. The dealer attempted to charge him a diagnostic fee and the contact refused. The manufacturer had been notified of the failure and they sided with the dealer and insisted that he pay a diagnostic fee to have the vehicle serviced. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was unknown.”
NHTSA complaint #11424583, 2021

Exterior Lighting 8

“WATER INSIDE LEFT TAILLIGHT ASSEMBLY AS PURCHASED USED FROM DAVE EDWARDS TOYOTA, AS CERTIFIED PRE-OWNED”
NHTSA complaint #11352344, 2020

“INTERIOR LIGHTS ON AND OFF; WARNINGS E.G .HOOD OPEN WHEN NOT; DID NOT (LIGHT) ALERT CARS ALONG SIDE OR PASSING; MODULE CRACKED BY TAPPING TO DELETE PHONE #S PUT INTO SYSTEM BY TOYOTA TECH, NAVIGATION STARTED ON ITS OWN AND IT WAS INCORRECT!; MAPS INCORRECT TO LOCATION; MAP SHOWING NORTH AS SOUTH AND EAST AS WEST ALL WHEN CAR IN MOTION”
NHTSA complaint #11301574, 2020

“The tail lights on the back tailgate hatch are leaking and have been leaking. The leaks are getting progressively worse and the lights are filling up with water. The vehicle has been garage kept, has low mileage, and has never been wrecked. I feel like this is a manufacturer defect.”
NHTSA complaint #11474921, 2019

Tires 7

“**Nature of Safety Defect Within 13,000 miles of normal mixed highway and light off-road use on a Toyota Highland, one tire developed a sidewall bubble and all four tires exhibited extreme and uneven tread wear—far below the advertised 50,000-mile treadwear warranty. The remaining tread depth on all four tires is already under 2/32" in multiple locations, with severe cupping and feathering that makes the vehicle vibrate violently above 50 mph and causes unpredictable handling, especially in wet & snowconditions. These conditions render the tires objectively dangerous and unfit for continued h…”
NHTSA complaint #11700493, 2025

“P245/55R19 103T Nitto Crosstek2 BW. Vehicle pulls to different directions when the tires are cross swapped. I have taken the vehicle to 4 to 5 wheel alignments within 3 months and 3 different shops after the purchase of the tire. Recently I took the vehicle Big O Tires and they _verified the tires have "Radial Pull" / Tire Conicity due to Manufacturing Defect of the a belt separation within the tire's structure. _The shop also verified that the alignment is performed correctly. I believe those tire are unsafe and they could fail suddenly causing crash.”
NHTSA complaint #11681012, 2025

“The contact owns a 2016 Toyota Highlander equipped with Cooper Tires, Tire Line: Evolution H/T, Tire Size: 245/55/R19, DOT Number: UPPIILE. The contact stated that while his wife was driving approximately 55-65 MPH, the rear driver's side tire unexpectedly had a blowout. The contact's wife pulled over to the side of the road. The contact arrived on the scene and replaced the rear driver's side tire with the spare tire. The vehicle was taken to a tire retailer, where it was determined that the tire blowout was caused by a road hazard. The tire was not replaced. The tire manufacturer was made aw…”
NHTSA complaint #11635719, 2025

Visibility/Wiper 7 1 crash

“The side view mirrors are positioned in a way that completely blocks visibility on the sides of the car, especially when making a left-hand turn. After owing the vehicle for several weeks, I collided with another car when making a left-hand turn. I couldn't see the car when turning until it was too late. I've been driving for 30+ years and have never had an accident before. I had another close call several weeks ago, and my husband almost didn't see a pedestrian because of the visibility issue. I looked up the problem online and see that many other have had this same problem. Please look into…”
NHTSA complaint #11553725, 2023 · crash

“I was driving and I started to lower my sun visor and something broke and visor went all the way down and I could not see and had to pull over and remove the visor from the arm. I have been told Toyota had a problem before but they are not willing to fix the problem ( they should replace the whole sun visor.”
NHTSA complaint #11450031, 2022

“THE WINDSHIELD CRACKED BY THE DEFROSTER. FROM THE CENTER OF THE WINDSHIELD. THE BREAK IS ON THE INSIDE GOING DOWN TO THE DEFROSTER AND THEN ACROSS THE DRIVERS SIDE OF THE WINDSHIELD. THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, THE WHEN IT WAS STARTED, THE DEFROSTER WAS PUT ON HIGH FAN. AFTER A FEW MINUTES THE CRACK APPEARED IN THE CENTER GOING DOWN TOWARDS THE DEFROSTER AND THEN ACROSS THE LOWER PORTION OF THE WINDSHIELD ON THE DRIVERS SIDE.”
NHTSA complaint #11187509, 2019

Steering 6

“I was on Hwy 27 headed south bound at Bellecita Rd in Davenpoerrt, Fl. This is a busy four way intersection. I moved into the left hand turn lane. When the left turn green light came on I began my U-Turn to head north bound. The steering wheel would not respond to my input and the vehicle kept going straight into oncoming traffic. It took a great deal of bodily force to get the vehicle to respond. When it did respond there was loud popping noise. I had noticed in the past, that when Iwas turning or changing lanes on the hwy, the steering had a small glitch before it centered. I thought this wa…”
NHTSA complaint #11715980, 2026

“Steering column can become worn prematurely causing loose steering and possibly loose control”
NHTSA complaint #11719673, 2025

“MONDAY 2, 2020 AND ON THE FRIDAY BEFORE AND 2 OTHER TIMES ,THE STEERING WHEEL ICON WOULD SHOW ON DASH. AND ON AT LEAST TWICE WHILE DRIVEING STEERING WOULD LOCK UP SO BAD ,IT REQUIRED YOUR WHOLE BODY WEIGHT TO TURN A SMALL AMOUNT . THOUGHT I WAS GOING TO BE KILLED! PULLED OVER AND SHUT OFF ENGINE AND RESTARTED ENGINE AND THAT PUTS SEERING BACK TO NORMAL FOR A LITTLE WHILE. TOOK TO DEALERSHIP 11/02/2020 THEY SAID NOT UNDER WARRANTY, { 56125 MILES} BY THE WAY! TOLD ME 1400.00 PLUS TAX! THEY SAID THEY NEVER SEEN THIS BAD TOLD I SHOULDN'T DRIVE IT HOME, HAD TO FIND A RIDE HOME. THE Y WILL REPLACE…”
NHTSA complaint #11372797, 2020

Electronic Stability Control (Esc) 4

“WHEN DRIVING, PERIODICALLY, UNDER NO PARTICULAR ROAD OR WEATHER CONDITION, THE "CHECK AWD SYSTEM," "ABS," "BRAKE" AND "STABILITY CONTROL" WARNING LIGHTS LIGHT UP. WHEN WARNING LIGHTS ARE ON, ONLY THE FRONT WHEELS WILL DRIVE AND STABILITY CONTROL IS INACTIVE. REAL WHEELS ARE NOT ACTIVE. THIS CONDITION MAY LAST FIVE TO TEN MINUTES, THEN RETURN TO NORMAL. THIS HAS OCCURRED 10 TO 15 TIMES IN THE LAST SIX MONTHS.”
NHTSA complaint #11255152, 2019

“COMPLAINT FILES 3/18/2019 COMPLAINT # 11189699 ALL WHEEL DRIVE SYSTEM FAILS IN WET WEATHER. SNOW OR SLUSH OR HEAVY RAIN. FAILURE 7 TIMES. RESETS ITSELF WHEN WEATHER DRY. SENSOR IS CRACKED OR FAULTY. DEALER SAYS OWNER COST. IT SEEMS A TOYOTA FACTORY DEFECT AND SEVERE SAFETY ISSUE. HAPPENS WHEN DRIVING IN SEVERE WEATHER AND MOUNTAIN PASSES IN COLORADO. PLEASE ADVISE”
NHTSA complaint #11208971, 2019

“TWICE THE AWD SYSTEM HAS FAILED. 12/28/2016 AND MARCH 17/ 2019. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON THE THE 4WD SHUTS DOWN ALONG WITH THE TRAC AND VEHICLE STABILITY SYSTEM. UNDER BOTH TIMES THE CAR WAS BEING OPERATED IN EXTREME WEATHER CONDITIONS OF DEEP HEAVY SNOW, SLUSH, ICE AND MUD. THE VEHICLE WILL NOT ALLOW THE WHEELS TO SPINS ENABLING ME TO KEEP MOVING IN THE HAZARDOUS CONDITIONS. I NEEDED TO SHIFT BETWEEN 1, 2 AND 3 GEARS TO ENGAGE THE HIGHER REVS TO SPINS THE TIRE TO KEEP THE CAR FROM GETTING STUCK OR SLIDING OFF THE ROAD. IN BOTH INSTANCES I WAS IN REMOTE, ISOLATED AREAS WITH NO HELP AND…”
NHTSA complaint #11189699, 2019

Seats 4

“DOES NOT HAVE ANY SIDE AIR BAG MOUNTED PASSENGER DRIVER SEAT AIR BAG OF THE FRONT PASSENGER DRIVER ALL THE ROW FILTER IN THE GUIDE DOES NOT HAVE AIR BAG AND THE SEAT BELTS DO NOT WORK.”
NHTSA complaint #11229636, 2019

“2ND ROW PASSENGER SEAT, 60 PORTION SQUEAK ON BUMPY ROADS, ISSUE COMING FROM FOLDING CABLES MECHANISM, DEALERSHIP CAN'T REPLACE THE SEAT DUE TO HIGH COST AND ALSO CAN'T FIGURE OUT A SOLUTION TO THE ISSUE, VERY ANNOYING NOISE FOR AN EXPENSIVE CAR MODEL XLE”
NHTSA complaint #11210319, 2019

“WHEN SEATED ON FRONT PASSENGER RIGHT SIDE THE SEAT DOES RETURN TO NORMAL SHAPE. CONTACTED TOYOTA THEY REFUSED TO ADDRESS THE PROBLEM”
NHTSA complaint #10875960, 2016

Structure 4 1 crash

“I WAS IN A PARKING LOT TRYING TO PARK MY CAR I PUT MY FOOT ON THE BREAK TO STOP THE CAR AND PUT INTO REVERSE AND THE CAR ACCELERATED INSTEAD OF STOPPING. THE HARDER I PUSHED THE BREAKS THE FASTER IT ACCELERATED AND HIT THE CAR PARKED IN FRONT OF ME.”
NHTSA complaint #11003560, 2017 · crash

“The driver side rear passenger door can not be opened,either by remote or manually. This poses a threat to the safety of passengers in the rear seat area in the event of a crash. First responders would need to take other measures to tend to any injured passengers.”
NHTSA complaint #11610623, 2024

“DRIVING ON HIGHWAY AND SUNROOF EXPLODED. SOUNDED LIKE A GUN SHOT.”
NHTSA complaint #11493625, 2022

Vehicle Speed Control 4 2 crash 3 injury

“MY WIFE WAS DRIVING WITH OUR TWO DAUGHTERS (AGES 12 AND 14). IT HAD JUST STARTED TO SNOW AND MY WIFE SAID THE ROAD WAS SLIPPERY SHE PUT THE CAR INTO LOW GEAR AND TRAVELED SLOWLY. SHE WAS RIGHT AROUND THE CORNER FROM OUR HOUSE WHEN SHE COULD NO LONGER CONTROL THE VEHICLE. SHE HIT A TREE, A FENCE, AND THEN TWO MORE TREES, TRAVELING MORE THAN 600 FEET. EVEN THOUGH SHE WAS TRAVELING DOWNHILL SHE SAID THE BRAKES DID NOT ENGAGE THE ABS AND THEN TOWARD THE END OF THE CRASH, BEFORE HITTING THE THIRD TREE THE CAR ACCELERATED ON ITS OWN. UPON HITTING THE THIRD TREE ALL AIR BAGS DEPLOYED AND FIRE,…”
NHTSA complaint #10949888, 2017 · crash · 3 injury(ies)

“I WAS IN A PARKING LOT TRYING TO PARK MY CAR I PUT MY FOOT ON THE BREAK TO STOP THE CAR AND PUT INTO REVERSE AND THE CAR ACCELERATED INSTEAD OF STOPPING. THE HARDER I PUSHED THE BREAKS THE FASTER IT ACCELERATED AND HIT THE CAR PARKED IN FRONT OF ME.”
NHTSA complaint #11003560, 2017 · crash

“OCCASIONALLY, AT A STOP SIGN/INTERSECTION OR ENTERING A HIGHWAY IF I HAVE COME TO A FULL STOP BEFORE PROCEEDING THE CAR WILL STALL. I PRESSED ON THE ACCELERATOR AND NOTHING HAPPENS. MY WIFE AND I HAVE FOUND OURSELVES IN THIS PREDICAMENT SEVERAL TIMES NOW AND IT IS ONLY GETTING WORSE. THIS SCENARIO IS VERY DANGEROUS FOR SEVERAL REASONS, BUT THE MOST IMPORTANT ONE IS THAT MY FAMILY HAS BEEN INSIDE THE CAR WHEN THIS HAS HAPPENED. WE HAVE HAD SEVERAL SCARES NOW, BECAUSE THE CAR STALLED ON US AS WE WERE ENTERING THE HIGHWAY. I HAVE SPOKEN TO THE DEALER ABOUT THIS OVER THE PHONE AND BOTH TIMES…”
NHTSA complaint #10949035, 2017

Wheels 4 1 crash

“I was driving on a 2-lane road early in the morning with light snowfall. There was about 1" of snow on the road, with the roads not yet plowed or treated as it was the beginning of the snowfall. About 15 minutes into my trip, I was on a relatively flat and straight stretch of the road and let up on the gas paddle to avoid going too fast -- was probably traveling ~35 mph. Although the road was straight and flat at that point, my car suddenly started fishtailing, slowly turned 180 degrees and sliding to the other side of the road, ending up on the opposite edge of the road. When it hit the e…”
NHTSA complaint #11712269, 2026 · crash

“2016 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER WITH OEM TOYO 245/55R19 OPEN COUNTRY M&S 103T TIRES AT ABOUT 70 MPH ON I95 SOUTH BOARD NEAR BRUNSWICK GA (EXIT 38?) , A LOUD BANG WAS HEARD AND THEN THE BUMPING MADE IT OBVIOUS A TIRE HAD FAILED SO THE VEHICLE WAS STOPPED WELL OF THE ROAD NEAR AN EXIT. THE LOCAL STATE HIGHWAY ASSISTANCE TRUCK (CHAMP) STOPPED AFTER ABOUT 20 MINUTES AND THE TOYOTA RESPONSE SERVICE TRUCK SHOWED UP ABOUT 20 MINUTES LATER - THE TIRE WAS CHANGED AND WE PROCEEDED ON OUR WAY - MANY THANKS TO THE "ROAD RANGER" AND HIS TRUCK AND EXPERTISE! THE TIRES HAD ABOUT 28,500 MILES ON THEM - ESTIMATE…”
NHTSA complaint #11124033, 2018

“WE BOUGHT TIRES AND FOUND THEM TO DEFECTIVE WITHIN A FEW DAYS IN WHICH YOU HAVE 30 DAYS TO GET REFUNDED OR PAY THE DIFFERENCE FOR ANOTHER TIRES .WE DID UPGRADE TO MICHELIN TIRES BUT NOT GET THE FULL REUND FOM THE DEFECTIVE TIRES THAT GOODYEAR WANTED TO HAVE RETURNED AND INVESTIGATED ,BUT THE MANAGER HAD THEM DESTROYED TO COVER UP THE EVIDENCE AND WE LOST $321.00 AND NOW WE WILL HAVE SAMS ALSO INVESTIGATED BY THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY SAFETY FOR SELLING DEFECTIVE TIRES FROM GOOD YEAR AND COVERING IT UP.WE DEFINETLY WILL NOT LET THIS ISSUE GO BECAUSE WE FEEL THESE TIRES WERE A SAFETY ISSUE THAT SAMS…”
NHTSA complaint #11080089, 2017

Forward Collision Avoidance 3 1 crash 1 injury

“I have had problems with the brakes since I bought the vehicle new in 2016. I have the brakes checked every year and when I had problems but they never found the problem why the brakes do not work. The worse accident was on November 19, 2022 when my wife was using the car. She was in the car alone. She went to brake and the brakes did not engage, she slammed on the brakes 4 times and the car did not even slow down and she rear-ended the car in front of her. The air bags did not engage and she was injured. The brakes do not always work, I have gone through stop signs and red lights but th…”
NHTSA complaint #11540443, 2022 · crash · 1 injury(ies)

“On multiple (3-5), but not all, occasions at the same location my pre collision warning and automatic breaking appear to have been triggered as I approached an expansion plate at the edge of a bridge. The pre collision warning sounded, then the brakes were automatically applied. After a few seconds the braking stopped and my car proceeded normally. If a car had been following closely I may have been struck in the rear.”
NHTSA complaint #11660748, 2025

“brakes did not work in January 13, 2023 when backing out of driveway. Have had numerous dealership look at it multiple times in last 4 years.”
NHTSA complaint #11526729, 1954

Fuel/Propulsion System 3

“NOTED FUEL ECONOMY CONTINUES TO DROP AND NOWHERE NEAR ADVERTISED MILEAGE. LAST TRIP IN VEHICLE NOTED 20 MPG ON ADVERTISED 27MPG. AROUND TOWN MILEAGE DROPPING BELOW 19 MPG.”
NHTSA complaint #11244729, 2019

“JULY 3, 2016: WE BOUGHT THE CAR. JULY 23 5PM I FILLED UP WITH GAS AT THE CHEVRON. DROVE TO WEST LA FOR 15 MILES ON THE 10 FWY WITH MY FAMILY IN THE CAR, NO PROBLEM TO VISIT MY MOM. 8:30PM WE LEFT HER HOUSE TO GO HOME. WE DROVE ON THE STREET FOR TWO MINUTES AND WE CAME TO A STOP LIGHT I BRAKED TO A COMPLETE STOP, AND THE CAR DIED. THE DASH BOARD SCREEN SAID PUT YOUR CAR IN PARK AND START THE CAR. IT WAS DARK AND MANY CARS WERE BEHIND ME, WAITING FOR ME TO START MY CAR. WE WERE AFRAID THE CAR BEHIND US WOULD HIT US. MY DAUGHTERS WERE SITTING IN THE BACK SEAT, AND MY WIFE IN THE FRONT PAS…”
NHTSA complaint #10893721, 2016

“BRAND NEW CAR IN THE SHOP TWICE DURING FIRST WEEK. FOLLOWING REFUELING (NOT TOPPED OFF - STOPPED AT FIRST CLICK) THE CAR STARTS STALLING AT RED LIGHTS OR AT LOW SPEEDS. HAS DONE THIS A DOZEN TIMES. ON THE HIGHWAY CAR STUTTERS, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON AND TRACTION CONTROL BECOMES DISABLED. THE DEALERSHIP SAYS THIS IS DUE TO OVERFILLING THE GAS TANK AND CHANGED THE CARBON CARTRIDGE FOR THE EVAC THIS IS DEFINITELY NOT THE CASE. A SECOND REFILL AFTER THE REPAIR CONFIRMED THAT THE PROBLEM EXISTS EVEN WHEN FILLING UP VERY CAREFULLY. IF GASOLINE IS FILLING UP THIS COMPONENT THEN THERE IS SOMETHIN…”
NHTSA complaint #10859987, 2016

Suspension 2

“Had cv boot and control arm work at 30k miles caught it in time in 2021 and dealer fixed it. 2 years later same issue if i had bot taken it to dealer and just did oil changes myself cv boot and control arm would break during operation. Seems like they have serious issues with cv boots and control arms at low miles. I only have 50k miles to have a second replacement.”
NHTSA complaint #11552727, 2023

“TOWING CAPABILITIES ARE NOT CONGRUENT WITH THE SPECIFICATION PER MANUAL... REAR SUSPENSION IS VERY WEAK AND CANNOT HANDLE THE WEIGHT OF THE CABIN CARGO AND THE WEIGHT OF TRAILING UP TO 5,000 LBS SAFELY... MULTIPLE PICTURES (1 ATTACHED) TAKEN BUT DID NOT DRIVE ON THE ROAD FOR SAFETY REASONS FOR IT PASSENGERS”
NHTSA complaint #10906960, 2016

Visibility 2

“The contact owns a 2016 Toyota Highlander. The contact stated that while driving approximately 20 MPH, the front right passenger's side view mirror suddenly fractured. The vehicle had not been taken to the dealer. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 64,000,”
NHTSA complaint #11564696, 2024

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER. WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH, THE CONTACT HEARD AN ABNORMAL EXPLOSION SOUND. ONCE THE CONTACT EXITED THE HIGHWAY AND PULLED OVER, SHE OBSERVED THAT THE SUN ROOF HAD FRACTURED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND CONFIRMED THAT THEY WERE AWARE OF THE FAILURE, BUT THERE WAS NO RECALL IN PLACE. THE CONTACT WAS ADVISED TO SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT AND THAT THE SUN ROOF WOULD BE REPLACED FREE OF CHARGE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL DEALER (LIA TOYOTA OF WILBRAHAM, 2145 BOSTON RD, WILBRAHAM, MA, 01095) WHERE THE SUN ROOF WAS REPLACED FOR FREE. THE FAILURE MILE…”
NHTSA complaint #11034614, 2017

Engine And Engine Cooling 1

“The contact owns a 2016 Toyota Highlander. The contact stated while driving 55 MPH on the highway, the contact pulled over and heard water dripping. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact had the vehicle towed to the residence and then to the dealer where it was diagnosed as the water pump needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 90,000. The contact stated that the failure speed was actually 0 mph and the mileage was 90,723. The manufacturer was also notified of the failure.”
NHTSA complaint #11467000, 2022

Fuel System 1

“OCCASIONALLY, AT A STOP SIGN/INTERSECTION OR ENTERING A HIGHWAY IF I HAVE COME TO A FULL STOP BEFORE PROCEEDING THE CAR WILL STALL. I PRESSED ON THE ACCELERATOR AND NOTHING HAPPENS. MY WIFE AND I HAVE FOUND OURSELVES IN THIS PREDICAMENT SEVERAL TIMES NOW AND IT IS ONLY GETTING WORSE. THIS SCENARIO IS VERY DANGEROUS FOR SEVERAL REASONS, BUT THE MOST IMPORTANT ONE IS THAT MY FAMILY HAS BEEN INSIDE THE CAR WHEN THIS HAS HAPPENED. WE HAVE HAD SEVERAL SCARES NOW, BECAUSE THE CAR STALLED ON US AS WE WERE ENTERING THE HIGHWAY. I HAVE SPOKEN TO THE DEALER ABOUT THIS OVER THE PHONE AND BOTH TIMES…”
NHTSA complaint #10949035, 2017

Latches/Locks/Linkages 1

“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 failur…”
NHTSA complaint #11626493, 2024

Power Train 1 1 crash

“I was driving on a 2-lane road early in the morning with light snowfall. There was about 1" of snow on the road, with the roads not yet plowed or treated as it was the beginning of the snowfall. About 15 minutes into my trip, I was on a relatively flat and straight stretch of the road and let up on the gas paddle to avoid going too fast -- was probably traveling ~35 mph. Although the road was straight and flat at that point, my car suddenly started fishtailing, slowly turned 180 degrees and sliding to the other side of the road, ending up on the opposite edge of the road. When it hit the e…”
NHTSA complaint #11712269, 2026 · crash

Seat Belts 1

“DOES NOT HAVE ANY SIDE AIR BAG MOUNTED PASSENGER DRIVER SEAT AIR BAG OF THE FRONT PASSENGER DRIVER ALL THE ROW FILTER IN THE GUIDE DOES NOT HAVE AIR BAG AND THE SEAT BELTS DO NOT WORK.”
NHTSA complaint #11229636, 2019