Nine problems related to brake light have been reported for the 2003 Toyota Highlander. The most recently reported issues are listed below. Please also check out the statistics and reliability analysis of the 2003 Toyota Highlander based on all problems reported for the 2003 Highlander.
Seat belt on drivers side is fraying on the edges. Spoke to other Toyota Highlander owners and they are experiencing the same problem. Contacted the dealership where we purchased the vehicle and they said we would have to pay for a new seatbelt and installation cost. I contacted a few other manufacturers and was told that due to this being a safety issue they would replace at no cost to the consumer. The seatbelt is not meant to wear out and they said that it was a manufacturer defect that should be addressed. The second issue has to do with the brake lights. Replaced bulbs, fuses and checked wiring no problems yet the brake light do not work. Toyota's is aware of the issue and states that the consumer can pay $400 to have it checked and it still does not work.
Driver side rear brake lights will not illuminate even when you depress your brakes even after you replace bulb and light socket. Right side rear is ok. I have looked online and it appears other 2003-2006 Highlanders are having similar issues. Some on right side and others on left like myself.
Right side (passenger) brake lights do not light bright when brakes are applied, driver of another car almost hit our vehicle when turning right on to main road. Our car was stopping, but other driver did not see our brake lights on the passenger side as they were not working. . . The left (drivers) side works fine, but was not visable to the other driver. This seems to be an on going problem with 2002-2007 Toyota Highlanders, dealer said no recall was issued? this is a real safety issue that could be fatal. Not to mention the cost of a ticket for having a defective brake light. There are many other Toyota Highlander owners that have experienced the same problem with no recourse from Toyota. Just google "Toyota 2003 Highlander brake light problem" time to issue a recall for safety issues.
Like thousands of other 2003 Toyota Highlanders only the right side brake light will illuminate when the brake pedal is pressed.
We have had unreliable operation of the driver-side brake light for some time (approximate incident date above was for most recent incident). . Read more...
The rear right brake light stopped brightening upon hitting the brakes at first. Then a few months later, neither brake light is lighting up at all. I also witnessed the same issue occur on another 2003 Toyota Highlander while stopped in traffic.
I have a 2003 Highlander. When I press the brake, only the driver side of the tail/brake light becomes brighter. When the lights are on, the bulbs illuminate on the passenger side but they do not get brighter when the brake is pressed. When the lights are off, the brake lights do not illuminate on the passenger side. I saw the same problem today on a Highlander just like mine.
The left rear brake lights are defective. I've heard of people getting the entire electrical system replaced only to have the problem return a year later. . Read more...
The contact owns a 2003 Toyota Highlander. While parked, the contact noticed that the driver side brake light would not function when the brake pedal was depressed. The vehicle was not taken to dealer for diagnostics or repairs. The approximate failure mileage was 90,000. The consumer stated the driver side brake light bulbs intermittently failed. Updated 12/12/11.
| Brake Light problems | |
| Exterior Lighting problems | |
| Headlights problems |