general problems of the 2013 Toyota Highlander

I own a Toyota and have always been a strong supporter of the brand — I truly believe Toyota’s reliability and build quality are unmatched. That’s why I was shocked and disappointed to discover that the paint on the roof of my car, especially near the sunroof, had started peeling. I left for a two-week trip, and when I returned in June 2025, I noticed that the paint had begun to flake and peel severely. The surface felt brittle and dry, and simply touching the area caused more paint to come off. It was clear that the damage had occurred during sun exposure while I was away. I later learned that Toyota had launched a customer support program related to paint issues on white vehicles, but I was completely unaware that it existed or that it had ended in 2024. Had I known, I would have brought the vehicle in sooner. My car only started showing signs of this defect in mid-2025, well after the program had expired. I’m reporting this because I believe the issue is still ongoing and more widespread than Toyota may realize. As a loyal Toyota owner and enthusiast, this experience has been incredibly frustrating and disappointing.

Checked oil last week also dealer supposedly changed oil couple days ago yellow triangle light came on it was just bought so unfamiliar with the warning lights tried to look up told me nothing. Today I left a friends house (3miles ) she called and said I left massive oil leak left on her driveway. Sure enough I looked on my driveway and I also had huge oil leak lucky she called me I could have blown the engine or it could have caught fire if I had driven it any farther or she didn't tell me proceeded to look up common Toyota Highlander problems. And there it was saying massive oil leaks from the line exploding also said that the repair Toyota gives to fix the problem has problems too I'm assuming this is what the problem is I'm lucky I was not out on highway having it towed tommorow the picture is at her house she sent after I left. My driveway oil leak is twice that size.

Power sunroof drains into floorboards. From my research this is a well known issue with Highlanders and Toyota needs to address. I just bought this car a week ago. The Toyota dealership said the lines were clogged and blew them out. A week later the floorbards are full of water again.

The power hatch back does not work. It is so frequent problem and so many complaints but no solution offered by the Toyota company.

Similar to other complaints I have read via this site, water has collected beneath my floormats from the drainage tubes running from sunroof. The dealership has stated that they have been clogged with dirt and they have "unclogged" them 3 times in 10 months. Following the third visit, they are now saying there's nothing more they can do, this is a flaw in the design of the drainage system. My car now smells of mold to which I am allergic, and Toyota refuses to correct this issue. I was first told to wash my car and blow the drainage holes clear in the sunroof, but I have done so regularly and have had the problem twice in 6 weeks. I was then told that dirt is entering through the underbelly of the car and that no one else seems to be having this issue. There are at least three other complaints about this here and a hundred others online. I have no idea what other issues could be caused as a result of this water (rust, electrical issues, damage to airbags, etc. ) or where the tubing begins leaking and water redirects to the floorboard reservoir. I seem to get a different answer each time it is serviced. 3 separate Toyota servicemen have agreed that this is a design flaw but retract that any time I attempt to make my case that this needs to be corrected.

Tl the contact owns a 2013 Toyota Highlander. The contact heard an abnormal clunking noise inside the vehicle. The noise was a constant distraction, which made driving difficult. There were no warning indicators illuminated. The contact planned on taking the vehicle to conicelli Toyota (550 ridge pike, conshocken, PA 19428, 877-485-3193) to be diagnosed. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 60,188.

The front passenger door and driver door lock/actuator does not work. The passenger door first happened 1 to 1. 5 years ago. I have not fixed it because of the outrageous cost. Now, the driver door actuator/door lock is exhibiting the same symptoms and will soon cease to work. Toyota has no warranty program or recall on this even though it is a known issue with this year and model. I think having your door locks not work is a safety issue and request that this be found to be an issue Toyota must cover as soon as possible.

Rain water is funneled into 'gutters' which are internal to the body of the car. If dirt, leaves or other debris get into the gutter system, it can block the flow of water which then comes into the car via the roof and sunroof system. Any movement of the car, once the gutters were flooded, cause water to come from the roof onto the the driver's lap. This water then caused a flooding of the floor of the driver and passenger's side front foot areas. The flooding risk was not shared with me while purchasing the car and the potential resolutions shared once it did happen are unacceptable. The resolution my Toyota dealer shared was (1) park in a garage and (2) bring the car in once a year to have the gutter system flushed.

The power back door hinge on the left side broke. The hinge is no longer attached to the door. The keyless entry will not work.

Takata recalls.

Vehicle hesitates when accelerating, usually when making a turn from a stop or moving slowly. It is especially hazardous when trying to make a left turn in front of oncoming traffic. Has happened multiple times, not just the date below. The dealer can not duplicate the problem. We bought the car in early 2014 new, and noticed this problem before 5,000 miles. The car now has 22,000 miles and it still does this intermittently.

When the lift gate of my Toyota Highlander was closing I heard a clunk and saw the lift arm detach from the body of the vehicle. I took it to the dealer and was told no warranty or extended warranty would cover the damage. I have 41,000 miles on the vehicle and the platinum extended warranty. I searched the internet and was shocked to see so many lawsuits and complaints against Toyota for this design flaw. I have spoken to the regional Toyota office and the most they are willing to do is 50% of the bill which would leave me to pay $1700. 00. Considering it looks to me that a $2 bolt is the culprit, I believe this is something that the manufacturer should have recalled not just done a silent service bulletin. If you could contact Toyota and tell them they should do the right thing and replace the defective lift gate because of a terrible design, I would appreciate it. Thank you.

After pressing the ignition button to turn off the engin when in park, I came back to the car to find it running. This happened several times. I reported it to the dealer who said thay had no information nor were there any builtins fro totota. Parked the car at the phl airport for 5 days, came back to find no gas. Car had been running wile I was gone until it ran out of gas. Saw in the news that a us senator from PA was investigating these events. October 2016.

Water is leaking into the vehicle soaking carpet and electronics. Can be a damaged windshield. Worried about safety on roads.

On April , 2015, my vehicle was parked in my driveway. The leather panel on the door on the drivers' side melted with the sun reflecting on it. I have been living in this house for 33 years and have parked many cars in the same location. It also it not very hot in my area in April. This is clearly a defect in the material. The leather gets so hot with the sun and can easily burn you if touched with your bare skin. I contacted my local dealership, greentree Toyota, brookfield, CT. The manager there was baffled "never saw anything like that before. " about 2 weeks later, I contacted him since I heard nothing back. He advised that the district service and parts manager will not replace the leather since it's not a defect in workmanship. Of course no - it's a defect in material! I was told that since there are no other claims of this type, it is not a defect. I then contacted Toyota corporate offices. They advised that they cannot overrule the district service and parts manager in this particular area?????? I'm hoping your company can offer some help in this matter.

I turned on my car, put it on drive when I tried to press the gas and turn the wheel to get out of the parking lot the steering wheel locked so hard I could not turn it. I pressed on the breaks but the breaks were not functioning at all as I was pressing on the break pad the check engine light came on and so did the break light on the dash board, on the big screen where it shows my info and other fancy gadgets showed "brake malfunction park car in safe zone" as the car drove forward by itself and the brakes were not working the car hit an empty parking space to come to a complete stop. I was at a school parking lot with kids everywhere around me!.

The ac unit does not function properly, it is not draining, resulting in a foul moldy mildew smell due to the built up condensation. Toyota offered to change the air filter as a solution to the issue, unfortunately it did not solve the problem. Within days, the odor was still very apparent. We have been told that there is nothing more that can be done. The vehicle is a 2013, with 10k miles, and still covered under warranty. The response from the dealership and manufacturer has been unacceptable.

The rear window of the vehicle shattered while it was parked for no apparent reason.

Burnt smell coming from the ac vents, which happens most of the time the after the noted first time of incident, especially when I take major freeways, last time noted this afternoon 8/31/2014 while taking I-75 in florida. When I accelerate to 70-80mph, me and my wife/ passenger always smell burnt odor coming from the ac vents which is really annoying and scary because I do not know if something is burning into the engine compartment or elsewhere in the vehicle. So I need to slow down after that, open the windows to let the odor out. I have let the Toyota check it but cannot duplicate it may be because during the place of testing is not the right place in my opinion, the dealership is located near a freeway where speed limit is only at 60mph, the tech acclerated it once at 70mph but I told him he cannot duplicate it with not consistenly hitting at 70 or higher. May be next time of service I will choose a dealership near the freeway I drive and drive it myself.

Car hesitates upon accelerating from a stop as if it was coasting. It doesn't happen every time but it has occurred from the day I bought it. The hesitation can be from 2-4 seconds. It also happens when turning from a stop. Playing with the gas pedal doesn't seem to help but ,curiously, shifting into neutral and then back to drive seem to stop the hesitation. I haven't explored this rigorously; just tried it a couple of times. I complained to the dealer and they have denied it is a problem: obviously they don't know what to do with it.

Dear sir, I purchased a new 2013 Toyota Highlander. The spare tire is mounted under the vehicle & held in place by a cable. The spare tire becomes loose and it drops down when driving. I just recently had riverhead Toyota (where I purchased the Highlander) repair the mechanical crank, it was in the shop for 8 days. The service manager mike hammer told me he personally repaired it. I had it 2 days and about 300 miles and the spare tire dropped down again. It is currently back at riverhead Toyota. I asked for the regional manager to inspect the vehicle. This has been going on since Nov 2013. I called Toyota to complain, about 15 times. I have a case worker but my vehicle is not fixed. My spare tire gets damaged when it drops down, Toyota has replaced 2 mag wheels and is refusing to replace 2 more damaged mag wheels. They are unable to fix the problem. This is a safety issue with the spare tire hanging by a cable from the bottom of the vehicle (it has dropped down as much 8in off the road) and it swings. My vehicle was purchased with a trailer hitch which contains the swinging of tire. When the tire drops below the trailer hitch it makes a lot of noise. Can you please check if this is issue with other owners & what is was done to repair this problem. I'm afraid one day the tire will become separated from my vehicle and cause an accident.

Dear sir, I purchased a new 2013 Toyota Highlander. The spare tire is mounted under the vehicle & held in place by a cable. The spare tire becomes loose and it drops down when driving. I just recently had riverhead Toyota (where I purchased the Highlander) repair the mechanical crank, it was in the shop for 8 days. The service manager mike hammer told me he personally repaired it. I had it 2 days and about 300 miles and the spare tire dropped down again. It is currently back at riverhead Toyota. I asked for the regional manager to inspect the vehicle. This has been going on since Nov 2013. I called Toyota to complain, about 15 times. I have a case worker but my vehicle is not fixed. My spare tire gets damaged when it drops down, Toyota has replaced 2 mag wheels and is refusing to replace 2 more damaged mag wheels. They are unable to fix the problem. This is a safety issue with the spare tire hanging by a cable from the bottom of the vehicle (it has dropped down as much 8in off the road) and it swings. My vehicle was purchased with a trailer hitch which contains the swinging of tire. When the tire drops below the trailer hitch it makes a lot of noise. Can you please check if this is issue with other owners & what is was done to repair this problem. I'm afraid one day the tire will become separated from my vehicle and cause an accident. I'm not sure Toyota wants to fix the defect and I feel my vehicle is being held hostage.

July 20, 2013 I pushed the ignition button to turn off the engine. I exited the vehicle and immediately realized it was still moving. I attempted to get back in the vehicle to stop it. I fell and the back tire ran over my foot/leg. A man came and jumped in the car to stop it after it crossed the street and hit a parked car. I have both a fractured tibia and fibula. The tibia required a screw to stabilize however, my foot was so injured (torn flesh) that I had to wait 5 weeks for the flesh to heal to avoid infection. I have been off of work since July 22 to date (September 5,2013). I realize how fortunate I am in that it appears I have not sustained a permanent disability. I shudder to think how much more tragic this could have been for multiple innocent people. I am unsure of how to give notice to others to prevent further injuries. It was recommended that I report this to NHTSA.

While driving on the highway, my son opened the rear passenger widow, when he opened the window the noise and pressure on ours ears was unbearable, it was like an extremely loud helicopter noise. We even tried opening other windows in the car to reduce the pressure and noise, while the noise and pressure were reduced it was still very loud and distracting. I called the Toyota dealer where we bought the car and he said all cars do that and to just open another window to relieve pressure. When I told him we tried that and it did not work he did not have any other answers. The dealer gave me a phone number to Toyota service, I called them and the rep said she had checked and they have never heard of anything like that. After checking on the internet I have found multiple instances where other people have had this issue, the noise is so loud it actually hurts your ears drums. If we were told about this issue when we were purchasing the car I doubt that we would have bought it. The noise and pressure start at approx. 35 mph and gets worse the faster you go and only when 1 or both of the rear windows are down. Toyota gave me a case number and told me to take the car back to dealer so they can duplicate the issue but the dealer was/is already aware of the issue. We feel that Toyota needs to identify the cause and offer a repair option, other than not using the back windows as that is our only option at this time.

While driving to michigan from illinois while using vehicle build in jbl navigation unit on a newly purchased 2013 Toyota Highlander limited with only 300 miles at the time, in the middle of the trip navigation unit rebooted/crashed after coming back up the programed directions were lost, since this navigation unit has a programed safety feature the destination cannot be re-programed while driving, we have to exit the highway and stop to reprogram the destination again, also the same issue happened on the way back. Toyota customer service has been contacted and the case was open (#1308280087) they advise me to take the vehicle to a dealer, so the dealer can contact Toyota technician and try to isolate an issue. Service manager contacted the technician who stated the problem has to be reproduced; otherwise there is nothing they can do. Looks like this issue only happens on long trips, which is impossible for the dealer to reproduce using my vehicle. Toyota customer service has been contacted again about the issue; Toyota is ignoring the problem that has been reported on multiple forum sides and unwilling to work out a resolution by duplicating the issue in-house. Also the navigation unit does have an outdated maps (half of the addresses that I have entered could not be located) and update is not been offered after the complaint. Jbl navigation software version: 2. 2. 0 nav nqna2011q4.

2013 Toyota Highlander limited sunroof drains continue to back up and dump water into the front and rear cabin, causing electrical issues and mold if not addressed immediately. Also the factory-installed roof rack mounting holes allow water to enter the cabin, causing damage to the headliner, which could fall down while driving. Water also collects in the floorboards in both the front and rear and the third row. This water damage causes rust of metal parts on the seats and inside the cabin, which impacts the seat belts and seat hinge points. Toyota refuses to recall models with this issue and lets owners pay out of pocket for repairs while the issue continues to affect the electrical, braking, mold, rust, unprotected metal seat components, and more. This vehicle has been in the shop 4 times for this same issue in 2025 alone.