Two problems related to car will not start have been reported for the 2017 Toyota Highlander. The most recently reported issues are listed below. Please also check out the statistics and reliability analysis of the 2017 Toyota Highlander based on all problems reported for the 2017 Highlander.
I was out for heading home & my vehicle would not start. I had the brake pedal pressed & pushed the start engine button. The vehicle just made a rapid clicking noise. There was a "braking power low/ stop in a safe place" light on the dashboard. Having been through this before after having the vehicle for 8 wks I waited & tried to get the brake pedal to the up position. Tried starting again;results the same. Called the local dealership,was told to tow it in for a diagnotstic. Again, I tried the brake pedal/ start sequence: no luck. The dash message center light reappeared immediately over-lapped by "depress brake pedal and push engine switch to start"(brake was depressed). Tried one more time to start results the same. Then the "charging system malfunction/ stop in a safe place/ see owner's manual" light appeared in the dash. Finally started 3 hours later: I drove home. Went to local dealer they said it was the battery. Went to my regular dealership. Enroute, the message center on the dash flashed bright red without words(@ 40mph). My regular dealership tested my battery, it was fine. They ran diagnostic; they said the result was a bad computer that needed to be replaced. Was given a loaner vehicle. 2 wks later they called and said after more testing it is the battery, not the computer.
1 week ago, 7-26-20, my car stalled slightly and then an engine icon appeared. A message appeared for me to visit my dealer. I took it to the Toyota dealer. The light went off as I arrived there. I had to pay for a diagnostic check and they couldn't find anything wrong. I was told to make sure I was using a good grade of gas. Later in the week I got gas at a shell station. The car wouldn't crank at the pump. It kept trying to turn over. I got a message to depress the brake and push ignition. Then it said low brake pressure. I sat there a few minutes and tried again. I finally got it to stay on. The next day I drove around fine for a while with no problem. Then I tried to go back out and it wouldn't crank. It was full of good gas. The engine icon came back on. Then the message about being harder to steer came up. It kept saying depress the brake and push ignition. I tried a few more times and got the message about problems with the Smart key system. I checked the recalls for 2017 Highlanders and noticed there electrical problems. I bought this car used in March 2020.
| Electrical System problems | |
| Battery Dead problems | |
| Car Will Not Start problems | |
| Software problems | |
| Ignition Switch problems | |
| Alternator/generator/regulator problems |