Body Problems of Toyota Highlander - part 2

I bought this vehicle used on 04/23/2024 with 18,596 miles on the odometer. When I was inspecting the vehicle prior to delivery at the dealership, I noticed a crack low on the windshield. The dealership replace the windshield prior to my taking delivery of the vehicle. In the spring of 2025 I had a crack develop in the windshield and had to have it replaced. Another crack has since developed (it is now 2/25/26), and I will, once again, have to have the windshield replaced. I have not driven on any freeways recently, so no high-speed travel. I have been driving for over 40 years and have never had this frequency of windshield failures. I have become aware that this issue is discussed by numerous newer model year (2021, 2022, 2023, etc) Toyota Highlander owners. Some have replaced their windshield multiple times like me. It would appear that there may be an issue in the design/aerodynamics of the front/windshield or a defect in the structure of the body that supports the windshield, that leads to this increased frailty of the windshield. I would very much like to see the NHTSA look into this issue and to force Toyota to look carefully at the high number of windshield failure incidents in these vehicles.

See all problems of the 2021 Toyota Highlander 🔎.

It’s been a known issue that Toyota Highlander has transmission problems under 100k miles from 2016-2021 or later (social media sites confirmed such). My vehicle require a trans axle replacement as well as the struts are leaking oil and my vehicle has less than 62k miles and is only 5 years old. This is being covered under my extended warranty but parts are on back order after doing research many owners complain about a whining noise showing acceleration of vehicle . If left unfixed this leads to transmission gears slipping and eventually needing an entire replacement some owners also complain about leaky struts. My car has an issue with leaky struts and is being fixed under warranty some owners say they need an entire new transmission and after that is replaced the rear transaxle goes and needs replacement Toyota is not putting a recall on this but it’s a known issue. Owners are asking to have this put out as a recall by toy. All parts are on back order and takes several months before transmission can be repaired or replaced. This tells me there are hundreds if not thousands of Highlander’s having the same issue this is a Toyota problem and is related to building transmission in the factory. . Recall the older vehicles and do better in the factory.

See all problems of the 2020 Toyota Highlander 🔎.

Windshield side beveled trim driver’s side snapped and flew off on the highway into oncoming traffic and the passenger side is also loss and almost coming off.

The liftgate has had issues from the moment I purchased this vehicle. It had 30,000 miles and we purchased all extended warranty options. The liftgate often fails to close, especially in cold weather. There have been times I have to manually push the liftgate closed certain instances. This would not even work, and I unknowingly started driving my vehicle while the liftgate was still open about an inch or two essentially, the liftgate seems to have a mind of its own sometimes it will work just fine more more often often than not it malfunctions. This is dangerous because it could easily cause a head injury or trap a child or a family member inside the car if it will not open or closed properly. We took the car to our dealership to have it repaired while under warranty. My car care technician reported that there was dust/dirt which voided my warranty coverage. I paid a lot for the warranties and for this woman to report dirt on my vehicle’s backend and that then causing my warranty coverage to not be valid was just ridiculous. We fought for an exception to be filed and they never spoke of this again. Dishonest and untrustworthy, this is how I would define my Toyota dealership. The issue was noted immediately to dealership/technicians. We had them provide us with a repair quote that was very costly and so we would not let them do the work. There is a massive amount of information for this problem and it is a common occurrence. Toyota is facing a class action lawsuit alleging that some of its “highlander suvs contain defective power-door components. This problem allegedly prevents the automatic open/close feature on the back door, also known as the “liftgate,” from working properly and has already cost some car owners thousands of dollars in repairs. According to the suit, Toyota knew about the defect and hid this information from the public. ” thus, the tech noted “dirt” to conceal a much bigger problem, make $$ off a loyal customer, revealing dishonest practices.

Weather conditions were severe due to a snowstorm, causing ice buildup on the road, low visibility, and slippery pavement. Despite driving cautiously, I lost control of the vehicle, which resulted in going off the road, down an embankment, and crashing into a tree. Immediately after the impact, I called 911 emergency services for assistance. I attempted to exit the vehicle, but the driver’s door was blocked due to the position of the tree. I remained inside the vehicle until a passerby stopped and helped me get out. As a result of the impact, my vehicle sustained significant damage the shocking thing about it all is that the vehicle did not activate the airbags and that is worrying to me because it could have been unfortunate.

See all problems of the 2023 Toyota Highlander 🔎.

While driving on a highway, with little traffic around, our sunroof exploded, sending shards of glass down. It produced a sound of a gunshot and quite possibly could have resulted in such a distraction to cause a wreck. The vehicle has not been inspected but insurance agents has been contacted. There were no warnings at all.

The vehicle is painted in blizzard pearl, which has a known peeling issue. Toyota never sent us any notification of an issue with the paint. A patch of the paint has peeled off of the top of the vehicle and has continued to grow larger. When we contacted Toyota, we were informed the period to fix this issue has closed and we would have to repair out of pocket. Our vehicle was mostly garage kept and didn't suffer the immediate failure of the paint. Blizzard pearl is a color with an additional cost and has the most complaints for failure. Toyota has acknowledged the problem but did very little to ensure customers were notified, did not take into account blizzard pearl painted vehicles would fail at different times due to climate/storage of vehicles, and only provided a narrow window to their customers for this issue. The peeled paint has exposed the body of the vehicle to the elements, which will cause it to rust.

See all problems of the 2014 Toyota Highlander 🔎.

Unknown-tailgate failure keeps beeping will not automatically go up or down not sure why?.

See all problems of the 2015 Toyota Highlander 🔎.

Rear lift gate doesn't fully open or close sometimes. I have to manually assist in opening or closing after trying the key fob, inside push button and rear switch above the license plate. I have attempted to reset the height adjustment thinking it would fix it, with no success. I have made sure that the gasket is in place, lubricated the struts and tried opening a closing with the car running and again without success. I'm asking this be investigated due to my concern that this is going to be a safety issue if it doesn't open after an accident, to exit the vehicle if needed. Thank you.

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.

See all problems of the 2016 Toyota Highlander 🔎.

This is a formal report of recall non-compliance regarding safety recall 23v-720 (Toyota recall 23ta12) on my 2021 Highlander hybrid. An authorized dealership performed the recall on may 6, 2024, utilizing op code 23ta12r1 (inspection & install fasteners). The dealership only addressed the lower bumper and failed to properly remedy the upper bumper retention tabs, stating it isn’t part of recall. The upper bumper cover has completely separated from the fenders during normal daily driving. The upper plastic mounting slots are torn out and clips will not hold. The dealership is refusing further repairs, instructing me to file a car insurance claim or pay a body shop myself to correct an un-remedied federal safety defect. The vehicle currently remains an active structural road hazard because the official recall remedy completely failed to secure the bumper assembly from detaching. A tas case has been opened at the dealer, but federal intervention is requested to ensure recall compliance.

My car is leaking into my interior. It has come out of the electrical component areas. I worry it has infiltrated airbags & what could happen if they get wet (go off due to damage or not go off when supposed to). Have taken to dealership 3 times with no resolution.

See all problems of the 2019 Toyota Highlander 🔎.

I noticed in March of 2024 that the lower part of my bumper was starting to detach. So I brought my car in to get inspected while I was getting my car serviced. Their was a recall issues in 2023. When the dealership looked at my car they said their was no remedy for the recall that I would have to wait until their is one. They said they can not fix the car even though the lower bumper was already starting to detached. Now July 27, 2024. While driving the bumper fully detached and now I’m dragging the bumper underneath my car. Had to take it to a mechanic to get it removed and then saw my dealership to get it fixed because of the recall. Now my bumper got fully detached and I suffered because of this recall problem. Dealership said they can’t fix the problem that it was because of a collision that happened from a previous owner of the car that got into a collision in 2021. Where I bought the car in 2023 where the bumper was not detached and now I’m suffering because the dealership said Toyota corporate won’t fix the car under the recall. Now I’m stuck with fixing a bumper where I never got into an accident and could of been injured because of this bumper falling while drive and I have to pay out of pocket to fix it.

Our Highlander has a recall for the clips on the front bumper. A few weeks ago, my wife was driving behind a truck pulling a trailer. My wife that it was a set of caster wheels that flew out from the trailer and made contact with her front bumper. Upon inspection the impact from that debris put a crack in the upper front bumper. No other visible damage was present. Later that day while my wife was driving 75 on the interstate, the defective clips from the recall gave way and the lower front bumper gave way and started to drag on the ground. Luckily it stayed in tack enough that the vehicle did not run it over causing my wife to wreck or even worse having other vehicles needing to avoid it on the interstate. We paid for a tow truck to safely take it off the interstate so we could tie wrap the lower bumper up and take it to the dealer. Toyota recall does warn that light impact to the bumper could result in the bumper falling. It also goes on to say that if the clips cannot be changed out, they will replace both the lower and upper bumpers. I took the car to the local dealer, and they confirmed that the clips could not be replaced due to the damage that had been done. I showed the dealer the recall notification on the internet, and they stated they could not do anything as they were not a body shop. So, I opened a complaint with Toyota customer care [xxx] ) and stated my case. They in turn notified a local dealer to address the issue. I have called customer care twice not without the dealer even trying to contact me. Due to there faulty part, my wife could have been in a much more serious accident. I would like your assistance in have Toyota make good on their commitment to replace both the lower and upper bumper as a result of the light contact that created this situation. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

While driving at 60 mph the lower front bumper assembly came off and detached from the vehicle and lodged under the car causing an emergency stop in the middle of the highway. When lithia Toyota was asked to repair the damage they have refused stating that it must go thru my insurance since it was an accident.

Vista Toyota in casper wy refused to preform the repair for recall 23v720 due to a scratch on the bumper. I contacted Toyota corporate they did not respond.

Driving vehicle and front lower bumper cover assembly fell off on highway. 2 days later received a recall notice for exact issue. Safety recall 23ta12. Brought vehicle into nucar Toyota of north attleboro and they refused to execute recall stating prior damage to upper bumper which is not true. There are a few scratches but no indentation or external damage preventing the recall from being executed.

Undershield came loose and was dragging on the ground.

Water leaking into the a pillar where airbags are located due to faulty seals in roof rails.

Premature ac refrigerant leak and failure in system in the 2021 Toyota Highlander due to corroded/defective rear ac lines located near the exhaust/spare tire, observed at very low mileage and upon official inspection at the nearest Toyota dealership. Noticed early in ownership and decided to have the vehicle scanned when air being released only continued to grow warmer in the sweltering summer months. Reporting due to advice from friends and owners in my exact situation with the very same issue as well as the pricey three-thousand dollars and upwards quote to have this work done from curry Toyota, 3026 e main st, cortlandt, NY 10567. Vehicle purchased new to avoid these very issues.

This is a supplemental complaint to add more detail to a prior submission. I am the original owner of a 2021 Toyota Highlander with 10,000 miles at the time of the issue worsening to the point that I finally broke down and was forced to pay the Toyota dealership's hefty diagnostic fee. The air conditioning system has failed due to a refrigerant leak in the rear a/c lines, specifically near the exhaust area under the vehicle. The dealership diagnosed the issue and quoted me over $3,000 to replace “all necessary components in the rear. ” they offered no coverage or goodwill repair despite the vehicle’s age and mileage. Upon researching the issue for longer than a year at this point, I discovered far too many similar complaints from other Highlander owners (years 2019–2021) describing identical failures — typically rear a/c lines corroding, cracking, or leaking prematurely. In some cases, customers were told Toyota is aware of the issue but not issuing a TSB or recall. In other cases, dealers said no permanent fix exists. These repairs are prohibitively expensive and, in some reports, recurring due to poor line placement or dissimilar metal corrosion near heat sources. This significantly impacts safety in several ways: impaired visibility: the ac system is integral to effective defogging and defrosting of the windshield, especially in humid or cold conditions. Without it, visibility is severely compromised, increasing the risk of an accident. Driver impairment: in extreme temperatures, lack of climate control can lead to driver fatigue, distraction, and reduced concentration, posing an indirect safety risk. I am reporting it to request NHTSA monitor the trend. This seems to reflect a possible engineering or design flaw, and the number of similar owner reports suggests it may warrant further review by Toyota and NHTSA. Customers should not be facing multi-thousand-dollar repairs on near-new vehicles with basic systems failing. Thank you for tracking this issue.

R 2022 Toyota Highlander was involved in a motor vehicle incident wherein the vehicle stability control (vsc) and front airbags may not have functioned as expected.

See all problems of the 2022 Toyota Highlander 🔎.

Recall has been out for 6 months still no remedy. Manufacturer recall number 23tb12 NHTSA recall number 23v720 can't sell vehicle with open recall, and need to sell.

Front bumper has been falling off. We are on our 4th repair now in 1. 5 years. Toyota claims that we aren't part of the recall but having issue with it staying in place. They might need to extend it further.

We were driving at around 70 mph on lane #3 on wb I-80 near auburn CA at around 11:30 am on 2/19/2024 with 2 passengers and some baggage in the trunk. No baggage were on the roof rack. Traffic was light and no vehicle was directly ahead of us at the time. Weather was cloudy. Suddenly we heard a loud bang above us, like a gun going off. I opened the sunroof cover and found the sunroof glass shattered. After exiting the freeway and parking, we found only the sunroof glass was damaged. The glass was shattered but still intact. There was no damage to the roof or roof racks.

The fact that the dealership was able to sell this car with a recall on is crazy, yes I have blame for not looking as well but now we are having issues with the front bumper hitting the tires when you turn and making a grinding noise. We were told that there’s nothing they could do as of yet but as I see this recall has been open for a while now? this is a big concern to us what if they don’t find anything wrong or so they say and something happens? they need to speed up the process to find a solutions loosing a front bumper while your on the highway is a big risk.

Recall has been open for a long time and I am preparing for a military pcs move and must have this fixed.

Front lower and upper bumper covers. While driving the covers become detached from each other placing the vehicle at risk and other drivers at risk as the components will separate from the car potentially causing damage to the vehicle/tires/etc. Or other vehicles in proximity to the car. The dealer has acknowledged this is a known issue but indicates they have no solution. The vehicle was purchase from pat lobb Toyota of mckinney texas on 1/22/2024 and delivery taken on 1/23/2024. They indicate that they inspected the vehicle and found no risk. There are no warnings when this is happening.

Unknown.

I received the first recall notice about 7 months ago and have made the intent to set appointments with kendall Toyota and west kendall Toyota many times, but they stated that they don't have the fix available yet. They stated that they put me down in a waiting list and I will be called for an appointment according to the person on the phone the recall for my car is not a life-threatening recall. I stated that how come is not serious if the bumper gets detach while driving. I can cause an accident. I can I asked to speak to a supervisor in my last two intents to get appointments, but they stated that supervisors were not available at the moment, but a supervisor will call me back. Never get a call back. I received the second recall showing in records that it is pending, however I have done the due diligence to fix it but not Toyota west kendal and/or kendall Toyota.

The contact owns a 2023 Toyota Highlander. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 23v720000 (structure); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The dealer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

Unknown - 2024 Toyota Highlander makes a drumming or hooting sound when driving over normal to slightly rough roads. It is not related to expansion joints in the road. 1st dealer said it was a rt. Wheel bearing, changed it and it did not work. He then said it was in all Toyota's with 20" wheels. I paid to change tires and wheel to no avail. 2nd dealer said it was normal even though mechanic heard the noise. His supervisor said it was fine and they would do nothing to try to isolate the noise. Noise is very obvious.

See all problems of the 2024 Toyota Highlander 🔎.

Sunroof shattered and detached at highway speed without impact.

In November 2023, I received a notification about Toyota Highlander 2022 open safety recall with no remedies. . Read more...

Water intrusion in the a pillars on both driver and passenger side during a rain storm. Toyota confirmed the water intrusion and stated that the gaskets and clips for the roof rack had failed, allowing water to get into the vehicle interior. I had owned the vehicle for approximately 6 months, and I'm not sure when these clips/gaskets failed. If this failure occured earlier, but there wasn't enough water to come though the interior upholstery, there is a possibility that there is significant mold growth behind the interior panels, which could negatively impact any occupants' health.