Electrical System Problems of Toyota Highlander - part 1

The contact owns a 2014 Toyota Highlander. The contact stated that a hybrid system warning alert was displayed. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed and determined that the windshield wiring system had failed and that the windshield needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The mechanic informed the contact that the windshield failure was associated with NHTSA campaign number: 18e107000 (electrical system, visibility). The dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The windshield manufacturer was made aware of the failure; however, the vehicle manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 190,000.

See all problems of the 2014 Toyota Highlander 🔎.

Throttle plate iced up in cold weather, causing computer to put the car in limp mode, creating a dangerous situation. Toyota had a TSB solution for this in 2023, but did not make the software update available until my vehicle failed.

See all problems of the 2022 Toyota Highlander 🔎.

The contact owns a 2023 Toyota Highlander. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 25v595000 (electrical system); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the instrument panel failed to display critical safety information as intended. No warning light was illuminated. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 200,000.

See all problems of the 2023 Toyota Highlander 🔎.

The entire head unit in the center of the front console went crazy and started going blank, glitching out, and basically made it impossible to use any of the features associated with that screen unit. The 2022 Toyota Highlander's head unit controls infotainment (radio, streaming, navigation, phone) and integrates with vehicle settings for climate (auto ac, seat heaters/ventilators), lighting, door locks, and driver-assist features like road sign assist and parking support brake, with over-the-air updates available for connected models. It manages multimedia, bluetooth, apple carplay, android auto, WI-fi, and vehicle alerts, offering deep customization for audio, display, and connectivity. We promptly took the car into the Toyota dealer and they determined it was a bad head unit and I had to pick up the car and they made us drive the car for about 1 1/2 weeks broken, while the part was in transit. After the part arrived, we scheduled visit for that part replacement. They later called and said that it was causing the same issues and had to do a further diagnostic and determined that the integragation control sub assembly computer (the cpu for the head unit?) was actually the bad part. The 2nd part was ordered and installed, and ultimately repaired the issue. We had limited control over the heater and keeping the ice off the windows and other issues with no navigation and other systems during this 1 1/2 week period. This is also the same screen that gives us the backup camera, and the 360 degrees camera views. Wow, not happy that such a major part failed with the car being so new. We bought the car brand new with just a few miles on it, and have bought every service and insurance package that Toyota offered when we purchased the car and have kept and maintained the car in excellent shape doing all maintenance exactly on schedule.

Trunk has stopped working. It loudly beeps and will not open on its own. Trunk has to be manually opened and shut with great force to be used.

See all problems of the 2021 Toyota Highlander 🔎.

When turning on the heated steering wheel and about 5-10 minutes, it seems there is smoke coming from the steering wheel leather and it’s very hot that almost burnt my hand and forced me to take my left hand off. I immediately turned the heated steering wheel and stopped. There is a burning spot left on the steering wheel also. The heating option still can be enabled and the same situation repeats (like no fuse was broken).

The car randomly shuts off, while waiting in line or when the break is depressed. The vehicle won’t start, battery is completely dead and then comes back randomly.

See all problems of the 2019 Toyota Highlander 🔎.

What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? 12v battery how was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? vehicle unable to start. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? yes has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? inspected by independent service center. Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? no warning of impending failures. 2/17/2020, vehicle purchased new from Toyota of morristown (NJ). 2/23/2023, vehicle's (3 year old; 1 week outside of warranty) original oem 12v battery failed and was replaced with Toyota oem 12v battery (part #2880031291) by independent service center ($376. 61). 12/18/2025, vehicle's (less than 2 year old) replacement Toyota oem 12v battery failed and was replaced with Toyota oem 12v battery by independent service center ($407. 88).

Transmission failure resulted in sudden loss of power while driving, creating a safety risk in traffic. Vehicle was unable to accelerate and required immediate repair. Put myself and my children at risk, as the car suddenly died while I was driving it. Prior to this, there were not issues. Has been routinely maintained and only has approx 83k miles. Toyota agreed that the transmission is the only issue with my car but won't cover the cost to replace it (10k) or the cost of a loaner vehicle. I have been without a car for almost a month while the (refurbished) transmission is on backorder.

When right front pax sits in seat and fastens seatbelt, the airbag indicator correctly says "on. " but after a few minutes, the airbag turns "off" and the driver's dash gets an "unfastened seatbelt" warning and a "faulty airbag" warning. All of these occur while the front right pax has remain seated and buckled. If the pax unbuckles and exits the seat, these incorrect warnings all remain the same. The right front pax seat belt buckle has been replaced with no effect. The seat has been recalibrated (seat sensors) with no effect. The wires under the seat have been disconnected, cleaned, and re-connected with no effect. This is a safety issue in that the airbag on that front right side DE-activates when a passenger is in that seat. There is a Toyota recall campaign for this identical problem, but it does not include my model year (2015). Requesting NHTSA get Toyota to extend their recall to include 2015 models, please.

See all problems of the 2015 Toyota Highlander 🔎.

This is the second time this year 2025 my Toyota Highlander 2019 stalled fist in the middle of of intersection and second on the drive thru in in&out. Suddenly my car died. Tried to turn on followed the on screen instructions but the car failed to turn on. The first time it happened in the middle of the intersection while waiting for the light to change, after the issue I when straight to a car shop and oreilly they have this machine to check any possible issues and he said nothing shows in his machine but he think it’s the battery but I told the guy my battery and on the car shop midas same result no major issue found and one of the technicians says it could be the auto shot off features, that must be manually turn off since this will automatically turn on. The second incident in in&out the car died suddenly, tried to turn the car but it was on drive so change to stop then tried to turn on multiple times but faulted , the crews decided to help us push the car out of the drive thru since we are blocking all the customers car, the steering wheel so stiff could hardly turn. We can’t change gear from stop, I was told to push off and on manual break foot pedal and this this help able to change gear to neutral, so we can push the car out of the drive thru. No message or failure message in the screen. We just push the car in the parking lot. Tried to turn on but failed. One of in&out staff was so kind to help us, he has a portable jumpstart and the car able to start. Able to drive home safe. Now I’m afraid to turn on my car or drive far distance due to this issues.

The contact owns a 2024 Toyota Highlander. The contact stated that while driving at unknown speeds, the instrument cluster was blinking. The contact expressed that she was concerned that the vehicle was unsafe to drive. The contact received the recall notices of NHTSA campaign numbers: 25v744000 (back over prevention) and 25v595000 (electrical system); however, the part to do the recall repair of NHTSA campaign number: 25v595000 (electrical system) was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted, but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and filed a claim. The failure mileage was approximately 13,357.

See all problems of the 2024 Toyota Highlander 🔎.

See attached document for complaint.

The contact owns a 2023 Toyota Highlander. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 25v595000 (electrical system); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that while the vehicle was running, the instrument panel was black and failed to display critical safety information as intended. The local dealer was contacted; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 120,000.

The rear hatch door will not close or open and just sit there. And dings, you have to manually close it and open it most times and it never fully sucks up and latches fully and it doesnt notify you on the hood display of the car , so when we were driving down the road, we heard loud hissing and road noise coming from the rear and come to find out the rear hatch had never fully closed or latched itself fully. And it hangs up constantly.

See all problems of the 2020 Toyota Highlander 🔎.

>while exiting a highway my vehicle surged forward crashing into the vehicle in front of me. Engaging the brake, my car smashed into the van again. I had no control over the forward momentum of the car. >both the driver & I were in danger of injury >the problem has not been addressed as my damaged car is being repaired >the vehicle has not been inspected >I was given no warning that the incident was forthcoming.

Door locks do not lock or unlock with the car fob, now only the driver's side door does not unlock with the fob, you have to unlock from the passenger side.

The contact owns a 2010 Toyota Highlander. The contact stated that the gear shifter had been stuck on several occasions. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where the fuses were replaced on several occasions; however, the failure persisted. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the rearview mirror wiring had failed. The vehicle was repaired. The contact related the failure to an unknown recall. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.

See all problems of the 2010 Toyota Highlander 🔎.

On or about oct, 3rd, 2025 , my vehicle experienced the 'check engine' light and all the warning lights lit up, the hybrid system failed to engage, the vehicle would say “park somewhere safe /take to dealer” . I immediately took the vehicle to the authorized Toyota dealership, wonderies Toyota alhambra , for diagnosis. They said they could not find anything, reset the sensors, and told us to come back if the problem persisted, and one hour later the system lights lit up again. We returned the same day and the dealership informed me that the issue is a severe corrosion of the underbody wiring harness , specifically citing external damage or 'spillage' as the cause. The estimated cost for a complete replacement of the wiring harness is approximately $6- 7,000. 00. I contend that this corrosion is not the result of customer spillage but rather a manufacturing defect related to inadequate design, covering, or routing of the wiring harness, which makes it highly susceptible to road hazards, moisture, and environmental contaminants. Crucially, this issue appears to be covered under the Toyota limited service campaign (lsc) related to wiring harness deterioration (lsc25td01 / lsc-j02). Toyota states my vehicle is not covered however Toyotas own website states the Highlander hv 2024 has been added recently in Sep. 2025 . I request that NHTSA review my case in light of this known issue to determine if the defect presents an unreasonable risk to safety and to urge Toyota to properly remedy this problem under the terms of the applicable coverage or warranty enhancement. I formally request that Toyota honor the spirit of the limited service campaign lsc25td01 and cover the full cost of the replacement wiring harness and labor. [xxx] [xxx] [xxx] [xxx] [xxx] [xxx] information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

Issue 1: I reported transmission issued to the dealership/service center where I purchased the car. They assured me its just the electronic transmission trying to find the right gear while driving. Continued to complaint about the jerks and shifting. Dealer warranty expired, then they agreed that I needed a new transmission. Fortunately I had an outside extended warranty otherwise they'd probably would have waited until that ended too. Status post the transmission, tuning, sensor replacements, spark plug replacement, and tpms replacements all in one service. Prior to my warranty expiring, awd, engine light and hard transmission shifts began with the new transmission. Returned repeatedly from April to November with no resolution. However, they did have me pay to replace sensors I had replaced in April several times and obtain a new battery. Issue 2: after "new" batter the car's electrical issues worsened resulting in a power failure while driving at 75 miles an hour and losing complete control of the vehicle. The power failure shut down the electronic shifter, power steering, all wheel drive, traction control in raining conditions and ultimately the power assisted brakes. Returned the vehicle to the service department for additional "testing" after taking a video of the fault messages were the car electrical systems shut down to auto start stop function warning light. I'm a skill driver and was able to avoid crashing during the incidents. The photos are from the latest day I dropped the vehicle off for review I took a video of the vehicle powering down for their records. They are now stating since they can't figure it out maybe I should pay them to replace the electrical wiring harnesses throughout the vehicle; a cost which exceeds the vehicle's worth to me. I'm convinced now more than ever they knew there was an electrical issue with the vehicle but waited me out and if I would have crashed and died all the blame would have been on me.

The screen is going out. The back tailgate hangs up and doesn’t go down.

My 2008 Toyota Highlander hybrid is having severe issues with the abs system. Toyota is reporting that it needs an abs actuator and abs pump replacements. These were a part of Toyota's previous customer support program, but the program expired before I owned the vehicle. That is extremely dangerous and the issue with the abs system should be considered a safety recall that is always available to Toyota customers to rectify and paid for by Toyota. It is a braking issue. It is not just brake pads, or normal wear and tear. This is a known issue and regardless of the timeline, Toyota should absolutely pay for the repair.

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The contact owns a 2018 Toyota Highlander. The contact stated that while attempting to turn left or right, the steering wheel became difficult to turn. The check engine warning light illuminated, and the vehicle lost power. The contact waited for several minutes before being able to restart the vehicle. The check engine warning light remained illuminated. The failure had occurred several times and had become more persistent. The vehicle was taken to a certified mechanic, who diagnosed that the body throttle, air control system, and battery sensor had failed. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failures persisted. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 200,000.

See all problems of the 2018 Toyota Highlander 🔎.

All at once the windows, moon roof, blinkers, reverse lights, running lights and brake lights stopped working - also the automatic headlight function stopped working and we must turn on and off the headlights or risk draining the battery. It's interesting to note that the flashers work, but the blinkers do not. The wipers, radio, cruise control, etc. Are all fine. It appears all fuses associated with these items are intact - I don't know how to check the viability of the relays, but have been told it could be a relay and or a ground wire. I've purchased a new multifunction blinker headlight replacement switch and a master window replacement switch to see if this will resolve the issue - but the fact that it happened all at the same time concerns me that it could be electrical or wiring. All the wires under the dash are intact.

See all problems of the 2005 Toyota Highlander 🔎.

While driving my 2022 Toyota Highlander (VIN: 5tdfzrbh3ns225637, 29,427 miles), I have experienced multiple recurring safety defects that Toyota has been unable or unwilling to repair under warranty. •front collision sensors frequently trigger without any object present, creating a risk of unexpected emergency braking at freeway speeds. •transmission hesitates and surges unpredictably, sometimes propelling the vehicle into traffic. •in heavy rain, my windshield wipers activated on their own and multiple system failure warnings appeared (including abs failure), nearly causing a crash. •persistent startability issue when fuel is below half a tank. •seatbelt malfunction caused a passenger to strike their head. •seat heater failure, seat separation, persistent coolant odor, and nonfunctional factory wireless charger since purchase. These defects are intermittent but recurring, and their unpredictability increases the danger. Toyota and the dealer have failed to duplicate the issues during short test drives, but they continue to occur during normal operation. This vehicle remains under factory and extended warranty, yet repairs have been denied. I believe these defects pose a serious risk to myself, my passengers, and others on the road.

Clog of evaporator box caused water intrusion into vehicle. Water leaked onto airbag ecu causing malfunction and requiring replacement of airbag ecu.

The intelligent power module failed on the vehicle. I read this is common for my vehicle however there is no recall matching my VIN. Vehicle was purchased out of state one year ago. We took the vehicle to a Toyota dealership who suggested I inquire about the issue because it’s possible this VIN should have been included.

The contact owns a 2023 Toyota Highlander. The contact stated that while driving at 40 mph, the digital instrument panel went blank and showed a white screen. The contact was unable to see critical safety information and warning lights during the failure. The contact stated that the screen was white for over twenty minutes. The vehicle was not taken to an independent mechanic or dealer to be diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 29,500.

Vehicle: 2021 Toyota Highlander xse approximate mileage: 92,000 location: boerne, TX (texas hill country) ? ?? summary of the problem: my vehicle experienced serious electrical failure after heavy rainfall in the texas hill country, where catastrophic flooding recently occurred. At a red light, the dashboard began flashing, power windows stopped working, and the electronic parking brake would not disengage. I was nearly rear-ended with my children in the car because the vehicle temporarily lost responsiveness. ? ?? pattern of issue: this problem only occurs after rain. Once the vehicle dries out, the systems return to normal. Toyota tested the battery and alternator and found no faults. The dealership and Toyota corporate have been notified, but they have so far refused to approve a goodwill repair or perform deeper inspection for water intrusion into the fuse box, firewall harness, or body control module (bcm). ? ?? suspected cause: I believe there is water intrusion due to a design flaw, likely through the windshield cowl or firewall. Other Highlander xse owners have reported nearly identical symptoms following rain exposure. Toyota has issued service bulletins in the past about water reaching electrical components in other models. ? ?? safety concern: this is a serious safety issue. A near-crash involving my children occurred. If Toyota does not resolve this issue and it leads to an accident, I will hold them fully accountable. I am reporting this so it can be formally investigated and linked with similar complaints.

I think there is odometer fraud by this company selling this car. [xxx] information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

See all problems of the 2012 Toyota Highlander 🔎.

After getting gas, the vehicle will not start. It will crank and crank but not turn over, like it is starving for gas. Then after 10-15 minutes it will start barely and to keep it running I have to floor the accelerator. Any other time it starts just fine. There are also no codes causing a check engine light.

See all problems of the 2017 Toyota Highlander 🔎.

The contact owns a 2023 Toyota Highlander. The contact stated that the liftgate had failed to open or to close intermittently. The contact stated that the liftgate made an abnormal grinding sound while opening and would open 3-inch at a time while the contact continuously pressed the power liftgate button manually. The contact stated that the dealer had reset the liftgate; however, the failure persisted. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer, where the cause of the failure could not be determined. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 28,000.

Formal complaint to NHTSA – summary I am submitting this formal complaint regarding repeated mechanical and electrical failures involving my 2017 Toyota Highlander, purchased as a Toyota gold-certified vehicle with an extended platinum warranty. Despite strictly following Toyota’s maintenance guidelines and using only certified dealerships for all services, the vehicle has become inoperable multiple times, requiring five separate tows and resulting in repair costs exceeding $10,000. In June 2025, a Toyota dealership replaced the engine after diagnosing a warped head due to water pump failure. Following this, the vehicle began experiencing repeated charging system failures and electrical malfunctions. Multiple components—including the alternator, battery, and sensors—were replaced at another Toyota dealership based on ongoing issues, but the problems persisted. On September 2, 2025, a Toyota technician identified a missing ground wire nut as the likely root cause of these electrical failures. He confirmed the issue originated during the engine installation and that the unsecured ground caused system malfunctions. After repairs, the vehicle was again returned with a loud engine knocking noise, later traced to an improperly secured component from a prior repair. These events have raised significant concerns for the safety of myself and my family. Improper installation of major components and misdiagnosis by certified service providers have led to hazardous driving conditions, unexpected vehicle shutdowns, and unnecessary costs. I am requesting that the national highway traffic safety administration investigate this matter for potential safety defects related to improper engine installation, grounding failures, and faulty electrical diagnosis by certified Toyota service centers. Documentation, invoices, and repair records are available upon request. Thank you for your attention to this critical safety issue.

When I start the Highlander, there is a loud (hurts your ears) feedback noise through the speakers, and the red and green lights near the sos button flash multiple times. This happens intermittently, and when it doesn't happen the sos button only flashes red/green once. My wife, the primary driver of the car, has slowly developed tinnitus and this is the only loud, ear piercing, noises she have been exposed to. This noise can also bring on extreme headaches. I can't imagine the damage it could do to a child. We have tried to get this fixed at the mechanic and Toyota says the part is backordered. When we go to Toyota they state they have not heard of the issue. When we search the internet it is easy to find threads of this same issue on the same model, Toyota seems to be hiding this is a known issue.

Car is shaking heavily when stopped. Several misfires while engaging the brakes. Mechanic is telling me that he has seen many vehicles of this model with faulty purge valves.