Equipment Problems of Toyota Highlander - part 1

The dealership recommended transmission fluid exchange services for my 2019 Highlander se after the recommended mileage for this service. I wasn’t able to get this service completed because of timing, however later on the service was completed and after three weeks the vehicle started jerking upon acceleration. Took the benchley back to the mechanic to diagnose the problem. Per the diagnostic test the issue was determined by this code transmission p0745-7f | pressure control solenoid "a" actuator stuck off - pending dtc.

See all problems of the 2019 Toyota Highlander 🔎.

Nothing happened.

See all problems of the 2022 Toyota Highlander 🔎.

Bought the car in 2018 and ever since it makes a rttling noise, Toyota says it is the hybrid system engaigeing, hybrid cars are not supposed to make noise.

See all problems of the 2017 Toyota Highlander 🔎.

At 119500 miles a eev whining noise started. Only had all repairs done at a dealership.

The rear air conditioning refrigerant lines on a 2019 Toyota Highlander se failed due to excessive rust/corrosion, causing the a/c system to leak refrigerant and stop holding a charge. The failure affected the rear a/c lines that run to the rear of the vehicle. The problem was first diagnosed by an independent repair shop and then confirmed by a Toyota dealer. The Toyota dealer documented that the rear a/c lines were leaking due to excessive rust/corrosion. The dealer recommended replacing the rear a/c lines/cooling lines as a set, evacuating and recharging the a/c system, adding dye, and checking system operation. The repair was completed by the Toyota dealer but not covered or reimbursed. The vehicle/component was inspected by an independent service center and by a Toyota dealer. Toyota corporate customer support was also informed of the dealer diagnosis. The failed component may no longer be available for inspection because the repair has been completed, but repair records, dealer diagnosis, invoice, and related documentation are available. Safety concern: the a/c system failure can affect occupant safety and visibility because air conditioning is used for windshield defogging/defrosting and cabin humidity control. Loss of a/c can reduce the ability to clear the windshield in humid or rainy conditions. It can also create a risk to rear passengers, including children, during hot weather because the rear a/c system is no longer functioning as designed. The failure also involved leaking refrigerant from corroded lines. Toyota will not accept that this is a premature and dangerous parts failure. There were no warning lamps or dashboard messages before the failure. The symptom was that the a/c stopped cooling and would not hold refrigerant. The cause was later confirmed, by Toyota, as leaking rear a/c lines due to excessive rust/corrosion. Toyota has refused goodwill repair even after numerous persons have reported the same issue online.

My 2019 Toyota Highlander has taken on water from a leaking panoramic sunroof. Both times the dealership ran it through a car wash and it did not leak after cleaning the sun roof drains. Took my car in on 5/4/2026 after a thunderstorm and they cleaned (tom o’brien Toyota) the roof drains. Then on the evening of [xxx], we had a heavy thunderstorm which resulted in 3 quarts of water that my husband cleaned off the liner. It was also dripping inside on the armrest. Now I have a sagging liner with water stains. We took the car in again on 5/22/2026 and they cleaned the drains again. We are expected to have rain for the next 3 days. If I leave the liner back it could result in water pouring in the cabin, shorting out the electrical heat warmers on my console. What about mold and discoloration? talk about safety concerns. !! information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

Premature transmission failure due to factory defect. All maintenance was done on time and at dealership.

See all problems of the 2020 Toyota Highlander 🔎.

The only door that will lock or unlock using the fab key or the master lock button on the drivers armrest is the drivers side rear door. My vehicle is not able to be locked unless I do it manually and can not be unlocked unless I use the rear drivers side door. This has been reproduced by the dealership. There were no warning lamps or messages and no other symptoms. This has been going on for a month. I am being told by the dealership service department that 3 actuators failed at the same time. My lift gate also malfunctioned this year. Dealership diagnosed it with needing new struts. Not sure if this is related. Lift gate would not open or open only a small amount. This was using the inside button and the outside one as well.

I've been waiting for a recall repair based on a recall file nearly 8 months ago now. This recall still appears to have no remedy. I continue to get emails about this issue from my dealer, but when I call to schedule the appointment to fix it, they continue to tell me that no remedy is available yet.

See all problems of the 2024 Toyota Highlander 🔎.

My car had around 52,930 miles on it when the transmission suddenly went out and left me stranded in [xxx]. I always took my car to the north hollywood Toyota dealership regularly, twice a year since I bought the car for regular service maintenance. When I was quoted nearly $7,000 to replace the transmission, I sold the car. Why would a 2018 japanese car with such low mileage and in great condition suddenly have transmission problems? something doesn’t add up. I had to get towed home. I’m wondering if other Toyota Highlander owners have experienced unexplained transmission problems as well. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

See all problems of the 2018 Toyota Highlander 🔎.

Sunroof shattered and it sounded like a shot gun blast. The blast was from the inside out. Weather was a mild 70 degrees.

See all problems of the 2023 Toyota Highlander 🔎.

The rear back up camera is grainy the blue lines are digitized and shaky during the day everything is very blurry during the night you cannot see anything really the quality is extremely poor there are also no dynamic turning lines at all and the camera settings buttons are not present.

Car has stopped while pumping gas seems to be specifically after rain. There was a heavy rain and immediately after while pumping gas car was not able to start. Received message steering power low. Happened 3 times after first incident while pumping gas. Car was checked by a mechanic and believe it might be a defect with a part called purge flow ? after part was inspected all check engine lights and alerts on cars went away for a few weeks. Once again we had light rain and the same issue restarted , with unable to power car after pumping gas.

See all problems of the 2021 Toyota Highlander 🔎.

Driving down the road and the sunroof exploded.

My vehicle was parked for about an hr 30 min , and it started smoking from dashboard area and immediately went into flames .

When accelerating, started hearing a whining noise. Took to mechanic, said it was the transmission. Called Toyota and they had us bring it in for diagnostics. Also said we needed a new transmission. Quoted at over 13k - could fail at any time. This should not be happening in a 2019 vehicle and seems to be a known issue that Toyota is not doing anything to address.

I was driving on a busy road going 50 mph and my sunroof exploded. Nothing hit my vehicle and it wasn’t a hot or cold day. No one was injured because my sunroof cover was luckily closed.

Hi dear my car doesn’t report crash.

During start up lta malfunction, pre-collision system malfunction and headlight system malfunction lights and warning indicators came on.

The struts for the tailgate appear to be a problem for these cars. Mine are failing intermittently and so if the technicians don’t witness it, they refuse to cover it under warranty. If I crash and the trunk is the only way out, I willl die. The trunk gets stuck and won’t open or close unless forced. This is a disaster and should be recalled. I see multiple complaints all over the internet about this issue and the dealers are no help. I have gone 4 separate times and they have wasted my time because there was no resolution.

The moon roof in my car completely shattered out of no where while I was driving down the road and fell all into my backseat. If my children were in the car, they would have had glass all over them.

See all problems of the 2015 Toyota Highlander 🔎.

During start up headlight system malfunction and pre-collision system failure lights and waring came on.

While driving down the highway I went over a bridge joint and my sunroof suddenly exploded sending glass both into and off the back of the vehicle. I was able to find the moment of the explosion on my rear dashcam (saw the falling glass) and checked the front dashcam for any evidence of an object that would have impacted and did not find any. Neither I or my two passengers saw an object hit. The front dashcam also confirmed rough pavement near the bridge joint that would have caused some vibration in the vehicle.

I bought this vehicle new in March 2024. I normally use apple carplay for music and more importantly maps. Approximately 1 year after purchase, I was driving along and all of a sudden a new screen appeared with a keyboard requesting that I sign in with my email address. To clear the screen, I had to hit the small "x" in the upper right hand corner of the screen. That cleared and then a new screen appeared in blue saying "experience drive connect" and asking me to subscribe to their software service for navigation and other services. To get back to the map on apple carplay I had to hit another button on the upper left of the screen. I will upload screenshots. This is a safety issue not only in losing the map but more importantly it takes my eyes off the road to resolve (the buttons are small and not easily pushed while driving. ) this happens multiple times a day in short around town drives. I googled this on line and noted many complaints by Toyota owners for the same problem. So I asked the mechanic yesterday when I had the car serviced if he could disable the experience drive connect so I wouldn't have the problem. He laughed and said it's a common complaint by customers and that it's "hard wired" in and cannot be disabled unless you call Toyota and purchase their monthly plan for $15/month or $20/mo for the premium version. This is not only a scam but it's an unsafe feature that could be disabled if Toyota chose to make a software change. I urge you to use your influence to correct this unsafe and unethical feature of their otherwise excellent vehicles.

My husband and I were driving down the highway when the front part of our sun roof shattered.

When I purchased the vehicle I was told I could use apple carplay, or Toyota's drive connect. Apple works better so I've always used that. I am used to having to clear Toyota's pop up ads for drive connect several times per week, even once per day. Recently Toyota's drive connect ads pops up on screen every few minutes regardless of what hands free app I'm trying to use (navigation, phone call, audiobook, etc. ). It's distracting which is dangerous and keeps me from being able to use the hands free feature through apple car play in my car. After calling Toyota corporate and Toyota brand engagement, both entities told me the only way to get the pop up ads to stop is to subscribe. The pop ups are dangerous and not what I agreed to when buying the car, so it feels like blackmail to be told it will only stop if I pay them $15 per month for a subscription to something that I won't use that was not a required feature when I purchased the vehicle.

Transmission whining sound.

•the transmission malfunctioned and developed an abnormal internal noise at approximately 67,000 miles, which is an unexpected failure at low mileage. The vehicle had been properly maintained and had no prior mechanical issues. Atlanta Toyota inspected the vehicle and confirmed the transmission had failed and required full replacement. The dealer also stated that as a result of the transmission failure, other related components showed excessive and abnormal wear. A second independent service center inspected the vehicle and confirmed the same diagnosis. The vehicle is available for inspection upon request. • this unexpected transmission failure created a serious safety risk due to the possibility of sudden loss of power, inability to accelerate, or complete transmission failure while driving. I rely on this vehicle daily to transport my child to school and to commute to work. A sudden failure while in traffic could result in becoming stranded or involved in a collision. • the vehicle was inspected by an authorized Toyota dealer and an independent service center. Both stated that the failure was unusual given the low mileage and normal use of the vehicle. • there were no warning lights, messages, or diagnostic trouble codes prior to the failure and afterward. The only symptom was an abnormal internal noise from the transmission, which began suddenly at approximately 66,000 miles. • the vehicle has received regular maintenance and is used for normal daily driving. There was no abuse, heavy towing, or unusual use that would explain a transmission failure at this mileage.

I am reporting a safety defect in the 2025 Toyota Highlander hybrid nightshade involving the multifunction turn signal switch. The interior trim adhesive on the steering column has experienced a chemical breakdown (adhesive migration), causing the turn signal stalk to become stiff and bind. This obstruction makes it difficult to engage the turn signal and occasionally prevents the signal from "auto-canceling" after a turn. The dealership has acknowledged the adhesive failure by authorizing the replacement of the steering column covers but refuses to replace the contaminated turn signal switch. Operating a vehicle with a binding turn signal switch is a direct safety hazard, as it compromises the driver's ability to communicate intent to other motorists. Additionally, the dashboard material is experiencing systemic delamination and producing a white crystalline powder (crystallized adhesive). I am requesting an investigation into the heat-resistance standards of the interior bonding agents used in the 2025 nightshade trim, as these materials are failing and compromising safety-critical electronic controls. Thank law 4088861606.

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The sunroof suddenly exploded while stopped at a stoplight. Luckily I had the interior slide shut otherwise we would have been covered in glass.

After 3 weeks of inconsistent shifting with the automatic transmission and whining and clunking, the car failed to go into gear at all yesterday 1/5/26 while driving near dulles airport. I had it towed, was told the transmission failed and then I found that this is a systemic design issue with the 2017-2022 cohort of gas v6, 8 speed, awd Highlanders. Repair will be between $5k and $10k.

In January during an oil change I was advised that my Toyota had a timing cover leak which is a costly repair. At this time my car was at 148k. I researched it recently and found that it could be dangerous to drive with this leak that Toyota did not advise me about after I had several phone calls with their corporate office and dealership. And even though it is a common problem with their 2017 Highlander they would not take responsibility for fixing it. It was disappointing after getting all of the service recommendations done that I would have to pay $4500. 00 for engine work for a seven year old vehicle. This cost was a hardship for me because I'm still making a car payment. I also had to replace the battery every 1. 5 years. The battery warning light never came on, leaving me stuck at an intersection until the tow truck arrived. It cut off because of the start/ stop feature and that would not start again. No warning. And after about 15 minutes my hazard lights went dead. This is an ongoing issue.

While I was driving the vehicle on December 30, 2025 emerging on to the highway I heard a loud popping sound which I thought was one of the tires going flat when the plastic barrier underneath the car became unattached.

While driving, the vehicle’s moonroof glass spontaneously shattered/exploded without impact. It sounded like a gunshot, which caused an immediate and dangerous distraction. There was no object strike that I am aware of and no prior warning. The sudden loud noise and breaking glass created a safety hazard due to distraction and potential glass intrusion.

The vehicle is a 2020 Toyota Highlander experiencing a transmission system malfunction, specifically involving the automatic transmission and/or torque converter. Component/system failure: the transmission produces a noticeable whining noise during acceleration and exhibits abnormal shifting behavior, including hesitation and delayed response when pressing the gas pedal. The issue appears to originate from the internal transmission components. The vehicle is available for inspection upon request. Safety risk: this condition creates a serious safety concern, as the hesitation and delayed acceleration can impair the driver’s ability to safely merge into traffic, cross intersections, or respond to changing road conditions. The unpredictable response increases the risk of a collision, especially in high-speed or congested traffic environments. Reproducibility / confirmation: the issue is consistently reproducible and occurs whenever the vehicle is accelerated. The problem has not yet been fully resolved and is in the process of being addressed with a dealership/service center. Inspections: the vehicle is scheduled to be inspected by a Toyota dealership. At this time, it has not yet been inspected by the manufacturer, police, or insurance representatives. Warning signs / symptoms: there were no warning lights or dashboard messages prior to or during the issue. The first symptom noticed was the whining noise during acceleration, followed by abnormal shifting behavior and hesitation. These symptoms have progressively become more noticeable over time. This issue appears consistent with reported transmission problems in similar model vehicles, raising concern that this may be a broader defect affecting vehicle safety. I took my vehicle to 3 different mechanics and they told me that my vehicle is not safe to drive long term without a total transmission replacement. Thank you!.