Equipment Problems of Toyota Highlander - part 1

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 🔎.

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.

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

See all problems of the 2021 Toyota Highlander 🔎.

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.

See all problems of the 2020 Toyota Highlander 🔎.

Hi dear my car doesn’t report crash.

See all problems of the 2019 Toyota Highlander 🔎.

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

See all problems of the 2022 Toyota Highlander 🔎.

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.

See all problems of the 2023 Toyota Highlander 🔎.

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.

See all problems of the 2017 Toyota Highlander 🔎.

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.

See all problems of the 2025 Toyota Highlander 🔎.

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!.

While driving on the highway, our sunroof spontaneously exploded. We heard what sounded like a gunshot and found a giant hole in our sunroof glass.

Automatic transaxle whining from 35mph-45mph acceleration. Needs to be replaced this is the third vehicle this week the dealership said had the same issue.

Paint is peeling off my car, this is confirmed by Toyota it was covered by the consumer support program which expired in July however the paint did not start peeling off until last week. Toyota said that there wasn't anything they could do. This is clearly a manufacture defect and should be repair by Toyota at no charge to me.

Premature transmission failure. Vehicle had less than 100k miles. Took the vehicle in for an oil change before a long trip. Mentioned a "whine" during acceleration. Told us that the entire transmission would need to be replaced immediately at a cost of over $10,000. Made an appeal to Toyota to help with the cost of replacement and we were denied.

Lift gate does not close and it just beeps. Needs to be closed manually. Toyota has known this issue for a long time but failed to address. Repairs are costly and reduces my cars value.

I had been driving my 2022 Toyota Highlander xle with 46k miles that I just got for about two weeks, so about 10 days out of the 14 I actually drove it from home to work and back home. Within those 10 days driving the SUV, 8 mornings and one afternoon the Highlander engine had issues accelerating and shifting gears. Basically when pulling out on to a highway from a side street coming down a hill when pressing the gas to enter the highway and flow of traffic the engine stuttered from zero to 20mph causing the entire SUV to jerk repeatedly and the gears would have issues shifting from first to second. I had to let my foot off the gas pedal then press again repeatedly as the SUV kept jerking trying to accelerate forward stuck no more than 20 mph for 30 seconds then started to even out and climb up after a minute. I have caught this on video twice. This has caused me to hold up traffic on the highway behind me with no where to pull off because my particular side street comes out from a gulch cliff side. No check engine lights came on each time. I took it to an auto shop that did a minor test drive and suggested it go directly to servco Toyota as it should have powertrain warranty on it still and they believed it was a fuel pump issue. The issue did not happen with this auto shop but I showed them the video. I scheduled an appt at Toyota and it is with them now. They did 2 test drive but could not replicate the issue and could not see any codes coming up. I opted to leave the vehicle with them to do more test drives where the issue has happened as I do not feel safe driving it and the manager also said they did not feel safe having their techs drive it so the manager will do it. Without check engine light/code they are saying they cannot check the fuel pump or do anything else but will try to do more test drives to replicate the issue. I have seen numerous reddit, facebook group posts, and a petition about this same issue but no official recall or word from Toyota.

I am reporting a serious safety defect involving the rear brake system of my 2021 Toyota Highlander, purchased from penn Toyota (glen cove, NY). The dealership represented the vehicle as “Toyota certified” and indicated that it passed all safety inspections. On November 15, 2025, I discovered that the rear brake rotors and pads were in extremely unsafe condition, showing severe corrosion, deep pitting, uneven pad wear, and structural deterioration. This damage clearly developed over a long period of time and indicates that the vehicle could not have passed a legitimate safety inspection at the time of sale. The rear brakes had to be replaced immediately to prevent potential brake failure. After replacing the rear rotors and pads, the vehicle passed the new york state inspection on the same day, proving that the previous brake condition was unsafe and improperly inspected. This raises concerns brake safety failure improper or falsified dealership inspection risk of reduced stopping power potential loss of vehicle control I am submitting photos, the repair invoice, and the inspection result that confirmed the brakes were unsafe prior to repair.

Transmission just started shifting extremely hard between first and second gear. Turning snow mode on stops the shifting problem so I know it’s an internal issue with the transmission. The Highlander xle only has 67,748 miles. Way to early for a transmission issue.

See all problems of the 2018 Toyota Highlander 🔎.

Loud ear-piercing noise when vehicle is started. Noise lasts about five seconds.

I called Toyota as I was concerned it was sluggish and was having trouble excelerating the appointment was given to me 2 weeks out but was told if anything happens to just bring her in. I had to bring her in the week of the appointment on a tow truck as she was not moving. I was told it’s a faulty transmission I asked if it’s covered by my extended warranty and because it’s over by 4 miles it’s not.

We were driving on the highway and heard what sounded like a gun shot. Our sunroof had exploded. Luckily the interior door was closed or we would have been showered with glass. There was no one around, no rocks or road debris. It just came out of nowhere!.

The 8 speed automatic transmission is failing at 100k miles. Whining noises are heard and after being taken to Toyota dealerships mechanic, we were told that the gear mesh or bearing is bad and that we'll need to replace the transmission. We were told that many other Highlanders have experienced the same issues. No light popped up before or during driving while the transmission is whining.

Started with a transmission whining. Now is setting check engine light and jerking. Toyota knows there is a manufacturing defect in the ua80 transmission in these vehicles, but continued to sell them even after the released TSB# t-sb-0008-21, and refuses to repair this under warranty. Toyota is the only company offering replacement transmissions and therefore can set there own price to scam consumers. Please help us get a resolution.