2016 Toyota Highlander — Known Issues & Recalls

Your four tires wore out excessively in just 13,000 miles—far short of the advertised 50,000-mile warranty—with one developing a sidewall bubble. The severe and uneven tread wear, cupping, and feathering cause your vehicle to vibrate violently above 50 mph and handle unpredictably, especially in wet or snowy conditions. The manufacturer denied the warranty claim without inspection and refused any replacement or refund. The fix will likely involve replacing all four tires with a different brand or model that meets safety standards.

Your Highlander pulls to one side or the other when you swap the tires between wheels, even though multiple shops have confirmed the wheel alignment is correct. A tire shop identified that the Nitto Crosstek2 tires have a manufacturing defect called "radial pull" or tire conicity caused by internal belt separation, which means the tires are structurally compromised. This defect could potentially cause sudden tire failure while driving. The fix will likely involve replacing the defective tires with new ones.

While driving at highway speeds (55-65 MPH), your rear driver's side tire suddenly blew out, forcing your wife to pull over safely. A tire shop inspected the tire and determined the blowout was caused by a road hazard rather than a manufacturing defect. The tire had about 30,000 miles on it when it failed. Repairing this issue would involve inspecting the tire for damage, patching it if repairable, or replacing it with a new tire if the damage is too severe.

Your steering wheel became unresponsive when you attempted a left turn at a traffic light, forcing the vehicle to continue straight into oncoming traffic instead of turning. You had to apply significant physical force to get the steering to respond, at which point you heard a loud popping noise. You had previously noticed occasional steering glitches when turning or changing lanes on the highway. A steering system inspection at a Toyota dealer should identify whether there's a mechanical issue with the steering linkage, power steering system, or steering column that's causing the unresponsiveness.

Your steering column may wear out prematurely, causing your steering wheel to feel loose and potentially making your vehicle harder to control. This looseness in the steering can develop earlier than expected on your Highlander. The fix will likely involve inspecting the steering column components and replacing any worn parts to restore proper steering control.

Your driver's side rear passenger door won't open using either the remote lock or manual handle. In a crash or emergency, this could prevent passengers from exiting quickly and make it harder for first responders to help injured passengers in the back seat. The fix will likely involve inspecting and repairing the door latch mechanism or lock assembly.

While driving on the highway, your sunroof suddenly shattered with a loud noise similar to a gunshot. This is a structural integrity failure that poses a safety risk from flying glass and debris.

Your brakes have been unreliable since you bought the car new in 2016—sometimes they don't respond when you press the pedal, even after multiple brake checks found nothing wrong. In November 2022, your wife's brakes completely failed to engage during braking, causing her to rear-end another vehicle; the airbags didn't deploy and she was injured. You've also experienced brake failures at stop signs and red lights, though the dealership hasn't been able to identify the issue. This will likely require a complete brake system inspection and possibly replacement of hydraulic components, brake lines, or the ABS system.

Your brakes failed to work when you were backing out of your driveway in January 2023. You've taken your vehicle to dealerships multiple times over the past 4 years for this issue without getting it resolved. This is a serious safety concern that needs immediate attention, as brake failure can prevent you from stopping your vehicle.

While driving slowly on a snow-covered road, your Highlander suddenly began fishtailing and spinning when you eased off the accelerator. The vehicle rotated 180 degrees, slid across the road, and tipped over on its right side when the wheels caught the unpaved road edge. You believe the problem may have been related to the hybrid system switching from the gas engine to electric-only mode during coasting, which could have caused traction control issues that the vehicle's stability systems didn't correct. Diagnosis would involve inspecting the all-wheel drive system, traction control electronics, and hybrid powertrain coordination during low-speed electric mode operation.

You were involved in a two-car rear-end collision at approximately 50 mph after hitting the car in front of you, and your vehicle was then struck from behind. Your Highlander sustained significant front-end damage including a folded hood, missing grille, and pushed-back radiator, but neither the front airbags nor any side curtain airbags deployed during the crash. You're concerned that the airbags should have activated given the severity of the impact, and worry this compromised your safety. Diagnosing why the airbags failed to deploy will require a detailed inspection of the airbag system sensors and wiring, though the vehicle has since been deemed a total loss.

Your brake pedal went all the way to the floor while driving downhill at low speed, leaving you without braking power. Your vehicle rolled into a busy intersection and was hit by another car on the passenger side, but the airbags didn't deploy and no warning lights appeared beforehand. The car was totaled in the crash. This issue may require a complete brake system inspection, including the master cylinder, brake lines, and hydraulic fluid levels.

Your side view mirrors are positioned in a way that creates a significant blind spot on both sides of your car, making it difficult to see other vehicles or pedestrians when turning. You've been involved in one collision while making a left turn because you couldn't see an oncoming car, and you've had other close calls due to this visibility issue. Replacing the side view mirrors with a different style or adjusting their positioning may help improve your visibility.

Your engine is shutting off while driving, and your instrument panel and electronic displays flicker or go completely dark at the same time. This causes your steering wheel to lock up and vibrate, and you may not be able to unlock the doors with your key fob or open the liftgate. The vehicle sometimes won't start and requires multiple attempts to get it running. The dealer reproduced the problem and replaced the battery, but the issue persists. This creates a serious safety hazard, especially when driving on highways where sudden engine shutdown could cause a collision.

Your car's forward collision warning system and automatic braking have activated several times at the same location when you approached a bridge expansion plate, even though there was no actual collision risk. The warning sounds and brakes automatically apply for a few seconds before releasing, which could be dangerous if another vehicle is following closely behind you.

Your water pump pulley came loose from the shaft and became wedged between the wheel well and frame while driving in heavy traffic. This happened without any warning signs, and you believe it's a manufacturing defect rather than normal wear. The repair will likely involve replacing the water pump assembly and inspecting the pulley system for proper assembly.

Your CV boot and control arm failed at 30,000 miles and were repaired by the dealer in 2021. The same components failed again at 50,000 miles just two years later. If you hadn't caught it early and taken your car to the dealer, the CV boot and control arm could have broken completely while driving. The suspension system appears to have a pattern of premature wear on these components at relatively low mileage.

Your trunk power switch isn't working reliably — when you press the button to unlock the trunk, it sometimes won't open and the door stays stuck. The problem has happened on and off even after the battery was replaced at an independent mechanic. The fix will likely involve diagnosing the electrical circuit to the trunk latch mechanism, which may require replacing the trunk latch motor, switch, or related wiring.

Your front right side view mirror suddenly cracked while you were driving at about 20 mph. The mirror fractured without any apparent cause or collision. The repair will likely involve replacing the side view mirror assembly.

Your fuel pump continues to run for extended periods after you turn off the engine, sometimes running for 10 minutes to over an hour. This can happen several times during the night or when the car sits for a few hours, and you may hear it humming in a quiet garage. The problem occurs randomly regardless of how much fuel is in your tank. The issue likely involves a faulty fuel pump relay or pressure regulator that isn't shutting off properly when the engine is off.