Data sourced from NHTSA public database. For informational purposes only. Always consult a qualified mechanic.
2023 Toyota Highlander — Known Issues & Recalls
Complaints from Jan 2025 to Dec 2025
The most reported issue is unknown or other problems (27 complaints). 8 complaints involved crashes.
Open Safety Recalls (9)
NHTSA Campaign: 23V480000
Component: STEERING:COLUMN
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2023 Corolla, Corolla Cross, Corolla Cross Hybrid, Highlander, Highlander Hybrid, Tacoma, 2023 Lexus RX350, RX350 Hybrid, RX500 Hybrid, 2023-2024 Lexus NX250, NX350, and NX350 Hybrid vehicles. An electrical connection inside the steering column's spiral cable assembly may be insufficiently welded, causing the connection to separate and deactivate the driver's air bag. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."
Risk: A deactivated driver's air bag that does not deploy as intended increases the risk of injury during a crash.
Fix: Dealers will inspect and replace the spiral cable assembly, if necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed September 8, 2023. Owners may contact Toyota's customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's number for this recall is 23TA08. Lexus' number for this recall is 23LA02.
NHTSA Campaign: 23V720000
Component: STRUCTURE:BODY:BUMPERS
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2020-2023 Highlander & Highlander Hybrid vehicles. During normal vehicle operation, minor impact to the front lower bumper cover may result in the cover coming loose or detaching.
Risk: A detached front bumper cover can become a road hazard, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will repair or replace the upper and lower front bumper covers as necessary, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed April 22, 2024. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's number for this recall is 23TB12/23TA12.
NHTSA Campaign: 24V419000
Component: TIRES
Gulf States Toyota, Inc. (GST) is recalling certain 2022-2024 model year Highlander L and Highlander LE vehicles equipped with the Blackout Package that includes 20" black alloy wheels and tires. The installed tires have an insufficient load rating. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 110, "Tire Selection and Rims."
Risk: Tires with an insufficient load rating may be overloaded and fail, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: GST will inspect and replace the tires as necessary, and install a new tire information label as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 8, 2024. Owners may contact GST customer service at 1-800-444-1074. GST's number for this recall is 24R1.
NHTSA Campaign: 24V452000
Component: TIRES
Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC (SET) is recalling certain 2021-2024 Highlander vehicles. The 20-inch accessory tires with an insufficient load rating for the vehicle's Gross Axle Weight Rating (GAWR) were installed. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 110, "Tire Selection and Rims."
Risk: Tires with an insufficient load rating can be overloaded and fail, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: SET will inspect and replace the tires and information placard, as necessary free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 16, 2024. Owners may contact SET's customer service at 1-866-405-4226. SET's number for this recall is SET24A.
NHTSA Campaign: 24V548000
Component: EQUIPMENT:OTHER:LABELS
Gulf States Toyota, Inc. (GST) is recalling certain Toyota 2023 GR Supra, 2024 4 Runner, Corolla, Grand Highlander, Grand Highlander Hybrid, Land Cruiser Hybrid, Tacoma, Tacoma Hybrid, 2023-2024 BZ4X, Corolla Cross Hybrid, GR Corolla, GR86, Highlander, Highlander Hybrid, Prius, Prius Prime, Sequoia Hybrid, Tundra, Tundra Hybrid, Venza Hybrid, 2023-2025 Crown, and 2025 Camry Hybrid vehicles equipped with GST accessories. The load carrying capacity modification label may display inaccurate added weight values. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 110, "Tire Selection and Rims."
Risk: A vehicle with an incorrect maximum capacity weight value may be overloaded, which can increase the risk of a crash.
Fix: GST will mail new labels to owners, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed September 16, 2024. Owners may contact GST customer service at 1-800-444-1074. GST's number for this recall is 24R2.
NHTSA Campaign: 25V040000
Component: STEERING:COLUMN
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2023 Toyota Corolla, Corolla Cross, Corolla Cross Hybrid, Highlander, Highlander Hybrid, Tacoma, Lexus RX350, 2023-2024 NX250, and NX350 vehicles that may have been incorrectly repaired under previous NHTSA recall number 23V-480. An electrical connection inside the steering column's spiral cable assembly may be insufficiently welded, causing the connection to separate and deactivate the driver's air bag. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."
Risk: A deactivated driver's air bag will not deploy as intended, increasing the risk of injury during a crash.
Fix: Dealers will inspect and replace the spiral cable assembly as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 17, 2025. Owners may contact Toyota's customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's number for this recall is 25TA02. Lexus' number for this recall is 25LA02.
NHTSA Campaign: 25V595000
Component: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INSTRUMENT CLUSTER/PANEL
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2023-2024 Toyota Venza, 2023-2025 RAV4 Prime, RAV4, Highlander, GR Corolla, Crown, 2024-2025 Lexus TX, LS, Toyota Tacoma, Grand Highlander, and 2025 Lexus RX, Toyota Crown Signia, Camry, RAV 4 Plug-in Hybrid (PHEV), and 4 Runner vehicles. Due to an error in the instrument panel software at vehicle startup, the instrument panel may fail to display vehicle speed, brake system, and tire pressure warning lights.
Risk: An instrument panel display that does not show critical information can increase the risk of a crash or injury.
Fix: Dealers will update the instrument panel software for non-PHEV vehicles, free of charge. For PHEV vehicles, dealers will inspect the instrument panel assembly, and either replace it, or update the software, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed December 5, 2025. Owners may contact Toyota's customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's numbers for this recall are 25TB08 and 25TA08. Lexus' numbers for this recall are 25LB05 and 25LA05.
NHTSA Campaign: 25V744000
Component: BACK OVER PREVENTION:DISPLAY FUNCTION
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2022-2026 Toyota, Lexus, and Subaru Solterra vehicles equipped with a Panoramic View Monitor (PVM) system. Please see the recall report for a complete list of models. A software error may cause the rearview camera to freeze or display a blank screen when the vehicle is in reverse. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 111, "Rear Visibility."
Risk: A rearview camera that fails to display an image can reduce the driver's view behind the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will update the parking assist software, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed January 2, 2026. Owners may contact Toyota's customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's numbers for this recall are 25TB13 and 25LB06. Subaru's number for this recall is WRE25.
NHTSA Campaign: 26V128000
Component: SEATS:MID/REAR ASSEMBLY:RECLINER
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2021-2024 Highlander and Highlander Hybrid vehicles. The second-row seat backs may fail to lock into position during seat back adjustment.
Risk: A seat back that fails to lock may not properly restrain an occupant during a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
Fix: Dealers will replace the return springs in the seat back recliner assemblies, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed April 20, 2026. Owners may contact Toyota’s customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's numbers for this recall are 26TB06 and 26TA06.
Owner-Reported Issues (20 of 142)
Unknown Or Other →5 issues
Your rear hatch sometimes won't open when you request it, and when you press the close button, it often moves only an inch before beeping and stopping. You frequently need to press the button multiple times—up to 6 times—before the hatch finally closes completely. This has been happening almost daily for over 6 months, and it affects all three control methods: the key fob, the rear hatch button, and the dash button. The repair will likely involve diagnosing and replacing the power hatch motor, latch mechanism, or associated electrical components.
Parts you may need:
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Your sunroof suddenly shattered while driving over a bridge joint on the highway, spraying glass both inside and outside your vehicle. You reviewed your dashcam footage and found no evidence of an object hitting the sunroof, though the camera did show rough pavement near the bridge that caused vehicle vibration. The sunroof glass panel may have failed due to stress from the road impact or a manufacturing defect.
Parts you may need:
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Your infotainment system repeatedly displays pop-up screens asking you to sign in or subscribe to Toyota's Drive Connect service, which appear multiple times during short drives. These pop-ups force you to take your eyes off the road to tap small buttons and clear them before you can see your Apple CarPlay maps again. According to your mechanic, this feature cannot be disabled without purchasing a Toyota subscription service ($15-20/month), and appears to be a widespread issue among Toyota owners.
Parts you may need:
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Your tailgate motor is malfunctioning and making a loud squealing noise when you open it. When you try to close it automatically, it stops and beeps twice, then won't close no matter how many times you try. This prevents you from securing your cargo or closing the tailgate properly, which is a safety concern.
Parts you may need:
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Your instrument panel display may go blank when you start up your vehicle, which makes it harder to see warning lights and malfunction indicators. This issue has been confirmed by Toyota dealerships, but no remedy is currently available from the manufacturer. Getting the display to work properly may require a dashboard cluster repair or replacement.
Parts you may need:
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Electrical System →3 issues
Your Highlander's 12.3-inch dashboard display screen goes blank when you start the car, while driving, or when you try to use the screen's applications. This prevents you from seeing important warning lights and information about your vehicle's condition. Toyota has acknowledged this issue as a safety recall since September 2025, but as of February 2026, they don't have a fix available yet. The repair will likely involve a software update or replacement of the instrument cluster display unit once Toyota releases a solution.
Parts you may need:
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Your instrument panel isn't displaying important safety information while you're driving, and no warning lights are turning on to alert you. Toyota issued a recall (Campaign 25V595000) to fix this electrical system issue, but the repair parts aren't available yet, and the delay has gone longer than you feel is reasonable. The fix will likely involve replacing or reprogramming the instrument cluster electrical components once the parts become available.
Parts you may need:
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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.
Parts you may need:
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Power Train →2 issues
Your transfer case failed suddenly while you were stopped at a red light, even though your Highlander had only 65,000 miles and was within the first 3 years of ownership. The failure has left your vehicle unable to operate, and repair estimates have been very expensive. A transfer case replacement or rebuild will likely be necessary to get your car back on the road.
Parts you may need:
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Your car is experiencing delayed acceleration when you press the gas pedal, jerking movements when shifting between gears, and a whining noise coming from the transmission area. These issues together suggest a transmission problem that should be inspected soon. A transmission fluid check, filter replacement, or internal transmission service may be needed to resolve the jerking and noise.
Parts you may need:
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Structure →2 issues
Your front lower bumper cover assembly fell off while driving on the highway. You later received a recall notice for this exact issue (Safety Recall 23TA12). When you brought your vehicle to the dealership for the recall repair, they refused to perform it, claiming there was prior damage to the upper bumper—though you report only minor scratches with no dents or external damage that would prevent the repair. The dealership should be able to replace the front bumper cover assembly as part of the recall.
Parts you may need:
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Your Highlander is making an abnormal rattling or loose sound coming from behind the dashboard and the rear passenger-side door. The noise started after the vehicle was serviced at a dealership and continues to occur while driving. The dealer was unable to determine the cause and the vehicle was not repaired.
Parts you may need:
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Air Bags,unknown Or Other →1 issue
Your airbags did not deploy when your vehicle hit a deer at 55 mph, even though a sheriff deputy and tow truck driver said they should have. The vehicle's black box data showed no incident was recorded, and Toyota says the accident didn't meet the parameters to trigger deployment, but you believe the computer itself may be defective. This suggests a potential failure in the airbag system's ability to detect and respond to a serious collision.
Parts you may need:
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Air Bags,forward Collision Avoidance →1 issue
You were involved in a collision at 44 mph when another vehicle turned in front of you on the highway. Your car's airbags did not deploy during the impact, even though the other vehicle's airbags deployed. This suggests a potential failure in your airbag system's ability to detect and respond to the crash.
Parts you may need:
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Wheels →1 issue
You took your Highlander to a Toyota dealer on November 24 to diagnose a noise in the front end. The dealer confirmed hearing the noise but said the vehicle was safe to drive and made no repairs. Ten days later, on December 10, your front driver wheel completely detached while being driven at highway speed. The dealer should have identified and fixed the underlying cause of the noise before this dangerous failure occurred.
Parts you may need:
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Seats →1 issue
Your 2023 Toyota Highlander is subject to a safety recall (Campaign 26V128000) involving the seats. The dealer confirmed that the replacement parts needed for this recall are not yet available, so the repair couldn't be completed. The manufacturer has not yet been notified by you of this delay. The recall repair involves replacing or repairing seat components to address a potential safety issue.
Parts you may need:
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Service Brakes →1 issue
Your Highlander Hybrid's brakes may suddenly feel different and lose pressure when slowing down to a stop, especially on hills or in heavy traffic, causing the vehicle to lunge forward and requiring you to press the brake pedal very hard to stop. This problem occurs during the transition between regenerative and hydraulic braking at low speeds. The repair may involve a software update or recalibration of the hybrid braking system to smooth the transition between the two braking types.
Parts you may need:
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Visibility/wiper →1 issue
Your rear window spontaneously shattered while you were driving on the freeway in light rain shortly after turning on the rear defrost. There were no warning signs or symptoms before it happened. The repair will likely involve replacing the entire rear window glass.
Parts you may need:
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Seat Belts →1 issue
Your seat belt warning alarm keeps chiming even though your seat belts are properly buckled. Turning the vehicle off and on, or re-fastening the seat belts doesn't stop the alarm. The dealer has inspected the vehicle three times but hasn't been able to figure out what's causing the problem or fix it.
Parts you may need:
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Vehicle Speed Control →1 issue
Your car is slow to accelerate and jerks or shakes before it starts moving smoothly. This delayed response and rough behavior during acceleration may indicate an issue with how your engine or transmission is delivering power to the wheels.
Parts you may need:
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