2001 Toyota Highlander
Problems, recalls and owner-reported issues
Visibility is the leading concern among 136 owner complaints filed for this model year. This is the 20th highest complaint count among 25 Highlander model years with reports.
Of the 2001 reports, 19 involved a crash and 2 involved a fire. 11 people were injured.
What owners report most often
Recalls and investigations
Latches/locks/linkages, doors, latchApr 15, 2004
CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES HAVE A CHILD PROTECTION LOCK (CPL) SYSTEM ON BOTH OF THE REAR SIDE DOORS. WHEN AN OPERATOR OF THE VEHICLE CLOSES THE DOOR VERY HARD WITH THE CPL LEVER SET TO THE LOCK POSITION, THERE IS A POSSIBILITY THAT THE LEVER MAY CONTACT THE BODY PANEL, CAUSING THE CPL LEVER TO MOVE INTO THE UNLOCK POSITION.
THIS CONDITION COULD ALLOW THE DOOR TO BE OPENED WITH THE INSIDE WHILE THE OPERATOR BELIEVES THAT THE CPL WAS ACTIVATED. IF THE DOOR WERE OPENED FROM THE INSIDE WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION, AN OCCUPANT COULD FALL OUT AND BE INJURED.
DEALERS WILL SHORTEN THE CPL LEVER. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN MAY 7, 2004. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT TOYOTA AT 1-800-331-4331.
Campaign 04V181000 on NHTSA.gov
Fuel system, gasoline, storage, tank assembly, mountingJul 30, 2002
ON SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, THERE IS A BREATHER HOSE THAT ATTACHES TO THE NOZZLE OF THE ON-BOARD REFUELING VAPOR RECOVERY (ORVR) VALVE, WHICH IS LOCATED ON THE TOPSIDE OF THE FUEL TANK. THE BREATHER HOSE IS ATTACHED WITH A CLAMP, WHOSE "TABS" FACE IN THE UPWARD DIRECTION. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS CRASHED UNDER THE NEW CAR ASSESSMENT PROGRAM (NCAP) TEST (I.E., 35 MPH FRONTAL BARRIER CRASH), THE CLAMP "TABS" CONTACTED THE UNDERSIDE OF THE BODY DUE TO MOVEMENT OF THE FUEL TANK, CAUSING THE NOZZLE TO BREAK.
IN THE WORST CASE, NOZZLE BREAKAGE COULD RESULT IN FUEL LEAKAGE IF THE VEHICLE ROLLS-OVER AFTER A HIGH SPEED FRONTAL CRASH.
DEALERS WILL ROTATE THE SPECIFIED CLAMP. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN SEPTEMBER 23, 2002. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT TOYOTA AT 1-800-331-4331.
Campaign 02V208000 on NHTSA.gov
Service brakes, hydraulic, foundation components, master cylinderJul 5, 2001
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: SPORT UTIITY VEHICLES. THE RESERVOIR FILLER CAP OF THE BRAKE MASTER CYLINDER MAY INDUCE A VACUUM, INTRODUCING SOME AIR INTO THE BRAKE MASTER CYLINDER RESERVOIR. THIS COULD CAUSE ABNORMAL BRAKE NOISE AND INCREASED PEDAL STROKE WHEN THE BRAKES ARE APPLIED.
THE INCREASED PEDAL STROKE WILL LENGTHEN THE STOPPING DISTANCE OF THE VEHICLE, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
DEALERS WILL BLEED THE AIR FROM THE BRAKE LINES AND REPLACE THE RESERVOIR FILLER CAP. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN JULY 30, 2001. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT TOYOTA AT 1-800-331-4331.
Campaign 01V228000 on NHTSA.gov
Representative owner complaints: power train
13 reports, newest first. Show all
Power train, Sep 26, 2013, crash
ON WED, 4 SEP 2013 AT APPROXIMATELY 12:00, I PARKED MY CAR IN THE DRIVEWAY AND GOT OUT OF THE CAR TO PICK UP MAIL. AFTER PICKING UP THE MAIL, I RETURNED TO THE CAR AND LEANED OVER THE CAR TO RETRIEVE MY PURSE FROM THE PASSENGER SEAT WHEN MY SUV STARTED ROLLING BACKWARDS. MY CAR WHICH WAS ON AN INCLINE IN MY DRIVEWAY KEPT ROLLING BACKWARDS. I FELL ON MY BACK ON THE CONCRETE DRIVEWAY AND THE FRONT TIRE OF MY CAR ROLLED OVER MY LEFT THIGH. THE CAR ROLLED BACK AND STOPPED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STREET. MY NEIGHBOR ACROSS THE STREET CALLED 911. *JS
Power train, Jul 20, 2012
AS MY WIFE WAS SLOWING THE VEHICLE TO A STOP IN A PARKING LOT, THE VEHICLE SEEMED TO EXPERIENCE AN ACCELERATION ON ITS OWN. SHE FELT AS IF THE ACCELERATOR GOT STUCK SO SHE IMMEDIATELY PRESSED BRAKE WITH HER LEFT FOOT AND ACCELERATOR WITH THE RIGHT FOOT IN AN EFFORT TO 'RELEASE' THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL. THIS WAS A REFLEX MOVE ON HER PART BECAUSE IT HAPPENED SO FAST. THE VEHICLE HOPPED OVER THE PARKING LOT CURB, LANDED ON THE GRASS AND CAME TO A STOP. I WAS STANDING 50 FEET FROM THE CAR WHEN THIS HAPPENED. THE ONLY THING I NOTICED WAS A BRAKING SOUND AND WHEN I TURNED AROUND THE CAR HAD HOPPED AND WAS ON THE GRASS. WE TOOK THE CAR TO THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP WHO COULDN'T FIND THE CAUSE OR REPLICATE THE PROBLEM. THEY SAID THERE'S NO PROBLEM WITH THE CAR. A MONTH HAS GONE BY SINCE THE INCIDENT AND THERE HASN'T BEEN ANYTHING UNUSUAL WITH THE CAR SINCE. *TR
Power train, Vehicle speed control, Mar 20, 2012, crash
I WAS BACKING OUT OF THE GARAGE WHEN THE CAR ACCELERATED. I KEPT HITTING THE BRAKE AND IT FINALLY STOPPED. I PUT THE CAR BACK INTO DRIVE AND IT ACCELERATED AGAIN. I TRIED HITTING THE BRAKE AND IT WOULDN'T STOP UNTIL IT HIT THE GARAGE DOOR. I DON'T KNOW HOW FAST IT WAS GOING, BUT IT SEEMED LIKE IT WAS GOING AT AN EXCESSIVE SPEED. *KB
Power train, Jan 29, 2008, crash
WHEN SHIFTED TO REVERSE GEAR FROM PARKED CONDITION CAR ACCELERATED AND CAUSED CRASH TO THE REAR OF THE CAR TO WALL. *CN
Power train, Jul 21, 2006
I OWN A 2001 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER, 85000 MILES. 3 WEEKS AGO THE TRANSMISSION FAILED. I CALLED THE TOYOTA DEALERSHIP AND WAS TOLD THEY COULD NOT HELP ME. I HAD A TRANSMISSION SHOP REBUILD THE TRANSMISSION AND WHEN TAKING IT APART, THEY FOUND 4 PLANETARY GEARS THAT HAD SUSTAINED RANDOM BREAKING AND CHIPPING. THIS APPEARS TO BE A QUALITY ISSUE. I HAVE REPORTED THIS TO TOYOTA AT CORPORATE AND DEALERSHIP LEVELS AND REQUESTED I BE INFORMED OF ANY SECRET WARRANTIES THAT EXIST TO COVER THIS EXPENSE. I HAVE NOT YET RECEIVED A RESPONSE.
Power train, Nov 12, 2004
2001 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER, V6 ENGINE, AUTO TRANSMISSION. THERE IS A DEFINITE HESITATION/LAG/DELAY IN SHIFTING AND ACCELERATION. THIS CONDITION HAPPENS ALMOST ALL OF THE TIME AND CREATES A REAL SAFETY CONCERN. MODERATE ACCELERATION WILL PRODUCE THIS CONDITION. TOYOTA IS AWARE OF THIS CONDITION BUT IS DOING NOTHING TO CORRECT IT. *JB
Power train, Mar 26, 2003
I BOUGHT MY 2001 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER IN AUGUST 2001..........AT 15 MONTHS/50,000 MILES MY TRANSMISSION STARTED LEAKING AND WHEN IT STARTED SLIPPING TOYOTA RAPIDLY REPLACED MY TRANSMISSION. A LEAK WAS DETERMINED WITHIN WEEKS OF THE REPLACEMENT AND THE TORQUE CONVERTER SEAL (TCS) HAD TO BE REPLACED. UPON REPLACING THE TCS THE DRIVE SHAFT WAS FOUND TO BE DAMAGED AND HAD TO BE REPLACED. HAS THE HIGHLANDER REQUIRED TRANSMISSION REPLACEMENTS?*JB
Power train, Jan 30, 2002
HARMONIC NOISE FROM BENEATH CAR AT 30 MPH WITH POWER APPLIED, SIMILAR NOISE, OF LESSENED MAGITUDE AT 60 MPH. DEALER REPLACED REAR DIFFERENTIAL AND THEN TRANSMISSION. NOISE REMAINS. DEALER SAYS LEXUS RX300, WITH SAME TRANSMISSION, HAS HAD SAME PROBLEM. UNKNOWN CAUSE AS YET. *AK
Power train, Nov 4, 2001
THE DESIGN OF THE AUTOMATIC SHIFTER PLACES IT ALMOST DIRECTLY OVER THE CUP HOLDERS OF THE CENTER CONSOLE. USING THE CUPHOLDERS MAKES ACCIDENTIAL CONTACT WITH THE SHIFT LEVER VERY LIKELY, AND WHEN THIS HAPPENS THE SHIFTER CAN BE EASILY KNOCKED OUT OF DRIVE AND INTO NEUTRAL. THERE IS NO DETENT OR OTHER RESTRICTION TO KEEP A SLIGHT BRUSH WITH THE SHIFTER FROM ALLOWING THE LEVER TO MOVE FROM DRIVE TO NEUTRAL. THIS HAS HAPPEND TO ME THREE TIMES, EVEN THOUGH I AM TRYING TO AVOID THIS ACCIDENTAL CONTACT.*AK
Power train, Oct 25, 2001
THIS COMPLAINT RELATES TO A DESIGN DEFECT WHICH MAKES THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER AND ESPECIALLY THE SPEEDOMETER UNREADABLE A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF THE TIME WHEN THE DRIVER IS WEARING SUNGLASSES. I CANT'T DRIVE WITHOUT SUNGLASSES. THE PROBLEM IS THAT THERE IS NOT ENOUGH LIGHT INCIDENT ON THE RECESSED INSTRUMENTS TO MAKE THEM READABLE UNDER THESE CONDITIONS. THIS VEHICLE LIKE ALL IN THE SOUTHEAST U.S AND LOTS OF OTHER AREAS HAS THE TINTED "PRIVACY GLASS" INSTALLED ON THE REAR WINDOWS WHICH CONTRIBUTES TO LESS LIGHT INSIDE THE VEHICLE. I BELIEVE THAT THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE IN THAT I DEPEND ON THE SPEEDOMETER TO KNOW HOW FAST I AM GOING WHEN ENTERING CURVES, ON-RAMPS, ETC. THE VEHICLE IS TOO SMOOTH AND QUIET TO JUDGE SPEED ANY OTHER WAY. THIS COULD BE INEXPENSIVELY FIXED JUST BY HAVING THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER LIGHTS ON ALL THE TIME.
Power train, Oct 23, 2001
SPEEDOMETER STOPPED (WENT TO ZERO) WHILE CAR OPERATING AT 65 MPH. REGISTERED COMPLAINT WITH TOYOTA, WHO ADVISED IT WAS ACCEPTABLE DEFECT, AND WOULD NOT FIX THE PROBLEM.
Power train, Oct 23, 2001
HARD GEAR CHANGE, DRAG WHEN COASTING (LIKE GEAR DOWN), POOR ACCELERATION. TOYOTA IGNORES THE PROBLEM; THEY SAY IT IS ACCEPTABLE. *AK
Power train, Oct 23, 2001
DEFECTIVE TRANSMISSION FROM DATE OF PURCHASE. IT TOOK TOYOTA 2 MONTHS TO FINALLY FIX IT. I AM NOT SATISFIED WITH THE SERVICE FROM TOYOTA. *AK