2012 Toyota Highlander
Problems, recalls and owner-reported issues
Steering is the leading concern among 191 owner complaints filed for this model year. This is the 16th highest complaint count among 25 Highlander model years with reports.
Of the 2012 reports, 16 involved a crash and 3 involved a fire. 13 people were injured.
What owners report most often
Recalls and investigations
Equipment, other, labelsApr 9, 2013
Southeast Toyota is recalling certain model year 2008 and 2010-2013 Toyota Tundra, 2010-2012 Rav4, 2012 Toyota Sequoia, 2010-2011 Toyota Corolla, 2010-2011 Toyota Camry and Camry Hybrid, 2010-2013 Toyota Highlander and Highlander Hybrid, 2010-2013 Toyota FJ Cruiser, 2011 Toyota Land Cruiser, 2010-2013 Toyota Venza, 2010-2011 Toyota 4Runner, 2010-2013 Toyota Tacoma, 2011-2012 Toyota Sienna, 2012 Toyota Prius, 2013 Scion FR-S, 2011 Scion XD, 2011 Scion XB, and 2012 Scion TC vehicles. These vehicles were sold with labels that were outside the allowable one percent of accuracy of actual weight added. Thus, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) Number 110, "Tire Selection and Rims."
An inaccurate label could lead to owners overloading their vehicles and tires. An overloaded vehicle can result in a tire failure which may result in a vehicle crash, personal injury, or property damage.
Southeast Toyota will notify owners and provide a corrected label with instructions concerning its installation. A small group of the affected vehicles will need additonal remedies which are still being developed. The recall began on May 28, 2013. Owners may contact Southeast Toyota at 1-800-301-6859.
Campaign 13V123000 on NHTSA.gov
Air bags, frontal, sensor/control module-inactiveJan 16, 2013
Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC (SET) is recalling certain models interspersed through model years 2009 through 2013 as follows: model year 2009-2012 Tacoma, 4Runner, Camry, Camry Hybrid, Prius, and RAV4; model year 2009-2010 Avalon, FJ Cruiser, and Highlander Hybrid; model year 2010-2013 model year Corolla, Sienna and Tundra; model year 2009-2013 Highlander and Venza; model year 2012 Prius V; and model year 2010-2012 Sequoia. During modification by SET to include accessories such as leather seat covers, seat heaters or headrest DVD systems, these vehicles may not have had the passenger seat occupant sensing system calibration tested. Without passing the calibration test, the occupant sensing system may not operate as designed.
If the front passenger seat occupant sensing system is out of calibration, the front passenger airbags may not deploy or they may deploy inappropriately for the passenger's size and position. This could increase the risk of personal injury during the event of a vehicle crash necessitating airbag deployment.
Southeast Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will test the sensitivity of the occupant detection sensors, and recalibrate them as necessary. The recall began on March 21, 2013. Owners may contact Southeast Toyota at 1-800-301-6859.
Campaign 13V014000 on NHTSA.gov
Representative owner complaints: steering
47 reports, newest first. Show all
Steering, Jun 9, 2021
Popping and clunking sound in steering or suspension. Can be produced at speeds and at stand still. Could it be this? https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/tsbs/2013/SB-10075792-2280.pdf https://www.carcomplaints.com/Toyota/Highlander/2013/steering/steering.shtml NHTSA Action Number: EA18006 https://www.consumerclasslawyersblog.com/snap-crackle-pop-intermediate-shaft-noise-coming-from-toyota-highlanders/
Steering, Mar 1, 2021
WHEN I DRIVE THE VEHICLE YOU CAN HEAR A CLUNKING SOUND IN THE STEERING COLUMN. IT HAPPENS AT LOW AND HIGH SPEEDS. WHEN MAKE A TURN RIGHT, OR LEFT YOU HEAR CLUNKING IS THE STEERING COLUMN. IT FEELS LIKE THE STEERING WANTS TO COME OFF, TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AND THEY STATE TO FIX IT WILL COST OVER 1000$. I HEAD THERE WAS A DEFECT IN THE STEERING COLUMN WHICH TOYOTA KNOWS ABOUT, BUT HAS NOT DONE ANYTHING TO RECALL AND FIX THE PROBLEM.
Steering, Oct 18, 2020
CRUNCH NOISE IN THE STEERING COLUMN WHEN MAKING TURNS.
Steering, Aug 8, 2020
IT MAKES A LOUD CLICKING NOISE WHEN YOU STEER AT ALL TIMES
Steering, Aug 4, 2020
STEERING SHAFT CLUNKING NOISE WHEN TURN LEFT OR RIGHT AT LOW SPEED. CONFIRMED STEERING INTERMEDIATE SHAFT FAILURE BY IRA TOYOTA TECHNICIAN ON 7/31/2020 . THIS IS 3RD TIMES FAILURE. 1ST FAILURE WAS JAN/2012 AND 2ND TIME FAILURE WAS 11/2013.
Steering, Jul 21, 2020
HAD TO INSTALL A NEW STEERING SHAFT ASSEMBLY AT THE 5TH YR INSPECTION. THE WARRANTY WAS UP, HAD TO PAY $451.82 MYSELF. PROBLEM AND NOISE FROM DAY ONE. TOLD I COULD HAVE BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT FROM IT. THIS WAS ON 3/29/2017 AT DIEHL AUTOMOTIVE IN BUTLER, PA. ALWAYS CLANKED WHEN TURNING WHEEL, LOUD NOISE. 1ST TIME IT WAS BROUGHT TO MY ATTENTION. MANY OTHERS OUT THERE SAME WAY.
Steering, Jul 16, 2020
WHEN TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL TO THE LEFT OR RIGHT A POPPING NOISE OCCURS AT LOW SPEED.
Steering, Jun 8, 2020
STEERING WHEEL IS CLUNKING WHEN TURNING LEFT OR RIGHT. SEE A LOT OF PROBLEMS WITH THIS ON THE INTERNET. NOISE DEFINITELY COMING FROM THE STEERING WHEEL ASSEMBLY. *TR
Steering, Dec 3, 2019
NOTICED A SUBTLE KNOCKING SOUND ON THE STEERING WHEEL ONE YEAR AGO. TODAY IT BECAME MORE PRONOUNCED ,LOUDER , AS I TURN THE WHEEL EITHER LEFT OR RIGHT. I WANTED TO KNOW IF THERE IS A RECALL ON THIS PROBLEM. AND IS IT SAFE TO DRIVE MY HIGHLANDER ?
Steering, Nov 19, 2019
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER. WHEN THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO TURN THE VEHICLE TO THE LEFT OR RIGHT, THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED. IN ORDER TO RELEASE THE STEERING WHEEL, THE CONTACT HAD TO RETRACT THE STEERING WHEEL QUICKLY TO THE POINT THAT IT WOULD SEIZE. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO WEST COAST TOYOTA (LOCATED AT 3399 W. WILLOW ST, LONG BEACH, CA 90806) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE STEERING COLUMN FAILED. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND REFERRED THE CONTACT TO THE DEALER. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 150,000. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN.
Steering, Oct 18, 2019
MY 2012 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER STARTED MAKING POPPING NOISES WHEN TURNING RIGHT IN JUNE 2019, LESS THAN 100 THOUSAND MILES. THIS MONTH OCTOBER 2019, JUST ROLLED OVER TO 100,000 AND THE POPPING HAS GOTTEN WORSE(LOUDER) AND NOW POPS WHEN TURNING LEFT AND RIGHT. WE NEVER THOUGHT TOYOTA WOULD NEVER STAND BEHIND A CAR WITH SUCH A SAFETY ISSUE. NOTHING HAS HAPPENED YET! BUT IF SOMETHING DOES, GUARANTEED MY CHILDREN WILL NOT STOP UNTIL SOMETHING HAS APPROPRIATELY BEEN DONE..
Steering, Jul 29, 2019
WHILE TURNING THE WHEEL, THERE IS A LOUD POPPING NOISE. THE STEERING ASSEMBLY ALSO FEELS LOOSE WHEN TURNING. THIS HAPPENS AT ALL SPEEDS AND WHETHER TURNING LEFT OR RIGHT.
Steering, Jul 7, 2019
WHILE TURNING STEERING COLUMN WAS MAKING LIGHT CLICKING NOISE FOR A FEW YEARS. IN 2019 CLICKING RATE AND VOLUME INCREASED AND WAS ACCOMPANIED BY A DEFINITE FEEL IN THE COLUMN. RESOLUTION WAS REPLACING INTERMEDIATE STEERING SHAFT AT A COST OF FOUR HUNDRED AND FORTY FOUR DOLLARS.
Steering, Jul 1, 2019
STEERING COLUMN MAKING TICKING SOUND. TOOK TO A MECHANIC AND HE STATED KNUCKLE JOINT IS BAD. HAPPENS WHEN DRIVING. POTENTIALLY COULD CAUSE STEERING TOFAIL
Steering, Suspension, May 31, 2019
FOR SEVERAL MONTHS NOW I HAVE BEEN HEARING A CLUCKING NOISE WHEN TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL LEFT OR RIGHT AND UPON BREAKING A THUD SOUND IN THE FRONT OF MY CAR. AFTER TAKING MY CAR IN TO THE DEALERSHIP THEY CAME BACK AND SAID THAT THE NOISE WAS COMING FROM THE INTERMEDIATE SHAFT. I ASKED WELL HOW DO YOU DAMAGE A WHOLE INTERMEDIATE SHAFT? THEY SAID IT OCCURS OVER A PERIOD OF TIME. MY VEHICLE HAS 92,000 MILES ON IT BUT ITS BEEN MAINTAINED AND SERVICED AND NOT DRIVEN ROUGHLY BUT TO MAKE A LONG STORY SHORT THEY SAID IT WOULD COST ME ABOUT $615.00 TO HAVE THE VEHICLE REPAIRED PLUS AN ADDITIONAL $89.95 FOR THE ALIGNMENT. THIS APPEARS TO BE A MANUFACTURE ISSUE AND NEEDS TO HAVE A RECALL. I'M VERY DISAPPOINTED IN TOYOTA SINCE THEY PRIDE THEMSELVES AS BEING ONE OF THE LEADING AUTO MAKERS AROUND THE WORLD.
Steering, May 6, 2019
WHILE OPERATING THE VEHICLE AND TRAVELING AT LESS THAN 20 MILES PER HOUR, A POPPING NOISE WAS PRESENT WHEN TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL IN EITHER DIRECTION. I TOOK IT TO A LOCAL MECHANIC AND IT WAS DIAGNOSED AS A INTERMEDIATE STEERING SHAFT PROBLEM AND WAS TOLD IT SHOULD BE REPLACED. THE PROBLEM WAS FIRST DETECTED AT ABOUT 55,000 MILES.
Steering, Apr 30, 2019
UPON TURNING STEERING WHEEL, EVEN SLIGHTLY, AN OBVIOUS "CLUNKING" NOISE IS HEARD AND FELT THROUGH THE STEERING COLUMN. THE MILEAGE ON THE CAR WAS APPROXIMATELY 62K. AT 70K I AM HAVING IT REPAIRED ALTHOUGH I WAS TOLD THERE WASN'T A SAFETY ISSUE. THE SOUND SEEMS TO HAVE INCREASED IN THE LAST 8K MILES.
Steering, Apr 2, 2019
I PURCHASED THIS CAR BRAND NEW, I'VE BEEN THE ONLY OWNER/DRIVER. WITH IN THE 3RD YEAR OF HAVING THIS CAR, I START TO HEAR A ( CLANKING) NOISE. THE FIRST THING THAT I THOUGHT WAS , THAT IT WAS THE CV JOINTS. I REALIZE THAT I WAS CLOSE TO THE 36,000 MILES. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER, THEY CHECKED IT AND THEY SAID THEY COULDN'T FIND ANYTHING, BUT THAT THEY WOULD CHANGE THE CV JOINTS SINCE IT WAS STILL UNDER WARRANTY. EVENTHOUGH THEY DID MAKE CHANGE, I CAN STILL HEAR THE NOISE WHEN I TURN EITHER RIGHT OR LEFT ON THE STEERING WHEEL. I WENT BACK AND STILL THEY COULDN'T FIND ANYTHING WRONG. I TOOK IT TO ANOTHER MECHANIC AND THEY SAID IT WAS THE SHAFT. I WENT TO THE DEALER AND THEY SAID THEY COULDN'T FIND ANYTHING , SO I WOULD HAVE TO PAY OUT OF POCKET. TILL THIS DAY I STILL HEAR THE CLANKING NOISE.
Steering, Mar 12, 2019
STEERING SHAFT- AFTER EXPERIENCING CLUNKING AND POPPING WHEN TURNING THE WHEEL AT LOW SPEEDS THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED AND FOUND THAT THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE WITH THE STEERING SHAFT ASSEMBLY. THIS WILL COST APPROXIMATELY 1000 DOLLARS TO FIX. THIS CAN CAUSE MAJOR SAFETY ISSUES IF NOT FIXED!
Steering, Mar 11, 2019
WHEN TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL ON MY 2012 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER I EXPERIENCE A "POP" IN THE STEERING WHEEL. MY MECHANIC SAYS THIS IS A RECURRING PROBLEM WITH THE INTERMEDIATE STEERING SHAFT BUT IS NOT WARRANTED BY TOYOTA NOTWITHSTANDING THE FACT IT IS A KNOWN AND COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS YEAR VEHICLE. IF LEFT UNREPAIRED IT COULD CAUSE A SIGNIFICANT SAFETY PROBLEM.
Steering, Mar 5, 2019
HEARING A NOISE WHEN TURNING LEFT OR RIGHT AT LOW SPEED. STARTED AROUND WHEN IT WAS AROUND 45000 MILES BUT TOYOTA DEALERSHIP WAS UNABLE TO RECOGNISE IT OR REPRODUCE IT. NOW AT 63000 MILES VEHICLE IS OUT OF WARRANTY AND SERVICE CHARGE FOR REPLACING STEERING SHAFT IS ABOUT $1000, WHICH HAS TO BE SERVICED UNDER WARRANTY WHEN THE ISSUE ARISED. THIS IS A BIG SEVERE FAILURE ON TOYOTA SAFTEY CHECK AND HAS TO BE RECALLED AS MORE AND MORE CUSTOMERS HAVE THE SAME ISSUE.
Steering, Feb 6, 2019
STEERING MAKES NOISE (CLANKS) UNDER TURNING AND ACCELERATION. I SPOKE WITH TOYOTA AND THERE IS A TSB FOR THE STEERING COLUMN WHICH HAS SEVERAL REPORTED FAILURES AND MANY COMPLAINS. THERE IS AN ONGOING NHTSA ENGINEERING INVESTIGATION. TOYOTA DEALERSHIP WANTS AROUND $1000 TO REPAIR.
Steering, Jan 7, 2019
WHEN TURNING STEERING WHEEL LEFT OR RIGHT, CLUNKING AND POPPING NOISES ARE HEARD. VIBRATION AND PULSING FELT THROUGH STEERING WHEEL WHILE TURNING. INFORMED DEALER. THEY CHECKED IT AND SAID IT WAS THE INTERMEDIATE STEERING SHAFT. THIS HAPPENS WHILE THE VEHICLE IS MOVING AT ANY SPEED.
Steering, Dec 30, 2018
HAVE NOISE IN STEERING SHAFT AT LOW SPEED WHEN TURNING AND BACKING UP AND PULLING FORWARD . TOYOTA DEALER CHECKED AT 50,000 MILE WHILE STILL UNDER WARRANTY AND SAID THEY COULD NOT DUPLICATE NOISE . WHEN HAVING OIL CHANGE AT 62000 MILES MENTIONED IT AGAIN TO SERVICE MAN AND WAS TOLD IT PROBABLY IS THE STEERING INTERMEDIATE SHAFT THEY ALWAYS GO BAD IN THAT YEAR AND TOYOTA WILL NOT REPLACE UNLESS I PAY FOR IT. HAVE BEEN IN TOUCH WITH TOYOTA DIRECTLY AND THEY HAD THE DEALER CALKL ME TWICE TO SET UP APPOINTMENT TO LOOK AT THE CAR. WHEN I WAS TOLD THAT I WOULD HAVE TO PAY A DIAGNOSTIC FEE TO SEE WHAT IS WRONG AND WOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR ANY REPAIRS ,I DECLINED ,WAS TOLD THEN THEY WERE GOING TO GET BACK TO TOYOTA FACTORY REPRESENTATIVE , THIS WAS THE WEEK OF 12/10 2018
Steering, Dec 26, 2018
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS EXPERIENCING STEERING FAILURE. FREEDOM TOYOTA OF HARRISBURG (6060 ALLENTOWN BLVD, HARRISBURG, PA 17112, (717) 545-4726) WAS CONTACTED, BUT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH, THE INTERMEDIATE SHAFT SEPARATED FROM THE STEERING COLUMN. THE VEHICLE WAS PULLED OVER AND TOWED BACK TO THE DEALER TO BE DIAGNOSED. THE MANUFACTURER HAD BEEN CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 62,000. *DT*JB