2013 Toyota Highlander
Problems, recalls and owner-reported issues
Steering is the leading concern among 212 owner complaints filed for this model year. This is the 14th highest complaint count among 25 Highlander model years with reports.
Of the 2013 reports, 26 involved a crash. 12 people were injured.
What owners report most often
Recalls and investigations
SeatsMar 27, 2014
Toyota is recalling certain model year 2013 Highlander vehicles manufactured March 13, 2013, through August 6, 2013. In the affected vehicles, the second row left hand seat may not lock in place when positioned in the forward front or second adjusting position. As such, the vehicles do not conform to Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 207, "Seating Systems."
If the seat does not lock into the seat track, there may be an increased risk of injury to an occupant in the event of a crash.
Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will modify the second row left hand seat so that it will lock into the seat track, free of charge. The recall began on May 21, 2014. Owners may contact Toyota at 1-800-331-4331.
Campaign 14V148000 on NHTSA.gov
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
212 reports, newest first.
Vehicle speed control, Engine, Nov 2, 2013
AT TOTALLY RANDOM TIMES, AFTER A FEW MILES OF DRIVING OR FROM A SLOW SPEED, VEHICLE HESITATES WHEN ACCELERATING. MOST ANNOYING AND DANGEROUS IS THE WAY IT DOESN'T RESPOND TO THE ACCELERATOR FOR A FEW SECONDS AFTER STOPPING AT A STOP SIGN OR STOP LIGHT OR WHEN GOING SLOWLY AS IN ENTERING THE FREEWAY. TOOK VEHICLE TO TOYOTA DEALERSHIP AND OF COURSE VEHICLE RAN FINE FOR THE TIME THEY DROVE IT. TECH CHECKED FOR ANY TROUBLE CODES AND NONE WERE FOUND. THIS PROBLEM SEEMS LIKE AN ACCIDENT WAITING TO HAPPEN. HAVE GOTTEN NOTHING BUT THE RUN-AROUND AND DENIAL FROM THE NATIONAL TOYOTA "CASE MANAGER". (AT FIRST I THOUGHT THIS HESITATION OCCURRED BECAUSE THE VEHICLE WAS NEW, BUT AFTER 5,000 MILES, I AM STILL EXPERIENCING THE SAME ISSUE AT RANDOM TIMES.) *TR
Exterior lighting, Oct 22, 2013
WHEN THE HEADLIGHTS ARE ON DIM, VISIBILITY IS NOT ADEQUATE. A DISTINCT BLACK LINE APPEARS ACROSS THE HORIZON ABOVE WHICH THE DRIVER CANNOT SEE. *TR
Exterior lighting, Visibility/wiper, Oct 18, 2013
I PURCHASED THE TOYOTA HIGHLANDER IN DECEMBER OF 2012. IMMEDIATELY WE KNEW SOMETHING WAS WRONG WITH THE HEADLIGHTS. THEY ARE FOCUSED DOWN TOWARD THE ROAD AND HAVE A LINE OF "SHADE" ABOVE. THE HIGHLANDER LIGHTS ARE SO DIM, WE DON'T KNOW IF THEY ARE WORKING. WE ARE "OVERDRIVING" OUR VISIBILITY AT NIGHT AND WE CANNOT SEE ANY ROAD SIGNS BECAUSE THE LIGHTS ARE FOCUSED TO FAR DOWN THEY DO NOT ILLUMINATE SIGNS ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. IN ADDITION, IN HILLY AREAS, THEY ONLY ILLUMINATE THE BOTTOM OF THE HILL (AND THE SHADED PART IS ABOVE) SO YOU CANNOT SEE WHERE YOU ARE HEADED.THE TOPS OF THE HILLS ARE COMPLETELY BLOCKED BY THE "SHADED" PART. THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION! ALSO, THEY DO NOT GET WARM, SO THE SNOW AND ICE ACCUMULATES ON THESE LIGHTS AND OBSCURES VISIBILITY EVEN FURTHER! I HAVE OWNED MANY MANY CARS, INCLUDING SEVERAL TOYOTA'S AND HAVE NEVER HAD A HEADLIGHT PROBLEM. I DO NOT KNOW WHAT TO DO WITH THIS CAR AS I CANNOT DRIVE IT AT NIGHT. *TR
Air bags, Vehicle speed control, Service brakes, Oct 2, 2013, crash
PULLING INTO PARKING SPACE - BRAKES APPLIED - CAR LURCHED FORWARD (UNINTENDED ACCELERATION) - BRAKES DID NOT ENGAGE - CAR JUMPED THE CURB, CROSSED THE SIDEWALK AND HIT A TREE - AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY. *TR
Equipment, Sep 19, 2013
WHILE DRIVING TO MICHIGAN FROM ILLINOIS WHILE USING VEHICLE BUILD IN JBL NAVIGATION UNIT ON A NEWLY PURCHASED 2013 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER LIMITED WITH ONLY 300 MILES AT THE TIME, IN THE MIDDLE OF THE TRIP NAVIGATION UNIT REBOOTED/CRASHED AFTER COMING BACK UP THE PROGRAMMED DIRECTIONS WERE LOST, SINCE THIS NAVIGATION UNIT HAS A PROGRAMMED SAFETY FEATURE THE DESTINATION CANNOT BE RE-PROGRAMMED WHILE DRIVING, WE HAVE TO EXIT THE HIGHWAY AND STOP TO REPROGRAM THE DESTINATION AGAIN, ALSO THE SAME ISSUE HAPPENED ON THE WAY BACK. TOYOTA CUSTOMER SERVICE HAS BEEN CONTACTED AND THE CASE WAS OPEN (#1308280087) THEY ADVISE ME TO TAKE THE VEHICLE TO A DEALER, SO THE DEALER CAN CONTACT TOYOTA TECHNICIAN AND TRY TO ISOLATE AN ISSUE. SERVICE MANAGER CONTACTED THE TECHNICIAN WHO STATED THE PROBLEM HAS TO BE REPRODUCED; OTHERWISE THERE IS NOTHING THEY CAN DO. LOOKS LIKE THIS ISSUE ONLY HAPPENS ON LONG TRIPS, WHICH IS IMPOSSIBLE FOR THE DEALER TO REPRODUCE USING MY VEHICLE. TOYOTA CUSTOMER SERVICE HAS BEEN CONTACTED AGAIN ABOUT THE ISSUE; TOYOTA IS IGNORING THE PROBLEM THAT HAS BEEN REPORTED ON MULTIPLE FORUM SIDES AND UNWILLING TO WORK OUT A RESOLUTION BY DUPLICATING THE ISSUE IN-HOUSE. ALSO THE NAVIGATION UNIT DOES HAVE AN OUTDATED MAPS (HALF OF THE ADDRESSES THAT I HAVE ENTERED COULD NOT BE LOCATED) AND UPDATE IS NOT BEEN OFFERED AFTER THE COMPLAINT. JBL NAVIGATION SOFTWARE VERSION: 2.2.0 NAV ID: NQNA2011Q4. *TR
Engine, Sep 18, 2013
WHEN TURNING LEFT OUT OF MY NEIGHBORHOOD I SLOWED DOWN AND THEN TRIED TO RETURN TO SPEED BUT THE VEHICLE HESITATED THEN SUDDENLY JERKED UP TO THE DESIRED SPEED. ONE OTHER TIME ON AN INTERSTATE I HAD TO SLOW DOWN BEHIND A TRUCK AND THEN WHEN I TRIED TO ACCELERATE BACK TO SPEED IN THE PASSING LANE THE CAR HESITATED FOR SEVERAL SECONDS AND AGAIN ACCELERATED RAPIDLY (CARS IN THE PASSING LANE HAD TO BRAKE QUICKLY. I COULD DESCRIBE OTHER TIMES BUT THE SAME THING (THE HESITATION AND THEN THE EXTREMELY RAPID ACCELERATION) I HAVE TAKEN IT DO THE DEALER BUT THEY SAID THAT THEY COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING.
Engine, Aug 29, 2013
THE VEHICLE HAS A HESITATION OR LACK OF ACCELERATION PROBLEM. IT OCCURS FROM A STOPPED POSITION OR A MOVING STATE. I HAVE HAD IT TO THE LOCAL TOYOTA DEALER 5 TIMES AND THEY HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO FIND THE PROBLEM. THEY WERE ABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. THEY HAVE BEEN IN TOUCH WITH TOYOTA BUT THEY SAY NO PROBLEMS EXIST, WHICH IS WHAT I HAVE COME TO EXPECT FROM TOYOTA CORPORATE. MY WIFE WAS ALMOST IN AN ACCIDENT ON THE INTERSTATE YESTERDAY, 08/28/2013. I WOULD ESTIMATE THAT THE PROBLEM HAS OCCURRED AT LEAST 10 TIMES SINCE WE PURCHASED THE VEHICLE IN JULY. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE. THANK YOU IN ADVANCE FOR YOUR HELP ON THIS CONCERN. ALSO, THE DEALERSHIP IS GOING TO GIVE US A LOANER TODAY AND POSSIBLY JUST LET US RETURN THE VEHICLE. THEY HAVE BEEN GREAT, PALMIERRO TOYOTA.
Electrical system, Vehicle speed control, Engine, Aug 5, 2013
AT TOTALLY RANDOM TIMES, AFTER A FEW MILES OF DRIVING OR 100 MILES, VEHICLE HESITATES WHEN ACCELERATING. MOST ANNOYING AND DANGEROUS IS THE WAY IT DOESN'T RESPOND TO THE ACCELERATOR FOR A FEW SECONDS AFTER STOPPING AT A STOP SIGN OR STOP LIGHT. TOOK VEHICLE TO TOYOTA DEALERSHIP AND OF COURSE VEHICLE RAN FINE FOR THE 4 MILES THEY DROVE IT. TECH CHECKED FOR ANY TROUBLE CODES AND NONE WERE FOUND. THIS SEEMS LIKE A REAR-END ACCIDENT WAITING TO HAPPEN. FOR TEN DAYS WE HAVE GOTTEN NOTHING BUT THE RUN-AROUND FROM THE NATIONAL TOYOTA "CASE MANAGER". (AT FIRST WE THOUGHT THIS HESITATION OCCURRED BECAUSE THE VEHICLE WAS NEW, BUT AFTER 8,000 MILES, WE ARE STILL EXPERIENCING THE SAME ISSUE.) *TR
Visibility/wiper, Aug 2, 2013
I TOOK DELIVERY OF A BRAND NEW TOYOTA HIGHLANDER LIMITED, WITH A DEFECTIVE WINDSHIELD. THERE WAS A DISTORTION IN THE GLASS WHICH CAUSED GREAT EYE STRAIN TO THE DRIVER. TOYOTA CORPORATE CLAIMED NOT TO KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT THIS. THE SERVICE MANAGER AT MY DEALERSHIP TOLD ME THAT THIS WAS HIS 3RD ON A HIGHLANDER. IT CREATED AN EFFECT SIMILAR TO WEARING THE WRONG PRESCRIPTION EYEGLASSES. *TR
Vehicle speed control, Engine, Jul 23, 2013
VEHICLE HESITATES WHEN ACCELERATING. DOES NOT HAPPEN ALL THE TIME, WHEN TRYING TO GET VEHICLE UP TO HIGHWAY SPEED WILL DEPRESS GAS PEDAL AND NOTHING WILL HAPPEN FOR 3-4 SECONDS, THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN VEHICLE WILL SPEED UP. THIS ONLY STARTED TO HAPPEN AFTER 1300 MILES . TOOK VEHICLE TO TOYOTA DEALERSHIP AND OF COURSE VEHICLE RAN FINE, TECH. CHECKED FOR ANY TROUBLE CODES AND NONE WERE FOUND. ALSO SINCE THIS STARTED TO HAPPEN MY GAS MILEAGE HAS DROPPED FROM 18 MILES A GALLON TO 15 MILES A GALLON. *TR
Visibility, Jun 12, 2013
WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY, MY SON OPENED THE REAR PASSENGER WINDOW, WHEN HE OPENED THE WINDOW THE NOISE AND PRESSURE ON OUR EARS WAS UNBEARABLE, IT WAS LIKE AN EXTREMELY LOUD HELICOPTER NOISE. WE EVEN TRIED OPENING OTHER WINDOWS IN THE CAR TO REDUCE THE PRESSURE AND NOISE, WHILE THE NOISE AND PRESSURE WERE REDUCED IT WAS STILL VERY LOUD AND DISTRACTING. I CALLED THE TOYOTA DEALER WHERE WE BOUGHT THE CAR AND HE SAID ALL CARS DO THAT AND TO JUST OPEN ANOTHER WINDOW TO RELIEVE PRESSURE. WHEN I TOLD HIM WE TRIED THAT AND IT DID NOT WORK HE DID NOT HAVE ANY OTHER ANSWERS. THE DEALER GAVE ME A PHONE NUMBER TO TOYOTA SERVICE, I CALLED THEM AND THE REP SAID SHE HAD CHECKED AND THEY HAVE NEVER HEARD OF ANYTHING LIKE THAT. AFTER CHECKING ON THE INTERNET I HAVE FOUND MULTIPLE INSTANCES WHERE OTHER PEOPLE HAVE HAD THIS ISSUE, THE NOISE IS SO LOUD IT ACTUALLY HURTS YOUR EARS DRUMS. IF WE WERE TOLD ABOUT THIS ISSUE WHEN WE WERE PURCHASING THE CAR I DOUBT THAT WE WOULD HAVE BOUGHT IT. THE NOISE AND PRESSURE START AT APPROX. 35 MPH AND GETS WORSE THE FASTER YOU GO AND ONLY WHEN 1 OR BOTH OF THE REAR WINDOWS ARE DOWN. TOYOTA GAVE ME A CASE NUMBER AND TOLD ME TO TAKE THE CAR BACK TO DEALER SO THEY CAN DUPLICATE THE ISSUE BUT THE DEALER WAS/IS ALREADY AWARE OF THE ISSUE. WE FEEL THAT TOYOTA NEEDS TO IDENTIFY THE CAUSE AND OFFER A REPAIR OPTION, OTHER THAN NOT USING THE BACK WINDOWS AS THAT IS OUR ONLY OPTION AT THIS TIME. *TR
Service brakes, Jun 5, 2013, crash
MY WIFE WAS MANEUVERING THE SUV INTO SMALL AREA PARKING LOT ONTO A CORNER SPACE, ON THE FIRST FORWARD AND BACK MOTION TO MANEUVER THE BRAKE WAS OK, THEN ON THE SECOND MANEUVER THE BRAKE DIDN'T WORK AND THE TIRE WENT OVER THE CONCRETE PARKING BLOCK THEN HITTING THE STRUCTURE OF THE DOCTORS OFFICE. EARLY ON IN THE DAY I WENT TO THE TOYOTA DEALERSHIP TO PURCHASE A HITCH AND WHEN ABOUT TO LEAVE THE PARKING BRAKE DIDN'T RELEASE COMPLETELY, TOLD SERVICE GUY AND SAID TO GET A CLIP AND HE ALSO COMMENTED THAT THE DEALERSHIP WHERE I BOUGHT MIGHT INSTALL WIRING ON THE LEFT PANEL PUSHING THE PLASTIC PANEL WHICH BLOCK THE RELEASE OF THE PARKING BRAKE. ORDERED THE CLIP TO HOLD THE PLASTIC. BY THE WAY THE TRUCK WAS PURCHASE IN JANUARY 2013 AT A TOYOTA DEALERSHIP IN SACRAMENTO. *TR