2017 Toyota Highlander
Problems, recalls and owner-reported issues
Power train is the leading concern among 267 owner complaints filed for this model year. This is the 9th highest complaint count among 25 Highlander model years with reports.
Of the 2017 reports, 18 involved a crash and 2 involved a fire. 26 people were injured.
What owners report most often
Recalls and investigations
Fuel system, gasoline, delivery, fuel pumpNov 4, 2020
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2018-2019 4Runner, 2019-2020 Avalon, 2019 Corolla Hatchback, 2017-2019 Highlander, 2018-2020 Camry, 2020 Corolla, 2018-2019 Land Cruiser, 2017-2020 Tacoma, 2019-2020 RAV4, 2019-2020 Sequoia, 2017-2020 Sienna, 2019-2020 Tundra, 2018-2020 Lexus ES350, 2017 Lexus GS200t, 2017-2019 Lexus GS350, 2019 Lexus GS300, 2018-2020 Lexus LC500h, 2019-2020 Lexus LS500, 2018-2019 Lexus GX460, 2017 Lexus IS200t, 2019 Lexus IS300, 2019 Lexus IS350, 2018-2020 Lexus LC500, 2018 Lexus LS500, 2019 Lexus LS500h, 2018-2019 Lexus LX570, 2017 Lexus RC200t, 2019 Lexus RC300, RC350, 2017 and 2019-2020 Lexus RX350, 2018-2020 RX350L, 2019 Lexus UX200, 2018-2019 Lexus NX300 vehicles. The low-pressure fuel pump inside the fuel tank may fail.
If the fuel pump fails, the engine can stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.
Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel pump assembly with an improved one, free of charge. Owners of specific models were notified that remedy parts were available starting January 21, 2021. Owners of other models will be notified as remedy parts become available. Remedy parts should be available for all affected vehicles by late March 2021. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-888-270-9371 or Lexus customer service at 1-800-255-3987. Note: This recall is an expansion of recall 20V-012. Toyota's number for this recall is 20TA02. Lexus' number for this recall is 20LA01.
Campaign 20V682000 on NHTSA.gov
Electrical systemNov 27, 2018
Fujian Wanda Automobile Glass Industry (Wanda) is recalling certain aftermarket Replacement Windshields sold for use in 2014-2018 Toyota Highlander vehicles. The windshields have an attached wire harness that water may leak into, possibly causing damage to the vehicle's Engine Control Module (ECM).
The ECM damage may result in the engine stalling, increasing the risk of a crash.
Wanda will notify owners, and service centers will replace the windshields, and inspect the ECM for damage, having it replaced, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began January 29, 2019. Owners may contact Wanda customer service at 1-864-281-2760.
Campaign 18E107000 on NHTSA.gov
EquipmentAug 23, 2017
Gulf States Toyota, Inc. (GST) is recalling certain 2017 Toyota Highlander and Highlander Hybrid vehicles equipped with accessory roof rail cross bars. The fasteners for the roof rails may not be torqued properly.
The roof rails may loosen and possibly detach from the vehicle, becoming a road hazard and increasing the risk of a crash.
GST will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and properly torque the fasteners, free of charge. The recall began September 29, 2017. Owners may contact GST customer service at 1-800-444-1074. GST's number for this recall is 17R3.
Campaign 17V520000 on NHTSA.gov
Tires, temporary/emergency spare tireMay 2, 2017
Gulf States Toyota, Inc. (Gulf States) is recalling certain 2017 4Runner , 86, Avalon, Camry, Camry Hybrid, Corolla, Corolla iM, Highlander, Highlander Hybrid, Prius, Prius C, RAV4, RAV4 Hybrid, Sienna and Yaris vehicles. The spare tire air pressure was not adjusted to the proper pressure as stated on the Tire Pressure Label.
A spare tire that is not inflated to the proper value may not perform as intended, increasing the risk of a crash.
Gulf States will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the spare tires, adjusting their pressure as necessary, free of charge. The recall began June 15, 2017. Owners may contact Gulf States customer service at 1-800-444-1074. Toyota's number for this recall is 17R2.
Campaign 17V295000 on NHTSA.gov
Representative owner complaints: visibility/wiper
12 reports, newest first. Show all
Visibility/wiper, Apr 25, 2025
Driver side interior visor has failed and does not secure in place causing obstruction of view while driving.
Visibility/wiper, Aug 31, 2022
There is a splotchy glare that appears on my windshield that makes it EXTREMELY difficult to see out the windshield in the rain. It is not fog, I have cleaned the inside and outside of the windshield, changed the wiper blades, tried the heated windshield feature, defrost, and seriously done everything and it does not go away unless direct sunlight is on it. Forget driving in the rain at night, I was unable to see the lines in the road and it's worse when headlights are facing your direction. I ran off the road and had to park my car until the rain passed. This is absolutely dangerous. The guys at the dealership were stumped as well. It happened to be raining as I was leaving after service and I showed him and he had no idea. It is across my entire windshield. Sometimes it depends on how light is shining on it. This needs to be a recall before someone is seriously hurt.
Visibility/wiper, Aug 8, 2022
While driving in the rain, the visibility through my windshield is reduced significantly which has caused me to have to pull over due to not being able to see other cars or lines on the roadway and gets worse if lights are shining toward me while it's raining. It almost looks like a waxy coating over the entire windshield. I took it to the dealer and they didn't know what it could be. Windshield is clean, wipers have been changed, and nothing has been applied to the car. Even passengers in the 2nd row pointed out how difficult it was to see out. This happens in all types of rain heavy or light and is not visible in dry conditions. I thought I was the only one with this problem until I was reading through the other 149 reports for a different issue and realized others are having the same issue. I hope that with multiple reports we can get the issue resolved. I am afraid to drive in the rain and do not wish to risk my safety. This isn't normal.
Visibility/wiper, Dec 25, 2019
I WAS DRIVING HOME FROM WORK AND HEAR A LOUD EXPLODING SOUND FROM MY VEHICLE. I THOUGHT SOMETHING EXTREMELY HEAVY WAS THROWN OR FELL ON MY CAR. WHEN I ARRIVED HOME, I FOUND A GAPING HOLE ON MY SUNROOF. THE GLASS WAS SHATTERED BUT THE OBJECT THAT "HIT" IT WAS NOWHERE TO BE FOUND. AFTER CLOSELY EXAMINING IT, IT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE THAT AN OBJECT HIT IT BASED OFF THE ANGLE THE SUNROOF METAL. THE METAL LOOKS LIKE THE EXPLOSION CAME FROM INWARD NOT OUTWARD.
Visibility/wiper, Oct 27, 2018
BOUGHT THIS 2017 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER NEW FROM DEALER IN DENVER. 400 MILES ON VEHICLE. THE WINDSHIELD WAS CRACKED SEVERELY IN THE FIRST 1000 MILES FROM MINOR STONES HITTING THE BASE OF THE WINDSHIELD, REQUIRING REPLACEMENT- OEM WITH CAMERA, HEAT, RADAR SENSORS FOR $1800. NOW, THAT SECOND WINDSHIELD HAS CRACKED AGAIN, REQUIRING A 3RD WINDSHIELD INSTALLED AT 27,000 MILES. TOYOTA SLANTED THE ANGLE OF THE FRONT HOOD ON THIS VEHICLE TO REDUCE DRAG AND IMPROVE GAS MILEAGE. AS A RESULT, MINOR STONES ON THE ROAD ARE THROWN VIOLENTLY INTO THE BASE OF THE WINDSHIELD LEADING TO CRACKS WHICH START FROM THE BASE OF THE GLASS AND QUICKLY CRAWL UP AND ACROSS THE WINDSHIELD REQUIRING REPLACEMENTS. THIS IS NOT SAFE. I HAVE HAD 3 BRAND NEW HIGHLANDERS IN DENVER OVER 12 YEARS- A 2009 HIGHLANDER HYBRID LIMITED, A 2015 HIGHLANDER LIMITED AND THIS 2017 HIGHLANDER LIMITED- AND THIS IS THE FIRST VEHICLE WHERE THE WINDSHIELD BARELY LASTS A FEW THOUSAND MILES BEFORE CRACKING AND REQUIRING A NEW WINDSHIELD. THESE WINDSHIELDS ARE HEATED, WITH CAMERA AND RADAR SENSORS AND OEM ONLY SO REPLACING THESE IS NOT CHEAP- $1800 PER WINDSHIELD FROM TOYOTA. THIS IS A DESIGN DEFECT IN THE VEHICLE AND SHOULD BE ADDRESSED. PROTECTION FOR THE BASE OF THE WINDSHIELD NEEDS TO BE ADDED. THE CRACKS ALWAYS HAPPEN IN THE SAME SPOT.
Visibility/wiper, Jul 19, 2018
WHEN DRIVING IN THE RAIN WITH THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS OPERATING, A PATTERN, FOR A LACK OF A BETTER TERM, APPEARS AS PER THE INCLUDED PHOTO TAKEN WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS BEING DRIVEN AT THAT TIME. THIS PATTERN OR MARKINGS WHEN VISIBLE RUN VERTICALLY IN THE FORM OF WAVY LINES FROM ONE END OF THE WINDSHIELD TO THE OTHER. THIS CONDITION IS NOT THE RESULT OF THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS, A DIRTY WINDSHIELD, INSIDE OR OUT, OR ANY SUBSTANCE OF ANY KIND INTENTIONALLY APPLIED OR NOT AND IS AN ONGOING PROBLEM AND APPEARS EVERY TIME THE VEHICLE IS DRIVEN IN THE RAIN. WHEN FIRST NOTICED, THE VEHICLE WAS BEING DRIVEN OVER A PERIOD OF SEVERAL HOURS IN HEAVY AND LIGHT RAIN AND A PERIOD OF TIME IN DAYLIGHT AND EVENING HOURS WITH THE WIPERS BEING OPERATED AT DIFFERENT SPEEDS. THESE MARKINGS ARE A SUBSTANTIAL DISTRACTION ESPECIALLY IN THE EVENING WHERE ONCOMING HEADLIGHTS EXACERBATE THE CONDITION. THESE MARKINGS WHEN VISIBLE NEVER CHANGE OR STREAK AS THE WIPERS MOVE BACK AND FORTH AS IN THE CASE WHEN, FOR EXAMPLE, AN INSECT STRIKES THE WINDSHIELD. TO THIS END, AND JUST BY CHANCE ON THE DAY THE PHOTO WAS TAKEN, A STREAK IS VISIBLE AGAIN PROBABLY DUE TO AN INSECT HITTING THE WINDSHIELD OR SOME OTHER TYPE OF DEBRIS, HOWEVER, THE MARKINGS IN QUESTION CLEARLY STAND OUT FROM THE STREAK. IT IS NOTED IN THE CASE OF THE STREAK, AS WOULD BE EXPECTED, IT FOLLOWS THE MOVEMENT OF THE WIPER. THE MARKINGS WHEN APPLICABLE ARE VISIBLE WHEN THE VEHICLE IS MOVING OR STATIONARY AND CAN BE CLEARLY SEEN BY THE DRIVER AND FRONT SEAT PASSENGER REGARDLESS OF THE TYPE OF ROADWAY. AND FOR WHATEVER REASON, THESE MARKINGS ARE NOT VISIBLE IN THE ABSENCE OF RAIN OR WATER BEING APPLIED MANUALLY FROM A GARDEN HOSE.
Visibility/wiper, Jan 8, 2018
THIS VEHICLE HAS A DEFECTIVE WINDSHIELD WASHER PUMP THAT TOYOTA REFUSES TO REPLACE. I WAS IN CHICAGO ON 12/26-31/2017 AND THE TEMPERATURE WAS BELOW 20 DEGREES. THE WINDSHIELD WASHER FROZE AND I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO GROSSINGER TOYOTA, LINCOLNWOOD, IL ON 12/27 AND 12/29. THEY DID NOTHING ON 12/27 OTHER THAN PARK THE VEHICLE INSIDE WHERE THE PUMP THAWED AND WORKED. THE NEXT TWO DAYS IT FROZE AGAIN. ON 12/29 I DROVE TO WI AND PLACED MY FAMILY IN AN UNSAFE SITUATION WITH SALT ON THE WINDSHIELD AND NO WORKING WASHER. I TOOK THE VEHICLE BACK TO GROSSINGER AND THEY CHANGED FLUID TO A COLDER TEMPERATURE AND USED AIR TO BLOW OUT THE LINES. THE NEXT MORNING IT WAS AGAIN BELOW 10 DEGREES WHEN I LEFT CHICAGO. THE WASHER AGAIN DID NOT WORK AND IT PLACED MY FAMILY IN AN UNSAFE SITUATION WITH SALT AND DIRT ON THE WINDSHIELD. IN HANNIBAL, MO I SAT IN A FAST FOOD DRIVE THRU FOR 15 MINUTES AND THE WASHER STARTED WORKING. SOON AS I WAS BACK ON THE ROAD IT AGAIN FROZE UP. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO TEXAS TOYOTA, GRAPEVINE, TX ON 1/4/2018 AND THEY REFUSED TO LOOK AT THE VEHICLE UNLESS THE PROBLEM COULD BE DUPLICATED. I REFUSED TO DRIVE BACK TO CHICAGO TO DUPLICATE THE FROZEN WINDSHIELD WASHER PUMP. IT IS OBVIOUS THE CULTURE OF NOT CARING ABOUT SAFETY HAZARDS ON THEIR VEHICLES CONTINUES AT TOYOTA. I BELIEVE THE DIAPHRAGM INSIDE THE WINDSHIELD WASHER PUMP IS DEFECTIVE AND FREEZES WHEN THE TEMPERATURE IS BELOW 20 DEGREES. TOYOTA REFUSES TO ACKNOWLEDGE A DEFECTIVE WINDSHIELD WASHER PUMP.
Visibility/wiper, Dec 15, 2017, crash
THE BULKY SIDE MIRROR ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE CREATES A SAFETY HAZARD WHEN MAKING A LEFT HAND TURN BECAUSE OF A LARGE BLIND SPOT. I WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT DUE TO THAT VERY REASON. I WAS MAKING A LEFT HAND TURN AS DESCRIBED ABOVE. I CHECKED FOR ONCOMING TRAFFIC SEVERAL TIMES AND TURNED WHEN I SAW TRAFFIC WAS CLEAR. I WAS HIT ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE BECAUSE MY VISIBILITY WAS BLOCKED BY THE MIRROR AND THE ONCOMING VEHICLE WAS NOT SEEN.
Visibility/wiper, Aug 23, 2017
VEHICLE SUSTAINED A CRACK FROM TWO SMALL STONES HITTING THE WINDSHIELD WHILE TRAVELING ON A HIGHWAY AT APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH. CRACK SPREAD SIGNIFICANTLY FROM THE INITIAL IMPACT SITE. WEATHER DID NOT HAVE A FACTOR IN THIS AS IT WAS SUMMER. CRACK CONTINUED TO SPREAD EVEN AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN A GARAGE. CRACK SPREAD WITH VERY LITTLE PRESSURE APPLIED TO THE WINDSHIELD. BELIEVE THAT THE WINDSHIELD WAS NOT MANUFACTURED TO SUSTAIN A LIGHT IMPACT.
Visibility/wiper, Aug 7, 2017
I AM EXPERIENCING EXCESSIVE AMOUNTS OF GLARE FROM THE WINDSHIELD. THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED NEW IN MAY OF 2017. I INITIALLY HAD TINT APPLIED TO THE WINDSHIELD FOR MEDICAL REASONS AND THOUGHT MAYBE IT WAS CAUSING AN INTERACTION WITH THE GLASS ITSELF. AFTER HAVING THE TINT REMOVED, I AM STILL EXPERIENCING THIS EXCESSIVE GLARE.
Visibility/wiper, Jul 12, 2017
INTERSTATE DRIVE- 70MPH. NO TRAFFIC WITHIN AT LEAST 0.5 MILE AHEAD. MULTIPLE VEHICLES BEHIND. NO OVERPASSES OR OVERHANGING SIGNS OR STRUCTURES. SUDDEN, EXTREMELY LOUD NOISE FOLLOWED BY WIND NOISE. EXITED FIRST OPPORTUNITY. PANORAMIC SUNROOF SHATTERED WITH LARGE SECTION MISSING ABOVE PASSENGER SEAT. MINIMAL GLASS ABOVE SUNROOF SCREEN. NO FOREIGN OBJECTS UNDER GLASS ATOP THE SCREEN. AT THE TIME OF EXPLOSION CARS BEHIND SUDDENLY SLOWED AND SWERVED, PRESUMABLY FROM FLYING GLASS.
Visibility/wiper, Jun 9, 2017
BOUGHT THIS 2017 HIGHLANDER BRAND-NEW FROM THE DEALER. IT HAD 67 MILES ON THE ODOMETER. WITHIN A FEW THOUSAND MILES, A STONE CHIPPED THE WINDSHIELD AND WITHIN DAYS THE WINDSHIELD WAS A SPIDER'S NEST OF SPREADING CRACKS ALL ACROSS UP AND DOWN THE WINDSHIELD. I BOUGHT A NEW 2015 HIGHLANDER FROM THE SAME DEALER AND HAD THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM AFTER JUST A FEW THOUSAND MILES. I BELIEVE TOYOTA SLANTED THE HOOD OF THE VEHICLE DOWN FOR BETTER AIRFLOW AND RESULTING MPG INCREASE AND IN SO DOING, ALL ROAD DEBRIS SUCH AS STONES, ARE PROPELLED UP RIGHT ONTO THE WINDSHIELD AND THE STONES SMASH THE WINDSHIELD. WHAT ARE THE RANDOM ODDS THAT A BRAND-NEW, DEALER-BOUGHT 2015 AND 2017 HIGHLANDER WOULD BOTH GET A STONE CHIP THAT DESTROYS THE WINDSHIELD WITHIN THE FIRST FEW THOUSAND MILES OF DRIVING? THESE WINDSHIELD AREN'T CHEAP TO REPLACE- ABOUT $1400.