2019 Toyota Highlander
Problems, recalls and owner-reported issues
Power train is the leading concern among 483 owner complaints filed for this model year. This is the 2nd highest complaint count among 25 Highlander model years with reports.
Of the 2019 reports, 22 involved a crash and 1 involved a fire. 18 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
Fuel system, gasoline, delivery, fuel pumpJan 13, 2020
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) recalled certain 2018-2019 4Runner, Highlander, Camry, Land Cruiser, Sequoia, Sienna, Tacoma and Tundra, and Lexus RC 300, RC 350, GS 350, GX 460, IS 300, LC 500, LS 500, LX 570, RX 350L, and 2019 Toyota Avalon and Corolla, and certain Lexus NX 300, and ES 350 vehicles on January 13, 2020. On March 4, 2020, Toyota expanded the recall to include certain 2014-2015 Toyota 4Runner and Land Cruiser, 2018 Avalon, Corolla, 2014 FJ Cruiser, 2017 Sienna and Lexus 2018 ES 350, 2018-2019 GS 300, 2013-2014 GS350, 2014-2015 GX 460, IS 350 and LX 570, 2014 IS F, 2018-2019 IS 350, LC 500H and LS 500H, 2013-2015 LS 460, 2015 NX 200T and RC350, 2017 RC 200T and RX 350. Toyota also removed the 2018-2019 Toyota 4Runner and Land Cruiser and 2018-2019 Lexus GX 460 and LX 570 and 2019 NX300 from inclusion in this recall. On March 19, 2020, Toyota expanded the recall to include 2015 Lexus GS350 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, free of charge. The recall began May 4, 2020. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-888-270-9371 or Lexus customer service at 1-800-255-3987. Toyota's numbers for this recall are 20TB02 and 20TA02 for Toyota vehicles and 20LB01 and 20LA01 for Lexus vehicles.
Campaign 20V012000 on NHTSA.gov
Equipment, other, labelsMar 27, 2019
Gulf States Toyota (GST) is recalling certain 2019 C-HR, 4Runner, Avalon, Avalon Hybrid, Camry, Camry Hybrid, Highlander, Land Cruiser, Prius, RAV4, Sequoia, Tacoma, Sienna, Tundra and Yaris vehicles. The text on the load capacity label may become illegible. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 110, "Tire Selection and Rims."
If the driver cannot read the label, they may unknowingly overload the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
GST will notify owners, and dealers will provide corrected load carrying capacity modification labels, free of charge. The recall began May 24, 2019. Owners may contact GST customer service at 1-800-444-1074. GST's number for this recall is 19R1.
Campaign 19V244000 on NHTSA.gov
Representative owner complaints: electrical system
56 reports, newest first. Show all
Electrical system, Service brakes, Dec 24, 2019
WE STARTED THE VEHICLE THAT IS PARKED IN FRONT OF OUR HOUSE AT AROUND 8AM TO GET SOME GROCERIES. THE VEHICLE STARTED AND EVERYTHING SEEMED NORMAL. SHIFTED TO D AND STARTED MOVING AND AS I WAS LEAVING THE SPOT, I PUSHED THE BREAK TO MAKE A LEFT TURN AND IT WON'T STOP. PUSHED THE BREAK PAD SEVERAL TIMES AND THE CAR WON'T STOP. FINALLY MOVED THE GEAR TO P AND IT STOPPED AND THE ENGINE TURNED OFF. I STARTED THE ENGINE AGAIN AND TRIED TO REVERSE IT, IT WON'T REVERSE AND ONLY GOING FORWARD. I CALLED AUTONATION TOYOTA OF LEESBURG, THEY TOWED THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED ON 11/30/19 WITH ONLY 45 MILES IN IT. IT WAS A FRIGHTENING BECAUSE MY NEIGHBOR WAS PUTTING SOMETHING TO HIS CAR AND I WAS ABOUT TO RUN AT HIM.
Electrical system, Engine, Fuel/propulsion system, Aug 9, 2019
2019 HIGHLANDER XLE LOSES POWER, UNABLE TO ACCELERATE, & JERKS AND STALLS IN TRAFFIC.BOUGHT AT 200 MILES, CERTIFIED PREOWNED. IT IS A NIGHTMARE VEHICLE. ACCELERATOR HAS BEEN TOUCHY AND JUMPY AT TIMES, INTERMITTENTLY AT SLOW SPEEDS. FIRST TIME IT STALLED IT STARTED TO LOSE POWER PUT -PUT AND CHUG LIKE JERKING AND ALL DASH AND ELECTRICAL ON DASH WENT OUT, UNABLE TO ACCELERATE, THEN STALLED OUT IN ROAD, UNABLE TO STEER OR CONTROL VEHICLE. THIS OCCURRENCE WAS AFTER A LONGER PERIOD OF DRIVING. SECOND TIME IT STALLED OUT BEGAN TO LOSE POWER, PUTTER AND CHUG, UNABLE TO ACCELERATE APPLYING GAS PEDAL, GETTING NO GAS, VEHICLE DIES OUT, UNABLE TO STEER OR CONTROL VEHICLE. THIS OCCURRENCE WAS AFTER A LONGER PERIOD OF DRIVING. THIRD TIME WAS YESTERDAY 8-8-19. LEFT WORK AND ABOUT 5-7 MINUTES INTO MY DRIVE, STARTED HESITATING, LOSING ALL DASH AND ELECTRICAL POWER AND WILL NOT ACCELERATE WHEN GAS PEDAL APPLIED, THEN STALLS OUT, UNABLE TO CONTROL THE STEERING WHEEL AGAIN! ALMOST GOT HIT THIS TIME, MAN BEHIND ME COMING FAST AND HAD TO SWERVE INTO LANE OVER TO MISS ME. THIS CAR IS GOING TO KILL ME OR SOMEONE BY CAUSING AN ACCIDENT IF THEY DO NOT GET IT FIXED RIGHT. AFTER THE SECOND STALL IT WAS TOWED INTO DEALERSHIP AND THEY WERE NOT SURE BUT SAID FUEL PRESSURE WAS READING 22 AND WAS SUPPOSED TO BE IN THE MID TO HIGH 50'S. THEY REPLACED THE FUEL PUMP AND IT DROVE OK FOR A LITTLE WHILE BUT I NOTICED THE AVERAGE FUEL MILEAGE GOING DOWN FROM AN APPROX IN CITY 19.1--20 TO 17.1-17.3. HAS NEVER BEEN SO LOW SO OBVIOUSLY THE STALLING AND THE REPLACING OR THE FUEL PUMP ARE NOT THE REAL ISSUE. FUEL ECONOMY GOING DOWN SINCE REPLACEMENT OF THE FUEL PUMP AND NOW ANOTHER DANGEROUS STALLING ISSUE. CAR IS AT TOYOTA DEALER NOW. THEY NEED TO DIVE MUCH DEEPER & RESOLVE THIS VERY DANGEROUS SAFETY ISSUE! I BOUGHT THIS CAR TO FEEL SAFE AND HAVE RELIABLE TRANSPORTATION AND HAVE NEITHER. IT REALLY SCARES ME. *DT*JB
Electrical system, Other or unspecified, Aug 8, 2019
THE ENTIRE VOICE GUIDANCE SYSTEM IS INOPERATIVE ON MY ONE WEEK OLD 2019 HIGHLANDER HYBRID PLATINUM. NO AUDIBLE VOICE OR BEEPS WITH NAVIGATION ASSIST, NO PHONE ASSIST,, NO EYES-FREE ASSIST, NO DRIVER ANNOUNCE TO REAR CABIN VOICE, NO ENTERTAINMENT SYSTEM VOICE ASSIST. THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD ELIMINATING HANDS FREE DRIVING, AND NO NAVIGATION GUIDANCE. I WAS ON UNFAMILIAR ROADS IN THE DARK OF NIGHT, ALONE, UNABLE TO OPERATE NECESSARY EQUIPMENT WHICH PROVED TO BE UNRELIABLE. I JUST LEARNED THAT THIS ISSUE HAS BEEN KNOWN TO TOYOTA FOR SEVERAL MONTHS, YET NEW VEHICLES ARE DRIVEN AWAY FROM DEALERSHIPS BY UNSUSPECTING NEW OWNERS AFTER PAYING GOOD MONEY FOR A DEFECTIVE VEHICLE. DECEITFUL, UNETHICAL, AND UNSAFE! WHERE IS THE RECALL FOR THIS ISSUE? WHY ARE VEHICLES NOT FIXED BEFORE BEING SOLD AS NEW?
Electrical system, Engine, Jul 11, 2019
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2019 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER. WHEN THE CONTACT PUSHED THE IGNITION START BUTTON, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START. THE FAILURE OCCURRED MULTIPLE TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO OXMOOR TOYOTA (LOCATED AT 8003 SHELBYVILLE RD, LOUISVILLE, KY 40222, (502) 565-0086) TO BE DIAGNOSED, BUT THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE DUPLICATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 3,300.
Electrical system, Mar 30, 2019
IN NAVIGATION, IT WILL NOT GIVE VOICE DIRECTIONS WHICH IS A SAFETY HAZARD CAUSING YOU TO LOOK AT THE SCREEN AND TAKING YOUR EYES OFF THE ROAD. I TOLD TOYOTA ABOUT THIS BUT NO FIX. THIS IS DANGEROUS AND NEEDS TO BE FIXED IMMEDIATELY. THIS OCCURS WHEN STATIONARY OR MOVING. THIS HAPPENS EVERY TIME YOU TRY TO USE NAVIGATION.
Electrical system, Feb 20, 2019
THE VOICE COMMANDS FOR THE VEHICLE DO NOT WORK WHICH REQUIRES THE DRIVER TO LOOK AT THE NAVIGATION SCREEN OR SCROLL THROUGH THEIR PHONE BOOK RATHER THAN USING THE BLUETOOTH FEATURES. THIS IS VERY DISTRACTING AND ILLEGAL IN SOME STATES WHICH REQUIRE HANDS FREE PHONE.