2020 Toyota Highlander
Problems, recalls and owner-reported issues
Power train is the leading concern among 317 owner complaints filed for this model year. This is the 5th highest complaint count among 25 Highlander model years with reports.
Of the 2020 reports, 15 involved a crash. 20 people were injured.
What owners report most often
Recalls and investigations
Air bags, sensor, occupant classificationDec 20, 2023
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Avalon, Avalon Hybrid, Corolla, Highlander, Highlander Hybrid, RAV4, RAV4 Hybrid, Lexus ES350, Lexus RX350, Lexus RX450H, 2021 Sienna Hybrid, Lexus ES250, 2020-2022 Camry, Camry Hybrid, and ES300H vehicles. A short circuit may develop in the Occupant Classification System (OCS) sensor, preventing the front passenger air bag from deploying.
An air bag that does not deploy during a crash increases the risk of injury.
Dealers will inspect and replace the sensor as necessary, free of charge. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed in February 2024. Some final remedy owner letters were mailed October 31, 2024. Letters will continue to be mailed in phases through January 2026. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's number for this recall is 23TB15/23TA15 Lexus 23LB03/23LA03.
Campaign 23V865000 on NHTSA.gov
Structure, body, bumpersOct 26, 2023
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2020-2023 Highlander & Highlander Hybrid vehicles. During normal vehicle operation, minor impact to the front lower bumper cover may result in the cover coming loose or detaching.
A detached front bumper cover can become a road hazard, increasing the risk of a crash.
Dealers will repair or replace the upper and lower front bumper covers as necessary, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed April 22, 2024. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's number for this recall is 23TB12/23TA12.
Campaign 23V720000 on NHTSA.gov
Air bagsOct 14, 2020
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2020 Highlander and Highlander hybrid vehicles. Incorrect seat trim covers on one or both of the front seats can prevent the seat-mounted side air bag from deploying properly.
Improper deployment of the seat-mounted side air bag increases the risk of injury in the event of a crash.
Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the front seats and replace the seat trim covers as necessary, free of charge. The recall began December 11, 2020. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's number for this recall is 20TB14 / 20TA14.
Campaign 20V633000 on NHTSA.gov
Fuel system, gasoline, deliveryMar 19, 2020
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2020 Highlander vehicles equipped with a 3.5 L, V6 (2GR-FKS) gasoline engine. Due to an Engine Control Unit (ECU) programming error, fuel may not be correctly supplied to the engine while using the stop and restart feature.
Improper fuel supply programming can result in a vehicle stall, increasing the risk of a crash.
Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the ECU, free of charge. The recall began May 15, 2020. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-888-270-9371. Toyota's number for this recall is 20TA06.
Campaign 20V162000 on NHTSA.gov
Representative owner complaints
317 reports, newest first.
Air bags, Jan 3, 2024
The contact owns a 2020 Toyota Highlander. The contact discovered online that the VIN was included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V865000 (Air Bags) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was made not aware of the issue. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
Other or unspecified, Dec 27, 2023
Nav Search and Voice message dictate disabled. Highlander 4th Generation (2020+) Has anyone experienced a DCM failure? My 2020 Highlander LTD hit 70K and 3yr mark; all of a sudden my Nav won't search while driving and I cannot dictate a response to a msg. Other forums suggest, reset the DCM by disconnecting the battery for a minimum of 30 minutes. This can be problematic. NO hands free driving capability.
Power train, Dec 20, 2023
The contact owns a 2020 Toyota Highlander. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed and attempting to accelerate, he heard an abnormal sound coming from the engine compartment. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, and it was determined that the sound was coming from the transmission however, the dealer was unable to provide a cause for the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but did not assist. The failure mileage was 100,100.
Electrical system, Nov 30, 2023
The contact owns a 2020 Toyota Highlander. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle lost motive power and stalled. The contact was able to jumpstart the vehicle and the vehicle operated normally. The contact had taken to the vehicle to a certified mechanic who tested the battery and alternator but found no failure. The vehicle had not been diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 57,000.
Power train, Nov 29, 2023
The car is barely 3 years old with 74000 miles to it. The is a humming noise coming from the transmission which the dealer said I may want to replace it. It’s not cheap to do so and I don’t expect it to happen to a new car.
Service brakes, Oct 28, 2023
On more than 50 occasions while coming to a stop or slowing down I have experienced a surge forward while applying the brakes. It has happened at stop signs, stop lights, going downhill. I cannot duplicate on demand. Several times it has surged me past a stop sign/stop light while I still had my foot on the brake. Also, when the surge happens, I have to push harder on the brake pedal to stop the vehicle. I took it to the dealership on 9/2023 and was told it was not a problem that could be replicated and it has happened several times since then.
Equipment, Oct 25, 2023
See attached document from complainant
Service brakes, Oct 10, 2023, crash
Was following a truck that was pulling a utility trailer. We had just stopped and started moving again when when he suddenly stopped. I had just sped up maybe going 10 to 15 mph when I applied my brake, the brakes did not engage until after I hit the trailer in front of me and jammed it into truck it was being pulled by.I had front end damage and radiator damage and the car was not drivable. I had noticed previous to this that at times at low speeds the brakes would not engage and would need to be double tapped to get them to engage. Could go weeks without it happening or could happen multiple times in a day. No consistency to the issue.
Visibility/wiper, Sep 26, 2023
1. Climate control system failure to defrost windows during cold weather/winter conditions caused all windows to fog resulting 0 visibility while driving. 2. Occupants including myself, spouse, adult child and toddler grandchild , surrounding vehicles and their occupants were for 5 to 10 minutes exposed to potential multi-car crash, injuries and loss of life. 3. Online research revealed this climate control failure has been experienced by other Toyota owners and the issue has been resolved however not been reported to NHTSA. Two days after the occurrence the vehicle was taken to Bud Clary Toyota, Moses Lake, WA for inspection and repair. Note-without the detailed information from my online research the issue/repair/resolution wasn't determined by the Toyota service shop. 4. There are no warnings when this failure occurs. It happens only when outside temperatures drop below 40 degrees and severity increases with quick drops in temperature. The first occurrence was during first winter of ownership, 2020/2021 and reported to the next servicing dealership, Peterson Toyota, Boise, ID. 5. The repairing dealership required customer pay and advised to follow up with Toyota customer service to report and request reimbursement. Follow up completed later in December 2022, Toyota denied warranty reimbursement however the customer service agent requested and obtained repair reimbursement and recommended reporting and requesting recall status to NHSTA.
Structure, Engine, Sep 20, 2023
About once or twice a week as I'm slowly braking to make a turn or stop, the car will surge forward. I have to depress the brake harder, and it does stop or keep slowing. I'm very concerned that if this happens as I'm stopping at a cross walk, someone could be hurt. I took it to the dealer who couldn't replicate it, so said it wasn't a safety issue. There are lots of forums that describe this with highlanders. My partner can feel it happen too. I'm not sure if it's the braking system or engine. My guess is engine because it seems to be a power surge. It's inconsistent, and happens in all kinds of weather, hot/cold, dry/wet. No warning lights, or messages. Happens a lot, but I'm using the example of earlier this week. You're welcome to inspect if you want. It is a hybrid and one of my friends said it might be switching systems, but our other car is also a hybrid and doesn't have anything like this happening.
Service brakes, Sep 11, 2023
On several occasions while coming to a stop or slowing down I have experienced a surge forward while applying the brakes. It has happened at stop signs, stop lights, going downhill. I cannot duplicate on demand. Several times it has surged me past a stop sign while I still had my foot on the brake. Also, when the surge happens, I have to push harder on the brake pedal to stop the vehicle. I have had the hub replaced as well as the wheel censer and I still have the problem. I took it to the dealership on 8/15/22 and it has happened several times since then.
Other or unspecified, Service brakes, Sep 9, 2023
Random loss of braking feeling and jolting forward when stopping due to regenerative braking letting off. Happened randomly since purchase. Happens around 20mph mark
Service brakes, Aug 26, 2023
it does occasionally when coming to a complete stop sign to seems to jolt forward . I have taken it to the local Toyota dealer as a safety concern and was told after they analyized the computer data couldn’t find any problem . Yet it seems to keep happening
Structure, Aug 16, 2023
Driving at highway speeds of 75 mph (posted speed), front bumper fell off of car. Outside temperature was 107 degrees. Bumper was lodged under car and all insulation peeled off of wheels. Had to pull all parts from under car and around wheel openings and was able to continue to destination. No accident occurred as the result of this as I was able to safely pull over to side of road.
Visibility/wiper, Jul 15, 2023
A rock hit my windshield and it got a crack in it several feet long. A few days later a rock hit the other side of my windshield and it cracked there about six inches.
Vehicle speed control, May 18, 2023
The contact owns a 2020 Toyota Highlander. The contact stated that after slowing down to come to a stop, the vehicle would inadvertently surged forward. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer who was unable to determine the cause of the failure. The vehicle had not been repaired. The failure had since become more frequent. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage is 36,009.
Service brakes, May 14, 2023
UNKNOWN. Brakes have temporary failure midway through braking. The pedal feels like it drops and the car ceases to brake. You press down hard quickly, and it takes a second for the car to then brake again. Naturally the car jerks, at time throwing people forward and locking seatbelts. This happens most frequently going downhill, and happens at a variety of different speeds. Dealership says there is no issue. It happens multiple times a week, if not multiple times a day. While I typically drive with adequate space for this failure, I cannot control other drivers. I almost rear ended a person who cut in front of me from the right lane when the braking failure occurred.
Service brakes, May 11, 2023
My car frequently accelerates suddenly when I am actively braking. I will begin braking, start to slow down, then the car will accelerate, jolt forward, then start braking again. This puts me at risk for having an accident at stop lights and any time I should be braking. I have an appointment to take it to the dealer. It does not happen every time I am braking and it is not easily reproducible, however it has started happening more often. I have no warnings. An independent auto shop has looked at it and they believe there is a problem when my car is switching from regenerative to hydraulic braking.
Suspension, Apr 14, 2023
Front strut leaking fluid. Needs replacement. Seals worn out below 36,000 miles.
Other or unspecified, Mar 21, 2023
On March 20th while on the freeway my 2020 Toyota Highlander sunroof exploded. Related or not, I had just rolled up my driver's window immediately preceding the explosion. The sound from this was loud and surprising. Thankfully I was able to get to the right lane and exit the freeway. Upon stopping and viewing the sunroof I was surprised to see the remaining glass pushed UP out of the car. I had no warning nor was I in a situation that I would have expected there to be a problem. I have an appointment 3 days after the explosion at the dealer for them to check it out.
Service brakes, Lane departure, Mar 19, 2023
When I am using the brakes an a medium rate the vehicle will loose its brakes for a second causing a loss of control on the vehicle. This happens randomly and caused us to almost go off a culvert of a driveway once. It has scared us many times to thinking we were going to hit the car in front of us. It makes my wife sick every time it happens. Smart motors and regional techs from Toyota have looked into this issue and determined this to be a “feeling” and not a safety hazard. This is not the case and needs to be fixed before someone gets hurt. Lane Keeping assist is unusable. When it is turned on it fights with the driver. It will swerve back in forth in its lane and sometimes so bad it feels like the car would roll if it was not turned off and got worse. Every once in a while it will try to take an exit on the highway by itself. Date of incident in questionnaire is approx to the last time it happened. It has happened too many times to count. Vehicle mileage is when we first started really having issues with the brakes. Lane assist is an always thing.
Service brakes, Mar 9, 2023
We purchased the highlander a few days ago from a Toyota dealership. There are currently no recalls that have not been addressed and the car seemed to be in great condition. Driving the last few days there have been times that the brakes just don't function properly. I went online to see if this was an issue that had been reported. I found this description below and it is exactly my experience as well. This site has the other complaints that match my experience. Feeling like you don't have brakes for a few seconds is going to lead to accidents. I have a 2005 Highlander and I am sad I spent so much money and would feel safer driving my old car. It has not been confirmed by a dealer, or inspected, and there are no lights on the vehicle. I don't know where to go for an honest assessment. https://m.carcomplaints.com/Toyota/Highlander/2020/brakes/service_brakes.shtml I have experienced brake issues, on any slight decline where the braking system will let up as if the braking is not working for a moment, and also, a jerk forward once stopped. This will lead to an accident and potentially, a pedestrian getting hurt if not addressed. I took it to the dealer and they stated they could not replicate the issue, therefore, did not run diagnostics on the vehicle and will do nothing else for me. I have great concern this will lead to an accident and after 30 years of driving, I'm having to constantly think of leaving enough room between myself and other cars to avoid an accident, and adequate room for a brake malfunction. I have another 2020 hybrid Toyota that does not have this issue. So, it is not an issue with all hybrids. - Berkley, MI, USA
Other or unspecified, Feb 15, 2023
The driver side mirror shakes and vibrates while driving. This is distracting and makes it difficult to concentrate on surroundings. This happens at all speeds. My dealership said that it is normal, but I see many other people on forums have similar complaints. The passenger side mirror does not rattle.
Power train, Feb 12, 2023, crash
I pulled my vehicle into the driveway and stopped outside of the garage. I stepped out to fold my mirrors on both sides of the vehicle as the garage is very narrow. I also need to unload my belongings from the rear hatch. I walked around to the Right side mirror, folded it and headed to unload the hatch when the vehicle PULLED ITSELF INTO THE GARAGE; literally! I could not open the doors as they lock and the space is so narrow. The vehicle stopped when it hit the back wall of the garage. I immediately opened the door and turned the vehicle off. The Vehicle sounds an alarm and shows the message "Shift to park" if not in Park. This did not happen. I sat in the car putting my sunglasses away and unplugging my phone before exiting. If I had not put the vehicle in Park, I would have heard and seen the warnings immediately and the car would have moved immediately; not 30-60 seconds after exiting. Note: our driveway is flat
Air bags, Feb 6, 2023, crash
Air bags didn’t deploy in severe accident. Vehicle is available for inspection. Air bags not deploying in accident could have led to injuries. No service or dealerships has seen the vehicle. Police didn’t inspect the vehicle. Insurance company is going to look at the vehicle on February 13, 2023. No indication of any service lights for air bags on vehicle’s dash.