2022 Toyota Highlander
Problems, recalls and owner-reported issues
Power train is the leading concern among 257 owner complaints filed for this model year. This is the 11th highest complaint count among 25 Highlander model years with reports.
Of the 2022 reports, 16 involved a crash and 1 involved a fire. 13 people were injured and 1 person died.
What owners report most often
Recalls and investigations
Seats, mid/rear assembly, reclinerMar 5, 2026
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2021-2025 Highlander and Highlander Hybrid vehicles. The second-row seat backs may fail to lock into position during seat back adjustment.
A seat back that fails to lock may not properly restrain an occupant during a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
Dealers will replace the return springs in the seat back recliner assemblies, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed September 9, 2026. This is a phased recall. Owners may contact Toyota’s customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's numbers for this recall are 26TB06 and 26TA06.
Campaign 26V128000 on NHTSA.gov
TiresJun 18, 2024
Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC (SET) is recalling certain 2021-2024 Highlander vehicles. The 20-inch accessory tires with an insufficient load rating for the vehicle's Gross Axle Weight Rating (GAWR) were installed. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 110, "Tire Selection and Rims."
Tires with an insufficient load rating can be overloaded and fail, increasing the risk of a crash.
SET will inspect and replace the tires and information placard, as necessary free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 16, 2024. Owners may contact SET's customer service at 1-866-405-4226. SET's number for this recall is SET24A.
Campaign 24V452000 on NHTSA.gov
TiresJun 6, 2024
Gulf States Toyota, Inc. (GST) is recalling certain 2022-2024 model year Highlander L and Highlander LE vehicles equipped with the Blackout Package that includes 20" black alloy wheels and tires. The installed tires have an insufficient load rating. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 110, "Tire Selection and Rims."
Tires with an insufficient load rating may be overloaded and fail, increasing the risk of a crash.
GST will inspect and replace the tires as necessary, and install a new tire information label as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 8, 2024. Owners may contact GST customer service at 1-800-444-1074. GST's number for this recall is 24R1.
Campaign 24V419000 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
Equipment, other, labelsMay 6, 2022
Gulf States Toyota, Inc. (GST) is recalling certain 2022 4Runner, Tacoma, Highlander, and Highlander Hybrid vehicles. The load carrying capacity modification labels may not be permanent and can fade, becoming illegible. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 110, "Tire Selection and Rims."
An illegible label may allow the vehicle to be overloaded, increasing the risk of a crash.
GST will notify owners by mail, including a replacement load carrying capacity modification label for their vehicle and detailed replacement instructions, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 30, 2022. Owners may contact GST customer service at 1-800-444-1074. GST's number for this recall is 22R1.
Campaign 22V310000 on NHTSA.gov
Representative owner complaints: other or unspecified
37 reports, newest first. Show all
Power train, Other or unspecified, Sep 20, 2026
Vehicle begin making grinding noises, and stalling during accelerating and also fuel smell. Took vehicle into Toyota Waldorf, MD dealership for diagnostic. At 58,000 miles, 2022 Toyota Highlander XLE stalls to accelerate due to front differentials failing, causing large chunks of metal on the drain plug indicating internal failure. Vehicle needs transmission and front differential replaced. I have 4 children, 3 of them still small, and driving with the fuel smell would impact them greatly as 1 of my children has asthma. It's also a hazard to be on the road with this vehicle as it can stall at any moment, causing a traffic incident. The problem has been reproduced by dealer, who is refusing to approve the fix under the 60,000 mile Power Train Warranty. There were no other warning signs, no check engine light came on, no issues prior to me hearing this grinding noise and stalling.
Power train, Other or unspecified, Sep 20, 2026
Vehicle begin making grinding noises, and stalling during accelerating and also fuel smell. Took vehicle into Toyota Waldorf, MD dealership for diagnostic. At 58,000 miles, 2022 Toyota Highlander XLE stalls to accelerate due to front differentials failing, causing large chunks of metal on the drain plug indicating internal failure. Vehicle needs transmission and front differential replaced. I have 4 children, 3 of them still small, and driving with the fuel smell would impact them greatly as 1 of my children has asthma. It's also a hazard to be on the road with this vehicle as it can stall at any moment, causing a traffic incident. The problem has been reproduced by dealer, who is refusing to approve the fix under the 60,000 mile Power Train Warranty. There were no other warning signs, no check engine light came on, no issues prior to me hearing this grinding noise and stalling.
Other or unspecified, Sep 1, 2026
According to Toyota service department in Bozeman front pump or input bearing failed causing whine noise with transmission
Power train, Other or unspecified, Fuel/propulsion system, Aug 22, 2026, crash
Because I am not an expert, I cannot say with certainty what exact vehicle components contributed to this incident. On August 17, 2026, at approximately 12:40 PM, I was slowly driving my 2022 Toyota Highlander XLE in a parking garage where I park my car every week. I saw a parking space, so I slowed down and began pressing the break as I went into the parking space. All of a sudden, the engine revved up, and the vehicle lunged over the wheel stop and hit the cement wall, even though I continued pressing on the break. I then shifted the gear into "Park" and turned off the ignition. It all happened so fast and was quite frightening. I, subsequently, inspected the damage; among other things, the hood, front bumper, fender, and some of the trim around the lights were damaged. The seat belt restrained me, but the air bag did not activate. My chest is still sore, and I have some bruising on my left shoulder. I have reported the incident to my insurance agency. On August 20, 2026, I took the vehicle to a collision repair center recommended by the insurance claims agent. I have another appointment on August 24th to have a different repair center inspect and asses the damages and give me a quote on the repairs needed. The experience was shocking, and I would not want this to happen to anyone, which is why I am reporting the incident. This kind of malfunction could have resulted in an injury to another human, so I am thankful that only my vehicle and I were affected. This unfortunate and alarming experience has definitely made me hesitant to drive the vehicle for fear of it malfunctioning again.
Power train, Other or unspecified, Fuel/propulsion system, Aug 22, 2026, crash
Because I am not an expert, I cannot say with certainty what exact vehicle components contributed to this incident. On August 17, 2026, at approximately 12:40 PM, I was slowly driving my 2022 Toyota Highlander XLE in a parking garage where I park my car every week. I saw a parking space, so I slowed down and began pressing the break as I went into the parking space. All of a sudden, the engine revved up, and the vehicle lunged over the wheel stop and hit the cement wall, even though I continued pressing on the break. I then shifted the gear into "Park" and turned off the ignition. It all happened so fast and was quite frightening. I, subsequently, inspected the damage; among other things, the hood, front bumper, fender, and some of the trim around the lights were damaged. The seat belt restrained me, but the air bag did not activate. My chest is still sore, and I have some bruising on my left shoulder. I have reported the incident to my insurance agency. On August 20, 2026, I took the vehicle to a collision repair center recommended by the insurance claims agent. I have another appointment on August 24th to have a different repair center inspect and asses the damages and give me a quote on the repairs needed. The experience was shocking, and I would not want this to happen to anyone, which is why I am reporting the incident. This kind of malfunction could have resulted in an injury to another human, so I am thankful that only my vehicle and I were affected. This unfortunate and alarming experience has definitely made me hesitant to drive the vehicle for fear of it malfunctioning again.
Other or unspecified, Jul 18, 2026
I was parking the car. Car in park. Foot on brake. Carr violently lunged forward. Hitting, and tilting, concrete pole. Put car in reverse. Lunged forward then backward. Someone could have been killed. Thank God no person was near. I could have lunged through a storefront if Parked by shop.
Other or unspecified, Jun 11, 2026
Nothing happened
Other or unspecified, Lane departure, Forward collision avoidance, Apr 19, 2026
During start up LTA malfunction, Pre-Collision system malfunction and Headlight system malfunction lights and warning indicators came on.
Other or unspecified, Forward collision avoidance, Apr 19, 2026
During start up Headlight system malfunction and Pre-Collision system failure lights and waring came on.
Electrical system, Structure, Other or unspecified, Mar 5, 2026
LIFTGATE MALFUNCTION
Power train, Other or unspecified, Fuel/propulsion system, Jan 8, 2026
I had been driving my 2022 Toyota Highlander XLE with 46k miles that I just got for about two weeks, so about 10 days out of the 14 i actually drove it from home to work and back home. Within those 10 days driving the SUV, 8 mornings and one afternoon the highlander engine had issues accelerating and shifting gears. Basically when pulling out on to a highway from a side street coming down a hill when pressing the gas to enter the highway and flow of traffic the engine stuttered from zero to 20mph causing the entire SUV to jerk repeatedly and the gears would have issues shifting from first to second. I had to let my foot off the gas pedal then press again repeatedly as the SUV kept jerking trying to accelerate forward stuck no more than 20 mph for 30 seconds then started to even out and climb up after a minute. I have caught this on video twice. This has caused me to hold up traffic on the highway behind me with no where to pull off because my particular side street comes out from a gulch cliff side. No check engine lights came on each time. I took it to an auto shop that did a minor test drive and suggested it go directly to Servco Toyota as it should have powertrain warranty on it still and they believed it was a fuel pump issue. The issue did not happen with this auto shop but I showed them the video. I scheduled an appt at Toyota and it is with them now. They did 2 test drive but could not replicate the issue and could not see any codes coming up. I opted to leave the vehicle with them to do more test drives where the issue has happened as I do not feel safe driving it and the manager also said they did not feel safe having their techs drive it so the manager will do it. Without check engine light/code they are saying they cannot check the fuel pump or do anything else but will try to do more test drives to replicate the issue. I have seen numerous Reddit, facebook group posts, and a petition about this same issue but no official recall or word from Toyota.
Other or unspecified, Dec 29, 2025
While driving, the vehicle’s moonroof glass spontaneously shattered/exploded without impact. It sounded like a gunshot, which caused an immediate and dangerous distraction. There was no object strike that I am aware of and no prior warning. The sudden loud noise and breaking glass created a safety hazard due to distraction and potential glass intrusion.
Power train, Other or unspecified, Dec 9, 2025
AUTOMATIC TRANSAXLE WHINING FROM 35MPH-45MPH ACCELERATION. Needs to be replaced this is the third vehicle this week the dealership said had the same issue.
Other or unspecified, Oct 24, 2025
The car was parked at work and noticed the shattered panoramic moonroof when I got into leave.
Electrical system, Vehicle speed control, Other or unspecified, Sep 18, 2025
The screen is going out. The back tailgate hangs up and doesn’t go down.
Air bags, Structure, Other or unspecified, May 2, 2025
The component that failed is the roof rail clips that hold the roof rack to the vehicle (Toyota Service Bulletin T-SB-0040-24). The clips under the rail fail and cause water to leak into the headliner and down the A-pillars on both sides of the vehicle. It presents itself by causing water staining where the headliner meets the A-pillar cover. This issue presented itself in January of 2023, a few months after we bought the vehicle. Toyota Bountiful (Utah) tried to tell us that it is the sunroof drain lines that are clogged and required a $100 service to clear them which is an annual service. After some push back they found the problem with the roof rack clips. However, they only replaced the passenger side and neglected to repair both sides. April of 2025 the driverside failed and Toyota Bountiful once again confirmed that the driverside clips failed. This creates a danger to the front occupants of the vehicle by allowing a possible mold issue within the cabin. Secondly, it allows water into the front curtain airbags of the vehicle.
Other or unspecified, Mar 26, 2025
The power liftgate does not close. This is an intermittent problem that is increasing in frequency to the point that I can hear internal components in the strut that are failing. This was reported to Toyota within the warranty period, and they claim that parts are on backorder. It has been over three months, and the problem is still not corrected. Toyota appears to be refusing to honor its warranty on this vehicle. The concern is that this failure occurs during a road trip or in an inconvenient location leaving us stranded with no ability to move the vehicle or obtain assistance.
Air bags, Structure, Other or unspecified, Mar 14, 2025, crash
r 2022 Toyota Highlander was involved in a motor vehicle incident wherein the Vehicle Stability Control (VSC) and front airbags may not have functioned as expected.
Other or unspecified, Jul 25, 2024
The clips on the roof rails are not sealed and it allows water to leak into the car through the roof. This was an issue with previous RAV4 vehicles and is continuing on with the Highlander design. The water enters the vehicle anytime it rains or the vehicle is washed.
Other or unspecified, May 5, 2024
The Resin front lower bumper cover assembly, connected with mounting tabs detached from my 2022 Toyota Highlander on (July 9, 2023). I received a Recall letter from Toyota on February 9, 2024 (7 months) after the incident & promptly contact Toyota Brand Engagement Center. I have mailed all the required information that Toyota stated on the Recall correspondence & as of today, May 5, 2024 I have not been able to speak with the case manager to see where we are in this process for reimbursement. Since this took place in 2023 before I even knew there was a recall, we had our Highlander repaired at the body shop we were confident could fix & insure the repair. Toyota has ALL the required documentation from us but they keep asking for the same information again & again.
Other or unspecified, Apr 28, 2024
The vehicle will accelerate suddenly when pressing the brake putting myself and others at risk for injury.
Structure, Other or unspecified, Apr 12, 2024
I GOT A RECALL FROM TOYOTA AND CAN'T DRIVE FOR ALMOST A YEAR .I WENT TO THE CAR DEALER SHIP TO ASK FOR A REPAIR , THEY TOLD ME MAYBE YOUR CAR NEEDS THIS BUMPER OR NO NEEDS , I ASKED THEM TO CHECK MY CAR IF IT WAS SAFE TO DRIVE TO WORK ,MANY TIMES TO CONSTANT NUMBER OF OVER 10 TIMES.THEY REFUSEDTOR MY CAR COME IN TO CHECK . O REALLY WORIED IF I DIVE ON THE ROAD AN HAVE AN ACCIDENT .BIT ITS ALOMOST HOPELESS BECAUSE THIS CAR COMPANY DOEANT CARE ABOUT SAFETY, ONLY THINKS ABOUT THEIR PROFITS. I HAVE BEEN ASKING THEM FOR RENT ME A CAR TO DRIVE BECAUSE FOR NEARLY A YEAR NOW I'VE BEEN DRIVING IN FEAR BUT NO ANWSER. I WONDER IS THERE A DEALINE WHEN TOYOTA WILL PRODUCE THIS BUMPER? THEY KEEPS SAY THEY DONT KNOW? IT IS VERY DANGEROUS IF THE CUSTOMER'S USES THIS TOYOTA HIGHLANDER FOR DRIVING WITHOUT KNOWING IT IS SAFE OR NOT
Other or unspecified, Mar 2, 2024
Front Bumper is detaching I feel unsafe driving this car
Other or unspecified, Feb 20, 2024
Open recall since October 2023 without any resolution from the manufacturer: NHTSA Recall Number23V720 Recall StatusRecall Incomplete, remedy not yet available Summary The subject vehicles are equipped with a resin front lower bumper cover assembly, connected with mounting tabs. If there is minor impact to the lower front bumper cover assembly that causes the mounting tabs to detach from the vehicle during normal operation, one or more parts of this assembly could detach, which could become a road hazard, increasing the risk of a crash or injury for other road users. Safety Risk If there is minor impact to the lower front bumper cover assembly that causes the mounting tabs to detach from the vehicle during normal operation, one or more parts of this assembly could detach, which could become a road hazard, increasing the risk of a crash or injury for other road users.
Other or unspecified, Dec 16, 2023
The hood is latched, but not sealing flush. There is approximately a half inch gap. While driving the wind catches. I can see the hood moving up and down while driving. Especially if I am on the interstate.