2005 Toyota Highlander Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Highlander years
- About as many complaints as other years 12th of 30 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 6 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 224 complaints with NHTSA about the 2005 Toyota Highlander. That ranks 12th out of 30 Highlander model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is power train (51 complaints, 23%), typically at around 45,000 miles. Complaints mention 35 crashes, 4 fires, 20 injuries. There are 6 safety recalls covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 1 defect investigation involving it.
- 224owner complaints
- 6safety recalls
- 1NHTSA investigations
- 35complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2005 Toyota Highlander problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Power Train problems | 51 | 23% | 45,000 | “transmission fluid” (12%) | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 39 | 17% | 44,200 | — | — |
| Steering | 26 | 12% | 55,000 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 25 | 11% | 57,770 | — | — |
| Visibility | 20 | 9% | 64,500 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 13 | 6% | 52,500 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 9 | 4% | 48,108 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 9 | 4% | 52,991 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 8 | 4% | 30,000 | — | — |
| Structure | 8 | 4% | 94,000 | — | — |
| Tires | 8 | 4% | 40,818 | — | — |
| Visibility/wiper | 8 | 4% | 102,500 | — | — |
| Engine | 6 | 3% | 81,000 | — | — |
| Equipment | 6 | 3% | 20,822 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 6 | 3% | 60,100 | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 6 | 3% | 116,667 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 6 | 3% | 21,875 | — | — |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 4 | 2% | 47,000 | — | — |
| Wheels | 4 | 2% | 35,458 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Other | 3 | 1% | 35,000 | — | — |
| Parking Brake | 3 | 1% | 108,435 | — | — |
| Suspension | 3 | 1% | 90,004 | — | — |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 2 | 1% | 85,136 | — | — |
| Equipment Adaptive/mobility | 2 | 1% | 104,493 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 2 | 1% | 80,041 | — | — |
| Seats | 2 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Air | 2 | 1% | 49,500 | — | — |
| Child Seat | 1 | 0% | — | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 1 | 0% | 38,750 | — | — |
| Other/i Am Not Sure | 1 | 0% | — | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2005 Toyota Highlander recalls (6)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Seats:front assembly:seat heater/cooler
Problem: Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC (SET) is recalling certain 2005-2011 4Runner, Highlander, Sequoia, and Sienna, 2005-2010 Avalon and Tundra, 2006-2008 Camry Solara, 2006-2010 Highlander hybrid, 2006-2011 Rav4 and Tacoma, 2007-2010 FJ Cruiser, 2007-2011 Camry hybrid, 2009-2010 Venza, 2010-2012 Prius, 1988-1990 and 2005-2010 Camry, and 1989 and 2009-2010 Corolla vehicles equipped with aftermarket accessory seat heaters with a copper strand heating element. The electrical wiring in the seat heaters may be damaged when the seat cushion is compressed.
Risk: If damaged, the copper strand heating element may short circuit, increasing the risk of a fire.
Fix: SET will notify owners, and dealers will disconnect the seat heaters, free of charge, and refund the purchase price of the seat heater accessory. The recall began on July 14, 2016. Owners may contact SET customer service at 1-866-405-4226. SET number for this recall is SET16B.
Engine and engine cooling
Problem: Toyota is recalling certain model year 2004 avalon vehicles; 2004 and 2005 camry, camry solara, highlander, and sienna vehicles, 2006 highlander hybrid; 2004 and 2005 lexus es330 and rx330; and 2006 lexus rx400h vehicles manufactured from june 1, 2004 through march 31, 2005, equipped with the 1mz-fe or 3mz-fe engine. The amount of adhesive agent applied between the outer ring and the torsional rubber damper (inner ring) in the crankshaft pulley may be inadequate. If the adhesive is insufficient, there is a possibility that the outer ring may become misaligned and it may not properly rotate with the inner ring, causing noise and/or illumination of the battery discharge indicator light.
Risk: In some cases, the belt for the power steering pump may become detached from the pulley which could result in a loss of power steering and a sudden increase in steering effort, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will check the crankshaft pulley to identify whether it was produced by the u.s. Supplier. If so, the dealer will replace the pulley with a new one at no charge. The safety recall is expected to begin during early january 2012. Owners may contact toyota at 1-800-331-4331.
Vehicle speed control:accelerator pedal
Problem: Toyota is recalling certain model year 2004-2006 highlander, highlander hybrid, and model year 2004-2007 lexus rx330, rx350, and rx400h vehicles. If the forward retention clip used to secure the floor carpet cover, which is located in front of the center console, is not installed properly the cover may lean toward the accelerator pedal and interfere with the accelerator pedal arm.
Risk: If this occurs, the accelerator pedal may temporarily become stuck in a partially depressed position rather than return to the idle position. A stuck accelerator pedal may result in unintended and sustained vehicle speeds and make it difficult to stop, increasing the risk of a vehicle crash.
Fix: Dealers will replace the floor carpet cover with a newly designed one free or charge. The safety recall is expected to begin during march 2011. Owners may contact toyota at 1-800-331-4331.
Service brakes, hydraulic:foundation components:master cylinder
Problem: Toyota is recalling certain model year 2005-2006 avalon, model year 2004-2006 highlander, model year 2004-2006 lexus rx, and model year 2006 lexus gs and is vehicles. Brake fluid containing polymers is used that acts as lubricants for certain brake system components. If replacement brake fluid is used that does not contain such polymers, or that contains only small amounts, a part of the rubber seal located at the rear of the brake master cylinder may become dry, and the seal may curl during movement of the piston. If this occurs, a small amount of brake fluid could slowly leak from the seal into the brake booster.
Risk: A leak of brake fluid could lead to a change in brake pedal feel and overtime a degradation in braking performance increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will replace the seal with a newly designed one. This service will be performed free of charge. The safety recall began on november 15, 2010. Owners may contact toyota at 1-800-331-4331 and lexus at 1-800-255-3987.
Equipment:other:labels
Problem: Gulf states toyota is recalling certain model year 2005-2010 vehicles for failing to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 110, "tire selection and rims." these vehicles were sold between september 1, 2005 and june 2, 2008 without the requisite load carrying capacity modification labels.
Risk: This does not meet the standard requirements.
Fix: Dealers will mail to consumers the corrected label or the customer will have the option for dealers to install the label free of charge. Dealers will also correct the owner's manual. The safety recall began on may 27, 2010. Owners may contact gulf states toyota at 713-580-3300.
Vehicle speed control:accelerator pedal
Problem: On certain sport utility and hybrid vehicles, the two retaining clips for the driver's side forward center console can become loose. If both clips separate from the floor carpet cover, the cover may lean toward the accelerator pedal, causing interference with the accelerator pedal rod.
Risk: This condition may interfere with the accelerator pedal returning to the idle position increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will replace the two floor carpet cover retaining clips free of charge. The recall began on july 24, 2006, and should be completed by early september 2006. Owners may contact toyota at 1-800-331-4331 or lexus at 1-800-255-3987.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
NHTSA defect investigations
- Unintended and Uncontrolled Acceleration (RQ10003) — opened Feb 16, 2010, closed Mar 1, 2011, led to recall 11V112000.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
My 2025 Acura MDX (under 10,000 miles) has failed to restart after the automatic idle stop engaged at stoplights and drive-thru lines at least 7 separate times. When I release the brake, the engine often remains off and the vehicle will not move, leaving me stopped in traffic. I have not yet…
Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2005 Toyota Highlander. The contact discovered that there was a mileage discrepancy after the purchase of the vehicle. The vehicle was a private sale. At the time of the purchase, the mileage was 123,000. It was later discovered upon checking Carfax that the…
All at once the windows, moon roof, blinkers, reverse lights, running lights and brake lights stopped working - also the automatic headlight function stopped working and we must turn on and off the headlights or risk draining the battery. It's interesting to note that the flashers work, but the…
The contact owns a 2005 Toyota Highlander. The contact stated that while the vehicle was on a lift at the independent mechanic, it was discovered that the rear subframe was rusted. The contact was informed that the subframe needed to be replaced. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was…
Passager seat burnt up from the heated seats
Other Toyota Highlander years
← 2004 Highlander · 2006 Highlander →
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 Highlander | 4 | 0 |
| 2025 Highlander | 10 | 4 |
| 2024 Highlander | 43 | 7 |
| 2023 Highlander | 186 | 9 |
| 2022 Highlander | 262 | 5 |
| 2021 Highlander | 531 | 4 |
| 2020 Highlander | 320 | 4 |
| 2019 Highlander | 492 | 3 |
| 2018 Highlander | 268 | 4 |
| 2017 Highlander | 270 | 3 |
| 2016 Highlander | 111 | 2 |
| 2015 Highlander | 192 | 1 |
| 2014 Highlander | 136 | 4 |
| 2013 Highlander | 207 | 3 |
| 2012 Highlander | 182 | 2 |
| 2011 Highlander | 181 | 5 |
| 2010 Highlander | 216 | 10 |
| 2009 Highlander | 134 | 9 |
| 2008 Highlander | 404 | 11 |
| 2007 Highlander | 124 | 4 |
| 2006 Highlander | 278 | 7 |
| 2005 | 224 | 6 |
| 2004 Highlander | 286 | 5 |
| 2003 Highlander | 258 | 2 |
| 2002 Highlander | 301 | 2 |
| 2001 Highlander | 137 | 3 |
| 2000 Highlander | 0 | 0 |
| 1999 Highlander | 0 | 0 |
| 1998 Highlander | 1 | 0 |
| 1997 Highlander | 1 | 0 |
See all Toyota Highlander problems by year, every Toyota model, or the Toyota VIN decoder.
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2005 Toyota Highlander?
Owners most often report power train, vehicle speed control, steering problems. The top one, power train, accounts for 51 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2005 Toyota Highlander?
Yes, 6 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2005 Toyota Highlander a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other Highlander model years, the 2005 has about as many complaints as a typical year. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.