2006 Toyota Highlander Service Brakes Problems
Owners have filed 71 complaints with NHTSA about service brakes problems on the 2006 Toyota Highlander, 26% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 150,500 miles. The words owners use most often: “brake actuator” (34% of reports).
- 71service brakes complaints
- 150,500median miles at failure
- 4mention a crash
- 3mention an injury
- 1related recalls
- $3,350typical repair cost reported by owners
- 29%of reports with a speed happened at 50+ mph
What owners describe
Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.
- Brake actuator: mentioned in 24 of 71 complaints (34%)
- Check vsc: mentioned in 9 of 71 complaints (13%)
- ABS module: mentioned in 5 of 71 complaints (7%)
How much does it cost to fix?
Owners who wrote down what they paid or were quoted put the typical service brakes repair on the 2006 Toyota Highlander at $3,350, and half of them between $2,950 and $4,500.
Based on 15 NHTSA complaints about this problem alone that state a repair bill or quote (2014–2026), converted to 2026 dollars with the U.S. consumer price index. These are owners' own figures, not a quote: they include dealer quotes, and owners who file complaints often faced larger repairs, so they can run higher than typical shop prices. Prices vary by shop, region and warranty coverage. How we calculate this.
At what mileage do service brakes problems happen?
Based on 37 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 71 complaints, 4 mention a crash, 3 an injury.
Toyota Highlander service brakes complaints by model year
| Model year | Service Brakes complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 Highlander | 2 | 20% | 15,000 |
| 2024 Highlander | 8 | 19% | — |
| 2023 Highlander | 19 | 10% | — |
| 2022 Highlander | 37 | 14% | 1,800 |
| 2021 Highlander | 67 | 13% | 14,855 |
| 2020 Highlander | 38 | 12% | 15,592 |
| 2019 Highlander | 18 | 4% | 5,500 |
| 2018 Highlander | 53 | 20% | 13,490 |
| 2017 Highlander | 28 | 10% | 14,750 |
| 2016 Highlander | 19 | 17% | 26,500 |
| 2015 Highlander | 15 | 8% | 10,000 |
| 2014 Highlander | 3 | 2% | 23,000 |
| 2013 Highlander | 16 | 8% | 26,000 |
| 2012 Highlander | 12 | 7% | 7,500 |
| 2011 Highlander | 13 | 7% | 64,300 |
| 2010 Highlander | 25 | 12% | 69,300 |
| 2009 Highlander | 21 | 16% | 152,450 |
| 2008 Highlander | 66 | 16% | 155,000 |
| 2007 Highlander | 29 | 23% | 127,000 |
| 2006 Highlander | 71 | 26% | 150,500 |
| 2005 Highlander | 6 | 3% | 116,667 |
| 2004 Highlander | 6 | 2% | 110,961 |
| 2003 Highlander | 10 | 4% | 137,000 |
| 2002 Highlander | 4 | 1% | 120,000 |
| 2001 Highlander | 3 | 2% | 88,536 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (1)
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.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
Multiple warning lights appeared on the dash board including ABS, also check VSC system in the dialogue window. Code C1391 (Abnormal leak in accumulator) appeared in a diagnostic scan. After some internet research, it appears this a common problem with the 2006 Toyota Highlander and is a very…
The Antilock Braking Actuator has failed. This seems to be a known issue and was already recalled on the Toyota Camry. Toyota sells the part for $1500 locally and labor will be added to that as well - which will put the cost of replacing this critical part almost above the current value of the…
The ABS/Brake Actuator is going out. There is a stuttering as I'm coming to a stop, but when I brake from normal speeds to slow down, there is no stutter/vibration. Only when I'm going very slow and about to stop the car is when I feel a vibration/stutter in the vehicle. When pressing the brakes…
Frequently asked questions
Do all 2006 Toyota Highlanders have service brakes problems?
No. NHTSA has 71 owner complaints about service brakes for the 2006 Toyota Highlander (26% of the 278 complaints for this model year). Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the 2006 Toyota Highlander service brakes?
Yes: 1 safety recall list service brakes. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
At what mileage do service brakes problems start?
The median reported mileage is 150,500 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
How much does it cost to fix service brakes problems on the 2006 Toyota Highlander?
Owners report a typical cost of $3,350 (half paid between $2,950 and $4,500), from 15 complaints that state a repair bill or quote, in 2026 dollars.
What do owners say about service brakes problems on the 2006 Toyota Highlander?
The most frequent phrase is “brake actuator”, in 24 of 71 complaints, followed by “check vsc” (9).
See all 2006 Toyota Highlander problems or service brakes problems across all Highlander years.