2008 Toyota Highlander Service Brakes Problems
Owners have filed 66 complaints with NHTSA about service brakes problems on the 2008 Toyota Highlander, 16% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 155,000 miles. The words owners use most often: “brake actuator” (26% of reports).
- 66service brakes complaints
- 155,000median miles at failure
- 3mention a crash
- 2mention an injury
- 0related recalls
- $4,000typical repair cost reported by owners
- 27%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 17 of 66 complaints (26%)
- Booster pump: mentioned in 12 of 66 complaints (18%)
- Check ABS: mentioned in 9 of 66 complaints (14%)
- Support program: mentioned in 9 of 66 complaints (14%)
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 2008 Toyota Highlander at $4,000, and half of them between $3,700 and $4,900.
Based on 14 NHTSA complaints about this problem alone that state a repair bill or quote (2019–2024), 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 33 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 66 complaints, 3 mention a crash, 2 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 (0)
No safety recall lists service brakes for the 2008 Toyota Highlander. A pattern of complaints does not always lead to a recall.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
THERE WAS NO INCIDENT. WHEN THE BRAKE MALFUNCTION SCREEN DISPLAYED, I DROVE THE VEHICLE TO THE NEAREST TOYOTA DEALER IN PUEBLO, COLORADO. I RECEIVED THE ATTACHED SERVICE MESSAGE AND PICKING TICKET; 17june2025. IT ALSO NEEDS NEW BRAKE PADS, ROTOR ADJUSTMENT, AND 5 NEW TIRES. TOTAL~$6000. WAY TOO…
My 2008 Toyota Highlander Hybrid is having severe issues with the ABS system. Toyota is reporting that it needs an ABS actuator and ABS pump replacements. These were a part of Toyota's previous Customer Support Program, but the program expired before I owned the vehicle. That is EXTREMELY dangerous…
Good Afternoon, The brake actuator and booster pump failed on my 2008 Toyota Highlander Hybrid. ABS, Brake, and VSC warning lights came on, and the brakes became weak and unsafe. A repair shop confirmed the issue with codes C1252, C1256, and C1391. I tried to fix it at a local shop last year, but…
Frequently asked questions
Do all 2008 Toyota Highlanders have service brakes problems?
No. NHTSA has 66 owner complaints about service brakes for the 2008 Toyota Highlander (16% of the 404 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 2008 Toyota Highlander service brakes?
No recall currently lists service brakes for this vehicle.
At what mileage do service brakes problems start?
The median reported mileage is 155,000 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
How much does it cost to fix service brakes problems on the 2008 Toyota Highlander?
Owners report a typical cost of $4,000 (half paid between $3,700 and $4,900), from 14 complaints that state a repair bill or quote, in 2026 dollars.
What do owners say about service brakes problems on the 2008 Toyota Highlander?
The most frequent phrase is “brake actuator”, in 17 of 66 complaints, followed by “booster pump” (12).
Other 2008 Toyota Highlander problems
- Engine problems (58)
- Air Bags problems (57)
See all 2008 Toyota Highlander problems or service brakes problems across all Highlander years.