2020 Toyota Highlander Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Highlander years
- More complaints than other years 4th of 30 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 4 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- 5 out of 5 stars
Owners have filed 320 complaints with NHTSA about the 2020 Toyota Highlander. That ranks 4th out of 30 Highlander model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is power train (126 complaints, 39%), typically at around 73,000 miles. Complaints mention 16 crashes, 20 injuries. There are 4 safety recalls covering this model year.
- 320owner complaints
- 4safety recalls
- 0NHTSA investigations
- 16complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2020 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 | 126 | 39% | 73,000 | “whining noise” (27%) | $9,300 |
| Unknown or Other | 44 | 14% | 6,900 | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 38 | 12% | 15,592 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 32 | 10% | 78,082 | — | — |
| Structure | 30 | 9% | 21,150 | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 19 | 6% | 4,550 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 18 | 6% | 11,000 | — | — |
| Engine | 17 | 5% | 8,000 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 10 | 3% | 8,498 | — | — |
| Forward Collision Avoidance | 6 | 2% | — | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 6 | 2% | 59,000 | — | — |
| Steering | 6 | 2% | 15,592 | — | — |
| Lane Departure | 5 | 2% | 12,900 | — | — |
| Suspension | 5 | 2% | 89 | — | — |
| Visibility/wiper | 3 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Back Over Prevention | 2 | 1% | 153,000 | — | — |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 2 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Seats | 2 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 2 | 1% | 51,000 | — | — |
| Visibility | 2 | 1% | 22,800 | — | — |
| Equipment | 1 | 0% | — | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 1 | 0% | 29,296 | — | — |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 1 | 0% | 11,000 | — | — |
| Tires | 1 | 0% | 20,000 | — | — |
| Wheels | 1 | 0% | — | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2020 Toyota Highlander recalls (4)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Air bags:sensor:occupant classification
Problem: 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.
Risk: An air bag that does not deploy during a crash increases the risk of injury.
Fix: 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.
Structure:body:bumpers
Problem: 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.
Risk: A detached front bumper cover can become a road hazard, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: 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.
Seats; air bags
Problem: 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.
Risk: Improper deployment of the seat-mounted side air bag increases the risk of injury in the event of a crash.
Fix: 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.
Engine; fuel system, gasoline:delivery
Problem: 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.
Risk: Improper fuel supply programming can result in a vehicle stall, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: 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.
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.
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 bumper detached from the vehicle on two separate occasions on the freeway. I learned about he bumper recall and brought it to Right Toyota Scottsdale (AZ), my local dealer. Right Toyota failed to follow Toyota's explicit recall protocol to replace the damaged bumper and only installed the…
We were behind a vehicle that had come to a rolling stop because the vehicle in front of him had hit the person in front of him , we were going about 25 miles per hour and about 2 car lengths from him . I applied the brakes but the vehicle failed to stop . It was as if I did not press the brakes at…
⢠What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? The UA80 8-speed automatic transmission assembly (specifically internal mechanical wear resulting from front carrier assembly bearing degradation/torque converter heat buildup). No, the component…
The steering wheel heating component burned my fingers twice due to a malfunction. I had to attempt to pull over immediately because the steering wheel began smoking and the pain from my finger/hand. Dealership confirmed and fixed issue and the wheel is no longer available to inspect. I was burned…
My 2020 Toyota Highlander only has 68,826 miles on it. It began making a high-pitched whining sound three months ago. I have taken it to my mechanic and he said the transmission is about to go out. Toyota is not willing to fix it out of good faith/Goodwill since my warranty has ended. My argument…
Other Toyota Highlander years
← 2019 Highlander · 2021 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 | 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 Highlander | 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.
Similar Toyota models
Embed this 2020 Toyota Highlander badge on your site
Copy this code into your blog or forum post. It shows live complaint and recall counts and links back here.
Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2020 Toyota Highlander?
Owners most often report power train, unknown or other, service brakes problems. The top one, power train, accounts for 126 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2020 Toyota Highlander?
Yes, 4 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2020 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 2020 has more complaints than most years, and NHTSA rates it 5 out of 5 stars overall in crash tests. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.