2025 Toyota Highlander Problems, Complaints & Recalls

Source: NHTSA · Updated Sep 21, 2026 · 10 owner complaints analyzed

Compared with other Highlander years
Far fewer complaints than other years 25th of 30 for complaints
NHTSA crash rating
5 out of 5 stars

Owners have filed 10 complaints with NHTSA about the 2025 Toyota Highlander. That ranks 25th out of 30 Highlander model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is vehicle speed control (3 complaints, 30%), typically at around 15,000 miles. Complaints mention 2 crashes, 1 injury. There are 4 safety recalls covering this model year.

Toyota Highlander
A 2020 Toyota Highlander XLE AWD photographed in Wantagh, New York, USA. Representative photo; appearance varies by model year. Photo: Kevauto, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.

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Most common 2025 Toyota Highlander problems

Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.

Vehicle Speed Control3 · ~15,000 mi
Forward Collision Avoidance2
Service Brakes2 · ~15,000 mi
Unknown or Other2
Electrical System1
Engine and Engine Cooling1 · ~100 mi
Seat Belts1
Steering1
Visibility1 · ~8,498 mi
Problem areaComplaintsShareMedian milesOwners mention mostTypical repair cost
Vehicle Speed Control330%15,000——
Forward Collision Avoidance220%———
Service Brakes220%15,000——
Unknown or Other220%———
Electrical System110%———
Engine and Engine Cooling110%100——
Seat Belts110%———
Steering110%———
Visibility110%8,498——

One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.

Complaints by year received

Peak: 2026, with 7 complaints
2025: 3202532026: 720267

n = 10 complaints · Source: NHTSA

2025 Toyota Highlander recalls (4)

Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.

Seats:mid/rear assembly:reclinerMar 5, 2026 · NHTSA campaign 26V128000 · 686,588 vehicles

Problem: 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.

Risk: A seat back that fails to lock may not properly restrain an occupant during a crash, increasing the risk of injury.

Fix: 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.

Seat belts:rear/other:anchorageDec 17, 2025 · NHTSA campaign 25V872000 · 39 vehicles

Problem: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2024-2025 Highlander and Highlander Hybrid vehicles. The third row center seat belt roof anchor may have been installed at an incorrect angle, preventing the seat belt from properly restraining the occupant.

Risk: A seat belt that does not properly restrain an occupant increases the risk of injury during a crash.

Fix: Dealers will reinstall the seat belt anchor with a new bolt, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 27, 2026. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's number for this recall is 25TA16.

Back over prevention:display functionOct 30, 2025 · NHTSA campaign 25V744000 · 1,024,407 vehicles

Problem: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2022-2026 Toyota, Lexus, and Subaru Solterra vehicles equipped with a Panoramic View Monitor (PVM) system. Please see the recall report for a complete list of models. A software error may cause the rearview camera to freeze or display a blank screen when the vehicle is in reverse. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 111, "Rear Visibility."

Risk: A rearview camera that fails to display an image can reduce the driver's view behind the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.

Fix: Dealers will update the parking assist software, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed January 2, 2026. Owners may contact Toyota's customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's numbers for this recall are 25TB13 and 25LB06. Subaru's number for this recall is WRE25.

Electrical system: instrument cluster/panelSep 11, 2025 · NHTSA campaign 25V595000 · 591,377 vehicles

Problem: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2023-2024 Toyota Venza, 2023-2025 RAV4 Prime, RAV4, Highlander, GR Corolla, Crown, 2024-2025 Lexus TX, LS, Toyota Tacoma, Grand Highlander, and 2025 Lexus RX, Toyota Crown Signia, Camry, RAV 4 Plug-in Hybrid (PHEV), and 4 Runner vehicles. Due to an error in the instrument panel software at vehicle startup, the instrument panel may fail to display vehicle speed, brake system, and tire pressure warning lights.

Risk: An instrument panel display that does not show critical information can increase the risk of a crash or injury.

Fix: Dealers will update the instrument panel software over-the-air (OTA) for non-PHEV vehicles, free of charge. For PHEV vehicles, dealers will inspect the instrument panel assembly, and either replace it, or update the software, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed December 5, 2025. Additional letters will be sent, anticipated in May 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 25TB08 and 25TA08. Lexus' numbers for this recall are 25LB05 and 25LA05.

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.

The contact owns a 2025 Toyota Highlander. The contact stated that while leaving the driveway at the doctor's office on a slope, the accelerator pedal was depressed while making a left turn, but the vehicle failed to move. The vehicle then rolled into traffic. The brake pedal was depressed, but the…

Vehicle Speed Control · received Sep 21, 2026 · NHTSA complaint 11765928

I was backing up the vechial accelerated the steering wheel was turning rapid & a grinding noise causing me too hit another vechial about a month before my husband was driving & the vechial accelerated going toward also we had had some issues with back camera not doing a warning signal with a…

Electrical System · received Jul 31, 2026 · NHTSA complaint 11753999

[XXX] was turning left onto [XXX] from [XXX]. Two lanes turn left. She was in the inside lane. The traffic light was red, and when it turned green, she started to turn. Partway through the turn, the steering became unresponsive. She couldn't get it to turn left, and she could not complete the turn…

Steering · received Jul 16, 2026 · NHTSA complaint 11750944

The contact owns a 2025 Toyota Highlander. The contact stated that while she and her husband were driving at 60 MPH, she heard a loud explosion noise from above her head and felt air whipping on top of her head. The contact stated that the sunroof exploded; however, the sunroof shield prevented the…

Visibility · received Jun 3, 2026 · NHTSA complaint 11741757

The speedometer registers speed up to 7mph over actual speed for the first 15 miles then returns to matching GPS speed. Reported to Toyota, dealer said they have seen this before but not identified a fix as of today

Vehicle Speed Control · received May 29, 2026 · NHTSA complaint 11740832

Other Toyota Highlander years

← 2024 Highlander · 2026 Highlander →

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 2025 Toyota Highlander?

Owners most often report vehicle speed control, forward collision avoidance, service brakes problems. The top one, vehicle speed control, accounts for 3 complaints.

Was there a recall on the 2025 Toyota Highlander?

Yes, 4 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.

Was the 2025 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 2025 has far fewer 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.