Toyota Highlander Engine and Engine Cooling Problems
Owners have filed 182 complaints with NHTSA about engine and engine cooling problems on the Toyota Highlander across 18 model years. The 2003 model year has the most (46). The words owners use most often: “head bolts” (9% of reports).
- 182engine and engine cooling complaints
- —median miles at failure
- 4mention a crash
- 4mention an injury
- 1related recalls
- $7,350typical repair cost reported by owners
- 42%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.
- Head bolts: mentioned in 17 of 182 complaints (9%)
- Engine block: mentioned in 17 of 182 complaints (9%)
- Temperature gauge: mentioned in 10 of 182 complaints (5%)
- Coolant leaking: mentioned in 10 of 182 complaints (5%)
How much does it cost to fix?
Owners who wrote down what they paid or were quoted put the typical engine and engine cooling repair on the Toyota Highlander at $7,350, and half of them between $3,200 and $9,700.
Based on 34 NHTSA complaints about this problem alone that state a repair bill or quote (2004–2014), 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 engine and engine cooling problems happen?
Based on 156 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 182 complaints, 4 mention a crash, 8 a fire, 4 an injury.
Toyota Highlander engine and engine cooling complaints by model year
| Model year | Engine and Engine Cooling complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 Highlander | 1 | 10% | 100 |
| 2019 Highlander | 3 | 1% | 96,200 |
| 2017 Highlander | 3 | 1% | 60,000 |
| 2016 Highlander | 1 | 1% | 90,723 |
| 2015 Highlander | 2 | 1% | 5,784 |
| 2013 Highlander | 3 | 1% | 7,000 |
| 2012 Highlander | 2 | 1% | 84,000 |
| 2011 Highlander | 5 | 3% | 9,000 |
| 2010 Highlander | 2 | 1% | 10,123 |
| 2009 Highlander | 5 | 4% | 5,700 |
| 2008 Highlander | 18 | 4% | 59,000 |
| 2007 Highlander | 2 | 2% | 43,620 |
| 2006 Highlander | 21 | 8% | 67,400 |
| 2005 Highlander | 8 | 4% | 30,000 |
| 2004 Highlander | 20 | 7% | 86,500 |
| 2003 Highlander | 46 | 18% | 106,500 |
| 2002 Highlander | 23 | 8% | 67,000 |
| 2001 Highlander | 17 | 12% | 41,000 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (1)
Engine and engine cooling
Model years: 2004, 2005
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.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
The contact owns a 2017 Toyota Highlander. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who determined that the spark plugs needed replaced. The spark plugs were replaced by an independent mechanic…
The contact owns a 2025 Toyota Highlander. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was an abnormally strong odor entering the cabin of the vehicle through the vents. The windows were rolled down due to the obnoxious odor. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and the contact…
The contact owns a 2012 Toyota Highlander. The contact stated that 5,000 miles after purchasing the vehicle, the contact noticed an oil leak. The contact performed the oil changes and had noticed that engine oil had leaked down onto the weather seal in the vehicle. The contact noticed several oil…
The contact owns a 2017 Toyota Highlander. The contact stated that upon taking the vehicle to an independent mechanic for service, the contact was informed that the engine was leaking due to a timing chain failure. The contact was advised that the engine needed to be taken apart to repair the…
The contact owns a 2019 Toyota Highlander. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle lost motive power. The contact was able to pull over to the shoulder of the roadway, where the vehicle failed to restart. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle…
Frequently asked questions
Do all Toyota Highlanders have engine and engine cooling problems?
No. NHTSA has 182 owner complaints about engine and engine cooling for the Toyota Highlander. Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the Toyota Highlander engine and engine cooling?
Yes: 1 safety recall list engine and engine cooling. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
How much does it cost to fix engine and engine cooling problems on the Toyota Highlander?
Owners report a typical cost of $7,350 (half paid between $3,200 and $9,700), from 34 complaints that state a repair bill or quote, in 2026 dollars.
What do owners say about engine and engine cooling problems on the Toyota Highlander?
The most frequent phrase is “head bolts”, in 17 of 182 complaints, followed by “engine block” (17).
Other Toyota Highlander problems
- Power Train problems (1,040)
- Electrical System problems (634)
- Service Brakes problems (589)
- Engine problems (536)
- Structure problems (446)
- Vehicle Speed Control problems (444)
- Steering problems (365)
- Air Bags problems (356)
See all Toyota Highlander problems.