Toyota Highlander Engine Problems
Owners have filed 536 complaints with NHTSA about engine problems on the Toyota Highlander across 25 model years. The 2019 model year has the most (69). The words owners use most often: “oil cooler” (8% of reports).
- 536engine complaints
- —median miles at failure
- 18mention a crash
- 9mention an injury
- 2related recalls
- $6,300typical 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.
- Oil cooler: mentioned in 43 of 536 complaints (8%)
- Head gasket: mentioned in 33 of 536 complaints (6%)
How much does it cost to fix?
Owners who wrote down what they paid or were quoted put the typical engine repair on the Toyota Highlander at $6,300, and half of them between $2,900 and $9,100.
Based on 33 NHTSA complaints about this problem alone that state a repair bill or quote (2012–2026), 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 engine problems happen?
Based on 304 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 536 complaints, 18 mention a crash, 17 a fire, 9 an injury.
Toyota Highlander engine complaints by model year
| Model year | Engine complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 Highlander | 1 | 25% | — |
| 2024 Highlander | 5 | 12% | — |
| 2023 Highlander | 28 | 15% | 30,500 |
| 2022 Highlander | 10 | 4% | 17,781 |
| 2021 Highlander | 47 | 9% | 39,050 |
| 2020 Highlander | 17 | 5% | 8,000 |
| 2019 Highlander | 69 | 14% | 13,000 |
| 2018 Highlander | 33 | 12% | 14,800 |
| 2017 Highlander | 47 | 17% | 20,400 |
| 2016 Highlander | 9 | 8% | 46,000 |
| 2015 Highlander | 10 | 5% | 66,670 |
| 2014 Highlander | 3 | 2% | 57,374 |
| 2013 Highlander | 32 | 15% | 6,300 |
| 2012 Highlander | 17 | 9% | 31,900 |
| 2011 Highlander | 17 | 9% | 123,350 |
| 2010 Highlander | 12 | 6% | 90,403 |
| 2009 Highlander | 23 | 17% | 82,518 |
| 2008 Highlander | 58 | 14% | 112,500 |
| 2007 Highlander | 7 | 6% | 100,000 |
| 2006 Highlander | 19 | 7% | 102,000 |
| 2005 Highlander | 6 | 3% | 81,000 |
| 2004 Highlander | 16 | 6% | 113,000 |
| 2003 Highlander | 41 | 16% | 115,000 |
| 2002 Highlander | 7 | 2% | 140,000 |
| 2001 Highlander | 2 | 1% | 161,349 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (2)
Engine; fuel system, gasoline:delivery
Model years: 2020
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.
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.
Transmission failure after whining noise, taken to Toyota multiple times with no diagnosis. Today was informed the transmission is failing by another mechanic. 193,000 miles.
I own a 2021 Toyota Highlander Platinum AWD equipped with the 3\.5L V6 and approximately 77,000 miles\. The vehicle developed a humming/whining, airplane\-like noise from the front drivetrain while accelerating\. The noise increases with vehicle speed and stops when the accelerator is released\…
I bought a vehicle in cash three weeks ago at Universal Toyota located at [XXX] . Two days later, I called the sellers [XXX] and [XXX] to have a noise fix /checked. It turns out the transmission is bad/damaged and of course it's not safe to drive. Universal Toyota donât want to fix it (expensive)…
I purchased a 2013 Toyota Highlander in 2018 or.2019 with 64,000 miles. I was told to go 5000 miles before changes. My oil was gone many times when I did this. I reported this to Toyota dealership.I eventually stopped using them because they were hearing my problem. The complaints of lack of power…
The contact owns a 2020 Toyota Highlander. The contact stated that while driving, the vehicle stalled and abruptly stopped in traffic at a traffic light. The driver exited the vehicle. The vehicle failed to restart, and the steering wheel was inoperable. The contact was concerned the vehicle might…
Frequently asked questions
Do all Toyota Highlanders have engine problems?
No. NHTSA has 536 owner complaints about engine 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?
Yes: 2 safety recalls list engine. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
How much does it cost to fix engine problems on the Toyota Highlander?
Owners report a typical cost of $6,300 (half paid between $2,900 and $9,100), from 33 complaints that state a repair bill or quote, in 2026 dollars.
What do owners say about engine problems on the Toyota Highlander?
The most frequent phrase is “oil cooler”, in 43 of 536 complaints, followed by “head gasket” (33).
Other Toyota Highlander problems
- Power Train problems (1,041)
- Electrical System problems (634)
- Service Brakes problems (589)
- Structure problems (446)
- Vehicle Speed Control problems (444)
- Steering problems (365)
- Air Bags problems (356)
- Visibility problems (318)
See all Toyota Highlander problems.