Toyota Highlander Visibility Problems
Owners have filed 318 complaints with NHTSA about visibility problems on the Toyota Highlander across 26 model years. The 2002 model year has the most (123). The words owners use most often: “sun visor” (36% of reports).
- 318visibility complaints
- —median miles at failure
- 0mention a crash
- 1mention an injury
- 2related recalls
- $1,000typical repair cost reported by owners
- 39%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.
- Sun visor: mentioned in 114 of 318 complaints (36%)
- Driver side: mentioned in 114 of 318 complaints (36%)
- Safety hazard: mentioned in 26 of 318 complaints (8%)
How much does it cost to fix?
Owners who wrote down what they paid or were quoted put the typical visibility repair on the Toyota Highlander at $1,000, and half of them between $960 and $1,100.
Based on 46 NHTSA complaints about this problem alone that state a repair bill or quote (2004–2013), 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 visibility problems happen?
Based on 221 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 318 complaints, 1 a fire, 1 an injury.
Toyota Highlander visibility complaints by model year
| Model year | Visibility complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 Highlander | 1 | 10% | 8,498 |
| 2024 Highlander | 1 | 2% | — |
| 2023 Highlander | 3 | 2% | 28,000 |
| 2022 Highlander | 8 | 3% | 6,500 |
| 2021 Highlander | 7 | 1% | 28,500 |
| 2020 Highlander | 2 | 1% | 22,800 |
| 2019 Highlander | 3 | 1% | 60,000 |
| 2018 Highlander | 1 | 0% | 165,000 |
| 2017 Highlander | 3 | 1% | 36,400 |
| 2016 Highlander | 2 | 2% | 38,000 |
| 2015 Highlander | 2 | 1% | 193,000 |
| 2014 Highlander | 4 | 3% | 133,500 |
| 2013 Highlander | 3 | 1% | 93,400 |
| 2012 Highlander | 5 | 3% | 53,500 |
| 2011 Highlander | 10 | 6% | 50,100 |
| 2010 Highlander | 12 | 6% | 61,113 |
| 2009 Highlander | 2 | 1% | 101,948 |
| 2008 Highlander | 10 | 2% | 72,100 |
| 2007 Highlander | 8 | 6% | 61,000 |
| 2006 Highlander | 12 | 4% | 66,000 |
| 2005 Highlander | 20 | 9% | 64,500 |
| 2004 Highlander | 21 | 7% | 55,000 |
| 2003 Highlander | 31 | 12% | 67,000 |
| 2002 Highlander | 123 | 41% | 61,230 |
| 2001 Highlander | 23 | 17% | 83,000 |
| 1997 Highlander | 1 | 100% | 26,000 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (2)
Visibility:power window devices and controls
Model years: 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011
Problem: Toyota Motor Company (Toyota) is recalling certain model year 2009-2011 Tundra, Sequoia, Corolla, Corolla Matrix and Scion xB, 2008-2011 Highlander and Highlander Hybrid, 2007 Camry and Camry Hybrid, 2009 Camry and Camry Hybrid, 2006-2011 RAV4, 2006-2010 Yaris, and 2009-2010 Scion xD and Pontiac Vibe vehicles. During the manufacturing of the Power Window Master Switch (PWMS), grease lubricant may have been inconsistently applied to the sliding electrical contacts.
Risk: If the sliding electrical contacts are not protected by lubricant, debris and moisture that get into the switch may cause a short circuit and the switch assembly may overheat and melt, increasing the risk of a fire.
Fix: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the switch, applying a lubricant if no abnormality is found. If abnormality is found, the PWMS circuit board will be replaced, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin December 20, 2015. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's number for this recall is C0M.
Visibility:power window devices and controls
Model years: 2008
Problem: Toyota is recalling certain model year 2007-2009 Camry, Camry Hybrid, RAV4, Corolla, Corolla Matrix, Tundra, Sequoia, Highlander, Highlander Hybrid, Yaris, Scion xB, Scion xD and Pontiac Vibe vehicles. The power window master switch assemblies in some of these vehicles were built using a less precise process for lubricating the internal components of the switch assemblies. Irregularities in this lubrication process may cause the power window master switch assemblies to malfunction and overheat.
Risk: If the switch overheats, it may melt, possibly resulting in a fire.
Fix: Toyota will notify its owners, and dealers will inspect the switch and apply a special grease that inhibits heat build up or replace any switch damaged by the defect, free of charge. Toyota owners that experience a problem with a switch should not attempt to make repairs, but should contact their Toyota dealer or the Toyota Customer Experience Center at 1-800-331-4331. General Motors will contact the Pontiac Vibe owners affected by this recall and GM dealers will inspect and repair switches as necessary. Those owners may contact Pontiac Customer Care at 1-800-762-2737.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
The contact owns a 2022 Toyota Highlander. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, the tailgate glass exploded due to the heat and fell inside the vehicle. The Toyota manufacturer corporate office was contacted. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer. The glass was replaced by…
The contact owns a 2023 Toyota Highlander. The contact stated that while attempting to start the vehicle, the driverâs and passengerâs side mirrors moved downward independently, causing the contact to manually adjust the side mirrors. A dealer was contacted. The vehicle was taken to the dealer…
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…
During very cold tempratures 25 F and below all windows fog up. Defroster is turned on but windows remain fogged. I can turn on rear defroster (electric grid) and clears back window. All windows fog so you cannot see out. With front defroster fan on high it will after a time (starting from the…
The contact owns a 2018 Toyota Highlander. The contact stated that while driving at 58 MPH, there was an abnormal popping sound coming from the sunroof, and it was discovered that the sunroof glass had shattered. Neither an independent mechanic nor a dealer was contacted. The vehicle was not taken…
Frequently asked questions
Do all Toyota Highlanders have visibility problems?
No. NHTSA has 318 owner complaints about visibility 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 visibility?
Yes: 2 safety recalls list visibility. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
How much does it cost to fix visibility problems on the Toyota Highlander?
Owners report a typical cost of $1,000 (half paid between $960 and $1,100), from 46 complaints that state a repair bill or quote, in 2026 dollars.
What do owners say about visibility problems on the Toyota Highlander?
The most frequent phrase is “sun visor”, in 114 of 318 complaints, followed by “driver side” (114).
Other Toyota Highlander problems
- Power Train problems (1,041)
- 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.