Cars › Toyota › Highlander › 2012
2012 Toyota Highlander problems: engine and transmission complaints and recalls
No elevated drivetrain complaint concentration in the available NHTSA records for the 2012 Toyota Highlander. Engine, transmission and fuel system account for 15% of relevant complaints.
Better than 94% of the 1,790 model years we track (2010–2023).
Does the 2012 Toyota Highlander have engine or transmission problems?
Not as a pattern, going by owner complaints. 27 of 191 relevant complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2012 Toyota Highlander concern the engine, transmission or fuel system (15%). For comparison, the 2011 scores 19% and the 2013 scores 26%. This describes the model year, not any one car: a well-maintained or already-repaired example can be fine, and a clean model year can still have a bad car in it.
Complaints by component
The years either side
Manufacturers fix things mid-generation. A bad year next to a clean one is common; the fix usually arrived in between.
The rest of the picture on the 2012 Toyota Highlander
- Every owner quote, with the ones about your car's own engine first.
- What to ask the seller and what to check on the test drive, for this car.
- Two cars side by side, if you are deciding between them.
What one owner reported
One of 27 drivetrain complaints. The full report shows them, with quotes about the engine in the car you are looking at first.
Are there engine or transmission recalls on the 2012 Toyota Highlander?
No engine or transmission recalls. NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns on the 2012 Toyota Highlander, none of them for the engine, transmission or fuel system. A recall is the manufacturer admitting a defect and paying to fix it; whether a specific car still has one open depends on its VIN, which the full report checks. The owner complaints above are a separate record and often point at problems that never became a recall.
2 other recalls on this model year (airbags, lighting, brakes and the rest)
Source: NHTSA recall campaigns filed against this year, make and model; one of NHTSA's listings did not answer when this page was built, so the list may be incomplete. Checked October 17, 2026.
Checking one particular 2012 Toyota Highlander? This page is about the model year. Accidents, title brands and odometer records belong to the individual car, and that is what a vehicle history report covers.
Get a history report from EpicVIN Before you pay: EpicVIN’s $1 offer is a 3-day trial (up to 5 reports) that renews at $49.99 a month unless you cancel. Other plans are listed under “View all our packages” at checkout. We may earn a commission if you buy through this link. It does not change what this page reports.Questions people ask about the 2012 Toyota Highlander
Does the 2012 Toyota Highlander have engine or transmission problems?
Not as a pattern, going by owner complaints. 27 of 191 relevant complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2012 Toyota Highlander concern the engine, transmission or fuel system (15%). It describes the model year, not any one car, so an inspection still matters.
Are there engine or transmission recalls on the 2012 Toyota Highlander?
No. NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns on the 2012 Toyota Highlander, none of them for the engine, transmission or fuel system.
Which Toyota Highlander years are better?
Among the Toyota Highlander years we track, the 2014 (9%), the 2010 (13%) and the 2015 (13%) have a lower engine and transmission complaint share than the 2012 (15%). Manufacturers fix things mid-generation, so the year before or after can be a different car.
Should I buy a 2012 Toyota Highlander?
That depends on the car in front of you, not just the model year. The 2012 Toyota Highlander shows no elevated engine or transmission pattern in owner complaints, which is a good starting point. It is still one car with its own history, so get an independent pre-purchase inspection and a vehicle history report before you commit.
Have the VIN?Paste it and get the full report for that car. First report free, then a 30-day pass covers a whole car search.
Check a VINExperimental model-level information. This is not a vehicle inspection, vehicle-history report, financial advice or purchase recommendation. It describes patterns across a model year, not the condition of any individual vehicle. Combined across 2 body styles NHTSA files separately.