2013 Toyota Highlander: engine and transmission complaints
NO ELEVATED SIGNAL
25%
47 of 187 relevant owner complaints are about the engine, transmission or fuel system
No elevated drivetrain complaint concentration in the available NHTSA records for the 2013 Toyota Highlander. Engine, transmission and fuel system account for 25% of relevant complaints.
Better than 78% of the 1,230 model years we track (2010–2023).
Excludes 24 airbag, lighting and seat-belt recall complaints that would otherwise mask the signal (unadjusted: 22%).
Looking at a specific Highlander?Check its VIN: the full report, quotes about its own engine, and whether its recalls are still open. First report free.
Manufacturers fix things mid-generation. A bad year next to a clean one is common; the fix usually arrived in between.
What owners reported
POWER TRAIN,STRUCTURE07/13/2016CRASH1 INJURED
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS BEING REVERSED, THE HATCHBACK OPEN WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE GEAR SHIFT LEVER WAS PLACED IN PARK BEFORE EXITING THE VEHICLE. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO CLOSE THE HATCH, THE VEHICLE STARTED TO ROLL BACKWARDS AND KNOCKED THE CONTAC…
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,ENGINE04/15/20141 INJURED
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, THE VEHICLE EXHIBITED UNINTENDED ACCELERATION. ADDITIONALLY, THE VEHICLE WOULD VIBRATE EXCESSIVELY WHEN STATIONARY WITH THE ENGINE ON. THE VIBRATIONS WOULD CAUSE EAR PAIN TO THE CONTACT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRE…
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM07/27/2025
A persistent smell of fuel occurred while in slow moving traffic and after vehicle was parked after use. Upon close inspection, the fuel injector fuel rail end cap exhibited a slow fuel leak. This component caused a recall for year model highlanders for 2014 production year describing the same type of component failure…
Three of 47 drivetrain complaints. The full report shows more, with quotes about the engine in the car you are looking at first.
Recall campaigns on this model year (3)
SEATS
Toyota is recalling certain model year 2013 Highlander vehicles manufactured March 13, 2013, through August 6, 2013. In the affected vehicles, the second row left hand s…
EQUIPMENT:OTHER:LABELS
Southeast Toyota is recalling certain model year 2008 and 2010-2013 Toyota Tundra, 2010-2012 Rav4, 2012 Toyota Sequoia, 2010-2011 Toyota Corolla, 2010-2011 Toyota Camry a…
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:SENSOR/CONTROL MODULE-INACTIVE
Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC (SET) is recalling certain models interspersed through model years 2009 through 2013 as follows: model year 2009-2012 Tacoma, 4Runner, …
This does not say whether a particular car has an open, unrepaired recall. That depends on the VIN.
Before you buy a 2013 Toyota Highlander
No elevated drivetrain pattern for this model year. That describes the model, not the car in front of you.
Get an independent pre-purchase inspection from a mechanic you choose.
3 recall campaigns on this model year. Whether a specific car still has one open depends on the VIN; the report checks that.
Ask for service records. A engine already replaced under warranty is a different car from one that was not.
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.
Experimental 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.
