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2015 Toyota Highlander problems: engine and transmission complaints and recalls

NO ELEVATED SIGNAL
13%
22 of 192 relevant owner complaints are about the engine, transmission or fuel system

No elevated drivetrain complaint concentration in the available NHTSA records for the 2015 Toyota Highlander. Engine, transmission and fuel system account for 13% of relevant complaints.

Better than 96% of the 1,790 model years we track (2010–2023).

NHTSA data checked October 17, 2026
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The VIN is on the listing, the driver’s door jamb, and the bottom of the windshield on the driver’s side.

Does the 2015 Toyota Highlander have engine or transmission problems?

Not as a pattern, going by owner complaints. 22 of 192 relevant complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2015 Toyota Highlander concern the engine, transmission or fuel system (13%). For comparison, the 2014 scores 9% and the 2016 scores 15%. 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.

Drivetrain complaints
22
engine, transmission, fuel
Total complaints
192
this model year
Fires reported
6
owner-reported
Recall campaigns
2
17 crashes · 16 injuries

Complaints by component

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM52 · 27%
UNKNOWN OR OTHER43 · 22%
STRUCTURE32 · 17%
STEERING25 · 13%
SERVICE BRAKES15 · 8%
VISIBILITY/WIPER12 · 6%

The years either side

2010
13%
27 of 238
2011
19%
32 of 186
2012
15%
27 of 191
2013
26%
48 of 212
2014
9%
12 of 138
2015
13%
22 of 192
2016
15%
14 of 111
2017
54%
135 of 267
2018
46%
112 of 267
2019
68%
317 of 489
2020
56%
157 of 317
2021
60%
282 of 523
2022
30%
67 of 259
2023
28%
46 of 182

Manufacturers fix things mid-generation. A bad year next to a clean one is common; the fix usually arrived in between.

In the full report

The rest of the picture on the 2015 Toyota Highlander

What one owner reported

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,UNKNOWN OR OTHER,ENGINE08/27/2026
The a/c condenser was damaged due to impact of road debris. This caused loss of proper system operation. The cost to repair was $1100+. The debris entered thru the front grill, which has nothing in place to prevent debris from entering the engine compartment.

One of 22 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 2015 Toyota Highlander?

No engine or transmission recalls. NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns on the 2015 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)
electrical system18E107000 · Nov 2018
Fujian Wanda Automobile Glass Industry (Wanda) is recalling certain aftermarket Replacement Windshields sold for use in 2014-2018 Toyota Highlander vehicles. The windshields have an attached wire…
steering: electric power assist system15V144000 · Mar 2015
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain model year 2015 Camry, Camry Hybrid, Highlander, and Highlander Hybrid, and 2014-2015 Rav4 vehicles. A component of the…

Source: NHTSA recall campaigns filed against this year, make and model. Checked October 17, 2026.

Checking one particular 2015 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.

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Questions people ask about the 2015 Toyota Highlander

Does the 2015 Toyota Highlander have engine or transmission problems?

Not as a pattern, going by owner complaints. 22 of 192 relevant complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2015 Toyota Highlander concern the engine, transmission or fuel system (13%). It describes the model year, not any one car, so an inspection still matters.

Are there engine or transmission recalls on the 2015 Toyota Highlander?

No. NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns on the 2015 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%) has a lower engine and transmission complaint share than the 2015 (13%). Manufacturers fix things mid-generation, so the year before or after can be a different car.

Should I buy a 2015 Toyota Highlander?

That depends on the car in front of you, not just the model year. The 2015 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.

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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.