2023 Toyota Highlander: engine and transmission complaints
NO ELEVATED SIGNAL
28%
45 of 162 relevant owner complaints are about the engine, transmission or fuel system
No elevated drivetrain complaint concentration in the available NHTSA records for the 2023 Toyota Highlander. Engine, transmission and fuel system account for 28% of relevant complaints.
Better than 74% of the 1,230 model years we track (2010–2023).
Excludes 15 airbag, lighting and seat-belt recall complaints that would otherwise mask the signal (unadjusted: 25%).
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
SERVICE BRAKES,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM,FORWARD CO07/20/2025CRASH1 INJURED
I was involved in a vehicle crash on 7-1-25. I had just pulled out of the gas station and was coming up to a stop sign so I was only going about 8mph I put my foot on the brake and nothing happened. I had my foot all the way down on the brake pedal because I saw a car coming and they were traveling at about 40mph. No a…
weather conditions were severe due to a snowstorm, causing ice buildup on the road, low visibility, and slippery pavement. Despite driving cautiously, I lost control of the vehicle, which resulted in going off the road, down an embankment, and crashing into a tree. Immediately after the impact, I called 911 emergency …
POWER TRAIN09/06/2026
Transmission failure at 106,000 miles, full replacement under extended warranty and new transmission is begging to fail at 109,000 miles.
Three of 45 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 (9)
STEERING:COLUMN
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2023 Corolla, Corolla Cross, Corolla Cross Hybrid, Highlander, Highlander Hybrid, Tacoma, 2023 Lexu…
STRUCTURE:BODY:BUMPERS
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2020-2023 Highlander & Highlander Hybrid vehicles. During normal vehicle operation, minor impact t…
TIRES
Gulf States Toyota, Inc. (GST) is recalling certain 2022-2024 model year Highlander L and Highlander LE vehicles equipped with the Blackout Package that includes 20" blac…
This does not say whether a particular car has an open, unrepaired recall. That depends on the VIN.
Before you buy a 2023 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.
9 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.
