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Toyota Highlander: Years to Avoid and Best Years (Engine & Transmission)
Toyota Highlander problems by model year, from 3,572 owner complaints filed with NHTSA. For each year: the share of complaints about the engine, transmission or fuel system, how many there were, and the recalls.
Worst years to avoid: 2019 (68%, 317 drivetrain complaints), 2021 (60%, 282 drivetrain complaints) and 2020 (56%, 157 drivetrain complaints). 5 of the 14 Toyota Highlander years we score have an elevated engine, transmission or fuel-system complaint share; 1 of them is at the very high level (60% or more), where every model year we track has a documented failure behind it.
Best years on this measure: 2014 (9%), 2010 (13%) and 2015 (13%). A low share means owners complained about other things more than the drivetrain, not that nothing ever fails.
The sharpest change between consecutive years is from 2016 (15%) to 2017 (54%), up 39 points. The complaint pattern shifts at that year, so check which year the car in front of you is.
By raw volume, the 2019 drew the most drivetrain complaints (317 of 1,298 across the scored years). Volume also tracks how many were sold and how long they have been on the road, which is why the share, not the count, sets the verdict.
Engine and transmission complaint share, 2010–2023
Share of relevant owner complaints about the engine, transmission or fuel system. 33% is elevated, 40% high, 60% very high. A dash means too few complaints to score.
Every Toyota Highlander year
| Model year | Signal | Drivetrain share | Drivetrain complaints | All complaints | Rank (1 = worst) | Recalls |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 Highlander | no elevated signal | 13% | 27 | 238 | 13/14 | 10 |
| 2011 Highlander | no elevated signal | 19% | 32 | 186 | 9/14 | 5 |
| 2012 Highlander | no elevated signal | 15% | 27 | 191 | 11/14 | 2 |
| 2013 Highlander | no elevated signal | 26% | 48 | 212 | 8/14 | 3 |
| 2014 Highlander | no elevated signal | 9% | 12 | 138 | 14/14 | 5 |
| 2015 Highlander | no elevated signal | 13% | 22 | 192 | 12/14 | 2 |
| 2016 Highlander | no elevated signal | 15% | 14 | 111 | 10/14 | 3 |
| 2017 Highlander | high | 54% | 135 | 267 | 4/14 | 4 |
| 2018 Highlander | high | 46% | 112 | 267 | 5/14 | 5 |
| 2019 Highlander | very high | 68% | 317 | 489 | 1/14 | 3 |
| 2020 Highlander | high | 56% | 157 | 317 | 3/14 | 4 |
| 2021 Highlander | high | 60% | 282 | 523 | 2/14 | 4 |
| 2022 Highlander | no elevated signal | 30% | 67 | 259 | 6/14 | 5 |
| 2023 Highlander | no elevated signal | 28% | 46 | 182 | 7/14 | 9 |
What owners complain about most, all years
Categories as NHTSA files them, summed across the Toyota Highlander years with data. A complaint can name more than one component, so the shares overlap. Red is engine, transmission or fuel.
Toyota Highlander fuel system recalls: timeline
NHTSA lists 4 recall campaigns on the Toyota Highlander involving the engine, transmission or fuel system, out of 39 across the years we track. Each model-year page has the details. Whether a particular car still has a recall open depends on its VIN.
| Date | Campaign | Component | Model years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 2014 | 14V576000 | fuel system, gasoline: delivery: hoses, lines/piping, and fittings | 2014 |
| Jan 2020 | 20V012000 | fuel system, gasoline: delivery: fuel pump | 2018–2019 |
| Mar 2020 | 20V162000 | fuel system, gasoline: delivery | 2020 |
| Nov 2020 | 20V682000 | fuel system, gasoline: delivery: fuel pump | 2017–2019 |
35 other recalls (airbags, lighting, brakes and the rest)
| Date | Campaign | Component | Model years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 2010 | 10V017000 | vehicle speed control: accelerator pedal | 2010 |
| Jan 2010 | 10V023000 | vehicle speed control: accelerator pedal | 2010 |
| Feb 2010 | 10V035000 | equipment: other: labels | 2010 |
| Feb 2010 | 10V036000 | equipment: other: labels | 2010 |
| Jan 2013 | 13V014000 | air bags: frontal: sensor/control module-inactive | 2010–2013 |
| Apr 2013 | 13V123000 | equipment: other: labels | 2010–2013 |
| Feb 2014 | 14V051000 | seat belts: rear/other | 2014 |
| Mar 2014 | 14V148000 | seats | 2013 |
| Apr 2014 | 14V168000 | air bags: frontal: driver side: inflator module | 2010 |
| May 2014 | 14V272000 | electrical system: software | 2014 |
| May 2014 | 14V274000 | seats: mid/rear assembly | 2014 |
| Nov 2014 | 14V743000 | seats: front assembly: seat heater/cooler | 2010–2011 |
| Mar 2015 | 15V144000 | steering: electric power assist system | 2015 |
| Oct 2015 | 15V689000 | visibility: power window devices and controls | 2010–2011 |
| Jun 2016 | 16V396000 | seats: front assembly: seat heater/cooler | 2010–2011 |
| Jun 2016 | 16V420000 | equipment: other: labels | 2016 |
| Oct 2016 | 16V775000 | electrical system: wiring | 2016 |
| May 2017 | 17V295000 | tires: temporary/emergency spare tire | 2017 |
| Aug 2017 | 17V520000 | equipment | 2017 |
| Dec 2017 | 17V831000 | equipment: other: labels | 2018 |
| Apr 2018 | 18V211000 | service brakes, hydraulic: power assist: vacuum | 2018 |
| Nov 2018 | 18E107000 | electrical system | 2014–2018 |
| Mar 2019 | 19V244000 | equipment: other: labels | 2019 |
| Oct 2020 | 20V633000 | air bags | 2020 |
| May 2022 | 22V310000 | equipment: other: labels | 2022 |
| Jul 2023 | 23V480000 | steering: column | 2023 |
| Oct 2023 | 23V720000 | structure: body: bumpers | 2020–2023 |
| Dec 2023 | 23V865000 | air bags: sensor: occupant classification | 2020–2021 |
| Jun 2024 | 24V419000 | tires | 2022–2023 |
| Jun 2024 | 24V452000 | tires | 2021–2023 |
| Jul 2024 | 24V548000 | equipment: other: labels | 2023 |
| Jan 2025 | 25V040000 | steering: column | 2023 |
| Sep 2025 | 25V595000 | electrical system: instrument cluster/panel | 2023 |
| Oct 2025 | 25V744000 | back over prevention: display function | 2023 |
| Mar 2026 | 26V128000 | seats: mid/rear assembly: recliner | 2021–2023 |
What the free pages leave out on the Toyota Highlander
- The mileage where it happens, for the model year you are looking at.
- What the repair costs, to price into your offer.
- Cleaner alternatives: similar cars with a better record.
- Up to 15 owner reports, with the ones about your car's own engine first.
- What to ask the seller and what to check on the test drive.
- Open recalls on the actual car, by VIN.
Questions people ask about the Toyota Highlander
What are the worst years for the Toyota Highlander?
On engine and transmission complaints, the worst Toyota Highlander years are the 2019 (68% of relevant complaints, very high), the 2021 (60% of relevant complaints, high) and the 2020 (56% of relevant complaints, high). 5 of 14 scored years are elevated in all.
What are the best years for the Toyota Highlander?
On engine and transmission complaints, the best Toyota Highlander years are the 2014 (9%), the 2010 (13%) and the 2015 (13%). That describes the model year; any one car still needs an inspection.
Does the Toyota Highlander have transmission problems?
In some years. Across the 14 scored years, 1,298 of 3,326 relevant NHTSA complaints (39%) concern the engine, transmission or fuel system; the largest drivetrain category is power train. The years with an elevated share are 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2021.
Is the Toyota Highlander reliable?
On the engine and transmission it depends on the year: 5 of 14 Toyota Highlander years we score have an elevated complaint share and 9 do not. Pooled across those years, 39% of relevant complaints are about the drivetrain, against a 33% line for an elevated signal. Complaint data does not measure overall reliability, so pick the year first, then inspect the car.
Are there transmission or engine recalls on the Toyota Highlander?
Yes. NHTSA lists 4 recall campaigns involving the engine, transmission or fuel system across the Toyota Highlander years we track, out of 39 in total: 20V012000 (Jan 2020, 2018–2019), 20V162000 (Mar 2020, 2020), 20V682000 (Nov 2020, 2017–2019), and earlier ones. Whether a car still has one open depends on its VIN.
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 model years, not the condition of any individual vehicle. Model years with fewer than 25 complaints are not scored.