Toyota Highlander recalls & complaint record (MY 2017–2026)

By Ivan H., EVCostIQ · reviewed against our public methodology · every source dated on this page

As of July 10, 2026, the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) lists 22 recall campaigns and 2,174 consumer complaints for the Toyota Highlander (MY 2017–2026). The most-reported complaint areas are Power Train, Service Brakes, Engine. Every recall is a free remedy — an open recall is repaired at no cost — so a recall adds nothing to what the Highlander costs to own.

Every Toyota Highlander recall campaign, by year

All 22 NHTSA recall campaigns on file for the Highlander (MY 2017–2026), newest first. A recall is a free remedy — the manufacturer repairs the defect at no cost. Source: NHTSA (nhtsa.gov), data as of July 10, 2026.

2026 — 1 campaign

Seats26V128000 · March 5, 2026 · about 550,007 vehicles
Risk: A seat back that fails to lock may not properly restrain an occupant during a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the return springs in the seat back recliner assemblies, free of charge.

2025 — 4 campaigns

Seat Belts25V872000 · December 17, 2025 · about 39 vehicles
Risk: A seat belt that does not properly restrain an occupant increases the risk of injury during a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will reinstall the seat belt anchor with a new bolt, free of charge.
Back Over Prevention25V744000 · October 30, 2025 · about 1,024,407 vehicles
Risk: A rearview camera that fails to display an image can reduce the driver's view behind the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will update the parking assist software, free of charge.
Electrical System25V595000 · September 11, 2025 · about 591,377 vehicles
Risk: An instrument panel display that does not show critical information can increase the risk of a crash or injury.
Remedy: Dealers will update the instrument panel software over-the-air (OTA) for non-PHEV vehicles, free of charge.
Steering25V040000 · January 29, 2025 · about 1,716 vehicles
Risk: A deactivated driver's air bag will not deploy as intended, increasing the risk of injury during a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and replace the spiral cable assembly as necessary, free of charge.

2024 — 3 campaigns

Equipment24V548000 · July 23, 2024 · about 33,848 vehicles
Risk: A vehicle with an incorrect maximum capacity weight value may be overloaded, which can increase the risk of a crash.
Remedy: GST will mail new labels to owners, free of charge.
Tires24V452000 · June 18, 2024 · about 4,763 vehicles
Risk: Tires with an insufficient load rating can be overloaded and fail, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: SET will inspect and replace the tires and information placard, as necessary free of charge.
Tires24V419000 · June 6, 2024 · about 4,869 vehicles
Risk: Tires with an insufficient load rating may be overloaded and fail, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: GST will inspect and replace the tires as necessary, and install a new tire information label as necessary, free of charge.

2023 — 3 campaigns

Air Bags23V865000 · December 20, 2023 · about 999,901 vehicles
Risk: An air bag that does not deploy during a crash increases the risk of injury.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and replace the sensor as necessary, free of charge.
Structure23V720000 · October 26, 2023 · about 750,795 vehicles
Risk: A detached front bumper cover can become a road hazard, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will repair or replace the upper and lower front bumper covers as necessary, free of charge.
Steering23V480000 · July 12, 2023 · about 152,927 vehicles
Risk: A deactivated driver's air bag that does not deploy as intended increases the risk of injury during a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and replace the spiral cable assembly, if necessary, free of charge.

2022 — 1 campaign

Equipment22V310000 · May 6, 2022 · about 661 vehicles
Risk: An illegible label may allow the vehicle to be overloaded, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: GST will notify owners by mail, including a replacement load carrying capacity modification label for their vehicle and detailed replacement instructions, free of charge.

2020 — 4 campaigns

Fuel System20V682000 · November 4, 2020 · about 1,525,742 vehicles
Risk: If the fuel pump fails, the engine can stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel pump assembly with an improved one, free of charge.
Air Bags20V633000 · October 14, 2020 · about 3,121 vehicles
Risk: Improper deployment of the seat-mounted side air bag increases the risk of injury in the event of a crash.
Remedy: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the front seats and replace the seat trim covers as necessary, free of charge.
Fuel System20V162000 · March 19, 2020 · about 38,810 vehicles
Risk: Improper fuel supply programming can result in a vehicle stall, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the ECU, free of charge.
Fuel System20V012000 · January 13, 2020 · about 1,830,752 vehicles
Risk: If the fuel pump fails, the engine can stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel pump, free of charge.

2019 — 1 campaign

Equipment19V244000 · March 27, 2019 · about 3,634 vehicles
Risk: If the driver cannot read the label, they may unknowingly overload the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: GST will notify owners, and dealers will provide corrected load carrying capacity modification labels, free of charge.

2018 — 2 campaigns

Electrical System18E107000 · November 27, 2018 · about 8,202 vehicles
Risk: The ECM damage may result in the engine stalling, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Wanda will notify owners, and service centers will replace the windshields, and inspect the ECM for damage, having it replaced, as necessary, free of charge.
Service Brakes18V211000 · April 3, 2018 · about 6,046 vehicles
Risk: A sudden loss of braking assist can increase the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will replace the brake booster vacuum pump, free of charge.

2017 — 3 campaigns

Equipment17V831000 · December 20, 2017 · about 649 vehicles
Risk: An incorrect load information label can result in the operator overloading the vehicle and increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Toyota will notify owners and provide them with corrected labels, free of charge.
Equipment17V520000 · August 23, 2017 · about 1,121 vehicles
Risk: The roof rails may loosen and possibly detach from the vehicle, becoming a road hazard and increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: GST will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and properly torque the fasteners, free of charge.
Tires17V295000 · May 2, 2017 · about 409 vehicles
Risk: A spare tire that is not inflated to the proper value may not perform as intended, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Gulf States will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the spare tires, adjusting their pressure as necessary, free of charge.

Where the Highlander’s recalls and complaints cluster

Recalls by component (22 campaigns total): Equipment (5), Tires (3), Fuel System (3), Electrical System (2), Steering (2), Air Bags (2), Seats (1), Seat Belts (1), and 3 other components.

Complaints by reported area (2,174 total; a single complaint can cite more than one area): Power Train (679), Service Brakes (263), Engine (243), Fuel/Propulsion System (208), Electrical System (199), Structure (182).

Recall counts are NHTSA campaign records; complaint counts are consumer reports. Complaints are unverified reports submitted by consumers to NHTSA.

Crash, fire, injury and death reports

Across those consumer complaints, NHTSA’s records for the Highlander (MY 2017–2026) include 116 crash reports, 8 fire reports, 123 injury reports and 1 report of a death. Complaints are unverified reports submitted by consumers to NHTSA.

Do recalls affect what the Highlander costs to own?

No direct cost. A recall is a free remedy: the manufacturer must repair the defect at no charge, so an open or completed recall adds nothing to the 5-year cost of ownership.
Resale is the one caveat. An unrepaired recall can make a used Highlander harder to sell or trade in — a buyer or dealer may want it fixed first — but the fix itself is still free, and completing it removes that friction.
How our totals treat it. Our 5-year cost-of-ownership totals use market-level depreciation estimates; they are not adjusted per recall campaign. See the honest 5-year cost to own: 2026 Toyota Highlander Hybrid AWD cost to own →.

Recalls & complaints — FAQ

How many recalls does the Toyota Highlander have?

As of July 10, 2026, NHTSA lists 22 recall campaigns for the Toyota Highlander (MY 2017–2026). Each is a free remedy — the manufacturer repairs the defect at no cost. The full dated campaign list is above.

What is the most serious Highlander recall?

The largest by scale is campaign 20V012000 (January 13, 2020, Fuel System), affecting about 1,830,752 vehicles: If the fuel pump fails, the engine can stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash. The remedy is free of charge.

How do I check if my Highlander has an open recall?

Enter your 17-character VIN at NHTSA’s free recall lookup, nhtsa.gov/recalls. It shows any open (unrepaired) recall for your exact vehicle, and recall repairs are always free at a franchised dealer.

Do recalls make the Highlander cheaper or more expensive to own?

Neither, directly — recall repairs are free, so they add nothing to the cost of ownership. An unrepaired recall can make a used one harder to resell, but our 5-year cost totals use market-level depreciation and are not adjusted per campaign. See the Highlander cost to own.

About this data

All powertrains and trims. Figures cover all powertrains and trims sold under the Highlander nameplate for the model years shown (MY 2017–2026).
A recall is a free fix. A recall means the manufacturer must remedy a safety defect free of charge; it is not the same as a breakdown or a repair bill.
Complaints are unverified. Consumer complaints are unverified reports submitted by consumers to NHTSA — a signal of what owners report, not confirmed defects.

Source: NHTSA (nhtsa.gov), data as of July 10, 2026.