2015 Toyota Highlander

The paint is severely peeling on the outside. This can likely flake off and damages other vehicles, property, and roadway infrastructure. This is the factory coat of paint. Color is Toyota Blizzard Pearl (070)

Reported

Jul 2026

Incident date

Jul 2026

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

None reported

The contact owns a 2015 Toyota Highlander. The contact stated that the power liftgate consistently failed halfway through while opening and closing the liftgate. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact became aware of information online about Technical Service Bulletin: SB0023/16, NHTSA ID Number: 10134306 (Structure, Electrical System); and associated the failure with the TSB. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that the vehicle was not covered under warranty, TSB, or a recall. The failure mileage was approximately 133,000.

Reported

Jul 2026

Incident date

Mar 2026

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

None reported

The contact owns a 2015 Toyota Highlander. The contact stated that while driving on several occasions at various speeds, the infotainment screen would go blank and the system would turn on inadvertently. This issue became more frequent, occurring approximately every 10 seconds. The power steering warning light also illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an auto parts store where a handheld diagnostic machine did not detect any failures or codes. The contact stated that while driving on several occasions at various speeds, the steering wheel became extremely stiff. On one occasion while his daughter was driving and turning the vehicle on a curved road, the vehicle veered into oncoming traffic. The contact stated that she managed to get the vehicle back to the correct side of the road, then stopped and inspected the vehicle. The vehicle was then taken to an auto parts store where a handheld diagnostic machine was used, but the failure was not detected. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact believes that the steering failure was associated with NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V144 (Steering). The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 99,800.

Reported

Jun 2026

Incident date

May 2026

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

None reported

Door lock actuators, yes it is available for inspection. Doors cannot be locked or unlocked with a remote key fob or the interior power door locks. Lock defect poses a significant safety hazard in that a single or multiple doors may not lock at any time, whether the vehicle is on or off and despite actions or commands by the driver. The alleged defect is dangerous to passengers as it can cause unintentional door openings while a vehicle is in use, result in inoperable doors during emergency situations, and leave a vehicle and any contents therein more vulnerable to theft. This poses serious safety concerns, for example when vehicles are involved in vehicular accidents because the occupants may become entrapped when the Door Actuator Defect prevents an occupant from unlocking the doors. Furthermore, this defect jeopardizes the safety of vehicle occupants given that not all doors are capable of being manually unlocked from the exterior. Since owning my highlander I've taken it to the dealership several times for this issue. The front door driver and passenger were replaced and a lock switch however dealership claimed they could not recreate the issue for all doors yet the issue continued and is noted several times in service history. Even when under warranty they refused to change the parts despite multiple service notes and verbal compilations due to their claim of not being able to recreate the issue. There were no warning lights or messages or other symptoms prior to failure. I've had this car since 2019 and it's been an issue notably since 2021. I fear the safety of myself, my family and other passengers are compromised every time we enter the vehicle.

Reported

May 2026

Incident date

Apr 2021

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

None reported

The moon roof in my car completely shattered out of no where while I was driving down the road and fell all into my backseat. If my children were in the car, they would have had glass all over them.

Reported

Mar 2026

Incident date

Mar 2026

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

None reported

Exterior lights continually burn out.

Reported

Mar 2026

Incident date

Mar 2026

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

None reported

The side mirrors are too large and located in a position that when the driver is turning left the driver's side mirror blocks the ability to see the crosswalk and also the center divider of the lane they are turning into and has almost caused me to strike a center divider and not see a pothole on a freeway on ramp causing damage to the left side strut and alignment. There were other multiple times I almost hit the smaller center dividers in town and the glare in the mirror causes glare that you can't see where you are going. terrible design

Reported

Feb 2026

Incident date

Feb 2026

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

None reported

[XXX] battery light appeared on dash. [XXX] on my way to Limestone service station 399 Danbury rd Ridgefield ct ph203-438-8028 a warning appeared on dash stating i will lose steering.Luckily I managed to pull into a parking lot and lost all ability to steer. Thank God i was not on the highway and was not in a catastrophic accident.The dashboard went blank. The engine stayed on as I called Limestone and was told I needed to be towed..As I was calling Allstate for a tow the dashboard came back on and so did the steering. I drove to Limestone. After checking everything I was told they didn't find any codes and there must be a glitch in the system. Battery good, alternator good, serpentine belt good. We also found a recall NHTSA campaign number15V144000 for unexpected loss of electric power steering increasing the risk of a crash for 2015 Toyota Highlander. Jan2 2026 i drove to Brookfield Ct Toyota and was informed by a very helpful service manager Katelyn Hadden that Unbelievably my Vin number was not included in this recall and to come back when it happens again I am a [XXX] grandfather who takes his grandchildren everywhere and will not put their lives in danger in this car until this problem is fixed. I was told by Limestone to stay local and come back when it happens again. I would sincerely appreciate any help in correcting this defect. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Reported

Jan 2026

Incident date

Dec 2025

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

None reported

Paint is peeling off my car, This is confirmed by Toyota it was covered by the Consumer Support program which expired in July however the paint did not start peeling off until last week.Toyota said that there wasn't anything they could do. this is clearly a manufacture defect and should be repair by Toyota at no charge to me.

Reported

Dec 2025

Incident date

Dec 2025

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

None reported

When right front pax sits in seat and fastens seatbelt, the airbag indicator correctly says "ON." But after a few minutes, the airbag turns "OFF" and the driver's dash gets an "unfastened seatbelt" warning and a "faulty airbag" warning. All of these occur while the front right pax has remain seated and buckled. If the pax unbuckles and exits the seat, these incorrect warnings all remain the same. The right front pax seat belt buckle has been replaced with no effect. The seat has been recalibrated (seat sensors) with no effect. The wires under the seat have been disconnected, cleaned, and re-connected with no effect. This is a safety issue in that the airbag on that front right side de-activates when a passenger is in that seat. There is a Toyota Recall Campaign for this identical problem, but it does not include my model year (2015). Requesting NHTSA get Toyota to extend their recall to include 2015 models, please.

Reported

Dec 2025

Incident date

Dec 2025

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

None reported

The blizzard pearl paint on my vehicle is peeling off of the roof and possibly the side of the vehicle.

Reported

Jul 2025

Incident date

Jul 2025

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

None reported

I have noticed speed issues or high idling with this vehicle for a while. I committed a rear end collision with a vehicle on July 4, 2025, at approximately 2pm. My car rear ended his truck while it was stopped behind another vehicle. My vehicle sustained total damage to the front end. I was ticketed for not reducing speed to prevent a accident. The only warning light was that it need maintenance, which comes on prior to an oil change. My safety was put at risk because the car is idled too fast for the type of driving I do, which is small town and rural road driving. Due to the speed of this vehicle during normal driving, it's difficult to stop quickly to avoid an accident. If it was rainy and slippery, the situation could have been much worse.

Reported

Jul 2025

Incident date

Jul 2025

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

Crash

On [XXX] my vehicle suffered an unintended acceleration on a very busy highway of The Dominican Republic, reaching a speed of 100 MPH. I was able to drive the car into the bushes of the highway service road hitting all king of obstacles such as trees, wall, advertising signs and safety barriers. The car damages resulted in a total loss. My life and my family life were in extremely dangerous situation. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Reported

Jun 2025

Incident date

May 2025

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

Crash 2 injuries

Driving to take my son to work. Check engine light came on said check and system. Hard shifting put in manual drive and made it to destination.

Reported

Dec 2024

Incident date

Dec 2024

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

None reported

Driving the car was hard to steer. Check engine light came on and check speed sensor. Went to a mechanic and disconnected the battery, the sensor reset and back driving ok for about two weeks. This went on for a few weeks. Been a month now and it hasn't come on but it was dangerous due to driving and turning issues.

Reported

Dec 2024

Incident date

Aug 2024

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

None reported

Trunk keeps malfunctioning. During lift would not open all the way or at all and sometimes once open will not close.

Reported

Dec 2024

Incident date

Nov 2024

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

None reported

Unknown-tailgate failure keeps beeping will not automatically go up or down not sure why?

Reported

Nov 2024

Incident date

Nov 2024

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

None reported

I have a 2015 Toyota Highlander XLE. Last winter I began noticing a burning smell which I believed to be electrical inside the vehicle. I was able to determine it was the driver seat heater and the burning smell continued even with the toggle switch turned off. I stopped at a local Toyota dealership, Koch Toyota, who refused to show me which plug under the seat to unplug to disconnect power. They tried to insist that I drop the car off and let them check it. Due to past negative experiences with that Toyota dealership I refused. I was able to speak to my own mechanic who instructed me to remove the fuse for the driver's seat heater which I did and the smell stopped however the seat heater is not functioning now. Upon recent research online it appears this is a common problem especially in 2015 Toyota Highlanders. I found a couple other owners of the xle models on a website called Toyota Nation who experienced similar problems where their vehicles actually caught fire and melted the center consoles after the burning smell was misdiagnosed. I believe this is a huge safety concern and have recently filed a report with Toyota Corporate in hopes to get the issue rectified. There were no warning messages or lights that came on to advise that there was an issue.

Reported

Nov 2024

Incident date

Sep 2023

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

None reported

BSM works when it want to and sometimes not at all

Reported

Sep 2024

Incident date

Jun 2024

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

None reported

The contact owns a 2015 Toyota Highlander. The contact stated while driving 65 MPH, the vehicle stalled, and the steering wheel became difficult to turn. The check engine warning light and several other unknown warning lights were illuminated. The contact was able to pull into a parking lot. The contact was able to restart the vehicle after 45 minutes. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The dealer was notified of the failure and charged a fee for diagnostic testing. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 18E107000 (Electrical System, Visibility); however, the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 193,000.

Reported

Sep 2024

Incident date

Sep 2024

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

None reported

SPONTANEOUS VEHICLE FIRE: While driving approximately 20-30 miles per hour, with no other symptoms or advance warning signs, a message suddenly appeared on the dashboard saying "Engine Failure - Turn off Ignition". The temperature gauge was firmly in the normal range; the car had been inspected a few months prior, and had recently had routine maintenance. There was no indication that anything was amiss before this incident. 30 seconds after the sudden warning message appeared, smoke began pouring from the hood and I immediately pulled over to the side of the road and exited the vehicle with my young daughter. The smoke continued and the entire front section of the vehicle quickly caught ablaze. Police and the fire department arrived on the scene to assist and extinguish the fire. The vehicle was towed and determined to be a total loss by insurance. Our safety was put at risk because our vehicle spontaneously caught fire with no early warning signs; if we had been driving on a highway or a road without space to quickly stop the vehicle and safely exit, we would have certainly faced injury or possible death given the speed and ferocity with which the fire erupted. After we contacted Toyota several times, they sent an inspector to look at the vehicle, and reported: "The inspector observed extensive fire damage to the engine compartment and interior of the vehicle. The inspector also observed that there was no oil registered on the dipstick. There were no arc marks on the wiring in the engine compartment when inspected. The inspector did not observe any oil leaks when inspected. The battery hold down bracket was in the proper location. The cause of the fire was undetermined, and there was no evidence from the inspection to indicate that this incident was a result of a vehicle defect." Toyota has shown a complete lack of curiousity as to determining what could have caused the fire and has only focused on avoiding liability, thereby putting customer safety at risk.

Reported

Jul 2024

Incident date

May 2024

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

Fire

Upon being reviewed the rear U Joint was loose & needed replaced @ 167,361 miles.

Reported

Jun 2024

Incident date

Mar 2024

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

None reported

I am curious as to why my front tires are wearing out on the outside? It was suggested to get a front end alignment & I did. But as the photos shows these tires are wearing uneven. I also have a rumbling vibration that comes from the front tires upon accelerating from a traffic light. Please advise.

Reported

Jun 2024

Incident date

Feb 2024

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

None reported

The contact owns a 2015 Toyota Highlander. While stopped at a gas station with the engine on, the contact's wife smelled an abnormal, burning odor coming from the vehicle without warning. Upon inspecting the vehicle, the contact's wife saw flames shooting from the dashboard near the infotainment system; the contact's wife and children immediately exited the vehicle. The fire department was called to the scene and extinguished the fire. The contact's wife suffered minor burns on her right hand but did not seek medical attention. The contact had the vehicle towed back home where it remained in the contact's possession. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and a claim was filed. The vehicle had yet to be diagnosed or repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 104,000.

Reported

Apr 2024

Incident date

Apr 2024

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

Fire 1 injuries

My Highlander had a strange burning smell and we couldn’t find where it was coming from. We took it to a shop where they checked everything over and suggested that the smell was our brakes. They lubricated the brakes and replaced my tires and struts. When I went to pick up the vehicle I still noticed the strange smell, and I had the mechanic come out and check. He suggested that it was the leather conditioner that our detailer had used. I left and headed for home and in about 5 miles the control for the drivers heated seat started smoking and about 30 seconds later the plastic around the control began to melt and flames were coming out of the area next to the control. I was able to use a fire extinguisher to put the fire out. All of the heated seat components were original and we haven’t had any work done to it. The obvious safety concern here would be fire in the cabin of the vehicle while in motion. The fire and sheriffs departments showed up to the scene and the incident report was filed. The vehicle was towed to a shop where we are awaiting insurance adjuster to look at it. There were not any warning lights or signals of any kind; only the smoke very shortly before the visible flames.

Reported

Mar 2024

Incident date

Feb 2024

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

Fire

We have a 2019 Toyota Highlander. VIN: [XXX] . There are two issues with this vehicle... 1) Our bumper fell down after an uneventful car wash. We didn't hit anything. Reported it to the car wash place (Ollie's Car Wash in Walker, LA) after we noticed it fell. We had to tie-strap it back up because the clips no longer worked right. This happened August 12, 2023. We have pictures of the damage. 2) A second issue is totally separate from the first. This one has to do with the back lifting door. It often gets stuck to where we have to manually force it closed. We have to reset the button often. Sometimes it gets stuck open and sometimes it won't open at all. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Reported

Oct 2023

Incident date

Aug 2023

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

None reported

The contact owns a 2015 Toyota Highlander. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the steering became firm. The steering wheel independently moved to the left and to the right. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle had not been diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.

Reported

Oct 2023

Incident date

Sep 2017

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

None reported

I experienced a sudden engine failure while driving my 2015 Toyota Highlander on Interstate 294 outside Chicago. I was driving about 75 mph in the far left lane. A warning message "Check AWD" came on the screen, followed by the Engine icon lighting up, then a "TRAC off" message appeared on the screen. I began to merge to the right across four lanes of traffic to get to the shoulder. As I was doing so, a beep sounded, and the message "Engine Stopping" appeared on the screen. The accelerator stopped working. I reached the shoulder and the car came to a stop just as I made it to the shoulder. The whole incident, from the time the first warning light came on until the car completely stopped, lasted about three minutes. Prior to this, there were no warning lights, and I had been driving the car without incident. The car had received all regular maintenance at proper intervals. Mileage was 86,100 at the time. There were five people in the car, including myself, my teenage daughter, her friend, and her friend's parents. We were driving the girls home from a summer camp. We are unharmed -- and possibly alive -- only because I was able to merge across four lanes of traffic and reach the shoulder before the engine completely failed. Just behind us and just ahead of us on this stretch of interstate, there is no shoulder. Semi trucks populate this very busy road. We had to sit on the shoulder for two hours waiting for a tow truck. We are all truly fortunate to be alive and unharmed. The vehicle is in the possession of [XXX] Toyota, [XXX] . The service department has diagnosed as follows: "Performed diagnostic and found codes P0300, P0301, P0302, P0303, P0306 engine misfire codes. Code P1603 Engine stalls out. P1604 Stability malfunction. Code P1605 Rough idle. Spark plug number 6 is damaged. Check piston with borescope, piston is also damaged." I am being advised to replace the engine at a cost of $8820. Toyota US has been notified. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Reported

Jul 2023

Incident date

Jul 2023

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

None reported

I have replaced several day light running lights /low beam bulbs. Approximately every 6-9 months since I purchased the vehicle in December of 2014.

Reported

Jun 2023

Incident date

Jun 2015

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

None reported

Water leak at sun roof caused by rubber seal failure in sun roof frame due to faulty material and or installation. Water damage to side air bag so tat it does not deploy properly & is a safety hazard. Mold carpet which is a health hazard & impedes drivers ability to drive.

Reported

Jun 2023

Incident date

May 2023

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

None reported

The rear tail gate seal for lamps on both the left and right side have failed and the lamp assemblies condense and fill with water. I have read other reports on your website of the same problem with the highlander. In your other reports the a person was told Toyota will not warranty the lamps because of moisture in them because it is not a safety issue. While it is because the moisture blocks the light for the vehicle behind to see and thus rear end. I live in Massachusetts and there is a yearly vehicle inspection and when I went to get it done I was told it would not pass safety inspection with moisture in the lamp so I had to get the left hand one replaced to pass. Now 6 months later my righthand tailgate lamp is full of moisture and will not pass my upcoming Massachusetts safety inspection. The cost was $205.44 now another of the same. It is definitely a safety issue in Massachusetts and in my opinin should also be treated as such by the NHTSA for Toyota recall and reimbursement.

Reported

May 2023

Incident date

Nov 2022

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

None reported

On the Freeway off ramp, during the slow down- and down shifting-process the vehicle appeared to block the wheels and to skid for a short time. Also, the vibration feature that indicates loss of traction got activated for that time and the “slip indicator” warning light lit up (I do not know for how long). During the incident I felt not in control of the vehicle. Once the incident passed I retained control of the vehicle , yet the automatic transmission started to act very peculiar and frequently failed to downshift in a normal way which could only be achieved by intentionally taking pressure of the gas pedal, and only after the downshift had happened, more power cold be applied. Another brief and less pronounced perceived jolt happened on the short remainder of the drive home. Once parked at home I realized that the car would not engage when the lever was put in “reverse”, but would engage when put in “drive”. I plan to have the vehicle towed to my Toyota service station and have it inspected/fixed.

Reported

Feb 2023

Incident date

Feb 2023

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

None reported

Front half of panoramic sunroof spontaneously exploded. Conditions were light rain, morning, freeway at 65 MPH. Exploded outward, not much traffic or anything around, not hit by debris. Did not seem like safety issue in this case other than startling noise, cloth cover was closed.

Reported

Feb 2023

Incident date

Feb 2023

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

None reported

The contact owns a 2015 Toyota Highlander. The contact stated while driving at 30 MPH, the vehicle accelerated without any warning at high speed. The contact desperately depressed the brake pedal, but the vehicle would not stop, causing the vehicle to drive into traffic and striking several vehicles causing front damage to the vehicle. The contact was unsure if anyone was injured. A police report was filed. The vehicle was not diagnosed. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted, and a case was filed. The failure mileage was 98,000.

Reported

Dec 2022

Incident date

Dec 2022

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

Crash

Rear tail lamps on lift gate both sides have failed seals that allow moisture to condense inside the lens. This occurs to the point the water collects inside the lens and obstructs the emission of light when the brake pedal is depressed. Several reports of this happening can be found with a simple online search for the issue. The Manufacturer (Toyota) has to be aware of the defect in manufacturing process or design by the shear number of occurrences, yet they deny any responsibility in repair or replacement costs. The issue was first noticed at 4 years of age and around 45,000 miles. This need to be reviewed and addressed as a matter of maintaining basic safety.

Reported

Oct 2022

Incident date

Oct 2019

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

None reported

*AIRBAG FAILURE* -Head on impact with tree. -Significant front end damage. -Vehicle towed from scene, deemed total loss by insurance company. -Police report on file (can provide if needed) -All First Responders on scene we’re shocked/commented/observed that airbags were not deployed: police, fire, ems. As well as all bystanders. -no vehicle warning lamps on prior: car was just inspected and oil change in recent months. -no recalls on vehicle. -not sure if vehicle still avail for inspection: it’s at junkyard under insurance co and title has been passed to them. -able to provide multiple pictures of vehicle, police and bystanders able to provide pics also. -3 vehicle occupants: driver seat, passenger seat, rear passenger side car seat. -2 adults, one 4.5y/o child. -all occupants in seatbelts. -all occupants rcvd medical care, 2 ongoing care. How was our safety put at risk? Please see pics, and read above. Our safety was put in the line of fire due to this faulty system. Accident details: My car with right of way. My car t-boned by car who ran a blinking red light and stop sign. My car hit on rear drivers side. My car spun into oncoming traffic, across oncoming lane, over curb, through a fence and into a tree. My car stopped by tree in front end. Significant front end damage. **NO AIRBAGS WERE DEPLOYED** Engine drop and frame damage. Car not drivable. All occupants EMS transport to hospital. Other car: Unknown speed. Driver states she ‘had a green light’ (no green light at that intersection). No evidence of slowing prior to impact. Car also towed/not drivable. **this was a manufacturer error** Please contact me for more info.

Reported

Aug 2022

Incident date

Aug 2022

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

Crash 3 injuries

steering rack/box

Reported

Aug 2022

Incident date

Aug 2021

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

None reported

Airbags did not deploy in front end crash. The vehicle is available at tow center for inspection. Driver sustained concussion from frontal head impact to roof/windshield area of vehicle. No dealership has been contacted. The police have inspected the vehicle. The insurance has been notified of damage and location of tow center. There were no indication lights of any kind for check concerns. The vehicle has never previously been involved in an impact accident.

Reported

May 2022

Incident date

May 2022

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

1 injuries

actuators, yes it's available for inspection The actuators on all the door are going out, they randomly work. It's a safety issue if you needed to exit the car for any emergency or making sure your car is locked and secured. You're at risk due to it simply not working, getting into the car it's a security issue, presents issues for parent(s) with children, children with disabilities, driver/passengers with disablities. When the car is put into reverse, they will not automatically lock as they should. Same when put into park, they do not automatically lock or unlock. Yes, the dealer confirmed the issue. The driver door actuator has been replaced but the other doors need to be replaced now as well. To my knowledge the faulty actuator has not been inspected No warning it just happened. but when they due fail to lock when using the keypad the car doesn't confirm the lock and security is set. When they fail to unlock using the keypad the car continues to beep several times after hitting the unlock button. You have to manually reach/maneuver to lock or unlock the door.

Reported

Mar 2022

Incident date

Apr 2021

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

None reported

On Jan 25, 2022 while sitting in my car... engine running. Smoke filled the inside of the vehicle. Prior to seeing smoke I smelled electrical smell and also my heated seat was warmer than usual. I did not think nothing of it. Smoke definitely came from the knob to turn heated seat on with and also appeared to be coming from the vent. I shut the car off. Thirty to 45min later I turned the car back on. More smoke came but it cleared out with me letting all windows down. Afterwards the panel to control air was completely out along with the clock. The clock came back on later while blinking. I immediately called Toyota Corp. I have case numbers each time I called. I took it ti the Toyota dealership with assistance of Toyota Corp. My car has been at Toyota universe in little falls, nj and they have yet to fully explain what is going on with the defective that occurred in my car. They do not call you back. I've had to go there to get answers due to them not returning calls.

Reported

Feb 2022

Incident date

Jan 2022

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

Fire

The paint on my 2015 Highlander (Blizzard Pearl) is peeling off in chunks. I see a repair notice for other models of Toyota with this problem but not the highlander. I know it isn’t a safety issue but the information pointed me here to report it.

Reported

Feb 2022

Incident date

Jun 2021

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

None reported

Blizzard pearl paint is peeling off the roof leading to rust and damaged structural integrity. Toyota has a recall for all blizzard pearl paint vehicles EXCEPT the highlander. They inspected it and said its wasn't in the recall even though the paint has a known problem and they would not fix the problem as it would be a legal admission of guilt that the recall is incomplete.

Reported

Oct 2021

Incident date

Jul 2020

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

None reported

While driving at highway speed of about 60 MPH, the moonroof burst and shattered in to thousands of pieces. There was no warning, no indication of stress or wear before the incident. Hundreds of others have had similar occurrences as discussed on internet forums.

Reported

Aug 2021

Incident date

Aug 2021

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

None reported

The door locks have stopped working one by one. First I noticed the driver door not unlocking or locking with the key fob, with the touch system on the door handle, or with the button on the inside panel. Then I noticed my back door on the driver side not locking or unlocking with the key fob OR with the button on the inside panel. Both of these locks are now manual only. And the front passenger door lock only works sometimes, so I imagine it will stop working altogether soon as well. This puts the safety of my belongings, myself, and my children at risk. I don't know how long this had been happening before I noticed it, so I very easily could have been unknowingly leaving my car unlocked all over town. I am unable to enter my car quickly because I have to take the key fob apart and use the manual key to enter the driver door, and then my son has to wait for me to manually unlock his door before he can get in. My daughter sits on the other side so he can't just switch to the side that works. Well he could but then my daughter would have the same issue. If it was an emergency situation and we had to get into the car quickly it's just not possible. Also in traffic or in parking lots when we are inside the car I feel like we are left vulnerable with the doors unlocked and I can't lock them without reaching and manually doing this for each door. Which I do, but shouldn't have to. A quick internet search has made it clear that I am FAR from the first person this has happened to with these vehicles. It is clearly an extremely common issue with Highlanders and other Toyota vehicles and it 100% should be a recall.

Reported

Aug 2021

Incident date

Mar 2021

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

None reported

Repeated cracking of the windshield from even trivial impact from highway rocks/stones. Windshield replaced once by the Dealer service station with OEM glass at a cost of 1600 dollars out of pocket expense by the owner. Cracked again with another small rock hitting the windshield, directly in the line of sight. Inspected by the same dealer service center, advised to replace again at owners expense as Toyota does not cover glass damage. Multiple Toyota Highlanders and Sienna minivans all across the USA have had this issue of windshield cracking in the last few years . Suspect there is a design/manufacturing/ Quality control issue. NHTSA needs to look into this as it affects the safe operation of the vehicle.

Reported

Jul 2021

Incident date

Jan 2021

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

None reported

We were involved in a car accident on 04/29/2021 and the front airbags that are suppose to come out the wheel and dashboard didn't deploy just the rear airbags. Toyota told me the impact wasn't hard enough for them to deploy but as you will see from the pictures attached the whole front end of the car is gone. Please see attached police report and photos for more details.

Reported

Jun 2021

Incident date

Apr 2021

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

Crash 2 injuries

The following error message appears:“Both accelerator and brake pads are depressed”. This is not actually being done.The vehicle will then brake suddenly on its own, and the driver must accelerate then brake quickly to disengage the automatic brake.This creates a highly dangerous traffic situation. It has occurred at high speeds on the expressway and makes merging into traffic especially risky.Vehicle has been inspected on 4 occasions by Toyota dealerships and they have failed to diagnose or repair the problem, simply stating that the problem "needs to go to corporate" and taking no further action. Issue has been reported to Toyota Nat'l Service Center and am now awaiting resolution with the regional service engineer.

Reported

Jun 2021

Incident date

Oct 2018

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

None reported

The contact owns a 2015 Toyota Highlander. The contact stated that the front driver’s and passenger’s side doors failed to unlock while using the keys. The contact stated that there was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer where it was diagnosed with the door lock actuator needing to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 100,000.

Reported

Jun 2021

Incident date

Oct 2020

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

None reported

BACK STOP LIGHT GET RAIN WATER! PASSENGER SIDE FRONT BREAK ALWAYS WEARING OUT BEFORE OTHERS BREAKS ! TRUNK DOOR AUTOMATIC BROKEN! 3 ROW SIT UNDER NEED GET RUSHED! SEAT BELT MOUNTED ON THE FLOOR IF YOU PUT MATS PULL YOU BACK ALL TIME ! AC WENT U TURN ON NOT WORKING RIGHT AWAY TAKE 5-10 MIN TO COOL DOWN !

Reported

Apr 2021

Incident date

Jan 2018

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

None reported

[XXX]. 2015 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER, 70,000 MILES. WHILE PARKED, VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY. DRIVER SIDE DOOR WILL NOT OPEN FROM OUTSIDE WHEN UNLOCKED VIA KEYFOB OR THE MANUAL KEY. OCCURRED SEVERAL TIMES WITH 2 DIFFERENT KEY FOBS ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS THIS MONTH. OPENS FINE FROM THE INSIDE AFTER CRAWLING ACROSS THE SEATS TO ACTIVATE DOOR LATCH FROM INSIDE HANDLE. PARTS OF THIS DOCUMENT HAVE BEEN REDACTED TO PROTECT PERSONALLY IDENTIFIABLE INFORMATION PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

Reported

Mar 2021

Incident date

Mar 2021

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

None reported

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 electric power steering (EPS) electronic control unit (ECU) may have been damaged during the manufacturing process. Over time, this damage may result in failure of the electric power steering system.

Risk: An unexpected loss of power steering increases the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the serial number of the EPS ECU or steering column assembly. If the number is within the affected range, the EPS ECU will be replaced, free of charge. The recall began on May 7, 2015. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331.

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 harness that water may leak into, possibly causing damage to the vehicle's Engine Control Module (ECM).

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. The recall began January 29, 2019. Owners may contact Wanda customer service at 1-864-281-2760.