Toyota Highlander power train problems: 488 NHTSA complaints across 9 model years (2015–2024).
Across all model years of the Toyota Highlander, there have been 488 NHTSA complaints specifically related to power train, spanning from 2015–2024. Below is a year-by-year breakdown showing which Highlander model years have the strongest official complaint and recall signal for this component.
| Year | Vehicle | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | 2015 Toyota Highlander | 6 | 0 |
| 2017 | 2017 Toyota Highlander | 46 | 0 |
| 2018 | 2018 Toyota Highlander | 41 | 0 |
| 2019 | 2019 Toyota Highlander | 141 | 0 |
| 2020 | 2020 Toyota Highlander | 93 | 0 |
| 2021 | 2021 Toyota Highlander | 128 | 0 |
| 2022 | 2022 Toyota Highlander | 24 | 0 |
| 2023 | 2023 Toyota Highlander | 7 | 0 |
| 2024 | 2024 Toyota Highlander | 2 | 0 |
The power train system is one of the categories the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration tracks for consumer complaints, recalls, and investigations. Failures in this category can range from inconveniences that affect daily usability to safety-critical defects that pose immediate risks to occupants and other road users. NHTSA aggregates owner-submitted complaints alongside manufacturer-reported recall campaigns and the agency's own investigations to build a public record that owners, prospective buyers, and policy-makers can use to assess vehicle safety.
With 488 toyota highlander power train complaints reported across 1 model spanning 2015–2024, this combination falls into a high signal band. In practice, that means the volume is at a level that frequently corresponds to either an active recall, an open investigation, or a Technical Service Bulletin issued to dealerships — owners should check whether their VIN is covered by any active campaign. Complaint volume is not the only thing that matters — severity (whether the defect caused crashes, fires, or injuries) and consistency (whether multiple owners describe the same failure mode) are equally important when assessing real-world risk.
This breakdown shows how Toyota Highlander Power Train complaints are distributed across model years. A concentration in a particular year usually signals a generation-specific defect that may have been corrected in subsequent model years.
| Model Year | Vehicles | Complaints | Distribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 1 | 2 | |
| 2023 | 1 | 7 | |
| 2022 | 1 | 24 | |
| 2021 | 1 | 128 | |
| 2020 | 1 | 93 | |
| 2019 | 1 | 141 | |
| 2018 | 1 | 41 | |
| 2017 | 1 | 46 | |
| 2015 | 1 | 6 |
If your vehicle is exhibiting toyota highlander power train issues that match the patterns described in NHTSA complaints, take these steps in order. First, check your VIN for active recalls using NHTSA's free recall lookup tool — recall remedies are repaired at no cost to the owner regardless of warranty status. Second, document the failure with dated photos or video, and keep copies of any service records, parts replacements, or dealer communications related to the issue. Third, file a complaint with NHTSA at nhtsa.gov/recalls — every complaint contributes to the pattern recognition that triggers investigations and, ultimately, recalls. The complaint should describe what happened, when, the vehicle's mileage at the time, and whether anyone was injured. Fourth, if the issue presents an immediate safety hazard (loss of braking, steering, throttle control, fire, or unintended airbag deployment), discontinue driving and have the vehicle towed to a qualified repair facility rather than risking a crash to reach a dealer.
The data on this page is drawn from three distinct NHTSA sources that owners frequently confuse. Complaints are reports submitted by individual vehicle owners describing a problem they experienced — they are unverified narratives, but in aggregate they reveal patterns. Recalls are formal manufacturer-initiated campaigns to repair a confirmed safety defect on a specified set of VINs; the manufacturer pays for the repair and is required to notify affected owners by mail. Investigations are NHTSA-led inquiries that often start when complaint volume crosses a threshold for a particular component or model — they may conclude with a manufacturer-issued recall, a finding of no defect, or remain open while data accumulates. A high complaint count without a corresponding recall does not mean the issue is unimportant; it sometimes means an investigation is ongoing or that NHTSA has not yet acted. Conversely, a small recall on a low-complaint model means the defect is severe enough that the manufacturer chose to remediate proactively.
This page aggregates toyota highlander power train safety records published by the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Records are matched to make, model, and year using NHTSA's classifications, and complaint counts are deduplicated by ODI number. The dataset includes consumer complaints, manufacturer-issued recalls, Technical Service Bulletins, and crash investigations. Records are refreshed on a rolling basis as new complaints, recalls, and TSBs are published. Counts on this page reflect what is currently in our database; we do not include records flagged as duplicate, withdrawn, or outside the model-year window.
NHTSA's database currently shows 488 toyota highlander power train complaints across 1 distinct model spanning 2015–2024. Complaint counts grow continuously as new owner reports are filed and processed.
The Highlander, with the top model accounting for 488 reported power train complaints. The complete model breakdown is available in the table on this page.
Among the records on this page, the 2019 model year accounts for the highest power train complaint volume (141 reports). A concentration in a single year often indicates a generation-specific defect; concentrations across consecutive years can suggest an ongoing supplier or design issue.
Recall status varies by VIN. Even when complaint volumes are high, recalls are issued per-defect, not per-component, so some toyota highlander power train complaints lead to recalls while others remain unaddressed. Check your specific VIN against NHTSA's recall lookup or browse the recall pages linked from each vehicle profile to see which campaigns apply.
Complaints are unverified owner reports; recalls are formal manufacturer campaigns to repair confirmed defects on specified VINs at no cost to the owner. Complaints often come first and, when patterns emerge, can prompt investigations that lead to recalls. A high complaint count on a vehicle without a recall does not mean the issue is benign — it sometimes means investigation or remedy is still in progress.
It depends on (1) whether the issue is covered by an active recall and the recall has been performed, (2) the severity of the failure modes reported, and (3) whether the specific VIN has a documented service history showing the relevant repairs. A used-vehicle inspection by a qualified mechanic, plus a VIN check against NHTSA's recall database, are the practical minimum steps before purchase.
Submit safety complaints directly to NHTSA at nhtsa.gov/recalls — there is no fee, and you do not need to be the original owner. Include the VIN, model year, mileage at time of incident, a description of what happened, and whether anyone was injured. Each complaint contributes to the pattern recognition NHTSA uses to decide whether to open an investigation.