IllustrationI OWN A 2007 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER HYBRID. THE BRAKES MOMENTARILY DO NOT ENGAGE (ESSENTIALLY SKIP) WHEN I APPLY THEM WHILE GOING OVER A BUMP OR A POTHOLE. I HAVE NOTICED THIS FOR A LONG TIME, HOWEVER CONSIDERED IT A 'QUIRK' UNTIL I WAS IN AN ACCIDENT WHICH WOULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED IF THE ISSUE HAD NOT EXISTED. *TR
2007 Toyota Highlander Hybrid
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Limited comparison data
There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Highlander Hybrid years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
140–25K
1425–50K
1050–75K
975–100K
39100–150K
17150K+
103 reports with mileage · 7 unknown
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Electrical System. Review the 28 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Service Brakes. Review the 28 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Vehicle Speed Control. Review the 15 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
14 crash reports2 fire reports2 injury reports
Service Brakes, Hydraulic complaints
12 reportsWE HAVE A 2007 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER HYBRID THAT IS EXHIBITING THE SAME BRAKING PROBLEMS THAT ARE BEING REPORTED WITH THE PRIUS. WHEN PRESSING THE BRAKES THE CAR BEGINS TO SLOW THEN IT FEELS THAT THE BRAKES MOMENTARILY RELEASE, CAUSING THE CAR TO LURCH FORWARD, BEFORE THEY RE-ENGAGE AND FINISH STOPPING THE CAR. I HAVEN'T NOTICED IF …
Read full complaint
WE HAVE A 2007 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER HYBRID THAT IS EXHIBITING THE SAME BRAKING PROBLEMS THAT ARE BEING REPORTED WITH THE PRIUS. WHEN PRESSING THE BRAKES THE CAR BEGINS TO SLOW THEN IT FEELS THAT THE BRAKES MOMENTARILY RELEASE, CAUSING THE CAR TO LURCH FORWARD, BEFORE THEY RE-ENGAGE AND FINISH STOPPING THE CAR. I HAVEN'T NOTICED IF IT HAPPENS MORE OVER BUMPS BUT IT DOES HAPPEN ON A FAIRLY REGULAR BASIS. WE HAVE SPOKEN WITH THE TOYOTA DEALERSHIP ABOUT THIS MULTIPLE TIMES AND EACH TIME HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT IT IS WORKING HOW IT SHOULD AND THE PAUSING IN BRAKING IS CAUSED BY THE ENGINE SWITCHING OVER TO ELECTRIC. THIS CANNOT BE THE PROBLEM AS THE MAJORITY OF THE TIME WHEN THIS HAS HAPPENED THE ENGINE HAS REMAINED ON DURING THE PROBLEM. I WOULD LIKE TO GET THE CURRENT INVESTIGATION EXTENDED TO ENCOMPASS ALL HYBRID MODELS AND NOT JUST THE PRIUS. THE DATE ENTERED BELOW IS THE APPROXIMATE DATE OF THE LAST TIME I NOTICED THIS, HOWEVER IT HAS HAPPENED RELATIVELY REGULARLY SINCE WE HAVE OWNED THE VEHICLE. *TR
Official recalls
213V396000 · Hybrid Propulsion System: Inverter
Sep 4, 2013
Toyota is recalling certain model year 2006-2010 Highlander hybrid vehicles manufactured February 16, 2005, through July 29, 2010; and model year 2006-2008 Lexus RX400h vehicles manufactured February 23, 2005, through December 2, 2008. The Intelligent Power Module (IPM) inside the inverter module may contain transistors that have higher operating temperatures than the solder can support and the transistors may be heat damaged by the solder. If this occurs, various warning lamps, including the malfunction indicator lamp, slip indicator light, brake system warning light, and master warning light, will be illuminated on the instrument panel.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: The vehicle may enter a fail-safe/limp-home mode that limits the drivability of the vehicle. It is possible that the hybrid system will shut down while the vehicle is being driven, causing the vehicle to stall unexpectedly, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will replace the IPM free of charge. Owners may contact Toyota at 1-800-331-4331. Vehicles that had their IPM replaced under recall 11V-342 are not affected by this campaign.
11V342000 · Electrical System
Jun 29, 2011
TOYOTA IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2006-2007 HIGHLANDER HYBRID AND LEXUS RX400H PASSENGER CARS MANUFACTURED FROM FEBRUARY 16, 2005, THROUGH AUGUST 30, 2006. A MODULE INSIDE THE INVERTER MODULE MAY CONTAIN INADEQUATELY SOLDERED TRANSISTORS THAT DURING HIGH-LOAD DRIVING, MAY BE DAMAGED BY HEAT CAUSED BY THE LARGE CURRENT. IF THIS OCCURS, VARIOUS WARNING LAMPS, INCLUDING THE MALFUNCTION INDICATOR LAMP, SLIP INDICATOR LIGHT, BRAKE SYSTEM WARNING LIGHT, AND MASTER WARNING LIGHT, WILL BE ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THE VEHICLE MAY ENTER A FAIL-SAFE/LIMP-HOME MODE THAT LIMITS THE DRIVABILITY OF THE VEHICLE. IT IS POSSIBLE THAT THE HYBRID SYSTEM WILL SHUT DOWN WHILE THE VEHICLE IS BEING DRIVEN, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO STALL UNEXPECTEDLY, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
Remedy: TOYOTA/LEXUS MAILED AN INTERIM OWNER NOTIFICATION ON JULY 19, 2011 TO ADVISE OWNERS OF THIS RECALL AND THE FACT THAT THEY WILL RECEIVE A FUTURE NOTICE WHEN PARTS BECOME AVAILABLE TO COMPLETE REPAIRS. TOYOTA DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE HYBRID INVERTER PRODUCTION NUMBER TO DETERMINE WHETHER THE INVERTER CONTAINS SUSPECT TRANSISTORS AND REPLACE THE MODULE FREE OF CHARGE. OWNERS MAY CONTACT TOYOTA AT 1-800-331-4331.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
2DP22005 · Pedestrian Alert Sounds
Opened Jan 27, 2023 · Closed Aug 7, 2023
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Electrical System:propulsion System
NHTSA received a petition on or about July 18, 2022, requesting that Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 141 be applied to all electric and hybrid vehicles operating in the United States. The petition can be reviewed at NHTSA.gov under ODI Number 11486072. FMVSS 141 establishes performance requirements for pedestrian alert sounds for motor vehicles. The standard applies to hybrid and electric vehicles that have a gross vehicle weight rating of 4,536 KG or less or are defined as low-speed vehicles. The standard became fully applicable to all such vehicles manufactured on or after March 1, 2021.On January 27, 2023, NHTSA opened Defect Petition (DP) 22-005 to evaluate the subject matter described in the petition. On June 24, 2023 and as supplemented on June 25, 2023, the petitioner notified NHTSA he was withdrawing his petition. The petitioner indicated that, based on his review of data, there is no justification for asserting potential benefits that could be derived from actions sought by my petition. Based on the petitioner's withdrawal, DP22-005 is closed. Closure of this DP does not represent a determination by NHTSA regarding the subject matter of the petition.
PE11005 · Hybrid Inverter Failure - Vehicle Stall
Opened Feb 15, 2011 · Closed Jul 20, 2011
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Hybrid Propulsion System: Inverter
In a June 29, 2011 letter to NHTSA, Toyota submitted a Defect Information Report regarding a safety recall of certain Toyota Highlander Hybrid and Lexus RX400h vehicles to address a defect condition with the hybrid inverter assembly (NHTSA Recall No. 11V-342).Toyota's letter identified a defect related to inadequately soldered transistors on the Intelligent Power Module (IPM) of some of the subject vehicles that could result in sudden loss of power while driving.Toyota's remedy procedure instructs dealers to inspect the hybrid inverter production number to determine if the inverter contains suspect transistors.If so, the dealer will replace the IPM.The recall covers approximately 45,528 model year (MY) 2006 and 2007 Toyota Highlander Hybrid vehicles manufactured from February 16, 2005 through August 29, 2006 and approximately 36,745 MY 2006 and 2007 Lexus RX400h vehicles manufactured from February 23, 2005 through August 30, 2006.This Preliminary Evaluation is closed.