Illustration01 V 228 000/BRAKE SYSTEM: RECALL REPAIRS WAS DONE AT(OURISMAN FAIRFAX TOYOTA; FAIRFAX, VA; PHONE# 703/359-1010). AFTER REPAIRS WAS MADE, PROBLEM WITH SOFT PEDAL AND APPLYED TO CLOSE TO THE FLOOR BEFORE STOPPING; DEALER NOTIFIED. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS CONCERNING THIS MATTER.
2001 Toyota Highlander
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 2001 Toyota Highlander do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 186.5.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Highlander 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
160–25K
1625–50K
1150–75K
1675–100K
15100–150K
6150K+
80 reports with mileage · 57 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.
- Visibility. Review the 23 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 17 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic. 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.
19 crash reports2 fire reports10 injury reports
Service Brakes, Hydraulic complaints
15 reportsTHE RECALL WORK SUBJECT TO CAMPAIGN 01V228000 WAS NOT PERFORMED CORRECTLY. THE VEHICLE STILL HAS EXCESS PEDAL TRAVEL, AND THE PEDAL FEEL IS 'MUSHY,' LIKE THE BRAKES NEED TO BE BLED, AS THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO BE DURING THE RECALL WORK. THE INCREASED PEDAL STROKE LENGTHENS THE STOPPING DISTANCE OF THE VEHICLE, INCREASING THE RI…
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THE RECALL WORK SUBJECT TO CAMPAIGN 01V228000 WAS NOT PERFORMED CORRECTLY. THE VEHICLE STILL HAS EXCESS PEDAL TRAVEL, AND THE PEDAL FEEL IS 'MUSHY,' LIKE THE BRAKES NEED TO BE BLED, AS THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO BE DURING THE RECALL WORK. THE INCREASED PEDAL STROKE LENGTHENS THE STOPPING DISTANCE OF THE VEHICLE, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH. THE RECALL WORK TOOK 20 MINUTES - TOYOTA SAYS IT SHOULD TAKE ABOUT 1 HOUR. BLEEDING THE BRAKES, ACCORDING TO THE TOYOTA HIGHLANDER SERVICE MANUAL, CONSISTS OF THREE PARTS - THE MASTER CYLINDER, THE ABS/VSC ACTUATOR, AND THE BRAKE LINES. THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE THAT THE ACTUATOR OR THE MASTER CYLINDER WERE BLED. THE DEALER HAS SINCE TRIED TO CONVINCE ME THAT THEY'RE ALL LIKE THAT, AND THIS IS NORMAL BRAKE OPERATION. THERE ARE SEVERAL POSTS TO THE EDMUNDS HIGHLANDER DISCUSSION GROUP ABOUT MUSHY HIGHLANDER BRAKES, WITH SOME SAYING THE RECALL WORK IMPROVED THEIR BRAKE FEEL, OTHERS SAYING IT DIDN'T. I FEAR THAT MANY OF THE RECALL CORRECTION ATTEMPTS HAVE NOT BEEN SUCCESSFUL.*AK
PRIOR TO RECALL NOTICE 01V-228 THE CONSUMER NOTICED WHEN BRAKING HARD THE CAR WOULD SHUDDERS ALONG WITH A LOUD NOISE AND THE VEHICLE DID NOT STOP AS WELL AS IT SHOULD. NLM
RECALL# 01V228000/ MANUFACTURER'S RECALL SSC10G; CONSUMER GOT RECALL NOTICE ON JUL 30, 2001 AND MADE AN APPOINTMENT FOR AUG 1, 2001. TOOK VEHICLE IN, AND DEALER DIDNOT HAVE PARTS. GAVE DEALER PHONE # TO CALL WHEN PARTS COME IN. ALSO, CONSUMER CALLED DEALER ON AUG 16 ABOUT PARTS, AND DEALER STATED HAD PARTS, AND DID NOT KNOW…
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RECALL# 01V228000/ MANUFACTURER'S RECALL SSC10G; CONSUMER GOT RECALL NOTICE ON JUL 30, 2001 AND MADE AN APPOINTMENT FOR AUG 1, 2001. TOOK VEHICLE IN, AND DEALER DIDNOT HAVE PARTS. GAVE DEALER PHONE # TO CALL WHEN PARTS COME IN. ALSO, CONSUMER CALLED DEALER ON AUG 16 ABOUT PARTS, AND DEALER STATED HAD PARTS, AND DID NOT KNOW WHETHER THEY HAVE ANYMORE. *AK
BRAKE MASTER CYLINDER FAILED PRIOR TO RECALL NOTICE 01V-228 RESULTING IN AN ACCIDENT THE DEALER DENIED ANY BRAKE FAILURE AND THE VEHICLE WAS RETURNED TO THE CONSUMER, A FEW WEEKS LATER THE DEALER CALLED THE CONSUMER TO BRIN THE VEHICLE BACK TO REPAIR THE BRAKES. NLM
Official recalls
304V181000 · Latches/locks/linkages:doors:latch
Apr 15, 2004
CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES HAVE A CHILD PROTECTION LOCK (CPL) SYSTEM ON BOTH OF THE REAR SIDE DOORS. WHEN AN OPERATOR OF THE VEHICLE CLOSES THE DOOR VERY HARD WITH THE CPL LEVER SET TO THE LOCK POSITION, THERE IS A POSSIBILITY THAT THE LEVER MAY CONTACT THE BODY PANEL, CAUSING THE CPL LEVER TO MOVE INTO THE UNLOCK POSITION.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THIS CONDITION COULD ALLOW THE DOOR TO BE OPENED WITH THE INSIDE WHILE THE OPERATOR BELIEVES THAT THE CPL WAS ACTIVATED. IF THE DOOR WERE OPENED FROM THE INSIDE WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION, AN OCCUPANT COULD FALL OUT AND BE INJURED.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL SHORTEN THE CPL LEVER. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN MAY 7, 2004. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT TOYOTA AT 1-800-331-4331.
02V208000 · Fuel System, Gasoline:storage:tank Assembly:mounting
Jul 30, 2002
ON SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, THERE IS A BREATHER HOSE THAT ATTACHES TO THE NOZZLE OF THE ON-BOARD REFUELING VAPOR RECOVERY (ORVR) VALVE, WHICH IS LOCATED ON THE TOPSIDE OF THE FUEL TANK. THE BREATHER HOSE IS ATTACHED WITH A CLAMP, WHOSE "TABS" FACE IN THE UPWARD DIRECTION. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS CRASHED UNDER THE NEW CAR ASSESSMENT PROGRAM (NCAP) TEST (I.E., 35 MPH FRONTAL BARRIER CRASH), THE CLAMP "TABS" CONTACTED THE UNDERSIDE OF THE BODY DUE TO MOVEMENT OF THE FUEL TANK, CAUSING THE NOZZLE TO BREAK.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: IN THE WORST CASE, NOZZLE BREAKAGE COULD RESULT IN FUEL LEAKAGE IF THE VEHICLE ROLLS-OVER AFTER A HIGH SPEED FRONTAL CRASH.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL ROTATE THE SPECIFIED CLAMP. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN SEPTEMBER 23, 2002. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT TOYOTA AT 1-800-331-4331.
01V228000 · Service Brakes, Hydraulic:foundation Components:master Cylinder
Jul 5, 2001
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: SPORT UTIITY VEHICLES. THE RESERVOIR FILLER CAP OF THE BRAKE MASTER CYLINDER MAY INDUCE A VACUUM, INTRODUCING SOME AIR INTO THE BRAKE MASTER CYLINDER RESERVOIR. THIS COULD CAUSE ABNORMAL BRAKE NOISE AND INCREASED PEDAL STROKE WHEN THE BRAKES ARE APPLIED.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THE INCREASED PEDAL STROKE WILL LENGTHEN THE STOPPING DISTANCE OF THE VEHICLE, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL BLEED THE AIR FROM THE BRAKE LINES AND REPLACE THE RESERVOIR FILLER CAP. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN JULY 30, 2001. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD 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
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.