IllustrationTHE DRIVER'S SIDE SUN VISOR ON MY 2002 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER DROPS DOWN BLOCKING THE DRIVER'S VISION. WHEN PUSHED UP IT SIMPLY FALLS BACK DOWN. *TR
2002 Toyota Highlander
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 2002 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
220–25K
4625–50K
3950–75K
3975–100K
44100–150K
15150K+
205 reports with mileage · 96 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 123 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Vehicle Speed Control. Review the 31 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Structure. Review the 24 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
24 crash reports6 fire reports17 injury reports
Visibility complaints
123 reportsHOW MANY COMPLAINTS DO HIGHLANDER OWNERS HAVE TO SUBMIT ABOUT SUN VISORS DROPPING BEFORE SOMETHING DONE ABOUT IT. IS TOYOTA GOING TO WAIT UNTIL SOMEONE GETS IN AN ACCIDENT DUE TO IT. I HAVE A 2002 HIGHLANDER AND HAVE BEEN TRYING DIFFERENT THINGS TO MAKE THE VISOR STAY UP FOR YEARS, WITH LITTLE SUCCESS. WERE THERE ANY DEATHS OR …
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HOW MANY COMPLAINTS DO HIGHLANDER OWNERS HAVE TO SUBMIT ABOUT SUN VISORS DROPPING BEFORE SOMETHING DONE ABOUT IT. IS TOYOTA GOING TO WAIT UNTIL SOMEONE GETS IN AN ACCIDENT DUE TO IT. I HAVE A 2002 HIGHLANDER AND HAVE BEEN TRYING DIFFERENT THINGS TO MAKE THE VISOR STAY UP FOR YEARS, WITH LITTLE SUCCESS. WERE THERE ANY DEATHS OR INJURIES? NO NOT YET WHY WAIT UNTIL IT HAPPENS! [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR
MY 2002 LIMITED TOYOTA HIGHLANDER HAS A SUN VISOR THAT WONT STAY UP. IT IS THE DRIVER SIDE AND I AM VERY CONCERN ESPECIALLY WHEN HITTING MILD ROAD BUMPS IT FALLS DOWN. I AM HOLDING IT WITH VELCRO AND I HAVE TO CHANGE THAT EVERY OTHER MONTH. THIS IS A SAFETY PROBLEM AND WOULD APPERICATE IF SOMEONE CAN LOOK INTO IT. I LOOKED AT TH…
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MY 2002 LIMITED TOYOTA HIGHLANDER HAS A SUN VISOR THAT WONT STAY UP. IT IS THE DRIVER SIDE AND I AM VERY CONCERN ESPECIALLY WHEN HITTING MILD ROAD BUMPS IT FALLS DOWN. I AM HOLDING IT WITH VELCRO AND I HAVE TO CHANGE THAT EVERY OTHER MONTH. THIS IS A SAFETY PROBLEM AND WOULD APPERICATE IF SOMEONE CAN LOOK INTO IT. I LOOKED AT THE ONLINE FORUMS FOR HIGHLANDERS AND THEY ARE REPORTING THE SAME PROBLEM.
THE DRIVERS SIDE SUN VISOR, WHICH HAS THE ELECTRONICS BUILT IN, UNEXPECTEDLY FLOPS DOWN. IT STARTED IN 2004 AND HAS PROGRESSIVELY GOTTEN WORSE. TOYOTA WANTS OVER $750 TO REPLACE IT. REPAIR IS NOT OFFERED. IT OCCASIONALLY FALLS UNEXPECTEDLY AND BLOCKS MY VISION OF TRAFFIC LIGHTS. HOWEVER, I DIDN'T CONSIDER IT A REAL SAFETY…
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THE DRIVERS SIDE SUN VISOR, WHICH HAS THE ELECTRONICS BUILT IN, UNEXPECTEDLY FLOPS DOWN. IT STARTED IN 2004 AND HAS PROGRESSIVELY GOTTEN WORSE. TOYOTA WANTS OVER $750 TO REPLACE IT. REPAIR IS NOT OFFERED. IT OCCASIONALLY FALLS UNEXPECTEDLY AND BLOCKS MY VISION OF TRAFFIC LIGHTS. HOWEVER, I DIDN'T CONSIDER IT A REAL SAFETY HAZARD UNTIL RECENTLY. IT FELL AT AN INOPPORTUNE MOMENT, DISTRACTED ME, AND I WAS ALMOST ENVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT. THERE IS NO REASON THIS ITEM SHOULD HAVE FAILED AFTER ONLY 1 1/2 YEARS USE AND THERE IS NO REASON A REPLACEMENT SHOULD COST $750. THIS IS A DESIGN DEFECT AND IT IS A SAFETY HAZARD.
MY 2002 HIGHLANDER ALSO HAD THE FLOPPY VISOR SYNDROME WHEN OUT OF WARRANTY. COST TO REPLACE WAS $660 BUT NORTH KINGSTOWN TOYOTA DID A COURTESY REPLACEMENT AT NO CHARGE. ALL WHO HAVE PAID FOR THIS REPAIR SHOULD CONSIDER A CLASS ACTION SUIT AGAINST TOYOTA FOR IGNORING ANOTHER SAFETY PROBLEM. *TR
SUN VISOR WILL NOT STAY PUT - IT'S IN THE DOWN POSITION AT ALL TIMES AND WON'T STAY UP OUT OF THE LINE OF SIGHT. *TR
MY 2002 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER DRIVER'S SIDE SUNVISOR WILL FALL DOWN UNEXPECTED BLOCKING MY VIEW FOR A FEW SECONDS. FOR SAFETY REASONS, I CANNOT USE MY VISOR AS I BUNGY CORD IT TO STAY UP. BUT ANOTHER SAFETY ISSUE NOW IS THERE NO PROTECTION FROM THE BRIGHT SUN OR SNOW. *TR
THE 2002 HIGHLANDER DRIVER SIDE SUN VISOR DROPS DOWN AND OBSTRUCTS THE DRIVER'S VIEW OF THE ROADWAY. TOYOTA CHARGES +/- $600.00 FOR THE PART ALONE. THERE IS A BLOG WITH TOYOTA OWNERS THAT DEMONSTRATES THIS PROBLEM IS VERY COMMON AND IS DEFINITELY A SAFETY ISSUE. THE VISOR DROPS EVERY TIME THE CAR IS IN USE, ESPECIALLY IN WARM…
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THE 2002 HIGHLANDER DRIVER SIDE SUN VISOR DROPS DOWN AND OBSTRUCTS THE DRIVER'S VIEW OF THE ROADWAY. TOYOTA CHARGES +/- $600.00 FOR THE PART ALONE. THERE IS A BLOG WITH TOYOTA OWNERS THAT DEMONSTRATES THIS PROBLEM IS VERY COMMON AND IS DEFINITELY A SAFETY ISSUE. THE VISOR DROPS EVERY TIME THE CAR IS IN USE, ESPECIALLY IN WARM WEATHER. *TR
THE DRIVER SIDE VISOR CONSTANTLY FOLDS DOWN BLOCKING MY VISION WHEN I AM DRIVING. VISOR IN LOOSE. THIS HAPPENS ALL THE TIME. AVOIDED A FEW ACCIDENTS ALREADY. *TR
2002 HIGHLANDER VISOR DOES NOT STAY IN POSITION, TENDS TO FALL DOWN WHEN IT SHOULD BE UP. *TR
Official recalls
204V181000 · 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.
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.