Illustration02 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER DRIVERS SIDE SUN VISOR DROPS DOWN WHILE DRIVING $650 FOR A TOYOTA REPLACEMENT OR $450 AT THE AUTO WRECKERS , MANY PEOPLE HAVE THE SAME COMPLAINT. *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 reportsDRIVERSIDE VISOR FLOPS DOWN. I WAS TOLD BY THE WATERTOWN AND LEXINGTON TOYOTA SERVICE DEPTS THAT THIS WAS A UNIQUE PROBLEM TO MY CAR. NOW I HEAR THAT OTHER TOYOTA HIGHLANDER 2002 OWNERS ARE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM. I FOUND THE FLOPPING SO DISTRACTING THAT I TOOK THE SUNVISOR OFF. *TR
2002 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER. DRIVER'S SIDE SUN VISOR DOES NOT STAY UP OR DOWN. WHILE TRYING TO MAKE IT WORK PROPERLY I AM DISTRACTED FROM MY PRIMARY DUTY OF DRIVING THE VEHICLE. TOYOTA DOES NOT RECOGNIZE THIS A SAFETY OR RECALL ISSUE. COST TO REPLACE $1000.00. IF YOU CHECK THE INTERNET THIS IS NOT AN ISOLATED PROBLEM AND HAS BEE…
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2002 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER. DRIVER'S SIDE SUN VISOR DOES NOT STAY UP OR DOWN. WHILE TRYING TO MAKE IT WORK PROPERLY I AM DISTRACTED FROM MY PRIMARY DUTY OF DRIVING THE VEHICLE. TOYOTA DOES NOT RECOGNIZE THIS A SAFETY OR RECALL ISSUE. COST TO REPLACE $1000.00. IF YOU CHECK THE INTERNET THIS IS NOT AN ISOLATED PROBLEM AND HAS BEEN IGNORED BY TOYOTA FOR MANY YEARS. *TR
THE SUN VISOR ON MY TOYOTA HIGHLANDER 2002 DOESN'T REMAIN IN PLACE. IT STARTED LAST YEAR AND NO MATTER WHAT I DO IT KEEP ON FALLING. I BELIEVE THIS IS A DESIGN PROBLEM AND A SAFETY HAZARD THAT NEEDED TO BE ADDRESSED OR FIXED BY TOYOTA CORPORATION. *TR
BOTH SUN VISORS ON MY 2002 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER LIMITED FALL DOWN BY THEMSELVES. BOTH HAVE THE LIGHTED MIRROR AND THE RIVER SIDE INCLUDES THE HOMELINK CONTROL. THERE ARE NO OTHER ITEMS ATTACHED TO THE VISORS. IT HAPPENS ALL THE TIME, WHETHER OR NOT I HIT A BUMP IN THE ROAD. I'VE ADDED VELCRO TAPE TO THE VISORS, BUT THE WEIGHT O…
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BOTH SUN VISORS ON MY 2002 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER LIMITED FALL DOWN BY THEMSELVES. BOTH HAVE THE LIGHTED MIRROR AND THE RIVER SIDE INCLUDES THE HOMELINK CONTROL. THERE ARE NO OTHER ITEMS ATTACHED TO THE VISORS. IT HAPPENS ALL THE TIME, WHETHER OR NOT I HIT A BUMP IN THE ROAD. I'VE ADDED VELCRO TAPE TO THE VISORS, BUT THE WEIGHT OF THEM IS TOO MUCH FOR THE TAPE TO STICK TO THE CEILING, SO AFTER A WHILE, THE VISORS FALL DOWN AGAIN. *TR
SUNVISOR ON DRIVERS SIDE DOES NOT STAY UP. *TR
SUN VISOR DROPS UNEXPECTEDLY ON 2002 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER. *TR
SUNVISOR ON 2002 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER CONSTANTLY FALLS DOWN INTO DRIVER'S FIELD OF VISION. VISOR WAS REPLACED ONE TIME UNDER WARRANTY BUT PROBLEM HAS RETURNED. COST TO REPAIR PER TOYOTA DEALER IS $650 FOR PARTS PLUS LABOR - THE VISOR CONTAINS A LIGHTED VANITY MIRROR AND A HOMELINK REMOTE CONTROL SO IT IS AN EXPENSIVE PART TO REPA…
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SUNVISOR ON 2002 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER CONSTANTLY FALLS DOWN INTO DRIVER'S FIELD OF VISION. VISOR WAS REPLACED ONE TIME UNDER WARRANTY BUT PROBLEM HAS RETURNED. COST TO REPAIR PER TOYOTA DEALER IS $650 FOR PARTS PLUS LABOR - THE VISOR CONTAINS A LIGHTED VANITY MIRROR AND A HOMELINK REMOTE CONTROL SO IT IS AN EXPENSIVE PART TO REPAIR. THE VISOR CANNOT BE USED IN A 'PARTIALLY LOWERED' POSITION TO BLOCK SUN OR REFLECTIONS AS IT CONSTANTLY FALLS INTO THE 'FULLY LOWERED' POSITION WHICH OBSTRUCTS THE DRIVER'S FIELD OF VIEW. THE ONLY WAY TO KEEP THE VISOR FROM SAGGING INTO THE DRIVER'S FIELD OF VIEW IS TO USE TAPE OR VELCRO TO ATTACH IT TO THE CEILING. THIS PREVENTS THE VISOR FROM BEING USED IN THE INTENDED MANNER TO BLOCK SUN OR REFLECTIONS. THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD BECAUSE THE DRIVER CAN'T PREVENT SUNLIGHT AND GLARE FROM DIMINISHING VISIBILITY. THIS INCREASES THE CHANCE FOR ACCIDENTS OR HITTING OBJECTS OR PEDESTRIANS IN THE ROAD. *TR
DRIVER'S SIDE VISOR FAILS TO STAY UP. VISOR SEEMS TO BE TOO HEAVY TO SUPPORT ITSELF. VISOR FALLS DOWN DUE TO ROAD VIBRATIONS AND BLOCKS EYE SIGHT FOR TALLER DRIVERS. TRIED SIMPLE FIXES USING VELCRO AND SUPER GLUE - BUT ALL FAILED WHEN SUMMER INTERIOR TEMPERATURES CAUSED THE GLUE / ADHESIVE TO FAIL AND PROBLEM CONTINUES. COMP…
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DRIVER'S SIDE VISOR FAILS TO STAY UP. VISOR SEEMS TO BE TOO HEAVY TO SUPPORT ITSELF. VISOR FALLS DOWN DUE TO ROAD VIBRATIONS AND BLOCKS EYE SIGHT FOR TALLER DRIVERS. TRIED SIMPLE FIXES USING VELCRO AND SUPER GLUE - BUT ALL FAILED WHEN SUMMER INTERIOR TEMPERATURES CAUSED THE GLUE / ADHESIVE TO FAIL AND PROBLEM CONTINUES. COMPLETE REPLACEMENT SEEMS TO BE ONLY SOLUTION. *TR
I SEEM TO BE ONE OF MANY THAT IS HAVING AN ISSUE WITH THE SUN VISOR ON A 2002 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER. THE DRIVER SIDE SUN VISOR WILL NO LONGER STAY IN PLACE PROPERLY. THIS RESULTS IN IT FALLING DOWN AND BLOCKING THE VISION OF THE DRIVER. A RECALL IS NEEDED IN ORDER TO PREVENT THE POTENTIAL DANGER. *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.