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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.

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When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

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 reports
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30,000 miles · Sep 4, 2007
Visibility

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER. WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH OR GREATER, THE SUN VISOR DROPPED TO A VERTICAL POSITION WHEN THE VEHICLE VIBRATED. THE FAILURE OCCURRED WITHOUT WARNING AND MADE IT DIFFICULT FOR THE CONTACT TO SEE THE ROAD. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE SUN VISOR CLIPS WERE DEFECTIVE. AS OF SEPTEMBER 4, 2007,…

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TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER. WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH OR GREATER, THE SUN VISOR DROPPED TO A VERTICAL POSITION WHEN THE VEHICLE VIBRATED. THE FAILURE OCCURRED WITHOUT WARNING AND MADE IT DIFFICULT FOR THE CONTACT TO SEE THE ROAD. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE SUN VISOR CLIPS WERE DEFECTIVE. AS OF SEPTEMBER 4, 2007, THE DEALER HAD NOT REPAIRED THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 30,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 40,000. THE CONSUMER STATED THE SUN VISOR COULD DROP ON ANY VEHICLE MOVEMENT SUCH AS BUMPS IN THE ROAD, OR APPLYING THE BRAKES. THE SUN VISOR IN THE VERTICAL POSITION BLOCKS THE DRIVERS VIEW OF THE ROAD. UPDATED 09/18/07. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10201795

Mileage unknown · Aug 17, 2007
Visibility

SUN VISOR ON MY DRIVER SIDE OF MY 2002 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER WILL STAY IN THE UP POSITION (AGAINST THE CEILING). ANY SLIGHT BUMP IN THE ROAD CAUSES IT FALL AND BLOCK MY VISION. IT'S QUITE A HAZARD! *JB

NHTSA ODI #10199983

Mileage unknown · May 19, 2007
Visibility

DRIVER'S SIDE SUN VISOR ON THE 2002 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER WILL NOT STAY UP. IT FALLS DOWN ON A REGULAR BASIS ,AND SOMETIME FALLS DOWN WHILE DRIVING, MOMENTARILY, OBSTRUCTING MY VIEW OF THE ROAD AHEAD. DEALERSHIPS QUOTED ME A COST UPWARDS OF $600, PARTS ONLY, TO REPLACE IT, AND I DIDN'T AND HAVE NEVER USED THE HOMELINK FEATURE,…

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DRIVER'S SIDE SUN VISOR ON THE 2002 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER WILL NOT STAY UP. IT FALLS DOWN ON A REGULAR BASIS ,AND SOMETIME FALLS DOWN WHILE DRIVING, MOMENTARILY, OBSTRUCTING MY VIEW OF THE ROAD AHEAD. DEALERSHIPS QUOTED ME A COST UPWARDS OF $600, PARTS ONLY, TO REPLACE IT, AND I DIDN'T AND HAVE NEVER USED THE HOMELINK FEATURE, WHICH APPARENTLY WAS LARGELY RESPONSIBLE FOR THE RELATIVELY HIGH COST OF REPAIR.*AK

NHTSA ODI #10191234

54,000 miles · May 4, 2007
Unknown Or OtherVisibility

DRIVERS SIDE SUN VISOR FALL DOWN INTO DRIVERS VIEW WITHOUT WARNING, BLOCKING THE DRIVERS VIEW AND CREATING A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE. THE DRIVERS VISOR WILL NOT STAY IN PLACE ON MY 2002 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER. THERE IS NO VISIBLE DEFECT WITH THE VISOR AND NO DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE THAT CAUSED THIS PROBLEM TO START. JUDGING FROM THE WEB S…

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DRIVERS SIDE SUN VISOR FALL DOWN INTO DRIVERS VIEW WITHOUT WARNING, BLOCKING THE DRIVERS VIEW AND CREATING A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE. THE DRIVERS VISOR WILL NOT STAY IN PLACE ON MY 2002 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER. THERE IS NO VISIBLE DEFECT WITH THE VISOR AND NO DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE THAT CAUSED THIS PROBLEM TO START. JUDGING FROM THE WEB SITE "HTTP://WWW.TUNDRASOLUTIONS.COM/FORUMS/HIGHLANDER/47694-SUN-VISOR-PROBLEM/" THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE WITH THIS PROBLEM. COST TO REPLACE THE VISOR WITH HOME LINK GARAGE DOOR OPENER IN IT COSTS OVER $600, CAUSING MANY PEOPLE TO TRY MANY DIFFERENT POOR METHODS OF FIXING THIS SAFETY PROBLEM. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10189827

57,400 miles · Apr 26, 2007
Visibility

DRIVER'S SIDE SUN VISOR HAS BEEN FALLING SLIGHTLY FROM IT'S RESTING POSITION ON THE HEADLINER. ON 4-20-07 THE VISOR FELL SUDDENLY ALL THE WAY DOWNWARD AND FULLY BLOCKED MY VIEW OF THE ROAD MOMENTARILY. I IMMEDIATELY WENT TO MY LOCAL TOYOTA DEALER FOR ADVISE ON THIS PROBLEM. HE THOUGHT THERE HAD BEEN A TSB ON THE VISOR BUT INDICA…

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DRIVER'S SIDE SUN VISOR HAS BEEN FALLING SLIGHTLY FROM IT'S RESTING POSITION ON THE HEADLINER. ON 4-20-07 THE VISOR FELL SUDDENLY ALL THE WAY DOWNWARD AND FULLY BLOCKED MY VIEW OF THE ROAD MOMENTARILY. I IMMEDIATELY WENT TO MY LOCAL TOYOTA DEALER FOR ADVISE ON THIS PROBLEM. HE THOUGHT THERE HAD BEEN A TSB ON THE VISOR BUT INDICATED THAT IT WAS THE LEXUS VERSION THAT HAD THE BULLETIN. I DO NOT KNOW THIS TO BE A FACT. THE NEW VISOR IN MY CASE IS COST PROHIBITIVE AT OVER 600.00. I AM NOT A SAFETY EXPERT BUT THIS SEEMS TO BE A SLAM DUNK SAFETY ISSUE AND NOT A "I WANT MY VISOR REPLACED FOR FREE" ISSUE. CLEARLY A DEFECT INVOLVING PUBLIC SAFETY. I SUSPECT SOME ACCIDENTS WOULD GET MORE ATTENTION-BUT WHY WAIT FOR ONE WHEN THIS PROBLEM IS SO WELL DOCUMENTED? *JB

NHTSA ODI #10189056

Mileage unknown · Mar 1, 2007
Visibility

SUN VISOR, WHEN FLIPPED FORWARD AS FAR AS IT COULD GO, WOULD IMMEDIATELY DROP DOWN TO A VERTICAL POSITION, THUS BLOCKING MY VIEW. I HAD TO BEND DOWN TO PEEK BELOW THE SUN VISOR. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10183866

45,000 miles · Feb 11, 2007
Visibility

BOTH DRIVER AND PASSENGER FRONT SUN VISORS BECOME UNABLE TO STAY IN A FIXED VERTICAL POSITION. BOTH HAVE STARTED TO FALL DOWN, WHICH BLOCKS THE DRIVER'S VIEW. THIS IS A VERY SEVERE HAZARD AND COULD CAUSE A WRECK. *NM

NHTSA ODI #10182282

Mileage unknown · Feb 1, 2007
Visibility

2002 HIGHLANDER DRIVER SIDE SUN VISOR FALLS DOWN UNEXPECTEDLY WHILE DRIVING AND AT TIMES WILL NOT REMAIN IN THE UP POSITION, THUS HINDERING VIEW AT TIMES. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10181304

61,230 miles · Jan 29, 2007
Visibility

THE SUN VISOR ON MY 2002 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER KEEPS FALLING DOWN INTO MY SIGHT OF VISION. I BELIEVE TOYOTA AND YOUR OFFICE SHOULD INVESTIGATE THIS INCIDENT. IT IS BECOMING A SAFETY HAZARD AND IT IS VERY WIDE SPREAD ON MANY OF TOYOTA VEHICLES. YOU ONLY HAVE TO SEARCH THE INTERNET TO SEE HOW MANY OTHER COMPLAINTS THEY ARE . *JB

NHTSA ODI #10181055

53,000 miles · Jan 26, 2007
Visibility

FAILURE OF DRIVERS SIDE AND PASSENGER SIDE SUN VISORS TO STAY IN THEIR NON- USE POSITION. BOTH VISORS FALL WITHOUT ASSISTANCE AND BLOCK VISION CAUSING A SAFETY ISSUE. *NM

NHTSA ODI #10180851

Official recalls

2

04V181000 · 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

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.