Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
360–25K
1525–50K
3150–75K
3875–100K
74100–150K
19150K+
213 reports with mileage · 45 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.
Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 46 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Engine. Review the 41 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Visibility. Review the 31 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
33 crash reports1 fire reports10 injury reports
What owners actually said
258 reports
Mileage unknown · May 25, 2023
EngineForward Collision Avoidance
Automatically disengage the transmission Stopped the road Icalled my husband Myhusband came and together we got the car to a safe place.Then Icame home with my husband and he called the insurance company and had the car towed. Ifound a place to fix the car and they said the transmission was broken and it cost about 6500 dolla…
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Automatically disengage the transmission Stopped the road Icalled my husband Myhusband came and together we got the car to a safe place.Then Icame home with my husband and he called the insurance company and had the car towed. Ifound a place to fix the car and they said the transmission was broken and it cost about 6500 dollars.Icontacted the insurance company said they couldn’t help.The car was towed home and is not available.
NHTSA ODI #11523925
Mileage unknown · Mar 22, 2023
Unknown Or Other
The hood latch cable inside the vehicle when pulled did not allow the hood to open now the secondary hood latch is stuck in the closed position and will not release..I have to use a strap from wheel opening to wheel opening to keep my hood secure so when I am driving my hood won't open at high speeds
NHTSA ODI #11513146
Mileage unknown · Nov 11, 2020
Unknown Or Other
PASSENGER WINDOW HAS HAD TO BE FIXED MULTIPLE TIMES. COMES OFF THE TRACK AND WILL NOT CLOSE. HAVE HAD INTERIOR DAMAGE BECAUSE OF IT
NHTSA ODI #11374150
140,000 miles · Oct 22, 2019
Engine
2003 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER 4 CYL. SERVICE BULLITON FROM THEM #310436. HEAD BOLTS COMING UNDONE INSIDE MOTOR CAUSING CATASTROPHIC FAILURE OF MOTOR. BOLTS NOT HOLDING DOWN MFGR KNOWS ABOUT THIS. WAS A MANUFACTURING PROCESS THAT DID NOT WORK. ON CARCOMPLAINTS.COM THIS IS A RAMPANT PROBLEM REPORTED. READS ALMOST LIKE A PLAY BOOK ON HO…
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2003 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER 4 CYL. SERVICE BULLITON FROM THEM #310436. HEAD BOLTS COMING UNDONE INSIDE MOTOR CAUSING CATASTROPHIC FAILURE OF MOTOR. BOLTS NOT HOLDING DOWN MFGR KNOWS ABOUT THIS. WAS A MANUFACTURING PROCESS THAT DID NOT WORK. ON CARCOMPLAINTS.COM THIS IS A RAMPANT PROBLEM REPORTED. READS ALMOST LIKE A PLAY BOOK ON HOW THE MOTOR OVERHEATS AND FAILS, TOLD HEADGASKET, AFTER OPENING UP THE MOTOR IT IS FOUND THAT THE HEAD BOLTS BACKED OUT. TOYOTA IS NORMALLY A GREAT CAR. I STILL OWE MONEY ON THIS CAR AND TOYOTA IS BASICALLY NOT TAKING CARE OF THEIR CUSTOMERS AND LEAVING US OUT TO DRY. PLEASE ISSUE A RECALL ON THIS. VEHICLE WAS DRIVING AND QUICKLY OVERHEATED. THIS HAPPENED TWICE IN A SHORT DISTANCE. EASILY CAN LEAVE ONE STRANDED. NO STEAM OUT THE TAILPIPE AND WATER GUSHED OUT SIDE OF MOTOR. DEALER LEFT MOTOR APART WHEN I WENT TO PICK IT UP AFTER BEING DRAGGED ABOUT. THEY PROMISED TO FIX IT AT FIRST AS THEY DUG INTO THE MOTOR THEY BACKED OUT OF THEIR WORD.
NHTSA ODI #11270240
126,000 miles · Oct 15, 2019
Air BagsCrashInjury
HEAD ON COLLISION AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY SPEEDS 25-40 MPH
NHTSA ODI #11268617
Mileage unknown · Oct 2, 2019
StructureUnknown Or Other
PAINT SEAL DELAMINATION
NHTSA ODI #11265544
216,616 miles · Sep 26, 2019
Air BagsCrashInjury
I WAS IN MOTION WHEN WE HIT A COW GOING 45MPH THAT JUMPED OUT AT MY HUSBAND AND I MY AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY THE CAR IS TOTALED WAS CITY STREET
NHTSA ODI #11258297
200,000 miles · Jan 28, 2019
SteeringWheelsCrash
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER. WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH ON ICE, THE POWER STEERING SEIZED AND THE REAR DRIVER'S SIDE WHEEL LOCKED UP. AS A RESULT, THE VEHICLE SPUN OUT AND CRASHED INTO A SNOW MOUND. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S …
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER. WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH ON ICE, THE POWER STEERING SEIZED AND THE REAR DRIVER'S SIDE WHEEL LOCKED UP. AS A RESULT, THE VEHICLE SPUN OUT AND CRASHED INTO A SNOW MOUND. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S HOME. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT DETERMINED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 200,000.
NHTSA ODI #11172554
122,200 miles · Jan 14, 2019
Suspension
REAR FORWARD CONTROL ARM BROKE IN HALF UNDER NORMAL DRIVING. THIS IS A HOLLOW SHAFT, WHICH SEEMS INADEQUATE, AND CREATES A DANGER OF LOSS OF REAR AXEL AND OR WHEEL.
NHTSA ODI #11169937
185,000 miles · Oct 3, 2018
Vehicle Speed Control
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER. WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH, THE VEHICLE UNINTENTIONALLY ACCELERATED AT HIGH SPEEDS WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO BRING THE VEHICLE TO A COMPLETE STOP AND TURN OFF THE ENGINE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER OR INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING OR REPAIRS. THE MA…
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER. WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH, THE VEHICLE UNINTENTIONALLY ACCELERATED AT HIGH SPEEDS WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO BRING THE VEHICLE TO A COMPLETE STOP AND TURN OFF THE ENGINE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER OR INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING OR REPAIRS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 185,000.
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.
ON CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH FIVE FACTORY ALLOY WHEELS (MODEL 6934 AND 6936), WITH FACTORY LLAT, AND WITH PORT INSTALLED WR4, FOUR ALLOY WHEEL UPGRADE PROCESSED AT THE JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA PORT AND DISTRIBUTED BY SOUTHEAST TOYOTA DISTRIBUTORS IN THE STATES OF ALABAMA, FLORIDA, GEORGIA, NORTH AND SOUTH CAROLINA, WHEN THE VEHICLES WERE PROCESSED AT THE PORT, AN ALLOY TIRE/WHEEL UPGRADE WAS INSTALLED. THE UPGRADE INCLUDED 4 ALLOY WHEELS. THE ORIGINAL SPARE TIRE/ALLOY WHEEL WAS NOT CHANGED. THE SPARE TIRE REQUIRES THE USE OF A DIFFERENT STYLE OF WHEEL NUT TO ATTACH IT TO THE VEHICLE.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: IF THE SPARE TIRE/WHEEL IS INSTALLED ON THE VEHICLE USING THE WHEEL NUTS PROVIDED FOR THE UPGRADE ALLOY WHEEL, DAMAGE TO THE WHEEL COULD RESULT AND COULD EVENTUALLY LEAD TO A LOOSE WHEEL.
Remedy: OWNERS WILL BE PROVIDED WITH DIFFERENT STYLE LUG NUTS, A WARNING LABEL FOR THE SPARE RE/ALLOY WHEEL, AND AN OWNER'S MANUAL ADDENDUM.
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.
2003 Toyota Highlander Problems, Complaints & Recalls | Skip That Year
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