IllustrationREAR 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.
2003 Toyota Highlander
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 2003 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
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
Suspension complaints
6 reports2003 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER - 109, 032 MILES I WAS TOLD THAT THE ENGINE SUB-FRAME WAS ROTTED/RUSTED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED FOR SAFETY REASONS. I WAS TOLD THE COST TO REPLACE IT WOULD BE $1,865.00. I HAVE CONTACTED THE LOCAL TOYOTA SERVICE MANAGER TO SEE IF TOYOTA WOULD HELP OR COVER THE COST OF THE REPLACEMENT. I'M WAITIN…
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2003 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER - 109, 032 MILES I WAS TOLD THAT THE ENGINE SUB-FRAME WAS ROTTED/RUSTED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED FOR SAFETY REASONS. I WAS TOLD THE COST TO REPLACE IT WOULD BE $1,865.00. I HAVE CONTACTED THE LOCAL TOYOTA SERVICE MANAGER TO SEE IF TOYOTA WOULD HELP OR COVER THE COST OF THE REPLACEMENT. I'M WAITING TO HEAR FROM THEM. *TR
RUSTED AXEL RING. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 10 MPH, THERE WAS A DRUMMING NOISE FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHO INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THERE WAS A LEAK IN THE VACUUM HOSE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. AFTER LEAVING THE DEALER…
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TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 10 MPH, THERE WAS A DRUMMING NOISE FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHO INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THERE WAS A LEAK IN THE VACUUM HOSE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. AFTER LEAVING THE DEALER, THE FAILURE OCCURRED AGAIN. ANOTHER DEALER STATED THAT THE TIRES WERE WORN. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE CONTACT CALLED THE MANUFACTURER AND WAS AWAITING A RETURN CALL. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 92,000.
VSC (VEHICLE STABILITY CONTROL, INCLUDING ABS) & CHECK ENGINE LIGHTS HAVE BEEN TURNING ON INTERMITTENTLY ALMOST FROM THE START OF OUR OWNERSHIP OF THIS 2003 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER V6 AWD LIMITED AND AFTER COSTLY REPAIRS AT THE DEALER THEY ARE STILL ON CONTINUOUSLY. LAST TIME (MAY-JUNE 2010) DEALER REPLACED FRONT BRAKE PADS & ROT…
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VSC (VEHICLE STABILITY CONTROL, INCLUDING ABS) & CHECK ENGINE LIGHTS HAVE BEEN TURNING ON INTERMITTENTLY ALMOST FROM THE START OF OUR OWNERSHIP OF THIS 2003 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER V6 AWD LIMITED AND AFTER COSTLY REPAIRS AT THE DEALER THEY ARE STILL ON CONTINUOUSLY. LAST TIME (MAY-JUNE 2010) DEALER REPLACED FRONT BRAKE PADS & ROTORS; REAR AXLES AND SPEED SENSORS AND NOW WANTS TO REPLACE ADDITIONAL COMPONENTS THAT DO NOT APPEAR CONNECTED. FIRST TIME CAR WAS SERVICED UNDER WARRANTY AT DEALER AND THAT TOO DID NOT LAST FOR LONG. TOYOTA CAR SATISFACTION CENTER HAS NOT BEEN HELPFULL. CASE # [XXX]. FORD HAS ISSUED A RECALL FOR SIMILAR ISSUE RECENTLY: 10S13 FOR REAR AXLE BREAKAGE IN THE SNOW BELT! TOYOTA REFUSES TO ACKNOWLEDGE ISSUE AND INTERNET HAS MANY DISCUSSIONS ON TOPIC. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR
REAR LEFT STRUT SPINDLE ATTACHMENT BOLT (BOLT ADJUST WHEEL TILT) BROKE IN HALF AT CAM. *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.
02V339000 · Wheels
Dec 17, 2002
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
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.