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moderate Owners of the 2014 Toyota Highlander have filed 32 NHTSA complaints about the electrical, typically surfacing around 40,000 miles at roughly $850 to repair (U.S. federal records, as of July 2026). Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. See electrical across all vehicles →
| Model year | electrical complaints |
|---|---|
| 2010 Highlander | 52 |
| 2011 Highlander | 19 |
| 2012 Highlander | 28 |
| 2013 Highlander | 22 |
| 2014 Highlander (this page) | 32 |
| 2015 Highlander | 45 |
| 2016 Highlander | 14 |
| 2017 Highlander | 42 |
| 2018 Highlander | 18 |
Of the 32 electrical complaints filed for the 2014 Toyota Highlander, here's the actual mileage breakdown — failures cluster heaviest at 25,000-50,000 mi.
Each bar shows the share of total complaints filed at that mileage range. Peak failure window highlighted. Some owners report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 miles symptom-free. Maintenance habits and driving conditions shift the curve as much as mileage alone.
Electrical accounts for 24% of all owner complaints filed against this vehicle, across 10 categories tracked.
No new NHTSA electrical complaint has been filed on this vehicle in over 9 years — the issue may be aging out of the active population.
In the event of a crash, a larger front passenger seat occupant may not be properly restrained and be at an increased risk of injury.
The manufacturer has issued service bulletins covering electrical on this vehicle — documented repair instructions, service campaigns, or warranty extensions sent to dealers. A TSB isn't a recall (it's not a free safety remedy), but it's the manufacturer acknowledging the issue and how to fix it.
The air conditioning dye injection tool kit has been developed to aid in identifying the location of air conditioning refrigerant leaks. The procedures outlined in this Service Bulletin aid in locating, inspecting, and repairing refrigerant leaks.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗TSB: The Immobilizer and Smart Key Reset is a feature that allows the registration of new keys when all master keys are lost. Once the system is reset, all previously registered keys will be erased. Follow the procedures in this bulletin to reset a vehicle Immobilizer or Smart Key system.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗TSB This Service Bulletin includes guidelines meant to help determine whether to repair or replace a wire harness assembly based on damage type. This Service Bulletin should be used in conjunction with the applicable model and model year Electronic Wiring Diagram (EWD) and/or Repair Manual.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗TT: Some customers may encounter Bluetooth® connectivity concerns such as: ?Difficulty to pair the phone. ?Intermittent Bluetooth® failure to connect to the vehicle when first turning on the vehicle. ?Various Bluetooth® Audio functions are no longer functioning with customer?s phone such as ability to change the track using the steering wheel controls. These concerns can be caused by changes made on the customer?s phone. Make sure to inquire with the customer if the connectivity concerns occurred after receiving an operating system update on their phone, or if they have restored their phone data/settings recently.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗TSB: OBSOLETE NOTICE August 11, 2020: This bulletin is no longer applicable and is now obsolete.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications. Bring the bulletin number to your dealer or shop.
Power liftgate actuators are a chronic issue in this generation. They fail to open or close reliably—requiring 5-10 button presses or manual intervention—and some quit entirely. One owner counted 25% of NHTSA complaints tied to liftgate problems. Dealers sometimes play dumb until pushed; one owner had to escalate before getting acknowledgment of a service bulletin. Toyota paid half the $2,000 repair bill for one owner but won't commit to covering failures that happen after warranty expires.
Door lock actuators fail even more systematically. Owners report all four doors eventually failing, typically starting 3–5 years in. The first to go are usually the rear doors; the front follows months or years later. No warning light. One owner was replacing locks at 75K and again at 100K miles—$300 each. Dealers offer zero help and cite no recall.
Entune infotainment constantly reboots while driving, disabling navigation, Bluetooth, and rear-view camera. One owner missed turns in heavy traffic. Firmware updates don't fix it. Bluetooth drops every couple of weeks or freezes mid-call. Power windows stick mid-travel and need repeated presses. One owner also reported heating element failure with smoke and burning smell.
Most failures happen right after the factory warranty runs out. Owners describe a pattern of awareness among the dealer network but no recalls, no technical service bulletins with teeth, and no goodwill repairs once the three-year mark passes.
Same Toyota Highlander electrical reports on nearby years: 2012 · 2013 · 2015 · 2016 · 2017
Liftgate actuators fail to open or close reliably, requiring multiple attempts (5-10 cycles) or manual intervention. Some units fail completely; others move partway and stop. Leaks and buzzing noises reported. High repair cost and recurrence even after replacement.
When: Most failures 3-4+ years after purchase, often shortly after warranty expiration. Mileage range 35,000 to 190,000.
Symptoms owners cite: Liftgate opens/closes intermittently or only after repeated attempts; Gate stops mid-cycle and requires manual push to close; Gets stuck in open or closed position; Beeping noise when malfunctioning; Buzzing sound from rear doors/trunk; Leak from driver-side actuator
Repairs/costs cited: Dealer replacement of actuator motor; one owner paid $2,000 total (Toyota covered $1,000). Repair often unsuccessful long-term; failures recur within months to a year. Dealerships sometimes reluctant to diagnose without pushing.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Service Bulletin SB0023-16 referenced; NHTSA ID 10134306. No recall issued despite high complaint frequency (25% of 54 complaints on NHTSA site). Toyota stated vehicle not covered under recall. One owner was told repair would be covered under warranty if recalled later.
Rear and front door lock actuators fail, preventing remote locking/unlocking via key fob and sometimes preventing manual unlock/lock. Safety and security concern, especially with children in vehicle. Multiple actuators fail sequentially; some owners experience all four doors failing.
When: Failures typically begin around 3-5 years after purchase, shortly after warranty expiration (39-100K miles reported). Sequential failures common.
Symptoms owners cite: Door won't lock or unlock with key fob; Door won't open or close with manual button; Door won't open even with key; No warning indicator; failure silent; Rear door locks fail first; then progresses to front doors; All four doors can fail over time
Repairs/costs cited: New lock mechanism approximately $300 per door. One owner replaced rear locks at 75K miles and again at 100K. Another replaced all four after three years, just after warranty ended. Dealers cite no recall and high cost as barrier to repair.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: No recall issued. Dealers state vehicle not covered. Owners report Toyota is aware of complaints but no formal response or remedy program. Known issue discussed extensively in online forums with no manufacturer help.
Electric windows stick mid-travel and require multiple activation cycles to close fully or won't close at all. Window goes up 3/4 way then reopens. Issue intermittent; works faster with engine off.
When: Reported after 3+ years of ownership; can occur while stationary or in motion.
Symptoms owners cite: Window won't close all the way on first attempt; Requires 5-10 button presses to fully close; Window rises only 3/4 way then falls back down; Works faster when engine is shut off
Repairs/costs cited: No repair costs cited in narratives.
Radio and navigation system randomly reboots, freezes, or goes black while driving or parked. Reboots occur repeatedly and disable navigation, Bluetooth, rear-view camera, and phone connectivity during driving.
When: Can occur at any time, both while in motion and stationary. Pattern shows recurring issues despite software updates.
Symptoms owners cite: Screen goes black and reboots while driving; Navigation system becomes unavailable mid-drive; System freezes requiring vehicle restart to unfreeze; Bluetooth connection lost during reboot; Rear-view camera disabled during reboot; Phone call drops when system reboots
Repairs/costs cited: No repairs reported effective. Firmware updates and reloading attempted but did not resolve.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Toyota acknowledges issue as common software problem. No recall issued. Recommended firmware reload ineffective.
Bluetooth connection drops, disconnects randomly, freezes, or becomes unreliable. Phone must be re-paired or vehicle restarted to restore connection.
When: Failures occur after 2 weeks of connection or intermittently; can happen at any time.
Symptoms owners cite: Phone disconnects randomly; Bluetooth won't reconnect without re-initialization; System freezes and requires vehicle restart; Touchscreen zaps in and out before shutting off; Battery drain and vehicle won't start (one case)
Repairs/costs cited: Dealer found no battery issue in one case; suspected software problem. No effective repair documented.
Navigation system requires vehicle to be in motion to select map options (turn list, freeway exit list, intersection screen, turn-by-turn view). Driver forced to focus on screen while driving to make selections.
When: Design issue present from vehicle operation.
Symptoms owners cite: Cannot select navigation options while parked; Must keep vehicle in motion to change navigation views; Forces driver to take eyes off road while moving
Repairs/costs cited: Software upgrade could resolve; no repair implemented.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Toyota notified via case # on 8/3/2014; no response documented.
Navigation screen goes blank unexpectedly while driving, especially in heavy traffic. Screen blanks both while in motion and after restart while parked.
When: Reported during use in traffic and while parked.
Symptoms owners cite: Screen goes completely blank while driving; Blanks out again after vehicle restart; Causes driver to miss turns and pull over
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Toyota informed owner this is a common software problem. No recall issued.
Windshield wiring harness failed, triggering hybrid system warning alert. Associated with electrical system issue at windshield.
When: At approximately 190,000 miles.
Symptoms owners cite: Hybrid system warning alert displayed; Windshield wiring harness failure
Repairs/costs cited: Windshield replacement required; repair not completed by owner.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: NHTSA Campaign Number 18E107000 (Electrical System, Visibility) identified. Vehicle manufacturer not notified by owner.
Burning smell and smoke billowed from heated seat control levers near gear shift. No warning indicators before failure; fire risk present.
When: Incident occurred while vehicle in motion on freeway.
Symptoms owners cite: Smell of burning wires; Billow of smoke from heated seat levers; No warning lamps or prior symptoms
Repairs/costs cited: No repair documented; owner pulled over immediately and called 911.
Horn did not function when pressed; safety issue preventing driver from alerting other vehicles.
When: Early in vehicle ownership; reported March 7, 2014 (vehicle purchased February 25, 2014).
Symptoms owners cite: Horn does not sound when pressed
Dome light set to 'door' mode fades on and off continuously without reason.
When: Reported as ongoing issue; occurs while vehicle stationary.
Symptoms owners cite: Interior cabin light fades on and off continuously; Occurs when set to 'door' mode
Keyless entry fob becomes non-functional once vehicle is started. Warning light indicates 'no key detected' when door is open and motor shut off.
When: Occurs after vehicle starts.
Symptoms owners cite: Keyless fob fails to function after engine start; Warning light 'no key detected' displays
Synthesized from 32 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
Stationary vehicle. Power rear lift gate will open or close on demand only sporadically. It may begin to open or close and move just several inches, or perhaps a foot. It thus requires the operator to manually open or close the gate which is very difficult to accomplish especially for smaller or elderly people as the resistance is severe, requiring an enormous amount of effort and risk of…
Door actuators failed in all 4 doors 3 years after purchase and just after warranty was over.
Entune radio/headunit (hu) reboot itself while in a call. Reboot occurs while vehicle is in motion at any speed, during any driving condition. As the hu reboots, driver is unable to use rear-view camera and any other feature displayed in hu. Road attention is affected since driver is distracted by the screen going black and on again. Also if driver is in a call has to end call from the phone…
Toyota entune system , constantly shut down and reboot while driving, losing bluetooth connection, radio, navigation
Bluetooth stopped working. When my phone would be plugged in, the car will randomly disconnect from itself from the phone. Touchscreen would zap in and out until it would finally shut off. Got suspended from work for two weeks because my car would not start (I had no other transportation to get to work). Took car to dealer and they found nothing wrong with battery. It has to be something…
It's a documented issue but not catastrophic. 32 complaints have been filed. Repairs average $850 and most owners catch it before it causes a breakdown.
Across the 21 complaints that reported odometer mileage, most electrical failures cluster between 35,000 and 58,000 miles, with the median around 40,000. A quarter of owners report trouble before 35,000; a quarter make it past 58,000. Maintenance history matters more than the odometer alone — this is the reported failure window, not a guarantee.
Independent shops typically charge around $850 for electrical repairs on this vehicle. Dealer pricing tends to run 20-40% higher. The exact figure depends on the specific failure mode, parts availability, and your local labor rates. If you're outside factory warranty, an extended service contract often covers this category.
Yes — 1 active recall(s) cover electrical issues on this vehicle. Recall fixes are always free regardless of mileage or warranty status. Use the VIN decoder at the top of the page to check if your specific vehicle is affected.