Free. Instant. No signup. Pulls recalls and complaints for your exact vehicle.
Couldn't find that VIN. Check the digits and try again.
The 2015 Toyota Highlander has 190 NHTSA owner complaints and 2 active recall campaigns on file. Here's the breakdown — what's serious, what's noise, and what a working mechanic would actually do about it.
The 2015 Toyota Highlander has 190 NHTSA owner complaints and 2 recalls on file (U.S. federal records, as of September 2026). The most-reported system is electrical at 46 complaints (~$850 to repair). Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.
| Model year | Owner complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2012 Highlander | 191 | 2 |
| 2013 Highlander | 211 | 3 |
| 2014 Highlander | 135 | 5 |
| 2015 Highlander (this page) | 190 | 2 |
| 2016 Highlander | 109 | 3 |
| 2017 Highlander | 265 | 4 |
| 2018 Highlander | 264 | 5 |
Solid reliability overall. Common issues are concentrated in a few systems.
Repair exposure runs above average — only with money set aside and eyes open.
Our read of the federal NHTSA complaint and recall record for this exact year and model — not a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection. How we score.
Driver-assist features on the tested model: Electronic stability control: Standard · Forward collision warning: Optional · Lane departure warning: Optional
Source: NHTSA New Car Assessment Program — tested configuration: 2015 Toyota Highlander SUV AWD. Stars rate crash protection in NHTSA's tests, not overall reliability — see the owner-complaint data below for what actually goes wrong.
Here's what this model is known to do — so you can inspect for it, price it in, or make the seller fix it before you sign.
⚠ The one to take seriously: electrical is flagged severe on this model . Inspect it closely on a test drive.
Run the VIN from the listing — 2 active recalls on this model. Recall repairs are always free.
Verdict for buyers: 7.0/10 model. The priciest documented failure is powertrain (~$2,500) — get the seller's service records for it or inspect closely. Otherwise an average-risk used buy at a fair price.
We tell you what this model is known for and what to inspect — a vehicle-history report tells you what this exact car has been through. Smart buyers get both.
See the full pre-purchase inspection checklist →A noise, a warning light, a repair quote, "should I buy this?" — get an answer grounded in this vehicle's actual NHTSA record, not generic advice.
Answers use this vehicle's NHTSA complaint & recall record — owner-reported and unverified, not a diagnosis. Verify anything safety-critical with a mechanic.
Tl* the contact owns a 2015 Toyota highlander. The contact stated that the rear door failed to properly open and close. The contact had to apply force or the door would remain open. The vehilce was taken to the dealer (furiel Toyota ponce, industrial san rafael, 00731, calle…
Paint is peeling off my car, This is confirmed by Toyota it was covered by the Consumer Support program which expired in July however the paint did not start peeling off until last week.Toyota said that there wasn't anything they could do. this is clearly a manufacture defect…
While driving on a city street, the steering became extremely difficult as if power steering shut down. "eps failure, steering wheel harder to turn" warning appeared on the dash cluster. We pulled over, turned off the vehicle, then turned it back on -- the warning disappeared…
The contact owns a 2015 Toyota Highlander. The contact stated while driving at 30 MPH, the vehicle accelerated without any warning at high speed. The contact desperately depressed the brake pedal, but the vehicle would not stop, causing the vehicle to drive into traffic and…
Drag to your current mileage. Numbers are derived from this vehicle's complaint history.
The ECM damage may result in the engine stalling, increasing the risk of a crash.
An unexpected loss of power steering increases the risk of a crash.
Mostly yes. With a reliability score of 7.0 out of 10 based on 190 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2015 Toyota Highlander is generally a sound vehicle. The areas to watch are listed in the top problem section above — most are budget items, not deal-breakers.
The 2015 Toyota Highlander is a higher-risk ownership prospect. Repair exposure runs above average — only with money set aside and eyes open. The record behind that call: Electrical system: 46 complaints, classified severe; Steering: 25 complaints, classified severe; Reliability score 7.0/10 — around the segment average; 2 recall campaigns on file. This is our read of the federal complaint and recall data — not a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection.
Inspect the electrical first — it's the most-reported issue on this model, with 46 owner complaints filed. Average repair cost runs about $850 at an independent shop. Also confirm any open recalls have been completed by running the VIN, and ask for service records covering the problem areas listed above.
It scores 7.0 out of 10 on our NHTSA-based read of 190 owner complaints. The main thing to watch is electrical. Priced fairly and clean on inspection, it's a reasonable used buy. Our data covers what this model is known for — pair it with a vehicle-history report on the VIN to see what that specific car has been through.
Based on NHTSA records, the most-reported issue is electrical, with 46 complaints filed. Average repair cost runs about $850 at an independent shop.
The electrical is one of the costlier repair items. Average repair cost runs about $850 at an independent shop. Catching early warning signs can sometimes extend life by 20–30,000 miles.
Paste your VIN into the decoder at the top of this page. We pull live from NHTSA, so you'll see exactly which campaigns apply to your vehicle and whether the dealer has logged the fix. Recall repairs are always free regardless of mileage or warranty status.
Math is straightforward: a quality service contract runs $1,800–3,500 over 3 years. With 190 complaints on file and the costliest repair averaging $850, one major failure more than pays for it. The catch is reading the contract — many providers exclude wear items and require pre-authorization, so cheaper plans are not always better value.