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severe Owners of the 2016 Toyota Highlander have filed 14 NHTSA complaints about the electrical at roughly $850 to repair (U.S. federal records, as of September 2026). Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. See electrical across all vehicles →
| Model year | electrical complaints |
|---|---|
| 2012 Highlander | 28 |
| 2013 Highlander | 23 |
| 2014 Highlander | 32 |
| 2015 Highlander | 46 |
| 2016 Highlander (this page) | 14 |
| 2017 Highlander | 42 |
| 2018 Highlander | 18 |
| 2019 Highlander | 50 |
| 2020 Highlander | 15 |
All 2 active electrical recalls on this vehicle land at critical or severe — none classified moderate.
The ECM damage may result in the engine stalling, increasing the risk of a crash.
If the brake fluid level is low and is not detected, the braking performance may be decreased, increasing the risk of a crash.
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.
Some customers may experience echoing on the line calling the vehicle when using Bluetooth Hands Free. This is caused by the phone Hands Free volume being too low.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗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: Some 2016 ? 2018 model year Toyota vehicles equipped with Entune? Audio (version 01013E), Entune? Audio Plus (version 010156 or 01015C), or Entune? Premium Audio (versions 010171, 010170, or 01017D) may exhibit one or more of the following conditions: ?Head unit reboots at a specific location. ?Abnormal Destination Search app operation. ?Rebooting caused by no songs on the USB-connected iPhone. ?A one-time reboot after ignition is cycled to ACC-ON. ?Audio stays muted after the key is cycled.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗TSB: Some 2016 ? 2018 model year Toyota vehicles equipped with Entune? Audio (version 01013E), Entune? Audio Plus (version 010156 or 01015C), or Entune? Premium Audio (versions 010171, 010170, or 01017D) may exhibit one or more of the following conditions: ?Head unit reboots at a specific location. ?Abnormal Destination Search app operation. ?Rebooting caused by no songs on the USB-connected iPhone. ?A one-time reboot after ignition is cycled to ACC-ON. ?Audio stays muted after the key is cycled. Some 2016 ? 2018 model year Toyota vehicles equipped with Entune? Audio (version 010144), Entune? Audio Plus (version 01015E), Entune? Premium Audio (version 010182), or earlier may exhibit one or m
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications. Bring the bulletin number to your dealer or shop.
The 2016 Highlander electrical issues span power delivery, sensor operation, and safety systems. Owners report the engine starting on its own while parked, sometimes with a fuel pump running for hours after shutdown. More alarming: the vehicle loses all electrical power while driving—engine stalls, instrument displays go black or flicker, steering locks, and the liftgate won't unlock. Dealers replaced batteries on affected vehicles, but the failures returned intermittently. One vehicle caught fire from an electrical short circuit shortly after an oil change.
Sensor malfunctions create chronic distractions: rain-sensing wipers activate on clear sunny days, the cruise control display flickers on without input, and the pre-collision system beeps and warns of vehicles that aren't there. Dashboard warning lights falsely indicate the hood is open, and the navigation system activates itself with reversed map orientation.
Additional complaints include the parking sensors cutting out while backing, the liftgate closing without safety reversal, and a main wiring harness chewed by rodents (dealer noted organic-based oil on the wires attracted them). One owner reported an iPhone 11 unable to connect for hands-free calling. These failures cluster around the 35,000 to 48,000 mile mark in several cases, though diagnostics and repairs remain elusive across dealerships.
Same Toyota Highlander electrical reports on nearby years: 2014 · 2015 · 2017 · 2018 · 2019
Engine starts on its own while vehicle is parked and off, without driver input. One owner also reported fuel pump running hours after engine shutdown.
When: While parked; fuel pump can run 10 to 60+ minutes after shutdown, intermittently
Symptoms owners cite: Engine running when owner returns to parked vehicle; Fuel pump running in garage hours after shutdown; Yellow caution light flashing on dashboard; Loud noise when ignition engaged
Vehicle loses electrical power affecting multiple systems—engine stalls while driving, displays flicker or shut off, steering locks, liftgate won't open, fob unlock fails, vehicle won't start. Dealer replaced battery but problem recurs intermittently.
When: While driving at various speeds; intermittent; mileage unknown to ~48,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Engine shuts off without warning while driving; All instrument and electronic displays shut off or flicker; Steering wheel locks and vibrates; Liftgate does not open; Vehicle cannot be unlocked with fob; Vehicle will not start or starts after multiple attempts; Trunk power switch fails to function; trunk door stuck
Repairs/costs cited: Battery replacement attempted but failure reoccurred intermittently
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Manufacturer and dealer sided with diagnostic fee requirement; dealer blamed and replaced battery
Vehicle caught fire while parked after routine oil change. Fire department investigator certified it was caused by a short circuit in electrical system.
When: April 2022, shortly after oil change in early March 2022; vehicle had 5 months ownership
Symptoms owners cite: Vehicle fire while parked; No warning lights on dashboard before fire
Rain-sensing wipers activate randomly on clear, sunny days with no moisture present. Wipers engage intermittently while driving, causing distraction.
When: While driving; intermittent
Symptoms owners cite: Wipers activate on clear days with sun shining; Wipers engage randomly and repeatedly while driving; Severe distraction to driver
Cruise control display and settings activate randomly while driving with no vehicles in front of the vehicle. Display flickers between normal and set screens intermittently.
When: While driving on freeway; intermittent
Symptoms owners cite: Cruise control display activates with no vehicles nearby; Display flickers back and forth between normal and set screens; Distracting while driving on freeway
Pre-collision system activates randomly with no vehicles nearby. Warning light illuminates on dash accompanied by rapid beeping, causing driver distraction and potential safety hazard.
When: While driving city streets and freeway, while coasting and accelerating; intermittent
Symptoms owners cite: Pre-collision warning activates with no other vehicles nearby; Dash warning light and rapid beeping; Can occur while changing lanes; Documented on dashcam
Interior lights turn on and off intermittently. Dashboard warning lights, including false 'hood open' warnings, illuminate when conditions do not exist. Navigation system turns on by itself with incorrect directions and inverted map orientation.
When: While vehicle in motion; intermittent
Symptoms owners cite: Interior lights cycling on and off; False 'hood open' warning when hood is closed; Navigation system activates without input; Map directions incorrect and inverted (north shown as south, east as west); Dashboard module cracked during service
Repairs/costs cited: Dashboard module cracked by technician during phone number deletion attempt
iPhone 11 not compatible with vehicle infotainment system. Audio disconnects every time phone connects to vehicle, preventing hands-free calling while driving.
When: Upon vehicle startup and phone connection; repeats on every startup
Symptoms owners cite: Car audio disconnects when iPhone 11 connects; Unable to drive hands-free; Phone listed as incompatible on Toyota website
Main wiring harness damaged and chewed by rodents. Check engine light illuminated and AWD system ceased functioning. Dealer noted organic-based oil on harness wires attracts rodents.
When: Mileage unknown
Symptoms owners cite: AWD system stopped working; Check engine light illuminated; Main wiring harness found chewed by rodents
Repairs/costs cited: Main wiring harness damage caused by rodent chewing; dealer attributed to organic-based oil on wires
Parking sensors and park assist system randomly disable. Sensors stop detecting objects while backing up and dash indicator light turns off.
When: While backing and parking; intermittent
Symptoms owners cite: Parking sensors fail to detect obstacles; Park assist system disables; Dash indicator light not illuminated when disabled
Liftgate closed on occupant without reversing or stopping, striking elderly passenger in head. No safety feature prevented or arrested the door closure.
When: Incident date unknown; mileage unknown
Symptoms owners cite: Liftgate closed on occupant; No safety reversal or stop mechanism activated; Struck 73-year-old passenger in head
Synthesized from 14 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
2016 toyota highlander le model v-6 cylinder. The FUEL PUMP runs after engine has been turned off for several hours, even up to as many as 8 hours. This situation can be heard in a closed in garage, in the completely quiet of night time, and at multiple times during the same time period. It happens intermittently with various levels of gas in the tank. The length of time FUEL PUMP can run…
My car engine started on its own after being turned off. I went shopping at walmart and parked my 2016 Toyota highlander xle in the parking lot. I put the car in park and pushed the engine start/stop button to turn off the car. My family and I exited the car and I used the keyless entry pad to lock the doors. We shopped for approximately 45 min. When we returned to the car, I used the…
Tl* the contact owns a 2016 Toyota highlander. While the vehicle was parked in the driveway, it automatically turned on without warning. The contact had to push the ignition switch to stop the vehicle. The contact also stated that there was a loud noise when the ignition switch was turned on. The contact turned off and turned on the vehicle, and the loud noise stopped. The vehicle was not taken…
The contact owns a 2016 Toyota Highlander. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, the trunk power switch failed to function as intended. The contact stated that the trunk power switch was enabled to unlock, however the trunk door did not unlock. The contact stated that the trunk power switch failed to unlatch the trunk door and the trunk door was stuck. The vehicle was taken to an…
It's a meaningful issue. 14 complaints have been filed and the failure mode causes operational problems for owners. Repairs average $850.
Mileage data is limited for this issue. Owners report failures across a wide range, suggesting cause is more about driving conditions and maintenance than mileage alone.
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 — 2 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.