Some 2020 – 2024 model year Highlander and Highlander Hybrid vehicles may exhibit a condition in which the air conditioner does not cool due to a leak and/or corrosion in the rear underbody air conditioner tube and accessory assembly. The anti-corrosion material has been updated to reduce the possibility of this condition.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗2022 Toyota Highlander electrical problems
moderate 13 complaints filed with NHTSA · avg repair $850 · see electrical across all vehicles →
Complaints
13
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$850
Is there a fix? Manufacturer service bulletins
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.
OBSOLETE NOTICE January 30, 2026: This bulletin is now obsolete. Please see T-SB-0001-26.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Some 2018 – 2024 model year Toyota vehicles equipped with a Premium Audio with Dynamic Navigation System require a Special Service Tool (SST) USB flash drive to update the map, points of interest, and system software.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Although the HV Floor Under Wire Harness and Rear Traction Motor Cable is covered by Toyota’s New Vehicle Limited Warranty for 3 years or 36,000 miles (whichever comes first), we at Toyota care about the customers’ ownership experience. Toyota is providing extended coverage under this Customer Support Program for repairs related to excessive corrosion to the wire harness connections at the Rear Motor Generator. Excessive corrosion can cause AM Radio Static during certain drive cycles, or the vehicle may not start.
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 ↗Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications. Bring the bulletin number to your dealer or shop.
The failure pattern owners describe
Owners report widespread electrical and mechanical failures across multiple systems in the 2022 Highlander. The power liftgate intermittently fails to open, opens partially, and does not close or latch securely—a problem that worsens over time and has reportedly affected numerous owners according to forum reports. Multiple owners cite dealers diagnosing failed struts with repair costs around $1,500.
The infotainment head unit and its integration control sub-assembly (CPU) have both failed, leaving drivers without navigation, backup camera, climate controls, and door locks. One owner had to drive the vehicle inoperable for 1.5 weeks while waiting for parts twice over.
Safety-critical failures include uncommanded rearward movement of the driver seat while driving (causing loss of brake pedal reach), complete loss of steering and brakes at highway speeds with subsequent shutdown, and brake system unresponsiveness during acceleration and turning. One owner reported a heated steering wheel that overheated and smoked after 5–10 minutes of use, leaving a burn mark on the leather.
Throttle sluggishness and brake hesitation in wet or snowy conditions affected another owner, with the dealer unable to replicate or resolve the issue. A separate owner reported engine computer limp mode triggered by throttle plate icing in cold weather—a problem Toyota issued a TSB for in 2023 but didn't make the software fix available until after the vehicle failed. Dealers frequently cannot replicate faults or provide diagnosis, leaving owners with unresolved safety concerns.
Same Toyota Highlander electrical reports on nearby years: 2019 · 2020 · 2021 · 2023
Failure modes owners describe
Rear power liftgate intermittent failure and latch defect
Power liftgate fails to open, opens only partially (~25%), and does not close or latch securely. Progressed from intermittent to complete failure over approximately two years. Multiple owners report same issue on public forums (Reddit). Dealers reportedly diagnose failed liftgate strut; repair quoted at ~$1,500. A temporary reset was tried with brief success.
When: Ongoing for approximately 2 years; progressively worsened
Symptoms owners cite: Liftgate will not open at all; Opens only partially (approximately one-quarter way) then stops; Will not close properly; Fails to latch securely; Liftgate unusable
Repairs/costs cited: Dealers quote approximately $1,500 for repair (reportedly due to failed liftgate strut). Temporary reset recommended during prior service; worked briefly (one day), then no longer effective.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Toyota informed owner they do not issue recalls for this issue; advised reporting to NHTSA instead.
Infotainment head unit and integration control sub-assembly failure
Center console head unit (controls infotainment, navigation, phone, climate, lighting, door locks, driver-assist features) experienced blanking, glitching, and became unusable. Dealer initially diagnosed bad head unit; after replacement, same issues persisted. Further diagnostic identified the integration control sub-assembly (CPU) as actual failed part. Owner was forced to drive car 1.5 weeks broken while parts were in transit, then again during second diagnostic. Both the head unit and CPU were replaced to resolve.
When: Vehicle purchased brand new with few miles; failure occurred early in ownership
Symptoms owners cite: Screen goes blank; Screen glitches out; No access to radio, streaming, navigation, phone features; Limited climate control (heater/defroster issues); No backup camera or 360-degree camera views; No navigation system
Repairs/costs cited: Head unit replaced initially; then integration control sub-assembly CPU replaced. Parts ordered and installed on second visit. Total downtime approximately 1.5 weeks between diagnosis and completion.
Throttle response sluggishness and brake hesitation in wet/snowy conditions
Vehicle responded sluggishly during acceleration attempt at 35-40 MPH; accelerator required full depression to floorboard to respond properly. Brake pedal hesitated to respond at 40 MPH, causing 20-foot stopping distance delay. Failures occurred primarily in wet and snowy conditions at ~60 MPH. Dealer test-drove vehicle multiple times (second and third visits) but could not duplicate failure. No diagnostic codes or repairs completed. Manufacturer case opened, awaiting callback.
When: Approximately 1,800 miles at failure report
Symptoms owners cite: Sluggish accelerator response (35-40 MPH); Abnormal transmission-like sound (as if in neutral) during acceleration attempt; Brake pedal hesitation and delayed response (20-foot stopping distance delay); Failures mainly in wet and snowy conditions; Strong burning wire coating smell from grill/radiator area; Metallic rotating sound from air conditioning vent during heat use; Sound persisted after vehicle turned off; Abnormal sound from rear passenger's side subframe while reversing
Repairs/costs cited: No diagnosis or repair completed by dealer. Dealer test drove vehicle multiple times but could not replicate issue.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Manufacturer notified and case opened; owner awaiting callback.
Uncommanded driver seat rearward movement
Driver seat began moving rearward without any driver input while vehicle was being driven. Movement was intermittent over several days. In one incident, seat moved rearward while owner's wife was driving, causing her to lose proper reach to brake pedal and nearly lose control. Seat moved to full rear position and continued attempting to move past mechanical stop. Also occurred during vehicle startup and shutdown cycles. Diagnosis and repair performed.
When: ~60,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Seat moved rearward without driver input; Intermittent movement over several days; Loss of reach to brake pedal while driving; Seat moved to full rear position and continued attempting to move past mechanical stop; Movement occurred during startup and shutdown cycles
Repairs/costs cited: Driver seat control/track assembly replacement completed at cost of approximately $1,600. Power seat fuses not clearly labeled and inaccessible to driver without removing interior panels.
Complete electrical system failure with loss of steering and brakes
While driving at 70 MPH in fast lane, steering wheel failed to respond to left/right input, brakes became inoperable, and vehicle decelerated. Several unknown warning lights illuminated. Vehicle shut off; owner able to veer to shoulder. Roadside Assistance indicated battery needed replacement. Independent mechanic attributed failure to engine. Dealer did not diagnose or repair; manufacturer was not contacted.
When: ~17,781 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Steering wheel failed to respond to turning input (left or right); Brakes became inoperable; Vehicle decelerated unexpectedly; Several unknown warning lights illuminated; Vehicle shut off while driving
Repairs/costs cited: Independent mechanic indicated failure due to engine. Dealer did not complete diagnosis or repair.
Dashboard and ADAS warning system malfunction
All ADAS and dashboard warning lights illuminated simultaneously with messages indicating braking failure and loss of control. Occurred on highway at 65 MPH while vehicle was less than three months old (Platinum AWD, fully loaded). Vehicle unable to stop according to owner. Dealership stated vehicle had no issues and could not identify cause. Owner reports vehicle safety concern; dealership stated safe to drive.
When: Less than 3 months old; under initial ownership period
Symptoms owners cite: All ADAS lights illuminated; Dashboard warnings for braking failure; Dashboard warnings for loss of control; Vehicle unable to stop (per owner); Vehicle underperforming
Repairs/costs cited: Dealership did not identify cause or complete repairs. Stated vehicle safe to drive despite warning messages.
Heated steering wheel malfunction with fire hazard
Heated steering wheel element overheated during use. Approximately 5-10 minutes after activation, owner observed smoke coming from steering wheel leather, excessive heat (nearly burnt hand), and visible burning spot left on wheel surface. Owner immediately disabled feature. When reactivated, same overheating and smoke occurred repeatedly, indicating no fuse protection or thermal cutoff in circuit.
When: Not specified; occurred early in ownership
Symptoms owners cite: Smoke coming from steering wheel leather; Excessive heat (nearly burned hand); Visible burning spot on steering wheel; Issue repeats when reactivated
Repairs/costs cited: Owner disabled heated steering wheel feature due to fire hazard. Issue repeats when reactivated (no fuse protection noted).
Brake system ineffectiveness during acceleration and turning
Braking system did not take effect during speed and turning maneuvers. When driver released acceleration, vehicle speed increased unexpectedly and driver lost control. Failure occurred under 11,000 miles on brand new Hybrid model. Owner also reports electrical system damage.
When: Under 11,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Braking system ineffective during speed and turns; Speed increased when acceleration released; Loss of control; Rear cross-traffic alert and blind spot warning malfunction
Throttle plate ice accumulation in cold weather (limp mode)
Throttle plate iced up in cold weather conditions, causing engine computer to enter limp mode, creating a dangerous driving situation. Toyota had a Technical Service Bulletin (TSB) solution for this issue issued in 2023, but did not make the software update available until after the owner's vehicle experienced the failure.
When: Cold weather condition
Symptoms owners cite: Throttle plate iced up; Vehicle entered limp mode; Loss of normal power/performance
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Toyota TSB issued in 2023 with software solution, but update not made available until after owner's vehicle failed.
Infotainment screen failure and rear liftgate malfunction (cluster report #10)
Screen (infotainment unit) going out / becoming unresponsive. Rear tailgate hangs up and does not lower completely. Two separate system failures reported by same owner.
When: Not specified
Symptoms owners cite: Screen going out; Rear tailgate hangs up; Tailgate does not lower/open completely
Synthesized from 13 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
What owners are reporting 2 most recent
Vehicle Issue Description (Rear Liftgate): The rear power liftgate intermittently fails to operate and presents a safety concern. The liftgate often will not open at all. At other times, it opens only partially (approximately one-quarter of the way) and then stops. When this occurs, the liftgate frequently will not close properly and sometimes fails to latch securely. This issue has been…
When turning on the heated steering wheel and about 5-10 minutes, it seems there is smoke coming from the steering wheel leather and it’s very hot that almost burnt my hand and forced me to take my left hand off. I immediately turned the heated steering wheel and stopped. There is a burning spot left on the steering wheel also. The heating option still can be enabled and the same situation…
Had electrical trouble with your 2022 Toyota Highlander?
File a complaint with NHTSA → It's free, official, and how every report above got here — owner filings are the federal safety record this page is built on.
Common questions
How serious is the electrical problem on the 2022 Toyota Highlander?
It's a documented issue but not catastrophic. 13 complaints have been filed. Repairs average $850 and most owners catch it before it causes a breakdown.
At what mileage does the electrical typically fail?
Based on the 13 complaints filed, electrical issues most often appear around 9,791 miles. Some report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 with no symptoms. Maintenance habits matter — vehicles that received timely fluid services and were not regularly overworked tend to last longer.
What does it cost to fix?
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.
Are there any recalls related to electrical?
No active recalls currently cover electrical issues on this vehicle. The complaints filed represent owner-reported failures that haven't risen to the level of a manufacturer-issued recall — but they're still worth knowing about before you buy or budget for repairs.
Related
Complaint and recall data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
public records database. Verify the raw federal record at
nhtsa.gov/vehicle/2022/Toyota/Highlander.
Severity ratings are derived from reported crashes, fires, injuries, and fatalities. Repair cost estimates are
independent-shop national averages and may differ in your area. Some links on this page are affiliate links.