Acceleration Issues, engine lag, poor response time and bucking when accelerated is pressed. Dangerous to drive not enough power to merge with traffic and hesitates to go at stop lights. Bought as a family suv and don’t feel safe with them in the car. RPMs jump when at idle. The car struggles to shift gears especially 2nd gear. Does not preform well under normal circumstances not sure how this…
2023 Toyota Highlander powertrain problems
moderate 15 complaints filed with NHTSA · avg repair $2,500 · see powertrain across all vehicles →
Complaints
15
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$2,500
The failure pattern owners describe
Thirteen complaints cluster around dangerous drivability issues in 2023 Highlanders. The dominant complaint is throttle response hesitation: the engine lags 1–2 seconds after the gas pedal is pressed, then lurches forward unpredictably. This happens across all drive modes and is unrelated to the auto start/stop feature. Owners describe near-miss accidents when merging at freeway on-ramps, turning left across traffic, and pulling into traffic from stop signs. One dealership confirmed seeing the hesitation but found no diagnostic trouble codes and could not reproduce it consistently despite multiple test drives.
Transmission behavior is rough—owners report bucking, stuttering, and difficulty engaging gears, especially 2nd gear. The vehicle feels like it hunts for the right gear under normal acceleration.
RPM surging occurs at idle and when shifting between drive modes. One owner found that using 93-octane fuel reduced the jumping compared to 87-octane, but dealerships say this is normal. Cruise control does not hold its set speed reliably.
One owner reported unintended acceleration at a traffic light—the car lurched forward when the driver lifted off the brake without touching the accelerator. Another experienced transfer case failure at 65,000 miles on the highway.
Owners cite Toyota Service Bulletin T-SB-0087-23 as the relevant TSB for the hesitation issue, but applied fixes have not eliminated the problem.
Same Toyota Highlander powertrain reports on nearby years: 2020 · 2021 · 2022
Failure modes owners describe
Throttle response hesitation and surging on acceleration
Vehicle hesitates for 1-2 seconds after gas pedal is pressed before suddenly surging or lurching forward, making acceleration unpredictable and unsafe during merges and traffic crossing. Issue occurs across all drive modes (ECO, Normal, Sport) and is independent of the engine auto start/stop feature.
When: Started around 1,000–2,000 miles on vehicles ranging up to 20,000 miles; present from near-purchase in multiple cases
Symptoms owners cite: Significant delay between gas pedal input and engine response (1-2 second lag); Sudden surge or lurch once acceleration engages; Inconsistent and jerky acceleration feel; Gas pedal must be pushed much further down than expected; Near-miss safety events when merging, turning left across traffic, or pulling out at stop signs
Repairs/costs cited: Dealership attempts at diagnosis unsuccessful; no DTCs found. Owners cite Toyota Service Bulletin T-SB-0087-23 as relevant to the issue, but application of the bulletin has not resolved the problem in reported cases.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Toyota Service Bulletin T-SB-0087-23 issued for this condition; a special campaign was mentioned in one narrative but did not resolve the issue. Dealerships unable to reproduce the hesitation despite multiple visits and extended test drives.
Rough shifting and transmission bucking
Transmission exhibits bucking, stuttering, and difficulty finding proper gear, particularly during 2nd gear engagement. Shifting is not smooth and unpredictable. Vehicle feels like it struggles to select and hold gears during normal driving.
When: Started shortly after 2,000 mile mark in reported cases
Symptoms owners cite: Bucking and stuttering during acceleration and gear shifts; Difficulty engaging 2nd gear specifically; Inconsistent and unpredictable gear engagement; Non-smooth shift transitions; Vehicle appears unable to find proper gear
Engine idle RPM surging
RPM needle jumps erratically while vehicle is idling or at a stop, and RPM surges occur when transitioning between drive modes (ECO to Normal), particularly after refueling with lower-octane fuel.
When: Occurs from early ownership; one case noted fuel octane-dependent behavior
Symptoms owners cite: RPMs jump at idle; RPM surging when switching between ECO and Normal drive modes; Engine sluggishness on 87 octane fuel; improved behavior on 93 octane; Potential risk of unintended forward motion from stop
Repairs/costs cited: One owner reports using 93 octane fuel as a workaround to reduce jumping behavior. Dealership indicated the behavior is normal.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Toyota dealership stated the RPM surging is normal operation.
Cruise control speed hold malfunction
Cruise control unable to reach or maintain the set speed reliably, exhibiting inconsistent performance.
When: Reported early in ownership
Symptoms owners cite: Cruise control fails to reach set speed; Cruise control unable to maintain speed consistently
Unintended acceleration event
Vehicle accelerated forward without driver input on accelerator pedal; occurred at traffic light when driver only slightly lifted foot from brake. Safety system activated.
When: Occurred at least twice, including one dated 10/21
Symptoms owners cite: Vehicle lurched forward without accelerator pedal input; Occurred at stop with minimal brake release; Auto safety stop system activated
Transfer case failure
Transfer case catastrophically failed (blew out) while vehicle was at a red light, rendering the vehicle inoperable. Occurred within 3 years of original ownership at 65,000 miles, primarily highway mileage.
When: Within 3 years of ownership; 65,000 miles on odometer
Symptoms owners cite: Transfer case failure at stop; Vehicle inoperable after failure
Repairs/costs cited: Repair quotes reported as prohibitively expensive.
Synthesized from 15 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
What owners are reporting 2 most recent
On 10/21 the vehicle accelerated on its own. At a stoplight behind another automobile, when I only slightly lifted my foot from the brake, the car lurched forward and the auto safety stop system lit up. I never touched the accelerator pedal. I pushed back down on the brake. This was not the first time this happened.
Had powertrain trouble with your 2023 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 powertrain problem on the 2023 Toyota Highlander?
It's a documented issue but not catastrophic. 15 complaints have been filed. Repairs average $2,500 and most owners catch it before it causes a breakdown.
At what mileage does the powertrain typically fail?
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.
What does it cost to fix?
Independent shops typically charge around $2,500 for powertrain 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 powertrain?
No active recalls currently cover powertrain 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/2023/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.