Toyota Highlander reliability by year
30 recalls and 4,508 owner complaints across 21 model years. Best year to buy: 2024. Year to avoid: 2008.
Worst model years to avoid → — the single year to avoid for every model line we track, ranked side by side.
Years to avoid — and why 7 flagged on the NHTSA record
Cleaner on the data: 2009, 2011, 2014, 2016, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2023, 2024 and others. Still verify the specific vehicle.
At-a-glance: every year color-coded
Each cell shows the last two digits of the model year and its 0–10 reliability score from NHTSA data. Click any year to see the full record. ★ best year · ✕ year to avoid.
Year-by-year reliability 21 model years · newest first
Common trouble spots across the Highlander aggregated across 21 model years
Common questions
What's the best year to buy a Toyota Highlander?
Based on NHTSA complaint volume and severity weighting, the 2024 Toyota Highlander scores 7.6/10 — the strongest in the 2005–2025 range. 37 complaints on file, 3 active recalls. Reliability scores reflect the federal complaint record, not subjective owner reviews.
Which Toyota Highlander year should I avoid?
The 2008 Toyota Highlander scores 6.4/10 — the weakest in the lineup. 403 owner complaints with NHTSA, 4 active recalls. That doesn't mean every 2008 is a problem — it means failure rates run higher than peer model years on the same platform.
Which years of the Toyota Highlander should I avoid?
On the NHTSA complaint and recall record, the model years to be most careful with are 2022 (avoid — the brakes — 1 fatality report and 2 crash-related complaints on the brakes); 2017 (avoid — the powertrain — powertrain: 68 complaints, classified severe, failures cluster 13,000–39,000 mi); 2008 (avoid — the engine — 1 fatality report and 6 fire-related complaints on the engine); 2006 (avoid — the cruise-control — 1 fatality report and 1 fire-related complaint on the cruise-control); 2015 (high-risk ownership — electrical system: 44 complaints, classified severe, failures cluster 21,800–75,000 mi); 2010 (high-risk ownership — electrical system: 52 complaints, classified severe, failures cluster 45,000–90,000 mi). The cleaner years on the data are 2011, 2009, 2024, 2023, 2021, 2020. This is our read of the federal data, not a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection of the specific vehicle.
How many years of the Toyota Highlander are tracked?
21 model years (2005 through 2025) with NHTSA records on file. Total across the lineup: 30 recalls and 4,508 owner complaints.
What's the most-reported problem on the Toyota Highlander?
powertrain is the most-reported category — 771 complaints across 19 model years. Average shop repair runs about $2,500.