2004 Toyota HIGHLANDER problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
286 owner complaints analyzed
5 distinct recall campaigns
53,126 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2004 model year. Data snapshot: . 235 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Power Train:Automatic Transmission is the most frequently named component, appearing in 46 of 286 complaints (16.1%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Steering behavior | 47 | 16.4% |
| Braking behavior | 46 | 16.1% |
| Transmission and shifting | 35 | 12.2% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 6 | 2.1% |
| Engine operation | 3 | 1.0% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Power Train:Automatic Transmission | 46 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 33 |
| Steering | 24 |
| Electrical System | 18 |
| Engine | 16 |
| Electronic Stability Control (Esc) | 15 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling | 10 |
| Visibility | 10 |
Power Train:Automatic Transmission: 46; Vehicle Speed Control: 33; Steering: 24; Electrical System: 18; Engine: 16; Electronic Stability Control (Esc): 15; Engine And Engine Cooling: 10; Visibility: 10
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 69 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 43 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 37 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 30 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 41 |
| 150,000 and above | 15 |
Under 25,000: 69; 25,000 to 49,999: 43; 50,000 to 74,999: 37; 75,000 to 99,999: 30; 100,000 to 149,999: 41; 150,000 and above: 15
Under 25,000 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (69). 51 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2004 | 38 |
| 2005 | 32 |
| 2006 | 24 |
| 2007 | 20 |
| 2008 | 20 |
| 2009 | 18 |
| 2010 | 41 |
| 2011 | 21 |
| 2012 | 18 |
| 2013 | 13 |
| 2014 | 12 |
| 2015 | 10 |
| 2016 | 8 |
| 2017 | 4 |
| 2018 | 1 |
| 2020 | 1 |
| 2021 | 1 |
| 2023 | 1 |
| 2024 | 2 |
| 2026 | 1 |
2004: 38; 2005: 32; 2006: 24; 2007: 20; 2008: 20; 2009: 18; 2010: 41; 2011: 21; 2012: 18; 2013: 13; 2014: 12; 2015: 10; 2016: 8; 2017: 4; 2018: 1; 2020: 1; 2021: 1; 2023: 1; 2024: 2; 2026: 1
Pattern summary
Power Train:Automatic Transmission leads the component reports. Steering behavior appears in 47 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 46 complaint narratives. Transmission and shifting appears in 35 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Complaint evidence
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10090951 · 2004-09-14 (September 14, 2004)
I PURCHASED A 2004 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER IN MARCH. AFTER A FEW WEEKS OF DRIVING I NOTICED THAT WHILE BRAKING AT A LIGHT, SOMETIMES THE BRAKE AND THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD VIBRATE. WHEN THE DEALER LOOKED AT MY CAR HE ACKNOWLEDGED THE PROBLEM AND SAID IT WAS A "POWER SURGE" I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHAT THAT MEANS AND WHY THEY DIDN'T FIX IT, BUT THE CAR STILL DOES IT 3 MONTHS LATER. ALSO I NOTICED THAT THE TRANSMISSION HESITATES AS IF IT IS ABOUT TO STALL WHEN I TRY TO ACCELERATE TO MERGE INTO TRAFFIC ONTO A HIGHWAY. I HAVEN'T BROUGHT THE CAR IN FOR SERVICE…
Owner-reported narrative. 500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10090951 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10107233 · 2005-01-11 (January 11, 2005)
WHILE DRIVING 3 MPH DRIVER NOTICED THAT THE SLIP LIGHT INDICATOR APPEARED ON THE DASHBOARD AND REMAINED ON. SUDDENLY, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO ACCELERATE, AND THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED. DRIVER PULLED OVER, AND VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. MECHANIC INFORMED THE DRIVER THAT STEERING NEEDED TO BE ALIGNED, AND ALIGNED IT. HOWEVER, THE PROBLEM RECURRED, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE STEERING SENSOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK......STEERING SENSOR IS ON BACK ORDER FOR 1 MONTH. THIS SENSOR IS ON BOTH THE TOYOTA HIGHLANDER AND…
Owner-reported narrative. 161,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10107233 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10062599 · 2004-03-19 (March 19, 2004)
AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. A NISSAN PATHFINDER CUT IN FRONT OF ME AND I CRASHED INTO HIM. I WAS DRIVING ABOUT 50 MPH WHEN HE SUDDENLY VEERED INTO MY LAND. I TRIED TO BRAKE, BUT THERE WASN'T TIME AND I HIT THE BACK OF HIS PATHFINDER AND THEN SPUN AROUND AND HIT THE GUARDRAIL. THE SEAT BELTS EXPLODED, BUT THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY, UPON EITHER IMPACT. THE FIREMEN JUST SHOOK THEIR HEADS IN DISBELIEF AND MY CAR'S DAMAGE (~$9000). MY HIGHLANDER WAS SUPPOSED TO BE BACK TO ME IN 2-3 WEEKS, BUT IT HAS BEEN NINE WEEKS AND THE CAR STILL ISN'T FIXED DUE …
Owner-reported narrative. 2,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10062599 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10083782 · 2004-08-20 (August 20, 2004)
WHEN THE CONSUMER APPLIED THE BRAKES, THE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR. THIS RESULTED IN THE CONSUMER'S VEHICLE REAR-ENDING ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE CONSUMER HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR INSPECTION. *AK IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE BRAKE PIVOT BRACKET HAD BENT, CAUSING THE BRAKES TO FAIL. *SC *JB
Owner-reported narrative. 1,100 miles reported. Look up ODI 10083782 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10086822 · 2005-03-07 (March 7, 2005)
WE PURCHASED A 2004 V6/5 SPEED AUTO 2WD TOYOTA HIGHLANDER IN JUNE, 04. IT HAS A HESITATION PROBLEM WHICH CREATES A SAFETY HAZARD. IT LOSES POWER FOR SEVERAL SECONDS AFTER DECELERATING AND RE- ACCELERATING TO CHANGE LANES OR MAKE LEFT TURNS, THEREBY EXPOSING A POWERLESS, DECELERATING CAR TO ONCOMING TRAFFIC. HAVE TAKEN THE CAR TO THE DEALER TWICE. THEY CLAIM IT IS A DESIGN PROBLEM, THEY CANNOT FIX. THEY SAY IT OCCURS AS A RESULT OF THE ADAPTIVE LEARNING ALGORITHM IN THE ENGINE/TRANSMISSION PACKAGE. CHECK THE EDMONDS TOWN HALL BY SEARCHI…
Owner-reported narrative. 1,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10086822 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10090696 · 2004-09-09 (September 9, 2004)
2004 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER WITH APPROX. 11,000 MILES. 6CYL. 2W/D I HAVE NOTICED A SLIGHT BUT CONSISTENT HESITATION BETWEEN PRESSING THE ACCELERATOR AND ACTUALLY ACCELERATING. I RECENTLY EXPERIENCED THAT WHEN ACCELLERATING HEAVILY, AS TO PASS ANOTHER CAR, THE HIGHLANDER ACTUALLY SEEMS TO PAUSE, AND TO EVEN MOMENTARILY SLOW DOWN INSTEAD OF ACELLERATING. AND THEN IT SUDDENLY ACCELERATES. THIS DELAY IS GREATER THAN 1-2 SECONDS AND IS SIGNIFICANTLY NOTICABLE. THIS IS NOT A SITUATION WHERE THE VEHICLE IS DROPING SMOOTHLY INTO A LOWER GEAR TO ACCELLER…
Owner-reported narrative. 11,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10090696 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10207457 · 2007-10-30 (October 30, 2007)
I PURCHASED A TOYOTA HIGHLANDER 4DR 4WD 4ECT AS A PREVIOUSLY OWNED VEHICLE WITH A PREVIOUSLY OWNED VEHICLE WARRANTY. AFTER OWNING AND USING THE VEHICLE FOR A FEW MONTHS WHILE DRIVING IN A TRAFFIC SITUATION, THE RIGHT SIDE REAR BRAKE SUDDENLY LOCKED UP INTERMITTENTLY ACCOMPANIED BY SWERVING, BY PANEL VSC LIGHT FLASHES AND AN AUDIBLE WARNING. THIS SITUATION FORTUNATELY OCCURRED NEAR OUR RESIDENCE ON DRY PAVEMENT. BY DRIVING VERY SLOWLY WE MANAGED TO GET THE VEHICLE TO A SAFE LOCATION. IT WAS THEN TOWED TO A LOCAL TOYOTA DEALER WHERE IT WAS INSP…
Owner-reported narrative. 13,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10207457 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10395715 · 2011-04-13 (April 13, 2011)
THE LENSES OF THE DAYTIME RUNNING LAMPS/HIGH BEAMS HAVE DEVELOPED WHITE, OVAL-SHAPED BUBBLING/MELTING MARKS OF APPROXIMATELY 0.5 TO 0.75 INCHES IN DIAMETER, IN THE CENTER OF THE LENSES, DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF THE LAMPS. I FIRST NOTICED THIS IN DECEMBER 2010 JUST PRIOR TO CHANGING THE ORIGINAL LAMPS (THEREFORE THE REPLACEMENT LAMPS DID NOT CAUSE THIS PROBLEM). I REPORTED THIS TO TOYOTA, CASE NUMBER 1012071480. TOYOTA TOLD ME TO TAKE THIS UP WITH THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT OF A DEALER. AT THE DEALERSHIP, I WAS INITIALLY QUOTED A PRICE OF $988 TO RE…
Owner-reported narrative. 83,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10395715 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10203753 · 2007-09-13 (September 13, 2007)
2004 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER BRAKES ENGAGED WHEN ACCELERATOR WAS DEPRESSED. CUSTOMER STATES THAT HE WAS IN A PARKING LOT HIT THE ACCELERATOR AND THE BRAKES APPLIED, AND THAT MADE THE ENGINE STALL. HE WAS UNABLE TO START THE VEHICLE. *KB THE DEALER FOUND THE STEERING ANGEL SENSOR WAS NOT OUT PUTTING CORRECTLY WHICH CAUSED THE VSC TO ACTIVATE. *JB
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10203753 at NHTSA ↗