2006 Toyota HIGHLANDER problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
276 owner complaints analyzed
7 distinct recall campaigns
66,000 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2006 model year. Data snapshot: . 199 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Service Brakes is the most frequently named component, appearing in 69 of 276 complaints (25.0%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Braking behavior | 121 | 43.8% |
| Engine operation | 22 | 8.0% |
| Steering behavior | 21 | 7.6% |
| Transmission and shifting | 17 | 6.2% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 15 | 5.4% |
| Fuel system concerns | 2 | 0.7% |
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 |
|---|---|
| Service Brakes | 69 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 42 |
| Electrical System | 26 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 20 |
| Engine | 19 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling | 14 |
| Steering | 13 |
| Visibility/Wiper | 12 |
Service Brakes: 69; Vehicle Speed Control: 42; Electrical System: 26; Service Brakes, Hydraulic: 20; Engine: 19; Engine And Engine Cooling: 14; Steering: 13; Visibility/Wiper: 12
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 40 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 27 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 43 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 21 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 33 |
| 150,000 and above | 35 |
Under 25,000: 40; 25,000 to 49,999: 27; 50,000 to 74,999: 43; 75,000 to 99,999: 21; 100,000 to 149,999: 33; 150,000 and above: 35
50,000 to 74,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (43). 77 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 |
|---|---|
| 2005 | 2 |
| 2006 | 11 |
| 2007 | 11 |
| 2008 | 10 |
| 2009 | 8 |
| 2010 | 59 |
| 2011 | 25 |
| 2012 | 12 |
| 2013 | 15 |
| 2014 | 16 |
| 2015 | 15 |
| 2016 | 10 |
| 2017 | 6 |
| 2018 | 6 |
| 2019 | 6 |
| 2020 | 24 |
| 2021 | 20 |
| 2022 | 4 |
| 2023 | 4 |
| 2024 | 3 |
| 2025 | 5 |
| 2026 | 4 |
2005: 2; 2006: 11; 2007: 11; 2008: 10; 2009: 8; 2010: 59; 2011: 25; 2012: 12; 2013: 15; 2014: 16; 2015: 15; 2016: 10; 2017: 6; 2018: 6; 2019: 6; 2020: 24; 2021: 20; 2022: 4; 2023: 4; 2024: 3; 2025: 5; 2026: 4
Pattern summary
Service Brakes leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 121 complaint narratives. Engine operation appears in 22 complaint narratives. Steering behavior appears in 21 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 10139802 · 2005-10-15 (October 15, 2005)
TOYOTA HIGHLANDER HYBRID-I HAVE LOST ABS BRAKES, STABILITY CONTROL AND POWER STEERING ALONG WITH THE HYBRID ENGINE ON TWO OCCASIONS WITH MY 2 WEEK OLD 2006 HIGHLANDER. I HAVE BROUGHT IT TO THE DEALER TWICE-THE FIRST TIME THEY FOUND "MALFUNCTION CODES" AND "REBOOTED" THE COMPUTER AND TOLD ME IT WAS OPERATING AS "DESIGNED," ONLY TO HAPPEN AGAIN 2 DAYS LATER. CURRENTLY, THEY ARE REPLACING A COMPUTER. DATE OF INCIDENT AND PURCHASE OF VEHICLE IS ACTUALLY 2006 BUT IS NOT AN OPTION BELOW. I AM CONCERNED IT WILL HAPPEN AGAIN AND RESULT IN AN ACCIDENT I…
Owner-reported narrative. 140 miles reported. Look up ODI 10139802 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10164466 · 2006-08-04 (August 4, 2006)
2006-TOYOTA HIGHLANDER-3.3V-6 WITH 5-SPEED AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION ERRATIC SHIFTING AND HESITATION AT SLOW SPEED WHEN LETTING OFF ACCELERATOR AND THEN REAPPLYING TRANSMISSION. VEHICLE STAYS IN BETWEEN GEARS AND HESITATES. ONCE IT GETS INTO GEAR THE VEHICLE LUNGES FORWARD, MAKING IT NECESSARY TO APPLY THE BRAKES HARD. THIS IS PARTICULARLY DANGEROUS IN STOP AND GO TRAFFIC. I GET NERVOUS WHEN TRYING TO MERGE INTO HIGHWAY TRAFFIC BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW HOW THE ACCELERATOR WILL RESPOND AT ANY GIVEN MOMENT. IT IS AN ACCIDENT WAITING TO HAPPEN. I …
Owner-reported narrative. 1,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10164466 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10185505 · 2007-03-19 (March 19, 2007)
I BOUGHT THIS CAR 6 MONTHS AGO AND HAVE THE FOLLOWING PROBLEM. THERE IS A UNPREDICTABLE 2-3 SECOND HESITATION ON ACCELERATION WHEN ENTERING TRAFFIC STREAM FROM A PARKING LOT OR ATTEMPTING TO PASS ANOTHER VEHICLE WHEN I AM DRIVING RELATIVELY SLOW AND WANT TO ACCELERATE. WHEN I HAVE TO SCOOT IT STUMBLES BEFORE PICKING UP SPEED SO I AM NOT SCOOTING AS WELL AS I SHOULD BE TO KEEP FROM INTERFERING WITH OTHER ONCOMING TRAFFIC. IT ACTS AS IF THE IGNITION HAS BEEN TURNED OFF FOR AN INSTANT CAUSING ME TO LURCH FORWARD MOMENTARILY AS THE CAR…
Owner-reported narrative. 5,407 miles reported. Look up ODI 10185505 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10194395 · 2007-06-15 (June 15, 2007)
2006 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER. CONSUMER STATES THAT THE VEHICLE STALLS DUE TO A ELECTRICAL PROBLEM WHICH DRAINS THE BATTERY. *MC THE VEHICLE HAS STALLED 6 TIMES AND THE BATTERY HAS BEEN REPLACED 3 TIMES. THE DEALER DID FIND AN INTERNAL SHORT BY THE ENGINE AND THE THEFT DETERRENT SWITCH WAS REPLACED. THE CONSUMER STATED THE DEALER HAS BEEN UNABLE TO RECTIFY THE STALLING PROBLEM.*JB
Owner-reported narrative. 7,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10194395 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10169735 · 2006-10-02 (October 2, 2006)
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE MAKING AN EMERGENCY STOP AFTER TRAVELING 25 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP WHEN THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED. THE STEERING REMAINED LOCKED AFTER THE COLLISION, ALTHOUGH THERE WAS INSUFFICIENT DAMAGE TO INTERFERE WITH THE WHEELS. NO INJURIES WERE SUSTAINED. A POLICE REPORT WAS TAKEN AND THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE SERVICE DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND AN INVESTIGATOR WAS SENT TO INSPECT THE VEHICLE. UPDATED 10/30/06. *JB *NM THE CONSUMER THE ECU HAS BEE REPLACED THREE TIMES. THE LAST REPLACEMENT OCC…
Owner-reported narrative. 1,300 miles reported. Look up ODI 10169735 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10153930 · 2006-03-28 (March 28, 2006)
2006-TOYOTA HIGHLANDER-3.3V-6 WITH 5-SPEED AUTO-ERRATIC SHIFTING AND HESITATION AT SLOW SPEED WHEN LETTING OFF ACCELERATOR AND THEN REAPPLYING TRANSMISSION IS IN BETWEEN GEARS AND HESITATES THEN SLAMS INTO GEAR AND TAKES OFF,GENERALLY A LOT FASTER THAN YOU WANTED TO. ALSO UNDER ACCELERATION IT SOMETIMES ACTS LIKE IT DON'T KNOW WHAT GEAR IT WANTS TO BE IN. FROM COMPLAINTS OF OTHER CUSTOMERS AND AFTER TALKING TO TECH. THIS IS A COMMON COMPLAINT WITH THIS ENGINE AND TRANS. PACKAGE SINCE 2004 AND STILL NO FIX. I WAS TOLD TOYOTA PROGRAMMED IT THIS W…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10153930 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10229031 · 2008-05-27 (May 27, 2008)
FRIDAY EARLY MAY 2008, I CARRIED MY HIGHLANDER FOR IT'S 30K SERVICE AT 28K, DUE TO HESITATION, LURCHING, BACKFIRING AT TIMES AND POOR GAS MILEAGE. AT THE SERVICE, I WAS TOLD THEY CLEAN THE ACCELERATOR SENOR. THE VEHICLE RAN FINE GETTING 28 MILES PER GALLON, BUT NOTICE A CHANGE IN THE VEHICLE GROUNDING. I COULD HEAR THE ENGINE NOISE THOUGH THE RADIO SOMETIMES IN THE MORNING. THE ENGINE NOISE WAS ADDED FEATURE. I NOTICED THE ENGINE SHIFTING WAS SMOOTH UNTIL THE FOLLOWING TUESDAY. IT WAS RAIN TRAFFIC MEDIUM DRIVING 65 MPH. THE HIGHLANDER CONSU…
Owner-reported narrative. 24,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10229031 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10168544 · 2006-09-18 (September 18, 2006)
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH A METAL SHEET HIT THE GAS TANK CREATING A HOLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHERE THE GAS TANK WAS OBSERVED TO BE 3/4 COVERED IN METAL AND 1/4 COVERED IN PLASTIC. THE HOLE WAS CREATED IN THE PLASTIC PORTION OF THE GAS TANK. THE DEALER DETERMINED THAT THE GAS TANK MET THE NHTSA FMVSS THEREFORE REPAIRS WOULD NOT BE FREE OF CHARGE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS ALSO ALERTED. *NM
Owner-reported narrative. 63,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10168544 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11299058 · 2020-01-13 (January 13, 2020)
06 HIGHLANDER HYBRID AND AM UNABLE TO FILL GAS TANK WITHOUT NOZZLE CLICKING OFF THIRTY OR MORE TIMES. DOESN'T SEEM TO MATTER WHAT ANGLE, BRAND OF GAS OR DISTANCE. -- MY TECHNICIAN SAID A NEW GAS TANK NEED TO BE REPLACE AND IT COST $1700... THIS PARTS SHOULD BE A SAFETY MEASURE AND WORK DURING THE LIVE OF THE VEHICLE.... TOYOTA SELL ME DEFECTIVE FUEL TANK.
Owner-reported narrative. 150,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11299058 at NHTSA ↗