U.S. public vehicle records

2013 Toyota HIGHLANDER problems and owner complaints

Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.

Key facts

206 owner complaints analyzed

3 distinct recall campaigns

35,000 mi median reported failure mileage

Scope: 2013 model year. Data snapshot: 2026-09-12 (September 12, 2026). 159 complaints include usable failure mileage.

Owner-reported patterns

Most common problems

Steering is the most frequently named component, appearing in 46 of 206 complaints (22.3%). A complaint can name multiple components.

Recurring terms in complaint narratives
Topic	Matching reports	Share of complaints
Steering behavior	45	21.8%
Braking behavior	32	15.5%
Electrical and battery issues	8	3.9%
Transmission and shifting	6	2.9%
Engine operation	6	2.9%
Fuel system concerns	5	2.4%

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.

Steering

Engine

Vehicle Speed Control

Electrical System

Unknown Or Other

Air Bags

Service Brakes

Structure:Body

Steering: 46; Engine: 31; Vehicle Speed Control: 31; Electrical System: 25; Unknown Or Other: 23; Air Bags: 16; Service Brakes: 16; Structure:Body: 13

Reported problems by failure mileage

Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.

Under 25,000

25,000 to 49,999

50,000 to 74,999

75,000 to 99,999

100,000 to 149,999

150,000 and above

Under 25,000: 67; 25,000 to 49,999: 33; 50,000 to 74,999: 33; 75,000 to 99,999: 12; 100,000 to 149,999: 11; 150,000 and above: 3

Under 25,000 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (67). 47 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.

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

2018

2019

2020

2021

2022

2023

2024

2025

2026

2013: 16; 2014: 36; 2015: 27; 2016: 14; 2017: 14; 2018: 27; 2019: 29; 2020: 13; 2021: 9; 2022: 6; 2023: 2; 2024: 4; 2025: 6; 2026: 3

Pattern summary

Steering leads the component reports. Steering behavior appears in 45 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 32 complaint narratives. Electrical and battery issues appears in 8 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 10703233 · 2015-04-01 (April 1, 2015)

I TURNED ON MY CAR, PUT IT ON DRIVE WHEN I TRIED TO PRESS THE GAS AND TURN THE WHEEL TO GET OUT OF THE PARKING LOT THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED SO HARD I COULD NOT TURN IT. I PRESSED ON THE BRAKES BUT THE BRAKES WERE NOT FUNCTIONING AT ALL AS I WAS PRESSING ON THE BRAKE PAD THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND SO DID THE BRAKE LIGHT ON THE DASH BOARD, ON THE BIG SCREEN WHERE IT SHOWS MY INFO AND OTHER FANCY GADGETS SHOWED "BRAKE MALFUNCTION PARK CAR IN SAFE ZONE" AS THE CAR DROVE FORWARD BY ITSELF AND THE BRAKES WERE NOT WORKING THE CAR HIT AN EMPTY…

Owner-reported narrative. 30,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10703233 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10760954 · 2015-09-02 (September 2, 2015)

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER. WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH, THE POWER STEERING FAILED AND THE INSTRUMENT PANEL DISPLAYED THAT THE POWER STEERING NEEDED ASSISTANCE. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE ELECTRONIC COMPUTER THAT MANAGED THE STEERING NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURE WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 48,500.....UPDATED 10-27-15 *BF *CN

Owner-reported narrative. 48,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10760954 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10515185 · 2013-06-05 (June 5, 2013)

MY WIFE WAS MANEUVERING THE SUV INTO SMALL AREA PARKING LOT ONTO A CORNER SPACE, ON THE FIRST FORWARD AND BACK MOTION TO MANEUVER THE BRAKE WAS OK, THEN ON THE SECOND MANEUVER THE BRAKE DIDN'T WORK AND THE TIRE WENT OVER THE CONCRETE PARKING BLOCK THEN HITTING THE STRUCTURE OF THE DOCTORS OFFICE. EARLY ON IN THE DAY I WENT TO THE TOYOTA DEALERSHIP TO PURCHASE A HITCH AND WHEN ABOUT TO LEAVE THE PARKING BRAKE DIDN'T RELEASE COMPLETELY, TOLD SERVICE GUY AND SAID TO GET A CLIP AND HE ALSO COMMENTED THAT THE DEALERSHIP WHERE I BOUGHT MIGHT INSTAL…

Owner-reported narrative. 4,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10515185 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10544226 · 2013-09-18 (September 18, 2013)

WHEN TURNING LEFT OUT OF MY NEIGHBORHOOD I SLOWED DOWN AND THEN TRIED TO RETURN TO SPEED BUT THE VEHICLE HESITATED THEN SUDDENLY JERKED UP TO THE DESIRED SPEED. ONE OTHER TIME ON AN INTERSTATE I HAD TO SLOW DOWN BEHIND A TRUCK AND THEN WHEN I TRIED TO ACCELERATE BACK TO SPEED IN THE PASSING LANE THE CAR HESITATED FOR SEVERAL SECONDS AND AGAIN ACCELERATED RAPIDLY (CARS IN THE PASSING LANE HAD TO BRAKE QUICKLY. I COULD DESCRIBE OTHER TIMES BUT THE SAME THING (THE HESITATION AND THEN THE EXTREMELY RAPID ACCELERATION) I HAVE TAKEN IT DO THE DEALER…

Owner-reported narrative. 1,146 miles reported. Look up ODI 10544226 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10705059 · 2015-04-10 (April 10, 2015)

THIS VEHICLE HAS BEEN RETURNED TO TOYOTA SERVICE DEPARTMENT 4 TIMES FOR MESSAGE "CHECK SRS AIR BAG SYSTEM". THIS MESSAGE DEACTIVATES THE SIDE AIRBAGS FROM DEPLOYING. TOYOTA SERVICE HAS BEEN UNABLE TO RESOLVE THIS ISSUE. TOYOTA SERVICE HAS DONE THE FOLLOWING TO CORRECT THIS ISSUE. 1) REST THE MESSAGE "CHECK SRS AIRBAG SYSTEM" 2) CHECKED SENSOR AND WIRING UNDER PASSENGER SEAT 3) CONSULTED TOYOTA ENGINEERS. THIS PROBLEM ALWAYS OCCURS UNDER THE SAME CONDITION. THIS PROBLEM IS INTERMITTENT. THIS PROBLEM IS A SAFETY ISSUE FOR THE FRONT S…

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10705059 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10576486 · 2014-04-01 (April 1, 2014)

I BOUGHT A 2013 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER IN OCTOBER 2012 AND NEVER NOTICED ANY PROBLEM UNTIL EARLY IN 2014. WHEN I TRY TO ACCELERATE ON A SMALL INCLINE, THE ACCELERATOR WOULD NOT RESPOND. IT ACTED AS IF I AM NOT PRESSING THE GAS PEDAL. I AM NOT TALKING ABOUT GOING TO THE MOUNTAINS BUT JUST A SMALL INCLINE WHEN I DRIVE HOME FROM WORK EVERYDAY. I TOOK IT INTO THE DEALER IN MARCH 2014 AND THEY RESPONDED SAME AS OTHER PEOPLE ON THIS WEBSITE, NO ERRORS ON THE DIAGNOSTIC MACHINE AND NO POSTING FROM TOYOTA. THEY ADVISED ME TO PUT IN PREMIUM FUEL AND I D…

Owner-reported narrative. 1,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10576486 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10608513 · 2014-07-07 (July 7, 2014)

PURCHASED 2013 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER 11/24/12; TRANSMISSION HAS MALFUNCTIONED APPROXIMATELY 16 TIMES SINCE DATE OF PURCHASE. WHEN REDUCING SPEED TO APPROXIMATELY 30 TO10 M.P.H. AND THEN TRY TO ACCELERATE, THE TRANSMISSION APPEARS TO GO INTO NEUTRAL; THE DRIVE STICK REMAINS IN DRIVE! WHEN THIS HAPPENS, I SHIFT DRIVE STICK TO NEUTRAL AND THEN BACK TO DRIVE AND THEN TRANSMISSION CONTINUES TO WORK FINE. I DON'T THINK YOU HAVE TO EXTEND YOUR IMAGINATION TOO FAR TO REALIZE THE POSSIBILITY OF SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH WHEN MAKING A TURN OR TRYING TO PASS SO…

Owner-reported narrative. 3,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10608513 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10583053 · 2014-04-16 (April 16, 2014)

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY STALLED. ALSO, THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE HEADLIGHTS AND INSTRUMENT PANEL LIGHT INTERMITTENTLY FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 16,000.

Owner-reported narrative. 16,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10583053 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10703727 · 2015-04-04 (April 4, 2015)

2013 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER HESITATES/STALLS OCCASIONALLY WHEN DRIVING. PRIMARILY OCCURS WHEN TURNING LEFT AFTER STOPPING AT A SIGN/LIGHT. THE HESITATION LAST FOR 5-10 SECONDS. HAVE ASKED DEALERSHIP TO LOOK AT IT 5 TIMES SINCE I PURCHASED THE CAR IN JULY 2013 BUT THEY HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM DURING THEIR TEST DRIVES. THEY CONCLUDE THE "VEHICLE IS OPERATING AS DESIGNED." *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 335 miles reported. Look up ODI 10703727 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10578536 · 2014-04-09 (April 9, 2014)

THE VEHICLE DID NOT ALERT TO ANY ENGINE AND/OR VEHICLE PROBLEM (NO CAUTION LIGHT, NO ENGINE LIGHT, ETC.) THE DRIVER HAPPENED TO LOOK DOWN AT THE FUEL TANK AND NOTICED THAT THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE EXCEED THE MEASURING MARK (OVER THE RED ZONE) AND WAS STILL RUNNING. THE DRIVER IMMEDIATELY WENT TO A SAFE PLACE. TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP. DEALERSHIP INFORMS THAT A "SMALL ROCK OR ROAD DEBRIS" TRAVELED THROUGH THE FRONT GRILL AND PUNCTURED THE RADIATOR. AFTER RESEARCHING WHY THE RADIATOR IS NOT COVERED UNDER THE WARRANTY ON BRAND NEW VEHICLE UNDER T…

Owner-reported narrative. 10,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10578536 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10683283 · 2015-02-13 (February 13, 2015)

ON SUNDAY, JANUARY 18, 2015 AT APPROXIMATELY 7:50AM MST, AFTER FILLING UP THE GAS TANK AT THE HOLIDAY GAS STATION ON PLEASANT GROVE BOULEVARD IN PLEASANT GROVE, UT, I BEGAN TO PULL AWAY FROM THE GAS PUMPS. BEFORE EXITING THE GAS STATION, AND AFTER MOVING ABOUT 20 FEET AT ABOUT 5 MPH, THE ENGINE SUDDENLY REVVED UP TO AROUND 4000 RPM. I IMMEDIATELY TOOK MY FOOT ENTIRELY OFF OF THE GAS PEDAL AND SLAMMED MY FOOT DOWN ON THE BRAKE, HOLDING THE BRAKE DOWN FIRMLY. DESPITE NOTHING PRESSING ON THE GAS PEDAL, AND DESPITE THE BRAKE PEDAL BEING VERY FIR…

Owner-reported narrative. 35,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10683283 at NHTSA ↗