2001 Toyota HIGHLANDER: complaints, problems and recalls
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
137 owner complaints analyzed
3 distinct recall campaigns
58,300 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2001 model year. Data snapshot: . 80 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Vehicle Speed Control is the most frequently named component, appearing in 14 of 137 complaints (10.2%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Braking behavior | 29 | 21.2% |
| Transmission and shifting | 7 | 5.1% |
| Steering behavior | 6 | 4.4% |
| Fuel system concerns | 4 | 2.9% |
| Engine operation | 1 | 0.7% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 1 | 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 |
|---|---|
| Vehicle Speed Control | 14 |
| Visibility | 12 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling | 9 |
| Power Train:Automatic Transmission | 9 |
| Structure:Body | 9 |
| Air Bags | 6 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine | 6 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components:Master Cylinder | 6 |
Vehicle Speed Control: 14; Visibility: 12; Engine And Engine Cooling: 9; Power Train:Automatic Transmission: 9; Structure:Body: 9; Air Bags: 6; Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine: 6; Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components:Master Cylinder: 6
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 16 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 16 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 11 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 16 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 15 |
| 150,000 and above | 6 |
Under 25,000: 16; 25,000 to 49,999: 16; 50,000 to 74,999: 11; 75,000 to 99,999: 16; 100,000 to 149,999: 15; 150,000 and above: 6
Under 25,000 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (16). 57 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 |
|---|---|
| 2001 | 24 |
| 2002 | 11 |
| 2003 | 13 |
| 2004 | 18 |
| 2005 | 3 |
| 2006 | 8 |
| 2007 | 3 |
| 2008 | 4 |
| 2009 | 5 |
| 2010 | 20 |
| 2011 | 3 |
| 2012 | 8 |
| 2013 | 5 |
| 2014 | 3 |
| 2015 | 4 |
| 2016 | 1 |
| 2017 | 2 |
| 2018 | 1 |
| 2020 | 1 |
2001: 24; 2002: 11; 2003: 13; 2004: 18; 2005: 3; 2006: 8; 2007: 3; 2008: 4; 2009: 5; 2010: 20; 2011: 3; 2012: 8; 2013: 5; 2014: 3; 2015: 4; 2016: 1; 2017: 2; 2018: 1; 2020: 1
Pattern summary
Vehicle Speed Control leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 29 complaint narratives. Transmission and shifting appears in 7 complaint narratives. Steering behavior appears in 6 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.
Examples from the source records
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10003739 · 2003-01-27 (January 27, 2003)
THE CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY WHEN THE FRONT TIRE BLEW OUT. REGAINING CONTROL, THE CONSUMER STATED THAT WHEN HE/SHE PULLED OVER, THEY SAW TWO HOLES, ONE WITH A 3" AND THE OTHER 1" IN SIZE (THE SIDEWALL). THE TWO RIGHT SIDE LIGHT METAL WHEELS WERE DAMAGED AS WELL. SCC
Owner-reported narrative. 10,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10003739 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10009723 · 2003-03-17 (March 17, 2003)
FAILURE OF DEULER TIRES. VEHICLE EXPERIENCED FIVE TIRE FAILURES AT DIFFERENT MILEAGES ( 4500, 12816, 15480, 20000, 29160). *TT *NLM
Owner-reported narrative. 4,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10009723 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10010285 · 2003-03-11 (March 11, 2003)
UNEXPECTED TIRE FAILURE OF A BRIDGESTONE H/T P225/70R16.*JB
Owner-reported narrative. 18,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10010285 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10011054 · 2003-03-26 (March 26, 2003)
I BOUGHT MY 2001 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER IN AUGUST 2001..........AT 15 MONTHS/50,000 MILES MY TRANSMISSION STARTED LEAKING AND WHEN IT STARTED SLIPPING TOYOTA RAPIDLY REPLACED MY TRANSMISSION. A LEAK WAS DETERMINED WITHIN WEEKS OF THE REPLACEMENT AND THE TORQUE CONVERTER SEAL (TCS) HAD TO BE REPLACED. UPON REPLACING THE TCS THE DRIVE SHAFT WAS FOUND TO BE DAMAGED AND HAD TO BE REPLACED. HAS THE HIGHLANDER REQUIRED TRANSMISSION REPLACEMENTS?*JB
Owner-reported narrative. 50,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10011054 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10017575 · 2003-04-25 (April 25, 2003)
VEHICLE TIRE PUNCTURED. MR THE CONSUMER EXPERIENCED 5 TIRE FAILURES ON 5 SEPARATE OCCASIONS. *JB
Owner-reported narrative. 4,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10017575 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10022002 · 2003-06-02 (June 2, 2003)
REAR PASSENGER'S WINDOW IS INOPERATIVE. *AK
Owner-reported narrative. 2,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10022002 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10026249 · 2003-06-30 (June 30, 2003)
CONSUMER STATES WHILE TRAVELING 10 MPH REAR ENDED ANOTHER VEHICLE, AND AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. *AK
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10026249 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10026251 · 2003-06-30 (June 30, 2003)
CONSUMER STATES WHILE TRAVELING 2-3 MPH AND APPLYING THE BRAKES VEHICLE WENT INTO EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE, RUNNING INTO GARAGE DOOR. UPON IMPACT, AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. *AK
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10026251 at NHTSA ↗
Recall history
3 distinct campaigns affect this selection. Announcement dates below are different from vehicle model years. A campaign may cover multiple years.
01V228000 · Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components:Master Cylinder
Reported: 2001-07-05 (July 5, 2001)
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: SPORT UTIITY VEHICLES. THE RESERVOIR FILLER CAP OF THE BRAKE MASTER CYLINDER MAY INDUCE A VACUUM, INTRODUCING SOME AIR INTO THE BRAKE MASTER CYLINDER RESERVOIR. THIS COULD CAUSE ABNORMAL BRAKE NOISE AND INCREASED PEDAL STROKE WHEN THE BRAKES ARE APPLIED.
Consequence: THE INCREASED PEDAL STROKE WILL LENGTHEN THE STOPPING DISTANCE OF THE VEHICLE, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL BLEED THE AIR FROM THE BRAKE LINES AND REPLACE THE RESERVOIR FILLER CAP. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN JULY 30, 2001. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT TOYOTA AT 1-800-331-4331.
NHTSA campaign record ↗02V208000 · Fuel System, Gasoline:Storage:Tank Assembly:Mounting
Reported: 2002-07-30 (July 30, 2002)
ON SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, THERE IS A BREATHER HOSE THAT ATTACHES TO THE NOZZLE OF THE ON-BOARD REFUELING VAPOR RECOVERY (ORVR) VALVE, WHICH IS LOCATED ON THE TOPSIDE OF THE FUEL TANK. THE BREATHER HOSE IS ATTACHED WITH A CLAMP, WHOSE "TABS" FACE IN THE UPWARD DIRECTION. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS CRASHED UNDER THE NEW CAR ASSESSMENT PROGRAM (NCAP) TEST (I.E., 35 MPH FRONTAL BARRIER CRASH), THE CLAMP "TABS" CONTACTED THE UNDERSIDE OF THE BODY DUE TO MOVEMENT OF THE FUEL TANK, CAUSING THE NOZZLE TO BREAK.
Consequence: IN THE WORST CASE, NOZZLE BREAKAGE COULD RESULT IN FUEL LEAKAGE IF THE VEHICLE ROLLS-OVER AFTER A HIGH SPEED FRONTAL CRASH.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL ROTATE THE SPECIFIED CLAMP. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN SEPTEMBER 23, 2002. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT TOYOTA AT 1-800-331-4331.
NHTSA campaign record ↗04V181000 · Latches/Locks/Linkages:Doors:Latch
Reported: 2004-04-15 (April 15, 2004)
CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES HAVE A CHILD PROTECTION LOCK (CPL) SYSTEM ON BOTH OF THE REAR SIDE DOORS. WHEN AN OPERATOR OF THE VEHICLE CLOSES THE DOOR VERY HARD WITH THE CPL LEVER SET TO THE LOCK POSITION, THERE IS A POSSIBILITY THAT THE LEVER MAY CONTACT THE BODY PANEL, CAUSING THE CPL LEVER TO MOVE INTO THE UNLOCK POSITION.
Consequence: THIS CONDITION COULD ALLOW THE DOOR TO BE OPENED WITH THE INSIDE WHILE THE OPERATOR BELIEVES THAT THE CPL WAS ACTIVATED. IF THE DOOR WERE OPENED FROM THE INSIDE WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION, AN OCCUPANT COULD FALL OUT AND BE INJURED.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL SHORTEN THE CPL LEVER. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN MAY 7, 2004. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT TOYOTA AT 1-800-331-4331.
NHTSA campaign record ↗