2013 Toyota HIGHLANDER

Problems, Recalls & Reliability Report

Avoid This Year

Quick Summary

The 2013 Toyota HIGHLANDER has 280 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — that's 3.5x the segment average of 80. The most common issue is steering problems (16% of all complaints), specifically: the 2013 highlander was serviced in florida monday 10/27 for 15000 miles service, today my sister was driving since service, the traction light came on ,the engine light was flashing , the highlander was not stable driving straight on the road and seemed like it needs a tune up.i called the deal.

36 crash reports 15 injuries

280

Total Complaints

Recalls Issued

—/5

Safety Stars

3.5x

vs Segment Avg

Known Problems

STEERING

46 complaints

16%

• THE 2013 HIGHLANDER WAS SERVICED IN FLORIDA MONDAY 10/27 FOR 15000 MILES SERVICE, TODAY MY SISTER WAS DRIVING SINCE SERVICE, THE TRACTION LIGHT CAME ON ,THE ENGINE LIGHT WAS FLASHING , THE HIGHLANDER WAS NOT STABLE DRIVING STRAIGHT ON THE ROAD AND SEEMED LIKE IT NEEDS A TUNE UP.I CALLED THE DEAL
• 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
• 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 COMPUTE

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 3 crashes

“THE 2013 HIGHLANDER WAS SERVICED IN FLORIDA MONDAY 10/27 FOR 15000 MILES SERVICE, TODAY MY SISTER WAS DRIVING SINCE SERVICE, THE TRACTION LIGHT CAME ON ,THE ENGINE LIGHT WAS FLASHING , THE HIGHLANDER WAS NOT STABLE DRIVING STRAIGHT ON THE ROAD AND SEEMED LIKE IT NEEDS A TUNE UP.I CALLED THE DEAL”

— NHTSA complaint filing

ENGINE

34 complaints

12%

• VEHICLE HESITATES WHEN ACCELERATING. DOES NOT HAPPEN ALL THE TIME, WHEN TRYING TO GET VEHICLE UP TO HIGHWAY SPEED WILL DEPRESS GAS PEDAL AND NOTHING WILL HAPPEN FOR 3-4 SECONDS, THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN VEHICLE WILL SPEED UP. THIS ONLY STARTED TO HAPPEN AFTER 1300 MILES . TOOK VEHICLE TO TOYOTA DEALERS
• AT TOTALLY RANDOM TIMES, AFTER A FEW MILES OF DRIVING OR 100 MILES, VEHICLE HESITATES WHEN ACCELERATING. MOST ANNOYING AND DANGEROUS IS THE WAY IT DOESN'T RESPOND TO THE ACCELERATOR FOR A FEW SECONDS AFTER STOPPING AT A STOP SIGN OR STOP LIGHT. TOOK VEHICLE TO TOYOTA DEALERSHIP AND OF COURSE VEHICL
• THE VEHICLE HAS A HESITATION OR LACK OF ACCELERATION PROBLEM. IT OCCURS FROM A STOPPED POSITION OR A MOVING STATE. I HAVE HAD IT TO THE LOCAL TOYOTA DEALER 5 TIMES AND THEY HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO FIND THE PROBLEM. THEY WERE ABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. THEY HAVE BEEN IN TOUCH WITH TOYOTA BUT THEY S

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 1 crashes

“VEHICLE HESITATES WHEN ACCELERATING. DOES NOT HAPPEN ALL THE TIME, WHEN TRYING TO GET VEHICLE UP TO HIGHWAY SPEED WILL DEPRESS GAS PEDAL AND NOTHING WILL HAPPEN FOR 3-4 SECONDS, THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN VEHICLE WILL SPEED UP. THIS ONLY STARTED TO HAPPEN AFTER 1300 MILES . TOOK VEHICLE TO TOYOTA DEALERS”

— NHTSA complaint filing

SPEED CONTROL

31 complaints

11%

• VEHICLE HESITATES WHEN ACCELERATING. DOES NOT HAPPEN ALL THE TIME, WHEN TRYING TO GET VEHICLE UP TO HIGHWAY SPEED WILL DEPRESS GAS PEDAL AND NOTHING WILL HAPPEN FOR 3-4 SECONDS, THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN VEHICLE WILL SPEED UP. THIS ONLY STARTED TO HAPPEN AFTER 1300 MILES . TOOK VEHICLE TO TOYOTA DEALERS
• AT TOTALLY RANDOM TIMES, AFTER A FEW MILES OF DRIVING OR 100 MILES, VEHICLE HESITATES WHEN ACCELERATING. MOST ANNOYING AND DANGEROUS IS THE WAY IT DOESN'T RESPOND TO THE ACCELERATOR FOR A FEW SECONDS AFTER STOPPING AT A STOP SIGN OR STOP LIGHT. TOOK VEHICLE TO TOYOTA DEALERSHIP AND OF COURSE VEHICL
• PULLING INTO PARKING SPACE - BRAKES APPLIED - CAR LURCHED FORWARD (UNINTENDED ACCELERATION) - BRAKES DID NOT ENGAGE - CAR JUMPED THE CURB, CROSSED THE SIDEWALK AND HIT A TREE - AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY. *TR

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 7 crashes

— NHTSA complaint filing

ELECTRICAL

25 complaints

• AT TOTALLY RANDOM TIMES, AFTER A FEW MILES OF DRIVING OR 100 MILES, VEHICLE HESITATES WHEN ACCELERATING. MOST ANNOYING AND DANGEROUS IS THE WAY IT DOESN'T RESPOND TO THE ACCELERATOR FOR A FEW SECONDS AFTER STOPPING AT A STOP SIGN OR STOP LIGHT. TOOK VEHICLE TO TOYOTA DEALERSHIP AND OF COURSE VEHICL
• I BOUGHT MY 2013 BRAND NEW 9/27/12. SHORTLY AFTER I RECEIVED IT I NOTICED SONGS WOULD SKIP OR START OVER ON THE IPOD AS WELL AS THE CD. A FEW MONTHS LATER THE RADIO STATION WOULD CHANGED CHANNELS FOR NO REASON. THESE THINGS HAPPENED IF I WAS BACKING OUT OF A PARKING SPACE, GOING OVER A SLIGHT BU
• 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

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500

“AT TOTALLY RANDOM TIMES, AFTER A FEW MILES OF DRIVING OR 100 MILES, VEHICLE HESITATES WHEN ACCELERATING. MOST ANNOYING AND DANGEROUS IS THE WAY IT DOESN'T RESPOND TO THE ACCELERATOR FOR A FEW SECONDS AFTER STOPPING AT A STOP SIGN OR STOP LIGHT. TOOK VEHICLE TO TOYOTA DEALERSHIP AND OF COURSE VEHICL”

— NHTSA complaint filing

OTHER

25 complaints

• WHILE DRIVING TO MICHIGAN FROM ILLINOIS WHILE USING VEHICLE BUILD IN JBL NAVIGATION UNIT ON A NEWLY PURCHASED 2013 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER LIMITED WITH ONLY 300 MILES AT THE TIME, IN THE MIDDLE OF THE TRIP NAVIGATION UNIT REBOOTED/CRASHED AFTER COMING BACK UP THE PROGRAMMED DIRECTIONS WERE LOST, SINCE THI
• JULY 20, 2013 I PUSHED THE IGNITION BUTTON TO TURN OFF THE ENGINE. I EXITED THE VEHICLE AND IMMEDIATELY REALIZED IT WAS STILL MOVING. I ATTEMPTED TO GET BACK IN THE VEHICLE TO STOP IT. I FELL AND THE BACK TIRE RAN OVER MY FOOT/LEG. A MAN CAME AND JUMPED IN THE CAR TO STOP IT AFTER IT CROSSED THE
• THE REAR WINDOW OF THE VEHICLE SHATTERED WHILE IT WAS PARKED FOR NO APPARENT REASON. *TR

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500

“WHILE DRIVING TO MICHIGAN FROM ILLINOIS WHILE USING VEHICLE BUILD IN JBL NAVIGATION UNIT ON A NEWLY PURCHASED 2013 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER LIMITED WITH ONLY 300 MILES AT THE TIME, IN THE MIDDLE OF THE TRIP NAVIGATION UNIT REBOOTED/CRASHED AFTER COMING BACK UP THE PROGRAMMED DIRECTIONS WERE LOST, SINCE THI”

— NHTSA complaint filing

Estimated Repair Costs

STEERING(~50K mi)

$500

ENGINE(~50K mi)

$500

SPEED CONTROL(~50K mi)

$500

ELECTRICAL(~50K mi)

$500

OTHER(~50K mi)

$500

Estimates based on average reported repair costs. Actual costs vary by location, shop, and severity.

🔍 Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist

Based on 280 owner complaints for this specific year, here's what to check or ask about:

☐
STEERING: THE 2013 HIGHLANDER WAS SERVICED IN FLORIDA MONDAY 10/27 FOR 15000 MILES SERVICE, TODAY MY SISTER WAS DRIVING SINCE SERVICE, THE TRACTION LIGHT CAME ON ,THE ENGINE LIGHT WAS FLASHING , THE HIGHLANDER WAS NOT STABLE DRIVING STRAIGHT ON THE ROAD AND SEEMED LIKE IT NEEDS A TUNE UP.I CALLED THE DEAL
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
ENGINE: VEHICLE HESITATES WHEN ACCELERATING. DOES NOT HAPPEN ALL THE TIME, WHEN TRYING TO GET VEHICLE UP TO HIGHWAY SPEED WILL DEPRESS GAS PEDAL AND NOTHING WILL HAPPEN FOR 3-4 SECONDS, THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN VEHICLE WILL SPEED UP. THIS ONLY STARTED TO HAPPEN AFTER 1300 MILES . TOOK VEHICLE TO TOYOTA DEALERS
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
SPEED CONTROL: VEHICLE HESITATES WHEN ACCELERATING. DOES NOT HAPPEN ALL THE TIME, WHEN TRYING TO GET VEHICLE UP TO HIGHWAY SPEED WILL DEPRESS GAS PEDAL AND NOTHING WILL HAPPEN FOR 3-4 SECONDS, THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN VEHICLE WILL SPEED UP. THIS ONLY STARTED TO HAPPEN AFTER 1300 MILES . TOOK VEHICLE TO TOYOTA DEALERS
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
ELECTRICAL: AT TOTALLY RANDOM TIMES, AFTER A FEW MILES OF DRIVING OR 100 MILES, VEHICLE HESITATES WHEN ACCELERATING. MOST ANNOYING AND DANGEROUS IS THE WAY IT DOESN'T RESPOND TO THE ACCELERATOR FOR A FEW SECONDS AFTER STOPPING AT A STOP SIGN OR STOP LIGHT. TOOK VEHICLE TO TOYOTA DEALERSHIP AND OF COURSE VEHICL
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
General: Get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic ($100-$200)