TroubleCAR
63
Trouble

2019 Toyota Highlander

Complaints: 433Avg mileage: 25,556 miSince: Nov 2018
CrashFire18 injured

Problem Areas

Power Train
161
Fuel/Propulsion System
84
Unknown or Other
70
Engine
67
Electrical System
55
Fuel System, Gasoline
17
Service Brakes
15
Air Bags
14
Structure:Body
12
Vehicle Speed Control
10

Complaints Over Time

Recent Complaints

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
Aug 6, 2025FORT COLLINS, CO
Crash1 injured

I had just driven up a steep driveway and made a slightly sharper than 90 degree turn at a very low speed to pull into a home parking spot when the car lunged forward suddenly and slammed into the stone wall of the house at a high speed. The section of this driveway after the turn is only 2.5 car lengths, but the car picked up enough speed to smash the front of the car in. The car was totaled and driver and side curtain airbags all deployed. I do not know why this happened as there is no way I would have hit the gas hard while pulling up to a building to stop. I also would not have slammed on the gas thinking it was the brake since there would have been no reason to slam on the brake when I was only going 5-10 miles per hour max around the tight turn. My shoe was not caught on a pedal, both sandals were still on my feet after the accident. I am not a two footed driver. I feel that it was an accelerator malfunction, as the gas pedal had always been a little strange with a delayed response, but may have also involved the transmission after driving up the steep hill and then returning to a short but flat stretch leading up to the house. I was very bruised up, particularly my shins and ankles. Two months later, I still have some visible bruising. I also had injuries from the seat belt on my chest and what appeared to be a powder burn from the airbags. I was quite traumatized by the sudden acceleration and violence of the crash and not understanding how or why it happened. If someone had been standing in front of the house to greet me on my return, they would have been killed. The car was towed away and totaled by the insurance company, so the problem hasn't been reproduced or confirmed. There were no warning lamps or messages that I'm aware of prior to the incident, except that the gas pedal has always felt inconsistent concerning when it engages. My phone self-dialed 911 and law enforcement came out to do an accident report.

AIR BAGS
41,000 miMar 3, 2025Kingman, AZ
Crash2 injured

The contact owned a 2019 Toyota Highlander. The contact stated that while his wife was driving at low speeds in a parking area, she briefly lost control only coming to a stop after colliding with a light pole. The air bags did not deploy. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was towed to a tow yard and deemed a total loss by the contact's insurance provider. A police report was filed, and injuries were reported. The contact and his wife were both transported to an area hospital by EMT. The driver was treated for injuries to her left hand and thumb, and the contact was treated for non-descript injuries to his head, face, and chest trauma. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V865000 (Air Bags), but the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, and a case was opened. The contact was informed that the manufacturer intended to inspect the vehicle but had yet to receive an update. The failure mileage was 41,000.

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:ACCELERATOR PEDAL
10,000 miApr 26, 2024Houston, TX
Crash1 injured

The contact owns a 2019 Toyota Highlander. The contact stated while attempting to make a turn in a parking a lot, the accelerator pedal became stuck on the mat, and the vehicle accelerated unintendedly. The contact stated that she depressed the brake pedal, but the vehicle failed to respond. The contact stated that as she was approaching a guard rail, she turned off the vehicle. The vehicle jerked and the front end of the vehicle crashed into the guard rail. The air bags did not deploy. The contact stated that she sustained pain on the right foot and underwent surgery later. A police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to the dealer collision center, where the vehicle was repaired. The contact related the failure to an unknown recall. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 10,000.

AIR BAGS
70,000 miJun 2, 2023Randolph, MA
Crash1 injured

The contact owned a 2019 Toyota Highlander. The contact stated that while driving at 25 MPH, she crashed into a large commercial vehicle. As a result, her vehicle went underneath the large vehicle and her air bags failed to deploy upon impact. The contact hit her head on the windshield as she later sought treatment at her urgent care facility for injuries to her head, back, neck and right knee. The other driver sustained no injuries. A police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to an independent tow yard. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and an investigation was able to retain the vehicle's black box; the cause of the air bag failure remained under investigation. The vehicle was deemed a total loss due to the extensive front-end damage. The failure mileage was approximately 70,000.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
52,000 miAug 1, 2022Irmo, SC
Crash3 injured

The contact owns a 2019 Toyota Highlander. The contact stated that while reversing out of a driveway, the vehicle began to jerk without warning. Once the contact reached the base of her driveway, the vehicle accelerated backward into a neighbor's tree. The air bags did not deploy upon impact. The contact called the ambulance where her daughter was transported to a hospital after she suffered a gash to the back of her head due to the accident. The contact and her daughter's friend both suffered whiplash as a result of the accident. A police report was filed. The contact was able to drive the vehicle back into her driveway where it remained in her possession. The contact called the dealer to check for recalls and was informed that there were zero recalls on the vehicle. The manufacturer had yet to be notified about the failure. The vehicle had to be repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 52,000.

STEERING
Oct 4, 2021Monroeville, PA
Crash1 injured

While entering a business park's parking lot, my vehicle suddenly and immediately stopped all forward movement. I was thrown against the steering wheel, injuring the right side of my chest and scraping the skin off my right forearm which was covered with the sleeve of my shirt. I was dazed, had no idea what happened, and thought that I had hit something but yet no airbags had deployed. When the vehicle stopped it was near a light post which I assumed I had hit. Upon exiting the vehicle I noticed the front tire was blown and the wheel was sitting on the ground at an odd angle. Walking around the vehicle showed no other body damage other that a few small strips of yellow paint from the base of the light post. When the tow truck driver was placing the chains to load it onto the flatbed, he called my attention to the fact that the drivers side control arm had failed. See the attached pictures for further detail. I am very grateful that I was not in traffic on a major highway as this would have been a horrific accident. Pictures show the control arm had a crack with exposed rust on edges of a fracture in the control arm. This vehicle has only been serviced at Toyota authorized dealerships and has undergone their multipoint inspections during these visits that include the front and rear suspension. I will not feel comfortable driving this vehicle again!

AIR BAGS
500 miJan 22, 2020PORTLAND, OR
Crash1 injured

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2019 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT UPON ENTERING AN INTERSECTION, THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO APPLY THE BRAKES BUT MISSED THE PEDAL. THE CONTACT ENDED UP ROLLING INTO THE INTERSECTION AND WAS HIT BY TWO VEHICLES ON BOTH SIDES. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY UPON IMPACT. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. ONE OF THE OTHER DRIVERS HAD CLAIMED TO HAVE INJURED HER HAND BUT DID NOT RECEIVE AN MEDICAL ATTENTION AT THE SCENE. NO OTHER INJURIES WERE REPORTED. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE TO HIS HOME AFTER THE ACCIDENT. THE CONTACT HAD TAKEN THE VEHICLE TO A COLLISION CENTER AND WAS GIVEN AN ESTIMATE OF $18,700.00 FOR THE REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER HAD NOT BEEN NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 500. THE VIN WAS INVALID.

AIR BAGS
5,000 miDec 8, 2019BUTTE, MT
Crash1 injured

OTHER CAR PULLED INTO INTERSECTION CAUSING OUR HIGHLANDER TO COLLIDE WITH TURNING VEHICLE. T COLLISION. NONE OF THE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. SPEEDS AROUND 35 MPH. CAR TOTALED AND I SUSTAINED SEVERE CONCUSSION. WAS WEARING SEATBELT.

SERVICE BRAKES
7,000 miSep 30, 2019WESTBURY, NY
Crash2 injured

ME AND MY FAMILY WERE LEAVING A HOTEL IN TARRYTOWN NY. I PARKED THE CAR: TOYOTA HIGHLANDER 2019 OUTSIDE, HELPED MY WIFE AND 21-MONTH BABY INTO THE BACK SEAT AND HAD TO PUT SOMETHING IN THE TRUNK BUT IT WAS LOCKED. IN THAT MOMENT THE CAR WAS IN PARK WITH THE ENGINE RUNNING; THE GROUND WAS NOT STEEP AT ALL: 5-10 DEGREES THE MOST. I TOOK OUT THE KEY FROM IGNITION TO GO OPEN THE TRUNK WITH THE BUTTON FROM THE REMOTE. SUDDENLY THE CAR STARTED ROLLING BACKWARDS WITH MY WIFE AND KID IN THE BACK SEAT. THERE WAS A SLOPE FEW FEET AWAY FROM WHERE I PARKED AND THE ANGLE BECAME ABOUT 40 DEGREES AND IT PICKED UP SPEED QUICKLY. I RUSHED IN (DRIVERS DOOR WAS LUCKY OPEN AND FLAPPING AROUND), AT THE LAST MOMENT WAS ABLE TO PRESS THE BREAK BUT WE STILL HIT ANOTHER CAR WITH PEOPLE INSIDE. I AM THE ONLY ONE WITH VISUAL SCARS AND BRUISES ON MY LEFT LEG FROM TRYING TO CLIMB IN THE CAR, BUT MY WIFE FELT PAIN IN HER LOWER BACK THE DAY AFTER THE CRASH. THERE WERE WITNESSES AND MOST LIKELY A CAMERA, SINCE IT WAS BY THE FRONT ENTRANCE OF A MAJOR HOTEL. FROM READING AND RESEARCHING ON THIS MATTER I SUSPECT IT IS A DEFECT IN THE PARKING PAWL (THE PIECE INSIDE THE TRANSMISSION THAT HOLDS THE CAR IN PARK). THIS IS AN ABSOLUTE MANUFACTURERS DEFECT. I SAW HERE ON THE NHTSA WEBSITE THAT A PERSON FROM NJ FILED A COMPLAINT ABOUT THE EXACT SAME MATTER WITH THE SAME CAR: TOYOTA HIGHLANDER 2019 (NHTSA ID NUMBER: 11245263), JUST A MONTH AGO SO THIS IS DEFINITELY NOT AN ISOLATED CASE. PLEASE TAKE ACTION. THIS VEHICLE SHOULD BE RECALLED ASAP BEFORE SOMEONE GETS SERIOUSLY INJURED OR WORSE!

STRUCTURE:BODY
5,000 miAug 20, 2019HACKENSACK, NJ
Crash1 injured

MAY 31 I WAS PICKING MY PASSENGERS AS DIVING TO UBER DRIVER. I PARKED MY VEHICLE STEP OUT TO OPEN BACK DOOR TO OPEN MY 3RD ROW SEAT BUT DOOR DIDN'T ABLE TO OPEN AND SAME MINUTES I HEARD VOICE BEEP COMING OUT FROM FRONT STEERING WHEEL. I TURNED AROUND WENT TO SEE WHAT THIS VOICE IS ABOUT.. BEFORE I TOUCHED ANYTHING MY VEHICLE START TO ROLLED BACKWARDS AND I GOT SO SCARED AND I TRIED TO HOLD THE STEERING WHEELS FROM OUTSIDE TO STOP VEHICLE SOMEHOW BUT IT WENT SO FAST DRAGGED ME OVER 100 FEETS THROWS ME ON THE STREET AND WENT OUT ON 2 HOMES PROPERTY OVER THE BUSHES AND HIT THE RAILING GUARDS ON ONE HOME . I CALLED POLICE ON THE SPOT WHERE THEY ASKED MY PASSENGERS AS WELL WHAT WAS HAPPENED AND THEY STATED WHAT I JUST WROTE HERE. AMBULANCE CAME PUT BANDAGES ON MY RIPPED LEFT KNEE AND TOLD ME TO CALL THEM IF I NEEDED THEM LATER ON. I HAD CALLED TOYOTA COMPANY AND THEY CAME TOOK MY VEHICLE TO HACKENSACK TOYOTA TO TOOK SOME INFORMATION AND AFTER 4 WEEKS SENT ME LETTER SAYING NOTHING WRONG WITH THIS VEHICLE AT ALL .... I'M SHOCKED AFTER HEARD THE VEHICLE HAD NO PROBLEM SO WHY IT ROLLED IN PARKING POSITION RIPPED MY KNEES PUT ME INTO STRESS AND POLICE REPORT MY 4 WITNESSES ALL WAS A LIE OR TOYOTAS PLAYING SOME BIG GAMES AROUND ME SO THEY DONT HAVE TO DO BIGGEST RECALL ON BRAND NEW VEHICLES ? I'M TRYING TO LET YOU GUYS KNOW THIS IS SOMETHING BIG GOING ON SO PLEASE HELP ME OUT WITH THIS SITUATION AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.

SEATS
280 miNov 18, 2018BATTLE GROUND, WA
Crash1 injured

WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 20MPH, I WAS REAR ENDED BY SOMEONE GOING 55+MPH. DURING THE ACCIDENT, MY DRIVERS SEAT RECLINED AND THE HEADREST BROKE. ONE POST BROKE IN HALF AND THE OTHER SIDE PULLED OUT OF THE SEAT

STRUCTURE:BODY
Jul 16, 2025Alexandria, VA
Crash

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UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Jul 29, 2023Frisco city, AL
Crash

I was turning into Starbucks at a low speed when the next thing I knew the car jumped forward and hit the car in front of me not one time but three times. I was finally able to get the car stopped but had Damage to both cars. I believe the accelerator was stuck causing the accident. I want to know if there is a recall on the accelerator petal that it would have caused the highlander to do this because to me this was a frightening site to go through.

ENGINE
40,000 miAug 25, 2022Tucson, AZ
Crash

The contact owns a 2019 Toyota Highlander. The contact stated while his wife was driving in a parking lot at approximately 2 MPH, the vehicle suddenly accelerated without the contact's wife having depressed the accelerator pedal. The vehicle crashed into a railing in the garage. The contact stated his wife had not noticed any warning lights. The vehicle had minor damage to the front grill and bumper there were scrapes and dents on the driver's side front fender and also to the passenger side front fender. The vehicle was drivable. The contact drove the vehicle to a local dealer, the vehicle had not been diagnosed. The vehicle had not been repaired. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 40,000.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Sep 19, 2021Virginia Beach, VA
Crash

I was involved in an accident that I believe was caused by sudden unintended acceleration (sua). In a very busy commercial parking lot, I was pulling into a parking space proceeding at a very slow speed, when there was a sudden surge in acceleration accompanied by a grinding/acceleration sound. I hit the brake to no effect, and the vehicle jumped the curb and hit a building shop and entered the shop. The air bags did not deploy, and I was shaken up but not injured. Thankfully, there was no one at the front desk area of the business. The car was not drivable and was towed to a body shop.

SERVICE BRAKES
Sep 11, 2021St George, SC
Crash

While driving threw a construction zone the car upfront of me stopped. Upon applying the brakes nothing happened. There was a tractor trailer beside us and I was at the reR and another car was at the front plenty of time to stop. Brakes didn't activate until right before impact and the nose dove down. ABS never activated and the collision avoidance never activated. I was traveling with my wife and two young kids lucky no one was hurt and I had no avenue of escape due to cement barriers and 18 wheeler.

UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Aug 27, 2021Winnetka, IL
Crash

Vehicle will slip into drive without the hybrid system engaging, allowing vehicle to roll without brakes or steering.

SERVICE BRAKES
Jul 27, 2021Riesel, TX
Crash

While driving onto an exit ramp I applied my brakes to my 2019 Toyota Highlander but the engine just roared up, took my foot off the brake and applied both feet to the brakes and the engine roared up again, I then came up right behind a car at the intersection and the front end collision did not stop me so I survived to the left lane but then I was headed into the highway and was T-boned by another Toyota Highlander and came to a stop on the right side of the highway. All the air bags deployed in the other SUV but none deployed in mine. The fireman had to use the jaws of life to get me out of the SUV. My wife and I were very shook up but had no serious injuries. But my brakes, the front-end collision, and the airbags all failed in the Toyota. My Highlander was totaled by my insurance company but they will not investigate the failures.

AIR BAGS
30,000 miFeb 25, 2021LEDGEWOOD, NJ
Crash

DRIVING ON HIGHWAY ON LEFT SIDE WAS HEAVY SNOWFALL AND TRUCK WITH TRAILER ON RIGHT SIDE SUDDENLY MOVED TO CROSS THE HIGHWAY FROM RIGHT LANE TO LEFT LANE HIT MY CAR PUSHED ME IN CONCRETE BARRIER CAR ROLLED OVER 2 TIMES.*DT*JB* TOTAL LOST CAR STRUCTURE DAMAGED AIR BAG NOT DEPLOYED I REQUEST TOYOTA TO DO INSPECTION AND THEY GET INFORMATION FROM BLACK BOX STILL WAITING RESPONSE.*DT*JB

AIR BAGS
18,000 miJun 2, 2020FAIRBURN, GA
Crash

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2019 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING AT 40 MPH, SHE REAR ENDED A VEHICLE IN FRONT BUT THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THERE WAS NO WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A COLLISION CENTER FOR COSMETIC REPAIRS. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED AND THERE WERE NO INJURIES REPORTED. THE DEALER WAS NOT NOTIFIED AND THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 18,000.

Other Highlander Years

Other Toyota Models