My front tires, (from a set of four), have parts of the tread separating from the tire body. The rubber under the missing pieces of tread has a texture like popcorn. The inner surface of the rubber is shiny and smooth. *dt it is not from gouging, force, or abuse to the tires. It is as if the manufacturing process used two different batches of rubber that was not incorporated together correctly, and is now separating from itself. This is clearly a manufacturing defect and should be recalled immediately! If a tire failure occurs from this defect at speed, it could cause a serious accident, rollover, head-on, serious injury/death. Please review his matter as soon as possible. Please contact me for pictures of the defect, since the website has no way to upload the pics.*dt*jb
The worst 2001 Toyota Highlander problems
Ranked by number of owner complaints. Mileage and cost come from what owners wrote.
Problems by type
Tap a problem to see which part fails, at what mileage and in which other years.
- Visibility26
- Brakes20
- Engine19
- Acceleration15
- Body13
- Transmission13
- Airbags10
- Tires9
- Electrical5
- Fuel system5
- Seat belts4
- Lights2
- Locks1
- Steering1
- Suspension1
Specific symptoms reported on the 2001 Toyota Highlander
Tire blowout 7No deployment 5Engine failure 5Sudden acceleration 5
Recalls 3
Latches/locks/linkages: doors: latch
- What is wrong
- 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.
- Risk
- 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.
Recall number 04V181000 · Recall details
Fuel system, gasoline: storage: tank assembly: mounting
- What is wrong
- 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.
- Risk
- 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.
Recall number 02V208000 · Recall details
Service brakes, hydraulic: foundation components: master cylinder
- What is wrong
- 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.
- Risk
- 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.
Recall number 01V228000 · Recall details
Technical service bulletins for the 2001 Toyota Highlander 135
Bulletins tell dealers how to fix known problems. A warranty extension means the manufacturer pays for that repair for longer.
- Acid rain results from rainwater or other airborne moisture that become acidic due to industrial chemical...
- To prevent brake rotor rust from forming during transportation and storage, wheel film will be used...
- The condition known as acid rain is caused by airborne chemicals or particles in the atmosphere, which mix...
- Toyota vehicles are currently protected with RapgardTM protective film designed to protect the horizontal...
- Vehicles may occasionally be subjected to contamination by airborne iron particles shed from railroad...
- Toyota vehicles are currently protected with RapgardTM protective film designed to protect the horizontal...
- This is to advise of various price adjustments that will affect Toyota Genuine Motor Oil and Long Life...
- Obsolete notice
- Replacement certification labels (the vinyl label installed on the driver door or door post) and VIN...
- The Immobilizer and Smart Key Reset is a feature that allows the registration of new keys when all master...
2001 Toyota Highlander fuel economy
Official EPA estimates in miles per gallon (MPGe for electric). Ranges cover trims that share the same engine.
| Engine | Drive | City | Highway | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2.4L 4‑cyl | FWD | 19 | 25 | 22 |
| 2.4L 4‑cyl | 4WD | 17 | 22 | 19 |
| 3.0L 6‑cyl | FWD | 17 | 21 | 18 |
| 3.0L 6‑cyl | 4WD | 16 | 21 | 18 |
What 2001 Toyota Highlander owners say
Most recent owner complaints, unedited.
Sunroof glass blew off of the vehicle on the highway yesterday. I see numerous reports of this on the internet. Was there ever a tsb or recall for this issue from toyota? Dangerous and scary, happened in traffic.
I am sole owner of this vehicle since bought it new and well maintain it. Dashboard and steering wheel are peeling and gooey. Toyota service dealership told me nothing they can do about it and asked me to call toyota. I called and filed a complaint no. 1709121290 with toyota. They told me they had recalls on other models but not this one so it seems this is not a new issue for them. They don't want to fix it.
On 11/17/2015 I hit a parking island in an unlit parking lot. When I tried to stop, my brakes failed. This caused me to lose control of the vehicle and it hit 2 parked cars and a tree. I have lost wages and live in pain every day due to injuries from this accident.
Driver side visor will not stay up. It droops approximately 60 degrees when lower to block sun.
Tl* the contact owns a 2001 toyota highlander. The contact stated while attempting to park, the vehicle suddenly accelerated independently and crashed into a parked vehicle. The contact shifted the vehicle into reverse and crashed into the rear of a second vehicle. The police was contacted, but a report was not filed. The driver sustained whiplash and neck pains that did not require medical attention. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 141,980. Ma 10/15/2015
Faulty stop lights, after several attempts to repair the stop lights. The problem remains unsolved and keeps coming back on both tail lights. What's wrong toyota?
Tl* the contact owns a 2001 toyota highlander. The contact stated that the air bag warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who diagnosed that the spiral cable needed to be replaced; however, the part to do the repair was unavailable. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 111,000.
Toyota had a problem with there 4 cylinder engines in camry and highlander with engine mountain threads pulling away for a three or four year period. My car started leaking oil about 90,000 miles when I took in to a dealer he told me about the problem and toyota did not issue a recall. I was told only fix is a new engine. They also had a problem with the catalytic converter also again no recall.
Wiring problem with passenger side brake light. Kept replacing bulb, then replacing socket, now going to put a whole kit. Toyota neglected to tell me this in the first place, even after several tickets and wasted money on different things telling me it would fix the problem.
Compare the 2001 Toyota Highlander
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Other model years
1997199820012002200320042005200620072008200920102011201220132014201520162017201820192020202120222023202420252026
Questions about the 2001 Toyota Highlander
Is the 2001 Toyota Highlander reliable?
Owners have filed 137 complaints about the 2001 Toyota Highlander, fewer than a typical Highlander model year.
What is the 2001 Toyota Highlander year score?
The 2001 Toyota Highlander scores 81 out of 100 (good). The score compares it with the other model years of the Toyota Highlander: 75 is a typical year, 50 means twice the usual complaints, and serious complaints and recalls lower it.
What is the most common problem with the 2001 Toyota Highlander?
Windows, wipers and visibility, with 26 complaints, typically around 85,000 miles. Next is brakes (20).
How many recalls does the 2001 Toyota Highlander have?
3 recalls, covering latches/locks/linkages, fuel system, gasoline and service brakes, hydraulic.
What year does the Toyota Highlander have the most visibility problems?
The Toyota Highlander model years with the most visibility complaints are 2002 (139 complaints), 2010 (42 complaints) and 2011 (36 complaints).
What gas mileage does the 2001 Toyota Highlander get?
Official estimates for the 2001 Toyota Highlander range from 18 to 22 mpg combined. The most efficient version (2.4L 4-cyl, FWD) gets 19 city and 25 highway.
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