The contact owns a 2025 Toyota Highlander. The contact received notification of the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 26V128000 (Seats); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The dealer was contacted and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair.
The worst 2025 Toyota Highlander problems
Ranked by number of owner complaints. Mileage and cost come from what owners wrote.
- Acceleration3
- Brakes2
- Driver assistance2
- Electrical1
- Engine1
Problems by type
Tap a problem to see which part fails, at what mileage and in which other years.
- Acceleration3
- Brakes2
- Driver assistance2
- Electrical1
- Engine1
- Seat belts1
- Seats1
- Steering1
- Visibility1
Recalls 4
Seats: mid/rear assembly: recliner
- What is wrong
- Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2021-2025 Highlander and Highlander Hybrid vehicles. The second-row seat backs may fail to lock into position during seat back adjustment.
- Risk
- A seat back that fails to lock may not properly restrain an occupant during a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
- Remedy
- Dealers will replace the return springs in the seat back recliner assemblies, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed September 9, 2026. This is a phased recall. Owners may contact Toyota’s customer service at 1‑800‑331‑4331. Toyota's numbers for this recall are 26TB06 and 26TA06.
Recall number 26V128000 · Recall details
Seat belts: rear/other: anchorage
- What is wrong
- Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2024-2025 Highlander and Highlander Hybrid vehicles. The third row center seat belt roof anchor may have been installed at an incorrect angle, preventing the seat belt from properly restraining the occupant.
- Risk
- A seat belt that does not properly restrain an occupant increases the risk of injury during a crash.
- Remedy
- Dealers will reinstall the seat belt anchor with a new bolt, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 27, 2026. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1‑800‑331‑4331. Toyota's number for this recall is 25TA16.
Recall number 25V872000 · Recall details
Back over prevention: display function
- What is wrong
- Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2022-2026 Toyota, Lexus, and Subaru Solterra vehicles equipped with a Panoramic View Monitor (PVM) system. Please see the recall report for a complete list of models. A software error may cause the rearview camera to freeze or display a blank screen when the vehicle is in reverse. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 111, "Rear Visibility."
- Risk
- A rearview camera that fails to display an image can reduce the driver's view behind the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- Dealers will update the parking assist software, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed January 2, 2026. Owners may contact Toyota's customer service at 1‑800‑331‑4331. Toyota's numbers for this recall are 25TB13 and 25LB06. Subaru's number for this recall is WRE25.
Recall number 25V744000 · Recall details
Electrical system: instrument cluster/panel
- What is wrong
- Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2023-2024 Toyota Venza, 2023-2025 RAV4 Prime, RAV4, Highlander, GR Corolla, Crown, 2024-2025 Lexus TX, LS, Toyota Tacoma, Grand Highlander, and 2025 Lexus RX, Toyota Crown Signia, Camry, RAV 4 Plug-in Hybrid (PHEV), and 4 Runner vehicles. Due to an error in the instrument panel software at vehicle startup, the instrument panel may fail to display vehicle speed, brake system, and tire pressure warning lights.
- Risk
- An instrument panel display that does not show critical information can increase the risk of a crash or injury.
- Remedy
- Dealers will update the instrument panel software over-the-air (OTA) for non-PHEV vehicles, free of charge. For PHEV vehicles, dealers will inspect the instrument panel assembly, and either replace it, or update the software, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed December 5, 2025. Additional letters will be sent, anticipated in May 2026. This is a phased recall. Owners may contact Toyota's customer service at 1‑800‑331‑4331. Toyota's numbers for this recall are 25TB08 and 25TA08. Lexus' numbers for this recall are 25LB05 and 25LA05.
Recall number 25V595000 · Recall details
Technical service bulletins for the 2025 Toyota Highlander 37
Bulletins tell dealers how to fix known problems. A warranty extension means the manufacturer pays for that repair for longer.
- Flash reprogramming allows the Electronic Control Unit (ECU) software to be updated without replacing the...
- Water leak from the roof rack attachment clips
- Condition in which a musty odor is present
- A new head unit software update is available for 2022 – 2025 model year Tundra, and Tundra Hybrid; 2023 –...
- The air conditioning dye injection tool kit has been developed to aid in identifying the location of air...
- To assist with the early detection and early resolution of audio related concerns you may be asked to...
- The Immobilizer and Smart Key Reset is a feature that allows the registration of new keys when all master...
- Some 2021 – 2025 model year Toyota vehicles may require the download and installation of vehicle specific...
- When certain vehicle ECUs are replaced, the ECU Security Key must be written in order for that ECU to...
- During the manufacturing process, tires are mounted on the vehicle as matched sets to help reduce...
2025 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2.5L 4‑cyl Hybrid | AWD | 35 | 34-35 | 35 |
| 2.4L 4‑cyl | FWD | 21-22 | 28-29 | 24-25 |
| 2.4L 4‑cyl | AWD | 21 | 28 | 24 |
What 2025 Toyota Highlander owners say
Most recent owner complaints, unedited.
The contact owns a 2025 Toyota Highlander. The contact stated that while leaving the driveway at the doctor's office on a slope, the accelerator pedal was depressed while making a left turn, but the vehicle failed to move. The vehicle then rolled into traffic. The brake pedal was depressed, but the vehicle was slow to respond. The dealer informed the contact that her foot was on the brake and accelerator pedals at the same time, or a sensor identified movement around the vehicle, which stopped the flow of fuel. The dealer referred the contact to the manufacturer for assistance. Toyota was able to locate an issue in the log occurring at 3:00 PM. The failure mileage was approximately 15,000.
I was backing up the vechial accelerated the steering wheel was turning rapid & a grinding noise causing me too hit another vechial about a month before my husband was driving & the vechial accelerated going toward also we had had some issues with back camera not doing a warning signal with a object behind vechial when the accident happened my vechial has braking system that stops you if something is behind you this time it didn’t I called the dealership when accident happed which was May 21 2026 & reported it they said they had accelerations before & advised me to call Toyota engadgment which I did they did a diagnostic test June 5 & to this day I’ve never heard back from them
[XXX] was turning left onto [XXX] from [XXX]. Two lanes turn left. She was in the inside lane. The traffic light was red, and when it turned green, she started to turn. Partway through the turn, the steering became unresponsive. She couldn't get it to turn left, and she could not complete the turn, and crashed into the pole that holds the traffic signal. She traveled less than 100 ft total from the light to the pole. The accident was at 1:30 PM on a dry and clear day. The car has 8087 miles on it. There were no observed indications of warning lights and no symptoms of a problem. The vehicle was towed to a salvage lot, the Insurance company inspected it and declared it a total loss. All the airbags went off. I mentioned to the adjuster that there was a mechanical problem, and he said they would not investigate that. [XXX] suffered a broken rib on her left side and has some serious cuts from the airbag below the dash, and of course, the seatbelt soreness. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
The contact owns a 2025 Toyota Highlander. The contact stated that while she and her husband were driving at 60 MPH, she heard a loud explosion noise from above her head and felt air whipping on top of her head. The contact stated that the sunroof exploded; however, the sunroof shield prevented the glass from entering the vehicle. The vehicle was steered to the side of the road and inspected, but the contact did not find anything wrong at that time. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed that a rock may have hit the sunroof. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 8,498.
The speedometer registers speed up to 7mph over actual speed for the first 15 miles then returns to matching GPS speed. Reported to Toyota, dealer said they have seen this before but not identified a fix as of today
The contact owns a 2025 Toyota Highlander. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was an abnormally strong odor entering the cabin of the vehicle through the vents. The windows were rolled down due to the obnoxious odor. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and the contact was informed that the vehicle was tested for leaks in the exhaust; however, no leaks were found. The contact was informed that the fumes were possibly from burning wires or a new vehicle odor because the vehicle was a brand-new vehicle. In addition, the contact was offered the option to trade the vehicle in for a new vehicle. The contact stated that the odor was extremely strong and foul, and the odor stuck to clothing and the contact’s skin. In addition, the contact described the odor as an old lawnmower or snow blowing odor. The contact was advised by the state Attorney General Office of Illinois to contact the federal safety agency Hotline to report the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 100. The VIN was not available.
I am reporting a safety defect in the 2025 Toyota Highlander Hybrid Nightshade involving the multifunction turn signal switch. The interior trim adhesive on the steering column has experienced a chemical breakdown (adhesive migration), causing the turn signal stalk to become stiff and bind. This obstruction makes it difficult to engage the turn signal and occasionally prevents the signal from "auto-canceling" after a turn. The dealership has acknowledged the adhesive failure by authorizing the replacement of the steering column covers but refuses to replace the contaminated turn signal switch. Operating a vehicle with a binding turn signal switch is a direct safety hazard, as it compromises the driver's ability to communicate intent to other motorists. Additionally, the dashboard material is experiencing systemic delamination and producing a white crystalline powder (crystallized adhesive). I am requesting an investigation into the heat-resistance standards of the interior bonding agents used in the 2025 Nightshade trim, as these materials are failing and compromising safety-critical electronic controls. Thank XXX XXX
Black Toyota Highlander Hybrid AWD 2025 ~15000 miles What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? Without any warning, the braking action is delayed. It is a momentary loss and happens occasionally at light braking application, nowhere near hard enough to lock the wheels up The vehicle is available for inspection upon request How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? If I were been closer to another vehicle/pedestrian/obstacle, an accident could happen Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? No, yet, I will book an appointment to allow the dealer to verify the issue Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? NO Were there any warning lamps, messages, or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? NO General: I have been driving the Highlander for a little bit more than a year, and this issue has happened at least 5 times, twice (2) this week
While waiting for a traffic light to change, I pressed the pedal to accelerate, and the car would not move. Like my pedal was dead. I have experienced this issue three times. I have also experienced bucking or jerking issues.
Compare the 2025 Toyota Highlander
Highlander vs Ford ExplorerHighlander vs Dodge DurangoHighlander vs Kia SorentoHighlander vs Honda PilotHighlander vs Nissan PathfinderHighlander vs GMC AcadiaHighlander vs Chevrolet TraverseHighlander vs Hyundai Palisade
Other model years
1997199820012002200320042005200620072008200920102011201220132014201520162017201820192020202120222023202420252026
Questions about the 2025 Toyota Highlander
Is the 2025 Toyota Highlander reliable?
Owners have filed 11 complaints about the 2025 Toyota Highlander, fewer than a typical Highlander model year.
What is the most common problem with the 2025 Toyota Highlander?
Acceleration and speed control, with 3 complaints. Next is brakes (2).
How many recalls does the 2025 Toyota Highlander have?
4 recalls, covering seats, seat belts and back over prevention.
What year does the Toyota Highlander have the most acceleration problems?
The Toyota Highlander model years with the most acceleration complaints are 2008 (45 complaints), 2006 (43 complaints) and 2004 (40 complaints).
What gas mileage does the 2025 Toyota Highlander get?
Official estimates for the 2025 Toyota Highlander range from 24 to 35 mpg combined. The most efficient version (2.5L 4-cyl hybrid, AWD) gets 35 city and 34-35 highway.
VIN decoder
See the problems and recalls for an exact car
Buying a used 2025 Toyota Highlander?
Check the exact car before you pay: accidents, salvage or flood titles, odometer readings and previous owners.
Check its history