2013 Toyota Highlander: owner complaints and recalls
Analysis of 210 owner complaints filed with NHTSA and 3 recall campaigns. Updated 2026-07-25.
210
Complaints
3
Recalls
26
Crash reports
0
Fire reports
12
Injuries
95.2
Severity index
Severity index 95.2 - Medium. This weights crashes, fires, injuries and fatalities per 100 complaints; see methodology.
Among the 145 2013 vehicles we track with at least 40 complaints on file, the 2013 Toyota Highlander ranks 37 of 145 by severity, where 1 is the worst. Its severity is higher than 74% of its model-year peers. See the full 2013 ranking.
What actually fails
| Component | Complaints | Share of complaints citing it |
|---|---|---|
| STEERING | 46 | 21.9% |
| ENGINE | 31 | 14.8% |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 31 | 14.8% |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 25 | 11.9% |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 24 | 11.4% |
| STRUCTURE | 19 | 9.0% |
| SERVICE BRAKES | 18 | 8.6% |
| AIR BAGS | 18 | 8.6% |
The single most-reported system is STEERING, cited in 46 of 210 complaints (21.9%). One complaint can name several systems, so these shares overlap and do not total 100%.
Complaints filed per year
| Year | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 2013 | 16 |
| 2014 | 36 |
| 2015 | 29 |
| 2016 | 15 |
| 2017 | 14 |
| 2018 | 28 |
| 2019 | 30 |
| 2020 | 13 |
| 2021 | 9 |
| 2022 | 6 |
| 2023 | 2 |
| 2024 | 4 |
| 2025 | 6 |
| 2026 (year to date) | 2 |
Complaint volume is declining, consistent with a defect that was addressed by recall or that affected early builds.
Recall campaigns
| Campaign | Reported | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 14V148000 | 27/03/2014 | SEATS | Toyota is recalling certain model year 2013 Highlander vehicles manufactured March 13, 2013, through August 6, 2013. In the affected vehicles, the second row left hand seat may not lock in place when positioned in the forward front or second adjusting position. As such, the veh |
| 13V123000 | 09/04/2013 | EQUIPMENT:OTHER:LABELS | Southeast Toyota is recalling certain model year 2008 and 2010-2013 Toyota Tundra, 2010-2012 Rav4, 2012 Toyota Sequoia, 2010-2011 Toyota Corolla, 2010-2011 Toyota Camry and Camry Hybrid, 2010-2013 Toyota Highlander and Highlander Hybrid, 2010-2013 Toyota FJ Cruiser, 2011 Toyota L |
| 13V014000 | 16/01/2013 | AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:SENSOR/CONTROL MODULE-INACTIVE | Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC (SET) is recalling certain models interspersed through model years 2009 through 2013 as follows: model year 2009-2012 Tacoma, 4Runner, Camry, Camry Hybrid, Prius, and RAV4; model year 2009-2010 Avalon, FJ Cruiser, and Highlander Hybrid; model ye |
Source. US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration public complaint and recall APIs (api.nhtsa.gov), retrieved 2026-07-25. Complaints are unverified consumer reports; volume is influenced by how many units were sold and how long the vehicle has been on the road. Not affiliated with NHTSA or any manufacturer.