2020 Toyota Highlander: owner complaints and recalls
Analysis of 299 owner complaints filed with NHTSA and 4 recall campaigns. Updated 2026-07-25.
299
Complaints
4
Recalls
13
Crash reports
0
Fire reports
14
Injuries
54.8
Severity index
Severity index 54.8 - Medium. This weights crashes, fires, injuries and fatalities per 100 complaints; see methodology.
Among the 103 2020 vehicles we track with at least 40 complaints on file, the 2020 Toyota Highlander ranks 50 of 103 by severity, where 1 is the worst. Its severity is higher than 51% of its model-year peers. See the full 2020 ranking.
What actually fails
| Component | Complaints | Share of complaints citing it |
|---|---|---|
| POWER TRAIN | 119 | 39.8% |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 40 | 13.4% |
| SERVICE BRAKES | 34 | 11.4% |
| AIR BAGS | 32 | 10.7% |
| STRUCTURE | 28 | 9.4% |
| FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 18 | 6.0% |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 16 | 5.4% |
| ENGINE | 16 | 5.4% |
The single most-reported system is POWER TRAIN, cited in 119 of 299 complaints (39.8%). One complaint can name several systems, so these shares overlap and do not total 100%.
Complaints filed per year
| Year | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 18 |
| 2021 | 27 |
| 2022 | 22 |
| 2023 | 24 |
| 2024 | 59 |
| 2025 | 100 |
| 2026 (year to date) | 49 |
Complaint volume is rising - the last three years carry 2.7x the filings of the three before them, which usually signals a wear-related defect surfacing with age.
Recall campaigns
| Campaign | Reported | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20V633000 | 14/10/2020 | AIR BAGS | Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2020 Highlander and Highlander hybrid vehicles. Incorrect seat trim covers on one or both of the front seats can prevent the seat-mounted side air bag from deploying properly. |
| 20V162000 | 19/03/2020 | FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY | Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2020 Highlander vehicles equipped with a 3.5 L, V6 (2GR-FKS) gasoline engine. Due to an Engine Control Unit (ECU) programming error, fuel may not be correctly supplied to the engine while using the stop and r |
| 23V720000 | 26/10/2023 | STRUCTURE:BODY:BUMPERS | Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2020-2023 Highlander & Highlander Hybrid vehicles. During normal vehicle operation, minor impact to the front lower bumper cover may result in the cover coming loose or detaching. |
| 23V865000 | 20/12/2023 | AIR BAGS:SENSOR:OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION | Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Avalon, Avalon Hybrid, Corolla, Highlander, Highlander Hybrid, RAV4, RAV4 Hybrid, Lexus ES350, Lexus RX350, Lexus RX450H, 2021 Sienna Hybrid, Lexus ES250, 2020-2022 Camry, Camry Hybrid, and ES300H ve |
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.