2003 Toyota Highlander

Safety Score
62
Average
Recalls
2
Complaints
50
NCAP Stars

Recalls (2)

Date NHTSA ID Component Units Completion
2004-04-15 04V181000 LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH 366,572 Details
2002-12-17 02V339000 WHEELS 176 Details

Owner Complaints (showing up to 50)

Date Component Crash Injuries Summary
2023-05-08 ENGINE No 0 Automatically disengage the transmission Stopped the road Icalled my husband Myhusband came and together we got the …
2022-10-01 UNKNOWN OR OTHER No 0 The hood latch cable inside the vehicle when pulled did not allow the hood to open now the secondary hood latch is stuc…
2019-10-01 ENGINE No 0 2003 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER 4 CYL. SERVICE BULLITON FROM THEM #310436. HEAD BOLTS COMING UNDONE INSIDE MOTOR CAUSING CATAST…
2019-09-30 AIR BAGS Yes 1 HEAD ON COLLISION AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY SPEEDS 25-40 MPH
2019-09-17 AIR BAGS Yes 1 I WAS IN MOTION WHEN WE HIT A COW GOING 45MPH THAT JUMPED OUT AT MY HUSBAND AND I MY AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY THE CAR IS…
2019-01-25 STEERING Yes 0 TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER. WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH ON ICE, THE POWER STEERING SEIZED AND THE REAR DRIV…
2019-01-11 SUSPENSION No 0 REAR FORWARD CONTROL ARM BROKE IN HALF UNDER NORMAL DRIVING. THIS IS A HOLLOW SHAFT, WHICH SEEMS INADEQUATE, AND CREATE…
2018-09-19 VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL No 0 TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER. WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH, THE VEHICLE UNINTENTIONALLY ACCELERATED AT HIGH SP…
2018-02-14 ENGINE No 0 HEAD BOLTS STRIPPED IN ENGINE , 66K MILES - COOLANT LOSS - ALL MECHANICS PREFER TO SWAP ENGINE - TOYOTA SERVICE SHOP BY…
2017-05-05 ELECTRICAL SYSTEM No 0 CHECK ENGINE LIGHT KEEPS REPORTING AN ISSUE AND DESPITE TAKATA RECALL - SPENDING THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS ON CODED REPAIRS,…
2017-05-02 POWER TRAIN No 0 "TAKATA RECALL" TRANSMISSION SLIPS IN REVERSE SURGE IN REVERSE AFTER SLIP
2016-12-29 AIR BAGS Yes 0 TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2003 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN REVERSE, IT ACCELERATED INDEPENDENTLY. THE CON…
2016-11-21 AIR BAGS Yes 1 DURING A WRECK AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY WHEN I HIT AN UNMARKED UTILITY POLE IN THE ROADWAY OF A PARKING LOT EXIT.
2016-10-01 STRUCTURE:BODY No 0 PAINT SEAL DELAMINATION
2016-07-13 UNKNOWN OR OTHER No 0 DRIVER SIDE SUN VISOR FALLS FROM THE UP POSITION DOWN INTO THE SIGHT PATH DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF THE DRIVERS FACE BLOCKIN…
2016-06-18 VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL No 0 SATURDAY JUNE 18 2016 AT 6:40 A.M. DRIVING ON TULLY ROAD IN MY 2003 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER. MY SPEED WAS 35 MILES PER HOUR …
2016-05-06 UNKNOWN OR OTHER No 0 PASSENGER WINDOW HAS HAD TO BE FIXED MULTIPLE TIMES. COMES OFF THE TRACK AND WILL NOT CLOSE. HAVE HAD INTERIOR DAMAGE B…
2016-04-23 SERVICE BRAKES No 0 I HAVE BEEN THE OWNER OF MY 2003 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER, FOR ALMOST 8 YEARS. I GOT IT IN NOV.2008 AT AROUND THE 69,000 MARK.…
2016-04-04 UNKNOWN OR OTHER No 0 DRIVER SIDE VISOR IS LOOSE AND DROPS DOWN DURING DRIVING , OBSTRUCTING VIEW. IS NOT SAVE DURING DRIVING , VISIR CAN NO…
2016-01-15 VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL Yes 0 PULLING INTO A PARKING SPACE AT KAISER HOSPITAL AS I HIT THE BRAKE THE CAR UNEXPECTEDLY ACCELERATED. THE CAR SPED FORWA…
2015-12-31 VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL Yes 1 TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2003 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED, THE VEHICL…
2015-05-15 ENGINE No 0 THE ENGINE OVERHEATED SUDDENLY, BLOWING HOT AIR FROM THE AC AND THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE WENT UP. WE MANAGED TO GET HOME …
2015-04-27 STRUCTURE:BODY Yes 0 WAS PULLING INTO A PARKING SPACE IN A STRIP MALL, ABOUT 10 FEET BEFORE THE PARKING BLOCK THE CAR SUDDENLY ACCELERATED. …
2015-03-11 SEAT BELTS No 0 SEAT BELT ON DRIVERS SIDE IS FRAYING ON THE EDGES. SPOKE TO OTHER TOYOTA HIGHLANDER OWNERS AND THEY ARE EXPERIENCING T…
2015-03-02 STRUCTURE:BODY No 0 MY SUV AFTER A HEAVY RAIN WAS FLOODED. (FLOOR, BOTH FRONT AND BACK). I TOOK THE CAR IN TO SEVERAL MECHANICS . ALL AGRE…
2015-02-23 ENGINE No 0 CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WENT ON THE MORNING OF FEBRUARY 23, 2015. WHITE SMOKE EMERGED FROM VEHICLE AS I WAS DRIVING. THEN,…
2014-11-03 ELECTRICAL SYSTEM No 0 DRIVER SIDE REAR BRAKE LIGHTS WILL NOT ILLUMINATE EVEN WHEN YOU DEPRESS YOUR BRAKES EVEN AFTER YOU REPLACE BULB AND LIG…
2014-11-03 ELECTRICAL SYSTEM No 0 DRIVER SIDE REAR BRAKES WILL NOT ILLUMINATE AFTER YOU DEPRESS YOUR BRAKES. REPLACED BULB AND SOCKET THAT HOUSES BULB AN…
2014-10-27 AIR BAGS No 0 I PURCHASED MY VEHICLE IN 2003 IN CALIFORNIA. IN 2005 I MOVED TO NORTH PORT, FLORIDA. I HAVE SEEN ON THE MEDIA THAT IF…
2014-09-16 ENGINE No 0 NEEDED TO HAVE A TOTAL ENGINE REBUILD DUE TO FAULTY HEAD BOLTS THAT STRIPPED AND ALLOWED COOLANT TO ENTER THE ENGINE AN…
2014-08-09 ELECTRICAL SYSTEM No 0 PARKING LIGHT IS NOT FUNCTIONING, WILL NOT BE ABLE TO DRIVE AT NIGHT. SAFETY ISSUE. *TR
2014-07-21 SERVICE BRAKES No 0 DRIVER SIDE REAR LIGHTS STOPS WORKING ONCE IN A WHILE. THE BULBS ARE FINE HAVE REPLACED THEM WITH THE NEW ONE AND THE P…
2014-06-17 ELECTRICAL SYSTEM No 0 RIGHT SIDE (PASSENGER) BRAKE LIGHTS DO NOT LIGHT BRIGHT WHEN BRAKES ARE APPLIED, DRIVER OF ANOTHER CAR ALMOST HIT OUR V…
2014-06-15 ENGINE No 0 NOTICED WHITE SMOKE COMING OUT OF THE TAILPIPE IN JUNE. THEN I NOTICED REDDISH/PINK FLUID ACCUMULATING ON GARAGE FLOOR …
2014-06-07 SERVICE BRAKES No 0 TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH, THE CONTACT HAD TO DEPRESS THE BRA…
2014-05-27 ELECTRICAL SYSTEM No 0 MY DAUGHTER HAD PARKED HER CAR AT THE SCHOOL PARKING LOT ON 5/27/2014 AT 7:02 AM , SHE WENT TO SCHOOL STAYED THE WHOLE …
2014-04-20 VISIBILITY/WIPER No 0 THE SUN VISOR (DRIVER SIDE) SUDDENLY DROPPED DOWN AND OBSCURED MY VISION OF A RED TRAFFIC LIGHT AT AN INTERSECTION I WA…
2014-04-15 ENGINE No 0 I'VE HAD MY TOYOTA HIGHLANDER FOR ABOUT 11 YEARS NOW. I GOT IT AS BRAND NEW CAR AND I AM THE SINGLE OWNER AND WELL MAIN…
2014-04-14 ENGINE No 0 HEAD GASKET BOLTS STRIPPED OUT CAUSING COOLANT TO LEAK AND LOSS OF CYLINDER COMPRESSION. THIS OCCURRED ON A TOYOTA 2.4…
2014-03-19 SERVICE BRAKES No 0 LIKE THOUSANDS OF OTHER 2003 TOYOTA HIGHLANDERS ONLY THE RIGHT SIDE BRAKE LIGHT WILL ILLUMINATE WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL IS…
2014-03-06 VISIBILITY No 0 THE DRIVER'S SIDE SUN VISOR FLOPS DOWN, BLOCKING THE DRIVER'S VISION. IT WILL NOT STAY IN THE "UP" POSITION. WHEN IT …
2014-02-24 ELECTRICAL SYSTEM No 0 CLARIFICATION FROM PREVIOUS SUBMISSION (10/21/14)....... HEATING SYSTEM BLOWS COLD AIR INTERMITTENTLY WHEN THE HEAT …
2014-02-05 SEAT BELTS No 0 DRIVERS SIDE SEAT BELT NYLON WEBBING (ACTUAL BELT PORTION) HAS STARTED TO SEVERELY UNRAVEL IN SEVERAL DIFFERENT PLACES.…
2014-01-01 ELECTRICAL SYSTEM No 0 WE HAVE HAD UNRELIABLE OPERATION OF THE DRIVER-SIDE BRAKE LIGHT FOR SOME TIME (APPROXIMATE INCIDENT DATE ABOVE WAS FOR …
2013-11-18 SERVICE BRAKES Yes 1 GRANDMOTHER WAS LEAVING AND DROVE THROUGH A CLOSED WROUGHT IRON GATE THAT WAS OVER 10' TALL AND 16' WIDE. CONTINUED ACC…
2013-11-13 EXTERIOR LIGHTING No 0 THE REAR RIGHT BRAKE LIGHT STOPPED BRIGHTENING UPON HITTING THE BRAKES AT FIRST. THEN A FEW MONTHS LATER, NEITHER BRAK…
2013-10-20 ENGINE No 0 MY 4 CYLINDER ENGINE OVERHEATED VERY QUICK, VERY HIGH, CAUSING A GASKET TO BLOW. UPON REPAIRING THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER…
2013-09-20 FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM No 0 STRONG ODOR OF GAS FUMES WHEN CAR IS PARKED
2013-09-06 ENGINE No 0 HEAD GASKET FAILED, HEAD BOLTS STRIPPED, COOLANT LEAK, A/C BLOWS HOT. *TR
2013-08-07 ENGINE No 0 THE ENGINE WAS POURING ANTI FREEZE ON THE ROAD FROM THE ENGINE. THE ENGINE'S HEAD BOLTS WERE STRIPED CAUSING THE HEAD G…