2013 Toyota Highlander problems, complaints & recalls
Most-reported problem areas: Steering (44) · Vehicle Speed Control (31) · Service Brakes (13)
🧭 Reliability snapshot
Compared against other Toyota Highlander model years — complaint volume vs the model's median year, recalls and severity. How we score →
🛣️ Complaints by mileage
158 NHTSA complaints that reported an odometer reading.
Safety recalls (3)
Seats 2014-03-27 · campaign 14V148000 · 46,757 vehicles
Defect: 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 vehicles do not conform to Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 207, "Seating Systems."
Risk: If the seat does not lock into the seat track, there may be an increased risk of injury to an occupant in the event of a crash.
Fix: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will modify the second row left hand seat so that it will lock into the seat track, free of charge. The recall began on May 21, 2014. Owners may contact Toyota at 1-800-331-4331.
Equipment:other:labels 2013-04-09 · campaign 13V123000 · 7,525 vehicles
Defect: 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 Land Cruiser, 2010-2013 Toyota Venza, 2010-2011 Toyota 4Runner, 2010-2013 Toyota Tacoma, 2011-2012 Toyota Sienna, 2012 Toyota Prius, 2013 Scion FR-S, 2011 Scion XD, 2011 Scion XB, and 2012 Scion TC vehicles. These vehicl
Risk: An inaccurate label could lead to owners overloading their vehicles and tires. An overloaded vehicle can result in a tire failure which may result in a vehicle crash, personal injury, or property damage.
Fix: Southeast Toyota will notify owners and provide a corrected label with instructions concerning its installation. A small group of the affected vehicles will need additonal remedies which are still being developed. The recall began on May 28, 2013. Owners may contact Southeast Toyota at 1-800-301-6859.
Seats 2013-01-16 · campaign 13V014000 · 3,235 vehicles
Defect: 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 year 2010-2013 model year Corolla, Sienna and Tundra; model year 2009-2013 Highlander and Venza; model year 2012 Prius V; and model year 2010-2012 Sequoia. During modification by SET to include accessories such as leather
Risk: If the front passenger seat occupant sensing system is out of calibration, the front passenger airbags may not deploy or they may deploy inappropriately for the passenger's size and position. This could increase the risk of personal injury during the event of a vehicle crash necessitating airbag deployment.
Fix: Southeast Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will test the sensitivity of the occupant detection sensors, and recalibrate them as necessary. The recall began on March 21, 2013. Owners may contact Southeast Toyota at 1-800-301-6859.
Service bulletins (369)
Technical service bulletins are repair instructions manufacturers send dealers for known issues. Unlike recalls, the fix is not automatically free — but naming the bulletin at the service desk can save diagnosis time and support goodwill repairs.
Unknown Or Other 2026-01-07 · T-SB-0055-24 Rev2 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
some 2005 – 2026 toyota vehicles that have undergone water intrusion may exhibit a condition in which a musty odor is present. follow the procedures in this bulletin to remediate the odor and address this condition. the purpose of this service bulletin is to provide general guidelines and procedures
Electrical System 2025-06-13 · T-SB-0058-23 Rev1 · Service Campaign
the air conditioning dye injection tool kit has been developed to aid in identifying the location of air conditioning refrigerant leaks. the procedures outlined in this service bulletin aid in locating, inspecting, and repairing refrigerant leaks.
Structure:body 2024-12-06 · T-SB-0039-24 Rev2 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
the condition known as acid rain is caused by airborne chemicals or particles in the atmosphere, which mix with rainwater, nighttime dew, or high humidity to form acidic compounds. if these contaminants settle and remain on a painted vehicle surface, especially the horizonal areas of the hood, roof,
Structure:body 2024-12-06 · T-SB-0038-24 Rev2 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
to prevent brake rotor rust from forming during transportation and storage, wheel film will be used instead of a cardboard type of anti-rust cover. the purpose of the wheel film is to shield the disc brake rotor from weather elements and initial rust before the vehicle is delivered to the customer.
Structure:body 2024-12-06 · T-SB-0035-24 Rev2 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
acid rain results from rainwater or other airborne moisture that become acidic due to industrial chemical impurities in the atmosphere. if these acidic compounds settle on an exposed vehicle, especially the horizontal areas such as the hood, roof, and decklid, significant damage to the painted surfa
Structure:body 2024-12-05 · T-SB-0061-23 Rev2 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
toyota vehicles are currently protected with rapgardtm protective film designed to protect the horizontal painted surfaces. this material protects from acid rain, environmental fallout, and rail contamination. follow the removal procedure in this bulletin to remove the rapgardtm protective film wi
Showing the 6 most recent of 369 bulletins. Search all of them free at nhtsa.gov.
What owners report
2026-09-18 · Engine“i purchased a 2013 toyota highlander in 2018 or.2019 with 64,000 miles. i was told to go 5000 miles before changes. my oil was gone many times when i did this. i reported this to toyota dealership.i eventually stopped using them because they were hearing my problem. the complaints of lack of power and changing to 3000 mile oil changes wasnt heard.…”
2026-09-03 · Electrical System:body Control Module/Bcm“the factory blizzard pearl paint on this vehicle is experiencing severe chemical delamination down to the bare primer and sheet metal on multiple body panels. this structural failure aligns exactly with toyota customer support program zkg. large sheets of brittle paint regularly flake and peel off while driving at highway speeds, creating a project…”
2026-07-02 · Unknown Or Other“this is related to the faulty spiral cable assembly (horn) that on line evidence suggests should have been a toyota recall item for this year and model. in 2014, toyota issued a recall for 97,000 hylanders for this very thing however it only covered 2008-2010 at that time. in review of safety recalls for faulty spiral cables on other toyota model…”
2026-05-04 · Service Brakes“after a hard braking session because of a car that pulled quickly in front of me the abs light and check engine light came on with a code of c1391 - abnormal leak in accumulator. a warning message came on the info center saying i needed to take it to the dealer to have the brake system checked for a serious issue. went to the dealership and they …”
2025-09-24 · Unknown Or Other“2013 toyota highlander limited sunroof drains continue to back up and dump water into the front and rear cabin, causing electrical issues and mold if not addressed immediately. also the factory-installed roof rack mounting holes allow water to enter the cabin, causing damage to the headliner, which could fall down while driving. water also collec…”
2025-07-27 · Fuel/Propulsion System“a persistent smell of fuel occurred while in slow moving traffic and after vehicle was parked after use. upon close inspection, the fuel injector fuel rail end cap exhibited a slow fuel leak. this component caused a recall for year model highlanders for 2014 production year describing the same type of component failure. the component has faulty end…”
2025-06-26 · Unknown Or Other“i own a toyota and have always been a strong supporter of the brand — i truly believe toyota’s reliability and build quality are unmatched. that’s why i was shocked and disappointed to discover that the paint on the roof of my car, especially near the sunroof, had started peeling. i left for a two-week trip, and when i returned in june 2025, i not…”
2025-06-16 · Seat Belts“driver side airbags (curtain and left seat) spontaneously deployed while i was parking the car. i did not hit anything. i was not injured but my safety was put at risk because i likely would have crashed if it had happened while i was driving. i contacted toyota and they sent an investigator to inspect the car. he found no issues in the data he…”
2025-02-13 · Air Bags:passenger Side Frontal:cushion · 124,000 mi“the contact owns a 2013 toyota highlander. the contact stated that while driving in negative 10-degree weather at 75 mph, the driver's and passenger’s side curtain air bags deployed without warning or impact. the local dealer was contacted, but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. the manufacturer was not contacted. the failure mileage was ap…”
2025-02-05 · Structure · 99,000 mi“the contact owns a 2013 toyota highlander. the contact stated while the vehicle was parked, the contact discovered that the paint on the top of the vehicle was peeling. the contact did research and was made aware of the customer support program: zkg however, the vin was not included. no warning light was illuminated. the vehicle was not diagnosed o…”
Excerpts of consumer complaints filed with NHTSA, lightly truncated. They are owner statements, not verified findings.