2020 Toyota Highlander Complaint Log

There is a whining noise coming from the power train/transmission. It only happens when the accelerator pedal is pressed. We had a couple of mechanics look at it. The transmission oil was changed twice, with the vehicle less than 78,000 miles. Neither mechanic can find any issue with any other item, including the engine. The noise still persists. There are no warning lights on. We have researched the web. Toyota is aware of the problem and has replaced some transmissions still under warranty. They have issues a TSB (TSB008-21) in February 2021, but did not issue a recall or notify owners of a potential problem.

The contact owns a 2020 Toyota Highlander. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V720000 (Structure), however, the part to repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable time to remedy the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.

The vehicle continues to place excessive wear on the right rear tire despite the auto dealership service department stating there is nothing wrong with the vehicle. My tires have been replaced 4 times with 89,000 miles on the vehicle. The dealership service department is not willing to look into it any further and states everything is normal despite something clearly wearing this particular tire every 20-25,000 miles.

We were driving at around 70 mph on lane #3 on [XXX] near Auburn CA at around [XXX] on [XXX] with 2 passengers and some baggage in the trunk. No baggage were on the roof rack. Traffic was light and no vehicle was directly ahead of us at the time. Weather was cloudy. Suddenly we heard a loud bang above us, like a gun going off. I opened the sunroof cover and found the sunroof glass shattered. After exiting the freeway and parking, we found only the sunroof glass was damaged. The glass was shattered but still intact. There was no damage to the roof or roof racks. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

8AT transmission failure. Toyota is telling me that it will take 7 months to obtain a replacement transmission.

The contact owns a 2020 Toyota Highlander. The contact stated while driving approximately 60 MPH, the contact depressed the brake pedal to slow for traffic. The contact stated that the vehicle was vibrating and as he depressed the brake pedal the pedal stiffened and required more pressure to depress. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that the brake pedal failure occurred only between driving 60 to 70 MPH. The contact had not taken the vehicle to a local dealer or independent mechanic. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 87,000.

When coming to a stop the vehicle will often lurch forward. The lurch is powerful and could easily cause a collision. This problem occurs both when stopping in traffic and pulling into parking spaces. We were told by the dealer that the problem is caused by hybrid cars but we've had hybrid cars before that did not exhibit this behavior. It sounds like the dealership is aware of the problem but Toyota is not addressing it. This issue certainly poses a safety issue, especially for vehicles in front of the affected vehicle when attempting to stop.

The contact owns a 2020 Toyota Highlander. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V865000 (Air Bags); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was made aware of the issue 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 manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure.

Both front struts and bearing plates failed at 75k miles. They were leaking oil before that mileage. Approximate date of failure was 1/5/24. No parts were available until now. Parts were on back-order for upwards of a year for this model of Highlander in the FWD configuration, with 18” wheels. Prematurely failure causes a lot of bouncing in the car, therefore making the vehicle unresponsive to quick steering maneuvers. The bounce also made it so that typical driving within the city is dangerous as the bounce makes the car difficult to control. This is an issue that is documented on Toyota forums for FWD models. An accident has not been caused by this failure as of yet. Vehicle will be repaired soon. Mechanic was finally able to get two factory struts and bearing plates. Each strut is $200 and mounting plates are about $150 each. Parts + labor are expensive, but at least now it will be fixed.

The contact owns a 2020 Toyota Highlander. The contact discovered online that the VIN was included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V865000 (Air Bags) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was made not aware of the issue. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

The side view mirrors are very shaky at all speeds-- and worse over bumps/and/or at highway speeds. It causes a distraction in the peripheral vision of the driver, and does not provide a reliable, clear image in the mirror while the car is underway. The problem is worse on the driver (left) side, but it exists on both sides. This creates an unsafe condition where vision is not clear in the side mirrors.

Shortly after the powertrain warranty expired, the automatic transmission in my 2020 Toyota Highlander began producing a loud whining/howling noise during normal driving. The noise appears to come from the transmission area and increases with vehicle speed. The issue was not present during the warranty period and began unexpectedly soon after expiration. The abnormal noise raises concerns about internal transmission failure and potential loss of drivability. This condition could pose a safety risk if the transmission were to fail while driving, especially at highway speeds or when merging into traffic. No warning lights or messages were displayed prior to or during the issue. The vehicle was inspected by a Toyota dealer, and the problem was confirmed to be related to the transmission.

Sensation of loss of braking, especially at low/crawling speeds, when braking on a downhill, or when braking on bumpy road surfaces. Dealer described it as "INCONSISTENT APPLICATION OF BRAKES WITH CONSISTENT PRESSURE ON PEDAL ON LOW SPEEDS". A very noticeable moment between regenerative braking disengaging and traditional brakes engaging. It was a very unsettling feeling when pulling into a garage or parking space, or making a hard stop at highway speeds. Dealer reprogrammed braking computer per Toyota T-SB-0059-23 ("Hybrid Regenerative Brake Transition Feeling Improvement"). It is improved but not perfect and I still notice this unsettling sensation from time to time.

Nav Search and Voice message dictate disabled. Highlander 4th Generation (2020+) Has anyone experienced a DCM failure? My 2020 Highlander LTD hit 70K and 3yr mark; all of a sudden my Nav won't search while driving and I cannot dictate a response to a msg. Other forums suggest, reset the DCM by disconnecting the battery for a minimum of 30 minutes. This can be problematic. NO hands free driving capability.

The contact owns a 2020 Toyota Highlander. The contact stated while driving approximately 50 MHP, the contact's husband became aware that there was unknown part had loosened on the front of the vehicle. The contact pulled over to the side of the road and upon inspecting the vehicle, the contact became aware that the front bumper assembly was detaching. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic however, the vehicle was not repaired due to the cost. The contact then received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V720000 (Structure) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The failure mileage was approximately 30,000. Parts distribution disconnect.

The contact owns a 2020 Toyota Highlander. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed and attempting to accelerate, he heard an abnormal sound coming from the engine compartment. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, and it was determined that the sound was coming from the transmission however, the dealer was unable to provide a cause for the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but did not assist. The failure mileage was 100,100.

The contact owns a 2020 Toyota Highlander. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V865000 (Air Bags); however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The dealer was contacted. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. The VIN was not available.

There was a safety recall for this airbag issue, and Toyota estimated the remedy can be available in Quarter 3, 2024, however, till date nothing was completed. Toyota failed to resolve this matter in a timely manner. Every time I ask the dealer, they say no remedy yet! This is very unacceptable. This is affecting my personal finance. I need this to be resolved ASAP. Thank you.

No remedy for a recall that is 524 days old.

The contact owns a 2020 Toyota Highlander. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V720000 (Structure) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was made aware of the issue 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 manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

The contact owns a 2020 Toyota Highlander. The contact stated while driving 60-65 MPH and changing lanes, the front lower bumper cover suddenly separated from the vehicle. The contact pulled over to the side of the road. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where the front lower bumper cover assembly was replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The contact later received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V72000 (Structure) which the contact related to the failure. The manufacturer was contacted for reimbursement, but the manufacturer denied reimbursement. The failure mileage was unknown.

The contact owns a 2020 Toyota Highlander. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle lost motive power and stalled. The contact was able to jumpstart the vehicle and the vehicle operated normally. The contact had taken to the vehicle to a certified mechanic who tested the battery and alternator but found no failure. The vehicle had not been diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 57,000.

Was following a truck that was pulling a utility trailer. We had just stopped and started moving again when when he suddenly stopped. I had just sped up maybe going 10 to 15 mph when I applied my brake, the brakes did not engage until after I hit the trailer in front of me and jammed it into truck it was being pulled by.I had front end damage and radiator damage and the car was not drivable. I had noticed previous to this that at times at low speeds the brakes would not engage and would need to be double tapped to get them to engage. Could go weeks without it happening or could happen multiple times in a day. No consistency to the issue.

About once or twice a week as I'm slowly braking to make a turn or stop, the car will surge forward. I have to depress the brake harder, and it does stop or keep slowing. I'm very concerned that if this happens as I'm stopping at a cross walk, someone could be hurt. I took it to the dealer who couldn't replicate it, so said it wasn't a safety issue. There are lots of forums that describe this with highlanders. My partner can feel it happen too. I'm not sure if it's the braking system or engine. My guess is engine because it seems to be a power surge. It's inconsistent, and happens in all kinds of weather, hot/cold, dry/wet. No warning lights, or messages. Happens a lot, but I'm using the example of earlier this week. You're welcome to inspect if you want. It is a hybrid and one of my friends said it might be switching systems, but our other car is also a hybrid and doesn't have anything like this happening.

On more than 50 occasions while coming to a stop or slowing down I have experienced a surge forward while applying the brakes. It has happened at stop signs, stop lights, going downhill. I cannot duplicate on demand. Several times it has surged me past a stop sign/stop light while I still had my foot on the brake. Also, when the surge happens, I have to push harder on the brake pedal to stop the vehicle. I took it to the dealership on 9/2023 and was told it was not a problem that could be replicated and it has happened several times since then.

Random loss of braking feeling and jolting forward when stopping due to regenerative braking letting off. Happened randomly since purchase. Happens around 20mph mark

The contact owns a 2020 Toyota Highlander. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V720000 (Structure); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the front lower bumper cover had detached on the front passenger's side and was swinging while driving. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who informed the contact that the vehicle needed to be repaired at an auto body collision shop due to a crack on the front lower bumper cover, prior to the recall repair. The contact stated that the dealer failed to honor the recall repair because the recall repair involved repairing or replacing the upper and lower front bumper covers as necessary, free of charge. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and a case was opened; however, no further assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 40,000. Parts distribution disconnect.

The car is barely 3 years old with 74000 miles to it. The is a humming noise coming from the transmission which the dealer said I may want to replace it. It’s not cheap to do so and I don’t expect it to happen to a new car.

The contact owns a 2020 Toyota Highlander. The contact was informed by an independent mechanic that the front bumper had begun to detach from the vehicle on the driver's and passenger’s side ends of the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to a dealer but was later referred to an independent body shop for service. The contact then discovered that the vehicle was included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V720000 (Structure) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was made aware of the issue 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 failure mileage was unknown. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

On several occasions while coming to a stop or slowing down I have experienced a surge forward while applying the brakes. It has happened at stop signs, stop lights, going downhill. I cannot duplicate on demand. Several times it has surged me past a stop sign while I still had my foot on the brake. Also, when the surge happens, I have to push harder on the brake pedal to stop the vehicle. I have had the hub replaced as well as the wheel censer and I still have the problem. I took it to the dealership on 8/15/22 and it has happened several times since then.

Driving at highway speeds of 75 mph (posted speed), front bumper fell off of car. Outside temperature was 107 degrees. Bumper was lodged under car and all insulation peeled off of wheels. Had to pull all parts from under car and around wheel openings and was able to continue to destination. No accident occurred as the result of this as I was able to safely pull over to side of road.

See attached document from complainant

A rock hit my windshield and it got a crack in it several feet long. A few days later a rock hit the other side of my windshield and it cracked there about six inches.

UNKNOWN. Brakes have temporary failure midway through braking. The pedal feels like it drops and the car ceases to brake. You press down hard quickly, and it takes a second for the car to then brake again. Naturally the car jerks, at time throwing people forward and locking seatbelts. This happens most frequently going downhill, and happens at a variety of different speeds. Dealership says there is no issue. It happens multiple times a week, if not multiple times a day. While I typically drive with adequate space for this failure, I cannot control other drivers. I almost rear ended a person who cut in front of me from the right lane when the braking failure occurred.

My car frequently accelerates suddenly when I am actively braking. I will begin braking, start to slow down, then the car will accelerate, jolt forward, then start braking again. This puts me at risk for having an accident at stop lights and any time I should be braking. I have an appointment to take it to the dealer. It does not happen every time I am braking and it is not easily reproducible, however it has started happening more often. I have no warnings. An independent auto shop has looked at it and they believe there is a problem when my car is switching from regenerative to hydraulic braking.

Front strut leaking fluid. Needs replacement. Seals worn out below 36,000 miles.

On March 20th while on the freeway my 2020 Toyota Highlander sunroof exploded. Related or not, I had just rolled up my driver's window immediately preceding the explosion. The sound from this was loud and surprising. Thankfully I was able to get to the right lane and exit the freeway. Upon stopping and viewing the sunroof I was surprised to see the remaining glass pushed UP out of the car. I had no warning nor was I in a situation that I would have expected there to be a problem. I have an appointment 3 days after the explosion at the dealer for them to check it out.

When I am using the brakes an a medium rate the vehicle will loose its brakes for a second causing a loss of control on the vehicle. This happens randomly and caused us to almost go off a culvert of a driveway once. It has scared us many times to thinking we were going to hit the car in front of us. It makes my wife sick every time it happens. Smart motors and regional techs from Toyota have looked into this issue and determined this to be a “feeling” and not a safety hazard. This is not the case and needs to be fixed before someone gets hurt. Lane Keeping assist is unusable. When it is turned on it fights with the driver. It will swerve back in forth in its lane and sometimes so bad it feels like the car would roll if it was not turned off and got worse. Every once in a while it will try to take an exit on the highway by itself. Date of incident in questionnaire is approx to the last time it happened. It has happened too many times to count. Vehicle mileage is when we first started really having issues with the brakes. Lane assist is an always thing.

We purchased the highlander a few days ago from a Toyota dealership. There are currently no recalls that have not been addressed and the car seemed to be in great condition. Driving the last few days there have been times that the brakes just don't function properly. I went online to see if this was an issue that had been reported. I found this description below and it is exactly my experience as well. This site has the other complaints that match my experience. Feeling like you don't have brakes for a few seconds is going to lead to accidents. I have a 2005 Highlander and I am sad I spent so much money and would feel safer driving my old car. It has not been confirmed by a dealer, or inspected, and there are no lights on the vehicle. I don't know where to go for an honest assessment. https://m.carcomplaints.com/Toyota/Highlander/2020/brakes/service_brakes.shtml I have experienced brake issues, on any slight decline where the braking system will let up as if the braking is not working for a moment, and also, a jerk forward once stopped. This will lead to an accident and potentially, a pedestrian getting hurt if not addressed. I took it to the dealer and they stated they could not replicate the issue, therefore, did not run diagnostics on the vehicle and will do nothing else for me. I have great concern this will lead to an accident and after 30 years of driving, I'm having to constantly think of leaving enough room between myself and other cars to avoid an accident, and adequate room for a brake malfunction. I have another 2020 hybrid Toyota that does not have this issue. So, it is not an issue with all hybrids. - Berkley, MI, USA

I pulled my vehicle into the driveway and stopped outside of the garage. I stepped out to fold my mirrors on both sides of the vehicle as the garage is very narrow. I also need to unload my belongings from the rear hatch. I walked around to the Right side mirror, folded it and headed to unload the hatch when the vehicle PULLED ITSELF INTO THE GARAGE; literally! I could not open the doors as they lock and the space is so narrow. The vehicle stopped when it hit the back wall of the garage. I immediately opened the door and turned the vehicle off. The Vehicle sounds an alarm and shows the message "Shift to park" if not in Park. This did not happen. I sat in the car putting my sunglasses away and unplugging my phone before exiting. If I had not put the vehicle in Park, I would have heard and seen the warnings immediately and the car would have moved immediately; not 30-60 seconds after exiting. Note: our driveway is flat

Air bags didn’t deploy in severe accident. Vehicle is available for inspection. Air bags not deploying in accident could have led to injuries. No service or dealerships has seen the vehicle. Police didn’t inspect the vehicle. Insurance company is going to look at the vehicle on February 13, 2023. No indication of any service lights for air bags on vehicle’s dash.

The contact owns a 2020 Toyota Highlander. The contact stated that while the vehicle was idling or parked, the engine would suddenly seize. The failure occurred intermittently. The check engine warning light illuminated with a message that the brakes were enabled. The contact restarted the vehicle several times before the vehicle operated as needed. The vehicle had been taken to the dealer 3 times however, the dealer was unable to diagnose the vehicle. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and opened a case. The approximate failure mileage was 45,600.

Driver's seatbelt doesn't latch well and when latched it is very difficult to unlatch making you feel trapped in vehicle.

Case #11497584, All 4 tires Brigestone 235/55R20 102V cracked(DOT 4919, Thread 6/32-7/32). Numerous report of this tires exploding. load index 102 is Max load 1874 Lb at 44 PSI. Manufacturing label is 36 PSI, GAWP RR 3405. At 36 PSI(load inflation table) tire capacity is 1620 Lb which is show that GAWP 3405/2=1702.5 LB is ALREADY OVERLOAD each rear tire by 82.5 LB. If you add 5000 Lb trailer(tongue load 10%=500 Lb) then rear tire will be overloaded 82.5+500/2=332.5 Lb. This is 332.5/1874=17.7% All Toyota Highlander 4th generation LIMITED & PLATINUM should be removed from the road an emergency. The contact stated that their wife drives the vehicle majority of the time. The contact also expressed concerns about the tires not being able to support the weight of all 7 passengers or the weight of towing their boat.

The contact owns a 2020 Toyota Highlander equipped with Bridgestone Tires, Tire line: Alenza Sport, Tire Size: 235/55/R20, DOT Number: 1W28AALA15019. The contact stated that the four tires cracked, due to a discrepancy between the stated weight capacity for the tires and the gross vehicle weight. The contact discovered the failure upon inspection of the vehicle and immediately stopped driving the vehicle. An independent mechanic was notified of the failure. The tire manufacturer was also notified of the failure, and the contact was provided a case number. The vehicle had was not repaired. The tire and vehicle failure mileage were approximately 20,000. The contact stated that their wife drove the vehicle majority of the time on local roads. The contact also expressed fears of the vehicle's tires not being able to support the weight of 7 passengers or being able to tow a boat.

The contact's wife owns a 2020 Toyota Highlander. The contact stated while the vehicle was parked, his wife noticed that the front passenger's side carpeting was extremely wet. Upon investigating the failure, both the contact and his wife noticed that the carpeting underneath was extremely soaked. The contact stated that both he and his wife used towels to soak up the water. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the HVAC evaporator drain hose was clogged, which caused water to leak into the front passenger's side of the vehicle. The independent mechanic informed the contact that the failure was related to Toyota Technical Service Bulletin Number: 0080-19 (HVAC Evaporator Drain Hose Clogged Due to Insect Intrusion) and referred the contact to the dealer for the repair. The dealer and the manufacturer were notified of the failure and informed the contact that the repair could not be covered under warranty. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 12,300.

1. Climate control system failure to defrost windows during cold weather/winter conditions caused all windows to fog resulting 0 visibility while driving. 2. Occupants including myself, spouse, adult child and toddler grandchild , surrounding vehicles and their occupants were for 5 to 10 minutes exposed to potential multi-car crash, injuries and loss of life. 3. Online research revealed this climate control failure has been experienced by other Toyota owners and the issue has been resolved however not been reported to NHTSA. Two days after the occurrence the vehicle was taken to Bud Clary Toyota, Moses Lake, WA for inspection and repair. Note-without the detailed information from my online research the issue/repair/resolution wasn't determined by the Toyota service shop. 4. There are no warnings when this failure occurs. It happens only when outside temperatures drop below 40 degrees and severity increases with quick drops in temperature. The first occurrence was during first winter of ownership, 2020/2021 and reported to the next servicing dealership, Peterson Toyota, Boise, ID. 5. The repairing dealership required customer pay and advised to follow up with Toyota customer service to report and request reimbursement. Follow up completed later in December 2022, Toyota denied warranty reimbursement however the customer service agent requested and obtained repair reimbursement and recommended reporting and requesting recall status to NHSTA.

On several occasions the brakes will get very weak and you have to apply normal than normal pressure. There’s a second where it feels like the brakes have failed. All occasions have been on dry flat roads. This last occasion I was turning into a grocery store driveway and in the turn the brakes failed and I had to press hard and turn harder or I would have ran into the car leaving the driveway. It’s not the hybrid system. I’ve owned prior Toyota hybrid and the brakes don’t give out like this. Sometimes it’s less that 5MPh but it’s also done it at 10-15mph. Both times the batteries are not fully charged so there isn’t any reason why the regenerative breaking should be suddenly shutting off causing the breaks to feel soft.

While driving on the freeway, with no prior damage, the front bumper came lose and dragged under vehicle.

See attached document for complaint.