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Is your side view mirror shaking or vibrating? Read about our Highlander Side View Mirror Class Action Investigation.
The 2022 Toyota Highlander is a family SUV that is meant for everyday drives. The auto manufacturer wants people to “see where your limits take you” That’s a great idea, but owners are dealing with vibrating mirrors that impact their safety, faulty brakes, and seat issues that affect their children.
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NHTSA Complaints for the 2022 Toyota Highlander
| Complaint Category | Number of Complaints |
|---|---|
| Service Brakes | |
| Unknown Or Other | |
| Visibility/wiper | |
| Engine | |
| Structure:body | |
| Air Bags | |
| Power Train | |
| Electrical System | |
| Vehicle Speed Control | |
| Fuel/propulsion System |
Most Common Problems with the 2022 Toyota Highlander
Vibrating mirrors and faulty brakes are the most common problems that 2022 Toyota Highlander owners are complaining to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) about. Drivers find that the brakes don’t always function as they should, and crashes have been reported as a result of this. Vibrating driver’s side-view mirrors, which Lemberg Law is investigating as a possible class action, are also a huge problem.
Shattering sunroofs or moonroofs are another issue, and so are problematic seats, cracked windshields, and shattering windows. Additionally, there are complaints about airbags, the electrical system, the engine, forward collision avoidance, the fuel/propulsion system, lane departure, the powertrain, the structure of the SUV, tires, and vehicle speed control.
Vibrating Mirrors
This problem relates to the side mirror on the driver’s side. The passenger-side mirror appears to be fine.
An owner of a 2022 Highlander from Ohio says that it makes her dizzy when trying to change lanes. This is because it causes blurred visibility. “Toyota has this same issue on their RAV4 model and there is actually a fix. They need to make the car safe and not have mirrors that shake while driving.”
That’s no surprise because the vibrating mirror problem appears to be something that has been recurring for several years.
A Georgia owner of a 2022 Highlander states that after reporting the problem to a local dealership, “I was told that both the dealership and Toyota were aware of the problem with the mirror but could do nothing to correct the issue.”
And yet, “I was told this issue goes back about two years starting with the 2020 year model. There are numerous posts on Toyota’s forum talking about this issue. This is not a one-off issue but is tied to ALL Toyota Highlanders. I’m reporting this issue because I believe it is a safety issue that needs to be corrected.”
An owner from New York reports, “When cruising on a highway at around 70 MPH my driver side mirror started shaking. The visibility through that mirror is getting worse. The left side mirror is fine, no issue with vibration.”
But it isn’t only at 70 that this happens. Other complaints state:
- “Vibrating driver side mirrors at speeds (of between) 50-70 MPH on concrete or asphalt.”
- “Driver side mirror vibrates above 20 mph which makes it harder to focus on the image, (which) can lead to accidents.”
Faulty Brakes
Problems with the Highlander’s brakes are reported in several categories including Service Brakes, Electrical System, Forward Collision Avoidance, and Vehicle Speed Control. Owners describe different scenarios, but ultimately, there’s a major problem with the brakes of the 2022 Toyota Highlander.
Examples of Complaints
Here’s an example from an owner in Arizona who reports that multiple users of an online Toyota forum are experiencing the same problem.
“When coming to a stop, intermittently the brakes feel like they disengage for a moment before kicking back in and lunging me forward. The first time it happened I thought my foot had slipped off the brake pedal. When it happened again, I knew something was wrong and started noting when it happens, and the driving conditions. I have taken it into the dealer 4 times now, have opened a ticket with Toyota, and have been told since they can’t reproduce the problem there isn’t much they can do to fix it. The service manager did advise that a scan of my car revealed my ABS/skid kicked in at one of the times I noted, but that was it. This malfunction is typically at low speeds and when I apply the brake on a curve.”
An owner from Montana states that “While driving at a constant speed of approximately 45 mph the vehicle suddenly skidded sideways and launched to the right, causing us to nearly hit a guardrail. I dropped speed to 30 mph and this continued to occur at random for the next 10 miles until destination was reached.” While there was snow on the road, other vehicles passed at 50 mph plus without any issues. Then it happened again, this time at 15 mph causing the Highlander “to almost run into a parked car. This has occurred at random over the past two days. All instances occurred while driving at a constant speed, no brakes were being applied and while driving in a straight line.” Again, the dealership wasn’t able to help.
Brakes Blamed for Accidents
An owner from Maryland describes how faulty brakes resulted in a crash. While her partner was reversing out of a driveway, the vehicle independently surged backward up a hill as her partner applied the brake pedal.” The driver was able to change to Drive, which “sent the vehicle forward.” But it was only when the Highlander hit a tree that acceleration stopped. Fortunately, the driver wasn’t injured.
Faulty brakes also caused an owner from Texas to crash. “When parked for 15 to 20 minutes with the engine running, then moving forward, the brakes do not work. According to San Marcos Toyota, this is normal. (The) speed of (the) vehicle is less than 5 miles per hour, not brakes, and this caused a very minor rear-end collision. According to service, the brake booster shuts off.”
Brake Failure Linked to the Electrical System
Several complaints are listed under the Electrical System category. This is an excerpt from one of them.
An owner from Alabama was alarmed when “the entire dashboard warning system came on all the ADAS and messages saying braking failure to loss of control. This vehicle is not even three months old and is a platinum AWD vehicle fully loaded version.” The Toyota dealership wasn’t able to explain the reason. “This is dangerous and this vehicle going at 65 MPH and unable to stop is a real danger to the occupants and others.”
Problems with the Windshields, Windows, and Moonroofs
Shattered glass is a problem for many 2022 Highlander owners. For some, it’s windows or windshields, and for others, it’s the sunroof or moonroof.
An owner from Arizona describes how the driver’s side window shattered spontaneously while driving down a highway at 65 mph. “It sounded like a pressure explosion.” His wife was driving the vehicle and glass flew from the front to the rear of the vehicle. “Luckily my wife was wearing sunglasses. My daughters were in the rear with my youngest daughter’s eyes being protected by a book she was reading. Glass struck me on the passenger side on the left side of my face.”
An owner from North Carolina experienced a cracked windshield. On the driver-side windshield, there is an inside crack/defect that keeps spreading causing glare while driving… It appears to be in between the glass windshield.”
Sunroof/moonroof issues are all similar.
Driving on the interstate in California, an owner heard “ticking” from above “followed by a loud bang. Moonroof busted out and (the) glass shattered.”
“We were driving and heard a loud boom,” an owner from Oregon states. “After the initial shock we saw that the moonroof had shattered.”
Another complaint states that “the sunroof glass exploded unexpectedly. There was no impact on the sunroof that could have caused it to shatter.”
Problems with the Seats
Complaints show that seat problems are primarily a child safety issue.
An owner from California states that “The left rear seat on my 2022 Highlander doesn’t stay locked in the first 3 detents. You think it is locked but when you lean back in the seat it slides through the next couple of detents.” Strangely, a Toyota mechanic couldn’t find anything wrong with the seat. “I see this as a problem when using child safety seats. Parents could think the seat is safely locked in position until they get rear-ended and the seat slips through the next couple positions.”
The motivation for buying a Toyota Highlander was, for an Illinois owner, the fact that it was advertised as “a family vehicle that safely fits 7 passengers with the captain chairs. We purchased a brand new 2022 Toyota Highlander for our family of 5. However, you cannot safely install a booster car seat in the third flow as advertised in ANY position. In every position of the third row the booster car seat covers the buckle, not allowing you to secure the seat belt/booster seat.”
The dealership suggested they buy a seat belt extender. But, the complaint says, the manual “states on page 59 not to use a seat belt extender as this could cause serious injury or death.”
An owner from Minnesota has a different seat problem that relates to the chest clip, buckle, and harness. “When the child is buckled in and the straps are all tight, they can be pulled loose without using the release button at the bottom. This is incredibly unsafe and would make this car seat useless if we were to be in a car accident.”
Your Lemon Law Rights
If you experience safety issues or any other problems that keep recurring, you may have bought a lemon. You can try and negotiate a settlement of some kind with the manufacturer. But it isn’t always easy. This is why many consumers prefer to turn to an experienced lemon law firm like Lemberg Law.
We have negotiated all types of settlements for clients from buybacks and trade-ins to replacement vehicles. So, if you think your car is a lemon, call our Helpline or fill in our contact form. We will evaluate your case free of charge.
Remember, the law says Toyota must pay the legal bills for lemon law cases.
Complaint Data
| Category | Tires |
| Date | Jan 31, 2023 |
| State | OR |
| Description | The contact owns a 2020 toyota highlander. The contact received a notification for nhtsa campaign number: 22t021000 (tires). The toyota dealer was initially notified of the failure and referred her to the bridgestone manufacturer for assistance. The tire manufacturer referred her to a bridgestone service center; however, she was informed that the tire needed for repair was on backorder. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the repair. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect. |
| Category | Visibility/wiper |
| Date | Jan 30, 2023 |
| State | MN |
| Description | December 2022 I was driving to my toyota dealer which is about an hour away from my home for a routine 10k oil. Change. Air temperature here in minnesota was 20-25 degrees. After 10 minute of highway driving with front defroster activated, all windows including the front windshield had some fogging. The fogging continued to spread on all windows. I made several adjustments to the climate control settings but nothing improved the fogging. By 30 minutes into the drive frost was forming at the top of the windshield and side windows where hot air was not blowing directly on the windows. My wife and I pulled off the road several times to wipe moisture off of the glass and sometimes scrape frost. I reported the issue to my dealer in st cloud minnesota and inquired if there was something I was doing wrong with the climate settings. They made a couple of suggestions which I thought I had originally tried, but it didn't seem to be something they were aware of as being a wide spread problem. I made the return trip home with no improvement of the fogging/frost conditions. The problem continued each time we drove the car. We did not use that car again until january 15, 2023 when we traveled to arkansas for a week. On the 650 mile trip down we had the same issues as before with defrost on high until the temperature rose to the 40s. Before our return trip home,I began researching my problem and found t-sb-0020-19 and t-sb-0024-22 which described my issues. The 650 mile trip was in temperatures from 28-32 and we needed to use the defrost during the entire trip. I scheduled an appointment with toyota for february 1, 2023. Temperatures were now below zero and did not feel I could safely drive 1 hr to the dealer for the repair. Having extensive experience with auto repairs, I followed the instructions in the tsb and found the exact defect described. I completed the repair which fixed the problem. The 2022 highlander is not listed in the tsb used for the repair nor any I could find. |
| Category | Service Brakes |
| Date | Jan 16, 2023 |
| State | CA |
| Description | I only have 8500 miles on my car and when driving in when I hit the brakes it vibrates. I went to the dealership to get the brakes checked and they wanted charge an inspection fee when the car is under 36000 miles which should be bumper to bumper warranty. I decided to my car to my mechanic and he told me it was the rotors. The mechanic told me this has to be a faulty rotors because that is not enough miles for normal wear and tear. I have scheduled an appointment tomorrow 1/17/23 at the toyota dealership in ontario, ca for inspection. I have extended warranty with -0- deductible and they wanted to charge me 5 inspection fee. I got really mad and they are supposedly doing an exception. |
| Category | Air Bags |
| Date | Jan 14, 2023 |
| State | UT |
| Description | On our 22' highlander I observed water lines on the passenger side a pillar, one of which was colored pinkish this led me to believe it was dyed from car wash soap. I found that whenever you go through a car wash water leaks into the headliner and down the passenger side a-pillar where the air bag module is. Toyota bountiful claims that the drainage channels are likely clogged and it failed to drain properly. I ran the test as recommended by pouring water into the corner drainage hole identified by the service advisor. I found the water to exit the drainage port behind the front tire in two different spots at a very quick rate, yet the headliner and a-pillar covering got wet again. Toyota claims this is supposed to cleaned annually by the vehicle owner and is likely not covered by warranty. Obviously, the issue overall is irritating on a 1-year-old car, clean title, no accidents, no windshield replacement vehicle. However, what is most concerning is water is free flowing into the air bag area on the a-pillar. |
| Category | Forward Collision Avoidance: Automatic Emergency Braking, Forward Collision Avoidance: Warnings, Service Brakes |
| Date | Jan 02, 2023 |
| State | CA |
| Description | My mother was killed on 5/27/22 by her brand new 2022 highlander platnum with about 2000 miles on it. There wasn't anyone inside her car at the time of her wrongful death. No person's car should kill it's owner in her own driveway at anytime especially when the car was empty. The police report has not been completed by the local police department yet. The day before the accident she took her car to her dealership hansel toyota petaluma at 9am where she bought her car only a few weeks earlier bc her front bumper had fallen off on the freeway to ask them to put her bumper back on but hansel toyota of petaluma refused her reasonable request. What they told my parents was to go file a claim with her auto insurance carrier. So they did. The next day my mother was run over and killed by her own car. Why did hansel toyota refuse to fix my mother's front bumper that day? Isn't that their job? Isn't that their legal responsibility? Doesn't the front bumper affect the safety the vehicle? So why did hansel toyota of petaluma refuse service when the car's warranty was in effect? We feel my mother was wrongly killed by a machine that malfunctioned. Her front bumper was dragging on the ground for a few miles on the freeway when it abruptly fell off and hence exposed a metal part of the car. This unfortunate event should never have happened. Our mother would still be alive today had it not been for other peoples irresponsible behavior. We believe the missing bumper played a role in her death. We also believe her car malfunctioned that led to her wrongful death. |
| Category | Lane Departure: Assist, Lane Departure: Warning |
| Date | Jan 02, 2023 |
| State | OR |
| Description | The system designed to prevent lane departure has a particular issue with the dashed road markings that denote the entrance to tapered deceleration lanes or right-hand exit ramps on oregon freeways. I have not noticed an issue when similar markings are on the driver's side. In particular, the in section 360, figure 360-a of the odot traffic line manual (https://www. Oregon. Gov/odot/engineering/documents_trafficstandards/traffic-line-manual. Pdf) the line marked "wd" is consistently able to fool the lane departure system and allow the vehicle to drift or steer toward the "physical gore point" as shown in the figure. On november 11th, 2022, I very briefly took my hands off the steering wheel to unscrew the cap on my water bottle while lane centering was activated on the lane departure avoidance system and the vehicle steered to the right without warning while passing an exit lane having the "wd" markings. This nearly resulted in my highlander leaving the road at freeway speeds. Now, I understand this is not responsible behavior on my part, but these things occur, and it may result in accident or death in the future if it hasn't already. The system is otherwise quite reliable. However, I was previously aware of the issue as it has happened for as long as I've owned the vehicle. This is the first time it nearly caused an incident because I normally do not remove my hands from the steering wheel completely and can correct the steering manually. No warning lamps or messages were observed, but the lane departure warning may have sounded after passing the "wd" markings. The issue has not been reproduced by any service center on my vehicle, nor has it been inspected by another party. On carcomplaints. Com another oregon resident mentioned a similar issue as an additional note about an unrelated braking issue: https://www. Carcomplaints. Com/toyota/highlander/2022/brakes/service_brakes. Shtml I would be willing to make the vehicle available for testing/inspection. |
| Category | Visibility/wiper |
| Date | Dec 07, 2022 |
| State | TX |
| Description | Wipers quit working. Available for inspection. Unable to see road because it was raining. Wipers haven't been inspected. No messages or warning lamps. I was driving in rainy weather with the temperature slightly above the freeze point.. |
| Category | Exterior Lighting |
| Date | Dec 03, 2022 |
| State | NJ |
| Description | When I drive at night time, the opposite driver complains on low beams that looks like high beams. They are too bright. |
| Category | Service Brakes, Unknown Or Other, Vehicle Speed Control |
| Date | Nov 14, 2022 |
| State | MT |
| Description | While driving at a constant speed of approximately 45 mph the vehicle suddenly skidded sideways and launched to the right, causing us to nearly hit a guardrail. I dropped speed to 30 mph and this continued to occur at random for the next 10 miles until destination was reached. Road conditions were patchy snow up to fully covered in snow. Other vehicles passed at 50+ mph with no issues. No warning lights/messages or traction control light turned on. Today the same issue occurred while driving 15mph that caused the vehicle to almost run into a parked car. This has occurred at random over the past two days. All instances occurred while driving at a constant speed, no brakes were being applied and while driving in a straight line. This isn't the first time the vehicle has been driven in these road conditions but first time problem has occurred. This is a safety hazard for my wife and child due to the fact the driver looses control at random and vehicle veers off to the side. Putting them at risk of impacting objects near the road or veering into oncoming traffic, putting other drivers at risk. Car was brought to the toyota dealer 11/14. They plugged it into their computer and no codes were active. No open recalls either. I went for a drive , was given 5 minutes of their time, with the shop manager and the problem didn't present itself. They said there was nothing else they could do. There was a recall on the vsc, vehicle stability control, but that was fixed on this vehicle in july 2022. Vehicle acts like a sensor or module isn't calibrated correctly and causes either/or braking and acceleration to be applied in a manor that will result in a crash. Vehicle is not safe to drive. |
| Category | Structure:body |
| Date | Nov 13, 2022 |
| State | VA |
| Description | Vibrating driver side mirror in speeds 50-70 mph on concrete or asphalt |
| Category | Electrical System, Forward Collision Avoidance: Adaptive Cruise Control, Forward Collision Avoidance: Automatic Emergency Braking |
| Date | Nov 11, 2022 |
| State | AL |
| Description | While driving on the highway the entire dashboard warning system came on all the adas and messages saying braking failure to loss of control. This vehicle is not even three months old and is a platinum awd vehicle fully loaded version. Toyota dealership never mentions or stated this vehicle had any issues, even today they seem not to know what caused the vehicle to underperform. This is dangerous and this vehicle going at 65 mph and unable to stop is a real danger to the occupants and others. They say its safe to drive, I disagree for the safety of all indivduals on the roadways. |
| Category | Tires:sidewall |
| Date | Nov 02, 2022 |
| State | FL |
| Description | I was traveling at highway speed with five passengers, luggage, and bike rack with five bicycles and without warning the driver's side rear tire sidewall completely blew out. The vehicle fishtailed but I was able to move over to the right emergency lane to change the tire. We did not hit any debris. This was a bridgestone alenza a/s sport 235/65r18 tire that was original equipment with my 2022 toyota highlander hybrid suv. The tires were inflated to 38 lbs. I called bridgestone and they told me to take the tire to a bridgestone dealer in charlotte, nc. They replaced the tire at no charge. I left the failed tire with them but took photos. |
| Category | Electrical System, Engine, Power Train |
| Date | Oct 10, 2022 |
| State | CA |
| Description | While having the eco system on, with the active system present by firmly pressing the brake hard at a stoplight, the light turned green. While taking my foot off the brake and the engine turning back on, attempting to accelerate the transmission would not allow me to get through the intersection turning left. I pulled to the far left/slow lane to stay out of other traffic. The vehicle would not allow me to go past 40mph, and the rpm's would rev between 2000-3000 at low speeds between 10-25 mph. I had my 1 1/2 year old with me in his car seat, and it would have been tragic should this happen on the freeway and this kind of situation happened. Attempting to take it to the dealership, the truck even had trouble going over some railroad tracks with a small mound present. The dealership checked out the vehicle and called it operator error, after inspecting the reported malfunctions and finding nothing. This will not be operator error when someone is seriously injured, or if it happens to be one of their family members driving a similar vehicle. |
| Category | Unknown Or Other |
| Date | Oct 01, 2022 |
| State | AZ |
| Description | Driver side window spontaneously shattered while driving down highway at 65 mph. It sounded like a pressure explosion. My wife was driving and glass flew from f9nrt to passenger side and to the rear of the vehicle. Luckily my wife was wearing sun glasses. My duaghyers were in the rear with my youngest daugthers eyes being protected by a book she was reading. Glass struck me on the passenger side on the left side of my face. |
| Category | Power Train |
| Date | Sep 27, 2022 |
| State | IN |
| Description | Highlander with approximately 650 miles on it had a transmission failure while on interstate 69 north of evansville indiana. The car seemed to shift into passing gear a few times while the cruise was set and we bumped it off cruise and coasted to a stop . The car would not move after we stopped . There was transmission fluid all over the drivers side and rear of the car and a puddle under it . We called toyota roadside assistance and had the car towed to the nearest dealer . |
| Category | Power Train |
| Date | Sep 24, 2022 |
| State | GA |
| Description | When I'm cruising about 35 mph, let off the gas and decelerate, then give a slight bit of gas, I feel a "bump" in the drive train. It's more like slop in the transmission.... Sounds like a metal to metal noise... This happens after car is driving more then 30 min or 45 min. |
| Category | Structure:body |
| Date | Sep 17, 2022 |
| State | ME |
| Description | Driver side mirror vibrates above 20mph which makes it harder to focus on the image, can lead to accidents. |
| Category | Engine, Service Brakes |
| Date | Sep 08, 2022 |
| State | WI |
| Description | 1. The engine was on while the 'hold' feature was enabled. I've used this feature numerous times before. This time, the 'hold' feature was on for about 5+ minutes, I heard 3 consecutive beeps out of nowhere followed by the engine restarting on it's own as if the push start button was pressed. At that time, the vehicle lunged forward causing me to brake, missing the vehicle in front of me. This happened while waiting at the school drop off lane. Vehicle also lags during acceleration and stalls especially when getting up to speed on the freeway/highway. 2. My children and I could have rear ended the vehicle in front of us which in turn, could have caused a chain reaction with thr vehicles all in front of us (at least 15+ vehicles before mine). We could have been seriously injured, families / staff walking in and out of the parking lot could have been hurt. Regarding the acceleration lag and stalling, we could potentially be at risk of getting hit waiting for the vehicle to pick up speed. 3. My vehicle is at the dealership currently, waiting to hear back from them as there are other numerous reoccurring issues with this vehicle which the dealership I purchased from failed to fix three times prior. 4. The issues have only been 'looked' by the dealership only. The initial dealership failed to have the regional engineer come onsite to investigate. I was told my issues were non concerning. 5. Regarding the vehicle lunging, in that instance, the only warning were the three consecutive beeps, no error lights or errors were observed. Regarding acceleration problems, there are no errors or sounds indicating problems thus far when the issue takes place. I have a list documenting the various issues I have experienced thus far with the first problem starting after owning the vehicle for about 3 months. |
| Category | Structure:body, Structure:body:bumpers |
| Date | Aug 26, 2022 |
| State | IL |
| Description | The contact owns a 2022 toyota highlander. The contact stated while driving approximately 70 mph, there was a whistling sound coming from the vehicle. The contact stated that suddenly the bumper detached from the passenger's side of the vehicle. The contact stated that the front valance panel attached to the bumper and attached to the fender had detached from the vehicle. The contact stated that the fender was also detached and dragged underneath the vehicle. The contact pulled over and placed the parts in the trunk of the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the dealer but not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage 15,000. |
| Category | Visibility/wiper |
| Date | Aug 17, 2022 |
| State | GA |
| Description | I'm reporting this problem as follows. Drivers side mirror (glass) at speed exceeding 20 miles an hour vibrates causing issues with me seeing traffic coming up beside me on the drivers side. This problem with vibration only gets worse at highway speeds. This is a known problem to toyota. When I took my new toyota to the dealership I was told that both the dealership and toyota were aware of the problem with the mirror but could do nothing to correct the issue. My conversation was with clyde sanders service manager at riverside toyota. I was told this issue goes back about two years starting with the 2020 year model. There are numerous post on toyotas forum talking of this issue. This is not a one off issue but is tied to all toyota highlanders. I'm reporting this issue because I believe it is a safety issue that needs to be corrected. |
| Category | Visibility/wiper |
| Date | Aug 17, 2022 |
| State | OH |
| Description | Drivers side mirror shakes causing visibility to be blurred. The shaking makes me dizzy when trying to change lanes. Toyota has this same issue on their rav4 model and there is actually a fix. They need to make the car safe and not have mirrors that shake while driving. |
| Category | Seat Belts |
| Date | Aug 16, 2022 |
| State | CA |
| Description | The 2022 toyota hybrid highlander is advertised as a family vehicle that safely fits 7 passengers with the captain chairs. We purchased a brand new 2022 toyota highlander hybrid for our family of 5. However, you cannot safely install a booster car seat in the third row as advertised in any position. In every position of the third row the booster car seat covers the buckle not allowing you to secure the seat belt/booster seat. The car manual show on page 58-59 to install the booster seat on the passenger side of the third row but there is not enough space. The second picture shows a car seat in the middle using an anchor bracket that does not work for a booster seat and thus would also obsure other seat buckles thus not allowing the two other seats to be used. The seatbelts are deep in the seat and cannot be brought up to be safely buckled. Now 2 of the 3 seatbelts in the back stopped working. I've been upset about not being able to properly use the seatbelts since I purchased the vehicle. I had to buy a device you put around the buckle in order to lift it a little so that my children can buckle their seatbelts. This is a huge safety concern. The third row seat is useless. |
| Category | Visibility:windshield |
| Date | Aug 10, 2022 |
| State | MI |
| Description | The contact owns a 2022 toyota highlander. The contact stated that while driving approximately 25 mph, an acorn fell from a tree impacting the front glass windshield causing the glass windshield to become cracked. The manufacturer and local dealer were notified of the incident but no assistance was offered. The failure mileage was 10,000. |
| Category | Air Bags, Engine |
| Date | Aug 08, 2022 |
| State | GA |
| Description | The airbag malfunction alert message has been displayed for more than two months. The vehicle was taken to toyota of newnan (ga) dealership four times for repair; they kept my vehicle for an entire week at their facility the latest time (fourth). The problem still exists! It seems they have not taken this problem seriously because they have not called me regarding the problem. I called them so many times ... I need help from the your office because I have to use this vehicle for my three kids to go to and from schools every day. Please please please help me! Thank you. |
| Category | Chest Clip, Buckle, Harness, Insert, Padding |
| Date | Aug 08, 2022 |
| State | CA |
| Description | Inside ped cheep off and child hurt arm not safe we have this car seat for less than few months |
| Category | Vehicle Speed Control |
| Date | Jul 26, 2022 |
| State | MD |
| Description | The contact owns a 2022 toyota highlander. The contact stated that while her partner was reversing out of a driveway, the vehicle independently surged backward up a hill as her partner applied the brake pedal. Her partner was able to place the vehicle into drive which sent the vehicle forward. The vehicle hit a tree which stopped the acceleration. The contact heard screaming from inside her home and called 911 for assistance. The air bags did not deploy. Her partner was taken to the hospital for an examination and suffered no injuries. A police report was not filed. No property damage was reported. The dealer and the manufacturer were both notified about the failure, the vehicle was towed to the dealer for an impending investigation. The vehicle had yet to be repaired. The failure mileage was unknown. |
| Category | Seats |
| Date | Jul 25, 2022 |
| State | CA |
| Description | The left rear seat on my 2022 highlander doesn't stay locked in the first 3 detents. You think it is locked but when you lean back in the seat it slides through the next couple of detents. Toyota mechanic said he couldn't find anything wrong with the seat. I see this as a problem when using child safety seats. Parent's could think the seat is safely locked in position until they get rear ended and the seat slips through the next couple positions. |
| Category | Chest Clip, Buckle, Harness |
| Date | Jul 14, 2022 |
| State | MN |
| Description | When the child is buckled in and the straps are all tight, they can be pulled loose without using the release button at the bottom. This is incredibly unsafe and would make this car seat useless if we were to be in a car accident. My car seat has not been inspected but the manufacturer has been notified. |
| Category | Air Bags, Engine |
| Date | Jul 11, 2022 |
| State | GA |
| Description | 1. The srs airbag malfunction alert message has been displayed for more than a month. The vehicle was brought to the toyota dealer where it was purchased for being diagnosed and repaired twice, but the problem still exists now. [the alert message is always displayed and keeps the driver from seeing any other information on the instrument panel. This is annoying and very dangerous.] 2. The engine sometimes automatically turned off while the vehicle stopped and was waiting for green lights at intersections or yielding to other vehicles at stop signs. The driver had to start the engine again before continuing driving. The vehicle was also brought to the dealer where it was purchase for repair, but the technicians were unable to find the problem. |
| Category | Lane Departure: Warning, Service Brakes |
| Date | Jul 05, 2022 |
| State | OR |
| Description | When braking, and going down a slight grade, and when there is a slight bump in the road, the brakes seem to cut out for a second or surge. This will only last for a second and then the brakes will engage again. This could cause an accident if the car in front of me stops suddenly. On the lane departure warning, if an on ramp is merging into lanes (truck by passenger lanes on I-5 in portland), the lane departure gets confused by the merging lane markings and alters the steering. This could cause a crash |
| Category | Electrical System, Service Brakes, Vehicle Speed Control:accelerator Pedal |
| Date | Jun 21, 2022 |
| State | WI |
| Description | The contact owns a 2022 toyota highlander. The contact stated while driving 35-40 mph and attempting to accelerate to enter the highway, the accelerator pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle responded sluggishly. The vehicle emitted abnormal sounds as though the transmission was in neutral. The contact depressed the accelerator pedal all the way to the floorboard and the vehicle responded as intended. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact was able to continue driving. Additionally, the contact stated that while driving 40 mph, the brake pedal was depressed but hesitated to respond, causing 20 feet stopping distance delay. The contact stated that the failure mainly occurred in wet conditions, snowy conditions while driving approximately 60 mph. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and test driven. The dealer informed the contact that though the vehicle was sluggish, it was not concerning. However, the failure reoccurred increasingly. The vehicle was taken to the dealer for a second and third time. The dealer test drove the vehicle and informed the contact that they could not duplicate the failure. Additionally, the contact stated that there was a strong burning wire coating smell coming from grill radiator while driving approximately 60 mph. The contact stated that there was a metallic rotating sound coming from the air conditioning vent while using the heat. The contact stated that the sound persisted after turning off the vehicle. The contact also stated that there was an abnormal sound coming from the rear passenger's side subframe while reversing. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and a case was opened. The contact was awaiting a call back. The failure mileage was approximately 1,800. |
| Category | Visibility/wiper |
| Date | Jun 20, 2022 |
| State | NC |
| Description | On the driver side windshield, there is an inside crack/defect that keeps spreading causing glare while driving. The toyota dealer has been notified and they are working on paperwork to fix it. It appears to be in between the glass windshield. Pictures cannot show because of the glare from the reflection. |
| Category | Service Brakes |
| Date | Jun 07, 2022 |
| State | TX |
| Description | When parked for 15 to 20 minutes with the engine running then moving forward the brakes do not work. According to san marcos toyota this is normal. Speed od vechile is less than 5 miles per hour no brakes and this caused a very minor rear end colluisn. According to service the brake booster shuts 0ff. |
| Category | Structure:body |
| Date | Jun 05, 2022 |
| State | NY |
| Description | When cruising on a highway at around 70mph my driver side mirror started shaking. The visibility through that mirror is getting worse. The left side mirror is fine no issue with vibration. |
| Category | Unknown Or Other |
| Date | Apr 26, 2022 |
| State | AZ |
| Description | When braking the car will start braking then stop slowing down for 1/2 to 1 second and resume braking. If you have ever braked when hitting an ice patch this is exactly how it feels. The obvious answer was an intermittent braking problem and I was delighted to hear about the recall for the stability control. We had it reprogrammed last week but when driving it home it happened twice again but for the first time when braking the car actually accelerated 3-4 mph. This is clearly not a braking failure but a very brief intermittent acceleration of the electric motor when braking. When it occurs it is almost exclusively when making a moving right hand turn onto another road or entrance ramp. The starting speed is approx 35-45 mph when applying the brake so when into the turn the speed is 20-25 mph and your foot is still on the brake when the sensation of the car not braking occurs and lasts approx. 1/2 to 1 second before the car starts to slow again. So the sensation is that of an intermittent braking problem but it is actually a very brief acceleration of the electric motor. Not being able to slow the car at 30 mph for even 1/2 to 1 second the car will travel an additional 22-44 feet before braking resumes. This is dangerous and very difficult to diagnose. This is intermittent but we experience it on average every other day and on that day it can occur 2-3 times. Present since we got it new and now has 2,100 miles. |
| Category | Service Brakes |
| Date | Apr 11, 2022 |
| State | AZ |
| Description | When coming to a stop, intermittently the brakes feel like they disengage for a moment before kicking back in and lunging me forward. The first time it happened I thought my foot has slipped off the brake pedal. When I happened again, I knew something was wrong and started noting when it happens and the driving conditions. I have taken it in the dealer 4 times now, have opened a ticket with toyota and have been told since they can't reproduce the problem there isn't much they can do to fix it. The service manager did advise that a scan of my car revealed my abs/skid kicked in at one of the times I noted, but that was it. This malfunction is typically at low speeds and when apply the brake on a curve. There is no reason the abs to kick as as this doesn't occur when slamming on brakes, but normal braking. No warning lights have been noted on my car and confirmed by the dealership. I believe this could be a problem either causing a rear-ended or possibly a pedestrian crossing in the right conditions. The sensation is very unnerving and since it's intermittent, I believe something is not right. I have also found an online forum with multiple users reporting the same problem. Https://www. Toyotanation. Com/threads/2021-highlander-hybrid-platinum-not-braking-properly. 1694783/page-5#post-14619325 |
| Category | Unknown Or Other |
| Date | Mar 19, 2022 |
| State | OR |
| Description | We were driving and heard a loud boom. After the initial shock we saw that the moonroof had shattered. |
| Category | Visibility:sun/moon Roof Assembly |
| Date | Mar 17, 2022 |
| State | MO |
| Description | The contact owns a 2022 toyota highlander. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the sunroof glass exploded unexpectedly. There was no impact on the sunroof that could have caused it to shatter. The contact and her daughter did not sustain any injuries. The dealer was made aware of the failure and scheduled an upcoming appointment for inspection. The vehicle was repaired and was covered under warranty. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 2,050. |
| Category | Fuel/propulsion System |
| Date | Feb 20, 2022 |
| State | FL |
| Description | Car does not fill to stated 17. 1 gallon capacity. Most it will fill is between 12 to 13 gallons causing the vehicle to prematurely run out of gas. |
| Category | Fuel/propulsion System |
| Date | Feb 13, 2022 |
| State | AL |
| Description | The vehicle is advertised with a 17. 9 gallon fuel tank. But I can only get about 14 gallons in the tank. Gauge reads full but my distance to empty is only showing 286 miles. It should read closer to 400. |
| Category | Seat Belts, Seats |
| Date | Jan 23, 2022 |
| State | IL |
| Description | The toyota highlander was advertised as a family vehicle that safely fits 7 passengers with the captain chairs. We purchased a brand new 2022 toyota highlander for our family of 5. However, you cannot safely install a booster car seat in the third flow as advertised in any position. In every position of the third row the booster car seat covers the buckle not allowing you to secure the seat belt/booster seat. The car manual show on page 58-59 to install the booster seat on the passenger side of the third row but there is not enough space. The second picture shows a car seat in the middle using an anchor bracket that does not work for a booster seat and thus would also obsure other seat buckles thus not allowing the two other seats to be used. Toyota told us to bring the vehicle to a fire station to have the car seats installed. The fire station told us to contact to 1-866-seat-check or www. Seatcheck. Org to schedule an inspection and when we called them they said they do not inspect toyota vehicles. The dealership also suggested to us to purchase a seat belt extender. The manual also states on page 59 not to use a seat belt extender as this could cause serious injury or death. The third row does not have latches and only offers an achor in the middle seat of the back row not suitable for a booster car seat. I do not want any other family to go through what we have experienced and this is a matter of child safety. |
| Category | Unknown Or Other |
| Date | Nov 24, 2021 |
| State | CA |
| Description | When driving down interstate, ticking came from above followed by a loud bang. Moon roof busted out and glass shattered out while on interstate. |
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About the Author:
Brian Jones spent more than 20 years working as an ASE Certified Master Tech and Parts Specialist at multiple dealerships. Brian has become an authority in the industry, traveling across the country to consult for car dealerships and contributing his expertise as a writer for several major automotive publications. In his spare time, Brian enjoys working on pickup trucks, muscle cars, Jeeps and anything related to motorsports.
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My wife was in a 2022 toyota highlander on a major express highway in the middle lane , that was being driven by a Uber driver. The car for no reason just stalled, and came to stop in heavy traffic . All electrical system shut down. Has anyone out there experienced that problem ? . Thank God no one was hurt, but could of ended badly.
I have a 2022 Highlander and was driving interstate when my lower front bumper falls off. I did not hit any nor did anything fly into my lane. Are there any other Toyota Highlander owners have this same issue? Seems like a manufacturer issue but how can you prove that it is? Everything is plastic that holds it in place.