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2023 Toyota Highlander
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2023 Toyota Highlander — Safety Summary
The 2023 Toyota Highlander has 9 NHTSA safety recalls and 164 owner complaints on record. Transport Canada separately lists 7 Canadian recalls for this model. The most frequently reported complaint area is unknown or other. It earned an NHTSA overall safety rating of 5 out of 5. Based on this public data we rate its risk profile as high. Enter your VIN above to confirm which of these apply to your exact vehicle, then get the Smart Buyer Report for AI analysis of this model's reliability, common issues by mileage, and a pre-purchase inspection checklist.
NHTSA Safety Ratings
Government crash test results
NHTSA Recalls
9 recall(s) for this year/model
STEERING:COLUMN
12/07/2023Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2023 Corolla, Corolla Cross, Corolla Cross Hybrid, Highlander, Highlander Hybrid, Tacoma, 2023 Lexus RX350, RX350 Hybrid, RX500 Hybrid, 2023-2024 Lexus NX250, NX350, and NX350 Hybrid vehicles. An electrical connection inside the steering column's spiral cable assembly may be insufficiently welded, causing the connection to separate and deactivate the driver's air bag. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and replace the spiral cable assembly, if necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed September 8, 2023. Owners may contact Toyota's customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's number for this recall is 23TA08. Lexus' number for this recall is 23LA02.
STRUCTURE:BODY:BUMPERS
26/10/2023Toyota 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.
Remedy: Dealers will repair or replace the upper and lower front bumper covers as necessary, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed April 22, 2024. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's number for this recall is 23TB12/23TA12.
TIRES
06/06/2024Gulf States Toyota, Inc. (GST) is recalling certain 2022-2024 model year Highlander L and Highlander LE vehicles equipped with the Blackout Package that includes 20" black alloy wheels and tires. The installed tires have an insufficient load rating. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 110, "Tire Selection and Rims."
Remedy: GST will inspect and replace the tires as necessary, and install a new tire information label as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 8, 2024. Owners may contact GST customer service at 1-800-444-1074. GST's number for this recall is 24R1.
TIRES
18/06/2024Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC (SET) is recalling certain 2021-2024 Highlander vehicles. The 20-inch accessory tires with an insufficient load rating for the vehicle's Gross Axle Weight Rating (GAWR) were installed. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 110, "Tire Selection and Rims."
Remedy: SET will inspect and replace the tires and information placard, as necessary free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 16, 2024. Owners may contact SET's customer service at 1-866-405-4226. SET's number for this recall is SET24A.
EQUIPMENT:OTHER:LABELS
23/07/2024Gulf States Toyota, Inc. (GST) is recalling certain Toyota 2023 GR Supra, 2024 4 Runner, Corolla, Grand Highlander, Grand Highlander Hybrid, Land Cruiser Hybrid, Tacoma, Tacoma Hybrid, 2023-2024 BZ4X, Corolla Cross Hybrid, GR Corolla, GR86, Highlander, Highlander Hybrid, Prius, Prius Prime, Sequoia Hybrid, Tundra, Tundra Hybrid, Venza Hybrid, 2023-2025 Crown, and 2025 Camry Hybrid vehicles equipped with GST accessories. The load carrying capacity modification label may display inaccurate added weight values. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 110, "Tire Selection and Rims."
Remedy: GST will mail new labels to owners, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed September 16, 2024. Owners may contact GST customer service at 1-800-444-1074. GST's number for this recall is 24R2.
STEERING:COLUMN
29/01/2025Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2023 Toyota Corolla, Corolla Cross, Corolla Cross Hybrid, Highlander, Highlander Hybrid, Tacoma, Lexus RX350, 2023-2024 NX250, and NX350 vehicles that may have been incorrectly repaired under previous NHTSA recall number 23V-480. An electrical connection inside the steering column's spiral cable assembly may be insufficiently welded, causing the connection to separate and deactivate the driver's air bag. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and replace the spiral cable assembly as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 17, 2025. Owners may contact Toyota's customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's number for this recall is 25TA02. Lexus' number for this recall is 25LA02.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INSTRUMENT CLUSTER/PANEL
11/09/2025Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2023-2024 Toyota Venza, 2023-2025 RAV4 Prime, RAV4, Highlander, GR Corolla, Crown, 2024-2025 Lexus TX, LS, Toyota Tacoma, Grand Highlander, and 2025 Lexus RX, Toyota Crown Signia, Camry, RAV 4 Plug-in Hybrid (PHEV), and 4 Runner vehicles. Due to an error in the instrument panel software at vehicle startup, the instrument panel may fail to display vehicle speed, brake system, and tire pressure warning lights.
Remedy: Dealers will update the instrument panel software over-the-air (OTA) for non-PHEV vehicles, free of charge. For PHEV vehicles, dealers will inspect the instrument panel assembly, and either replace it, or update the software, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed December 5, 2025. Additional letters will be sent, anticipated in May 2026. This is a phased recall. Owners may contact Toyota's customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's numbers for this recall are 25TB08 and 25TA08. Lexus' numbers for this recall are 25LB05 and 25LA05.
BACK OVER PREVENTION:DISPLAY FUNCTION
30/10/2025Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2022-2026 Toyota, Lexus, and Subaru Solterra vehicles equipped with a Panoramic View Monitor (PVM) system. Please see the recall report for a complete list of models. A software error may cause the rearview camera to freeze or display a blank screen when the vehicle is in reverse. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 111, "Rear Visibility."
Remedy: Dealers will update the parking assist software, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed January 2, 2026. Owners may contact Toyota's customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's numbers for this recall are 25TB13 and 25LB06. Subaru's number for this recall is WRE25.
SEATS:MID/REAR ASSEMBLY:RECLINER
05/03/2026Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2021-2024 Highlander and Highlander Hybrid vehicles. The second-row seat backs may fail to lock into position during seat back adjustment.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the return springs in the seat back recliner assemblies, free of charge. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed April 27, 2026. Additional letters will be sent once the final remedy is available, anticipated August 27, 2026. This is a phased recall. Owners may contact Toyota’s customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's numbers for this recall are 26TB06 and 26TA06.
Transport Canada Recalls
7 Canadian recall(s) from the official Transport Canada database
Airbag
2023-07-12This recall was replaced by Transport Canada recall no. 2025-242. Issue: On certain vehicles, the steering wheel spiral cable assembly could disconnect. If this happens, the airbag (SRS) warning lamp would turn on, and the driver-front airbag wouldn't work in a crash. This may also cause the horn or other steering wheel-mounted controls not to work properly. Safety Risk: An airbag that doesn't work properly could increase the risk of injury in a crash. Corrective Actions: Toyota will notify owners by mail and advise you to take your vehicle to a dealership to inspect the production date of the spiral cable assembly, and replace it if necessary.
Structure
2023-10-26Issue: On certain vehicles, the front lower bumper cover may not be attached properly. As a result, if there is a minor impact to the front bumper, the lower bumper cover, engine under cover, and the fender liners could separate from the vehicle while driving. Safety Risk: Parts that detach from the vehicle could create a road hazard for others and increase the risk of a crash. Corrective Action: Toyota will notify owners by mail and advise you to take your vehicle to a dealership to inspect the front bumper cover and secure it. If damage is found, the dealer will also replace the upper and/or lower front bumper cover(s).
Airbag
2025-01-29Issue: On certain vehicles, the inspection completed by a Toyota dealer during recall SRC RF2 (Transport Canada recall no. 2023-386) may not have been done correctly. As a result, a second inspection is required. On certain vehicles, the steering wheel spiral cable assembly could disconnect. If this happens, the airbag (SRS) warning lamp would turn on, and the driver-front airbag wouldn't work in a crash. This may also cause the horn or other steering wheel-mounted controls not to work properly. Safety Risk: An airbag that doesn't work properly could increase the risk of injury in a crash. Corrective Actions: Toyota will notify owners by mail and advise you to take your vehicle to a dealership to inspect the production date of the spiral cable assembly, and replace it if necessary.
Airbag
2025-05-06Issue: On certain vehicles, the steering wheel spiral cable assembly could disconnect. If this happens, the airbag (SRS) warning lamp would turn on, and the driver-front airbag wouldn't work in a crash. This may also cause the horn or other steering wheel-mounted controls not to work properly. Note: This recall replaces Transport Canada recall no. 2023-386. Vehicles that were repaired under that recall don't require this repair. Safety Risk: An airbag that doesn't work properly could increase the risk of injury in a crash. Corrective Actions: Toyota will notify owners by mail and advise you to take your vehicle to a dealership to inspect the production date of the spiral cable assembly, and replace it if necessary.
Visual System
2025-09-11Issue: On certain vehicles, a software problem could cause the combination meter in the instrument panel not to display when the vehicle is started. As a result, you may not be able to see certain information about the vehicle, including the speedometer, fuel gauge, warning lights and malfunction tell-tales. Note: This recall only affects vehicles equipped with a 12.3-inch display. Safety Risk: Warnings, tell-tales and gauges that don't display could increase the risk of a crash. Corrective Actions: The company will notify owners by mail and advise you to take your vehicle to a dealership to update the combination meter software. Alternatively, certain eligible vehicles will be sent a wireless over-the-air software update, which you can install yourself. For certain vehicles, the dealer will also inspect and, if necessary, replace the combination meter.
Visual System
2025-10-30Issue: Under certain conditions, a software problem could cause the rearview camera image to freeze or not to display. If this happens, the rearview image may not display when the transmission is shifted into reverse. Canadian regulations require the rearview image to display when the vehicle is reversing. Note: This recall only affects certain vehicles equipped with a panoramic view monitor system. Safety Risk: A rearview camera image that doesn't display correctly could reduce a driver's ability to see behind the vehicle while backing up. This could increase the risk of a crash. Corrective Actions: The company will notify owners in writing and advise you to take your vehicle to a dealership to update the parking assist ECU software.
Seats And Restraints
2026-03-05Issue: On certain vehicles, the seatback recliners for the second-row seats may not have been manufactured properly. As a result, the seatback(s) may not lock in position and could move in a crash. Safety Risk: A seatback that moves could increase the risk of injury in a crash. Corrective Action: To reduce the safety risk, Toyota recommends not using the second-row seats to transport passengers until the recall repairs have been completed. Toyota will notify owners by mail and advise you to take your vehicle to a dealership to replace the spring in the second-row seatback recliner assemblies.
Contains information sourced from Transport Canada's Vehicle Recalls Database, licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada. Data is provided "as is" from Transport Canada's monthly release and may not reflect real-time updates. Transport Canada does not endorse this service. Always confirm open recalls with the manufacturer or Transport Canada before purchase.
Owner Complaints
164 complaint(s) filed with NHTSA
Top complaint categories:
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