2004 Toyota Highlander: Reliability Data

Source: NHTSA — 335 complaints
335
Total Complaints
55,675mi
Median Mileage
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
Top Issue
42
Crash Reports

When Do Complaints Happen?

Distribution of NHTSA complaints by vehicle mileage at time of report.

19,523 25th Percentile
55,675 Median Mileage
100,336 75th Percentile

What Fails?

Most reported component issues from NHTSA complaints.

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
46
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
33
STEERING
23
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
18
ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)
15
ENGINE
15
VISIBILITY
10
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
10
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
9
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
8

Severity Assessment

42
Crashes
3
Fires
25
Injuries
47
Deaths

Sample Complaint Reports

"I HAVE A 2004 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER. ON MY WAY TO GEORGIA ON INTERSTATE 75, WHILE GOING 70 MILES PER HOUR, I ROLLED DOWN THE BACK WINDOWS.THE VEHICLE VIOLENTLY SHOOK AND THE PRESSURE INSIDE WAS PIERCING TO MY EARS, I FELT LIKE THE BACK REAR WINDOW WAS GOING TO BLOW OUT. THE VHEICLE SHOOK SO VIOLENTY,..."
"AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. A NISSAN PATHFINDER CUT IN FRONT OF ME AND I CRASHED INTO HIM. I WAS DRIVING ABOUT 50 MPH WHEN HE SUDDENLY VEERED INTO MY LAND. I TRIED TO BRAKE, BUT THERE WASN'T TIME AND I HIT THE BACK OF HIS PATHFINDER AND THEN SPUN AROUND AND HIT THE GUARDRAIL. THE SEAT BELTS EXPLODED,..."
"UNINTENDED ACCELERATION PROBLEM, IN A BRAND NEW TOYOTA HIGHLANDER CAUSING AN ACCIDENT. (IT HAD THE SAME PROBLEM TWICE BEFORE)"

Source: NHTSA ODI Complaints Database. Names and identifying details omitted.

Data source: View this vehicle on NHTSA.gov | NHTSA ODI Complaints Database. Public domain.

Methodology: Complaint counts and mileage distributions are computed directly from consumer-reported NHTSA complaints. This data represents reported issues, not failure rates — vehicles without complaints are not represented. Full methodology.

Data through: 2026-03-28