2009 Toyota Highlander Hybrid: Reliability Data

Source: NHTSA — 55 complaints
55
Total Complaints
60,200mi
Median Mileage
SERVICE BRAKES
Top Issue
4
Crash Reports

When Do Complaints Happen?

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

10,500 25th Percentile
60,200 Median Mileage
124,842 75th Percentile

What Fails?

Most reported component issues from NHTSA complaints.

SERVICE BRAKES
17
SERVICE BRAKES, ELECTRIC
7
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
5
ENGINE
4
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
2
TIRES
2
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
2
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
2
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
2
HYBRID PROPULSION SYSTEM: INVERTER
2

Severity Assessment

4
Crashes
0
Fires
1
Injuries
0
Deaths

Sample Complaint Reports

"BRAKES FADE FOR A BRIEF MOMENT -- PERHAPS HALF OF A SECOND -- AND THEN COME BACK. ALTHOUGH THE BRAKES ARE BEING APPLIED CONSISTENTLY THROUGHOUT, THE SENSATION IS AS IF THE DRIVER WERE EASING OFF THE BRAKE AND THEN COMING BACK ON WITH MORE PRESSURE. *TR"
"I OWN A 2009 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER HYBRID, PURCHASED NEW IN AUG. 2009. I HAVE EXPERIENCED A FEW INCIDENTS RELATED TO BRAKING THAT ARE SIMILAR TO WHAT'S BEING DESCRIBED BY PRIUS OWNERS. ON CERTAIN ROAD SURFACES/CONDITIONS, I HAVE FELT WHAT I WOULD DESCRIBE AS A PAUSE IN THE BRAKING SYSTEM. IT'S ALMOST LI..."
"I WRITE TO HIGHLIGHT SOME UNUSUAL BEHAVIOR EXHIBITED BY MY 2009 HYBRID HIGHLANDERS BRAKING SYSTEM WHICH I PURCHASED IN MAY 2009. IN SHORT, IN CERTAIN DRIVING CONDITIONS, THERE IS A SLIGHT DELAY/PAUSE BETWEEN DEPRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL AND ANY BRAKING FORCE APPLIED BY THE BRAKING SYSTEM. THE DELAY ..."

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