2012 Toyota Highlander: Reliability Data

Source: NHTSA — 228 complaints
228
Total Complaints
48,000mi
Median Mileage
STEERING
Top Issue
20
Crash Reports

When Do Complaints Happen?

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

14,250 25th Percentile
48,000 Median Mileage
71,579 75th Percentile

What Fails?

Most reported component issues from NHTSA complaints.

STEERING
46
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
27
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
23
ENGINE
17
VISIBILITY/WIPER
14
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
14
STRUCTURE:BODY
14
SERVICE BRAKES
11
AIR BAGS
10
POWER TRAIN
7

Severity Assessment

20
Crashes
4
Fires
13
Injuries
0
Deaths

Sample Complaint Reports

"WHILE PULLING INTO PARKING SPACE IN PRIVATE SHOPPING MALL AT SLOW RATE OF SPEED THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY AND WITHOUT WARNING RAPIDLY ACCELERATED FORWARD INTO VEHICLE PARKED DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF MY VEHICLE. MY VEHICLE WENT UP AND OVER PARKED VEHICLE CAUSING DAMAGE TO BOTH VEHICLES. NO ONE WAS HURT IN T..."
"OCCASIONALLY, AFTER COMING TO A STOP, AND THEN TAKING OFF AND TURNING EITHER RIGHT OR LEFT, THE ENGINE WILL LOSE POWER FOR A FEW SECONDS. THE ENGINE DOES NOT SHUT OFF, IT JUST SLOWS DOWN TO JUST ABOVE IDLE SPEED FOR 3 OR 4 SECONDS AND THEN RESUMES NORMAL ACCELERATION OPERATION. *TR"
"DRIVERS AIRBAG FAILED TO DEPLOY IN ACCIDENT. FRONT END CRUSHED, PROBABLY $20,000 DAMAGE TO FRONT END ALTHOUGH TOW TRUCK DRIVER SAID IT WAS TOTALED. WIFE WAS DRIVING AND COULD HAVE BEEN INJURED IF SEAT BELT HAD FAILED ALSO. *TR"

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