IllustrationNO SUMMARY. DT
2002 Toyota Highlander
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 2002 Toyota Highlander do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 186.5.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Highlander years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
220–25K
4625–50K
3950–75K
3975–100K
44100–150K
15150K+
205 reports with mileage · 96 unknown
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Visibility. Review the 123 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Vehicle Speed Control. Review the 31 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Structure. Review the 24 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
24 crash reports6 fire reports17 injury reports
Unknown Or Other complaints
14 reportsTOW RECEIVER HITCH DISCONNECTED FROM VEHICLE WHILE TOWING SMALL BOAT TRAILER. FORTUNATELY NO ONE WAS INJURED BUT ACCIDENT COULD HAVE CAUSED SERIOUS INJURIES IF TRAILER OVERTURNED ON INTERSTATE. ACCIDENT CAUSED BY A DESIGN DEFECT IN THE PIN ASSEMBLY THAT HOLDS HITCH TO VEHICLE. THE PIN RETAINER CAN BECOME DISLODGED AS VEHICLE…
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TOW RECEIVER HITCH DISCONNECTED FROM VEHICLE WHILE TOWING SMALL BOAT TRAILER. FORTUNATELY NO ONE WAS INJURED BUT ACCIDENT COULD HAVE CAUSED SERIOUS INJURIES IF TRAILER OVERTURNED ON INTERSTATE. ACCIDENT CAUSED BY A DESIGN DEFECT IN THE PIN ASSEMBLY THAT HOLDS HITCH TO VEHICLE. THE PIN RETAINER CAN BECOME DISLODGED AS VEHICLE VIBRATION CAUSES IT TO RIDE UP OVER BRACKETS THAT HOLD HITCH TO VEHICLE. THIS VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED AS A TOW VEHICLE BUT IT CLEARLY CAN NOT BE USED AS SUCH DUE TO THIS MANUFACTURER DESIGN DEFECT. SINCE MOST TOYOTA HIGHLANDERS ARE SOLD IN THE NEW ENGLAND AREA WITH THE FACTORY TOW PACKAGE. THIS DEFECT COULD LEAD TO OTHER SERIOUS ACCIDENTS. DT
ON TWO OCCASIONS, WHILE DRIVING, THE SUNLIGHT WOULD SHINE THROUGH THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE WINDOW, REFLECTING OFF THE SHINY WOOD LIKE PANEL OVER THE GLOVE COMPARTMENT BLINDING THE DRIVER, THIS OCCURED FOR OVER AN HOUR ON BOTH OCCASIONS, CONSUMER TRIED AND HELD NEWSPAPERS AND ROAD MAPS AGAINST THE WINDOW TO BLOCK THE SUN RAYS, BU…
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ON TWO OCCASIONS, WHILE DRIVING, THE SUNLIGHT WOULD SHINE THROUGH THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE WINDOW, REFLECTING OFF THE SHINY WOOD LIKE PANEL OVER THE GLOVE COMPARTMENT BLINDING THE DRIVER, THIS OCCURED FOR OVER AN HOUR ON BOTH OCCASIONS, CONSUMER TRIED AND HELD NEWSPAPERS AND ROAD MAPS AGAINST THE WINDOW TO BLOCK THE SUN RAYS, BUT THE TRIM IN THE CAR WAS TOO LONG AND RECAPTURED THE SUNLIGHT AS THE HIGHWAY CURVED, MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED OF THIS DESIGN FLAW. *TT
EXTREME AIR PRESSURE WHEN DRIVING ABOVE 35 MPH, AND EITHER REAR WINDOWS ARE OPEN. IT FEELS AS THOUGH RIDING IN AN AIRPLANE. IT MAKES EARS FEEL FUNNY.*AK
Official recalls
204V181000 · Latches/locks/linkages:doors:latch
Apr 15, 2004
CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES HAVE A CHILD PROTECTION LOCK (CPL) SYSTEM ON BOTH OF THE REAR SIDE DOORS. WHEN AN OPERATOR OF THE VEHICLE CLOSES THE DOOR VERY HARD WITH THE CPL LEVER SET TO THE LOCK POSITION, THERE IS A POSSIBILITY THAT THE LEVER MAY CONTACT THE BODY PANEL, CAUSING THE CPL LEVER TO MOVE INTO THE UNLOCK POSITION.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THIS CONDITION COULD ALLOW THE DOOR TO BE OPENED WITH THE INSIDE WHILE THE OPERATOR BELIEVES THAT THE CPL WAS ACTIVATED. IF THE DOOR WERE OPENED FROM THE INSIDE WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION, AN OCCUPANT COULD FALL OUT AND BE INJURED.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL SHORTEN THE CPL LEVER. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN MAY 7, 2004. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT TOYOTA AT 1-800-331-4331.
02V208000 · Fuel System, Gasoline:storage:tank Assembly:mounting
Jul 30, 2002
ON SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, THERE IS A BREATHER HOSE THAT ATTACHES TO THE NOZZLE OF THE ON-BOARD REFUELING VAPOR RECOVERY (ORVR) VALVE, WHICH IS LOCATED ON THE TOPSIDE OF THE FUEL TANK. THE BREATHER HOSE IS ATTACHED WITH A CLAMP, WHOSE "TABS" FACE IN THE UPWARD DIRECTION. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS CRASHED UNDER THE NEW CAR ASSESSMENT PROGRAM (NCAP) TEST (I.E., 35 MPH FRONTAL BARRIER CRASH), THE CLAMP "TABS" CONTACTED THE UNDERSIDE OF THE BODY DUE TO MOVEMENT OF THE FUEL TANK, CAUSING THE NOZZLE TO BREAK.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: IN THE WORST CASE, NOZZLE BREAKAGE COULD RESULT IN FUEL LEAKAGE IF THE VEHICLE ROLLS-OVER AFTER A HIGH SPEED FRONTAL CRASH.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL ROTATE THE SPECIFIED CLAMP. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN SEPTEMBER 23, 2002. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT TOYOTA AT 1-800-331-4331.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.