Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
360–25K
1525–50K
3150–75K
3875–100K
74100–150K
19150K+
213 reports with mileage · 45 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.
Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 46 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Engine. Review the 41 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Visibility. Review the 31 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
33 crash reports1 fire reports10 injury reports
What owners actually said
258 reports
Mileage unknown · Nov 10, 2004
Visibility
AUTOMATIC WINDOW LOCK MECHANISM CONTINUED TO GO UP AND DOWN WITH A SINGLE TOUCH. THIS ONLY HAPPENED ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE. CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO THE DEALER, BUT THE DEALER STATED THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO, AND FOR THE CONSUMER TO CALL TOYOTA. CONSUMERS MAIN CONCERN WAS THAT A CHILD COULD GET STRANGLED TO DEATH IF UNSUPE…
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AUTOMATIC WINDOW LOCK MECHANISM CONTINUED TO GO UP AND DOWN WITH A SINGLE TOUCH. THIS ONLY HAPPENED ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE. CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO THE DEALER, BUT THE DEALER STATED THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO, AND FOR THE CONSUMER TO CALL TOYOTA. CONSUMERS MAIN CONCERN WAS THAT A CHILD COULD GET STRANGLED TO DEATH IF UNSUPERVISED. *AK
NHTSA ODI #10099770
Mileage unknown · Nov 3, 2004
Visibility
WINDSHIELD WIPERS CAME ON AND OFF. CONSUMER DROVE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION,MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK
NHTSA ODI #10099354
15,000 miles · Sep 7, 2004
Tires
I PURCHASE A NEW TOYOTA HIGHLANDER AUGUST 2003. HAD A FLAT TIRE 6 SEPTEMBER 2004. WENT TO GET THE TIRE REPAIRED AND THE TIRE DEALER FOUND A PATCH ON THE INSIDE OF THE TIRE. DOT OF THE TIRE IS M65L B3DR 0603. THIS TIRE WAS INSTALLED ON A NEW VEHICLE WITH A PATCH. I AM CONCERNED ABOUT MY SAFETY, MY WIFE'S SAFETY, AND MY GRANDCHILD…
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I PURCHASE A NEW TOYOTA HIGHLANDER AUGUST 2003. HAD A FLAT TIRE 6 SEPTEMBER 2004. WENT TO GET THE TIRE REPAIRED AND THE TIRE DEALER FOUND A PATCH ON THE INSIDE OF THE TIRE. DOT OF THE TIRE IS M65L B3DR 0603. THIS TIRE WAS INSTALLED ON A NEW VEHICLE WITH A PATCH. I AM CONCERNED ABOUT MY SAFETY, MY WIFE'S SAFETY, AND MY GRANDCHILDREN'S SAFETY USING THIS METHODOLOGY. HOW MANY OTHER TIRE THAT I HAVE, HAVE PATCHES. I DON'T THINK THIS SHOULD BE ALLOWED. I FEEL IT IS A GRAVE SAFETY CONCERN. I AM PURCHASING A TIRE WITHOUT A PATCH BUT DON'T KNOW ABOUT MY OTHER TIRES. *AK
NHTSA ODI #10090555
10,000 miles · Aug 27, 2004
Vehicle Speed ControlCrashInjury
MY 2003 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER ACCELERATED AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED WHILE THE BRAKE WAS FULLY APPLIED AS I TURNED INTO A PARKING SPOT. LUCKILY, IT HAPPENED WHEN I WAS 60% OR SO INTO THE SPACE, AS I ONLY ACCELERATED INTO A BRICK WALL, NOT ANOTHER CAR OR PERSON. *AK
NHTSA ODI #10088657
22,934 miles · Aug 19, 2004
Tires
BRIDGESTONE, DUELER H/T, P225/70R16 TIRE HAD A BULGE IN THE SIDEWALL DISCOVERED AT DEALERSHIP WHERE WE PURCHASED THE VEHICLE. TOLD IT WAS DEFECTIVE. WENT TO BRIDGESTONE, IT TOOK THEM 5 MONTHS TO COME UP WITH A REPLACEMENT AND THEY THEN REFUSED TO WARRANTY. IT HAD 22,934 MILES.*AK
NHTSA ODI #10088238
5,000 miles · Jul 26, 2004
Visibility
WHEN DRIVING WITH THE THE WINDOWS DOWN THERE WAS A LOUD NOISE, AND IT INCREASED WHEN VEHICLE SPEED INCREASED. MANUFACTURE STATED THAT THEY WERE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. IT WAS A DESIGN ISSUE, AND WILL NOT REPAIR IT UNLESS THEY WAS A LARGE VOLUME OF COMPLAINTS.*AK
NHTSA ODI #10083591
11,350 miles · Jul 16, 2004
Tires
GOODYEAR INTEGRITY PASSENGER CAR TIRES CAME ON MY 2003 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER SUV. LF TIRE BLEW OUT AT 11,350 MILES AS I WAS MERGING ON TO EXPRESSWAY. AUTHORIZED GOODYEAR DEALER COULD FIND NO EVIDENCE OF ROAD HAZARD DAMAGE TO TIRE. DOT M65L B3DR 2202 STAMPED ON TIRE.*AK
NHTSA ODI #10081178
3,973 miles · Jun 17, 2004
Fuel System, Other
GAS GAUGE BROKE, 2/12/04, 4/20/04 AND 6/11/04. WHEN YOU PUT GAS IN THE CAR THE NEEDLE WOULD NOT REGISTER. SERVICE CLAIMS THAT THEY KEPT FIXING IT FROM 2/12/04. *JB
NHTSA ODI #10078374
10 miles · Apr 27, 2004
SteeringUnknown Or Other
1) VIBRATION WITH ONE OR MORE WINDOWS DOWN. 2) FRONT END PULLING TO ONE SIDE WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEED. TAKEN TO TWO DIFFERENT DEALERSHIPS ON SEVERAL OCCASSIONS FOR SERVICING. TOLD AT THE DEALERSHIP OF PURCHASE NOTHING WAS WRONG. THEY REFUSED TO DRIVE IT ON THE FREEWAY AT FREEWAY SPEED TO DETERMINE IF THERE WAS A PROBL…
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1) VIBRATION WITH ONE OR MORE WINDOWS DOWN. 2) FRONT END PULLING TO ONE SIDE WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEED. TAKEN TO TWO DIFFERENT DEALERSHIPS ON SEVERAL OCCASSIONS FOR SERVICING. TOLD AT THE DEALERSHIP OF PURCHASE NOTHING WAS WRONG. THEY REFUSED TO DRIVE IT ON THE FREEWAY AT FREEWAY SPEED TO DETERMINE IF THERE WAS A PROBLEM. BECAUSE THE SERVICE MANAGER ONLY DROVE THE VEHICLE ON CITY STREETS, PULLING DID NOT OCCUR. SECOND DEALERSHIP DROVE VEHICLE ON FREEWAY AND DETERMINED THERE WAS NO PROBLEM, STEERING, ALIGNMENT, TIRES AND BALANCE ARE ALL OK. DROVE VEHICLE HOME FROM SECOND DEALERSHIP, EXPERIENCED THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM OF PULLING. I MUST HOLD THE STEERING WHEEL TIGHT OTHERWISE THE VEHICLE WILL VEER OUT OF LANE. SPEEDS DRIVING RANGE FROM 50 TO 70 MPH. TOYOTA CORPORATE STATED THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO SINCE TOYOTA SERVICE CENTERS DETERMINED THERE WAS NO PROBLEM-USELESS COMPLAINT PROCESS WHICH ONLY PROTECTS THE DEALERSHIPS. I'M TRADING THE VEHICLE IN FOR SOMETHING ELSE. I INTEND TO TEST DRIVE ANY VEHICLE ON THE FREEWAY PRIOR TO PURCHASING.
NHTSA ODI #10067926
100 miles · Apr 25, 2004
Structure
TOYOTA HIGHLANDER: WITH ONE REAR WINDOW ROLLED DOWN, SLIGHTLY, THERE IS VERY PAINFULL NOISE THAT IS ALMOST UNBEARABLE WHILE DRIVING AT CITY SPEEDS (30-45 MPH). MANF. STATES THAT THIS IS COMMON IN SOME VEHICLES. IN THIS ONE IT IS BECAUSE THE VEHICLE IS SO TIGHTLE SEALED THERE IS NO PLACE FOR THE AIR TO GO THUS CREATING A PRESSURE…
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TOYOTA HIGHLANDER: WITH ONE REAR WINDOW ROLLED DOWN, SLIGHTLY, THERE IS VERY PAINFULL NOISE THAT IS ALMOST UNBEARABLE WHILE DRIVING AT CITY SPEEDS (30-45 MPH). MANF. STATES THAT THIS IS COMMON IN SOME VEHICLES. IN THIS ONE IT IS BECAUSE THE VEHICLE IS SO TIGHTLE SEALED THERE IS NO PLACE FOR THE AIR TO GO THUS CREATING A PRESSURE DIFFERENCE. NOTICED ON 2ND ADAY AFTER DELIVERY. DEALER FAILED TO PROVIDE US WITH INFO ABOUT THIS PROBLEM. IN FACT THEY CLAIMED IF WAS THE FIRST THEY HAD HEARD ABOUT THIS PROBLEM. NOW AFTER 10 MONTHS I WAS DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE AT 65 MPH, WITH ALL THE WINDOWS SLIGHLTY DOWN AND THE PROBLEM IS WORSE THANEVER. THIS IS A DESIN FLAW THAT TOYOTA HAS FAILED TO CORRECT. THIS GOING TO THE LAST TOYOTA OUR FAMILY WILL PURCHASE!!! CARL783@JUNO.COM. *AK
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.
ON CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH FIVE FACTORY ALLOY WHEELS (MODEL 6934 AND 6936), WITH FACTORY LLAT, AND WITH PORT INSTALLED WR4, FOUR ALLOY WHEEL UPGRADE PROCESSED AT THE JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA PORT AND DISTRIBUTED BY SOUTHEAST TOYOTA DISTRIBUTORS IN THE STATES OF ALABAMA, FLORIDA, GEORGIA, NORTH AND SOUTH CAROLINA, WHEN THE VEHICLES WERE PROCESSED AT THE PORT, AN ALLOY TIRE/WHEEL UPGRADE WAS INSTALLED. THE UPGRADE INCLUDED 4 ALLOY WHEELS. THE ORIGINAL SPARE TIRE/ALLOY WHEEL WAS NOT CHANGED. THE SPARE TIRE REQUIRES THE USE OF A DIFFERENT STYLE OF WHEEL NUT TO ATTACH IT TO THE VEHICLE.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: IF THE SPARE TIRE/WHEEL IS INSTALLED ON THE VEHICLE USING THE WHEEL NUTS PROVIDED FOR THE UPGRADE ALLOY WHEEL, DAMAGE TO THE WHEEL COULD RESULT AND COULD EVENTUALLY LEAD TO A LOOSE WHEEL.
Remedy: OWNERS WILL BE PROVIDED WITH DIFFERENT STYLE LUG NUTS, A WARNING LABEL FOR THE SPARE RE/ALLOY WHEEL, AND AN OWNER'S MANUAL ADDENDUM.
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
0
No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.
2003 Toyota Highlander Problems, Complaints & Recalls | Skip That Year
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