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2014 Toyota Highlander

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 2014 Toyota Highlander do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 186.5.

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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

93 reports with mileage · 42 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.

  • Electrical System. Review the 35 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Structure. Review the 32 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Power Train. Review the 8 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

5 crash reports1 fire reports6 injury reports

Exterior Lighting complaints

2 reports
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Mileage unknown · Jun 3, 2025
Exterior Lighting

Rear lights located both on the tailgate and body of the vehicle. The lights covers failed to remain adhered to the lights themselves and fell off and are partially adhered as a result of what appears to be a failure of the adhesion material . Two light covers may have been lost while driving. Unknown if their loss resulted in d…

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Rear lights located both on the tailgate and body of the vehicle. The lights covers failed to remain adhered to the lights themselves and fell off and are partially adhered as a result of what appears to be a failure of the adhesion material . Two light covers may have been lost while driving. Unknown if their loss resulted in damage(s) to others. Without the outer cover results in the exposure of the lights to weather and potential failure. Review with Toyota of Orange service manager confirm the failure of adhesive/ manufacturing process of the lights

NHTSA ODI #11664729

Mileage unknown · Sep 3, 2017
Exterior Lighting

THE LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS ARE MELTING THE PLASTIC COVER ON THE HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLIES. BOTH SIDES ARE MELTING FROM THE HEAT OF THE LOW BEAM LIGHT BULBS. IT WAS FIRST NOTICED AT 37,000 MILES, AT 3 YEARS OLD. FACTORY INSTALLED PARTS, NO MODIFICATIONS HAVE BEEN DONE TO THE VEHICLE. THE LOW BEAM LIGHTS ARE ONLY OPERATING AT NIGHT,…

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THE LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS ARE MELTING THE PLASTIC COVER ON THE HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLIES. BOTH SIDES ARE MELTING FROM THE HEAT OF THE LOW BEAM LIGHT BULBS. IT WAS FIRST NOTICED AT 37,000 MILES, AT 3 YEARS OLD. FACTORY INSTALLED PARTS, NO MODIFICATIONS HAVE BEEN DONE TO THE VEHICLE. THE LOW BEAM LIGHTS ARE ONLY OPERATING AT NIGHT, ABOUT 25% OF THE DRIVING TIME ON THE VEHICLE, SO THE MELTING OCCURRED WITHIN APPROXIMATELY 10,000 MILES OF DRIVING TIME. THE VEHICLE WAS OUT OF WARRANTY WHEN IT WAS REPORTED TO TOYOTA, BUT THIS MELTING HAS BEEN OCCURRING SINCE DAY ONE. THIS DEFECT WILL AFFECT THE SAFETY OF NIGHTTIME DRIVING IN THE VEHICLE. WORKED FOR MONTHS WITH DEALERSHIP, UNSATISFACTORY RESOLUTION.

NHTSA ODI #11021275

Official recalls

4

14V576000 · Fuel System, Gasoline:delivery:hoses, Lines/piping, And Fittings

Sep 19, 2014

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain model year 2014 Toyota Avalon, Camry, Sienna, and Highlander and model year 2015 Lexus RX350 vehicles. Fuel may leak from the one of the fuel delivery pipes in the engine compartment.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source increases the risk of a fire.

Remedy: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will replace any of the suspect fuel delivery pipes free of charge. The recall began November 17, 2014. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331.

14V272000 · Electrical System:software; Seat Belts

May 22, 2014

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain model year 2014 Highlander and Highlander Hybrid vehicles. The affected vehicles may have improper software installed in the air bag electronic control unit (ECU) for the operation of the front passenger seat belt force limiter, and as a result, the force limiter may use the restraint setting designed for small occupants, such as those that weigh approximately 110 pounds, for all occupants regardless of their size. As such, some of these vehicles do not conform to Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: In the event of a crash, a larger front passenger seat occupant may not be properly restrained and be at an increased risk of injury.

Remedy: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will install a software update in the air bag electronic control unit, free of charge. The recall began on June 27, 2014. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331.

Additional source detail variants (2)

Electrical System:software

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain model year 2014 Highlander and Highlander Hybrid vehicles. The affected vehicles may have improper software installed in the air bag electronic control unit (ECU) for the operation of the front passenger seat belt force limiter, and as a result, the force limiter may use the restraint setting designed for small occupants, such as those that weigh approximately 110 pounds, for all occupants regardless of their size. As such, some of these vehicles do not conform to Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."

Consequence: In the event of a crash, a larger front passenger seat occupant may not be properly restrained and be at an increased risk of injury.

Remedy: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will install a software update in the air bag electronic control unit, free of charge. The recall began on June 27, 2014. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331.

Seat Belts

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain model year 2014 Highlander and Highlander Hybrid vehicles. The affected vehicles may have improper software installed in the air bag electronic control unit (ECU) for the operation of the front passenger seat belt force limiter, and as a result, the force limiter may use the restraint setting designed for small occupants, such as those that weigh approximately 110 pounds, for all occupants regardless of their size. As such, some of these vehicles do not conform to Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."

Consequence: In the event of a crash, a larger front passenger seat occupant may not be properly restrained and be at an increased risk of injury.

Remedy: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will install a software update in the air bag electronic control unit, free of charge. The recall began on June 27, 2014. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331.

14V274000 · Seats:mid/rear Assembly

May 22, 2014

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain model year 2014 Highlander vehicles manufactured April 23, 2014, through April 29, 2014. The affected vehicles may have a second row right-hand seat assembly that does not fully lock into the inboard seat track in the forward first, second and third adjusting positions. As such, these vehicles do not conform to Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 207, "Seating Systems."

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: If the seat does not fully lock into the inboard seat track, the seat could move, increasing the risk of injury to an occupant in the event of a crash.

Remedy: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and, if necessary, replace the second row right-hand seat, free of charge. The recall began in July 2014. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331.

14V051000 · Seat Belts:rear/other

Feb 7, 2014

Toyota is recalling certain model year 2014 Highlander vehicles manufactured November 20, 2013, through January 18, 2014. The third row middle seat belt assembly might not have been properly secured to the vehicle floor anchorage during vehicle assembly. As such, these vehicles fail to conform to the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 210, "Seat Belt Assembly Anchorages."

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: A seat belt that is not properly secured to its anchorage could increase the risk of injury to an occupant in the event of a crash.

Remedy: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the third row middle seat belt anchor, and, if necessary, properly secure it to the vehicle floor anchorage, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin in March 2014. Owners may 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

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.