CSR
Check a VIN

Look up

About

Toyota · NHTSA safety record

2022 Toyota Highlander

Every safety complaint, recall and defect investigation the US government holds on this vehicle.

Owners have filed 259 safety complaints about the 2022 Toyota Highlander with the US government. Of those, 17 describe a crash, 1 mentions a fire, 13 people were injured and 1 death is recorded. 5 recall campaigns are open against it.

The most complained-about system is the power train, named in 54 complaints, 21% of the total. The typical failure was reported at 28,750 miles, the median across the 30 complaints that gave an odometer reading.

Compiled from NHTSA's complaint, recall and investigation files · Covers November 2021 to September 2026 · How this is counted

What is on file

259 complaints on file

259

Complaints

17

Describe a crash

1

Mention fire

13

People injured

1

Deaths

A complaint is an unverified account by the person who filed it, not a finding of fault. One complaint is one ODI number, which is how NHTSA counts them.

Complaints more than doubled year on year: 82 in the twelve months to 2026-Q2, against 30 in the twelve before.

A recall is the manufacturer conceding a defect, and the repair is free. Whether one covers your particular car is a question only its VIN can answer, because a campaign covers a production range rather than a model year.

Which system owners named

Complaints naming each system
POWER TRAIN 54 · 21%
STRUCTURE 42 · 16%
UNKNOWN OR OTHER 38 · 15%
SERVICE BRAKES 37 · 14%
AIR BAGS 29 · 11%
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE 21 · 8%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 20 · 8%
SEATS 14 · 5%
EXTERIOR LIGHTING 12 · 5%
LANE DEPARTURE 11 · 4%
ENGINE 10 · 4%
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM 10 · 4%
0 23 46

Red marks a system with a recall campaign against it. One complaint can name several systems, so these add up to more than 259.

When the complaints arrived

By the year NHTSA received them

By the year NHTSA received them, which is not the year the failures happened. They peaked in 2026 at 91.

96 72 48 24
21 22 23 24 25 26

This is the year the complaint was filed, not the year the failure happened. The range runs from 2021 to 2026, the last of them a part year, which is why its column is drawn faint.

Crash test ratings

NHTSA New Car Assessment Program

NHTSA crashes a car into a barrier and a pole and measures what happens to the dummies inside. This is what it awarded the 2022 Toyota HIGHLANDER, and it is a separate question from what owners report going wrong later.

Test SUV AWD SUV FWD
Overall
Frontal crash
Frontal, driver
Frontal, passenger
Side crash
Side barrier
Side pole
Rollover
Chance of rollover 16.4% 16.9%
Stability control standard Forward collision warning standard Lane departure warning standard

A rating belongs to a tested body style and drivetrain, not to the model as a whole, which is why more than one is listed. A dash means NHTSA did not rate that test for this vehicle.

Recall campaigns

5 on file

SEATS:MID/REAR ASSEMBLY:RECLINER

26V128000 · March 5, 2026

The defect
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2021-2024 Highlander and Highlander Hybrid vehicles. The second-row seat backs may fail to lock into position during seat back adjustment.
The risk
A seat back that fails to lock may not properly restrain an occupant during a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
The remedy
Dealers will replace the return springs in the seat back recliner assemblies, free of charge. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed April 27, 2026. Additional letters will be sent once the final remedy is available, anticipated August 27, 2026. This is a phased recall. Owners may contact Toyota’s customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's numbers for this recall are 26TB06 and 26TA06.

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing · up to 550,007 vehicles across all model years covered

TIRES

24V452000 · June 18, 2024

The defect
Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC (SET) is recalling certain 2021-2024 Highlander vehicles. The 20-inch accessory tires with an insufficient load rating for the vehicle's Gross Axle Weight Rating (GAWR) were installed. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 110, "Tire Selection and Rims."
The risk
Tires with an insufficient load rating can be overloaded and fail, increasing the risk of a crash.
The remedy
SET will inspect and replace the tires and information placard, as necessary free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 16, 2024. Owners may contact SET's customer service at 1-866-405-4226. SET's number for this recall is SET24A.

Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC · up to 4,763 vehicles across all model years covered

TIRES

24V419000 · June 6, 2024

The defect
Gulf States Toyota, Inc. (GST) is recalling certain 2022-2024 model year Highlander L and Highlander LE vehicles equipped with the Blackout Package that includes 20" black alloy wheels and tires. The installed tires have an insufficient load rating. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 110, "Tire Selection and Rims."
The risk
Tires with an insufficient load rating may be overloaded and fail, increasing the risk of a crash.
The remedy
GST will inspect and replace the tires as necessary, and install a new tire information label as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 8, 2024. Owners may contact GST customer service at 1-800-444-1074. GST's number for this recall is 24R1.

Gulf States Toyota, Inc. · up to 4,869 vehicles across all model years covered

STRUCTURE:BODY:BUMPERS

23V720000 · October 26, 2023

The defect
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2020-2023 Highlander & Highlander Hybrid vehicles. During normal vehicle operation, minor impact to the front lower bumper cover may result in the cover coming loose or detaching.
The risk
A detached front bumper cover can become a road hazard, increasing the risk of a crash.
The remedy
Dealers will repair or replace the upper and lower front bumper covers as necessary, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed April 22, 2024. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's number for this recall is 23TB12/23TA12.

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing · up to 750,795 vehicles across all model years covered

EQUIPMENT:OTHER:LABELS

22V310000 · May 6, 2022

The defect
Gulf States Toyota, Inc. (GST) is recalling certain 2022 4Runner, Tacoma, Highlander, and Highlander Hybrid vehicles. The load carrying capacity modification labels may not be permanent and can fade, becoming illegible. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 110, "Tire Selection and Rims."
The risk
An illegible label may allow the vehicle to be overloaded, increasing the risk of a crash.
The remedy
GST will notify owners by mail, including a replacement load carrying capacity modification label for their vehicle and detailed replacement instructions, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 30, 2022. Owners may contact GST customer service at 1-800-444-1074. GST's number for this recall is 22R1.

Gulf States Toyota, Inc. · up to 661 vehicles across all model years covered

In owners’ own words

Quoted from the complaint file

Quoted from NHTSA's complaint file. These are unverified accounts by the people who filed them, not findings of fault.

FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING

1 death · crash · towed

My mother was killed on 5/27/22 by her brand new 2022 Highlander Platnum with about 2000 miles on it. There wasn’t anyone inside her car at the time of her wrongful death. No person’s car should kill it’s owner in her own driveway at anytime especially when the car was empty. The Police report has not been completed by the local Police department yet. The day before the accident she took her car to her dealership Hansel Toyota Petaluma at 9am where she bought her car only a few weeks earlier bc her front bumper had fallen off on the freeway to ask them to put her bumper back on but Hansel Toyota of Petaluma refused her reasonable request. What they told my parents was to go file a claim

NHTSA complaint 11499811, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

AIR BAGS

4 injured · crash · towed · 70,765 miles

The contact owns a 2022 Toyota Highlander. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the contact's vehicle was involved in a crash. The contact stated that the other vehicle that crashed into the contact stated the vehicle's speed was about 75 MPH. The contact stated that when the contact's vehicle was impacted, the contact's vehicle air bags failed to deploy. The contact stated that after the crash, the ABS warning light illuminated. The contact's vehicle was occupied by the contact's husband, who was seated in the front passenger's seat. The contact's two children, ages [XXX] and [XXX] old, were seated in the rear seat. The Police and Fire departments arrived on the

NHTSA complaint 11596425, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

AIR BAGS

4 injured · crash · towed

r 2022 Toyota Highlander was involved in a motor vehicle incident wherein the Vehicle Stability Control (VSC) and front airbags may not have functioned as expected.

NHTSA complaint 11648263. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

AIR BAGS

2 injured · crash · towed

Was in collision - front impact- vehicle was a total loss, airbags did not deploy for driver or passenger side

NHTSA complaint 11753127. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

AIR BAGS
The Airbag and the windshield piller A trim was not properly repaired by Yark Toyota in [XXX] after an accident prior to selling it to the next customer on XXX. Inspection of car finding this out was on XXX INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA complaint 11768053. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

POWER TRAIN

crash

On September 23, 2026, at approximately 7:30 AM, I was driving the vehicle in a parking garage at an estimated speed of approximately 10 mph. While driving over a curve in the parking garage and applying the brakes to slow the vehicle and maneuver into a parking space, the vehicle suddenly accelerated on its own despite the brakes being applied. The vehicle struck the metal wire safety fence and then came to a stop. Prior to this incident, over the preceding 2–3 months, I had experienced intermittent problems with the transmission. Specifically, when shifting from neutral to reverse, the transmission would occasionally become temporarily stuck or fail to engage properly. It would then begin

NHTSA complaint 11768070, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL
Cruise control malfunction light illuminated.

NHTSA complaint 11767142. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: WARNINGS
Front camera unavailable, PKSB malfunction, Pre-collision system malfunction and headlight system malfunction lights came on.

NHTSA complaint 11767146. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Pre-collision system malfunction and headlight system malfunction lights came on.

NHTSA complaint 11767148. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

AIR BAGS
PKSB malfunction, pre-collision system malfunction, headlight system malfunction, SRS air bag system malfunction and LTA malfunction light came on.

NHTSA complaint 11767150. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

Compare

Other years of the Toyota Highlander

Model year Complaints Recalls Deaths
2025 10 3 —
2024 42 7 —
2023 182 9 —
2021 522 4 —
2020 317 4 —
2019 486 3 —
2018 266 4 —
2017 267 3 —
2016 110 2 —
2015 192 1 —
2014 136 4 1
2013 207 3 —
2012 182 2 —
2011 181 5 —
2010 216 10 —

Other 2022 Toyota models

Tundra 428 RAV4 145 Corolla 101 Camry 61 Tacoma 59 Corolla Cross 46 Venza Hybrid 42 4Runner 39

Complaints on file, same model year.

Every Toyota on this site — 281 vehicles.

If this is your car and a dealer keeps failing to fix it, your state's lemon law may require the manufacturer to replace it or buy it back. How many repair attempts it takes, and how long you have to file, is set by the state you bought in and by nothing on this page.

Where these numbers come from

A complaint is one owner's account and has not been verified by NHTSA or by us. A vehicle with more complaints is not necessarily worse: models that sold in larger numbers collect more of them. How this is counted.

Compiled and maintained by
Independent developer and analyst