2012 Toyota Highlander Problems

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 68,000 miles.

What to check before you buy

• Turn the wheel lock to lock while parked and listen for groaning, clicking or binding.
• On a straight road the car should track straight with the wheel centered and no loose feeling.
• A power steering warning on the dash, even briefly, deserves a mechanic’s look before you buy.

Tools that help

What owners said

Popping and clunking sound in steering or suspension. Can be produced at speeds and at stand still. Could it be this? https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/tsbs/2013/SB-10075792-2280.pdf https://www.carcomplaints.com/Toyota/Highlander/2013/steering/steering.shtml NHTSA Action Number: EA18006…Owner complaint, filed 2021

When I drive the vehicle you can hear a clunking sound in the steering column. It happens at low and high speeds. When make a turn right, or left you hear clunking is the steering column. It feels like the steering wants to come off, took it to the dealer and they state to fix it will cost over 1000$. I head there was a defect in the…Owner complaint, filed 2021, at 90,000 miles

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 48,000 miles.

What to check before you buy

• Test every switch: windows, locks, mirrors, seat heaters, the screen, the backup camera, Bluetooth and every USB port.
• Watch the dash at startup. Every warning light should come on briefly and then go out.
• Have the battery and charging system tested. A weak alternator or battery drain shows up here.

Tools that help

What owners said

My 2012 highlander currently has 110,000 miles on the vehicle. At this time none of the power doors locks work when the key fob or door button is depressed. It has been confirmed by my local toyota dealership, that all four lock actuators are faulty. The estimate to fix this problem was presented to me at $2,000.00. I have owned multiple…Owner complaint, filed 2020, at 90,000 miles

Driving in a major city, with my wife and two small boys in the back seat, came up on a stop (police closed the road and traffic was stopped. We wait 10 minutes before I place the car into park and doors unlocked. Once traffic started moving only, we heard lock the locks engage but they actually did not engage thus leaving all doors…Owner complaint, filed 2019, at 114,100 miles

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 48,000 miles. Parts named most: Body (14).

What to check before you buy

• Look underneath with a flashlight. Utah road salt is hard on frames, brake lines and the bottoms of doors.
• Open and close every door, the hood and the liftgate, and lock and unlock each one.
• Use a paint thickness gauge and compare panels. A panel that reads very differently from the rest has likely been repaired.

Tools that help

What owners said

Hello, to whom it may concern: My 2012 Toyota Highlander Color Pearl White vin [XXX] ) has a repaint recall before Nov 2024. I was told at the dealer that I have to contact the Toyota dealers until I get the opportunity to get it paint. I was told that I had to contact any Toyota dealer until I get a date of acceptance. Thinking that it…Owner complaint, filed 2024

The contact owns a 2012 Toyota Highlander. The contact stated that he noticed that the front and rear driver’s side and rear passenger’s side carpet were soaked with water. The contact then stated that he also noticed the water had leaked from the sunroof. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that water…Owner complaint, filed 2023, at 128,000 miles

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 48,000 miles.

What to check before you buy

• Check every light: headlights on low and high, fog lights, brake lights, turn signals and reverse lights.
• Run the wipers on every speed with washer fluid, and run the defroster front and back.

Tools that help

What owners said

The rear wiper quits working. Initially the dealership took it apart, cleaned it and it worked temporarily. But then the wiper quit working again. There appears to be a problem with the mechanism and/or rear window allowing in moisture for this to continue occurring, requiring the need to keep going in and cleaning it or having to…Owner complaint, filed 2018, at 69,000 miles

The eyeglasses holder in our 2012 toyota highlander has a malfunction of dropping down in front of the rearview mirror due to the loss of a small retaining pin. The issue causes a disruptive and very annoying safety hazard. Attempts to get the problem repaired have met with negative consequences as the local dealership mechanics and…Owner complaint, filed 2017

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 32,000 miles.

What to check before you buy

• Ask the seller not to warm the car up, and start it cold. Listen for ticking, knocking or a rough idle in the first minute.
• Pull the oil dipstick and the oil cap. Low oil, a gasoline smell or a milky film on the cap are reasons to walk away or get an inspection.
• Plug in an OBD2 scanner. Stored or pending codes matter, and so do readiness monitors that show "not ready", which usually means the codes were cleared right before the sale.
• Ask for oil change records. A gap in the records on a model known for engine complaints is a negotiating point at minimum.

Tools that help

What owners said

Around 112,500 miles our vehicle's oil pressure light came on. My husband drove it home, and our mechanic told us to tow it to his shop for inspection. The next day I drove it to the shop, which was only a few miles away, and my mechanic informed us that there was "no oil left" inside the engine and that it was a miracle the engine…Owner complaint, filed 2023

The contact owns a 2012 Toyota Highlander. The contact stated while driving 60 MPH, the vehicle suddenly loss motive power while depressing the accelerator pedal. The contact pulled over and attempted to restart the vehicle; however, the vehicle failed to restart. There were several unknown warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was…Owner complaint, filed 2022, at 120,000 miles

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 8,000 miles.

What to check before you buy

• The pedal should feel firm and the car should stop straight without pulling, grinding or a pulsing pedal.
• The ABS and stability control lights should go out after startup and stay out.
• Look through the wheels at the rotors. A deep lip on the edge means brakes are due soon, which is a fair thing to negotiate on.

Tools that help

What owners said

All brake warning indicators lit up. Took it to a mechanic that specializes in hybrids and they diagnosed it as a brake assembly/actuator issue, with a diagnostic code of C1391, with a repair estimate of $4888. Found online that there was a Toyota Customer Support Program 21TE03 that addressed this issue, but my vehicle was outside of…Owner complaint, filed 2024

The Brake Hydro-Boost pump failed while driving on I-75. Subsequently almost all braking was lost on the vehicle. I have researched similar failures on the same model brake pump assemblies, and feel that this is a very unsafe failure condition for the vehicle. The repair cost for this failure is exorbitant given the rate of failure which…Owner complaint, filed 2022

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 8,000 miles.

What to check before you buy

• On the test drive, press the gas gently and firmly. The response should be smooth with no lag or surge.
• Set the cruise control, then use resume and cancel to make sure each one works.

Tools that help

What owners said

On December 29, 2021, while backing up my 2012 Toyota Highlander accelerated at speed that I was unable to control. One car that was packed in the driveway was damaged beyond repair. An office building where I was working was damaged and has been accessed with a loss of over $100,000. I contacted Toyota after knowing that there was a…Owner complaint, filed 2022

While entering a parking spot with foot firmly on the brake the vehicle experienced sudden and unanticipated acceleration resulting in the car crashing into a concrete wall and being totaled. Witness corroborated the sound of a the engine at high rpm immediately before the crash.Owner complaint, filed 2018, at 133,993 miles

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 48,000 miles.

What to check before you buy

• The air bag (SRS) light should come on at startup and go out within a few seconds. If it stays on, the system may not work in a crash.
• Air bag recalls are some of the most serious. Check this exact VIN for open recalls and get proof any recall work was done.

Tools that help

What owners said

The front passenger side airbag light has been going off and on for a few months when someone is sitting in the seat now and now the sea is showing upOwner complaint, filed 2022

Takata recall - driver air bag did not inflate fully during the frontal accident on 05/26/2018. Passenger air bag did not inflate at all during the frontal accident on 05/26/2018. Side air bags did not inflate at all during the frontal accident on 05/26/2018. Vehicle was moving on highway. Vehicle was purchased new from dealer and onOwner complaint, filed 2019

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 12,000 miles.

What to check before you buy

• Drive it from cold if you can. Shifts should be smooth in every gear, including reverse.
• Feel for slipping (revs rise without the car speeding up), shudder at low speed and a delay when you put it in gear.
• Listen for whining, which is a common CVT complaint, and clunks when you go from drive to reverse.
• If it has 4WD or AWD, engage it on the test drive and ask when the transmission and differential fluids were last changed.

Tools that help

What owners said

Placed vehicle in park in garage and took foot off brake. I opened the car door to make sure in was parked straight, and the car began rolling backwards. Them car rolled about a foot, with the door striking a garage pillar before I could apply the brakes. Damage to the vehicle was only cosmetic, but the event was unnerving and…Owner complaint, filed 2015, at 37,000 miles

We were driving in a parking lot with our 2 small children when all of the sudden the car jerked like we were rear ended. I pushed the gas pedal again to have it only happen multiple times. It was very scary. If we were on the road we would have definitely been in an accident. We called roadside assistance and had to have the vehicle…Owner complaint, filed 2014, at 1,500 miles

What to check before you buy

• Read the four-digit DOT date on each tire. Tires older than about six years should be replaced, whatever the tread looks like.
• Check tread depth on all four. On AWD vehicles all four tires should match.
• The tire pressure light should go out after startup.

Tools that help

What owners said

The contact owns a 2012 Toyota Highlander. The contact stated that the TPMS warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a Tire Center, which was unable to determine the cause of the failure. Upon further investigation, the contact linked the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V452000 (Tires). The local dealer was not…Owner complaint, filed 2025, at 90,200 miles

Toyota and other vehicle brands use wheel lug nuts that become "swollen" over time. This happens because a cosmetic cap (with no mechanical purpose) made from a different metal is bonded over the metal of the lug nut. The cosmetic cap deforms or swells, because of its different properties compared to the lug nut itself. On 12 August 2021…Owner complaint, filed 2021

What to check before you buy

• Pull out and latch every seat belt, and let each one retract on its own.
• Try every seat adjuster, and watch for a passenger air bag "off" light when an adult is in the seat.

Tools that help

What owners said

As I was driving at 30 MPH on a side street with my husband sitting in the front passenger seat (with his seatbelt on) and the emergency light went on and a message saying the passenger airbag is off came on. If would not reset and told us to call our local dealer to fix this immediately, where we had to pay for it to be fixed. There was…Owner complaint, filed 2018, at 64,000 miles

The contact owns a 2012 toyota highlander. The contact stated that the male seat belt connector failed to connect into the female connector. The seat belt indicator was illuminated. The dealer diagnosed that the female seat belt connector failed and needed to be replaced. The seat belt connector was replaced. The [VIN] was not made aware…Owner complaint, filed 2016, at 70,000 miles

What to check before you buy

• Smell around the engine bay and under the rear of the car for raw fuel.
• On the test drive, accelerate firmly from a stop and up a grade. Stumbling, surging or a flashing check engine light are red flags.
• Fuel pump recalls are common. Check this exact VIN for open recalls before you buy.

Tools that help

What owners said

When filling the highlander with fuel, it looks like a waterfall of fuel leaking onto the ground. It does not appear to be a gas tank issue but a problem within the lines? Once you stop fueling with the major leak and go to another area there is no fuel drop underneath the tank.Owner complaint, filed 2021, at 47,000 miles

On (or about) the last week of may 2015, I had my auto serviced at the dealship. I was advised that the 'throttle body' needed 'cleaning' and this was done by the dealership at that time. On june 4, 2015, I was backing into a parking spot on a parking lot, wiith the car 'coasting' back and my foot on the brake. About half way into the…Owner complaint, filed 2015, at 39,850 miles

What to check before you buy

• Drive over a few bumps and potholes slowly with the radio off and listen for clunks or rattles.
• Check the tires for uneven wear on the inside or outside edges, a sign of alignment or suspension trouble.
• Look behind the wheels for oily, wet shocks or struts.

Tools that help

What owners said

The contact owns a 2012 Toyota Highlander. The contact stated that 5,000 miles after purchasing the vehicle, the contact noticed an oil leak. The contact performed the oil changes and had noticed that engine oil had leaked down onto the weather seal in the vehicle. The contact noticed several oil stains on the ground during rainy…Owner complaint, filed 2025, at 160,000 miles

For several months now I have been hearing a clucking noise when turning the steering wheel left or right and upon breaking a thud sound in the front of my car. After taking my car in to the dealership they came back and said that the noise was coming from the intermediate shaft. I asked well how do you damage a whole intermediate shaft?…Owner complaint, filed 2019

What to check before you buy

• Where it is safe, try the adaptive cruise and lane keeping on the test drive and watch for sudden braking or warnings with nothing there.
• Check the windshield in front of the camera and the bumper sensors for cracks, chips or poor repairs.
• Ask whether the windshield has been replaced. The camera has to be recalibrated afterward, and many shops skip it.

Tools that help

What owners said

While driving one day i got the ABS light and brake light on on my car screen and the small display showed "Barke Malfunction" when i did the scan it is C1391 Code which is for ABS Accutator issue. This showed be fixed by Toyota dealership for free. this is design issue seems like based on the google search with Toyota Hybrid vehiclesOwner complaint, filed 2026

I was driving and arrived home and suddenly lost my braking and almost hit my house if I didn't steer the wheel towards my lawn and put on my parking brake it would have been a disaster. I felt so unsafe that I had my vehicle towed for repair and had to replace the brake master cylinder. Two weeks later, we went on a family trip and…Owner complaint, filed 2022