2013 Toyota Highlander Problems

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 54,000 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

Steering column cracks, no help from Dealer. Many complaints on internet. Remedy requires expensive new steering column. Defective spindle type bearing defective. The noise is ongoing. It feels like its going to break. Very scary...ongoing doesn't stop. Dealer says wont break just replace if you want to... Toyota Service bulletin…Owner complaint, filed 2024

When I turn the steering faster than a certain speed, it will lock up for a moment, either turning right or left. Sometimes a light indicating a steering fault lights up on the dash cluster, sometimes not. When the turning of the wheel stops and locks up I cannot turn any more in that direction. I can turn the other way. This has been a…Owner complaint, filed 2021

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 7,000 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

I purchased a 2013 Toyota Highlander in 2018 or.2019 with 64,000 miles. I was told to go 5000 miles before changes. My oil was gone many times when I did this. I reported this to Toyota dealership.I eventually stopped using them because they were hearing my problem. The complaints of lack of power and changing to 3000 mile oil changes…Owner complaint, filed 2026

The issue started when the car was over 84,000 miles. The engine burns excessive oil. I have to add oil every 2200 miles. When I press on the gas pedal to rev the car, oil come out of the tail pipe. When I went to the dealer that they are aware of the issue but they did not make any recommendations. Online several owner of this model…Owner complaint, filed 2024

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 9,000 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 multiple occasions since purchasing my 2014 toyota highlander limited the car lurches forward while my foot is firmly pressed on the brake. On two occasions I could not stop the lurching of the vehicle without standing up with both feet on the brake pedal having hit the car in front of me while my car continued to push them again…Owner complaint, filed 2017, at 35,000 miles

The contact owns a 2013 toyota highlander. The contact stated that while stopped at a traffic light and depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle began to lose power without warning. The failure was persistent. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where the failure could not be determined. The vehicle was not repaired. The [VIN] was…Owner complaint, filed 2016, at 10 miles

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 38,000 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

The factory Blizzard Pearl paint on this vehicle is experiencing severe chemical delamination down to the bare primer and sheet metal on multiple body panels. This structural failure aligns exactly with Toyota Customer Support Program ZKG. Large sheets of brittle paint regularly flake and peel off while driving at highway speeds…Owner complaint, filed 2026

Front passenger side door lock actuator does not work, making lock ineffective and not workable. Toyota claims this is not a safety issue. Unsure how ineffective locks are not a safety issue, especially on a car that is not that old.Owner complaint, filed 2020

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 24,000 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

After a hard braking session because of a car that pulled quickly in front of me the ABS light and check engine light came on with a code of C1391 - Abnormal leak in Accumulator. A warning message came on the info center saying I needed to take it to the dealer to have the brake system checked for a serious issue. Went to the dealership…Owner complaint, filed 2026

Multiple ABS related(ABS, TRACTION, BRAKES) warning lights/messages making driving my Highlander dangerous to me and others. Warning lights appeared 9/30/2024. No symptoms or warning lights appeared prior. Vehicle was then inspected by Toyota of Plano. Code 1391indicating an internal leak in the ABS. Confirmed by service dept of Toyota…Owner complaint, filed 2024

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 41,000 miles. Parts named most: Body (13).

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

The contact owns a 2013 Toyota Highlander. The contact stated while the vehicle was parked, the contact discovered that the paint on the top of the vehicle was peeling. The contact did research and was made aware of the Customer Support Program: ZKG however, the VIN was not included. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was not…Owner complaint, filed 2025, at 99,000 miles

The contact owns a 2013 Toyota Highlander. The contact stated while attempting to close the liftgate, the contact was unable to close the liftgate. The contact had not activated the power assist liftgate motor. The contact used force to close the liftgate. The contact stated that the failure had first been intermittent; however, the…Owner complaint, filed 2022, at 100,000 miles

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 64,000 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 contact owns a 2013 Toyota Highlander. The contact stated that while driving in negative 10-degree weather at 75 MPH, the driver's and passenger’s side curtain air bags deployed without warning or impact. The local dealer was contacted, but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure…Owner complaint, filed 2025, at 124,000 miles

My passenger airbag keeps turning off due to a sensor. I have had it fixed, and a couple hundred miles later, it was back on!Owner complaint, filed 2020, at 90,000 miles

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 10,000 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

A persistent smell of fuel occurred while in slow moving traffic and after vehicle was parked after use. Upon close inspection, the fuel injector fuel rail end cap exhibited a slow fuel leak. This component caused a recall for year model highlanders for 2014 production year describing the same type of component failure. The component has…Owner complaint, filed 2025

My car will stall with no warning. I have taken my car multiple times to the dealership and the problem has not been able to be repaired. There have been other years of Toyota recalled for this exact same problem however, mine has not been. This is a serious safety concern!Owner complaint, filed 2021

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 67,000 miles.

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

Was hit in the rear end on the highway, I was moving probably 8-10 MPH through a debris field from an accident. The car did not slow and hit me probably around 35-40 MPH. My airbags did not fire since in a rear end impact they should not trigger. I did not impact the car in front of me. My head hit the headrest in my first motion then it…Owner complaint, filed 2020, at 95,000 miles

A few years ago one of the 3rd row seats got stuck in the upright position after putting it from down to up. I have never had it fixed as it hasn't been a huge inconvenience. I saw today that there was a recall on the middle row seat for something (which I do not believe affects my car) and thought I would document my issue in case there…Owner complaint, filed 2020, at 65,000 miles

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 8,000 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 contact owns a 2013 Toyota Highlander. The contact stated that while driving approximately 60 MPH, there was an abnormal boom and wind detected on top of the vehicle. Upon opening the sunroof, the contact noticed that the sunroof had shattered. The sunroof was bubbling upwards. There were no reported injuries. There was no warning…Owner complaint, filed 2022

The contact owns a 2013 Toyota Highlander. The contact stated while his wife was driving 60 MPH, she heard an abnormally loud sound coming from the vehicle. The driver veered to the side of the road and inspected the vehicle but found no issue with the vehicle. She re-entered the vehicle and opened the sunroof and shards of broken glass…Owner complaint, filed 2022, at 186,000 miles

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 16,000 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

The contact owns a 2013 toyota highlander. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 75 MPH, there was an abnormal noise coming from the transmission. In addition, the failure occurred when driving 40 MPH or higher. The contact mentioned that the vehicle was serviced under a [VIN] warranty for the transmission in november of…Owner complaint, filed 2016, at 200 miles

The contact owns a 2013 toyota highlander. While attempting to accelerate from a stop, the accelerator pedal was depressed but the vehicle hesitated. The vehicle was taken to a dealer who was unable to diagnose or repair the vehicle. The failure recurred on numerous occasions. The [VIN] was notified of the failure. The failure mileage…Owner complaint, filed 2015, at 16,000 miles

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 35,000 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

Michelin Defender LTX M/S Tire 245/55R19 While driving on the freeway at 70 mph, the tire below and tread separated causing significant damage to vehicle. The tread appears to have separated from the tire, which caused the tire to hit the sidewall and rear of vehicle, which tore off the rear bumper and damaged rear quarter panel. It…Owner complaint, filed 2021

Tl-the contact owns a 2013 toyota highlander. The contact stated that while driving at 50 MPH, the vehicle wheels hydoplanned causing the contact to loss control and crash into a center concrete wall. No airbag deployed. The contact sustained injuries to the chest. The contact did go to the hospital couple of hours later to treat…Owner complaint, filed 2021, at 35,000 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

Unable to align vehicle correct due to driver's side rear camber. Caused uneven tire wear and costly replacement for tires for 6 years.Owner complaint, filed 2022

Vehicle was proceeding through an intersection under a green light. A vehicle traveling the cross road proceeded through their red light and impacted my vehicle at full speed. The result was a "t-bone" accident into the driver's side door. The force of the collision was such that my vehicle was turned 90 degrees. The driver's head…Owner complaint, filed 2015, at 37,000 miles