2014 Toyota Highlander Problems

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 40,000 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

I noticed the smell of wires burning, a billow of smoke started emitting from the two levers used to heat the seats near the gear shift area. I was on the freeway and immediately pulled to the side of the road, turned off the car and called 911 before any flames were seen. There were no warning signs, lamps or other symptoms until the…Owner complaint, filed 2026

The power rear hatch will not properly open or close. The safety of others are at risk due to several factors. For example, the door will not open properly causing hands, fingers, and other object to get jammed in the doorway when trying to close it manually or when the door closes automatically without warning. It also does not close…Owner complaint, filed 2021

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 49,000 miles. Parts named most: Body (23), Body: hatchback / liftgate (6).

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

Component: Latches/Locks, Power Door Lock Actuator I am the original owner of a 2014 Toyota Highlander AWD, currently with 88,000 miles on it. I have experienced six power door lock actuator failures on this vehicle. All replacements were OEM Toyota parts, and all repairs were paid out of pocket. Failure history: - 01/12/2019, driver…Owner complaint, filed 2026

The driver’s-side rear spoiler on my 2014 Toyota Highlander Limited AWD has melted, bubbled, and warped. The vehicle has been stored 100% of the time in a fully enclosed garage with no windows since new. It has only 65,000 miles and has received all service exclusively at authorized Toyota dealerships. There has been no direct sun…Owner complaint, filed 2026

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 70,000 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

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)…Owner complaint, filed 2025

The contact owns a 2014 Toyota Highlander. The contact stated while driving approximately 40 MPH, the moon roof detached from the vehicle. There was no warning light and there was no impact to have caused the failure. There were no reported injuries. The local dealer had previously replaced a piece on the moon roof. The vehicle was taken…Owner complaint, filed 2024, at 99,000 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

Transmission failing beginning at 60,000 miles. Safety issue because car shudders and refuses to accelerate at seemingly random times. My mechanic said this is a known issue and recommended transmission flushing. We've been doing this for six years at lesser and lesser intervals before the problem reappears. Our local Toyota dealership…Owner complaint, filed 2026

Within the past month or so there were a few separate/sporadic occasions when the transmission of my 2014 highlander with 82,344 gentle miles on it seemed to slip/not engage for a moment when first starting to travel at a low rate of speed. When the transmission did engage during these episodes it was abrupt and noticeable creating an…Owner complaint, filed 2019, at 83,244 miles

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 26,000 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

Passenger front seat belt will not retract, when I got out of vehicle today. Dinging sound coming from somewhere when we drove it last night.Owner complaint, filed 2020, at 70,000 miles

2014 toyota highlander the driver side seat belt threading deteriorated at the stitching where it attaches to the floor of the car. It was fixed both times at ira toyota in danvers, ma., once on june 21, 2016 and again on july 26, 2016. The first time the seat belt broke, I was stopped at a stop light. I pushed off my seat with my arms…Owner complaint, filed 2016, at 26,500 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

Installed (4) Firestone Destination Le3 tires in March 2022. All four tires became dry rot in just over 2 years, failed inspection at 2 1/2 years. 70,000 mile tires with roughly 28,000 miles left of the warranty.Owner complaint, filed 2025

The tires have worn down to needing replacing after only 27,308 miles on them, these tires are rating and warrantied for 60,000 miles. Reviews online show other owners complaining about the same issue with premature wear and safety issues. When it rains, the vehicle will slip when attempting to drive, slide when stopping, and…Owner complaint, filed 2021

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 city street driving about 37 MPH. Adaptive speed control engaged. I approach a car going the same direction slightly slower, about 35 MPH. That slower car is following another car about 2 car lengths in front. My car gently breaks to bring my speed back to 35 MPH. My 35 MPH is being maintained at a fixed distance from the car in front…Owner complaint, filed 2018, at 13,500 miles

While backing out of my driveway, there was a sound, and the car suddenly [VIN] and could not stop when pressed the brake and the parking brake. Crashed into the neighbor's yard with such force that the car roll over. It could have caused serious injury to me, a passerby, or neighbor's children.Owner complaint, filed 2018, at 42,000 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

I was driving my car on the right only lane and see the red light on the traffic signal. It is not a busy street. And there is a car in front of mine. I applied brakes and the brakes malfunctioned. The car did not stop and tried by pushing the brakes in full throttle. It did not work and my car bumped into the car in front of me. I towed…Owner complaint, filed 2018, at 46,000 miles

Popping noise from rear break frequently when I disengage the emergency brake lever. Whenever this happens the vehicle is stationary and not been used for 3 hours on; took to dealership stating could find problem, but dealer says it didn't find anything abnormal. Dealer's mechanic suggested releasing the emergency brake before releasing…Owner complaint, filed 2016, at 23,000 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

I was backing out of my parking space and the vehicle jerk. Then a warning sign appear on the dash that said eps failure. The steering wheel was hard to turn. I began to struggle with the steering wheel at that point it was lock. After several attempts; I was able to pull into an empty parking space, parked the vehicle and had it towed…Owner complaint, filed 2014, at 1,500 miles

Steering column locked on several occasions while driving. Electrical systems blink on and off. Exactly as described in NHTSA recall #15V144000 and as far I can tell the exact same part number.Owner complaint, filed 2022

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 2014 toyota highlander. The contact stated that an abnormal squeaking noise was heard coming from the rear driver side of the vehicle. The noise occurred intermittently while making turns. The dealer was not contacted. The contact researched the failure online and found that the failure was due to a damaged rear…Owner complaint, filed 2018, at 46,000 miles

I've purchased 2014 highlander on jan 2014. I have complained to the dealers about the rear noise starting in 2014 and all they could said was to make sure the jack tool is secured in the back. They couldn't identified the issue. Today I found sb0016-16 and had a dealer confirmed the trailing arm issue. This is part of the rear…Owner complaint, filed 2017, at 5,000 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

Near the end of a 180 mile trip, vehicle was on highway traveling at approximately 60 MPH when light came on saying engine had stopped. Engine was smoking and was completely out of oil despite it being full at the start of the trip. Mechanic found that engine had seized and had to be replaced in full. Upper manifold also had to be…Owner complaint, filed 2020, at 102,000 miles

Purchased vehicle 5/26/14. At first had a popping noise from right rear break; took to dealership stating could find problem, so lived with it. At 10,000 + miles dealer found front breaks warped, so had them replaced. Around same 10k + miles dealer had to drop engine to replace leaking oil found around timing cover area, stating factory…Owner complaint, filed 2015, at 12,748 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

I was t boned on passenger side, side impact air bag did not deploy. I was pushed into oncoming traffic, front airbags did not deploy in head on collision. Seat belt did not tighten- I initially hit drivers side window, when t-boned, then with front impact hit steering wheel, roof and center console.Owner complaint, filed 2018, at 47,000 miles

To avoid two deer crossing road (bull bridge road, south kent, ct) on curve, lost control on right shoulder, hit straight on the utility wood pole. My speed was in between 25 and 30 MPH. During the accident, all airbags did not go off and the seat belt did not lock me up. The impact caused my chest, back, neck and head injuries.Owner complaint, filed 2016, at 25,700 miles