Complaint volume
465 consumer-submitted complaints are matched to this model year. Treat the count as a research signal, then read the actual summaries for repeated symptoms.
Complaint records
2019 Toyota Highlander Complaints
465 consumer-submitted complaints on record for the 2019 Toyota Highlander, grouped by component category.
465 Total complaints
22 Crash reports
1 Fire reports
12 Injury reports
Complaint data reflects consumer-submitted reports. A complaint is not proof
of a defect, recall, or manufacturer fault. Enriched severity fields come
from official bulk records when the complaint can be matched by ODI number.
Buyer interpretation
How to use these complaints before buying
Complaint records are most useful when they turn into inspection points, seller questions, and comparison checks against nearby model years.
Pattern to inspect
The most common categories are power train, fuel/propulsion system, unknown or other. Use those categories as a test-drive checklist instead of judging the vehicle from the total count alone.
Severity flags
Enriched records include 22 crash reports, 1 fire report, 12 injury reports, and 0 fatality reports. These fields come from complaint records and should be read in context.
Mileage clue
Mileage is available on 139 complaints, with an average reported failure mileage of 27,463 miles. Compare that with the mileage on the listing.
Questions to ask the seller
- Have you had any problems related to power train, fuel/propulsion system, unknown or other?
- Can I see recent maintenance and repair records?
- Has the vehicle ever been towed, involved in a crash, or repaired for the same issue twice?
- Can we also check the recall record for this 2019 Toyota Highlander?
Used-car checklist
Use these complaints before the test drive.
Build a buyer checklist to turn these issues into questions and inspection points.
2019 Toyota Highlander
Build buyer checklist Compare with other years Sends year, make, and model to pre-fill your checklist.
How severe are the 2019 Toyota Highlander complaints?
22 Crash
1 Fire
12 Injury
0 Fatality
27 Towed
7 Medical attention
What are the most common 2019 Toyota Highlander complaint categories?
POWER TRAIN 155
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM 48
UNKNOWN OR OTHER 48
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 19
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE 16
ENGINE 13
AIR BAGS 9
ENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM 9
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM 8
POWER TRAIN,ENGINE 8
465 total complaints on record
Latest complaints
| Date | Component | Summary | Severity | Mileage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 2024 | TIRES | Goodyear Reliant All-Season 245/60R18 105V All-Season Tire [XXX] going to Orlando, FL on [XXX]. Speed about 72MPH. A bunch of motorcycles were passing us and thought sudden sound was their engines. Car begin to shake hard to control. Pulled over side and saw side wall had separated from main body of tire. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6) | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Mar 2024 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | There is a painful ear screech sound from speakers when starting car. Sometimes it happens multiple times a day and sometimes I can go a few days without it happening when I start my car. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Mar 2024 | POWER TRAIN | In driving my vehicle the RPM stayed high I took it into the Toyota dealer in Albany Ga and was told that the transmission was stuck in 3rd gear and the transmission needed to be replaced. My vehicle currently has 66k mikes on it so it is not covered by a warranty. I read where the 2018 Highlander had reported issues with their transmissions. I checked to see if one of the 2018 transmissions were put in my 2019 model and all I was told was there was not a recall on my vehicle. Yet if I were to order a new transmission through Toyota they told me they are on back order for anywhere of two weeks to two months. Sounds like they are having issues if they have none in stock. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Feb 2024 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | A reoccurring noise comes from the passenger side of the vehicle every time I drive. It sounds like a short in a wire or maybe a loose wire. I can’t decide if it’s coming from the passenger door or the passenger seat. It is not affected by turning the radio volume up or down or even off. I do think though that I have noticed that the noise does NOT occur if a passenger is sitting in the passenger seat. I don’t have a passenger often enough for me to say the noise NEVER happens if a passenger is in the passenger seat. I have a video of the noise but this website doesn’t allow the video to upload. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Feb 2024 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | There is a loud, ear splitting sound that occurs at start up. It doesn’t happen every time but has happened multiple times since I’ve owned the car for 1 year. It is very loud—like a shrill feedback noise from a microphone. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Feb 2024 | STEERING | Poser steering failed momentarily. I was at the drive-thru window of CVS and was afraid my mirror would hit the pole when I pulled forward. I tried to turn while backing up slowly from a full stop. The car momentarily resisted my attempt to turn the wheel. There was no safety risk at the time. I have not had the problem investigated. The problem quickly corrected (within 2 seconds(?), o I did not notice or look for any warning lamp or message. I have read of steering failure on highways in the 2019 Highlander and am concerned that this is a harbinger. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Feb 2024 | POWER TRAIN | The engine can be turned off while the shift (automatic) lever is not in Park. If the driver does not realize the failure to put the lever in Park, the car can roll freely. My car is available for inspection, but I was given to believe by Toyota service that this is a standard feature on all 2019 Highlanders. Safety is continually at risk because the car can roll and cause injury to an exiting passenger, another car, or a pedestrian. The car has not been inspected for this since Toyota does not believe this is a problem. There is a warning lamp triangle ! but no sound. The message says "Shift to P before exiting vehicle" . While proper parking is my responsibility, I have not seen the in any other type of vehicle in which I have ridden or driven, Honda, GMC, Chevrolet, Dodge Aspen--all owned and driven by me. This is an ongoing "condition", not an "incident". | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Feb 2024 | FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | I was using the adaptive cruise control on I-68 in Western Maryland. I was in the fast lane (on the far left of three uphill lanes). A dump truck was in the center lane going well below the speed limit. The road curved to the left at the point where I got up to the dump truck. There was no one in front of me in my outside lane. My car sensed the presence and speed of the dump truck and slowed me abruptly. There was considerable risk to me and to the driver of a white pick-up truck that was behind me, and who was also driving at passing speed. We were both going approximately 75 mph when my car slowed--a slowing that does not display brake lights. The cruise control has not been inspected. It is the default setting on ignition. I routinely disable it, opting for regular cruise, each time I use it, but the potential is always there for me and for other owners. If there was any sort of warning (I don't remember) it would have been inadequate to prevent an accident. The alertness of the pick-up truck driver saved us both a collision. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Feb 2024 | POWER TRAIN | Took the vehicle twice to Toyota to check on console vibration originating from possible drivetrain (normally in cold weather). This was done under extended warranty. Also had transmission fluid replaced. Service department noticed fluid low even though there was no transmission leak. Service department couldn't duplicate issue but failed to attempt start of vehicle in early mornings as requested. About 10K miles after last attempt to get issue fixed, the transmission failed with no caution, no warning and no error codes. Symptoms included little to zero acceleration from a dead stop and inability to accelerate to higher speeds when necessary (main safety issue). Eventually, vehicle was not able to accelerate. This vehicle does have the 8-speed AT Transmission that lawsuits are being filed against. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jan 2024 | FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | lost power 3 times - each time making a left hand turn at low speed -Nov.23 2023 -- Dec. 20 2023 & Jan, 30 2024 Groove Toyota checked vehicle out on Dec.21 2023 couldn't find problem - took it to Groove Toyota again on Jan. 31 2024 - told to make another appointment to allow full day of testing - safety concern for family and other traffic - no warning prior to loss of power | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jan 2024 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | The SOS system is malfunctioning and causing an earsplitting screech on the 2019 Toyota Highlander Platinum. This occurs around every third time when the car starts and is damaging my hearing and my kids' hearing. This is well documented on the Toyota Nation forum and Reddit. Toyotanation: [XXX] : [XXX] Here is a video of it occurring on someone else's vehicle: [XXX] "Toyota service technician at our local dealership heard the loud sound when servicing the vehicle. They talked to Toyota and they said: "TAS agent stated there has been multiple cases of the DCM causing this concern, and the repair is to replace the DCM or disable it." Toyota is charging consumers for this factory defect. Please make Toyota address this problem. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6) | Crash: No Fire: No Injuries: 3 | Unknown |
| Dec 2023 | FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | Driving on 495 N Beltway car started stalling and then suddenly stopped accelerating/decelerating while engine was running. Almost was rear ended by fast moving traffic. Carefully glided to the shoulder and called Tow Tuck Incident on 12/18/2023 | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Dec 2023 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | When I start the Highlander, there is a loud (hurts your ears) feedback noise through the speakers, and the red and green lights near the SOS button flash multiple times. This happens intermittently, and when it doesn't happen the SOS button only flashes once. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Dec 2023 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | We believe the problem is in the SOS system. This is an intermittent problem that occurs about every 5 to 15 starts. At start-up, an ear piercing scream/screech comes from somewhere in the front speakers and lasts about 2 to 5 seconds. At times the scream is so loud that it leaves a ringing in your ears. We are very concerned about our grandkids riding in this vehicle. This problem needs to be addressed, it’s not going away and it’s making it different to drive. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Nov 2023 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | When I start my 2019 Highlander there is a loud screech that startles you and makes you jump out of your seat. It’s a very loud feedback noise through the speakers, and the red and green lights near the SOS button flash multiple times. This happens very often but intermittently, and when it doesn't happen the SOS button only flashes red/green once. This happened after the SOS trial service had expired. I called the SOS service and they told us to talk to the dealership. There needs to be a recall of the SOS module or whatever is causing this. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Nov 2023 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | November 7, 2023: While driving across the California desert at 70 miles an hour, temperature was 71°, and freeway traffic was light, without any other outside influences, the sun roof spontaneously exploded, blowing outward, as though someone had put an explosive between the glass and interior of the vehicle. it sounded like a shotgun blast. I pulled over and examined the vehicle; the remaining glass in the sunroof was blown out, arched above the roof of the vehicle, with a spray of shattered glass inside and on the roof of the car. There were no vehicles around me, no impact, and I’m returning home, I reviewed my dash cam looking for other signs (like a bird crashing into the roof). There was nothing. Upon searching this mystery, I found that many others have experienced the same thing. The car is now at the dealership. The car is well cared for, and the roof/glass, prior to the explosion, was undamaged. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Oct 2023 | STRUCTURE | The front bumper keeps popping out. I’ve returned it to the dealer 3 times, who says a clip has to be replaced. However, it’s not covered under the extended warranty and they will just replace it. The dealer told me to just push it back in when it pops out. It will push back in place, but it will not stay in place. It has not been damaged. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Oct 2023 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE | The car turns off when driving which was supposed to be corrected by recall. It doesn’t appear the recall has been successful in correcting the issue. I actually am not 100% sure they actually swapped out the recall part so I’d like that checked. I also purchased a new battery from the dealer about 3 weeks ago and the problem actually got worse in that it stalls while driving or resets the computer while driving at least once a week. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Sep 2023 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE,LANE DEPARTURE | Originally, 2019 Toyota Highlander lost engine power, steering, and braking on U.S. Route 30, a very busy highway. Managed to pull off side of road AND WAITED. AFTER A FEW MOMENTS CAR STARTED AND RAN AS EXPECTED.Took to local dealer who had the car for several days, but couldn't identify the problem. This instance was 2020/2021. Fast forward to this past September 26th. Pulling out of a private parking lot the car stalled exactly as it had previously.This complete failure of engine is going to get me killed. Further I now notice my dash lights are dimming for no reason then coming back to bright. Now I read where other Highlander are doing the exact thing. I have a car, I'm afraid to drive. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Sep 2023 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | When I start the Highlander, there is a loud (hurts your ears) feedback noise through the speakers, and the red and green lights near the SOS button flash multiple times. This happens intermittently, and when it doesn't happen, the SOS button only flashes red/green once. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Sep 2023 | POWER TRAIN | Both the right and left constant velocity axels are making noise. The dealer tells us it is under warranty and will be repaired. However, there are no repair parts available and on national back order. The dealer parts department indicates that there have been problems with the 2019 Highlander cv axels, and all replacement parts have been used. My question is how many highlanders have bad cv axels? Is there more of a problem than just a back order. The dealer indicated we could continue to drive the car until it starts to vibrate. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Sep 2023 | EXTERIOR LIGHTING,LANE DEPARTURE,BACK OVER PREVENTION | The interior lights stopped working and the drive side sun visor won’t stay up and the beep never worked when I back up to something to close | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Sep 2023 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | Noise complaint - High pitched feedback screech coming through speaker (potential for hearing damage) that occurs for approximately 5 seconds intermittently upon starting the vehicle. It can happen multiple times in one day or not until a week or two later. We have twice filed a case with Toyota Corporation. The dealer has heard the noise numerous times and upon performing diagnostics has indicated a malfunction with the SOS system- the trial subscription that came with the car expired in January 2023 and the issue began the following month. An on-line search indicates that other owners of the same vehicle are also experiencing this issue. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Sep 2023 | ENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | Experience "dead zones" in accelerator pedal movement. Experience "no acceleration" with first 1-2 inches of travel from idle position. This is constant and does not vary noticibly with speed. I was driving in an suburban shopping area in York PA with three lanes of travel in each direction. I intended to move from the laft hand lane to the center lane. I indicated my intentions and waited for an opening. I was travelling about 35-40mph. When an opening came along, I steered into the indended lane, but depressing the accelerator to increase my speed, no acceleration occurred. I then panicked and depressed the pedal quicker, and the ensuing acceleration nearly catapaulted me into the semi truck in the center lane ahead of me. I missed the truck by inches. I have had this issue evaluated at Bennett Toyota in Lebanon PA, and the Lancaster Toyota, the dealer who sold me the vehicle in May of 2023, is aware of the issue. Bennett Toyota service department tried to fix the issue by replacing the brake switch. That did not alleviate the problem. I have had several other instances when pulling into traffic when the delayed acceleration caused me issues but no accidents. I believe this issue is related to the selectable "snow" driving function. I think the system is somehow stuck in the "snow" mode at all times. I may have substantiated this today when I experimented with the "snow" function while driving at about 45 mph. When I select the "snow" mode while driving, the accelerator "dead zone" actually gets worse. Bennett Toyota Service response is "it drives like any other Highlander". If that is so - this is truly a huge issue with "drive by wire" tachnology...!!! As a note, at Bennett Toyota I did drive a 2019 Highlander privately owned by the service manager and it did indeed have the dead zone in the acelerator - a fact that the service manager admitted to me verbally. I have read many instances of this issue in chats online. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Aug 2023 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | When I start the highlander, there is a loud (hurts your ears) feedback noise through the speakers, and the red and green lights near the SOS button flash multiple times. This happens intermittently, and when it doesn't happen the SOS button only flashes red/green once. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |