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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 2022 | POWER TRAIN | My car was manufactured in 10/2018. My car is experiencing whine noise from the transmission while driving, harsh shifting and reduced power. This issue also appeared on previous year models from 2017-2018 and was taken care under bulletin "T-SB-0160-18". However, I called Toyota and they don't want to fix my vehicle under that bulletin even though the issue my car faces is the same. I checked online and many Toyota Highlander Owners face the same issue. I can be contacted on [XXX] or [XXX] Thanks, [XXX] INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Sep 2022 | SEATS | My rear drivers side seat was not properly bolted down. I have been hearing a squeak for the past few years, that only went away when my child was sitting in the seat. We thought it was the car seat squeaking, but recently removed it since our child had grown big enough to no longer need it. I finally inspected the seat and noticed that the seat was moving when I put pressure on it. I took off the covers to the bolts on the front and noticed that I could literally remove them with my had. There was about a 1/16 to 1/8 inch of play in the seat. This is scary that my child has been riding in the unsafe seat for who knows how long. I do have videos of how loose they were, I could spin the washer freely. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Aug 2022 | ENGINE | The contact owns a 2019 Toyota Highlander. The contact stated while his wife was driving in a parking lot at approximately 2 MPH, the vehicle suddenly accelerated without the contact's wife having depressed the accelerator pedal. The vehicle crashed into a railing in the garage. The contact stated his wife had not noticed any warning lights. The vehicle had minor damage to the front grill and bumper there were scrapes and dents on the driver's side front fender and also to the passenger side front fender. The vehicle was drivable. The contact drove the vehicle to a local dealer, the vehicle had not been diagnosed. The vehicle had not been repaired. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 40,000. | Crash: Yes Fire: No | 40,000 |
| Aug 2022 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | I have had my vehicle for a little over 3 years, with about 35K miles on it. At first, I realized my vehicle jerked a bit, but I dismissed it because it never stopped. However, I did notice that my battery was dying quickly. I was changed once by the dealership because they said the battery was defective. After they changed that battery, the next battery also went bad. While driving with my children and mother, my vehicle began sputtering and a message that said, "Check Engine Reduced engine power" came on along with "Traction Control turned off" and my engine light. My vehicle barely accelerated as I was trying to cross the intersection thankfully I managed to get out of the way of oncoming vehicles. Somehow, the vehicle ran smoothly after I turned it off and turned it back. After that issue, I then experienced an error message in reference to the Start/Stop system along with the check engine light. That issue also cleared when I turned my vehicle on and off. I then experienced another power loss issue, at which time I traveled to my local Toyota dealership but they were unable to help me then due to a battery issue. The issue then cleared itself somehow again; however, the issue came back the next day. I managed to get my vehicle to the side of the roadway at which time the vehicle stalled. I tried starting the vehicle again; however, it would not turn over. After being on the roadside for about 2 to 3 hours, I tried starting my vehicle again, and it drove fine until I reached the dealership. My vehicle was placed on a machine where they received the code for a fuel rail issue along with a misfire. I was then advised that this issue is not covered under warranty. I was also told that the problem would cost me over 4K for the part which does not include labor. I have been doing my research since and I now find that there is a recall on my vehicle. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Aug 2022 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | The contact owns a 2019 Toyota Highlander. The contact stated that while reversing out of a driveway, the vehicle began to jerk without warning. Once the contact reached the base of her driveway, the vehicle accelerated backward into a neighbor's tree. The air bags did not deploy upon impact. The contact called the ambulance where her daughter was transported to a hospital after she suffered a gash to the back of her head due to the accident. The contact and her daughter's friend both suffered whiplash as a result of the accident. A police report was filed. The contact was able to drive the vehicle back into her driveway where it remained in her possession. The contact called the dealer to check for recalls and was informed that there were zero recalls on the vehicle. The manufacturer had yet to be notified about the failure. The vehicle had to be repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 52,000. | Crash: Yes Fire: No Injuries: 3 Medical attention | 52,000 |
| Jul 2022 | SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC | The contact owns a 2019 Toyota Highlander. The contact stated while parking the vehicle, the brake pedal was depressed and went to the floor; however, the vehicle failed to respond. There were several unknown warning lights illuminated. The contact turned off the vehicle to reduce forward motion and stop the vehicle. The vehicle was towed to the dealer for diagnostic testing however, the mechanic was unable to determine the cause of the failure. The contact stated that a similar failure recurred, and the vehicle was taken to the dealer however, the cause of the failure was not determined. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted but provided no assistance. The failure mileage was 27,500. | Crash: No Fire: No Towed | 27,500 |
| May 2022 | FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | Temporary Loss off Power: After driving about 100 miles we stopped for a 15 minute break. Afterwards I started the car and to my surprise the engine was running but I had no power. I was able to coast down a slight grade to avoid other vehicles in the parking lot. I stopped the car, put it in Park (P), put it back in Drive (D) and was able to drive as before. We purchased this vehicle in September of 2018. It has slightly over 14K miles. This has happened at least once before. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| May 2022 | ENGINE | Battery constantly keeps dying. I have already bought two new batteries. I have been stranded because my car would not start. For no reason and never know when it will happen but battery will drain and not crank | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| May 2022 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | When running, after stopping at a stop sign, the car hesitates to go, kind of sputters. When turning the car on, the lights on the dash flicker and now the car won’t start. On days prior, you would turn the car key, but the car wouldn’t start on the first time. It sounded like it wouldn’t turn all the way on, like the battery died. I didn’t leave the radio on or anything that would warrant that.My safety was put at risk because I work in healthcare and get off work at midnight so if I broke down or stalled in traffic, this could cause an accident. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| May 2022 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | On occasion I have been walking around this car while its just parked in my garage and I hear a a humming sound like a electric gas pump. This is 4 hours after it was used last. It is a faint sound coming from the the rear seating area. Just before I started to write this I went out to check it again and its not doing it. This is not a one time event and its concerning since I believe its electric and may be involved with gas in a parked garage. The vehicle is in like new condition and had one minor cosmetic type accident while in its first year of use. Scratches to driver side panels and front bumper. I will call the dealer tomorrow to see what they have to say. Thanks in advance for any info you can share on this issue, a fire in my garage would bad. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Apr 2022 | FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | My wife was going to pick our kids up for school and was on a 60mph highway when the check engine light came on and the vehicle slowed down to 30mph in heavy traffic. She was able to maneuver off the road and get to safety. We took the vehicle to the dealership where they replaced the 3 fuel injectors for $1900. Vehicle has 38,000 miles. With such low miles and the fact that this happened on a highway in my opinion this is a major safety concern. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Mar 2022 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | When speaking to someone on the phone using the bluetooth connection in the car, the person you're speaking with hears their own voice echo back to them. Toyota suggest for every call that you turn volume on the phone all the way up and turn the volume on the car lower than 45. The does not make the system hands free and is dangerous to do this while driving. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Mar 2022 | FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | My car continues to stall/become powerless while driving even after replacing the low-pressure fuel pump as part of the earlier safety recall On Oct/28 2021by the dealer. The same problem started re-occurring once two weeks ago and again twice today while driving on busy road. It is a safety issue, my car has driven only 17k miles. I have visited the dealer last week and reported the issue and requested to check the fault code and ascertain the fault. They have expressed their inability to do it and said, the car is out of warranty. I think the problem is beyond the fuel pump or the work was not done in a proper workmanship manner. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Feb 2022 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | This is a 2019 Toyota Highlander and I have had to put three windshields in it. One every year. Substandard glass from the lowest bidder most likely. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jan 2022 | AIR BAGS,SEAT BELTS | Ever since I bought this car i have been having an issue where the SRS airbag Malfunction light comes on and my airbags are off seatbelts don't get recognized as buckled in. I have taken this car to the dealership numerous times to get it checked out but they cant seem to find a problem or solution. THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE and I would really like someone to get involved in this issue and help me figure out my next steps because of what they tell me is that they just reset the modue and it never comes back on until 2-3 months from after they chekc it out and reset it. Please help me | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jan 2022 | STEERING,LANE DEPARTURE | Vehicle constantly drift to the left which make it very unsafe because the driver is in a continuous correction mode to remain in one lane - can inspect anytime, alignment and tire rotation has been complied with at least 8 times within the last 3 months by Toyota Dealer and Firestone conclusion alignment is OK sometimes with minor correction. I'm constantly holding pressure on the steering to the right and left to remain in my lane doesn't matter about the road. The problem is worst on multi - lanes in the same direction with tractor trailers passing due to air current. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jan 2022 | SERVICE BRAKES | Suddenly very difficult to use the breaks. Car then stalls and can’t be started. Had happened twice. Dealer said it was the battery but I don’t believe it | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Nov 2021 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE | I was driving and stopped at a red light on 4 lane intersection (very busy). I went to press on the gas and my car would not move. I put it in park and and then back in drive. It still did not move. It "died". I looked at the dash and it said "electrical system - move over to a safe place". My car would not start - I could not move it. I was stuck in the middle of the street -scared out of my mind. I had to call 911 and they told me someone already called for me and the police were on their way. When the police came he told me to stay in my car and he would stay behind me. There were no warning lights or anything to let me know that this was going to happen. If there was, I would not be in the middle of a 4 lane road. Toyota states it is the start-stop battery system. This is completely unsafe. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Nov 2021 | STEERING,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE | Erratic steering - Steering response is unpredictable when changing lanes, especially at highway speeds. Stall out on hard acceleration - such as accelerating from an entrance ramp onto an interstate. Glare on navigation screen - creates hazard when shading screen by hand to see it while driving. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Nov 2021 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | While driving on highway, sunroof on 2019 Toyota Highlander Hybrid exploded outward. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Oct 2021 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,UNKNOWN OR OTHER,ENGINE | Since having recall work done my vehicles computer system has not been functioning the same. My vehicle has been stalling out and saying braking power low,stop in a safe place, charging system malfunction. I’ve reached out to Haley Toyota 8301 Midlothian Turnpike, Richmond, VA 23235 where the diagnostic was done and let them know of the error code I was given ( P0335) Crankshaft Position Sensor “A” Circuit. I took it in for diagnostic there and they told me they couldn’t find any issues with my vehicle , ( picked up Oct.3, 2021). It’s Oct.4 , 2021 and here I am at Sams Club trying to leave but my vehicle will not start. I contacted Toyota again and let them know of the same issue and they said to once again bring it in for diagnosing. I asked the gentleman on the phone if they had previously had it for a week and didn’t seem to find any issues with it after doing diagnostic then what were they planning on doing differently. My vehicle is under warranty and I’m trying to figure out who and where I can take it to to get some answers. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Oct 2021 | STEERING,SUSPENSION | While entering a business park's parking lot, my vehicle suddenly and immediately stopped all forward movement. I was thrown against the steering wheel, injuring the right side of my chest and scraping the skin off my right forearm which was covered with the sleeve of my shirt. I was dazed, had no idea what happened, and thought that I had hit something but yet no airbags had deployed. When the vehicle stopped it was near a light post which I assumed I had hit. Upon exiting the vehicle I noticed the front tire was blown and the wheel was sitting on the ground at an odd angle. Walking around the vehicle showed no other body damage other that a few small strips of yellow paint from the base of the light post. When the tow truck driver was placing the chains to load it onto the flatbed, he called my attention to the fact that the drivers side control arm had failed. See the attached pictures for further detail. I am very grateful that I was not in traffic on a major highway as this would have been a horrific accident. Pictures show the control arm had a crack with exposed rust on edges of a fracture in the control arm. This vehicle has only been serviced at Toyota authorized dealerships and has undergone their multipoint inspections during these visits that include the front and rear suspension. I will not feel comfortable driving this vehicle again! | Crash: Yes Fire: No Injuries: 1 Towed | Unknown |
| Sep 2021 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,ENGINE | I was involved in an accident that I believe was caused by sudden unintended acceleration (sua). In a very busy commercial parking lot, I was pulling into a parking space proceeding at a very slow speed, when there was a sudden surge in acceleration accompanied by a grinding/acceleration sound. I hit the brake to no effect, and the vehicle jumped the curb and hit a building shop and entered the shop. The air bags did not deploy, and I was shaken up but not injured. Thankfully, there was no one at the front desk area of the business. The car was not drivable and was towed to a body shop. | Crash: Yes Fire: No Towed | Unknown |
| Sep 2021 | POWER TRAIN,ENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | Our 2019 Highlander xle ( VIN [XXX]) is currently at the Lonestar service department. Service Rep ([XXX]), Assistant Sales Manager [XXX], and [XXX], were fully advised of the stall problems of our vehicle on 9/13/2031. Our paperwork on previous tall repairs were left with [XXX]. On 9/13/2021, we left our 2019, Highlander XLE in the Toyota Lonestar Service department, Lewisville, Texas, for stalling (would not drive) repairs. They were fully notified of several stall episodes. The most recent stall was while driving, 30 mph in Denton, Texas, in heavy traffic, in the middle of an intersection. My wife was terrified when the car stalled. The screen went black. Her car mileage was 9344 mileage at this most recent problem 9/2021. My wife when she starts the car leaving the house. She always going through the procedure to turn off the "start/stop" function, before leaving our residence ("manually turns off the auto stop-start feature"). This vehicle has stalled, several times, in heavy traffic while wife was driving, putting my wife in personal danger. The vehicle is very much at risk of a serious traffic accident. The Toyota dealer, in Denton Texas, has been made aware this problem, when it was returned for service repairs several times. They have not fixed this on going problem at all. This car is a "Lemon". This problem has occurred (stalls occurred on 3/16/2021, and 3/26/2021, 5/17/2019)The care was taken to Lonestar Toyota and Denton Toyota for repairs on these stall occasions. My wife says there were additional stall episodes. The Denton Police have a report of my wife being stalled on I-35 in heavy traffic on 3/5/2021. We waited in a police car for four hours for a tow truck, because of dangerous fast traffic. My wife says two other police departments have similar reports of these stall episodes, when police responded, (Flower Mound Police was one she recalled. https://www.consumerreports.org/car-recalls-defec INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Sep 2021 | FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | We purchased our brand new Toyota from the dealership in July of 2019. We used the dealership for every scheduled maintenance and maintained updated contact information the whole time. On August 6, 2021 when we were approximately 100 miles from home our car stalled abruptly in the middle of an intersection. The car was not driveable so we called a tow truck and we’re able to obtain a rental car. The car was towed to the nearest dealership which informed us the problem was due to a recalled faulty fuel pump. ( The first we had ever heard of the recall) The dealership fixed the car free of charge but denied us twice when we asked for approximately $450. 00 in reimbursement charges for the tow truck and car rental. We finally received a notice concerning the very long ongoing recall on or about September 2, 2021. We feel Toyota possibly knew about the dangerous recall when they sold us the car in July 2019. Thankfully it happened just as we were leaving a red light and no one was coming through the intersection, so no crash occurred | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |