Complaint volume
223 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
223 consumer-submitted complaints on record for the 2022 Toyota Highlander, grouped by component category.
Buyer interpretation
Complaint records are most useful when they turn into inspection points, seller questions, and comparison checks against nearby model years.
223 consumer-submitted complaints are matched to this model year. Treat the count as a research signal, then read the actual summaries for repeated symptoms.
The most common categories are power train, structure, service brakes. Use those categories as a test-drive checklist instead of judging the vehicle from the total count alone.
Enriched records include 12 crash reports, 1 fire report, 2 injury reports, and 1 fatality report. These fields come from complaint records and should be read in context.
Mileage is available on 28 complaints, with an average reported failure mileage of 33,666 miles. Compare that with the mileage on the listing.
Build a buyer checklist to turn these issues into questions and inspection points.
223 total complaints on record
| Date | Component | Summary | Severity | Mileage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 2026 | POWER TRAIN | 2022 Toyota Highlander 8 speed transmission started making noise at highway speed. Vehicle has 61,000 miles on it. Also has erratic shifting. Toyota dealer said it needs a new transmission. Just out of warranty so Toyota only agreed to pay 25% of the bill. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jul 2026 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | Rear window on the tailgate spontaneously cracked and broke into small pieces. No warning and no one touched the glass. The glass crumbled into small pieces. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jul 2026 | POWER TRAIN | After multiple visits to a private mechanic, it has been determined that the transmission on this 2022 Highlander will need to be replaced. I have seen multiple reports stating this is a common issue with certain Toyotas. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jul 2026 | SEATS | The contact owns a 2022 Toyota Highlander. The contact received a recall notification for NHTSA Campaign Number: 26V128000 (Seats); however, the part to complete the recall repair was not yet available. The dealer was contacted and confirmed that the parts were unavailable. The contact stated that the second-row seats could not be occupied due to the unrepaired recall. The manufacturer was contacted and a case was filed, but the contact was informed that the parts remained unavailable. The contact had not experienced a failure. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jul 2026 | POWER TRAIN | Transmission was replaced at 62,000 miles, along with the passenger headlight. Transmission had the dreaded "whine" at 60k miles. Headlight led lights were dead at 61K miles. All service work was completed at the local Toyota dealership. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jul 2026 | STRUCTURE | While traveling on interstate highways from [XXX] to [XXX], the front lower bumper cover on my 2022 Toyota Highlander Limited (VIN [XXX]) partially detached during normal driving at approximately 81,859 miles. The aluminum crash bar became exposed. The vehicle is subject to NHTSA Recall 23V-720 regarding the front lower bumper cover detaching while driving. This incident appears to be the exact defect described in the recall. Fortunately, no crash or injuries occurred, but complete separation could have created a serious roadway hazard. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6) | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jun 2026 | POWER TRAIN | In March 2026, a sound was noticed at coasting speed. At regular servicing in June 2026 at 74,226, Service Department was informed of sound and stated that it might be wheels/ brakes. A further service appointment stated that the transaxle assembly will need to be replaced at a quoted cost of $10,657.97. At regular service 62,981 and 68,217 the Multi-Point Inspections showed Transmission/ Transaxle, Differential and Transfer Case all marked “OK”. At regular service 74,226, after informing Service Department of the sound, the Multi-Point Inspection shows “Sealed Transmission, fluid not checked”. Nothing was marked with Differential or Transfer case and everything “Under Vehicle”- driveshaft, drive, axle hub and bearing, steering linkage, suspension, fluid leaks, exhaust system, fuel lines were all marked “OK” | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jun 2026 | SEATS | The contact owns a 2022 Toyota Highlander. The contact received notification of NTHSA Campaign Number: 26V128000 (Seats); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experience a failure. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jun 2026 | POWER TRAIN | Known faulty transmission. Ua 80 transmission shifts early causing erratic shifting and excessive wear and tear on the transmission causing premature wear and tear. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jun 2026 | SEATS | The contact owns a 2022 Toyota Highlander. The contact stated that while driving 20 MPH with a child seated in the rear passenger’s side seat with the seat back adjusted, while going around a roundabout, the vehicle was cut off by another vehicle, and the contact depressed the brake pedal aggressively to stop the vehicle. There was an abnormal clunking sound coming from the passenger’s side second-row seat, and the seat back moved or readjusted from the previous position. The contact slowed down to approximately 5 MPH to avoid the crash. The child remained secured in the car seat. There was no injury sustained. The vehicle was included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 26V128000 (SEATS). The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but the part was not yet available for the recall repair. The failure mileage was approximately 27,500. | Crash: No Fire: No | 27,500 |
| Jun 2026 | POWER TRAIN | System Failed -Transmission makes a high pitch whine, which Toyota has identified as a product manufacturing issue with the 2017-2022 V6 Highlander, but has not done anything to rectify the issue for those of us out of warranty. As this transmission issue usually doesn't start happening until 60,000 miles, unless you bought an extended warranty, you're out another $8K to $10K due to their negligence. Found this on Redit - Toyota knows the UA80F whines—it’s in TSB T-SB-0160-18 , T-SB-0008-21 and CSP ZJC. But unless your VIN’s on their cherry-picked list, they’ll play dumb. Safety Risk - Transmission stops working and car is inoperable. Reproduced - Yes, Toyota is aware that several cars are affected and doesn't care. Symptoms - Identified Symptoms are high pitched whine, rough shifting, transmission slippage, etc. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jun 2026 | POWER TRAIN | Transmission failure at 38,896 miles | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jun 2026 | POWER TRAIN | I am having a problem on the transmission as described by the Geras Magazine: "The issue stems from a flawed assembly process involving the counter drive gear support. A locking tab meant to secure a vital retaining nut was not bent properly during factory assembly. This leads to gear movement, internal wear, whining, and eventually failure." | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jun 2026 | POWER TRAIN | 2023 toyota highlander w AU80 transmission whinning noises when accelerating.69000K miles, serviced at Emerson Toyota, scheduled transmission check at 57000K miles, technician stated slight whinning was normal | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jun 2026 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | Nothing happened | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jun 2026 | SEATS | The contact owns a 2022 Toyota Highlander. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 26V128000 (Seats); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The dealer was contacted, and the contact was informed that parts were not yet available for the recall repair. The contact stated that the vehicle was used to transport children, and the unrepaired recall was a safety hazard. The manufacturer was contacted, and a case was filed. The contact had not experienced a failure. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jun 2026 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES | The only door that will lock or unlock using the fab key or the master lock button on the drivers armrest is the drivers side rear door. My vehicle is not able to be locked unless I do it manually and can not be unlocked unless i use the rear drivers side door. This has been reproduced by the dealership. There were no warning lamps or messages and no other symptoms. This has been going on for a month. I am being told by the dealership service department that 3 actuators failed at the same time. My lift gate also malfunctioned this year. Dealership diagnosed it with needing new struts. Not sure if this is related. Lift gate would not open or open only a small amount. This was using the inside button and the outside one as well. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jun 2026 | POWER TRAIN | Whining sound, when acceleration | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| May 2026 | STRUCTURE | The contact's daughter owns a 2022 Toyota Highlander. The contact stated while driving approximately 65 MPH, the contact noticed an abnormal sound coming from the exterior of the vehicle. The driver pulled to a highway hot shop. Upon inspection, the contact noticed that the upper side of the lower front bumper cover had detached and the cover was hanging and dragging. The contact secured the cover with strings and was able to continue driving. The vehicle was taken to the dealer to be repaired under NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V720000 (Structure); however, the dealer refused to complete the recall repair due to collateral damage caused by the cover dragging. The vehicle was then taken to Toyota of Manhattan (679 11th Ave, New York, NY 10019), where the contact was denied assistance because the previous dealer had already opened a case. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was unknown. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| May 2026 | STRUCTURE | The contact owns a 2022 TOYOTA Highlander. The contact stated that the front upper bumper assembly is separating from the headlight on the passenger side, creating a noticeable gap on the fender portion directly below the headlight. The contact referenced NHTSA campaign number: 23V720000 (STRUCTURE), however, the VIN was not included in the recall repair. The dealer was notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 32,827. | Crash: No Fire: No | 32,827 |
| May 2026 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | Motorized struts to lift and close the rear lift gate have failed. The struts do work to open the lift gate but they do not work to close it. Manually closing the lift gate is extremely difficult because of the electric motors inside of the struts. A known problem by Toyota as they have issued a TSB. Toyota’s solution is to replace the struts at a cost of $1200. My concern about this being a safety issue: Closing the lift gate after accessing the spare tire is extremely difficult. If my wife would inadvertently open the lift gate, which does work, after leaving the grocery store to put all of the groceries in the back, she would not have the strength to manually close it. Obviously, the vehicle cannot be driven with the open tail gate. This is not any different than if any of the doors could not be closed due to defective hinges. The premature failure of motorized struts is a fairly common problem with Highlanders. ToyotaNation, which is a Toyota sponsored forum for owners to communicate with other owners about issues/problems, contains numerous posts about the failure of motorized struts on the rear lift gate. Your attention to this matter is greatly appreciated. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6) | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| May 2026 | EXTERIOR LIGHTING,AIR BAGS,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | PKSB malfunction, LTA system malfunction, SRS system malfunction, Per-Collision system malfunction, Headlight system malfunction and Front camera unavailable. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| May 2026 | EXTERIOR LIGHTING,LANE DEPARTURE,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | Headlight system malfunction, Pre-collision system malfunction and LTA malfunction | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Apr 2026 | STRUCTURE | The power back door struts were not completely operational for about 6 months or more from the date of repair on 2/26/26. Therefore, the back hatch would not close without manipulating it by starting the vehicle and using the inside button to close it. There was also a loud grinding/whining noise each time we opened and closed the hatch. The dealer said it's a common problem and maybe the struts were blown out because we had to open the rear hatch to get a mobility scooter in and out . Since we were concerned that eventually the hatch would be stuck in the upright position permanately, we relented and paid to have the Toyota dealer replace the struts. The dealer said it may become a recall because it's so common. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Apr 2026 | ENGINE | Goodwill Repair for my 2022 Highlander transmission whine, referencing TSB T-SB-0008-21。” | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |