Carlexica

2016 Toyota Highlander: problems, recalls and reliability

3 recalls and 115 owner complaints on record; the weakest area is service brakes (19% of complaints).

Data updated weekly · latest recall Nov 2018

3
recalls
115
owner complaints
1
fire reports
28,000
typical failure mileage, mi

All counts are reports filed with NHTSA in the United States - US market only, not worldwide totals.

NHTSA crash testOverall ★★★★★Front ★★★★Side ★★★★★Rollover ★★★★
Among the quietest Highlander years (#21 of 25 by complaints, age-adjusted)5-star NHTSA overall safety rating1 fire reportProblems reported early (median 28,000 mi)

Common problems

Computed from 115 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for this exact model year.

Service Brakes (brakes)19% · 18 complaints
Electrical System (battery, wiring, electronics)11% · 11 complaints
Steering (steering wheel, rack, power assist)7% · 7 complaints
Exterior Lighting (headlights, taillights)7% · 7 complaints
Engine (engine mechanics)7% · 7 complaints
Visibility/Wiper (windshield, wipers, defroster, mirrors)6% · 6 complaints
P245/55R19 103T Nitto Crosstek2 BW. Vehicle pulls to different directions when the tires are cross swapped. I have taken the vehicle to 4 to 5 wheel alignments within 3 months and 3 different shops after the purchase of the tire. Recently I took the vehicle Big O Tires and they _verified the tires have "Radial Pull" / Tire Conicity due to Manufacturing Defect of the a belt separation within the tire's structure. _The shop also verified that the alignment is performed correctly. I believe those tire are unsafe and they could fail suddenly causing crash.Owner report · Tires · Aug 2025
On multiple (3-5), but not all, occasions at the same location my pre collision warning and automatic breaking appear to have been triggered as I approached an expansion plate at the edge of a bridge. The pre collision warning sounded, then the brakes were automatically applied. After a few seconds the braking stopped and my car proceeded normally. If a car had been following closely I may have been struck in the rear.Owner report · Forward Collision Avoidance · May 2025
The water pump on my 2016 Toyota Highlander XLE disintegrated while I was driving in heavy traffic. The pulley came loose from the water pump shaft. I have the water pump. Our safety was at risk because this happen in heavy traffic and it could have effected my control of the vehicle if it had came off completely. The pulley was wedge between the wheel well and fame. I sent a claim to Toyota and it was rejected due to the vehicle be out of warranty. I'm saying this is a manufacturing defect. No warning before it happen.Owner report · Engine · Dec 2024
Show 7 more owner reports
The contact owned a 2016 Toyota Highlander. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed low speeds on a decline, the brake pedal depressed all the way to the floorboard. As a result, the vehicle rolled downhill into a busy intersection and was struck by another vehicle on the passenger side door. The air bags did not deploy. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was towed to a tow yard and deemed at total lose by the contacts insurance provider. A police report was filed with no injuries reported. The manufacturer was notified of the failure; a case was opened, and the contact was referred to the NHTSA hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 62,000.Owner report · Service Brakes · Nov 2024
The driver side rear passenger door can not be opened,either by remote or manually. This poses a threat to the safety of passengers in the rear seat area in the event of a crash. First responders would need to take other measures to tend to any injured passengers.Owner report · Structure · Aug 2024
The contact owns a 2016 Toyota Highlander. The contact stated that while driving approximately 20 MPH, the front right passenger's side view mirror suddenly fractured. The vehicle had not been taken to the dealer. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 64,000,Owner report · Visibility · Jan 2024
2016 toyota highlander le model v-6 cylinder. The FUEL PUMP runs after engine has been turned off for several hours, even up to as many as 8 hours. This situation can be heard in a closed in garage, in the completely quiet of night time, and at multiple times during the same time period. It happens intermittently with various levels of gas in the tank. The length of time FUEL PUMP can run can be as little as 10 minutes to over 60 minutes.Owner report · Engine · Dec 2023
Had cv boot and control arm work at 30k miles caught it in time in 2021 and dealer fixed it. 2 years later same issue if i had bot taken it to dealer and just did oil changes myself cv boot and control arm would break during operation. Seems like they have serious issues with cv boots and control arms at low miles. I only have 50k miles to have a second replacement.Owner report · Suspension · Oct 2023
I have had problems with the brakes since I bought the vehicle new in 2016. I have the brakes checked every year and when I had problems but they never found the problem why the brakes do not work. The worse accident was on November 19, 2022 when my wife was using the car. She was in the car alone. She went to brake and the brakes did not engage, she slammed on the brakes 4 times and the car did not even slow down and she rear-ended the car in front of her. The air bags did not engage and she was injured. The brakes do not always work, I have gone through stop signs and red lights but the dealership says there is no problem.Owner report · Forward Collision Avoidance · Nov 2022
While driving down the road the panoramic moonroof section of the sunroof exploded. This included a lout shotgun like sound. The sound, in addition to not having sufficient roof coverage, resulted in a safety issue. Glass shards may have also been thrown to vehicles behind us. The dealer is closed today, but I will be contacting them in the morning to report the issue and to see if it is covered. I understand that this happens relatively frequently, but no recall has been issued. I have reached out to insurance and will likely be filing a claim if Toyota doesn't cover it. No party has inspected at this point. There was no warning to this.Owner report · Unknown Or Other · Jun 2022

When filing, owners marked a crash in 14 of these complaints and injuries in 11 - self-reported to NHTSA, not verified accident statistics.

Recalls - 3 campaigns

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FLUID16V775000 · Oct 2016

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain model year 2016 Highlander vehicles manufactured May 26, 2016, to September 16, 2016. The brake fluid level sensor may not be connected to the wire harness, preventing the sensor from detecting the brake fluid level. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 135, "Light Vehicle Brake Systems."

Remedy: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and, as necessary, connect the wire harness to the sensor, free of charge. The recall began November 14, 2016. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's number for this G03.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM18E107000 · Nov 2018

Fujian Wanda Automobile Glass Industry (Wanda) is recalling certain aftermarket Replacement Windshields sold for use in 2014-2018 Toyota Highlander vehicles. The windshields have an attached wire harness that water may leak into, possibly causing damage to the vehicle's Engine Control Module (ECM).

Remedy: Wanda will notify owners, and service centers will replace the windshields, and inspect the ECM for damage, having it replaced, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began January 29, 2019. Owners may contact Wanda customer service at 1-864-281-2760.

EQUIPMENT:OTHER:LABELS16V420000 · Jun 2016

Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC (SET) is recalling certain model year 2016 Toyota Camry and Highlander, 2015-2016 Toyota Tundra, Scion FR-S, and tC vehicles. The Load Carrying Capacity Modification Label may not reflect the correct added weight of the installed accessories. As a result, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 110, "Tire Selection and Rims for Passenger Cars."

Remedy: SET will notify owners, and provide a corrected label for placement over the inaccurate label, free of charge. The recall began on July 14, 2016. Owners may contact SET customer service at 1-866-405-4226.

Specifications

Factory options offered for the 2016 model year, decoded from the NHTSA vPIC database. Individual vehicles have one of each.

Engines2.7L · 3.5L
Cylinders4 · 6
FuelGasoline

How other years compare

Check your exact Highlander by VIN

Recalls and equipment differ between individual vehicles. Decode your VIN to see what applies to yours.

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Frequently asked questions

Is the 2016 Toyota Highlander reliable?

NHTSA has 115 owner complaints and 3 recall campaigns on record for the 2016 Toyota Highlander. The most complained-about area is service brakes (19% of complaints).

At what mileage do 2016 Toyota Highlander problems usually appear?

Half of the complaints that mention mileage were filed at 28,000 miles or less.

Does the 2016 Toyota Highlander have open recalls?

3 recall campaigns have been issued, the latest concerning service brakes, hydraulic:fluid. Check your specific vehicle by VIN - recall repairs are free at franchised dealers.

Source: NHTSA recall campaigns and owner complaints (public domain). Counts reflect reports on file and are not a defect rate.