no report yet
Hybrid propulsion system: inverter
Risk. The vehicle may enter a fail-safe/limp-home mode that limits the drivability of the vehicle.
2006 Toyota Highlander HybridProblems, recalls & complaints
NHTSA has logged 370 owner complaints about the 2006 Toyota Highlander Hybrid, most often about the service brakes. It is covered by 6 safety recalls.
Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through January 15, 2026. Updated daily. Photo: Cutlass, CC0.
Complaints by system
Where the 2006 Toyota Highlander Hybrid has problems
370 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.
76Service brakes5 crash/fire/injury
74Electrical system3 crash/fire/injury
45Hybrid propulsion system1 crash/fire/injury
42Service brakes, hydraulic6 crash/fire/injury
33Vehicle speed control13 crash/fire/injury
28Engine and engine cooling
25Engine
25Steering
24Electronic stability control (ESC)
9616 other systems20 crash/fire/injury
| System | Complaints | Crash, fire or injury |
|---|---|---|
| Service brakes | 76 | 5 |
| Electrical system | 74 | 3 |
| Hybrid propulsion system | 45 | 1 |
| Service brakes, hydraulic | 42 | 6 |
| Vehicle speed control | 33 | 13 |
| Engine and engine cooling | 28 | 3 |
| Engine | 25 | 1 |
| Steering | 25 | 1 |
| Electronic stability control (ESC) | 24 | 1 |
| 16 other systems | 96 | 20 |
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.
6 recalls
2006 Toyota Highlander Hybrid recalls and how many were fixed
Each ring shows the share of affected cars repaired, from the manufacturer’s latest quarterly report to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
no report yet
Engine and engine cooling
Risk. IN SOME CASES, THE BELT FOR THE POWER STEERING PUMP MAY BECOME DETACHED FROM THE PULLEY WHICH COULD RESULT IN A LOSS OF POWER STEERING AND A SUDDEN INCREASE IN…
no report yet
Electrical system
Risk. THE VEHICLE MAY ENTER A FAIL-SAFE/LIMP-HOME MODE THAT LIMITS THE DRIVABILITY OF THE VEHICLE.
no report yet
Vehicle speed control: accelerator pedal
Risk. IF THIS OCCURS, THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL MAY TEMPORARILY BECOME STUCK IN A PARTIALLY DEPRESSED POSITION RATHER THAN RETURN TO THE IDLE POSITION.
Show 2 more recalls
no report yet
Other: labels
Risk. INCORRECT LOAD CARRYING CAPACITY MODIFICATION LABELS COULD RESULT IN THE VEHICLE BEING OVERLOADED, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
no report yet
Vehicle speed control: accelerator pedal
Risk. THIS CONDITION MAY INTERFERE WITH THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL RETURNING TO THE IDLE POSITION INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
Recalls apply to specific cars. To see whether a recall is still open on yours, enter the 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with Toyota.
Mileage at failure
When do service brakes problems start?
137kmiles, median
Based on the odometer reading in 72 service brakes complaints. 25% were reported before 100,000 miles.
2under 30k miles18under 100k miles54100k miles or more
Owner-reported costs
What owners say repairs cost
Dollar amounts owners wrote in their complaints when describing a repair or a quote. These are not price estimates; a system is shown only when at least 8 owners mentioned a cost.
Service brakes
26 owners mentioned a cost$2,925median
Middle half: $2,400 – $3,200
Electrical system
11 owners mentioned a cost$8,800median
Middle half: $3,387 – $9,250
Hybrid propulsion system
9 owners mentioned a cost$9,000median
Middle half: $7,000 – $9,000
If a problem is covered by a recall, the dealer fixes it for free. Some manufacturers also reimburse owners who paid for a repair before a recall was announced.
Best & worst years
2006 vs. every other Highlander Hybrid year
Bars show complaints per model year. Colors show the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the Highlander Hybrid median. How we score
'04'05'06'07'08'09'10'11'12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19'20'21'22'23'24'25
- Avoid
- Caution
- Solid
- Best
- Not rated
NHTSA crash tests
2006 Toyota Highlander Hybrid safety ratings
2006 Toyota Highlander Hybrid 4-DR. in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program. Photos are from NHTSA's crash tests.
- Stability control: Standard
- Forward collision warning: No
- Lane departure warning: No
3 investigations
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal investigations that included the 2006 Toyota Highlander Hybrid, and the recalls they led to.
- Pedestrian alert soundsLed to recall 22V-063
- Hybrid inverter failure - vehicle stallLed to recall 11V-342
- Unintended and Uncontrolled AccelerationLed to recall 11V-112
In owners' words
What Highlander Hybrid owners report
Recent service brakes complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.
I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THE BRAKE ACTUATOR ON MY 2006 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER HYBRID 3 TIMES SINCE 2014. REPLACING THIS PART IS A $2500 - $3000 REPAIR. THE FIRST TIME, WE PAID OUT OF POCKET. THE SECOND TIME, I WAS TOLD I WOULD HAVE TO PAY OUT OF POCKET AND I DECLINED. PARKED THE VEHICLE FOR ABOUT A YEAR…
WHILE ATTEMPTING TO MAKE A STOP AT AN INTERSECTION DURING CITY DRIVING THE BRAKE PEDAL BECAME VERY HARD TO PRESS DOWN AND SEVERAL WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON MY VEHICLE DASHBOARD. AT FIRST, THE PROBLEM WAS INTERMITTENT BUT PROGRESSIVELY GOT WORST OVER CONTINUED DRIVING. I TOOK MY VEHICLE TO MY LOCAL…
I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE USED IN AUGUST 2018. IN JANUARY, WARNING LIGHTS INDICATED A 'VSC SYSTEM' PROBLEM. THE EVENT OCCURRED WHILE I WAS DRIVING. I RESEARCHED CAR REPAIR WEBSITES AND FORUMS, AND DISCOVERED THAT THIS IS OFTEN A SIMPLE PROBLEM WITH A SENSOR FOR THE FUEL DOOR, OR A LINKAGE IN THE…
Own a 2006 Highlander Hybrid?
Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.