repaired · 2017 Q4
Front assembly: seat heater/cooler
Risk. If damaged, the copper strand heating element may short circuit, increasing the risk of a fire.
2006 Toyota HighlanderProblems, recalls & complaints
NHTSA has logged 279 owner complaints about the 2006 Toyota Highlander, most often about the service brakes. It is covered by 7 safety recalls, and for recall 16V-396 the manufacturer reports only 24% of affected cars repaired.
Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through November 6, 2026. Updated daily. Photo: Cutlass, CC0.
Complaints by system
Where the 2006 Toyota Highlander has problems
279 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.
72Service brakes5 crash/fire/injury
43Vehicle speed control14 crash/fire/injury
26Electrical system
23Service brakes, hydraulic5 crash/fire/injury
22Power train1 crash/fire/injury
21Engine and engine cooling2 crash/fire/injury
19Engine
16Steering
12Air bags
8621 other systems5 crash/fire/injury
| System | Complaints | Crash, fire or injury |
|---|---|---|
| Service brakes | 72 | 5 |
| Vehicle speed control | 43 | 14 |
| Electrical system | 26 | 0 |
| Service brakes, hydraulic | 23 | 5 |
| Power train | 22 | 1 |
| Engine and engine cooling | 21 | 2 |
| Engine | 19 | 1 |
| Steering | 16 | 2 |
| Air bags | 12 | 8 |
| 21 other systems | 86 | 5 |
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.
7 recalls
2006 Toyota Highlander 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.
repaired · 2016 Q2
Front assembly: seat heater/cooler
Risk. Damage to the seat heater wiring could cause the wires to short, increasing the risk of the seat burning and causing personal injury to the occupant.
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.
no report yet
Foundation components: master cylinder
Risk. A LEAK OF BRAKE FLUID COULD LEAD TO A CHANGE IN BRAKE PEDAL FEEL AND OVERTIME A DEGRADATION IN BRAKING PERFORMANCE INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
Show 3 more recalls
no report yet
Other: labels
Risk. A DRIVER MAY OVERLOAD A VEHICLE WHICH MAY INCREASE THE RISK OF A CRASH.
no report yet
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.
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?
151kmiles, median
Based on the odometer reading in 37 service brakes complaints. 30% were reported before 100,000 miles.
3under 30k miles11under 100k miles26100k 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
21 owners mentioned a cost$3,000median
Middle half: $2,500 – $3,800
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 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 median. How we score
'01'02'03'04'05'06'07'08'09'10'11'12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19'20'21'22'23'24'25'26
- Avoid
- Caution
- Solid
- Best
- Not rated
NHTSA crash tests
2006 Toyota Highlander safety ratings
2006 Toyota Highlander 4-DR. in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program. Photos are from NHTSA's crash tests.
Frontal crashNot rated
Side barrierNot rated
- Rollover: 4 stars (17.4% risk)
- Stability control: Standard
- Forward collision warning: No
- Lane departure warning: No
2 investigations
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal investigations that included the 2006 Toyota Highlander, and the recalls they led to.
- SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER STEERING ASSISTNo recall
- Unintended and Uncontrolled AccelerationLed to recall 11V-112
In owners' words
What Highlander owners report
Recent service brakes complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.
My brake actuator assembly failed while driving. The brakes stopped working. The cost to repair is over $3,000. This is a fairly common problem in the 2006 toyota highlander hybrid. In fact, Toyota extended the car's warranty to cover this issue, but it expired in 2017. The problem usually occurs…
Multiple warning lights appeared on the dash board including ABS, also check VSC system in the dialogue window. Code C1391 (Abnormal leak in accumulator) appeared in a diagnostic scan. After some internet research, it appears this a common problem with the 2006 Toyota Highlander and is a very…
The Antilock Braking Actuator has failed. This seems to be a known issue and was already recalled on the Toyota Camry. Toyota sells the part for $1500 locally and labor will be added to that as well - which will put the cost of replacing this critical part almost above the current value of the…
Own a 2006 Highlander?
Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.