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.
2008 Toyota HighlanderProblems, recalls & complaints
NHTSA has logged 406 owner complaints about the 2008 Toyota Highlander, most often about the service brakes. It is covered by 11 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 5, 2026. Updated daily. Photo: IFCAR, Public domain.
Complaints by system
Where the 2008 Toyota Highlander has problems
406 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.
67Service brakes3 crash/fire/injury
58Air bags14 crash/fire/injury
58Engine7 crash/fire/injury
45Vehicle speed control22 crash/fire/injury
44Electrical system7 crash/fire/injury
40Steering3 crash/fire/injury
25Tires
18Power train
18Engine and engine cooling
11219 other systems14 crash/fire/injury
| System | Complaints | Crash, fire or injury |
|---|---|---|
| Service brakes | 67 | 3 |
| Air bags | 58 | 14 |
| Engine | 58 | 7 |
| Vehicle speed control | 45 | 22 |
| Electrical system | 44 | 7 |
| Steering | 40 | 3 |
| Tires | 25 | 1 |
| Power train | 18 | 3 |
| Engine and engine cooling | 18 | 1 |
| 19 other systems | 112 | 14 |
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.
11 recalls
2008 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 · 2017 Q1
Visibility: power window devices and controls
Risk. If the sliding electrical contacts are not protected by lubricant, debris and moisture that get into the switch may cause a short circuit and the switch…
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.
repaired · 2016 Q3
Driver side: inflator module
Risk. If the FFC is damaged, connectivity to the driver's air bag module could be lost and the air bag deactivated.
Show 7 more recalls
repaired · 2015 Q1
Visibility: power window devices and controls
Risk. If the switch overheats, it may melt, possibly resulting in a fire.
no report yet
Air bags
Risk. INADVERTENT ACTIVATION OF THE CSA AND/OR THE SEAT BELT PRETENSIONER CAN CAUSE INJURY TO A VEHICLE OCCUPANT.
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
Vehicle speed control: accelerator pedal
Risk. A STUCK OPEN ACCELERATOR PEDAL MAY RESULT IN VERY HIGH VEHICLE SPEEDS AND MAKE IT DIFFICULT TO STOP THE VEHICLE, WHICH COULD CAUSE A CRASH, SERIOUS INJURY OR…
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
Seat belts: rear/other
Risk. HOWEVER, FOR THE TWO THIRD ROW DSP'S ON THESE VEHICLES, THE ALR MODE DEACTIVATES BEFORE THE WEBBING IS FULLY RETRACTED, SO THAT IT WILL NOT LOCK WHEN CERTAIN…
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?
155kmiles, median
Based on the odometer reading in 33 service brakes complaints. 24% were reported before 100,000 miles.
1under 30k miles8under 100k miles25100k 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
17 owners mentioned a cost$3,500median
Middle half: $3,000 – $4,000
Air bags
12 owners mentioned a cost$500median
Middle half: $483 – $548
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
2008 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
2008 Toyota Highlander safety ratings
2008 Toyota Highlander 4-DR. w/SAB 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 2008 Toyota Highlander, and the recalls they led to.
- Steering Column SeparationNo recall
- Upper Steering Column SeparationNo recall
In owners' words
What Highlander owners report
Recent service brakes complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.
Subject: Sudden Unintended Braking and Loss of Vehicle Control – 2008 Toyota Highlander V6 AWD I am reporting a serious and potentially life-threatening incident involving my 2008 Toyota Highlander V6 AWD. Shortly before this incident, I had all four tires replaced at Les Schwab. While driving…
THERE WAS NO INCIDENT. WHEN THE BRAKE MALFUNCTION SCREEN DISPLAYED, I DROVE THE VEHICLE TO THE NEAREST TOYOTA DEALER IN PUEBLO, COLORADO. I RECEIVED THE ATTACHED SERVICE MESSAGE AND PICKING TICKET; 17june2025. IT ALSO NEEDS NEW BRAKE PADS, ROTOR ADJUSTMENT, AND 5 NEW TIRES. TOTAL~$6000. WAY TOO…
My 2008 Toyota Highlander Hybrid is having severe issues with the ABS system. Toyota is reporting that it needs an ABS actuator and ABS pump replacements. These were a part of Toyota's previous Customer Support Program, but the program expired before I owned the vehicle. That is EXTREMELY dangerous…
Own a 2008 Highlander?
Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.