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.
2009 Toyota HighlanderProblems, recalls & complaints
NHTSA has logged 134 owner complaints about the 2009 Toyota Highlander, most often about the engine. It is covered by 9 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 July 30, 2025. Updated daily. Photo: MercurySable99, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Complaints by system
Where the 2009 Toyota Highlander has problems
134 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.
23Engine2 crash/fire/injury
21Service brakes1 crash/fire/injury
20Electrical system2 crash/fire/injury
15Structure1 crash/fire/injury
14Vehicle speed control3 crash/fire/injury
11Steering
8Air bags
7Power train
6Tires
4316 other systems3 crash/fire/injury
| System | Complaints | Crash, fire or injury |
|---|---|---|
| Engine | 23 | 2 |
| Service brakes | 21 | 1 |
| Electrical system | 20 | 2 |
| Structure | 15 | 1 |
| Vehicle speed control | 14 | 3 |
| Steering | 11 | 0 |
| Air bags | 8 | 2 |
| Power train | 7 | 0 |
| Tires | 6 | 0 |
| 16 other systems | 43 | 3 |
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.
9 recalls
2009 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 5 more recalls
no report yet
Frontal: sensor/control module-inactive
Risk. If the front passenger seat occupant sensing system is out of calibration, the front passenger airbags may not deploy or they may deploy inappropriately for…
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.
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 engine problems start?
83kmiles, median
Based on the odometer reading in 20 engine complaints. 65% were reported before 100,000 miles.
1under 30k miles13under 100k miles7100k miles or more
Best & worst years
2009 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
2009 Toyota Highlander safety ratings
2009 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 2009 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 engine complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.
When starting it would make grinding noise,sounds like metallic noise until the engine oil starts circulating.Dealer said that its normal due to cold starts but this can happen even when the engine is up to temperature.Toyota refuse to remedy the issue.
Engine oil filler cap had interior motor part, melt through while driving, almost hurling all the way through, 2 inch cylindrical part viewed when opening hood to inspect damage. Braking, trac and vsc engaged and motor failed almost dieing, abs allowed brake pedal to go to floor with vehicle just…
3 TIMES OVER THE LAST MONTH, WHILE I WAS DRIVING MY VEHICLE, THE CAR SUDDENLY LOST POWER WHILE I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY. ALL THE DASHBOARD LIGHTS FLASHED ON, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT AND WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE LOST POWER, THE ACCELERATOR WAS NOT WORKING, AND I WAS JUST BARELY ABLE TO…
Own a 2009 Highlander?
Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.