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.
2011 Toyota HighlanderProblems, recalls & complaints
NHTSA has logged 182 owner complaints about the 2011 Toyota Highlander, most often about the steering. It is covered by 5 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 2, 2026. Updated daily. Photo: IFCAR, Public domain.
Complaints by system
Where the 2011 Toyota Highlander has problems
182 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.
34Steering
27Structure1 crash/fire/injury
25Visibility/wiper
23Electrical system
17Engine
16Power train
13Service brakes3 crash/fire/injury
12Vehicle speed control
11Visibility
3714 other systems9 crash/fire/injury
| System | Complaints | Crash, fire or injury |
|---|---|---|
| Steering | 34 | 0 |
| Structure | 27 | 1 |
| Visibility/wiper | 25 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 23 | 0 |
| Engine | 17 | 0 |
| Power train | 16 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 13 | 3 |
| Vehicle speed control | 12 | 5 |
| Visibility | 11 | 0 |
| 14 other systems | 37 | 9 |
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.
5 recalls
2011 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.
no report yet
Other: labels
Risk. An inaccurate label could lead to owners overloading their vehicles and tires.
Show 1 more recall
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…
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 steering problems start?
85kmiles, median
Based on the odometer reading in 30 steering complaints. 73% were reported before 100,000 miles.
5under 30k miles22under 100k miles8100k miles or more
Best & worst years
2011 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
2011 Toyota Highlander safety ratings
2011 Toyota Highlander SUV AWD in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program. Photos are from NHTSA's crash tests.
★★★★★Overall rating
Frontal crash★★★★★
Side barrier★★★★★
Side pole★★★★★
- 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 2011 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 steering complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.
Clicking in steering column light comes on dash for power steering then hard to make turn then well go back off then able to make turns with ease again
In the last 30 days, the steering has begun to feel "loose", as if I am driving on ice. At first it was barely perceptable. There has been more "play" in the steering. During the last 2 days, the car is now making a thud when I am steering right. I have an appointment for a mechanic to look at it.…
The power steering is clunky, locks in position when backing out of a parking spot, is clunky and unreliable at slow speeds. I can feel the steering column get far tighter feeling when turning at slow speed (3-10 mph)
Own a 2011 Highlander?
Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.