2013 Toyota Highlander problems, complaints & recalls

2013 Toyota Highlander recalls (3)

• Recall 14V148000Mar 27, 201446,757 vehicles
  SEATS

  Toyota is recalling certain model year 2013 Highlander vehicles manufactured March 13, 2013, through August 6, 2013. In the affected vehicles, the second row left hand seat may not lock in place when positioned in the forward front or second adjusting position. As such, the vehicles do not conform to Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 207, "Seating Systems."

  Risk: If the seat does not lock into the seat track, there may be an increased risk of injury to an occupant in the event of a crash.

  Remedy: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will modify the second row left hand seat so that it will lock into the seat track, free of charge. The recall began on May 21, 2014. Owners may contact Toyota at 1-800-331-4331.

• Recall 13V123000Apr 9, 20137,525 vehicles
  EQUIPMENT:OTHER:LABELS

  Southeast Toyota is recalling certain model year 2008 and 2010-2013 Toyota Tundra, 2010-2012 Rav4, 2012 Toyota Sequoia, 2010-2011 Toyota Corolla, 2010-2011 Toyota Camry and Camry Hybrid, 2010-2013 Toyota Highlander and Highlander Hybrid, 2010-2013 Toyota FJ Cruiser, 2011 Toyota Land Cruiser, 2010-2013 Toyota Venza, 2010-2011 Toyota 4Runner, 2010-2013 Toyota Tacoma, 2011-2012 Toyota Sienna, 2012 Toyota Prius, 2013 Scion FR-S, 2011 Scion XD, 2011 Scion XB, and 2012 Scion TC vehicles. These vehicles were sold with labels that were outside the allowable one percent of accuracy of actual weight added. Thus, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) Number 110, "Tire Selection and Rims."

  Risk: An inaccurate label could lead to owners overloading their vehicles and tires. An overloaded vehicle can result in a tire failure which may result in a vehicle crash, personal injury, or property damage.

  Remedy: Southeast Toyota will notify owners and provide a corrected label with instructions concerning its installation. A small group of the affected vehicles will need additonal remedies which are still being developed. The recall began on May 28, 2013. Owners may contact Southeast Toyota at 1-800-301-6859.

• Recall 13V014000Jan 16, 20133,235 vehicles
  AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:SENSOR/CONTROL MODULE-INACTIVE · SEATS

  Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC (SET) is recalling certain models interspersed through model years 2009 through 2013 as follows: model year 2009-2012 Tacoma, 4Runner, Camry, Camry Hybrid, Prius, and RAV4; model year 2009-2010 Avalon, FJ Cruiser, and Highlander Hybrid; model year 2010-2013 model year Corolla, Sienna and Tundra; model year 2009-2013 Highlander and Venza; model year 2012 Prius V; and model year 2010-2012 Sequoia. During modification by SET to include accessories such as leather seat covers, seat heaters or headrest DVD systems, these vehicles may not have had the passenger seat occupant sensing system calibration tested. Without passing the calibration test, the occupant sensing system may not operate as designed.

  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 the passenger's size and position. This could increase the risk of personal injury during the event of a vehicle crash necessitating airbag deployment.

  Remedy: Southeast Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will test the sensitivity of the occupant detection sensors, and recalibrate them as necessary. The recall began on March 21, 2013. Owners may contact Southeast Toyota at 1-800-301-6859.

NHTSA defect investigations

• EA18006Opened Nov 16, 2018Closed Apr 2, 2024

  Steering Column Separation

  On November 16, 2018, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened an Engineering Analysis (EA18-006) as an upgrade to a Preliminary Evaluation (PE18-005).  The investigation focused on allegations of steering wheel separation from the lower steering column after using the tilt and/or telescoping mechanism. Given the separation occurring when operating the tilt and/or telescoping function and failure of both shear capsules to maintain the lower steering column mounting position, potential for shear capsule damage in the known failures due to collisions, the overall low rate of occurrence, …

• PE18005Opened May 4, 2018Closed Nov 20, 2018

  Upper Steering Column Separation

  On May 4, 2018, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened Preliminary Evaluation PE18-005 to investigate three allegations of steering column separation for Model Year (MY) 2008 through 2013 Toyota Highlander vehicles. Two (2) of the 3 complaints were received by ODI in April 2018 and occurred while the vehicle was in motion. Since opening PE18-005, one (1) additional VOQ involving steering column separation has been received. This incident occurred while the vehicle was stationary.As part of PE18-005, ODI examined the field data, warranty data, and relevant technical information submit…

Recent 2013 Toyota Highlander complaints

Excerpts of the newest owner complaints, lightly cleaned of personal details. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

1. Filed Sep 18, 2026GAEngine

   I purchased a 2013 Toyota Highlander in 2018 or.2019 with 64,000 miles. I was told to go 5000 miles before changes. My oil was gone many times when I did this. I reported this to Toyota dealership.I eventually stopped using them because they were hearing my problem. The complaints of lack of power and changing to 3000 mile oil changes wasnt heard. Now at 234 k.miles I have had to gix thr Catalytic converter twice, the oil pan gasket. The mechanic said there was metal in my…

   NHTSA complaint #11765422 · source
2. Filed Sep 3, 2026TXElectrical System

   The factory Blizzard Pearl paint on this vehicle is experiencing severe chemical delamination down to the bare primer and sheet metal on multiple body panels. This structural failure aligns exactly with Toyota Customer Support Program ZKG. Large sheets of brittle paint regularly flake and peel off while driving at highway speeds, creating a projectile and visibility hazard for following motorists. Despite this being a known manufacturing defect, the vehicle falls outside of…

   NHTSA complaint #11761980 · source
3. Filed Jul 2, 2026OROther / Unknown

   This is related to the Faulty Spiral Cable Assembly (HORN) that on line evidence suggests should have been a Toyota Recall item for this year and model. In 2014, Toyota issued a recall for 97,000 Hylanders for this very thing however it only covered 2008-2010 at that time. In review of safety recalls for faulty Spiral Cables on other Toyota models, it's evident they have had issues. On December 10, 2025, I replaced the Spiral Cable with a certified Toyota Dealer and worked…

   NHTSA complaint #11747923 · source
4. Filed May 4, 2026TXBrakes

   After a hard braking session because of a car that pulled quickly in front of me the ABS light and check engine light came on with a code of C1391 - Abnormal leak in Accumulator. A warning message came on the info center saying I needed to take it to the dealer to have the brake system checked for a serious issue. Went to the dealership and they replaced the Brake Actuator and Brake Booster Pump and bled the system. This all happened in Febuary of 2025. This put everyone at…

   NHTSA complaint #11735574 · source
5. Filed Sep 24, 2025PAOther / Unknown

   2013 Toyota Highlander Limited sunroof drains continue to back up and dump water into the front and rear cabin, causing electrical issues and mold if not addressed immediately. Also the factory-installed roof rack mounting holes allow water to enter the cabin, causing damage to the headliner, which could fall down while driving. Water also collects in the floorboards in both the front and rear and the third row. This water damage causes rust of metal parts on the seats and…

   NHTSA complaint #11689466 · source
6. Filed Jul 27, 2025CAFuel, Hybrid & EV Propulsion

   A persistent smell of fuel occurred while in slow moving traffic and after vehicle was parked after use. Upon close inspection, the fuel injector fuel rail end cap exhibited a slow fuel leak. This component caused a recall for year model highlanders for 2014 production year describing the same type of component failure. The component has faulty end cap weldment that fails, causing the same failure mode being observed in my highlander. This is a fire hazard! Fuel rails should…

   NHTSA complaint #11676467 · source
7. Filed Jun 26, 2025KSOther / Unknown

   I own a Toyota and have always been a strong supporter of the brand — I truly believe Toyota’s reliability and build quality are unmatched. That’s why I was shocked and disappointed to discover that the paint on the roof of my car, especially near the sunroof, had started peeling. I left for a two-week trip, and when I returned in June 2025, I noticed that the paint had begun to flake and peel severely. The surface felt brittle and dry, and simply touching the area caused…

   NHTSA complaint #11669562 · source
8. Filed Jun 16, 2025NMAirbagsSeats & Seat Belts

   Driver side airbags (curtain and left seat) spontaneously deployed while I was parking the car. I did not hit anything. I was not injured but my safety was put at risk because I likely would have crashed if it had happened while I was driving. I contacted Toyota and they sent an investigator to inspect the car. He found no issues in the data he collected and could not give a reason for the airbags deployment. I received a letter saying they were not going to help in any way.…

   NHTSA complaint #11667147 · source

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Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) Office of Defects Investigation public data, as of Oct 11, 2026. Complaints are submitted by owners and are not verified by NHTSA or by us; a complaint does not prove a defect exists. View this vehicle on NHTSA.gov Methodology