2003 Toyota Highlander problems and complaints
Owners have filed 270 complaints with NHTSA about the 2003 Toyota Highlander. The most-reported areas: Engine And Engine Cooling (48), Engine (42), Service Brakes (34).
Key takeaways
- 270 owner complaints on file with NHTSA.
- 34 involve a crash, 1 a fire, 12 reported injuries.
- Complaints are unverified owner reports; recalls are confirmed defects.
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Engine And Engine Cooling | 48 | 18% |
| Engine | 42 | 16% |
| Service Brakes | 34 | 13% |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 31 | 11% |
| Visibility | 31 | 11% |
| Hydraulic | 22 | 8% |
| Structure | 19 | 7% |
| Power Train | 17 | 6% |
| Exterior Lighting | 15 | 6% |
| Electrical System | 15 | 6% |
| Air Bags | 9 | 3% |
| Unknown Or Other | 8 | 3% |
One complaint can name several components, so shares add up to more than 100%.
| Version | Overall | Front | Side | Rollover |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 Toyota Highlander 4-DR. | Not rated | Not rated | Not rated | 3/5 |
Latest complaints, as filed
Owner-written and unverified by NHTSA.
Wheels,service Brakes,engine - filed 2026-02-01
Many things are happening to my truck that’s why I am contacting you people to see if I got any callback thank you so much
Engine,forward Collision Avoidance - filed 2023-05-25
Automatically disengage the transmission Stopped the road Icalled my husband Myhusband came and together we got the car to a safe place.Then Icame home with my husband and he called the insurance company and had the car towed. Ifound a place to fix the car and they said the transmission was broken and it cost about ...
Unknown Or Other - filed 2023-03-22
The hood latch cable inside the vehicle when pulled did not allow the hood to open now the secondary hood latch is stuck in the closed position and will not release..I have to use a strap from wheel opening to wheel opening to keep my hood secure so when I am driving my hood won't open at high speeds
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More for the 2003 Toyota Highlander
Complaints are reports filed by owners with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. NHTSA publishes them without verifying them, and counts rise with how many cars were sold, so compare years of the same model rather than different models. Crash ratings are NHTSA's own 5-Star Safety Ratings results.