2005 Toyota Highlander problems and complaints
Owners have filed 225 complaints with NHTSA about the 2005 Toyota Highlander. The most-reported areas: Power Train (51), Vehicle Speed Control (39), Steering (27).
Key takeaways
- 225 owner complaints on file with NHTSA.
- 35 involve a crash, 4 a fire, 20 reported injuries.
- Complaints are unverified owner reports; recalls are confirmed defects.
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Power Train | 51 | 23% |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 39 | 17% |
| Steering | 27 | 12% |
| Electrical System | 25 | 11% |
| Service Brakes | 21 | 9% |
| Visibility | 20 | 9% |
| Hydraulic | 13 | 6% |
| Exterior Lighting | 9 | 4% |
| Air Bags | 9 | 4% |
| Structure | 8 | 4% |
| Visibility/Wiper | 8 | 4% |
| Equipment | 8 | 4% |
One complaint can name several components, so shares add up to more than 100%.
| Version | Overall | Front | Side | Rollover |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 Toyota Highlander 4-DR. | Not rated | Not rated | Not rated | 4/5 |
Latest complaints, as filed
Owner-written and unverified by NHTSA.
Engine - filed 2026-02-08
My 2025 Acura MDX (under 10,000 miles) has failed to restart after the automatic idle stop engaged at stoplights and drive-thru lines at least 7 separate times. When I release the brake, the engine often remains off and the vehicle will not move, leaving me stopped in traffic. I have not yet required a jump start, but ...
Electrical System - filed 2025-11-12
Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2005 Toyota Highlander. The contact discovered that there was a mileage discrepancy after the purchase of the vehicle. The vehicle was a private sale. At the time of the purchase, the mileage was 123,000. It was later discovered upon checking Carfax that the mileage was 254,000.
Electrical System,exterior Lighting,unknown Or Other - filed 2025-09-18
All at once the windows, moon roof, blinkers, reverse lights, running lights and brake lights stopped working - also the automatic headlight function stopped working and we must turn on and off the headlights or risk draining the battery. It's interesting to note that the flashers work, but the blinkers do not. The wip...
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More for the 2005 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.