2012 Toyota Highlander problems and complaints
Owners have filed 191 complaints with NHTSA about the 2012 Toyota Highlander. The most-reported areas: Steering (47), Electrical System (30), Unknown Or Other (24).
Key takeaways
- 191 owner complaints on file with NHTSA.
- 16 involve a crash, 3 a fire, 13 reported injuries.
- Complaints are unverified owner reports; recalls are confirmed defects.
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Steering | 47 | 25% |
| Electrical System | 30 | 16% |
| Unknown Or Other | 24 | 13% |
| Structure | 22 | 12% |
| Engine | 17 | 9% |
| Service Brakes | 15 | 8% |
| Visibility/Wiper | 15 | 8% |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 14 | 7% |
| Air Bags | 10 | 5% |
| Power Train | 8 | 4% |
| Latches/Locks/Linkages | 5 | 3% |
| Visibility | 5 | 3% |
One complaint can name several components, so shares add up to more than 100%.
| Version | Overall | Front | Side | Rollover |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 Toyota Highlander SUV AWD | 4/5 | 4/5 | 5/5 | 4/5 |
| 2012 Toyota Highlander SUV FWD | 4/5 | 4/5 | 5/5 | 4/5 |
Latest complaints, as filed
Owner-written and unverified by NHTSA.
Service Brakes,forward Collision Avoidance - filed 2026-08-21
While driving one day i got the ABS light and brake light on on my car screen and the small display showed "Barke Malfunction" when i did the scan it is C1391 Code which is for ABS Accutator issue. This showed be fixed by Toyota dealership for free. this is design issue seems like based on the google search with Toyota...
Other/I Am Not Sure - filed 2026-01-04
The unmatched handle completely broke. So now the insert and the base are stuck together and I can not unlatch them to use this carseat properly to transport my son. I have to take the base and all out of the car as one piece
Suspension,engine And Engine Cooling - filed 2025-12-29
The contact owns a 2012 Toyota Highlander. The contact stated that 5,000 miles after purchasing the vehicle, the contact noticed an oil leak. The contact performed the oil changes and had noticed that engine oil had leaked down onto the weather seal in the vehicle. The contact noticed several oil stains on the ground d...
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More for the 2012 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.