2025 Toyota Highlander Problems: 5 Known Issues

On the 2024-2025 Toyota Highlander, on certain 2024-2025 Highlander and Highlander Hybrid vehicles the roof anchor for the third-row center seat belt was installed at an incorrect angle during assembly. A shoulder-belt anchor that sits at the wrong angle can let the webbing load improperly in a crash, so the belt may not restrain the third-row center occupant as designed — a meaningful risk on a three-row family vehicle where that seat is often used by a child. This is an XU70 assembly defect and is separate from the second-row seat-back latch recall and from the load-capacity label recall already documented for this generation.

On the 2021-2025 Toyota Highlander, on affected vehicles, a second-row seat back may not lock during adjustment. It may then fail to restrain an occupant properly in a crash, increasing injury risk. It affects certain 2021–2025 Toyota Highlander and Highlander Hybrid vehicles covered by recall 26V128. Trim or engine alone does not confirm inclusion; a Toyota dealer must check the VIN.

On the 2023-2025 Toyota Highlander, nHTSA recall 25V744000 applies to 2023-2025 Toyota Highlander models equipped with the Panoramic View Monitor. Toyota reports a software error capable of freezing the rearview camera image or blanking the display entirely when the driver shifts into reverse. Since a required rear image is not shown, the Highlander does not comply with FMVSS 111, "Rear Visibility." Toyota's stated consequence is that a rearview camera failing to display an image reduces the driver's view behind the vehicle and increases the risk of a crash - a real concern on a three-row family SUV with a long rear overhang. The 1,024,407 units NHTSA cites is the campaign-wide total across all makes and models involved.

On the 2023-2025 Toyota Highlander, 2023-2025 Highlanders are among the vehicles named in NHTSA recall 25V595000. Toyota reports an error in the instrument panel software that occurs at vehicle startup; when it happens, the instrument panel may fail to display vehicle speed along with the brake system and tire pressure warning lights. For a family three-row like the Highlander this matters twice over: you lose your speed reference, and you also lose the two telltales that would warn you about a brake system fault or a low tire before a long drive. NHTSA's stated consequence is that a display not showing critical information can increase the risk of a crash or injury. The 591,377-vehicle figure quoted for this recall is the total for the entire campaign across all affected Toyota and Lexus models, not a Highlander-specific count.

On the 2023-2025 Toyota Highlander T24A-FTS, the 2.4-litre turbocharged T24A-FTS that replaced the V6 in the 2023 Highlander produces a distinct low-speed driveability complaint that the 2GR-FKS cars do not have: the vehicle surges and bucks under light and part throttle, typically between about 20 and 45 mph and in the 1,200-2,000 rpm lugging range, with a hesitation on tip-in followed by an abrupt catch-up. It is the single largest owner-reported complaint on the fourth-generation turbo cars and fills multi-hundred-post threads on ToyotaNation. The root of it is calibration: the engine runs an 11:1 compression ratio and is tuned by Toyota for 87 octane regular fuel, where the same T24A-FTS in Lexus applications is specified on 91 octane and draws far fewer complaints. Toyota issued ECM reprogramming bulletin T-SB-0087-23 for 2023 Highlanders that hesitate when accelerating from a stop or show non-linear acceleration from a stop or rolling stop with steady throttle; owners consistently report the surging clears immediately after the reflash. Does not apply to the 2GR-FKS V6 or to the hybrid.