YearToAvoid

2009 Toyota Highlander Reliability Data: Problems & Recalls

Caution The 2009 Toyota Highlander carries a Caution verdict, ranked 14th of 21 model years with a complaint index of 35. NHTSA lists 134 complaints and 9 recall campaigns, with Engine problems the top area at 41 complaints (31% share).

Based on NHTSA complaints per model-year, not a reliability rating. Methodology

YearToAvoid Scorecard

Complaint Index
35/100
#14 of 21 Highlander years
Verdict
Caution
vs. other years of this model
Complaints
134
unique NHTSA reports
Recalls
9
distinct NHTSA campaigns
Crashes
6
reported in complaints
Fires
5
Injuries
9
Top issue
Engine
Best nearby year
2014
rated Best
NHTSA overall rating
Not rated
EPA combined MPG
20
18 city / 24 hwy
Injuries / deaths
9 / 0

Top 2009 Toyota Highlander problems

Share of this year’s NHTSA complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.

  1. Engine41 (31%)
  2. Brakes26 (19%)
  3. Electrical System22 (16%)
  4. Structure & Body19 (14%)
  5. Steering11 (8%)
  6. Suspension, Wheels & Tires11 (8%)
  7. Other9 (7%)
  8. Airbags8 (6%)
  9. Transmission & Powertrain7 (5%)
  10. Visibility & Wipers7 (5%)

A complaint can list more than one component, so shares add up to more than 100%. Shares are % of complaints.

What owners report

  • Owners describe engine fires developing shortly after parking, with flames reported coming from the engine bay minutes after the vehicle was shut off.
  • Some report the front O2 sensor overheating and causing the engine to catch fire before the car would even start.
  • Airbags reportedly failed to deploy in a rear-end and frontal collision despite the vehicle having six airbags.
  • Several owners report unintended acceleration while reversing or parking, including cases where the accelerator pedal got stuck or the vehicle moved on its own and could not be stopped by braking.
  • One owner reported a coolant pump pulley breaking around 58,000 miles, causing the engine to overheat and stall on a highway.
  • Electrical system complaints include a case where the vehicle caught fire at the driver's seat at 110,000 miles and was found not covered by an existing recall.
2009 Toyota Highlander complaints: complaints filed per quarter132009 Q12011 Q12013 Q22015 Q32017 Q32019 Q32021 Q32024 Q1
134 complaints filed with NHTSA from 2009 Q1 to 2025 Q3; peak 2010 Q1 (13).

2009 Toyota Highlander recalls

9 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.

  1. NHTSA 16V396000Jun 2, 2016Structure & Body7,749 vehicles

    Seats:front assembly:seat heater/cooler

    Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC (SET) is recalling certain 2005-2011 4Runner, Highlander, Sequoia, and Sienna, 2005-2010 Avalon and Tundra, 2006-2008 Camry Solara, 2006-2010 Highlander hybrid, 2006-2011 Rav4 and Tacoma, 2007-2010 FJ Cruiser, 2007-2011 Camry hybrid, 2009-2010 Venza, 2010-2012 Prius, 1988-1990 and 2005-2010 Camry, and 1989 and 2009-2010 Corolla vehicles equipped with aftermarket accessory seat heaters with a copper strand heating element. The electrical wiring in the seat heaters may be damaged when the seat cushion is compressed.

    Risk: If damaged, the copper strand heating element may short circuit, increasing the risk of a fire.

    Remedy: SET will notify owners, and dealers will disconnect the seat heaters, free of charge, and refund the purchase price of the seat heater accessory. The recall began on July 14, 2016. Owners may contact SET customer service at 1-866-405-4226. SET number for this recall is SET16B.

  2. NHTSA 15V689000Oct 22, 2015Visibility & Wipers1,814,284 vehicles

    Visibility:power window devices and controls

    Toyota Motor Company (Toyota) is recalling certain model year 2009-2011 Tundra, Sequoia, Corolla, Corolla Matrix and Scion xB, 2008-2011 Highlander and Highlander Hybrid, 2007 Camry and Camry Hybrid, 2009 Camry and Camry Hybrid, 2006-2011 RAV4, 2006-2010 Yaris, and 2009-2010 Scion xD and Pontiac Vibe vehicles. During the manufacturing of the Power Window Master Switch (PWMS), grease lubricant may have been inconsistently applied to the sliding electrical contacts.

    Risk: If the sliding electrical contacts are not protected by lubricant, debris and moisture that get into the switch may cause a short circuit and the switch assembly may overheat and melt, increasing the risk of a fire.

    Remedy: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the switch, applying a lubricant if no abnormality is found. If abnormality is found, the PWMS circuit board will be replaced, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin December 20, 2015. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's number for this recall is C0M.

  3. NHTSA 14V743000Nov 19, 2014Structure & Body3,233 vehicles

    Seats:front assembly:seat heater/cooler

    Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC (SET) is recalling certain model year 2010-2011 Prius and Corolla, 2009-2011 Venza, 2006-2010 Avalon, 2007-2010 FJ Cruiser, 2005-2011 Sienna and Sequoia, 2006-2011 Tacoma 4x2 and 4x4, Camry, Highlander, Tundra 4x2 and 4x4, and 2007-2011 Rav4 and 4Runner. The affected vehicles may experience compression of the seat cushion which may damage the seat heater wiring.

    Risk: Damage to the seat heater wiring could cause the wires to short, increasing the risk of the seat burning and causing personal injury to the occupant.

    Remedy: SET will notify owners, and dealers will disconnect the heaters with copper strand heating elements and refund the purchase price of the seat heater accessory, free of charge. The recall is expected to began in January 2015. Owners may contact SET customer service at 1-866-405-4226.

See all 9 recalls for the 2009 Toyota Highlander →

2009 Toyota Highlander fuel economy and fuel cost

City
18 MPG
Highway
24 MPG
Combined
20 MPG
Annual fuel cost (EPA)
$3,250
15,000 mi/yr
Fuel
Regular
Current regular gas
$4.32/gal
national avg.

EPA figures; median across configurations of this model year. Estimate your own cost with the fuel cost calculator.

2009 compared with other Highlander years

Complaint Index by model year (0 = fewest issues, 100 = most)0255075100’05’06’07’08’09’10’11’12’13’14’15’16’17’18’19’20’21’22’23’24’25
Complaint Index: 0 = fewest issues, 100 = most, relative to other years of this model. Avoid Caution Good Best
YearVerdictIndexComplaintsRecallsMPG
2007Good5123419.5
2008Avoid804041119.5
2009Caution35134920
2010Caution602161020
2011Good25181520

All Toyota Highlander years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2009 Toyota Highlander reliable?
NHTSA data gives the 2009 Highlander a Caution verdict, with a complaint index of 35 and 134 complaints, ranking 14th out of 21 model years for this model.
What are the most common problems on the 2009 Toyota Highlander?
Engine issues lead with 41 complaints (31% share), followed by brakes with 26 complaints and electrical system issues with 22 complaints, per NHTSA data.
Does the 2009 Toyota Highlander have any recalls?
NHTSA lists 9 recall campaigns for the 2009 Highlander, covering areas including structure and body, visibility and wipers, airbags, and engine (a sticking accelerator pedal recall).
Is the 2009 Highlander better or worse than other Highlander years?
The 2009 model's complaint index of 35 is lower than 2008 (80, Avoid) and 2006 (55, Caution), but higher than Best-rated years like 2014 (10) and 2016 (15).
Why is the 2009 Highlander rated Caution instead of Good?
Its verdict is capped to Caution because of 9 recall campaigns requiring a dealer visit, despite a relatively low complaint index of 35.

Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint and recall databases; U.S. EPA fuel economy data; NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

Data updated Sep 24, 2026. Read the methodology and data sources. The Complaint Index is based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls; it is not a reliability rating.