YearToAvoid

2011 Toyota Highlander Reliability Data: Problems & Recalls

Good The 2011 Toyota Highlander has a complaint index of 25, ranking 16th out of 21 model years, and carries a Good verdict. NHTSA lists 181 complaints, 5 recalls, and no do-not-drive recalls for this year.

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

YearToAvoid Scorecard

Complaint Index
25/100
#16 of 21 Highlander years
Verdict
Good
vs. other years of this model
Complaints
181
unique NHTSA reports
Recalls
5
distinct NHTSA campaigns
Crashes
14
reported in complaints
Fires
0
Injuries
8
Top issue
Visibility & Wipers
Best nearby year
2014
rated Best
NHTSA overall rating
4 / 5 ★
EPA combined MPG
20
18 city / 24 hwy
Injuries / deaths
8 / 0

Top 2011 Toyota Highlander problems

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

  1. Visibility & Wipers35 (19%)
  2. Steering34 (19%)
  3. Engine33 (18%)
  4. Electrical System27 (15%)
  5. Structure & Body27 (15%)
  6. Brakes19 (10%)
  7. Transmission & Powertrain16 (9%)
  8. Other14 (8%)
  9. Airbags8 (4%)
  10. Seat Belts4 (2%)

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

What owners report

  • Some drivers reported sudden unintended acceleration from a stop or while parking, resulting in low-speed crashes with no accelerator pedal input.
  • Owners described complete brake failure where the pedal sank to the floor and the vehicle would not stop, in some cases triggering a 'brake malfunction' dashboard message.
  • Low beam headlights were reported to not fully illuminate the road, contributing to a collision with a deer.
  • Multiple owners reported airbags failing to deploy during moderate to high-speed collisions, sometimes alongside seat belts that stayed loose.
  • One brake failure incident occurred while backing up and resulted in the vehicle rolling down an embankment before hitting a retaining wall.
2011 Toyota Highlander complaints: complaints filed per quarter142010 Q42012 Q32014 Q22016 Q12018 Q12019 Q42021 Q42024 Q2
181 complaints filed with NHTSA from 2010 Q4 to 2026 Q2; peak 2014 Q4 (14).

2011 Toyota Highlander recalls

5 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 5 recalls for the 2011 Toyota Highlander →

2011 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.

2011 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
2009Caution35134920
2010Caution602161020
2011Good25181520
2012Good40182220
2013Good45207320

All Toyota Highlander years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2011 Toyota Highlander reliable?
NHTSA data gives the 2011 Highlander a complaint index of 25 and a Good verdict relative to other Highlander model years, ranking 16th out of 21 years tracked.
What are the most common problems with the 2011 Toyota Highlander?
NHTSA complaints for this year are led by Visibility & Wipers (35 complaints, 19% share), Steering (34 complaints, 19%), and Engine issues (33 complaints, 18%).
Does the 2011 Toyota Highlander have recalls?
NHTSA lists 5 recall campaigns for the 2011 Highlander, covering structure & body issues, a visibility/wiper switch problem, and other components, with none classified as do-not-drive.
How does the 2011 Highlander compare to other Highlander years?
With a complaint index of 25, the 2011 Highlander ranks better than years like 2008, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, and 2023, all rated Avoid with higher indexes.
What mileage do problems typically show up at on the 2011 Highlander?
NHTSA data shows a median mileage at failure of 50,000 miles across reported complaints for this model year.

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.