2012 Toyota Highlander Structure & Body Problems
NHTSA lists 27 Structure & Body complaints for the 2012 Toyota Highlander, 15% of its 182 total complaints, with a median failure mileage of 48,151. One related recall covers occupant detection sensors, and owners separately report door lock actuators, power liftgate, and sunroof failures.
- Structure & Body complaints
- 27
- 15% of 182
- Crashes reported
- 1
- Fires reported
- 0
- Injuries reported
- 4
- Median mileage
- 48,151 mi
- Related recalls
- 1
Typical body and structure symptoms owners report
- Power liftgate opens or closes erratically, sometimes closing on its own while someone is loading cargo, and can end up stuck in manual-only operation.
- Door lock actuators fail repeatedly on multiple doors, preventing keyless or manual locking and unlocking.
- Sunroof glass has shattered unexpectedly while driving, sending shards into the cabin.
- Hatchback/liftgate lift supports fail, in one case causing the hatch to separate from the vehicle.
- Front and rear suspension produce loud bumps and interior rattles when steering or driving over uneven surfaces.
- Loud popping or explosion-like noises reported from the roof or wheel area during highway driving.
When 2012 Toyota Highlander body and structure complaints were filed
First complaint Aug 11, 2013, latest Jul 26, 2025.
Structure & Body recalls for the 2012 Toyota Highlander
- NHTSA 13V014000Jan 16, 2013Structure & Body3,235 vehicles
Seats
Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC (SET) is recalling certain models interspersed through model years 2009 through 2013 as follows: model year 2009-2012 Tacoma, 4Runner, Camry, Camry Hybrid, Prius, and RAV4; model year 2009-2010 Avalon, FJ Cruiser, and Highlander Hybrid; model year 2010-2013 model year Corolla, Sienna and Tundra; model year 2009-2013 Highlander and Venza; model year 2012 Prius V; and model year 2010-2012 Sequoia. During modification by SET to include accessories such as leather seat covers, seat heaters or headrest DVD systems, these vehicles may not have had the passenger seat occupant sensing system calibration tested. Without passing the calibration test, the occupant sensing system may not operate as designed.
Risk: If the front passenger seat occupant sensing system is out of calibration, the front passenger airbags may not deploy or they may deploy inappropriately for the passenger's size and position. This could increase the risk of personal injury during the event of a vehicle crash necessitating airbag deployment.
Remedy: Southeast Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will test the sensitivity of the occupant detection sensors, and recalibrate them as necessary. The recall began on March 21, 2013. Owners may contact Southeast Toyota at 1-800-301-6859.
Structure & Body complaints by Highlander model year
Raw complaint counts per model year; newer years have had less time to accumulate complaints.
Frequently asked questions
- How many Structure & Body complaints does NHTSA have for the 2012 Toyota Highlander?
- NHTSA lists 27 Structure & Body complaints for the 2012 Highlander, which is 15% of the 182 total complaints filed for that model year.
- Is there a recall related to Structure & Body issues on the 2012 Highlander?
- Yes. Recall 13V014000, reported January 16, 2013, covers testing and recalibration of occupant detection sensors on affected Toyota models including the 2012 Highlander.
- At what mileage do Structure & Body problems typically show up?
- The median mileage at failure for Structure & Body complaints on the 2012 Highlander is 48,151 miles.
- What specific Structure & Body parts fail most on the 2012 Highlander?
- Owner complaints center on power liftgate malfunctions, repeated door lock actuator failures, sunroof glass shattering, and hatchback lift support failures.
- Were there any crashes or injuries linked to these complaints?
- NHTSA data shows 1 crash and 4 injuries among the 27 Structure & Body complaints for the 2012 Highlander, with no fires reported.