YearToAvoid

2013 Toyota Highlander Problems, Recalls & Reliability

Verdict

Caution

Complaint Index

53/100

#8 most-complained of 16 Highlander years

The 2013 Toyota Highlander has a complaint index of 53, ranking 8th worst among 16 model years, with a Caution verdict. Engine complaints lead at 28% of the 207 total, with 3 recalls filed.

Complaints
207
Recalls
3
Crashes / fires
26 / 0
Injuries / deaths
12 / 0
NHTSA overall rating
4 / 5 ★
EPA combined MPG
20
18 city / 24 hwy

Top 2013 Toyota Highlander problems

NHTSA owner complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.

  1. Engine58 (28%)
  2. Steering46 (22%)
  3. Electrical System29 (14%)
  4. Structure & Body28 (14%)
  5. Other26 (13%)
  6. Brakes19 (9%)
  7. Airbags17 (8%)
  8. Fuel System15 (7%)
  9. Transmission & Powertrain11 (5%)
  10. Suspension, Wheels & Tires9 (4%)

What owners report

  • Owners report sudden unintended lurching or acceleration while braking at low speeds in parking lots, sometimes crashing into objects or other vehicles.
  • Some describe the vehicle rolling backward on its own after being placed in park, with the hatch open warning light illuminating.
  • Brakes reportedly failed to respond during low-speed parking maneuvers, leading to collisions with structures.
  • Multiple owners report airbags failing to deploy during moderate-speed crashes around 35 mph, sometimes with seat belts failing to retract.
  • Structure and body complaints include front-end damage in low-speed collisions where airbags did not activate.
2013 Toyota Highlander complaints: complaints filed per quarter212013 Q22014 Q42016 Q22017 Q42019 Q22020 Q42022 Q22025 Q1
271 complaints filed with NHTSA from 2013 Q2 to 2026 Q3; peak 2014 Q2 (21).

2013 Toyota Highlander recalls

3 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.

  1. NHTSA 14V148000Mar 27, 2014Structure & Body46,757 vehicles

    Seats

    Toyota is recalling certain model year 2013 Highlander vehicles manufactured March 13, 2013, through August 6, 2013. In the affected vehicles, the second row left hand seat may not lock in place when positioned in the forward front or second adjusting position. As such, the vehicles do not conform to Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 207, "Seating Systems."

    Risk: If the seat does not lock into the seat track, there may be an increased risk of injury to an occupant in the event of a crash.

    Remedy: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will modify the second row left hand seat so that it will lock into the seat track, free of charge. The recall began on May 21, 2014. Owners may contact Toyota at 1-800-331-4331.

  2. NHTSA 13V123000Apr 9, 2013Other7,525 vehicles

    Equipment:other:labels

    Southeast Toyota is recalling certain model year 2008 and 2010-2013 Toyota Tundra, 2010-2012 Rav4, 2012 Toyota Sequoia, 2010-2011 Toyota Corolla, 2010-2011 Toyota Camry and Camry Hybrid, 2010-2013 Toyota Highlander and Highlander Hybrid, 2010-2013 Toyota FJ Cruiser, 2011 Toyota Land Cruiser, 2010-2013 Toyota Venza, 2010-2011 Toyota 4Runner, 2010-2013 Toyota Tacoma, 2011-2012 Toyota Sienna, 2012 Toyota Prius, 2013 Scion FR-S, 2011 Scion XD, 2011 Scion XB, and 2012 Scion TC vehicles. These vehicles were sold with labels that were outside the allowable one percent of accuracy of actual weight added. Thus, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) Number 110, "Tire Selection and Rims."

    Risk: An inaccurate label could lead to owners overloading their vehicles and tires. An overloaded vehicle can result in a tire failure which may result in a vehicle crash, personal injury, or property damage.

    Remedy: Southeast Toyota will notify owners and provide a corrected label with instructions concerning its installation. A small group of the affected vehicles will need additonal remedies which are still being developed. The recall began on May 28, 2013. Owners may contact Southeast Toyota at 1-800-301-6859.

  3. 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.

2013 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.

2013 compared with other Highlander years

Complaint Index by model year (0 = fewest issues, 100 = most)0255075100’10’11’12’13’14’15’16’17’18’19’20’21’22’23’24’25
Complaint Index: 0 = fewest issues, 100 = most, relative to other years of this model. Avoid Caution Good Best
YearVerdictIndexComplaintsRecallsMPG
2011Best20181520
2012Good33182220
2013Caution53207320
2014Best7135421
2015Good40192121

All Toyota Highlander years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2013 Toyota Highlander reliable?
Relative to other Highlander model years, the 2013 ranks 8th worst out of 16 years tracked, with a complaint index of 53 and a Caution verdict.
What is the biggest problem with the 2013 Toyota Highlander?
Engine complaints are the largest category, making up 28% of all complaints (58 of 207), with a median failure mileage of 7,600 miles.
Does the 2013 Toyota Highlander have any recalls?
NHTSA lists 3 recalls for the 2013 Highlander, covering structure and body issues including a second-row seat locking problem and occupant detection sensor recalibration, none of which are do-not-drive recalls.
How does the 2013 Highlander compare to other years?
The 2013 model's complaint index of 53 is worse than 2011 (20), 2012 (33), and 2014 (7), all of which rank Good or Best, but better than 2019, 2021, 2022, and 2023, which rank Avoid.
What is the fuel economy of the 2013 Toyota Highlander?
EPA rates the 2013 Highlander at 20 mpg combined (18 city/24 highway), with an estimated annual fuel cost of $3,250.

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.