How many Structure & Body complaints does NHTSA have for the 2013 Toyota Highlander?

NHTSA lists 28 Structure & Body complaints for the 2013 Highlander, which is 14% of the 207 total complaints filed for that model year.

Are there recalls related to Structure & Body issues on the 2013 Highlander?

Yes. Recall 14V148000 addresses a second-row left-hand seat that may not lock in place, and recall 13V014000 covers occupant detection sensor recalibration.

At what mileage do these structure and body problems tend to show up?

The median mileage at failure reported to NHTSA for this problem area is 55,000 miles.

Did these Structure & Body complaints involve crashes or injuries?

NHTSA data tied to this problem area on the 2013 Highlander shows 6 crashes and 3 injuries, with no fires reported.

2013 Toyota Highlander Structure & Body Problems

NHTSA lists 28 Structure & Body complaints for the 2013 Toyota Highlander, 14% of its 207 total complaints, tied to 6 crashes and 3 injuries. Two related recalls (14V148000 for a second-row seat lock and 13V014000 for occupant detection sensors) cover this area. Median mileage at failure is 55,000.

Structure & Body complaints: 28; 14% of 207
Crashes reported: 6
Fires reported: 0
Injuries reported: 3
Median mileage: 55,000 mi
Related recalls: 2

Typical body and structure symptoms owners report

Power liftgate fails to latch, beeping and reopening after appearing closed, sometimes recurring after a warranty repair.
Liftgate lift arm detaches from the body with an audible clunk while closing.
Third-row seats get stuck in the upright position and won't fold back down.
Sunroof drainage tubes clog, letting water collect under the floor mats and soak the carpet.
Front and rear body panels sustain heavier-than-expected damage in low-speed collisions, with owners reporting the airbags did not deploy.
Roof paint peels over time, with some owners citing a customer support program that did not cover their VIN.

When 2013 Toyota Highlander body and structure complaints were filed

First complaint Jan 28, 2014, latest Feb 5, 2025.

28 complaints filed with NHTSA from Jan 2014 to Feb 2025; peak Jun 2014 (3).

Structure & Body recalls for the 2013 Toyota Highlander

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.
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.

201016 (7%)
201127 (15%)
201227 (15%)
201328 (14%)
201436 (27%)
201537 (19%)
20169 (8%)
201711 (4%)
201815 (6%)
201919 (4%)
202031 (10%)
202157 (11%)
202259 (24%)
202350 (28%)
20246 (14%)
20250 (0%)

Frequently asked questions

How many Structure & Body complaints does NHTSA have for the 2013 Toyota Highlander?: NHTSA lists 28 Structure & Body complaints for the 2013 Highlander, which is 14% of the 207 total complaints filed for that model year.
Are there recalls related to Structure & Body issues on the 2013 Highlander?: Yes. Recall 14V148000 addresses a second-row left-hand seat that may not lock in place, and recall 13V014000 covers occupant detection sensor recalibration.
At what mileage do these structure and body problems tend to show up?: The median mileage at failure reported to NHTSA for this problem area is 55,000 miles.
Did these Structure & Body complaints involve crashes or injuries?: NHTSA data tied to this problem area on the 2013 Highlander shows 6 crashes and 3 injuries, with no fires reported.