YearToAvoid

2022 Toyota Highlander Engine Problems

NHTSA lists 17 engine complaints for the 2022 Toyota Highlander, 7% of its 249 total complaints for the year. Owners report unintended acceleration, sudden power loss, and hybrid-system starting failures, with a median failure mileage of 13,000. No related recall is listed.

Engine complaints
17
7% of 249
Crashes reported
1
Fires reported
0
Injuries reported
0
Median mileage
13,000 mi
Related recalls
0

Typical engine symptoms owners report

  • Owners report sudden unintended acceleration while stopped at a light or backing out of a driveway, in some cases leading to a crash.
  • Some drivers describe the vehicle losing power or the transmission refusing to engage when accelerating from a stop.
  • Several complaints describe the hybrid system failing to start, with the dash showing the hybrid system is not functioning and warning lights illuminated.
  • One owner reported a transmission whine referencing a Toyota service bulletin (T-SB-0008-21).
  • A rodent-damaged wire harness in the engine compartment was reported as a repeated concern affecting reliability.

When 2022 Toyota Highlander engine complaints were filed

First complaint Jun 21, 2022, latest Apr 27, 2026.

2022 Toyota Highlander engine complaints: complaints filed per month2Jun 2022Aug 2022Oct 2022May 2023Oct 2023Aug 2025Feb 2026
17 complaints filed with NHTSA from Jun 2022 to Apr 2026; peak Jul 2022 (2).

Engine recalls for the 2022 Toyota Highlander

No safety recalls on record for this model year.

Engine complaints by Highlander model year

Raw complaint counts per model year; newer years have had less time to accumulate complaints.

  1. 201036 (17%)
  2. 201133 (18%)
  3. 201231 (17%)
  4. 201358 (28%)
  5. 20148 (6%)
  6. 201521 (11%)
  7. 201613 (12%)
  8. 201758 (22%)
  9. 201840 (15%)
  10. 201982 (17%)
  11. 202025 (8%)
  12. 202150 (10%)
  13. 202217 (7%)
  14. 202332 (18%)
  15. 20246 (14%)
  16. 20254 (40%)

Frequently asked questions

Are engine problems common on the 2022 Toyota Highlander?
NHTSA has logged 17 engine complaints for the 2022 Highlander, which is 7% of the 249 total complaints filed for the year.
Is there a recall for the 2022 Toyota Highlander engine?
No related recall is listed in NHTSA data for the engine component on this model year.
At what mileage do engine problems typically show up?
The median mileage at failure reported to NHTSA for engine complaints on this model year is 13,000 miles.
What kind of engine issues do owners describe?
Owners describe unintended acceleration, loss of power or transmission response, hybrid system starting failures, and one case of rodent damage to the engine wire harness.
Have any engine complaints involved crashes or fires?
NHTSA data shows 1 crash and 0 fires tied to engine complaints for the 2022 Highlander, with 0 injuries reported.

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.