YearToAvoid

2025 Toyota Highlander Problems, Recalls & Reliability

Verdict

Best

Complaint Index

0/100

#21 most-complained of 21 Highlander years

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

The 2025 Toyota Highlander has 10 owner complaints and 4 safety recalls on file with NHTSA. Its Complaint Index is 0 out of 100 — #21 highest of 21 Highlander model years (verdict: Best). The most reported problem area is engine (4 complaints, 40% of the total). Complaints report 2 crashes and 1 injury.

Complaints
10
Recalls
4
Crashes / fires
2 / 0
Injuries / deaths
1 / 0
NHTSA overall rating
5 / 5 ★
EPA combined MPG
24
21 city / 28 hwy

Top 2025 Toyota Highlander problems

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

  1. Engine4 (40%)
  2. Brakes2 (20%)
  3. Collision Avoidance & Cameras2 (20%)
  4. Other2 (20%)
  5. Electrical System1 (10%)
  6. Seat Belts1 (10%)
  7. Steering1 (10%)
  8. Visibility & Wipers1 (10%)
2025 Toyota Highlander complaints: complaints filed per month4Jul 2025Sep 2025Dec 2025Jan 2026May 2026Jun 2026Jul 2026Sep 2026
14 complaints filed with NHTSA from Jul 2025 to Sep 2026; peak Jul 2026 (4).

2025 Toyota Highlander recalls

4 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.

  1. NHTSA 26V128000Mar 5, 2026Structure & Body686,588 vehicles

    Seats:mid/rear assembly:recliner

    Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2021-2025 Highlander and Highlander Hybrid vehicles. The second-row seat backs may fail to lock into position during seat back adjustment.

    Risk: A seat back that fails to lock may not properly restrain an occupant during a crash, increasing the risk of injury.

    Remedy: Dealers will replace the return springs in the seat back recliner assemblies, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed September 9, 2026. This is a phased recall. Owners may contact Toyota’s customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's numbers for this recall are 26TB06 and 26TA06.

  2. NHTSA 25V872000Dec 17, 2025Seat Belts39 vehicles

    Seat belts:rear/other:anchorage

    Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2024-2025 Highlander and Highlander Hybrid vehicles. The third row center seat belt roof anchor may have been installed at an incorrect angle, preventing the seat belt from properly restraining the occupant.

    Risk: A seat belt that does not properly restrain an occupant increases the risk of injury during a crash.

    Remedy: Dealers will reinstall the seat belt anchor with a new bolt, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 27, 2026. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's number for this recall is 25TA16.

  3. NHTSA 25V744000Oct 30, 2025Collision Avoidance & Cameras1,024,407 vehicles

    Back over prevention:display function

    Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2022-2026 Toyota, Lexus, and Subaru Solterra vehicles equipped with a Panoramic View Monitor (PVM) system. Please see the recall report for a complete list of models. A software error may cause the rearview camera to freeze or display a blank screen when the vehicle is in reverse. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 111, "Rear Visibility."

    Risk: A rearview camera that fails to display an image can reduce the driver's view behind the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.

    Remedy: Dealers will update the parking assist software, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed January 2, 2026. Owners may contact Toyota's customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's numbers for this recall are 25TB13 and 25LB06. Subaru's number for this recall is WRE25.

See all 4 recalls for the 2025 Toyota Highlander →

2025 Toyota Highlander fuel economy and fuel cost

City
21 MPG
Highway
28 MPG
Combined
24 MPG
Annual fuel cost (EPA)
$2,700
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.

2025 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
2023Avoid75181924
2024Best2042724
2025Best010424

All Toyota Highlander years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2025 Toyota Highlander a reliable year?
Judged by NHTSA owner complaints and recalls, the 2025 Toyota Highlander ranks #21 of 21 among Highlander model years (Complaint Index 0/100, verdict: Best). It has 10 complaints and 4 recalls on file. This reflects reported safety-related problems, not an overall reliability rating.
What are the most common problems with the 2025 Toyota Highlander?
The most reported problem areas are engine (4 complaints), brakes (2 complaints), and collision avoidance & cameras (2 complaints). The median mileage at the time of failure in complaints that report it is 8,498 miles.
Does the 2025 Toyota Highlander have any recalls?
Yes — NHTSA lists 4 recall campaigns for the 2025 Toyota Highlander, most recently reported 2026, covering structure & body, seat belts, collision avoidance & cameras, and electrical system.
What is the fuel economy of the 2025 Toyota Highlander?
EPA rates the 2025 Toyota Highlander at 24 MPG combined (21 city / 28 highway), with an estimated annual fuel cost of $2,700. Where several configurations exist, the median is shown.

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.