2022 Toyota Highlander

Family: Highlander · filed with NHTSA as HIGHLANDER, HIGHLANDER HYBRID

Summary

In its first three years the 2022 Highlander drew 126 complaints — 1.0× the median of its generation (2020–2026). It does not stand out from the other years of this generation.
These are complaint counts, not failure rates: they are not divided by how many cars were sold, because no public source reports U.S. sales by model year.
Complaints are spread across systems: the largest, Powertrain, holds 22% of the 251 that name a component.
6 recalls filed for this model year.
1 federal defect investigation covers this model year.

At a glance

Owner complaints: 272
Recalls: 6
Investigations: 1
NCAP overall: 5 of 5 stars
Combined MPG: 23–36
Annual fuel cost: $1,750–$2,700
Median mileage at complaint: 30,000 mi (n = 38)
Crashes / fires / injuries / deaths: 20 / 1 / 16 / 1

What owners report

Powertrain

55 complaints · 22% of complaints that name a component · median 105,000 mi (n = 3)

Owner report The contact owns a 2022 Toyota Highlander. The contact stated that while driving 40 MPH, the accelerator pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle failed to respond as intended. The contact stated that the transmission was shuddering however, the vehicle was able to be driven to the residence. The dealer was contacted …

Owner report On September 23, 2026, at approximately 7:30 AM, I was driving the vehicle in a parking garage at an estimated speed of approximately 10 mph. While driving over a curve in the parking garage and applying the brakes to slow the vehicle and maneuver into a parking space, the vehicle suddenly accelerated on its own despit…

Body & Structure

44 complaints · 18% of complaints that name a component · median 33,000 mi (n = 14)

Owner report In the past 3 days, the trunk of the vehicle has opened on its own even though it was locked. This has also happened 3 additional times in the past since I have taken it to the Toyota service center in Fairlawn, NJ. I am concerned because yesterday, I was at a supermarket and was inside for about 15 minutes and when I …

Owner report The fender liner detached and was getting caught up in the tire, I had to pull it out and then it was dragging on the ground. It was hard to turn because it was getting under the tire. Finally, one was pulling into my driveway and I felt a bump. I thought I’d ran over something, it was the fender liner underneath the t…

Brakes

42 complaints · 17% of complaints that name a component · median 12,000 mi (n = 5)

Owner report The contact owns a 2022 Toyota Highlander. The contact stated that while depressing the brake pedal, the brakes failed to respond causing the braking distances to be extended. The contact stated that the failure was intermittent but had occurred on several occasions almost causing a crash. The vehicle was taken to the …

Owner report I would like to file a complaint regarding Toyota’s known brake surge issue addressed in Technical Service Bulletin T-SB-0059-23. I believe this is a serious safety issue because the unexpected braking or brake surge when stopping can potentially cause a driver to lose control of the vehicle or contribute to an acciden…

8% of complaints name no specific component and are left out of the shares above.

Across the generation (2020–2026)

To compare years fairly, each year is counted over the same span: complaints received up to two calendar years after its model year. A year is compared only when that span is over and it holds at least 50 complaints. Median of the comparable years: 126.

Model year	All complaints	First three years	Note
2020	330	68	fewest complaints
2021	548	126
2022	272	126
2023	198	133
2024	43	43	not compared
2025	10	10	not compared
2026	4	4	not compared

Recalls

Whether a recall has been fixed on a specific car depends on its VIN; check it at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

26V128000 · SEATS:MID/REAR ASSEMBLY:RECLINER

Filed 2026-03-05 · 686,588 vehicles

Defect: 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.

24V452000 · TIRES

Filed 2024-06-18 · 4,763 vehicles

Defect: Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC (SET) is recalling certain 2021-2024 Highlander vehicles. The 20-inch accessory tires with an insufficient load rating for the vehicle's Gross Axle Weight Rating (GAWR) were installed. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 110, "Tire Selection and Rims."

Risk: Tires with an insufficient load rating can be overloaded and fail, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: SET will inspect and replace the tires and information placard, as necessary free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 16, 2024. Owners may contact SET's customer service at 1-866-405-4226. SET's number for this recall is SET24A.

24V419000 · TIRES

Filed 2024-06-06 · 4,869 vehicles

Defect: Gulf States Toyota, Inc. (GST) is recalling certain 2022-2024 model year Highlander L and Highlander LE vehicles equipped with the Blackout Package that includes 20" black alloy wheels and tires. The installed tires have an insufficient load rating. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 110, "Tire Selection and Rims."

Risk: Tires with an insufficient load rating may be overloaded and fail, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: GST will inspect and replace the tires as necessary, and install a new tire information label as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 8, 2024. Owners may contact GST customer service at 1-800-444-1074. GST's number for this recall is 24R1.

23V720000 · STRUCTURE:BODY:BUMPERS

Filed 2023-10-26 · 750,795 vehicles

Defect: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2020-2023 Highlander & Highlander Hybrid vehicles. During normal vehicle operation, minor impact to the front lower bumper cover may result in the cover coming loose or detaching.

Risk: A detached front bumper cover can become a road hazard, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Dealers will repair or replace the upper and lower front bumper covers as necessary, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed April 22, 2024. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's number for this recall is 23TB12/23TA12.

22V310000 · EQUIPMENT:OTHER:LABELS

Filed 2022-05-06 · 661 vehicles

Defect: Gulf States Toyota, Inc. (GST) is recalling certain 2022 4Runner, Tacoma, Highlander, and Highlander Hybrid vehicles. The load carrying capacity modification labels may not be permanent and can fade, becoming illegible. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 110, "Tire Selection and Rims."

Risk: An illegible label may allow the vehicle to be overloaded, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: GST will notify owners by mail, including a replacement load carrying capacity modification label for their vehicle and detailed replacement instructions, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 30, 2022. Owners may contact GST customer service at 1-800-444-1074. GST's number for this recall is 22R1.

22V239000 · ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC):CONTROL MODULE:SOFTWARE

Filed 2022-04-13 · 458,110 vehicles

Defect: Toyota Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2022 Lexus LX 600, Lexus NX 350h, Lexus NX 450h+, Toytoa RAV4 Hybrid, 2021-2022 Lexus LS 500h, Toyota Mirai, RAV4 PRIME, Sienna, Venza, and 2020-2022 Toyota Highlander Hybrid vehicles. The Skid Control ECU software may not turn on the Vehicle Stability Control (VSC) system when the vehicle is restarted after the driver has disabled the VSC system. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 126, "Electronic Stability Control Systems."

Risk: Driving with a deactivated stability control system increases the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Dealers will update the Skid Control ECU software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed May 27, 2022. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's number for this recall is 22TA03. Lexus' number for this recall is 22LA01.

Federal investigations

Action	Component	Opened	Closed	Recall
DP22005	ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:PROPULSION SYSTEM	2023-01-27	2023-08-07	22V063000

DP22005: Pedestrian alert sounds

Engines and fuel economy

Version	Engine	Transmission	Drive	City	Hwy	Combined	Fuel cost / yr
Highlander	3.5L 6cyl	Automatic (S8)	Front-Wheel Drive	20	28	23	$2700
Highlander	3.5L 6cyl	Automatic (S8)	Front-Wheel Drive	21	29	24	$2600
Highlander AWD	3.5L 6cyl	Automatic (S8)	All-Wheel Drive	20	27	23	$2700
Highlander Hybrid	2.5L 4cyl Hybrid	Automatic (AV-S6)	Front-Wheel Drive	36	35	36	$1750
Highlander Hybrid AWD	2.5L 4cyl Hybrid	Automatic (AV-S6)	All-Wheel Drive	35	35	35	$1800
Highlander Hybrid AWD LTD/PLAT	2.5L 4cyl Hybrid	Automatic (AV-S6)	All-Wheel Drive	35	34	35	$1800

Fuel cost is EPA's estimate at the fuel prices of its last update, not today's.

Crash test ratings (NCAP)

Variant	Overall	Frontal	Side	Rollover
2022 Toyota HIGHLANDER SUV AWD	★★★★★	★★★★☆	★★★★★	★★★★☆
2022 Toyota HIGHLANDER SUV FWD	★★★★★	★★★★☆	★★★★★	★★★★☆
2022 Toyota HIGHLANDER HYBRID SUV AWD	★★★★★	★★★★☆	★★★★★	★★★★☆
2022 Toyota HIGHLANDER HYBRID SUV FWD	★★★★★	★★★★☆	★★★★★	★★★★☆

Service bulletins

Toyota issued 310 service bulletins listed against this model year, most often about electrical system.

A bulletin tells dealers how to fix a known condition. It is not a recall and not a defect finding. Most bulletins cover several model years at once, so one listed here may not be specific to this year. The number of bulletins tracks how long and how widely a model was sold, so it is not a measure of reliability.

Date	Component	Summary
2026-08-20	ENGINE	OBSOLETE NOTICE August 20, 2026: This bulletin is now obsolete. Please see T-SB-0051-26.
2026-06-25	STRUCTURE:BODY	Some 2020 – 2026 model year Highlander and Highlander Hybrid vehicles may exhibit a water leak from the roof rack attachment clips. This may be caused by the sealant in the roof channel obstructing the proper seating position for the clip g…
2026-06-25	STRUCTURE:BODY	Some 2020 – 2026 model year Highlander and Highlander Hybrid vehicles may exhibit a water leak from the roof rack attachment clips. This may be caused by the sealant in the roof channel obstructing the proper seating position for the clip g…
2026-05-14	ELECTRICAL SYSTEM	Although the HV Floor Under Wire Harness and Rear Traction Motor Cable is covered by Toyota’s New Vehicle Limited Warranty for 3 years or 36,000 miles (whichever comes first), we at Toyota care about the customers’ ownership experience. Toy…
2026-03-18	ELECTRICAL SYSTEM	Some 2020 – 2024 model year Highlander and Highlander Hybrid vehicles may exhibit a condition in which the air conditioner does not cool due to a leak and/or corrosion in the rear underbody air conditioner tube and accessory assembly. The a…
2026-03-18	ELECTRICAL SYSTEM	Some 2020 – 2024 model year Highlander and Highlander Hybrid vehicles may exhibit a condition in which the air conditioner does not cool due to a leak and/or corrosion in the rear underbody air conditioner tube and accessory assembly. The a…
2026-02-27	ENGINE	OBSOLETE NOTICE February 27, 2026: This bulletin is no longer applicable and is now obsolete.
2026-01-30	ELECTRICAL SYSTEM	OBSOLETE NOTICE January 30, 2026: This bulletin is now obsolete. Please see T-SB-0001-26.
2026-01-30	ELECTRICAL SYSTEM	OBSOLETE NOTICE January 30, 2026: This bulletin is now obsolete. Please see T-SB-0001-26.
2026-01-28	ELECTRICAL SYSTEM	Some 2018 – 2024 model year Toyota vehicles equipped with a Premium Audio with Dynamic Navigation System require a Special Service Tool (SST) USB flash drive to update the map, points of interest, and system software.

How to read this page

Complaint counts are not failure rates. A model that sells more cars draws more complaints, and owners file more often after news coverage or a recall. That is why this page compares a model year only with other years of the same generation, never with other models.

Each complaint is counted once, even when it names several components; a complaint that names several systems appears under each of them. Owner reports are quoted as filed and have not been verified by NHTSA or by us.

Every model year of this Highlander, including the ones without a page of their own, is listed on the Toyota Highlander model page.

Sources

NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation: complaints, recalls and investigations (bulk files, data as of 2026-10-28).
NHTSA New Car Assessment Program: crash test ratings.
U.S. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov: engines, transmissions and fuel economy.

MotorAlmanac is independent and not affiliated with NHTSA, EPA or any manufacturer. This page summarises public records; it is not a mechanical inspection. Before buying a used car, check its VIN for open recalls and have it inspected.