2nd generation (XU40) · XU40 · 1,690 complaints, 1,311 with mileage
Owners filed 1,690 complaints with NHTSA about the 2008–2013 Toyota Highlander, and 1,311 of them record the mileage at which the failure happened. That is enough to show not just what fails, but when.
This generation has two distinct failure patterns rather than one, which is the most useful thing on this page. 20% of failures occur before 12,000 miles, which looks like a manufacturing defect, and a further 22% occur after 100,000, which looks like wear. Two different problems share one name in the complaint data — and an average of the two describes neither.
The most-reported areas are the steering (11.8% of complaints, typically around 66,943 miles), the electrical system (11.5% of complaints, typically around 55,690 miles), the engine (9.3% of complaints, typically around 87,822 miles).
13 recall campaigns cover this generation.
| System | Complaints | Share | Typical mileage | Middle half |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Steering | 199 | 11.8% | 66,943 | 46,500–98,812 |
| Electrical System | 194 | 11.5% | 55,690 | 26,500–91,650 |
| Engine | 158 | 9.3% | 87,822 | 45,000–121,931 |
| Service Brakes | 152 | 9.0% | 94,154 | 33,000–162,000 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 140 | 8.3% | 11,466 | 3,500–35,000 |
| Air Bags | 117 | 6.9% | 72,200 | 49,000–100,000 |
| Structure | 106 | 6.3% | 49,000 | 27,957–75,000 |
| Unknown Or Other | 97 | 5.7% | 70,885 | 50,000–96,500 |
| Visibility/Wiper | 86 | 5.1% | 50,000 | 35,200–63,454 |
| Power Train | 67 | 4.0% | 12,000 | 3,792–49,000 |
| Year | Complaints | With mileage |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 502 | 385 |
| 2009 | 178 | 145 |
| 2010 | 272 | 214 |
| 2011 | 229 | 183 |
| 2012 | 228 | 158 |
| 2013 | 281 | 226 |
Complaints about this generation are not spread evenly across the vehicle, and the systems that generate the most of them do not all fail at the same point in a car's life. The median failure across all systems here is 53,275 miles; the figures below show which parts of the car run ahead of that and which run behind.
The steering accounts for 11.8% of complaints (199 reports, 170 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 66,943 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 46,500 and 98,812 miles.
The electrical system accounts for 11.5% of complaints (194 reports, 153 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 55,690 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 26,500 and 91,650 miles.
The engine accounts for 9.3% of complaints (158 reports, 125 of them with a mileage figure), and it fails late — a median of 87,822 miles, considerably beyond the vehicle's overall median. That pattern is consistent with normal service life rather than a defect, though it matters for anyone buying an example already near that mileage. The middle half of these reports falls between 45,000 and 121,931 miles.
The brakes account for 9.0% of complaints (152 reports, 81 of them with a mileage figure), and they fail late — a median of 94,154 miles, considerably beyond the vehicle's overall median. That pattern is consistent with normal service life rather than a defect, though it matters for anyone buying an example already near that mileage. The middle half of these reports falls between 33,000 and 162,000 miles.
Throttle and speed control accounts for 8.3% of complaints (140 reports, 124 of them with a mileage figure), and it fails early — a median of 11,466 miles, well before the vehicle's overall median. Failures clustered this far below the rest of the car usually point to a design or manufacturing problem rather than wear, because wear does not selectively target one system on low-mileage examples. The middle half of these reports falls between 3,500 and 35,000 miles.
The airbag system accounts for 6.9% of complaints (117 reports, 88 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 72,200 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 49,000 and 100,000 miles.
Within this generation, complaint volume is not constant across model years. The 2008 model year drew the most — 502 complaints — while 2009 drew the fewest at 178. The median year sits at 250.
That makes 2008 an outlier: roughly 2.0 times the median year of this generation. A single year standing that far apart usually reflects either a first-year issue that was later corrected, or a component change introduced for that year. Anyone shopping this generation has a straightforward reason to prefer a different year, all else being equal.
NHTSA records 13 recall campaigns covering vehicles in this generation. A recall means the manufacturer or the regulator concluded there was a safety defect or a standard was not met, and that a free remedy is owed to owners — including second and later owners.
The campaigns cluster around seats (4), equipment (3), visibility equipment (2). Repeated recalls against the same area of the car generally mean the first remedy did not fully resolve the underlying problem.
Recall status is specific to the individual vehicle, not the model. Checking a VIN against NHTSA's lookup is free and takes under a minute, and it is the only way to know whether a particular car has had the work done.
Of the 1,690 complaints filed against this generation, 174 reported a crash; 35 reported a fire; 134 reported an injury; 2 reported a fatality. Crash-involved reports represent 10.3% of the total.
These are owner-reported outcomes, not verified investigations, and they are not adjusted for how many of these vehicles are on the road. They are included because the distinction between a fault that strands a car and a fault that causes a collision is the one that matters most, and it is not visible in a complaint count alone.
For a buyer, the two-peak pattern is the useful part. The early cluster — 20% of failures below 12,000 miles — will already have happened on any example you are looking at today, and either been repaired under warranty or not. Ask what was done. The late cluster, 22% above 100,000 miles, is the one still ahead of you if the car has lower mileage than that.
On inspection, the steering and the electrical system are where this generation's reports concentrate, so those are the areas worth a specific look. The electrical system in particular shows a median failure mileage of 55,690, which gives a concrete number to compare against the odometer of any car you are considering.
None of this is a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection on the individual car. Aggregate patterns describe a population; the example in front of you has its own history.
2GR-FE VVT-i oil supply line rupture: the rubber section of the variable valve timing oil hose can burst, dumping oil rapidly and causing engine damage. Recall covered 2GR-FE vehicles from roughly MY2007-2011, replacing the hose with an all-metal line.
Power window master switch overheating, a multi-model Toyota recall.
| Campaign | Date | Component |
|---|---|---|
| 16V396000 | 2016-07-14 | Seats:Front Assembly:Seat Heater/Cooler |
| 15V689000 | 2015-11-25 | Visibility:Power Window Devices And Controls |
| 14V743000 | 2015-01-29 | Seats:Front Assembly:Seat Heater/Cooler |
| 14V168000 | 2014-10-27 | Air Bags:Frontal:Driver Side:Inflator Module |
| 14V148000 | 2014-05-21 | Seats |
| 13V123000 | 2013-05-28 | Equipment:Other:Labels |
| 13V014000 | 2013-03-21 | Seats |
| 12V491000 | 2012-11-05 | Visibility:Power Window Devices And Controls |
| 11V245000 | 2012-01-09 | Air Bags:Side/Window |
| 10V036000 | 2010-05-27 | Equipment:Other:Labels |
| 10V035000 | 2010-05-27 | Equipment:Other:Labels |
| 10V023000 | 2010-03-30 | Vehicle Speed Control:Accelerator Pedal |
| 10V017000 | 2010-02-05 | Vehicle Speed Control:Accelerator Pedal |