2013 Toyota Highlander problems & reliability
205 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2013 Toyota Highlander, alongside 3 safety recall campaigns. Last verified Aug 7, 2026. Complaints are unverified reports submitted by owners to the federal Office of Defects Investigation.
Each complaint is counted once (by NHTSA case number), even when it names several vehicles.
12 complaints report injuries (12 injured).
Federal crash records (FARS 2020–2023): 2013 Toyota Highlander vehicles were involved in 66 fatal crashes with 35 occupant deaths. Involvement counts are not adjusted for how many are on the road and do not imply fault or a vehicle defect.
Most reported problems
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Steering | 46 | 22% |
| Engine | 31 | 15% |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 31 | 15% |
| Electrical System | 25 | 12% |
| Unknown OR Other | 23 | 11% |
| Structure | 18 | 9% |
| Air Bags | 17 | 8% |
| Service Brakes | 16 | 8% |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 12 | 6% |
| Power Train | 11 | 5% |
Component groups as classified by NHTSA. A complaint can name more than one component, so shares may sum to more than 100%.
Common symptoms owners describe
Keyword analysis of complaint narratives; one complaint can describe several symptoms.
Mileage when problems occurred
Half of the failures with a reported odometer reading occurred by 38,000 miles (middle 50% between 12,625 and 63,000 miles), based on 142 complaints that included mileage.
Complaints by incident year
What owners report
“This is related to the Faulty Spiral Cable Assembly (HORN) that on line evidence suggests should have been a Toyota Recall item for this year and model. In 2014, Toyota issued a recall for 97,000 Hylanders for this very thing however it only covered 2008-2010 at that time. In review of safety recalls for faulty Spiral…”
Unknown OR Other · filed Jul 2, 2026
“After a hard braking session because of a car that pulled quickly in front of me the ABS light and check engine light came on with a code of C1391 - Abnormal leak in Accumulator. A warning message came on the info center saying I needed to take it to the dealer to have the brake system checked for a serious issue…”
Service Brakes · filed May 4, 2026
“2013 Toyota Highlander Limited sunroof drains continue to back up and dump water into the front and rear cabin, causing electrical issues and mold if not addressed immediately. Also the factory-installed roof rack mounting holes allow water to enter the cabin, causing damage to the headliner, which could fall down…”
Unknown OR Other · filed Sep 24, 2025
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Federal defect investigations
- Steering Column Separation
Engineering Analysis EA18006 · opened Nov 16, 2018 · closed Apr 2, 2024
- Upper Steering Column Separation
Preliminary Evaluation PE18005 · opened May 4, 2018 · closed Nov 20, 2018
Technical service bulletins
369 manufacturer communications (TSBs, service campaigns, warranty extensions) are on file with NHTSA for the 2013 Toyota Highlander. The 10 most recent:
Some 2005 – 2026 Toyota vehicles that have undergone water intrusion may exhibit a condition in which a musty odor is present. Follow the procedures in this bulletin to remediate the odor and address this condition. The…
T-SB-0055-24 Rev2 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jan 7, 2026
The air conditioning dye injection tool kit has been developed to aid in identifying the location of air conditioning refrigerant leaks. The procedures outlined in this Service Bulletin aid in locating, inspecting, and…
T-SB-0058-23 Rev1 · Service Campaign · issued Jun 13, 2025
The condition known as acid rain is caused by airborne chemicals or particles in the atmosphere, which mix with rainwater, nighttime dew, or high humidity to form acidic compounds. If these contaminants settle and…
T-SB-0039-24 Rev2 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Dec 6, 2024
To prevent brake rotor rust from forming during transportation and storage, wheel film will be used instead of a cardboard type of anti-rust cover. The purpose of the wheel film is to shield the disc brake rotor from…
T-SB-0038-24 Rev2 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Dec 6, 2024
Acid rain results from rainwater or other airborne moisture that become acidic due to industrial chemical impurities in the atmosphere. If these acidic compounds settle on an exposed vehicle, especially the horizontal…
T-SB-0035-24 Rev2 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Dec 6, 2024
Toyota vehicles are currently protected with RapgardTM protective film designed to protect the horizontal painted surfaces. This material protects from acid rain, environmental fallout, and rail contamination. Follow…
T-SB-0061-23 Rev2 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Dec 5, 2024
Vehicles may occasionally be subjected to contamination by airborne iron particles shed from railroad tracks, train wheels, exposure to heavy machinery facilities, grinding, welding, etc. This type of contamination can…
T-SB-0062-23 Rev2 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Dec 3, 2024
Some 2005 – 2024 Toyota vehicles that have undergone water intrusion may exhibit a condition in which a musty odor is present. Follow the procedures in this bulletin to remediate the odor and address this condition. The…
T-SB-0055-24 Rev1 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jul 29, 2024
Some 2005 – 2024 Toyota vehicles that have undergone water intrusion may exhibit a condition in which a musty odor is present. Follow the procedures in this bulletin to remediate the odor and address this condition. The…
T-SB-0055-24 Rev1 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jul 29, 2024
The condition known as acid rain is caused by airborne chemicals or particles in the atmosphere, which mix with rainwater, nighttime dew, or high humidity to form acidic compounds. If these contaminants settle and…
T-SB-0039-24 Rev1 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jul 12, 2024
TSBs are repair guidance manufacturers send to dealers — they are not recalls and repairs are not automatically free. Full documents are available on NHTSA’s site.
Safety recalls
The 2013 Toyota Highlander has 3 NHTSA recall campaigns — recall repairs are free at franchised dealers regardless of the vehicle’s age.
Check whether your specific vehicle is affected
Recall campaigns often cover only certain VIN ranges. Enter your VIN on the official NHTSA site to confirm whether your vehicle is included and whether the repair is still open.
Check VIN on NHTSA →Buying a used 2013 Toyota Highlander?
- · Decode the seller’s VIN with our free VIN decoder to confirm the exact year, engine and trim.
- · Check for unrepaired recalls by VIN on NHTSA’s official lookup — recall repairs are free.
- · Owners most often reported problems around 38,000 miles — budget accordingly if the car is approaching that mileage.