2020 Toyota Highlander problems & reliability
302 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2020 Toyota Highlander, alongside 4 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.
11 complaints report injuries (14 injured).
Federal crash records (FARS 2020–2023): 2020 Toyota Highlander vehicles were involved in 41 fatal crashes with 10 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Power Train | 120 | 40% |
| Unknown OR Other | 40 | 13% |
| Service Brakes | 34 | 11% |
| Air Bags | 32 | 11% |
| Structure | 29 | 10% |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 18 | 6% |
| Electrical System | 16 | 5% |
| Engine | 16 | 5% |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 10 | 3% |
| Seat Belts | 6 | 2% |
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 30,000 miles (middle 50% between 6,500 and 71,425 miles), based on 52 complaints that included mileage.
Complaints by incident year
What owners report
“We have a 2020 Toyota Highlander with 89K miles that we have owned since it was new. I was informed today to not drive it any long distances from the dealer due to an impending failure of the transmission, creating a large safety issue for me and my family. I understand there are related recalls of the UA80…”
Power Train · filed Jul 29, 2026
“I am submitting this complaint regarding a serious braking safety issue with my 2020 Toyota Highlander Hybrid Limited, which currently has approximately 70,000 miles. I brought my vehicle to Victory Toyota of Canton (46352 Michigan Ave, Canton, MI 48188) and reported to Service Manager John Maddison that, at low…”
Service Brakes · filed Jul 26, 2026
“While driving on a 75 MPH highway, the lower bumper cover, windscreen, and interior wheel well components spontaneously detached from the vehicle and got stuck under the car. There were no warming lamps, messages, or other symptoms; the vehicle was driving fine before the detachment. The vehicle has never been in a…”
Structure · filed Jul 23, 2026
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Technical service bulletins
186 manufacturer communications (TSBs, service campaigns, warranty extensions) are on file with NHTSA for the 2020 Toyota Highlander. The 10 most recent:
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…
T-SB-0040-24 Rev1 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jun 25, 2026
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…
T-SB-0021-26 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Mar 18, 2026
OBSOLETE NOTICE January 30, 2026: This bulletin is now obsolete. Please see T-SB-0001-26.
T-SB-0106-22 Rev2 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jan 30, 2026
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.
T-SB-0001-26 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jan 28, 2026
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
Some 2020 – 2023 model year Highlander and Highlander Hybrid vehicles may exhibit a condition in which the Power Back Door (PBD) will not open or close and/or stops moving while opening or closing. A modified PBD unit…
T-SB-0086-25 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Nov 18, 2025
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’…
22TE09 · Service Campaign · issued Sep 17, 2025
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
To assist with the early detection and early resolution of audio related concerns you may be asked to recover MMR data from the head unit. The following steps are instructions on how to retrieve the data from the system…
T-TT-0780-25 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Apr 2, 2025
To assist with the early detection and early resolution of audio related concerns you may be asked to recover MMR data from the head unit. The following steps are instructions on how to retrieve the data from the system…
T-TT-0780-25 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Apr 2, 2025
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 2020 Toyota Highlander has 4 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 2020 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 30,000 miles — budget accordingly if the car is approaching that mileage.