2 NHTSA safety recalls cover the 2012 Toyota Highlander. Owners have filed 191 complaints with NHTSA about this model year. Every recall repair is free at any Toyota dealer.
Is yours affected? Recalls cover ranges of VINs, not every 2012 Toyota Highlander. Check your Highlander by VIN and confirm open recalls at NHTSA.gov.
Each campaign as NHTSA published it: what is wrong, what can happen, and the fix. Newest first.
Owners filed 191 complaints with NHTSA about the 2012 Toyota Highlander, reporting 16 crashes, 3 fires, 13 injuries. Toyota has issued at least 320 technical service bulletins (repair instructions to dealers) for this model year. Complaints are unverified owner reports; a recall is the manufacturer’s admission of a safety defect.
Read Toyota Highlander owner complaints and bulletins, every year
Owners have filed 191 complaints with NHTSA about the 2012 Toyota Highlander. A few in their own words, shortened. Complaints are unverified and are not proof of a defect or of any recall.
“On December 29, 2021, while backing up my 2012 Toyota Highlander accelerated at speed that I was unable to control. One car that was packed in the driveway was damaged beyond repair. An office building where I was working was damaged and has been accessed with a loss of over $100,000.”
Complaint filed with NHTSA, not verified by the agency · NHTSA complaint 11463537
“VEHICLE POWER UNLOCKING MECHANISM IS UNRELIABLE, AND SHOWS SIGNIFICANT DEFECT IN THE UNLOCKING CAPABILITIES OF ALL BUT THE DRIVERS DOOR. AFTER SEVERAL LOCK ACTUATOR REPLACEMENTS, THE VEHICLE STILL EXHIBITS IMPROPER OPERATION.”
Complaint filed with NHTSA, not verified by the agency · NHTSA complaint 11156484
“TAKATA RECALL - DRIVER AIR BAG DID NOT INFLATE FULLY DURING THE FRONTAL ACCIDENT ON 05/26/2018. PASSENGER AIR BAG DID NOT INFLATE AT ALL DURING THE FRONTAL ACCIDENT ON 05/26/2018. SIDE AIR BAGS DID NOT INFLATE AT ALL DURING THE FRONTAL ACCIDENT ON 05/26/2018. VEHICLE WAS MOVING ON HIGHWAY.”
Complaint filed with NHTSA, not verified by the agency · NHTSA complaint 11203472
“BRAKE BOOSTER PUMP/ABS ACTUATOR C1391/C1256 WERE CODES GIVEN IN ATTACHED REPORT FROM TOYOTA. THIS IS APPARENTLY BEEN A PROBLEM WITH OTHER MODELS OF TOYOTAS AND ARE COVERED UNDER A WARRANTY ENHANCEMENT, HOWEVER THE 2012 IS NOT COVERED.”
Complaint filed with NHTSA, not verified by the agency · NHTSA complaint 11152787
“WHILE ENTERING A PARKING SPOT WITH FOOT FIRMLY ON THE BRAKE THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED SUDDEN AND UNANTICIPATED ACCELERATION RESULTING IN THE CAR CRASHING INTO A CONCRETE WALL AND BEING TOTALED. WITNESS CORROBORATED THE SOUND OF A THE ENGINE AT HIGH RPM IMMEDIATELY BEFORE THE CRASH.”
Complaint filed with NHTSA, not verified by the agency · NHTSA complaint 11163347
Search the official database: NHTSA. Excerpts are quoted from the public record, shortened at a sentence and with personal details removed.
Not every 2012 Toyota Highlander is in every recall. Enter your 17-character VIN to see the recalls on record for your exact vehicle, then confirm which are still open at NHTSA.gov or with any Toyota dealer.