Model year record
2016 Toyota Highlander Hybrid recalls & problems
The 2016 Toyota Highlander Hybrid has no safety recalls on file with NHTSA, and 6 owner complaints. The most-reported problem area is service brakes (3 complaints).
Safety recalls
No safety recalls have been filed for the 2016 Toyota Highlander Hybrid.
Recall repairs are free at any authorised dealer. A recall listed here may already have been fixed on a particular car: enter its 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see open recalls.
Crash test ratings
2016 Toyota Highlander HV SUV AWD
| Frontal crash | ★★★★★ |
|---|---|
| Side crash | ★★★★★ |
| Rollover | ★★★★★ |
| Rollover risk | 16.9% |
Forward collision warning: Optional · Lane departure warning: Optional
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings (New Car Assessment Program). Ratings are comparable only between vehicles of similar size and weight, and ratings from 2011 on use tougher tests than earlier years. Photos: NHTSA.
Fuel economy
Highlander Hybrid AWD Hybrid
| City / highway | 27 / 28 mpg |
|---|---|
| Fuel | Regular Gasoline |
3.5 L · 6 cyl · Automatic (AV-S6) · All-Wheel Drive · about $2,400/year to fuel
Highlander Hybrid AWD LE Plus Hybrid
| City / highway | 28 / 28 mpg |
|---|---|
| Fuel | Regular Gasoline |
3.5 L · 6 cyl · Automatic (AV-S6) · All-Wheel Drive · about $2,400/year to fuel
EPA estimates from fueleconomy.gov for each engine and transmission sold. Annual cost is the EPA's estimate for 15,000 miles a year at its current fuel and electricity price assumptions. Your results will vary.
What owners report
| Problem area | Complaints | Typical mileage* |
|---|---|---|
| Service brakes | 3 | 52,025 mi |
| Steering | 1 | — |
| Wheels | 1 | — |
| StructureBody | 1 | — |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 1 | — |
| Unknown or other | 1 | — |
| Vehicle speed control | 1 | — |
*Median odometer reading when the problem happened, where owners gave one. One complaint can name several problem areas.
Recent owner complaints
- Service brakes
WE WERE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY ON 5/16/20. WE WERE DRIVING AROUND 65 MPH STRAIGHT. WE WERE DRIVING ON BLACK ASPHALT AND THEN WHEN WE DROVE OVER A BRIDGE WITH WHITE/GRAYISH CONCRETE, THE CAR'S EMERGENCY BRAKING SYSTEM ACTIVATED AND APPLIED SUDDEN BRAKING EVEN THOUGH WE WERE NORMALLY DRIVING. THE CAR JOLTED AND SLOWED DOWN AND ALL PASSENGERS WERE STOPPED BY AUTO-LOCKING SEATBELTS. *TR
- Service brakes
BRAKE BOOSTER IS BAD. BRAKE IS SPONGY. REPEATED ATTEMPTS TO TAKE TO DEALER LEAD TO NO ACTION AFTER COMPLAINING LOUDLY AND THE DEALER SAID MY WIFE JUST HAS HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE. BUT THAT IS NOT THE CASE, MY HIGHLANDER HAS LOW BRAKE PRESSURE NOT "HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE. TOYOTA DOES NOT SHARE INFORMATION ABOUT THIS DEFECT BY PRETENDING DEFECT DOESN'T EXIST AND NOT NOTIFYING DEALERS. CHECK PRIUS BOOSTER RECALL. SIMILAR TECHNOLOGY THAT DOESN'T SEEM TO CHANGE.
- Service brakes
I WAS STOPPED AND IN PARK WITH THE VEHICLE RUNNING WHEN THE "CHECK VSC SYSTEM," "CHECK ABS, BRAKE MALFUNCTION" WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON. THEY HAVE SINCE GONE AWAY AND RETURNED INTERMITTENTLY. FORTUNATELY, THERE WAS NO FAILURE WHILE IN MOTION, BUT DEALER ESTIMATED $4600 FOR REPAIR. IF THIS IS THE SAME PROBLEM FOR WHICH WARRANTY COVERAGE WAS EXTENDED FOR 2006-07 MODELS, THIS APPEARS TO BE AN ONGOING ISSUE.
- Fuel/propulsion system
STOPPED IN INTERSECTION WAITING TO MAKE A LEFT TURN. WHEN ATTEMPTING TO ACCELERATE ENGINE DID NOT START HYBRID WARNING STATED HYBRID SYSTEM FAILURE STOP IMMEDIATELY. GLIDED TO A PARKING SPACE. ATTEMPTED TO RESTART ENGINE CONTINUE TO GET SAME WARNING. AFTER THREE ATTEMPTS CALLED AAA AND TOYOTA DEALERSHIP. I WAS URGED TO TOW THE VEHICLE. AFTER APPROXIMATELY 20 MINUTES, ATTEMPTED TO START AGAIN THE VEHICLE TURNED ON AS IF NOTHING HAPPENED. ALL WARNING LIGHTS AT THAT TIME WERE EXTINGUISHED. DEALERSHIP FOUND A GENERAL WARNING ON VEHICLE COMPUTER. DEALERSHIP COULD FIND NOTHING WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE.
- Structure › Body1 injury
THE DOOR ON THE DRIVERS SIDE TOP CORNER STRUCK ME IN THE TEMPLE AND CAUSED BLEEDING AND A HEADACHE. THE DOOR HAS A SHARP ANGLE. IT WAS STATIONARY I CLOSED THE DOOR AND WAS EXITING THE VEHICLE TO GO IN A CROWDED RESTAURANT. IN A PRIVATE PARKING LOT.
- Steering
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER HYBRID. WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH USING THE FACTORY COMPACT SPARE TIRE, THE CONTACT LOST CONTROL OF THE STEERING WHEN DRIVING OVER GROOVED ROADS. THE CONTACT FILED A COMPLAINT WITH THE MANUFACTURER, BUT THERE WAS NO RESOLUTION. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 28,000. *TT
Owner complaints are submitted to NHTSA by the public and are not verified. Shown as filed (NHTSA removes personal details); long reports are shortened.
NHTSA defect investigations
- Pedestrian alert soundsClosedLed to recall 22V063000
NHTSA received a petition on or about July 18, 2022, requesting that Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 141 be applied to all electric and hybrid vehicles operating in the United States. The petition can be reviewed at NHTSA.gov under ODI Number 11486072. FMVSS 141 establishes performance requirements for pedestrian alert sounds for motor vehicles. The standard applies to hybrid and electric vehicles that have a gross vehicle weight rating of 4,536 KG or less or are defined as low-speed vehicles. The standard became fully applicable to all such vehicles manufactured on or after March 1, 2021.On January 27, 2023, NHTSA opened Defect Petition (DP) 22-005 to evaluate the subject matter described in the petition. On June 24, 2023 and as supplemented on June 25, 2023, the petitioner notified NHTSA he was withdrawing his petition. The petitioner indicated that, based on his review…