2.0

hardly worth mentioning
Crashes / Fires:
0 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
0 / 0
Average Mileage:
79,918 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

The NHTSA is the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints can be spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem. See the Back button — blue bar at the very top of the page — to explore more.

Get notified about new defects, investigations, recalls & lawsuits for the 2006 Toyota Highlander:

Unsubscribe any time. We don't sell/share your email.

problem #8

Oct 042022

Highlander

  • miles
Power brakes stopped working while driving due to bad brake actuator. Vehicle shut down while driving due to power train system.

- Slidell, LA, USA

problem #7

Apr 122020

Highlander

  • 174,000 miles
While driving my vehicle all the lights on my dashboard illuminated. My vehicle lost power and I had to pull over. It died there. I was on belfield ave and gratz street in philadelphia, pa. I subsequently had it towedback to my residence.

- Philadelphia, PA, USA

problem #6

Aug 152017

Highlander

  • 179,800 miles
The vehicle will occasionally surge in speed momentarily, mostly noticed when operating below 50 mph. It is more prevalent at lower speeds. We are the original owner.this has been an ongoing situation since the vehicle was new. Hybrid model. It has been inspected by the dealer with no issues found.

- Apple Valley, MN, USA

problem #5

Apr 022016

Highlander

  • 107,000 miles
I have had axles break while driving after they where replace and they say there is nothing a matter with the front end. And the frame is rusted after a year and it is breaking.

- Banquete, TX, USA

problem #4

Sep 152012

Highlander 6-cyl

  • 49,389 miles
Driving on the highway, car broke down and stopped functioning. Took the vehicle to the dealership and was charged $4259.81 to replace transfer case. After some investigating, I discovered that Toyota had issued a tsb (TC008-07) to replace the right-hand bearing seal that would have prevented this. My car was in service at the dealership multiple times prior while under warranty, and they could have prevented this by replacing the seal.

- Houston, TX, USA

problem #3

Jul 102014

Highlander 6-cyl

  • 67,152 miles
2006 Highlander generates roaring type noise heard from the front end while driving at highway speeds and humming noise heard after 40mph. Toyota service dealer found that front differential is bad. Estimate $4,500 to repair.

- North Charleston, SC, USA

problem #2

Jul 092011

Highlander 6-cyl

  • 62,000 miles
I was driving in my Highlander with my daughters in the back seat when suddenly out of no where all the alert lights came on and there was no power at all - the gas pedal was non functional - I was in the far left lane of a an interstate and fortunately I was able to get off the road and pull the car out of traffic as it rolled to a stop. I waited on the crowded interstate for two hours for a tow. I was told that the Highlander hybrid inverter had failed - the dealer replaced the part that week and the car drives normally now. I was advised that in fact this is a known problem. One month later ironically I received in the mail notice from Toyota that my model of Highlander is being recalled for the inverter replacement that had just caused this extremely unsafe vehicle failure just one month prior.

- Providence, RI, USA

problem #1

Oct 152008

Highlander

  • 1 miles
I have a 2006 Toyota Highlander hybrid. It has the four wheel drive "I"system. Any time the vehicle senses slipping in the tires it cuts power to all wheels. I have been stuck in very manageable conditions. Not only do you not get 4 wheel drive to help out of adverse conditions, you get no drive to any wheels and are left stuck. I spoke with Toyota and they said that the vehicle is designed to do this to prevent damage to the hybrid system. There is no information in any of the literature provided when purchasing a vehicle. This vehicle should not be sold to anyone who drives in snow or on any thing other than an improved road. Toyota acknowledged that they have received other complaints regarding this issue but will not correct it, nor inform buyers about it's design. This will undoubtedly strand drivers in adverse conditions they deem manageable.

- Prior Lake, MN, USA