2007 Toyota Highlander
The Verdict
Worst problem area
Brakes
Brakes leads by volume: 93 of 233 complaints (40%) mention it. Complaints mentioning Driver Assistance & Speed Control include more reported injuries (6) than those mentioning any other identified area.
Complaints filed fell from 646 in 2006 to 233 in 2007.
Data last changed . Sources: NHTSA complaints and recalls, EPA fuel economy data. Methodology
Cost, Fuel Economy & Complaint History
| Category | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | vs. 2007 Sport Utility Vehicle - 2WD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Annual fuel cost ($) | 2,850–3,300 | 2,300–3,300 | 2,400–3,300 | 2,400–3,300 | 2,400–3,300 | |
| Combined MPG | 19–22 | 19–27 | 19–26 | 19–26 | 19–26 | |
| City / Highway MPG | 16–19 / 22–25 | 16–28 / 22–25 | 16–28 / 22–25 | 17–27 / 23–25 | 17–27 / 23–27 | |
| CO₂ tailpipe (g/mi) | 404–468 | 329–468 | 342–468 | 342–468 | 342–468 | |
| Complaints filed | 225 | 646 | 233 | 600 | 174 | |
| Recalls issued | 6 | 11 | 6 | 14 | 10 | |
| Crash-involved complaints | 35 | 63 | 25 | 50 | 8 | |
| Fire-involved complaints | 4 | 11 | 3 | 18 | 5 | |
| Injuries reported | 20 | 40 | 10 | 47 | 10 | |
| Deaths reported | 0 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | |
| Configurations compared | 2 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 |
Not compared: this database has no vehicle sales or registration figures, so a raw count mostly reflects how many were sold, not how safe the vehicle is.
Common questions
How many recalls does the 2007 Toyota Highlander have?
6 NHTSA recall campaigns as of Sep 16, 2026. Check your VIN with NHTSA to see whether one applies to your car.
What is the most common complaint about the 2007 Toyota Highlander?
Brakes: 93 of 233 NHTSA complaints (40%) mention it.
What gas mileage does the 2007 Toyota Highlander get?
EPA rates it 19–26 MPG combined.
How much does it cost to fuel a 2007 Toyota Highlander?
EPA estimates $2,400–$3,300 a year in fuel costs, using EPA's assumptions.
Similar Vehicles
EPA-Rated Configurations (6)
| Configuration | Transmission | Cylinders | Displacement | Drivetrain | Fuel Type | Vehicle Class | City | Highway | Combined | Annual Fuel Cost | CO₂ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Configuration 1 | Automatic 4-spd | 4 | 2.4L | Front-Wheel Drive | Regular | Sport Utility Vehicle - 2WD | 19 mpg | 25 mpg (high) | 22 mpg | $2,850 | 404 g/mi |
| Configuration 2 | Automatic 5-spd | 6 | 3.3L | Front-Wheel Drive | Regular | Sport Utility Vehicle - 2WD | 17 mpg | 23 mpg | 19 mpg (low) | $3,300 (high) | 468 g/mi (high) |
| Configuration 3 | Automatic (variable gear ratios) | 6 | 3.3L | Front-Wheel Drive | Regular | Sport Utility Vehicle - 2WD | 28 mpg (high) | 25 mpg (high) | 26 mpg (high) | $2,400 (low) | 342 g/mi (low) |
| Configuration 4 | Automatic 4-spd | 4 | 2.4L | 4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive | Regular | Sport Utility Vehicle - 4WD | 18 mpg | 23 mpg | 20 mpg | $3,100 | 444 g/mi |
| Configuration 5 | Automatic 5-spd | 6 | 3.3L | 4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive | Regular | Sport Utility Vehicle - 4WD | 16 mpg (low) | 22 mpg (low) | 19 mpg (low) | $3,300 (high) | 468 g/mi (high) |
| Configuration 6 | Automatic (variable gear ratios) | 6 | 3.3L | 4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive | Regular | Sport Utility Vehicle - 4WD | 27 mpg | 25 mpg (high) | 26 mpg (high) | $2,400 (low) | 342 g/mi (low) |
Complaints by Category
| Category | Complaints | Crash-Involved | Fire-Involved | Injuries | Deaths |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine | 20 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Transmission & Drivetrain | 12 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel System | 28 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Electrical | 51 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Brakes | 93 | 11 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| Steering | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Suspension, Wheels & Tires | 18 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Airbags & Restraints | 6 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| Driver Assistance & Speed Control | 32 | 14 | 0 | 6 | 0 |
| Body, Seats & Latches | 9 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Visibility & Lighting | 20 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Other | 13 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
A complaint that names more than one category is counted in each, so the rows can add up to more than the total number of complaints.
Recalls (6)
SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:SEAT HEATER/COOLER · Campaign 16V396000 · Jun 2, 2016
Defect: Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC (SET) is recalling certain 2005-2011 4Runner, Highlander, Sequoia, and Sienna, 2005-2010 Avalon and Tundra, 2006-2008 Camry Solara, 2006-2010 Highlander hybrid, 2006-2011 Rav4 and Tacoma, 2007-2010 FJ Cruiser, 2007-2011 Camry hybrid, 2009-2010 Venza, 2010-2012 Prius, 1988-1990 and 2005-2010 Camry, and 1989 and 2009-2010 Corolla vehicles equipped with aftermarket accessory seat heaters with a copper strand heating element. The electrical wiring in the seat heaters may be damaged when the seat cushion is compressed.
Consequence: If damaged, the copper strand heating element may short circuit, increasing the risk of a fire.
Remedy: SET will notify owners, and dealers will disconnect the seat heaters, free of charge, and refund the purchase price of the seat heater accessory. The recall began on July 14, 2016. Owners may contact SET customer service at 1-866-405-4226. SET number for this recall is SET16B.
SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:SEAT HEATER/COOLER · Campaign 14V743000 · Nov 19, 2014
Defect: Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC (SET) is recalling certain model year 2010-2011 Prius and Corolla, 2009-2011 Venza, 2006-2010 Avalon, 2007-2010 FJ Cruiser, 2005-2011 Sienna and Sequoia, 2006-2011 Tacoma 4x2 and 4x4, Camry, Highlander, Tundra 4x2 and 4x4, and 2007-2011 Rav4 and 4Runner. The affected vehicles may experience compression of the seat cushion which may damage the seat heater wiring.
Consequence: Damage to the seat heater wiring could cause the wires to short, increasing the risk of the seat burning and causing personal injury to the occupant.
Remedy: SET will notify owners, and dealers will disconnect the heaters with copper strand heating elements and refund the purchase price of the seat heater accessory, free of charge. The recall is expected to began in January 2015. Owners may contact SET customer service at 1-866-405-4226.
HYBRID PROPULSION SYSTEM: INVERTER · Campaign 13V396000 · Sep 4, 2013
Defect: Toyota is recalling certain model year 2006-2010 Highlander hybrid vehicles manufactured February 16, 2005, through July 29, 2010; and model year 2006-2008 Lexus RX400h vehicles manufactured February 23, 2005, through December 2, 2008. The Intelligent Power Module (IPM) inside the inverter module may contain transistors that have higher operating temperatures than the solder can support and the transistors may be heat damaged by the solder. If this occurs, various warning lamps, including the malfunction indicator lamp, slip indicator light, brake system warning light, and master warning light, will be illuminated on the instrument panel.
Consequence: The vehicle may enter a fail-safe/limp-home mode that limits the drivability of the vehicle. It is possible that the hybrid system will shut down while the vehicle is being driven, causing the vehicle to stall unexpectedly, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will replace the IPM free of charge. Owners may contact Toyota at 1-800-331-4331. Vehicles that had their IPM replaced under recall 11V-342 are not affected by this campaign.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM · Campaign 11V342000 · Jun 29, 2011
Defect: TOYOTA IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2006-2007 HIGHLANDER HYBRID AND LEXUS RX400H PASSENGER CARS MANUFACTURED FROM FEBRUARY 16, 2005, THROUGH AUGUST 30, 2006. A MODULE INSIDE THE INVERTER MODULE MAY CONTAIN INADEQUATELY SOLDERED TRANSISTORS THAT DURING HIGH-LOAD DRIVING, MAY BE DAMAGED BY HEAT CAUSED BY THE LARGE CURRENT. IF THIS OCCURS, VARIOUS WARNING LAMPS, INCLUDING THE MALFUNCTION INDICATOR LAMP, SLIP INDICATOR LIGHT, BRAKE SYSTEM WARNING LIGHT, AND MASTER WARNING LIGHT, WILL BE ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL.
Consequence: THE VEHICLE MAY ENTER A FAIL-SAFE/LIMP-HOME MODE THAT LIMITS THE DRIVABILITY OF THE VEHICLE. IT IS POSSIBLE THAT THE HYBRID SYSTEM WILL SHUT DOWN WHILE THE VEHICLE IS BEING DRIVEN, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO STALL UNEXPECTEDLY, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
Remedy: TOYOTA/LEXUS MAILED AN INTERIM OWNER NOTIFICATION ON JULY 19, 2011 TO ADVISE OWNERS OF THIS RECALL AND THE FACT THAT THEY WILL RECEIVE A FUTURE NOTICE WHEN PARTS BECOME AVAILABLE TO COMPLETE REPAIRS. TOYOTA DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE HYBRID INVERTER PRODUCTION NUMBER TO DETERMINE WHETHER THE INVERTER CONTAINS SUSPECT TRANSISTORS AND REPLACE THE MODULE FREE OF CHARGE. OWNERS MAY CONTACT TOYOTA AT 1-800-331-4331.
EQUIPMENT:OTHER:LABELS · Campaign 10V035000 · Feb 3, 2010
Defect: GULF STATES TOYOTA IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2005-2010 VEHICLES FOR FAILING TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 110, "TIRE SELECTION AND RIMS." THESE VEHICLES WERE SOLD BETWEEN SEPTEMBER 1, 2005 AND JUNE 2, 2008 WITHOUT THE REQUISITE LOAD CARRYING CAPACITY MODIFICATION LABELS.
Consequence: THIS DOES NOT MEET THE STANDARD REQUIREMENTS.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL MAIL TO CONSUMERS THE CORRECTED LABEL OR THE CUSTOMER WILL HAVE THE OPTION FOR DEALERS TO INSTALL THE LABEL FREE OF CHARGE. DEALERS WILL ALSO CORRECT THE OWNER'S MANUAL. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON MAY 27, 2010. OWNERS MAY CONTACT GULF STATES TOYOTA AT 713-580-3300.
EQUIPMENT:OTHER:LABELS · Campaign 10V036000 · Feb 3, 2010
Defect: SOUTHEAST TOYOTA IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2005-2011 PASSENGER VEHICLES FOR FAILING TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 110, "TIRE SELECTION AND RIMS." THESE VEHICLES WERE SOLD WITHOUT THE REQUISITE LOAD CARRYING CAPACITY MODIFICATION LABELS.
Consequence: A DRIVER MAY OVERLOAD A VEHICLE WHICH MAY INCREASE THE RISK OF A CRASH.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL MAIL TO CONSUMERS THE CORRECTED LABEL OR THE CUSTOMER WILL HAVE THE OPTION FOR DEALERS TO INSTALL THE LABEL FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON MAY 27, 2010. OWNERS MAY CONTACT SOUTHEAST TOYOTA AT 1-800-301-6859.