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What 298 owners told NHTSA about the 2020 Toyota Highlander

These are the actual owner complaints behind this car’s reliability verdict, filed with the federal government, unedited. They’re unverified reports, not confirmed defects: read them as leads for your pre-purchase inspection, not a diagnosis.

All (298)Crash / fire / injury (14)Transmission & drivetrain (119)Brakes (33)Airbags (32)Body & structure (28)Fuel system (17)Engine (16)Electrical system (15)Speed control (10)Seat belts (6)Driver assistance (5)

1 of 298 complaints match · Fuel system · crash/fire/injury only · clear filters

May 18, 2021SteeringEngineFuel systemCrash2 injuries

In my 2020 Highlander I approached a stop sign at a "T" intersection behind 4 other cars. After stopping and looking to see road was clear of oncoming traffic, I pulled out and started my left turn. As I was turning into my lane the car engine turned OFF and the steering wheel was LOCKED in the left position. There was no power for the brakes, which left me jamming on the brake pedal as hard as I could only slowing the car slightly. The steering wheel was LOCKED LEFT and I thought I was going to break it trying to force it back. With no ability to move the steering wheel or brake, I braced myself as the Highlander continued turning in the left direction into the other lane. The result was a head on collision with a Mini Cooper, both cars totaled, and injuring both myself and the other driver. Highlander was investigated by forensic company in the employ of the insurance company, but they could not find any error in the cars CDR (Crash Data Retrieval) system.

NHTSA ODI 11417587

Working with the data? Download all 298 complaints as CSV · fetched from NHTSA July 11, 2026

How to use these: a complaint is one owner’s report, filed voluntarily and published unverified. Patterns matter more than any single story. If several owners describe the same failure at similar mileage, put that system at the top of your pre-purchase inspection list. Back to the full 2020 Toyota Highlander verdict →