Toyota · Highlander · 2016
2016 Toyota Highlander: problems & reliability
NHTSA has logged 111 owner complaints and 3 safety recalls for the 2016 Toyota Highlander. The most-reported problem area is the brakes (17% of complaints), followed by electrical system and airbags. Make sure every open recall has been fixed by a dealer before you buy.
Common 2016 Toyota Highlander problems
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Brakes problems
19 owner complaints to NHTSA (17% of all complaints for this model year) involve the brakes, including 7 crashes, 5 injuries. One owner reported: “The contact owned a 2016 Toyota Highlander. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed low speeds on a decline, the brake pedal depressed all the way to the floorboard. As a result, the vehicle rolled downhill into a busy…”
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Electrical system problems
14 owner complaints to NHTSA (13% of all complaints for this model year) involve the electrical system, including 1 crash, 1 fire, 1 injury. One owner reported: “I had bought my vehicle 5 months ago in an authorized Toyota dealer, on Easter Day we got on the vehicle drove 15 minutes from home to the park, parked my vehicle, turn it off and went to the park are next to where my vehicle was parked…”
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Airbags problems
10 owner complaints to NHTSA (9% of all complaints for this model year) involve the airbags, including 6 crashes, 6 injuries. One owner reported: “I own a 2016 highlander limited platinum and after a major accident I have a serious concern about the safety claims. Yesterday my wife was in a rollover (2 full rotations) accident in her 2016 highlander platinum. Car was destroyed, her…”
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Engine problems
9 owner complaints to NHTSA (8% of all complaints for this model year) involve the engine. One owner reported: “The water pump on my 2016 Toyota Highlander XLE disintegrated while I was driving in heavy traffic. The pulley came loose from the water pump shaft. I have the water pump. Our safety was at risk because this happen in heavy traffic and it…”
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Exterior lighting problems
9 owner complaints to NHTSA (8% of all complaints for this model year) involve the exterior lighting. One owner reported: “The contact owns a 2016 Toyota Highlander. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, the rear taillight covers cracked due to the high outdoor temperatures, and there was condensation inside the taillight housing. The vehicle…”
Owner complaints by area
| Area | Complaints | Share | Chart |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brakes | 19 | 17% | |
| Electrical system | 14 | 13% | |
| Airbags | 10 | 9% | |
| Engine | 9 | 8% | |
| Exterior lighting | 9 | 8% | |
| Visibility & wipers | 9 | 8% | |
| Tires | 7 | 6% | |
| Steering | 6 | 5% |
111 complaints filed with NHTSA in total, reporting 14 crashes, 1 fire, 11 injuries. A complaint can involve more than one area.
2016 Toyota Highlander recalls
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Electrical system
Risk: The ECM damage may result in the engine stalling, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Wanda will notify owners, and service centers will replace the windshields, and inspect the ECM for damage, having it replaced, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began January 29, 2019. Owners may contact Wanda customer service at 1-864-281-2760.
Full recall summary
Fujian Wanda Automobile Glass Industry (Wanda) is recalling certain aftermarket Replacement Windshields sold for use in 2014-2018 Toyota Highlander vehicles. The windshields have an attached wire harness that water may leak into, possibly causing damage to the vehicle's Engine Control Module (ECM).
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Electrical system › Wiring
Risk: If the brake fluid level is low and is not detected, the braking performance may be decreased, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and, as necessary, connect the wire harness to the sensor, free of charge. The recall began November 14, 2016. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's number for this G03.
Full recall summary
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain model year 2016 Highlander vehicles manufactured May 26, 2016, to September 16, 2016. The brake fluid level sensor may not be connected to the wire harness, preventing the sensor from detecting the brake fluid level. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 135, "Light Vehicle Brake Systems."
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Equipment › Other › Labels
Risk: An incorrect label may lead an owner to overload the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: SET will notify owners, and provide a corrected label for placement over the inaccurate label, free of charge. The recall began on July 14, 2016. Owners may contact SET customer service at 1-866-405-4226.
Full recall summary
Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC (SET) is recalling certain model year 2016 Toyota Camry and Highlander, 2015-2016 Toyota Tundra, Scion FR-S, and tC vehicles. The Load Carrying Capacity Modification Label may not reflect the correct added weight of the installed accessories. As a result, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 110, "Tire Selection and Rims for Passenger Cars."
Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer. To check whether a specific car’s recalls have been repaired, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
2016 Toyota Highlander crash-test ratings
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings for the 2016 Toyota Highlander SUV FWD. Ratings can differ between body styles and drivetrains (2 versions tested or listed).
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Specifications
- Drivetrains
- FWD, AWD
- Body styles
- SUV
Other Toyota Highlander years
About this data
Problems, complaint counts, recalls and crash-test ratings come from the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) public databases, last checked 2026-11-03. Complaints are reports from owners and have not all been verified by NHTSA.
How we score reliability: every model year starts at 100. Points come off for the number of owner complaints (on a log scale, up to 40 points), for each safety recall (2 points each, up to 15) and for complaints involving crashes, fires, injuries or deaths (up to 15). Popular vehicles get more complaints simply because more are on the road, so compare scores between similar vehicles. More about our method.
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