2013 Toyota Highlander UNKNOWN OR OTHER

2013 Toyota Highlander Limited sunroof drains continue to back up and dump water into the front and rear cabin, causing electrical issues and mold if not addressed immediately. Also the factory-installed roof rack mounting holes allow water to enter the cabin, causing damage to the headliner, which could fall down while driving. Water also collects in the floorboards in both the front and rear and the third row. This water damage causes rust of metal parts on the seats and inside the cabin, which impacts the seat belts and seat hinge points. Toyota refuses to recall models with this issue and lets owners pay out of pocket for repairs while the issue continues to affect the electrical, braking, mold, rust, unprotected metal seat components, and more. This vehicle has been in the shop 4 times for this same issue in 2025 alone.

I own a Toyota and have always been a strong supporter of the brand — I truly believe Toyota’s reliability and build quality are unmatched. That’s why I was shocked and disappointed to discover that the paint on the roof of my car, especially near the sunroof, had started peeling. I left for a two-week trip, and when I returned in June 2025, I noticed that the paint had begun to flake and peel severely. The surface felt brittle and dry, and simply touching the area caused more paint to come off. It was clear that the damage had occurred during sun exposure while I was away. I later learned that Toyota had launched a Customer Support Program related to paint issues on white vehicles, but I was completely unaware that it existed or that it had ended in 2024. Had I known, I would have brought the vehicle in sooner. My car only started showing signs of this defect in mid-2025, well after the program had expired. I’m reporting this because I believe the issue is still ongoing and more widespread than Toyota may realize. As a loyal Toyota owner and enthusiast, this experience has been incredibly frustrating and disappointing.

BACK DOOR LOCKS AND PASSENGER FRONT DOOR LOCKS QUIT WORKING WITH UNLOCK/LOCK SWITCH AND REMOTE. I HAD THE FRONT LOCKS REPLACED BEFORE WARRANTY WAS UP. THE BACK PASSENGER DOOR DIED RIGHT AFTER WARRANTY WAS UP. HOWEVER THE FRONT PASSENGER DOOR LOCK IS DEAD AGAIN. THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE DOOR LOCK IS ON THE FRITZ TOO. USING THE REMOTE OR USING REMOTELESS(TOUCHING THE HANDLE ON PASSENGER FRONT SIDE) ENTRY DOESN'T LOCK OR UNLOCK THE 3 DOORS, THE LOCK/UNLOCK BUTTON ON THE 3 DOORS DON'T WORK. FROM WHAT I HAD READ TOYOTA HAS KNOWN ABOUT THESE LOCKS SINCE 2004 BUT CONTINUE TO USE THEM. THE ONLY WAY TO UNLOCK THE DOORS IS PUSHING THE LOCK SWITCH INSIDE THE DOOR OR USING THE KEY THAT COMES WITH REMOTE ENTRY.** THE FRONT DOORS HAPPENED BEFORE TOYOTA WARRANTY WAS UP AND WERE REPLACE. THE BACK PASSENGER DOOR HAPPENED RIGHT AFTER WARRANTY WAS UP. THEN THE BACK DRIVER SIDE HAPPENED APRIL 2018. IF THE DOORS AREN'T LOCK AND YOU PUSH THE LOCK BUTTON, IT DOESN'T BEEP TO SAY IT IS SECURED. YOU HAVE TO GO LOCK ALL THE DOORS MANUAL THEN SET THE REMOTE FOR SECURING THE CAR.

DRIVER SIDE WINDOW KEEPS POPPING OFF TRACK, WILL NOT OPERATE PROPERLY

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER. THE CONTACT HEARD AN ABNORMAL CLUNKING NOISE INSIDE THE VEHICLE. THE NOISE WAS A CONSTANT DISTRACTION, WHICH MADE DRIVING DIFFICULT. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT PLANNED ON TAKING THE VEHICLE TO CONICELLI TOYOTA (550 RIDGE PIKE, CONSHOCKEN, PA 19428, 877-485-3193) TO BE DIAGNOSED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 60,188.

RAIN WATER IS FUNNELED INTO 'GUTTERS' WHICH ARE INTERNAL TO THE BODY OF THE CAR. IF DIRT, LEAVES OR OTHER DEBRIS GET INTO THE GUTTER SYSTEM, IT CAN BLOCK THE FLOW OF WATER WHICH THEN COMES INTO THE CAR VIA THE ROOF AND SUNROOF SYSTEM. ANY MOVEMENT OF THE CAR, ONCE THE GUTTERS WERE FLOODED, CAUSE WATER TO COME FROM THE ROOF ONTO THE THE DRIVER'S LAP. THIS WATER THEN CAUSED A FLOODING OF THE FLOOR OF THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER'S SIDE FRONT FOOT AREAS. THE FLOODING RISK WAS NOT SHARED WITH ME WHILE PURCHASING THE CAR AND THE POTENTIAL RESOLUTIONS SHARED ONCE IT DID HAPPEN ARE UNACCEPTABLE. THE RESOLUTION MY TOYOTA DEALER SHARED WAS (1) PARK IN A GARAGE AND (2) BRING THE CAR IN ONCE A YEAR TO HAVE THE GUTTER SYSTEM FLUSHED.

THE POWER BACK DOOR HINGE ON THE LEFT SIDE BROKE. THE HINGE IS NO LONGER ATTACHED TO THE DOOR. THE KEYLESS ENTRY WILL NOT WORK.

TAKATA RECALLS

I HAVE A 2013 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER LIMITED. THE ACTUATOR ON THE FRONT PASSENGER AND DRIVER SIDE HAVE STOPPED WORKING. THE SYMPTOM IS THAT WHEN YOU APPROACH THE DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR WITH THE KEY FOB, THE DRIVER'S DOOR WILL NOT OPEN. THE DOOR ONLY OPENS USING THE BYPASS KEY. WHEN INSIDE THE CAR, PRESSING THE LOCK / UNLOCK BUTTON DOES NOT LOCK OR UNLOCK FRONT PASSENGER OR DRIVER'S SIDE DOORS ONLY THE REAR PASSENGER DOORS. FRONT PASSENGER AND DRIVER SIDE DOOR CAN ONLY BE OPENED BY MANUALLY PULLING THE DOOR HANDLE. TOYOTA GOT A BUNCH OF BAD ACTUATORS AND THEY ARE REFUSING TO CLASSIFY THIS PROBLEM AS A RECALL.

AFTER PRESSING THE IGNITION BUTTON TO TURN OFF THE ENGIN WHEN IN PARK, I CAME BACK TO THE CAR TO FIND IT RUNNING. THIS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES. I REPORTED IT TO THE DEALER WHO SAID THAY HAD NO INFORMATION NOR WERE THERE ANY BUILTINS FRO TOTOTA. PARKED THE CAR AT THE PHL AIRPORT FOR 5 DAYS, CAME BACK TO FIND NO GAS. CAR HAD BEEN RUNNING WILE I WAS GONE UNTIL IT RAN OUT OF GAS. SAW IN THE NEWS THAT A US SENATOR FROM PA WAS INVESTIGATING THESE EVENTS. OCTOBER 2016

CAR HESITATES UPON ACCELERATING FROM A STOP AS IF IT WAS COASTING. IT DOESN'T HAPPEN EVERY TIME BUT IT HAS OCCURRED FROM THE DAY I BOUGHT IT. THE HESITATION CAN BE FROM 2-4 SECONDS. IT ALSO HAPPENS WHEN TURNING FROM A STOP. PLAYING WITH THE GAS PEDAL DOESN'T SEEM TO HELP BUT ,CURIOUSLY, SHIFTING INTO NEUTRAL AND THEN BACK TO DRIVE SEEM TO STOP THE HESITATION. I HAVEN'T EXPLORED THIS RIGOROUSLY; JUST TRIED IT A COUPLE OF TIMES. I COMPLAINED TO THE DEALER AND THEY HAVE DENIED IT IS A PROBLEM: OBVIOUSLY THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO WITH IT.

ON APRIL , 2015, MY VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN MY DRIVEWAY. THE LEATHER PANEL ON THE DOOR ON THE DRIVERS' SIDE MELTED WITH THE SUN REFLECTING ON IT. I HAVE BEEN LIVING IN THIS HOUSE FOR 33 YEARS AND HAVE PARKED MANY CARS IN THE SAME LOCATION. IT ALSO IT NOT VERY HOT IN MY AREA IN APRIL. THIS IS CLEARLY A DEFECT IN THE MATERIAL. THE LEATHER GETS SO HOT WITH THE SUN AND CAN EASILY BURN YOU IF TOUCHED WITH YOUR BARE SKIN. I CONTACTED MY LOCAL DEALERSHIP, GREENTREE TOYOTA, BROOKFIELD, CT. THE MANAGER THERE WAS BAFFLED "NEVER SAW ANYTHING LIKE THAT BEFORE." ABOUT 2 WEEKS LATER, I CONTACTED HIM SINCE I HEARD NOTHING BACK. HE ADVISED THAT THE DISTRICT SERVICE AND PARTS MANAGER WILL NOT REPLACE THE LEATHER SINCE IT'S NOT A DEFECT IN WORKMANSHIP. OF COURSE NO - IT'S A DEFECT IN MATERIAL! I WAS TOLD THAT SINCE THERE ARE NO OTHER CLAIMS OF THIS TYPE, IT IS NOT A DEFECT. I THEN CONTACTED TOYOTA CORPORATE OFFICES. THEY ADVISED THAT THEY CANNOT OVERRULE THE DISTRICT SERVICE AND PARTS MANAGER IN THIS PARTICULAR AREA?????? I'M HOPING YOUR COMPANY CAN OFFER SOME HELP IN THIS MATTER.

WATER IS LEAKING INTO THE VEHICLE, SOAKING CARPET AND THE FLOOR, EVERYTIME IT RAINS. LOTS OF WATER REMAINS IN THE FLOOR EVERYTIME IT HAPPENS, MOSTLY IN THE MIDDLE ROW, SMELLING BAD AFTER A WHILE. DEALER SAID THEY CAN'T FIND IT. !..UPDATED 08/13/15 *BF UPDATED 11/27/2015*JS

THE REAR WINDOW OF THE VEHICLE SHATTERED WHILE IT WAS PARKED FOR NO APPARENT REASON. *TR

JULY 20, 2013 I PUSHED THE IGNITION BUTTON TO TURN OFF THE ENGINE. I EXITED THE VEHICLE AND IMMEDIATELY REALIZED IT WAS STILL MOVING. I ATTEMPTED TO GET BACK IN THE VEHICLE TO STOP IT. I FELL AND THE BACK TIRE RAN OVER MY FOOT/LEG. A MAN CAME AND JUMPED IN THE CAR TO STOP IT AFTER IT CROSSED THE STREET AND HIT A PARKED CAR. I HAVE BOTH A FRACTURED TIBIA AND FIBULA. THE TIBIA REQUIRED A SCREW TO STABILIZE HOWEVER, MY FOOT WAS SO INJURED (TORN FLESH) THAT I HAD TO WAIT 5 WEEKS FOR THE FLESH TO HEAL TO AVOID INFECTION. I HAVE BEEN OFF OF WORK SINCE JULY 22 TO DATE (SEPTEMBER 5,2013). I REALIZE HOW FORTUNATE I AM IN THAT IT APPEARS I HAVE NOT SUSTAINED A PERMANENT DISABILITY. I SHUDDER TO THINK HOW MUCH MORE TRAGIC THIS COULD HAVE BEEN FOR MULTIPLE INNOCENT PEOPLE. I AM UNSURE OF HOW TO GIVE NOTICE TO OTHERS TO PREVENT FURTHER INJURIES. IT WAS RECOMMENDED THAT I REPORT THIS TO NHTSA.