28 complaints reported

2014 Toyota Highlander UNKNOWN OR OTHER

Owner-reported problems and safety issues filed with NHTSA. Review common failures, severity levels, and complaint trends over time.

Reports
28
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
2

Complaint Timeline

Chronological view of owner reports

Dec 2023

The lift gate will not open and close properly. It only works about 5% of the time.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2014 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER, Manufacturer: Toyota Motor Corporation
Incident: Jan 2023
Nov 2023

As other 2014 Toyota highlander: issues with the power liftgate/rear door. Have problems open and closing the rear door to the point that it's not working properly anymore. Toyota is not responding unless you pay around $4,000 to get it fix.There are plenty of cases like mine and for the 2010-2023 they had a class action suite for the same problem, resulting in a mass recall to correct the problem. Why is not a recall for this year as well.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2014 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER, Manufacturer: Toyota Motor Corporation
Incident: Mar 2023
Oct 2023

Hi, the stereo sound on My Toyota highlander keep going in and out, I can start the car in the morning and the radio will work no problem but if I turn off the car or the radio sound or music will go away. after the car is off for about 3 to 4 hours period of time the sound will come back on when the vehicle is turned back on. This is the original Stereo system. Thank You

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2014 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER, Manufacturer: Toyota Motor Corporation
Incident: Oct 2023
Sep 2022

While driving the vehicle, the rear pane of the vehicle's moon roof spontaneously shattered into pieces. The moon roof has two basic components - the soft cover that lies under the glass moon roof and the 2-pane glass moon roof. Had the soft cover not been closed, the glass shards would have rained down upon the driver and passengers in the vehicle. The vehicle has not yet been inspected by an insurance adjuster, but there are numerous reports of this same problem occurring in other Toyota Highlanders on the internet. This issue appears to be being ignored by Toyota despite numerous reports across several model years of the vehicle. There were no warning signs of any kind issued by the vehicle before this occurred. This condition poses a serious threat to health and safety and should be addressed immediately by NHTSA.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2014 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER, Manufacturer: Toyota Motor Corporation
Incident: Sep 2022
Dec 2021

THE REAR LIFT GATE POWER STRUTS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AT 38000 MILES ON A 2014 VEHICLE. HAVE NOTICED NUMEROUS OTHERS COMPLAINING ABOUT THIS ISSUE ON TOYOTA FORUMS.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2014 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER, Manufacturer: Toyota Motor Corporation
Incident: Dec 2021
Nov 2021

This is a known problem with the Toyota Highlander where the Power Rear Door struts will not work in cold weather. They even issued a service bulletin but refuses to issue a recall on the defective parts. If the rear hatch refuses to close or open, it can be a safety hazard as these doors are very difficult to close and open manually as it requires a fair amount of strength to perform. From Toyota's own service Bulletin T-SB-0023-16: "Some 2014 – 2015 model year Highlander and Highlander HV vehicles may exhibit a condition in which the Power Back Door is inoperative or stops during operation. In some cases this condition may be associated with cold weather."

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2014 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER, Manufacturer: Toyota Motor Corporation
Incident: Jun 2021
Aug 2021

BLUETOOTH FOR PHONE DOES NOT WORK PROPERLY IN THOUSANDS OF TOYOTAS OVER MANY YEARS RENDERING HANDSFREE INOPERABLE. THERE IS A WELL DOCUMENTED LOUD ECHO IN THE PHONE HELD BY THE PERSON OUTSIDE THE CAR CALLING OR RECEIVING A CALL FROM THE CAR. THE CALL MUST BE TERMINATED AND THE DRIVER MUST USE THEIR HANDSET TO RECEIVE OR MAKE THE CALL. THIS IS WELL KNOWN BY TOYOTA AND IS A HUGE DISTRACTED DRIVING SAFETY PROBLEM. TOYOTA NEEDS TO FIX THIS IMMEDIATELY AND A RECALL ISSUED TO DO SO. THIS PROBLEM HAS GONE ON TOO LONG. THIS HAS BEEN A PROBLEM WITH OUR 2014 HIGHLANDER FROM INCEPTION AND LIKE THOUSANDS OF OTHER TOYOTA OWNERS WE'VE GIVEN UP WAITING FOR THE FIX. PLEASE HELP WITH THIS.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2014 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER, Manufacturer: Toyota Motor Corporation
Incident: Jul 2021
May 2021

Passenger door and rear left and right door doesn't lock or unlock with key fob, but can be locked and unlocked manually but if in a car crash and you have a child in the back seat it may creating a safety hazard if the doors are locked manually and you can't get your child out in a timely manner. I was told at the service center in Waldorf Maryland Toyota that it is a common problems, and there always changed on this make and model.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2014 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER, Manufacturer: Toyota Motor Corporation
Incident: May 2021
Feb 2021

MY POWERED REAR TAILGATE DOOR MALFUNCTIONS WHEN I ATTEMPT TO OPEN IT. ABOUT 80% OF THE TIME WHEN I PRESS THE BUTTON TO HAVE IT OPEN, IT CRACKS OPEN AND THEN STARTS BEEPING. THEN TO OPEN IT, I HAVE TO MANUALLY OPEN IT BY HAND.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2014 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER, Manufacturer: Toyota Motor Corporation
Incident: Feb 2021
Sep 2020

TAILGATE DOES NOT OPEN SOMETIMES. IT WILL DO A LONG BEEP. SOMETIMES IT WILL OPEN BUT NOT CLOSE ALL THE WAY. SOMETIMES IT WILL OPEN LESS THEN HALF WAY AND THEN DO A LONG BEEP.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2014 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER, Manufacturer: Toyota Motor Corporation
Incident: Jan 2017
Jun 2020

THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION, AT 60 MPH, SOUTH BOUND ON RTE 495 SOUTH IN FOXBORO, MA AT 2:35 ON DEC 29, 2019. DRIVER HEARD A THUD ON THE ROOF, PULLED OVER TO THE BREAKDOWN LANE, OPENED THE MOONROOF SHADE AND DISCOVERED THAT MOONROOF GLASS WAS GONE. THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE OF SHATTERED GLASS. DRIVER DID NOT SEE ANY OTHER VEHICLE OR PERSON THAT WAS DAMAGED OR INJURED. DRIVER WAS TRAVELING ALONE. ON INSPECTION REPAIR SHOP DID NOT SEE ANY DAMAGE TO ROOF OR WINDOW FRAME AND NO GLASS SHARDS.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2014 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER, Manufacturer: Toyota Motor Corporation
Incident: Dec 2019
Jan 2020

AROUND 55,000 MILES DRIVEN, MY PANORAMIC ROOF STARTED LEAKING INTO PILLARS. IT CAUSED BOTH REAR DRIVERS SIDE AND PASSENGER SIDE SEAT WET AND CARPETS WET. MY ROOF LEAKS WHENEVER THERE IS RAIN. ROOF DOES NOT LEAK WHEN MY CAR IS PARKED DOWN HILL, BUT IT LEAKS WHENEVER CAR IS PARKED UPHILL. ROOF ALSO LEAKS DRIVING IN HIGHWAY IN HEAVY RAIN. I CONTACTED TOYOTA, BUT THEY SAID I HAVE TO PAY FOR THE LEAK SINCE IT IS OUT OF WARRANTY. THEY SAID I HAVE TO REPLACE PRETTY MUCH EVERYTHING INCLUDE SUNROOF.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2014 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER, Manufacturer: Toyota Motor Corporation
Incident: Jan 2018
Nov 2019

THERE HAS BEEN A LEAK COMING FROM THE ROOF IN TO THE C PILLAR, CAUSING WATER TO GO IN TO THE CABIN UNDER THE CARPET. THE VEHICLE IS STATIONARY WHEN IT WAS DISCOVERED.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2014 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER, Manufacturer: Toyota Motor Corporation
Incident: Feb 2019
Nov 2019

POWER BACK DOOR JUST BEEPS WILL NOT OPEN IN COLD WEATHER. MANUALLY OPENS,HOWEVER, IT'S A STRUGGLE TO OPEN.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2014 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER, Manufacturer: Toyota Motor Corporation
Incident: Jan 2019
May 2019

SPEEDOMETER NUMBERS ARE NOT VISIBLE TO THE DRIVER. THE NUMBERS INDICATING THE KILOMETER SPEED ARE TOO SMALL AND THE NUMBERS ARE NOT LIGHTED BRIGHTLY ENOUGH TO SEE. THE NUMBERS ARE NOT VISIBLE IN DAYLIGHT OR AT NIGHT. THIS CREATES A DANGEROUS CONDITION WHEN I AM DRIVING IN CANADA. THE TOYOTA SERVICE DEPARTMENT HAS NO SOLUTION TO THIS SERIOUS SAFETY PROBLEM. PLEASE NOT THAT I HAVE EXCELLENT EYESIGHT.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2014 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER, Manufacturer: Toyota Motor Corporation
Incident: Oct 2019
Oct 2018

MY HIGHLANDER HAS HAD A TOTAL OF 14 (INCLUDING THE 4 ORIGINAL) DOOR ACTUATORS IN THE 4 PASSENGER DOORS. THE 1ST FAILED AT ABOUT 13K MILES. I HAVE ABOUT 75K MILES NOW. AS SOON AS (OR SHORTLY AFTER) A FAILED ONE HAS BEEN REPLACED, THE ISSUE TRAVELS TO ANOTHER DOOR. THAT PATTERN HAS CONTINUED TO REACH THE TOTAL NUMBER OF ACTUATORS SO FAR. THE 15TH ACTUATOR WILL SOON BE INSTALLED. TOYOTA WOULD NOT TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS ISSUE ONCE THE WARRANTY EXPIRED, EVEN THOUGH IT ORIGINATED LONG BEFORE WARRANTY EXPIRATION. I DON'T BELIEVE THE ACTUATORS ARE ACTUALLY THE PROBLEM, BUT POSSIBLY WHATEVER COMPUTER OR DEVICE IS SENDING THE SIGNAL TO THE DOORS TO LOCK/UNLOCK. IT HAPPENS WITH EITHER THE REMOTE OR THE LOCKING CONTROLS ON THE DOORS ITSELF. I CONSIDER IT A SAFETY AND INCONVENIENCE ISSUE WHEN YOU CANNOT RELY ON THE DOORS TO LOCK OR UNLOCK UPON COMMAND. UPON LEAVING THE CAR, YOU'RE NEVER QUITE SURE IF THE CAR IS SAFELY SECURED. BEING THE PRIMARY DRIVER, I'M NOT CERTAIN IF THE AFFECTED DOOR DU JOUR IS LOCKING UPON PUTTING THE CAR IN DRIVE, WHICH COULD BE A HUGE SAFETY ISSUE. THE "BAD ACTUATOR" WILL ALSO NOT OPEN FREQUENTLY, WHICH IS A HUGE INCONVENIENCE IF RAIN IS POURING AND YOU HAVE YOUR HANDS FULL. PLEASE LET ME KNOW IF YOU NEED ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2014 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER, Manufacturer: Toyota Motor Corporation
Incident: Oct 2018
Oct 2018

ONE DAY I FIND A WATER UNDER THE DRIVER SEAT AND UNDER THE PASSENGER SEATTLE AND THE BACK SEAT TOO SO I TAKE IT TO THE DEALER AND THEY SAID THAT DRAIN CLOGGED DUE TO A LOT OF RAIN AND DEBRIS AND THEY ASK ME TO CALL MY INSURANCE COMPANY AND THEY SAID THEY HAVE A LOT OF CARS PARK THERE HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM AND I TOLD THEM I HAVE A WARRANTY ON THE CAR AND THEY SAID IT DOESN'T MATTER AND THEY DON'T WANT TO FIX IT WITH THE FACTORY WARRANTY AND THAT FLOOD CAN CAUSE A SERIOUS ACCIDENT OR FIRE BECOUSE ALL THE WIRE THERE

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2014 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER, Manufacturer: Toyota Motor Corporation
Incident: Mar 2018
Oct 2018

THE BACK HATCH NO LONGER FUNCTIONS. COULD BE A SAFETY ISSUE IF YOU CAN'T ESCAPE OUT THE BACK OF THE VEHICLE. CAR IS PARKED WHEN WE TRY TO OPERATE THE HATCH.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2014 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER, Manufacturer: Toyota Motor Corporation
Incident: Sep 2018
Apr 2017

SUNROOF EXPLODED SPONTANEOUSLY WHILE DRIVING ON STATE HIGHWAY 19 IN FLORIDA. THE TOYOTA COMPANY DENIED DEFECT AND I HAD TO HAVE REPAIR DONE USING MY INSURANCE. IF THE SUNROOF COVER HAD NOT BEEN CLOSED, PASSENGER COMPARTMENT COULD HAVE HAD LOTS OF GLASS CAUSING INJURY OR AN ACCIDENT

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2014 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER, Manufacturer: Toyota Motor Corporation
Incident: Oct 2017
Jan 2017

THE NAVIGATION SYSTEM HAS SO MANY ISSUES IT HARD TO LIST THEM IN THIS SMALL SPACE. IT WILL REBOOT MANY TIMES A DAY, SOMETIMES JUST TURNS IT SELF OFF AND HAVE TO PULL TO THE SIDE TURN OFF ENGINE AND IT WILL COME BACK ON. COMMUNICATION IS EXTREMELY POOR, IT LAGS BEING WHERE I AM, IT POOR AT FINDING ADDRESSES THAT HAVE BEEN AROUND FOR YEARS. TOYOTA NEEDS TO TOTALLY REDO THE SOFTWARE AND OFFER IT FOR FREE ITS SO BAD

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2014 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER, Manufacturer: Toyota Motor Corporation
Incident: Sep 2014
Dec 2016

NAVIGATION SYSTEM. WILL NOT SET TO GO TO SPECIFIC ADDRESSES, WILL NOT OPERATE MUCH LIKE A NAVIGATION SYSTEM SHOULD.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2014 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER, Manufacturer: Toyota Motor Corporation
Incident: Oct 2016
Aug 2016 Injury

REAR LIFT DOOR (HATCHBACK) DOES NOT STOP IF AN ARM OR BODY PART IS IN THE WAY ONCE THE BUTTON TO CLOSE IS PUSHED. MY HAIR GOT CAUGHT IN THE LOCK AND THE DOOR WAS CLOSING SO I TRIED TO STOP IT WITH MY ARM AND IT KEPT CLOSING ON MY ARM WITH MY HAIR CAUGHT AND MY ARM IS SEVERELY BRUISED. THE VEHICLE WAS IN PARK AND SHUT OFF IN MY DRIVEWAY

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2014 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER, Manufacturer: Toyota Motor Corporation
Incident: Aug 2016
Apr 2016

WHEN THE A/C OR HEATER IS ON, THERE IS A VERY FOUL ALMOST ROTTEN TYPE OF SMELL COMING INTO THE CABIN. I NOTICE IT AS SOON AS I START THE CAR. IT USED TO GO AWAY AFTER DRIVING IT SEVERAL MILES, BUT LATELY IT SEEMS TO CONTINUE WITH THE BAD SMELL FOR A LONGER TIME. WE HAVE NOTICED IT FOR SEVERAL MONTHS NOW. IT HAS 28,000 MILES ON IT AS OF 4-25-16.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2014 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER, Manufacturer: Toyota Motor Corporation
Incident: Jan 2016
Jan 2016

THE HVAC SYSTEM DOES NOT DRAIN COMPLETELY IN HOT CLIMATES, CAUSING A BUILD UP OF MOLD/MILDEW IN THE AC SYSTEM, BLOWING IT INTO THE CAR. THE ODOR IS FOUL AND DAMAGING TO CUSTOMERS RESPIRATORY SYSTEMS. THIS OCCURS IN THE SUMMER, IN HOT MONTHS WITH THE AC IS USED ON A DAILY BASIS. IT DOES NOT OCCUR IN THE WINTER.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2014 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER, Manufacturer: Toyota Motor Corporation
Incident: Jul 2015
Oct 2015

I NOTICED A BAD SMELL FOR MONTHS AND COULD NOT FIGURE OUT WHERE IT WAS COMING FROM. RECENTLY I NOTICED WATER COMING IN FROM THE REAR PASSENGER SEATBELT. I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY HAD ME BRING IT IN IMMEDIATELY. THEY FOUND MOLD AND SAID IT WAS DUE TO THE MOON ROOF LEAKING. THE CARPETING WAS REPLACED BY PROFESSIONALS SINCE THEIR EMPLOYEES COULD NOT BE EXPOSED TO THE MOLD. I HAD THE CAR FOR OVER A YEAR AND DROVE IT WITH MY ASTHMATIC CHILD DAILY. NO ONE HAS YET TO ADDRESS THE HEALTH HAZARD THIS IS. NOT TO MENTION THE MOLDING AROUND THE DOORS AND SEVERAL GUARDS AND PIECES NO LONGER FIT PROPERLY AND ARE SLIDING ALL OVER THE FLOOR AS I DRIVE.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2014 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER, Manufacturer: Toyota Motor Corporation
Incident: Sep 2015

Trend Over Time

Complaints by year

Quick Summary

The 2014 Toyota Highlander has 28 UNKNOWN OR OTHER complaints on file. Review the timeline above for detailed owner experiences.