Worst 2011 Toyota Highlander Problems
Top 3 most-reported issues with average mileage at failure.
Steering Defects
Wipers & Visibility
Electrical Faults
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All Problems by Category
Every NHTSA complaint category for the 2011 Toyota Highlander.
| Component | Complaints | Crashes | Fires | Avg Mileage | Volume |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Steering Defects | 33 | — | — | 76,186 mi | |
| Wipers & Visibility | 25 | — | — | 53,197 mi | |
| Electrical Faults | 20 | — | — | 62,408 mi | |
| Engine Problems | 17 | — | — | 109,571 mi | |
| Transmission / Drivetrain | 15 | — | — | 47,080 mi | |
| Body Structure | 15 | — | — | 48,556 mi | |
| Brakes | 13 | 3 | — | 69,520 mi | |
| Unintended Acceleration | 12 | 5 | — | 41,986 mi | |
| Visibility | 10 | — | — | 59,036 mi | |
| Airbags | 8 | 5 | — | 95,300 mi | |
| Structure:Body:Hatchback/Liftgate | 6 | — | — | 44,000 mi | |
| Headlight/Taillight Failures | 4 | — | — | — | |
| Seat Belt Issues | 4 | 2 | — | — | |
| Structure:Body:Door | 3 | — | — | — | |
| Tire Defects | 3 | — | — | — | |
| Electronic Stability Control | 2 | — | — | — | |
| Engine & Cooling | 2 | — | — | — | |
| Service Brakes, Electric | 2 | — | — | — | |
| Hydraulic Brakes | 2 | — | — | — | |
| Structural Problems | 2 | — | — | — | |
| Electrical System:Ignition | 1 | — | — | — | |
| Electrical System:Starter Assembly:Solenoid | 1 | — | — | — | |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Cooling System | 1 | — | — | — | |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Oil/Lubrication | 1 | — | — | — | |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Oil/Lubrication: Oil Cooler | 1 | — | — | — | |
| Other Equipment | 1 | — | — | — | |
| Equipment Adaptive/Mobility | 1 | — | — | — | |
| Exterior Lighting:Headlights | 1 | 1 | — | — | |
| Forward Collision Avoidance: Automatic Emergency Braking | 1 | — | — | — |
Search Owner Complaints
Read what owners actually reported to NHTSA for the 2011 Toyota Highlander. Type a keyword (e.g. “transmission”, “stalling”, “brakes”) to filter.
Recalls for 2011 Toyota Highlander
5 NHTSA recall campaigns affecting ~1,836,026 vehicles.
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.
Toyota Motor Company (Toyota) is recalling certain model year 2009-2011 Tundra, Sequoia, Corolla, Corolla Matrix and Scion xB, 2008-2011 Highlander and Highlander Hybrid, 2007 Camry and Camry Hybrid, 2009 Camry and Camry Hybrid, 2006-2011 RAV4, 2006-2010 Yaris, and 2009-2010 Scion xD and Pontiac Vibe vehicles. During the manufacturing of the Power Window Master Switch (PWMS), grease lubricant may have been inconsistently applied to the sliding electrical contacts.
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.
Southeast Toyota is recalling certain model year 2008 and 2010-2013 Toyota Tundra, 2010-2012 Rav4, 2012 Toyota Sequoia, 2010-2011 Toyota Corolla, 2010-2011 Toyota Camry and Camry Hybrid, 2010-2013 Toyota Highlander and Highlander Hybrid, 2010-2013 Toyota FJ Cruiser, 2011 Toyota Land Cruiser, 2010-2013 Toyota Venza, 2010-2011 Toyota 4Runner, 2010-2013 Toyota Tacoma, 2011-2012 Toyota Sienna, 2012 Toyota Prius, 2013 Scion FR-S, 2011 Scion XD, 2011 Scion XB, and 2012 Scion TC vehicles. These vehicles were sold with labels that were outside the allowable one percent of accuracy of actual weight added. Thus, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) Number 110, "Tire Selection and Rims."
Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC (SET) is recalling certain models interspersed through model years 2009 through 2013 as follows: model year 2009-2012 Tacoma, 4Runner, Camry, Camry Hybrid, Prius, and RAV4; model year 2009-2010 Avalon, FJ Cruiser, and Highlander Hybrid; model year 2010-2013 model year Corolla, Sienna and Tundra; model year 2009-2013 Highlander and Venza; model year 2012 Prius V; and model year 2010-2012 Sequoia. During modification by SET to include accessories such as leather seat covers, seat heaters or headrest DVD systems, these vehicles may not have had the passenger seat occupant sensing system calibration tested. Without passing the calibration test, the occupant sensing system may not operate as designed.
Other Toyota Highlander Years
2011 Toyota Highlander — FAQ
Answers based on real NHTSA complaint and recall data for this specific model year.
Is the 2011 Toyota Highlander reliable?
What are common problems with the 2011 Toyota Highlander?
At what mileage do problems start on the 2011 Toyota Highlander?
How safe is the 2011 Toyota Highlander?
Does the 2011 Toyota Highlander have any recalls?
Should I buy a 2011 Toyota Highlander?
Source: NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) complaint and recall databases, aggregated by VinItel.
Wider context: See the full Toyota Highlander reliability report with year-by-year comparison and generation analysis.
Check Your Specific 2011 Toyota Highlander
Real owner complaints tell you about the model. The VIN tells you about your specific car — accidents, title issues, odometer fraud.
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