2001 Toyota Highlander — Known Issues & Recalls

During a collision where another vehicle hit your driver's side door and rear area, the airbag did not deploy. This is a serious safety concern, as the airbag should have activated to protect you during the impact.

When your car sits outside in freezing temperatures, the airbag warning light turns on after you start it and stays on until the car warms up and you restart it. According to reports, Toyota has issued a technical service bulletin acknowledging this is a known issue where the airbag may not function while the light is flashing, but they have not issued a recall or offered warranty repairs. A diagnostic scan and possible airbag system sensor replacement may be needed to resolve this cold-weather malfunction.

Your airbag warning light came on, and the dealer determined that the spiral cable (a component in your steering column that connects to the airbag system) needs to be replaced. Unfortunately, the dealer couldn't locate the part to complete the repair. This issue appeared at around 111,000 miles on your vehicle.

Your left sun visor keeps falling down due to its weight, blocking your view while driving. This happened to you at highway speeds (65 mph), causing you to swerve. The visor needs to be secured or replaced so it stays in place and doesn't obstruct your vision while driving.

Both of your rear windows got stuck in the open position while driving at 40 mph and wouldn't close. A dealer diagnosed that both rear power window regulators had failed and needed replacement. The windows remain stuck and the vehicle hasn't been repaired yet.

Your driver's side sun visor won't stay in the up position and droops down about 60 degrees when you lower it to block the sun. This means the visor won't reliably stay where you position it. The visor clip or hinge mechanism likely needs to be tightened or replaced.

Your sunroof glass unexpectedly blew off while driving on the highway in traffic. This is a dangerous situation that could affect other vehicles or passengers. The owner reports seeing similar complaints online about this issue. Repair would likely involve replacing the sunroof glass and inspecting the sunroof assembly for defects or structural issues.

Your brake lights keep failing even after multiple repair attempts, and the problem keeps returning on both sides. This is a recurring electrical issue with your tail light system that hasn't been permanently fixed.

Your parked car rolled backwards down your driveway without being driven, causing you to fall and be struck by the vehicle. The car was parked on an incline and began rolling on its own while you were retrieving items from inside. This issue likely involves the parking brake or transmission not holding the vehicle securely in place.

While slowing down in a parking lot, your vehicle suddenly accelerated on its own, causing your wife to instinctively brake hard while pressing the gas pedal to try to release the stuck accelerator. The vehicle jumped over a curb onto the grass before stopping. The dealership was unable to find or reproduce the problem, and no similar incidents have occurred since.

Your check engine light came on while driving, and after an oil change, both the check engine light and low oil pressure warning illuminated. The engine then made loud banging sounds, struggled to run, and eventually shut down completely on the freeway. The owner believes this may be related to oil sludge/jelly buildup in the engine and never received a recall notice about this issue. Diagnosis and repair will likely require engine inspection for sludge accumulation and possible internal engine damage assessment.

Your engine has started leaking oil, which the dealer says is due to engine mount threads pulling away—a known issue Toyota had with 4-cylinder engines in Camrys and Highlanders during a several-year period. Toyota did not issue a recall for this problem. The dealer told you the only fix is to replace the entire engine. Additionally, your vehicle may have catalytic converter issues that also were not recalled.

Your front tires are showing pieces of tread separating from the tire body, with a popcorn-like texture underneath where the tread is missing. The inner rubber surface appears shiny and smooth, suggesting this is a manufacturing defect where different rubber batches weren't properly bonded together rather than damage from normal use. A tire failure at highway speed could cause a serious accident or rollover. You may need to have the tires replaced with a properly manufactured set.

Your brakes failed when you attempted to stop in a parking lot, causing you to lose control of your vehicle. The vehicle struck two parked cars and a tree, resulting in personal injury and financial losses. A brake system inspection and repair will be necessary to identify and address the cause of the brake failure.

While attempting to park, your vehicle suddenly accelerated on its own and crashed into a parked vehicle. You then shifted into reverse and hit a second vehicle. You experienced whiplash and neck pain from the impact. The vehicle was never diagnosed or repaired to determine the cause of the sudden acceleration.

Your brake pedal requires hard, forceful pressing to make the vehicle slow down, even at moderate speeds like 30 mph, and this problem happens repeatedly. Although your vehicle should have been fixed under a Toyota recall (campaign 01V228000), dealer records show no repair was actually performed, leaving the recall unresolved. The issue appeared around 72,000 miles. Fixing this will likely involve inspecting and servicing the hydraulic brake system to restore proper braking pressure and response.

Your passenger side brake light keeps going out despite replacing the bulb and socket multiple times. The underlying issue appears to be faulty wiring rather than the bulb or socket itself. You'll likely need to replace the entire brake light wiring harness or assembly to permanently fix the problem.

Your dashboard and steering wheel are peeling and becoming sticky or gooey. You've contacted Toyota about this issue, and they indicated they've seen this problem on other models but have no recall for your vehicle. The dealership was unable to help, and Toyota declined to address it.

Your driver's side sunshade won't stay in the up position and randomly falls down, potentially hitting your head and blocking your view of the road. The sunshade used to stay up for a while before dropping unexpectedly. The fix will likely involve replacing the sunshade mechanism or the spring/clip hardware that keeps it in place.

Your sun visor doesn't stay in place properly — it either drops down about 30 degrees when you try to keep it up, or it won't stay fully lowered when you need it down. This makes it difficult to shield your eyes from the sun or use the visor as intended. The fix would likely involve replacing or adjusting the visor's detent mechanism or the mounting bracket that holds it in position.