Is the 2002 Toyota Highlander a bad year?
301 owner complaints to NHTSA. Engine and transmission complaints are in line with other Highlander years.
Keep it
Engine and transmission complaints for the 2002 Toyota Highlander are in line with other Highlander years. Visibility and wipers stands out for this year: see below.
The verdict moves with mileage: the same car reads differently at 30,000 and at 150,000 miles.
What 2002 Highlander owners report, by mileage
Each system owners named in five or more complaints, with the mileage range where the middle half of those complaints were filed. Read at 65,000 miles.
| SYSTEM | COMPLAINTS | MIDDLE HALF FILED AT | TYPICAL US REPAIR BILLS |
|---|---|---|---|
| Visibility and wipersSTANDS OUT | 139 (46%) | 40k–85k miles · around this mileage | — |
| Speed control | 31 (10%) | 45k–90k miles · around this mileage | — |
| Engine | 27 (9%) | 57k–126k miles · around this mileage | Valve cover gasket replacement $110–$500 · Timing chain replacement $1,000–$4,000 |
| Body structure | 24 (8%) | 25k–98k miles · around this mileage | — |
| Transmission and drivetrain | 14 (5%) | 62k–116k miles · around this mileage | CV axle / CV joint replacement (one side) $300–$1,500 · Automatic transmission replacement $2,500–$7,000 |
| Air bags | 13 (4%) | 47k–148k miles · around this mileage | — |
| Brakes | 12 (4%) | 48k–112k miles · around this mileage | Brake pad replacement (one axle) $115–$390 · Brake pads and rotors replacement (one axle) $200–$1,084 |
| Electrical system | 13 (4%) | 90k–120k miles · ahead | 12-volt battery replacement $100–$400 · Starter motor replacement $350–$1,200 |
| Exterior lighting | 12 (4%) | 96k–135k miles · ahead | — |
| Equipment | 10 (3%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Tires | 5 (2%) | too few with a mileage | — |
Bills are typical US ranges from the sources named in the tool (J.D. Power, Kelley Blue Book, CarParts.com and others), printed only for systems that stand out or sit at or ahead of 65,000 miles. Not a quote.
What owners reported alongside their complaints
Of 301 complaints: 24 mention a crash · 6 mention a fire · 17 report an injury · 1 says the car was towed.
No complaints in the last 12 months; the newest was filed in Feb 2020.
Counts of what owners wrote in their complaints, not verified by anyone.
In owners' own words
I noticed coolant leaking from underneath the plastic into intake manifold in the rear of the engine.
Vehicle has Toyota 2AZ-FE (2.4 l) 4 cylinder engine. Oil & coolant leaking from back of engine. Head bolts on main gasket failed.
I purchased a new 2002 Toyota highlander from sierra Toyota of lancaster, ca. I have experienced no problems with this vehicle until 25 jan.
Unedited excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA, chosen by mileage (nearest 65,000 miles), not by content. Unverified.
Recalls for the 2002 Toyota Highlander: 2
Certain sport utility vehicles have a child protection lock (Cpl) system on both of the rear side doors. This condition could allow the door to be opened with the inside while the operator believes that the cpl was activated. If the door were opened from the inside while the vehicle was in motion, an occupant could fall out and be injured.
On sport utility vehicles, there is a breather hose that attaches to the nozzle of the on-board refueling vapor recovery (Orvr) valve, which is located on the topside of the fuel tank. The breather hose is attached with a clamp, whose "Tabs" Face in the upward direction. In the worst case, nozzle breakage could result in fuel leakage if the vehicle rolls-over after a high speed frontal crash.
A recall may cover only some cars of a model year; the campaign size counts every model and year it lists. Enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls: dealers fix open recalls free.
Service bulletins from Toyota: 53
Repair instructions Toyota sent its dealers for symptoms seen in the shop on the 2002 Toyota Highlander. Ask a dealer or mechanic for a bulletin by its number.
The purpose of this service bulletin is to provide information regarding the installation of the correct torque converter bolts during automatic…
The purpose of this bulletin is to provide precautions to follow when installing an automatic transmission/transaxle assembly to avoid MIL "ON" shifting issues…
Low battery voltage can contribute to a MIL "ON" condition for P0335 (Crankshaft Position Sensor Circuit) and/or P0340…
Vehicles may occasionally be subjected to contamination by airborne iron particles shed from railroad tracks, train wheels…
Neighbouring years
2001 Highlander: 137 complaints, keep it · 2003 Highlander: 258 complaints, keep it, but watch the engine.
Every Toyota Highlander year
2001 · 2002 · 2003 · 2004 · 2005 · 2006 · 2007 · 2008 · 2009 · 2010 · 2011 · 2012 · 2013 · 2014 · 2015 · 2016 · 2017 · 2018 · 2019 · 2020 · 2021 · 2022 · 2023 · 2024 · 2025 · 2026 · All Highlander years side by side
Other Toyota models: Toyota 4Runner · Toyota Avalon · Toyota C-HR · Toyota Camry · Toyota Camry Hybrid · Toyota Camry Solara · Toyota Celica · Toyota Corolla · Toyota Corolla Cross · Toyota Corolla Matrix · Toyota Echo · Toyota FJ Cruiser · Toyota Grand Highlander · Toyota Highlander Hybrid · Toyota Matrix · Toyota Prius · Toyota Prius c · Toyota Prius v · Toyota RAV4 · Toyota RAV4 Hybrid · Toyota RAV4 Prime · Toyota Sequoia · Toyota Sienna · Toyota Sienna Hybrid · Toyota Tacoma · Toyota Tundra · Toyota Venza · Toyota Venza Hybrid · Toyota Yaris. All makes and models.
Questions
Is the 2002 Toyota Highlander a bad year?
301 owner complaints to NHTSA. Engine and transmission complaints are in line with other Highlander years. At 65,000 miles the tool says: Keep it.
What are the most common problems with the 2002 Toyota Highlander?
By owner complaints to NHTSA: visibility and wipers (139), speed control (31), engine (27), body structure (24), transmission and drivetrain (14).
How many recalls does the 2002 Toyota Highlander have?
2 recall campaigns list this model year: Latches and locks (NHTSA 04V-181), Fuel system (NHTSA 02V-208). A recall may cover only some cars; check by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Method: counts of unverified owner complaints filed with NHTSA, compared only with other years of the same model (sales volumes are unknown, so no failure rate is computed). A system stands out at 40+ complaints and at least twice the model's quiet (lower-quartile) year, or twice the share across every vehicle of that model year. The mileage range is the 25th to 75th percentile of the mileages owners reported. Data received by NHTSA through November 5, 2026. Repair prices are typical US ranges from named sources, not quotes. Not a diagnosis and not financial advice. PulsCar is not affiliated with NHTSA. Check this car at your own mileage.