Is the 2013 Toyota Highlander a bad year?
207 owner complaints to NHTSA. Engine and transmission complaints are in line with other Highlander years.
Keep it
Engine and transmission complaints for the 2013 Toyota Highlander are in line with other Highlander years. Steering 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 2013 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 55,000 miles.
| SYSTEM | COMPLAINTS | MIDDLE HALF FILED AT | TYPICAL US REPAIR BILLS |
|---|---|---|---|
| SteeringSTANDS OUT | 46 (22%) | 44k–62k miles · around this mileage | Steering rack and pinion replacement $700–$2,100 |
| Body structure | 18 (9%) | 24k–64k miles · around this mileage | — |
| Air bags | 17 (8%) | 14k–99k miles · around this mileage | — |
| Visibility and wipers | 8 (4%) | 23k–58k miles · around this mileage | — |
| Engine | 35 (17%) | 2k–26k miles · mostly behind | — |
| Speed control | 31 (15%) | 2k–20k miles · mostly behind | — |
| Electrical system | 26 (13%) | 16k–49k miles · mostly behind | — |
| Brakes | 17 (8%) | 5k–30k miles · mostly behind | — |
| Fuel system | 15 (7%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Transmission and drivetrain | 11 (5%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Seats | 10 (5%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Exterior lighting | 5 (2%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Seat belts | 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 55,000 miles. Not a quote.
What owners reported alongside their complaints
Of 207 complaints: 26 mention a crash · 12 report an injury · 4 say the car was towed.
4 complaints were filed in the last 12 months, the newest in Sep 2026.
Counts of what owners wrote in their complaints, not verified by anyone.
In owners' own words
I rear ended a car in front of me. Damage minimal to his car. My highlander sustained over 10 thousand dollar front damage.
The ac unit does not function properly, it is not draining, resulting in a foul moldy mildew smell due to the built up condensation.
While attempting to turn from a side road onto a main road, I needed to accelerate to blend into the faster moving traffic.
Unedited excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA, chosen by mileage (nearest 55,000 miles), not by content. Unverified.
Recalls for the 2013 Toyota Highlander: 3
In the affected vehicles, the second row left hand seat may not lock in place when positioned in the forward front or second adjusting position. As such, the vehicles do not conform to Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 207, "Seating Systems." If the seat does not lock into the seat track, there may be an increased risk of injury to an occupant in the event of a crash.
These vehicles were sold with labels that were outside the allowable one percent of accuracy of actual weight added. An inaccurate label could lead to owners overloading their vehicles and tires. An overloaded vehicle can result in a tire failure which may result in a vehicle crash, personal injury, or property damage.
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. If the front passenger seat occupant sensing system is out of calibration, the front passenger airbags may not deploy or they may deploy inappropriately for the passenger's size and position.
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: 169
Repair instructions Toyota sent its dealers for symptoms seen in the shop on the 2013 Toyota Highlander. Ask a dealer or mechanic for a bulletin by its number.
Non-electric water pump leak inspection and diagnostic tips for some 2008 - 2025 model year Toyota vehicles
Some vehicles may exhibit a MIL ON condition with Diagnostic Trouble Codes (DTCs) P0A80/P1AC000 and/or P0A7F/P1A8000 stored due to dust or debris buildup…
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…
NHTSA defect investigations: 2
Steering Column Separation
Upper Steering Column Separation
Neighbouring years
2012 Highlander: 182 complaints, keep it · 2014 Highlander: 136 complaints, keep it.
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 2013 Toyota Highlander a bad year?
207 owner complaints to NHTSA. Engine and transmission complaints are in line with other Highlander years. At 55,000 miles the tool says: Keep it.
What are the most common problems with the 2013 Toyota Highlander?
By owner complaints to NHTSA: steering (46), body structure (18), air bags (17), visibility and wipers (8), engine (35).
How many recalls does the 2013 Toyota Highlander have?
3 recall campaigns list this model year: Seats (NHTSA 14V-148), Equipment (NHTSA 13V-123), Seats (NHTSA 13V-014). 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.