2011 Toyota Highlander: Recalls, Problems & MPG
Here are the deets on the 2011 Toyota Highlander: 5 recalls, 181 owner complaints and up to 22 mpg combined.
Recalls
5 vehicle recalls from the manufacturer. Repairs are free. Check your VIN to see if one is still open on your car.
Seats, Airbags Vehicle recall #13V014000 · 2013 · 3,235 vehicles
What's wrong: 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.
Why it matters: 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. This could increase the risk of personal injury during the event of a vehicle crash necessitating airbag…
The fix: Southeast Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will test the sensitivity of the occupant detection sensors, and recalibrate them as necessary. The recall began on March 21, 2013.
Equipment Vehicle recall #13V123000 · 2013 · 7,525 vehicles
What's wrong: 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."
Why it matters: 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.
The fix: Southeast Toyota will notify owners and provide a corrected label with instructions concerning its installation. A small group of the affected vehicles will need additonal remedies which are still being developed. The recall began on May 28, 2013.
Seats Vehicle recall #14V743000 · 2014 · 3,233 vehicles
What's wrong: The affected vehicles May experience compression of the seat cushion which May damage the seat heater wiring.
Why it matters: Damage to the seat heater wiring could cause the wires to short, increasing the risk of the seat burning and causing personal injury to the occupant.
The fix: Set will notify owners, and dealers will disconnect the heaters with copper strand heating elements and refund the purchase price of the seat heater accessory, free of charge. The recall is expected to began in January 2015.
Visibility (wipers, glass) Vehicle recall #15V689000 · 2015 · 1,814,284 vehicles
What's wrong: During the manufacturing of the power window master switch (pwms), grease lubricant May have been inconsistently applied to the sliding electrical contacts.
Why it matters: If the sliding electrical contacts are not protected by lubricant, debris and moisture that get into the switch May cause a short circuit and the switch assembly May overheat and melt, increasing the risk of a fire.
The fix: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the switch, applying a lubricant if no abnormality is found. If abnormality is found, the pwms circuit board will be replaced, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin December 20, 2015.
Seats Vehicle recall #16V396000 · 2016 · 7,749 vehicles
What's wrong: The electrical wiring in the seat heaters May be damaged when the seat cushion is compressed.
Why it matters: If damaged, the copper strand heating element May short circuit, increasing the risk of a fire.
The fix: Set will notify owners, and dealers will disconnect the seat heaters, free of charge, and refund the purchase price of the seat heater accessory. The recall began on July 14, 2016.
Most-reported problems
Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component. One complaint can list several components. 0 mention a fire, 8 injuries and 0 deaths were reported.
What owners describe
- Steering (34): the most common themes are steering problems (31), noise or vibration (16).
- Body & structure (27): the most common themes are door / lock issues (14).
- Visibility/Wiper (25): the most common themes are stalls / loses power (3).
- Electrical (23): the most common themes are door / lock issues (15), electrical failure (5).
The 2011 Toyota Highlander has 181 owner complaints, ranking #18 of 28 Highlander model years for complaints (about average; the typical year has 205). Complaints peaked in 2014 (30 filed that year). The typical problem showed up when the car was about 4 years old, at a median of 50,000 miles. Neighboring years: 2010 (216 complaints, 10 recalls), 2012 (182 complaints, 2 recalls).
Engines & fuel economy (EPA)
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | City | Hwy | Comb. | Fuel |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2.7 L 4-cyl | Automatic (S6) | Front-Wheel Drive | 20 | 25 | 22 | Regular |
| 3.5 L 6-cyl | Automatic (S5) | Front-Wheel Drive | 18 | 24 | 20 | Regular |
| 3.5 L 6-cyl | Automatic (S5) | All-Wheel Drive | 17 | 22 | 19 | Regular |
Want the full repair deets? Get the factory manual.
Recall and complaint data tells you what goes wrong. A service manual tells you how to fix it: torque specs, wiring diagrams, fluid capacities and step-by-step procedures for the 2011 Toyota Highlander.
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FAQ
Does the 2011 Toyota Highlander have any recalls?
Yes. NHTSA lists 5 vehicle recalls for the 2011 Toyota Highlander. Recall repairs are free at any dealer, no matter how old the car is. Check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
What are the most common 2011 Toyota Highlander problems?
Owners have filed 181 complaints with NHTSA. The most-reported areas are steering (34), body & structure (27), visibility/wiper (25).
What gas mileage does the 2011 Toyota Highlander get?
EPA ratings run up to 22 mpg combined (2.7 L, Automatic (S6)), across 3 engine and transmission combos.
Where can I get a 2011 Toyota Highlander repair manual?
eManualOnline sells downloadable manuals, Mitchell 1 DIY and ALLDATAdiy sell online access to factory repair data, and Haynes sells printed guides and online access. Pick a download if you want to keep it, or a subscription for wiring diagrams and TSBs.