2020 Toyota Highlander Problems: 12 Known Issues

On the 2020-2021 Toyota Highlander, the front passenger seat on 2020-2021 Highlander and Highlander Hybrid vehicles carries an Occupant Classification System sensor mat that weighs the occupant and tells the air bag control module whether — and how hard — to fire the passenger air bag. Improperly manufactured sensors can develop an internal short circuit, so the system can no longer classify the occupant's weight correctly and the front passenger air bag may not deploy as designed in a crash. Owners typically see the air bag warning light on and the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF indicator stuck on with an adult seated. Toyota covered the defect under NHTSA 23V865000 (Toyota recall 23TA15, interim notice 23TB15); interim owner letters went out February 2024, with the first remedy letters mailed October 31, 2024 in a phased rollout.

On the 2020-2022 Toyota Highlander, on affected Highlander Hybrid vehicles, if the driver switches Vehicle Stability Control (VSC) off, the Skid Control ECU software may not turn VSC back on when the vehicle is restarted. That does not meet the federal stability-control standard (FMVSS 126), and NHTSA states that driving with stability control deactivated increases the risk of a crash. Applies to: Only 2020-2022 Toyota Highlander Hybrid vehicles in the recall population. Gasoline (3.5L V6) Highlanders are not listed in this recall. Confirm by VIN with a Toyota dealer or at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

On the 2020 Toyota Highlander, approximately 3,121 model-year 2020 Highlander and Highlander Hybrid vehicles were built with incorrect trim covers on one or both front seats. The seat-mounted side air bag deploys through a tear seam in the seat trim; a cover without the correct seam construction can suffocate or misdirect the deployment, so the side air bag may not deploy properly (or at all) in a side impact. Because this is a build-line trim error rather than a component failure, there is no warning light and no symptom an owner can detect — the only way to know is a VIN check. It affects only certain 2020 model-year vehicles built between December 2019 and August 2020 (Highlander Hybrid from February 2020).

On the 2020-2022 Toyota Highlander 3.5L V6, owners of V6 Highlanders with the 8-speed automatic report a whine from the transmission that grows louder under acceleration, and some describe it later turning into grinding or harsh shifting. Owners report dealers replacing the whole transmission for this noise. Applies to: Owner reports and a Torque News report cover 2020-2022 Toyota Highlanders with the 3.5L V6 and 8-speed automatic, including 2022 owners. Not every vehicle is affected.

On the 2020-2022 Toyota Highlander 3.5L V6, owners of V6 Highlanders from this generation describe a shudder or jerky feel from the 8-speed automatic, especially when pulling away from a stop or at light throttle. Toyota has not published a bulletin for this symptom on these model years that we could find, so the cause has not been confirmed. Applies to: Owner reports cover 2020-2022 Toyota Highlander models with the 3.5L V6 and 8-speed automatic, including a 2022 XLE. Not every vehicle is affected.

On the 2020-2022 Toyota Highlander, owners of this Highlander generation report windshields that chip or crack easily, sometimes with no clear impact point, and say small chips can spread in hot weather. Because the forward camera for the driver-assist features sits behind the windshield, a replacement windshield needs the camera calibrated; one owner reports lane-departure warnings not working properly after a replacement and calibration by a glass shop. Applies to: Owner reports cover 2020-2022 Toyota Highlanders, including the 2022 model. Any Highlander with the windshield-mounted forward camera needs the camera checked after glass work.

On the 2020-2023 Toyota Highlander, owners of Highlander Platinum models with the panoramic glass roof report a rattle or creak from the roof over bumps, especially when driving up a driveway at an angle, and one owner describes a noise when the roof opens. Owners on ToyotaNation attribute the bump noise to the glass or its seal rubbing against the roof edge, and some report dealer adjustments that did not stop the noise. Toyota has not confirmed a cause for this generation that we could find. Applies to: Only 2020-2023 Toyota Highlander Platinum and Hybrid Platinum models with the panoramic glass roof. The 2022 XLE and Limited have a single power moonroof instead and are not covered.

On the 2014-2021 Toyota Highlander, the front-mounted A/C condenser on the Highlander is built with thin fins/tubes that owners say cannot survive a stray rock, so it develops small refrigerant leaks and loses cooling — and because the condenser sits low and forward, it gets struck more often than on many vehicles. CarComplaints documents A/C condenser damage on the 2020 Highlander, and forum owners report the same on earlier third-gen cars. Repairs almost never hold; the condenser must be replaced.

On the 2014-2020 Toyota Highlander, owners report a 'Charging System Malfunction' warning and intermittent hard-start / no-start conditions traced to a failing alternator that no longer maintains battery voltage. A healthy unit should read ~13.5–14.8 V at the battery with the engine running; below ~13 V confirms a charging fault. Because the alternator solely charges the battery, a jump start is only a temporary band-aid and the vehicle strands again once the battery drains.

On the 2020-2021 Toyota Highlander 2.5L A25A-FXS Hybrid, on 2020-2021 Highlander Hybrids a fuel-tank venting/charcoal-canister defect causes the gas pump's automatic shut-off to trigger prematurely. The advertised 17.1-gallon tank typically accepts only ~12-14 gallons from empty before the nozzle clicks off, and forcing more fuel can cause spillback. This shortens single-tank range well below the rated ~615 miles and the gauge often never reads truly full. A class action (later voluntarily dismissed) and owner reports tie it to inadequate tank venting and the placement of the fuel pick-up line.

On the 2014-2020 Toyota Highlander, the engine-driven water pump on V6 Highlanders commonly leaks coolant from its weep hole as the internal seal and bearing wear, typically around 90,000-120,000 miles. Early signs are a pink/green crusty residue or puddle at the front of the engine and sometimes a squeal or whine. Left unaddressed, a failing pump can cause sudden overheating and risk warped heads or engine damage. The pump sits deep in the timing-cover area, making it a labor-intensive replacement.

On the 2020-2022 Toyota Highlander, a whistle from the vehicle front above 35 mph can involve the radiator-grille bracket. This source does not diagnose roof rattle or mirror/A-pillar seal noise. Applies to: 2020–2022 Toyota Highlander (except XSE) and Highlander Hybrid with a whistle from the front of the vehicle above 35 mph. It does not cover roof, moonroof, mirror or A-pillar noises.