The 2003 Toyota Highlander has 2 NHTSA recall campaigns affecting an estimated 366,748 vehicles. Recall repairs are always free at any authorized dealer. Owners have filed 316 complaints with NHTSA, most often about the engine. Last updated July 5, 2026.
CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES HAVE A CHILD PROTECTION LOCK (CPL) SYSTEM ON BOTH OF THE REAR SIDE DOORS. WHEN AN OPERATOR OF THE VEHICLE CLOSES THE DOOR VERY HARD WITH THE CPL LEVER SET TO THE LOCK POSITION, THERE IS A POSSIBILITY THAT THE LEVER MAY CONTACT THE BODY PANEL, CAUSING THE CPL LEVER TO MOVE INTO THE…
Consequence
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.
Remedy
DEALERS WILL SHORTEN THE CPL LEVER. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN MAY 7, 2004. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT TOYOTA AT 1-800-331-4331.
WHEELS02V3390002002-12-17176 affected
Defect
ON CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH FIVE FACTORY ALLOY WHEELS (MODEL 6934 AND 6936), WITH FACTORY LLAT, AND WITH PORT INSTALLED WR4, FOUR ALLOY WHEEL UPGRADE PROCESSED AT THE JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA PORT AND DISTRIBUTED BY SOUTHEAST TOYOTA DISTRIBUTORS IN THE STATES OF ALABAMA, FLORIDA, GEORGIA, NORTH AND…
Consequence
IF THE SPARE TIRE/WHEEL IS INSTALLED ON THE VEHICLE USING THE WHEEL NUTS PROVIDED FOR THE UPGRADE ALLOY WHEEL, DAMAGE TO THE WHEEL COULD RESULT AND COULD EVENTUALLY LEAD TO A LOOSE WHEEL.
Remedy
OWNERS WILL BE PROVIDED WITH DIFFERENT STYLE LUG NUTS, A WARNING LABEL FOR THE SPARE RE/ALLOY WHEEL, AND AN OWNER'S MANUAL ADDENDUM.
Complaints by component
ENGINE
41
1crashes
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
26
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
24
13crashes3injuries
VISIBILITY
19
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
15
4crashes4injuries
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
14
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
14
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
13
1fires
STRUCTURE:BODY
11
3crashes1injuries
SERVICE BRAKES
10
2crashes1injuries
Total complaints316
What owners report
Verbatim reports filed with NHTSA, lightly edited for readability and with personal
information removed.
“Automatically disengage the transmission stopped the road icalled my husband myhusband came and together we got the car to a safe place.then icame home with my husband and he called the insurance company and had the car towed. Ifound a place to fix the car and they said the transmission was broken…”
“Automatically disengage the transmission stopped the road icalled my husband myhusband came and together we got the car to a safe place.then icame home with my husband and he called the insurance company and had the car towed. Ifound a place to fix the car and they said the transmission was broken…”
“The hood latch cable inside the vehicle when pulled did not allow the hood to open now the secondary hood latch is stuck in the closed position and will not release..I have to use a strap from wheel opening to wheel opening to keep my hood secure so when I am driving my hood won't open at high…”
“2003 toyota highlander 4 cyl. Service bulliton from them #310436. Head bolts coming undone inside motor causing catastrophic failure of motor. Bolts not holding down mfgr knows about this. Was a manufacturing process that did not work. On carcomplaints.com this is a rampant problem reported. Reads…”
“Head on collision air bags did not deploy speeds 25-40 mph”
“I was in motion when we hit a cow going 45mph that jumped out at my husband and I my air bags did not deploy the car is totaled was city street”
“Tl* the contact owns a 2003 toyota highlander. While driving 40 mph on ice, the power steering seized and the rear driver's side wheel locked up. As a result, the vehicle spun out and crashed into a snow mound. The air bags did not deploy. There were no injuries. A police report was filed. The…”
“Tl* the contact owns a 2003 toyota highlander. While driving 40 mph on ice, the power steering seized and the rear driver's side wheel locked up. As a result, the vehicle spun out and crashed into a snow mound. The air bags did not deploy. There were no injuries. A police report was filed. The…”
Recall, complaint, and investigation records from official NHTSA datasets (FLAT_RCL,
FLAT_CMPL, FLAT_INV), synced weekly. Counts reflect NHTSA records for the 2003 Toyota Highlander as of
July 5, 2026. Complaint narratives are consumer-submitted and unverified. This page
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