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NHTSA vehicle safety data

2002 Toyota Highlander Recalls, Ratings & Complaints

The 2002 Toyota Highlander has 2 NHTSA recall campaigns and 301 owner complaints on file as of November 3, 2026. Recall repairs are usually free at an authorized Toyota dealer.

NHTSA recall and complaint data for the 2002 Toyota Highlander, plus NCAP crash-test ratings. Recall data is refreshed daily from NHTSA.

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2002 Toyota Highlander owner complaints

Owners have filed 301 complaints with NHTSA about the 2002 Toyota Highlander, describing incidents dated January 1, 2002 to February 5, 2020.

Most-cited components

  • Visibility/Wiper 139 complaints
  • Vehicle Speed Control 31 complaints
  • Engine 29 complaints
  • Structure 24 complaints
  • Power Train 14 complaints
  • Air Bags 13 complaints

Of the 301 complaints on file, 24 report a crash and 6 a fire; across all 301 complaints, owners report 25 injuries and 4 deaths (owner-reported, not verified by NHTSA).

Newest complaints

  • ODI #11311792 · Filed

    MY AIR BAG LITE KEEPS POPING ON

  • ODI #11210679 · Filed

    I SAW SOMEONE STEAL MY CAR AND TOLD THEM THEY HACKED. WINDSHIELD WIPERS WOULD SLOW UP AND DOWN. BURNING OF THE ELECTRICS WHEN TRY TO CHARGE. CAR STOPPING IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD. CAR GOING ON AND OFF. THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD, TURNING BACK ON. SPEED CONTROL MESSING UP. SECURITY WARNING GOING UP AND…

  • ODI #11105039 · Filed

    ACCELERATOR STICIKING. VEHICLE ACCELERATES AT 4000 TO 5000 RPMS HAD VEHICE TOWED TO TOYOTA OF BEDFORD 440-809-8399

Read all 301 complaints

Owner-reported

2002 Toyota Highlander mileage at failure

201 of the 301 complaints on file for the 2002 Toyota Highlander give the vehicle's mileage when the problem happened.

Mileage at failure by component, from owners' complaints to NHTSA
Visibility/WiperMedian 65,000 milesMiddle half 40,000–85,000 milesBased on 96 complaints

A component's median is its 50th percentile, and its middle half runs from its 25th to its 75th percentile.

Owners give the mileage themselves, often as a round number, and NHTSA doesn't check it. A complaint that names several components counts under each one, and mileages that can't be right, such as 999,999, or 50 miles on a five-year-old car, are left out.

These figures describe the complaints owners filed. They don't predict when a particular vehicle will have a problem, and vehicles that never had one aren't counted.

Complaints received before December 15, 2002 rarely give a mileage, so they aren't counted here.

Mileage from NHTSA's complaints file of October 31, 2026. How these figures are worked out

TOYOTA/CHILD PROTECTION LOCK ON SIDE DOORS

NHTSA #04V181000 · Latches/Locks/Linkages — Doors — Latch · NHTSA notice

Reported April 15, 2004 · TOYOTA MOTOR NORTH AMERICA, INC.

Potentially affected: 366,572 vehicles

Toyota campaign SSC 40B · Owners notified May 7, 2004 · Vehicles built November 17, 2000 – January 29, 2004 (per NHTSA)

Defect description

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 UNLOCK POSITION.

Safety 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.

Manufacturer remedy

DEALERS WILL SHORTEN THE CPL LEVER. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN MAY 7, 2004. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT TOYOTA AT 1-800-331-4331.

Notes

TOYOTA RECALL NO. SSC 40B.CUSTOMERS CAN ALSO CONTACT THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION'S AUTO SAFETY HOTLINE AT 1-888-DASH-2-DOT (1-888-327-4236).

TOYOTA/FUEL TANK HOSE ATTACHMENT

NHTSA #02V208000 · Fuel System, Gasoline — Storage — Tank Assembly — Mounting · NHTSA notice

Reported July 30, 2002 · TOYOTA MOTOR NORTH AMERICA, INC.

Potentially affected: 154,593 vehicles

Owners notified August 23, 2002 · Vehicles built November 17, 2000 – May 31, 2002 (per NHTSA)

Defect description

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. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS CRASHED UNDER THE NEW CAR ASSESSMENT PROGRAM (NCAP) TEST (I.E., 35 MPH FRONTAL BARRIER CRASH), THE CLAMP "TABS" CONTACTED THE UNDERSIDE OF THE BODY DUE TO MOVEMENT OF THE FUEL TANK, CAUSING THE NOZZLE TO BREAK.

Safety consequence

IN THE WORST CASE, NOZZLE BREAKAGE COULD RESULT IN FUEL LEAKAGE IF THE VEHICLE ROLLS-OVER AFTER A HIGH SPEED FRONTAL CRASH.

Manufacturer remedy

DEALERS WILL ROTATE THE SPECIFIED CLAMP. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN SEPTEMBER 23, 2002. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT TOYOTA AT 1-800-331-4331.

Notes

ALSO CONTACT THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION'S AUTO SAFETY HOTLINE AT 1-888-DASH-2-DOT (1-888-327-4236).

Other Toyota Highlander model years

Check your 2002 Toyota Highlander VIN

Not every recall applies to every VIN in a given year. Enter the 17-character VIN from your Toyota Highlander at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see whether your specific vehicle has an unrepaired recall.

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