Reliability & 5-year cost of ownership — 2006 Toyota Highlander
NHTSA data on file today
The 2006 Toyota Highlander has 7 NHTSA recall campaigns and 278 owner complaints on file as of . Recall data is refreshed daily from NHTSA.
Recall campaigns on file
- NHTSA #16V396000 Seat Heater Electrical Wiring NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #14V743000 Seat Heater Electrical Wiring NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #11V112000 FLOOR CARPET COVER AND RETENTION CLIPS NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #10V499000 BRAKE MASTER CYLINDER NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #10V035000 LOAD CARRYING CAPACITY MODIFICATION LABELS NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #10V036000 LOAD CARRYING CAPACITY MODIFICATION LABELS NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #09V223000 INCORRECT GVWR LABELS NHTSA notice
Most-cited components in owner complaints
- Service Brakes 71 complaints
- Vehicle Speed Control 43 complaints
- Electrical System 26 complaints
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic 23 complaints
- Power Train 22 complaints
- Engine and Engine Cooling 21 complaints
Of the 278 complaints on file, 29 report a crash and 4 a fire; across all 278 complaints, owners report 30 injuries and 1 death (owner-reported, not verified by NHTSA).
Average
Estimated 5-year repair + maintenance cost: $5,000–$10,000AI estimate — not from NHTSA data
The 2006 Toyota Highlander exhibits average reliability due to significant complaints primarily about service brakes and speed control. While recall issues mainly involve seat heaters and labeling, reliability concerns stem from frequent brake complaints and the potential for speed control interference.
Most-common failures
| Part | Typical mileage (AI estimate) | Cost range (AI estimate) | Frequency |
|---|---|---|---|
| brake system | 60,000–100,000 miles | $300–$800 | very common |
| accelerator pedal | 70,000–110,000 miles | $150–$450 | common |
| electrical system | 80,000–120,000 miles | $200–$600 | common |
| engine cooling | 90,000–130,000 miles | $500–$1,200 | occasional |
| steering | 100,000–140,000 miles | $400–$1,000 | occasional |
AI estimate — not from NHTSA data: the mileage bands and repair-cost ranges above. Get a written repair quote before you budget.
Scheduled maintenance to budget
Routine items every owner should plan for.
- Oil and filter change
- Brake fluid replacement
- Coolant system flush
- Transmission fluid change
- Tire rotation and balance
- Spark plug replacement
- Air filter replacement
Warning signs to watch for
Symptoms that signal a major upcoming repair.
- Brake noise or softness
- Unresponsive accelerator
- Electrical malfunctions
- Overheating warning
- Steering instability
Generated by gpt-4o on from the NHTSA recall campaigns and owner-complaint counts on file for the 2006 Toyota Highlander at the time. The rating is an AI assessment; cost and mileage figures are AI estimates, not NHTSA data.