Reliability & 5-year cost of ownership — 2008 Toyota Highlander
NHTSA data on file today
The 2008 Toyota Highlander has 13 NHTSA recall campaigns and 405 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 #15V689000 Power Window Master Switch may Melt NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #14V743000 Seat Heater Electrical Wiring NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #14V168000 Driver's Air Bag may not Deploy NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #12V491000 Power Window Master Switch may Melt NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #11V245000 INADVERTENT SIDE AIRBAG DEPLOYMENT NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #10V035000 LOAD CARRYING CAPACITY MODIFICATION LABELS NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #10V036000 LOAD CARRYING CAPACITY MODIFICATION LABELS NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #10V023000 PEDAL ENTRAPMENT NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #09V223000 INCORRECT GVWR LABELS NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #09E028000 AFTERMARKET STAINLESS STEEL EXHAUST TIPS/CLAMP NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #09E022000 AFTERMARKET STAINLESS STEEL EXHAUST TIPS/CLAMP NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #08V181000 FMVSS 208/THIRD ROW REAR SEAT BELTS NHTSA notice
Most-cited components in owner complaints
- Service Brakes 66 complaints
- Air Bags 58 complaints
- Engine 58 complaints
- Vehicle Speed Control 45 complaints
- Electrical System 44 complaints
- Steering 40 complaints
Of the 405 complaints on file, 44 report a crash and 14 a fire; across all 405 complaints, owners report 42 injuries and 2 deaths (owner-reported, not verified by NHTSA).
Average
Estimated 5-year repair + maintenance cost: $5,500–$8,500AI estimate — not from NHTSA data
The 2008 Toyota Highlander shows a moderate level of issues, with significant complaints related to the brakes, engine, and airbag systems. Although these do not show very high failure rates, attention is needed due to the recurring nature of these issues.
Most-common failures
| Part | Typical mileage (AI estimate) | Cost range (AI estimate) | Frequency |
|---|---|---|---|
| Service brakes | 80,000–100,000 miles | $300–$600 | common |
| Engine | 100,000–120,000 miles | $400–$900 | common |
| Airbags | 70,000–90,000 miles | $500–$1,000 | occasional |
| Electrical system | 80,000–110,000 miles | $200–$500 | occasional |
| Power window switches | 60,000–90,000 miles | $100–$300 | 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 change
- Tire rotations
- Spark plug replacement
- Coolant flush
- Transmission fluid change
Warning signs to watch for
Symptoms that signal a major upcoming repair.
- Brake pedal pulsation
- Engine misfire
- Airbag warning light
- Power window failure
- Unusual engine noises
Generated by gpt-4o on from the NHTSA recall campaigns and owner-complaint counts on file for the 2008 Toyota Highlander at the time. The rating is an AI assessment; cost and mileage figures are AI estimates, not NHTSA data.