Reliability & 5-year cost of ownership — 2009 Toyota Highlander
NHTSA data on file today
The 2009 Toyota Highlander has 9 NHTSA recall campaigns and 134 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 #13V014000 Occupant Sensing System Calibration 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
Most-cited components in owner complaints
- Engine 23 complaints
- Service Brakes 21 complaints
- Electrical System 20 complaints
- Structure 15 complaints
- Vehicle Speed Control 14 complaints
- Steering 11 complaints
Of the 134 complaints on file, 6 report a crash and 5 a fire; across all 134 complaints, owners report 9 injuries (owner-reported, not verified by NHTSA).
Average
Estimated 5-year repair + maintenance cost: $5,000–$12,000AI estimate — not from NHTSA data
The 2009 Toyota Highlander has minor issues with seat heaters and power windows, shown in recalls, and complaints focus on service brakes and the engine. While these issues may lead to inconveniences and costs, they are not pervasive, and generally, the vehicle shows decent reliability compared to peers.
Most-common failures
| Part | Typical mileage (AI estimate) | Cost range (AI estimate) | Frequency |
|---|---|---|---|
| service brakes | 75,000–100,000 miles | $300–$800 | common |
| engine | 80,000–120,000 miles | $500–$1,500 | common |
| electrical system | 90,000–120,000 miles | $200–$700 | occasional |
| vehicle speed control | 60,000–90,000 miles | $250–$800 | occasional |
| steering | 80,000–110,000 miles | $300–$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 changes
- Brake pad replacements
- Transmission fluid change
- Coolant system service
- Tire rotations
- Cabin air filter replacements
Warning signs to watch for
Symptoms that signal a major upcoming repair.
- Unusual brake noises
- Engine misfires
- Electric system failures
- Accelerator pedal sticking
- Steering system clunking
Generated by gpt-4o on from the NHTSA recall campaigns and owner-complaint counts on file for the 2009 Toyota Highlander at the time. The rating is an AI assessment; cost and mileage figures are AI estimates, not NHTSA data.