The Lemon Index2003 Toyota Highlander.
The 2003 Toyota Highlander is better than average by owner complaints: 51 complaints in its first 3 years and a Lemon Index of 52, where 100 is the average car. Owners complain most about brakes, it has 2 recalls, and it gets 18 to 22 mpg combined. The best Toyota Highlander year is 2014.
Before you buy. What matters most for this car.
How serious. Out of 258 owner complaints, owners reported:
Older model year: fewer owners filed complaints back then, so treat the score as rough.
Every Toyota Highlander year. 2003 is highlighted. Lower is better.
What owners complain about most. From owner complaints to the government.
Share of this year's owner complaints filed with NHTSA, not the share of cars that break. One complaint can name more than one area.
When owners reported problems. From owner complaints to the government.
Most owners who filed a complaint with NHTSA had 50K to 122K miles on the car (213 complaints listed the miles). This shows when people who had a problem reported it, not the odds that your car will have it.
- engine complaints mostly came at 69K–132K miles
- visibility complaints mostly came at 42K–100K miles
- speed control complaints mostly came at 52K–99K miles
Recalls 2
- latches/locks/linkages 2004
CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES HAVE A CHILD PROTECTION LOCK (CPL) SYSTEM ON BOTH OF THE REAR SIDE DOORS.
- wheels 2002
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 DI…
Recall repairs are free at any dealer. A recall only matters if it's still open on that exact car, so check its VIN.
Problems Toyota told dealers about
Toyota sent dealers 113 repair notes for this car. The ones about its biggest problems:
- Wind noise coming from both the front and rear door window glass
- Front door opening weatherstrip
- Front door opening weatherstrip becomes loose or comes off easily
Ask a seller or mechanic if these were done. Some are free under warranty or a special program.
Safety
Crash stars (older test): front ★★★★☆ · side ★★★★★ · rollover ★★★☆☆
Fuel cost and engines
About $2900–3550 a year in fuel (EPA estimate). Engines: 2.4L 4-cyl, 3.0L 6-cyl.
In owners' words
When the driver's window was down, a loud whistling noise was heard.
2003 Toyota Highlander owner · NHTSA complaint 10015709
More owner reports
Consumer feels that the location of the brake/gas pedal are too close. This resulted in accidental acceleration while reversing.
NHTSA complaint 10029426
Problems with vehicle brakes, master cylinder was faulty.
NHTSA complaint 10026733
Quick answers
Is the 2003 Toyota Highlander reliable?
Yes, better than average by government complaints. It drew 1.9× fewer complaints than average filed with NHTSA in its first 3 years, per car sold (Lemon Index 52; 100 is average, lower is better). The best Toyota Highlander year by this measure is 2014.
What are the most common 2003 Toyota Highlander problems?
In owner complaints to the government, the parts named most are brakes (22%), body structure (16%) and tires (14%). That is the share of complaints, not the share of cars that break.
How many recalls does the 2003 Toyota Highlander have?
2 safety recalls (latest: latches/locks/linkages). Recall repairs are free at any dealer; check a specific car's VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
What gas mileage does the 2003 Toyota Highlander get?
18 to 22 mpg combined, depending on the engine (EPA estimate).
At what mileage do 2003 Toyota Highlander problems start?
Half of the owners who gave a mileage reported the problem between 50,000 and 122,600 miles. The middle report was at 93,500 miles, from 213 complaints.
Does the 2003 Toyota Highlander have transmission problems?
Transmission and drivetrain issues aren't among its top 5 complaint areas.
How much does the 2003 Toyota Highlander cost in fuel a year?
About $2900 to $3550 a year, by the EPA's current estimate.
What engines does the 2003 Toyota Highlander have?
2.4L 4-cyl, 3.0L 6-cyl.
What Toyota Highlander year is better than the 2003?
By owner complaints per car sold, the best recent years are 2014, 2016 and 2017.
Lemon Index = safety complaints filed with the U.S. government (NHTSA) in a car's first 3 years, per car sold, against the average car of the same model year. 100 is average; lower is better. A complaint is an owner's report, not a confirmed defect. How it works