The Lemon IndexAll cars · Toyota Highlander · 2003
2003 Toyota Highlander. Advanced data.
The raw numbers: engines, recall campaign numbers, failure mileage and manufacturer communications.
Engines and drivetrains 4
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | City / hwy / combined | Fuel | Fuel cost/yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2.4L 4-cyl | Auto 4-spd | FWD | 19 / 25 / 22 | Regular | $2,850 |
| 2.4L 4-cyl | Auto 4-spd | 4Wheel or AWD | 17 / 22 / 19 | Regular | $3,300 |
| 3.0L 6-cyl | Auto 4-spd | FWD | 17 / 21 / 18 | Regular | $3,450 |
| 3.0L 6-cyl | Auto 4-spd | 4Wheel or AWD | 16 / 21 / 18 | Regular | $3,450 |
EPA test versions for this model year. Fuel cost is the EPA's current estimate, not the price in that year.
Failure mileage by system
Half of owners who gave a mileage reported the problem between 50,000 and 122,600 miles. Median 93,500, from 213 complaints with a mileage.
| System | Median | Middle half | Complaints |
|---|---|---|---|
| Engine | 106,500 | 69,600–132,800 | 44 |
| Engine | 115,000 | 95,000–140,000 | 39 |
| Visibility | 67,000 | 42,000–100,000 | 23 |
| Speed control | 81,200 | 52,100–99,900 | 24 |
| Brakes | 59,200 | 8,600–95,700 | 14 |
Mileage owners typed into their NHTSA complaint, all complaints for this model year. People report some problems late, so read it as a range.
Complaints by system
| System | Share of complaints |
|---|---|
| Brakes | 22% |
| Body structure | 16% |
| Tires | 14% |
| Speed control | 10% |
| Visibility | 8% |
One complaint can name more than one system, so shares can add to more than 100%.
Severity, all complaints
| Total | Crashes | Fires | Injuries | Deaths | Tows |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 258 | 33 | 1 | 10 | 0 | 6 |
As reported by owners to NHTSA. Not verified.
Recall campaigns 2
04V181000 Apr 2004 Latches/Locks/Linkages / Doors / Latch
Defect. 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.
Risk. 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.
Remedy. DEALERS WILL SHORTEN THE CPL LEVER. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN MAY 7, 2004. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT TOYOTA AT 1-800-331-4331.
02V339000 Dec 2002 Wheels
Defect. 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 DISTRIBUTED BY SOUTHEAST TOYOTA DISTRIBUTORS IN THE STATES OF ALABAMA, FLORIDA, GEORGIA, NORTH AND SOUTH CAROLINA, WHEN THE VEHICLES WERE PROCESSED AT THE PORT, AN ALLOY TIRE/WHEEL UPGRADE WAS INSTALLED. THE UPGRADE INCLUDED 4 ALLOY WHEELS. THE ORIGINAL SPARE TIRE/ALLOY WHEEL WAS NOT CHANGED. THE SPARE TIRE REQUIRES THE USE OF A DIFFERENT STYLE OF WHEEL NUT TO ATTACH IT TO TH
Risk. IF THE SPARE TIRE/WHEEL IS INSTALLED ON THE VEHICLE USING THE WHEEL NUTS PROVIDED FOR THE UPGRADE ALLOY WHEEL, DAMAGE TO THE WHEEL COULD RESULT AND COULD EVENTUALLY LEAD TO A LOOSE WHEEL.
Remedy. OWNERS WILL BE PROVIDED WITH DIFFERENT STYLE LUG NUTS, A WARNING LABEL FOR THE SPARE RE/ALLOY WHEEL, AND AN OWNER'S MANUAL ADDENDUM.
Manufacturer communications 113
Toyota filed 113 service communications for this car with NHTSA.
- 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
Safety equipment
| Electronic stability | Forward collision warning | Lane departure warning |
|---|---|---|
| Optional | No | No |
Nearby model years
Sources: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer communications; EPA fuel economy data; YouTube video titles. Complaints are owner reports, not proof of a defect.
Updated
Free to use with credit: Source: The Lemon Index (lemonindex.com)
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