The Lemon Index2006 Toyota Highlander.
The 2006 Toyota Highlander is better than average by owner complaints: 71 complaints in its first 3 years and a Lemon Index of 79, where 100 is the average car. Owners complain most about steering, it has 11 recalls, and it gets 19 to 27 mpg combined. The best Toyota Highlander year is 2014.
Before you buy. What matters most for this car.
How serious. Out of 648 owner complaints, owners reported:
Older model year: fewer owners filed complaints back then, so treat the score as rough.
Every Toyota Highlander year. 2006 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 42K to 130K miles on the car (533 complaints listed the miles). This shows when people who had a problem reported it, not the odds that your car will have it.
- brakes complaints mostly came at 95K–170K miles
- electrical complaints mostly came at 68K–138K miles
- speed control complaints mostly came at 27K–99K miles
Recalls 11
- seats 2016
The electrical wiring in the seat heaters may be damaged when the seat cushion is compressed.
- seats 2014
Damage to the seat heater wiring could cause the wires to short, increasing the risk of the seat burning and causing personal injury to the occupant.
- hybrid propulsion system 2013
The Intelligent Power Module (IPM) inside the inverter module may contain transistors that have higher operating temperatures than the solder can support and the transistors may be heat damaged by the solder.
Show all 11 recalls
- engine 2011
TOYOTA IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2004 AVALON VEHICLES; 2004 AND 2005 CAMRY, CAMRY SOLARA, HIGHLANDER, AND SIENNA VEHICLES, 2006 HIGHLANDER HYBRID; 2004 AND 2005 LEXUS ES330 AND RX330; AND 2006 LEXUS RX400H VEHICLES…
- electrical 2011
TOYOTA IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2006-2007 HIGHLANDER HYBRID AND LEXUS RX400H PASSENGER CARS MANUFACTURED FROM FEBRUARY 16, 2005, THROUGH AUGUST 30, 2006.
- speed control 2011
TOYOTA IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2004-2006 HIGHLANDER, HIGHLANDER HYBRID, AND MODEL YEAR 2004-2007 LEXUS RX330, RX350, AND RX400H VEHICLES.
- brakes 2010
TOYOTA IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2005-2006 AVALON, MODEL YEAR 2004-2006 HIGHLANDER, MODEL YEAR 2004-2006 LEXUS RX, AND MODEL YEAR 2006 LEXUS GS AND IS VEHICLES.
- equipment 2010
GULF STATES TOYOTA IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2005-2010 VEHICLES FOR FAILING TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 110, "TIRE SELECTION AND RIMS." THESE VEHICLES WERE SOLD BETW…
- equipment 2010
SOUTHEAST TOYOTA IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2005-2011 PASSENGER VEHICLES FOR FAILING TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 110, "TIRE SELECTION AND RIMS." THESE VEHICLES WERE S…
- equipment 2009
TOYOTA IS RECALLING 27,080 MODEL YEAR 2005 THROUGH 2010 PASSENGER CARS BUILT FROM SEPTEMBER 1, 2005 TO MAY 4, 2009.
- speed control 2006
ON CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY AND HYBRID VEHICLES, THE TWO RETAINING CLIPS FOR THE DRIVER'S SIDE FORWARD CENTER CONSOLE CAN BECOME LOOSE.
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 200 repair notes for this car. The ones about its biggest problems:
- Accelerator pedal sensor assembly information regarding the inspection, removal, and…
- Some customers may encounter Bluetooth connectivity concerns such as: * Difficulty to pair the…
- Some customers may encounter Bluetooth connectivity concerns such as: ?
Ask a seller or mechanic if these were done. Some are free under warranty or a special program.
Government investigations
- ClosedPedestrian alert sounds2023
- ClosedHybrid inverter failure - vehicle stall2011
- ClosedUnintended and uncontrolled acceleration2010–2011
- ClosedSudden loss of power steering assist2006–2007
NHTSA looks into a problem when enough owners report it. Many end in a recall.
Safety
Crash stars (older test): front ★★★★★ · side ★★★★★ · rollover ★★★★☆
Fuel cost and engines
About $2400–3400 a year in fuel (EPA estimate). Engines: 2.4L 4-cyl, 3.3L 6-cyl.
In owners' words
Pulling away from parked position. Steering system failed,making vehicle undriveable. Vehicle is currently at Town&Country Toyota in charlotte nc. Had this failure happened at high speed a fatal accident could have occurred.
2006 Toyota Highlander owner · NHTSA complaint 10253352
More owner reports
Since I owned the car in speeds between 40 and 45 mph there is a hesitation back and fourth this is a hybrid Highlander 2006 reported it twice no fix yet.
NHTSA complaint 10168682
I turned on the car and the steering wheel locked up or was not powersteering any longer and for a 55 year old woman driving this car is impossible.
NHTSA complaint 10251726
Quick answers
Is the 2006 Toyota Highlander reliable?
Yes, better than average by government complaints. It drew 1.3× fewer complaints than average filed with NHTSA in its first 3 years, per car sold (Lemon Index 79; 100 is average, lower is better). The best Toyota Highlander year by this measure is 2014.
What are the most common 2006 Toyota Highlander problems?
In owner complaints to the government, the parts named most are steering (21%), transmission & drivetrain (18%) and engine (15%). That is the share of complaints, not the share of cars that break.
How many recalls does the 2006 Toyota Highlander have?
11 safety recalls (latest: seats). Recall repairs are free at any dealer; check a specific car's VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
What gas mileage does the 2006 Toyota Highlander get?
19 to 27 mpg combined, depending on the engine (EPA estimate).
At what mileage do 2006 Toyota Highlander problems start?
Half of the owners who gave a mileage reported the problem between 42,700 and 130,000 miles. The middle report was at 83,000 miles, from 533 complaints.
Does the 2006 Toyota Highlander have transmission problems?
Transmission and drivetrain issues make up 18% of its owner complaints.
How much does the 2006 Toyota Highlander cost in fuel a year?
About $2400 to $3400 a year, by the EPA's current estimate.
What engines does the 2006 Toyota Highlander have?
2.4L 4-cyl, 3.3L 6-cyl.
What Toyota Highlander year is better than the 2006?
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