2001 Toyota Highlander Problems, Recalls & Reliability
158 owner complaints sit in the federal file for the 2001 Toyota Highlander, alongside 3 recall campaigns and 0 defect investigations. It scores 33/100 on the trouble index — a middle-of-the-pack year for this model. Visibility & wipers leads the reports, typically around 84,000 miles.
Typical
Where 2001 sits among all Highlander years
What owners report
“When the rear window is rolled down the car create varying pressure in the car causing if not careful the ear drum rupture. One can not drive this car with rear winow rolled down.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2001 Highlander
Mileage when trouble shows up
Among the 89 reports that include an odometer reading, problems most often appear around 56,600 miles. Half of those reports fall between 25,000 and 102,742 miles — a useful range to weigh against the mileage of the exact car you're looking at.
Recalls (3)
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…
Fix: DEALERS WILL SHORTEN THE CPL LEVER. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN MAY 7, 2004. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT TOYOTA AT 1-800-331-4331.
ON SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, THERE IS A BREATHER HOSE THAT ATTACHES TO THE NOZZLE OF THE ON-BOARD REFUELING VAPOR RECOVERY (ORVR) VALVE, WHICH IS LOCATED ON THE TOPSIDE OF THE FUEL TANK. THE BREATHER HOSE IS ATTACHED WITH A CLAMP, WHOSE "TABS" FACE IN THE…
Fix: DEALERS WILL ROTATE THE SPECIFIED CLAMP. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN SEPTEMBER 23, 2002. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE…
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: SPORT UTIITY VEHICLES. THE RESERVOIR FILLER CAP OF THE BRAKE MASTER CYLINDER MAY INDUCE A VACUUM, INTRODUCING SOME AIR INTO THE BRAKE MASTER CYLINDER RESERVOIR. THIS COULD CAUSE ABNORMAL BRAKE NOISE AND INCREASED PEDAL STROKE WHEN THE…
Fix: DEALERS WILL BLEED THE AIR FROM THE BRAKE LINES AND REPLACE THE RESERVOIR FILLER CAP. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN JULY 30, 2001. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED…
Complaint history for this model year
When owners filed their reports — a long tail means problems kept surfacing for years.
Questions buyers ask
Is the 2001 Toyota Highlander reliable?
The 2001 Toyota Highlander drew 158 complaints in federal safety records — a middle-of-the-pack year for this model. Its trouble index is 33/100, scored against the model's worst year (2008).
What are the most common 2001 Toyota Highlander problems?
The top reported problems for the 2001 Toyota Highlander are visibility & wipers (26 complaints), brakes & stability (21), and engine (19).
At what mileage do 2001 Toyota Highlander problems show up?
Owners most often report 2001 Toyota Highlander problems around 56,600 miles. Half of all reports that include an odometer reading fall between 25,000 and 102,742 miles.
Does the 2001 Toyota Highlander have recalls?
3 recall campaigns apply to the 2001 Toyota Highlander. Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer.
Every number on this page is a count of records in the federal complaint, recall, and investigation files published by NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation. Check any specific vehicle's open recalls by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.