2012 Toyota Highlander Problems, Recalls & Reliability
228 owner complaints sit in the federal file for the 2012 Toyota Highlander, alongside 2 recall campaigns and 2 defect investigations. It scores 36/100 on the trouble index — a below-average year for this model. Steering leads the reports, typically around 68,000 miles.
Below average
Where 2012 sits among all Highlander years
What owners report
“When turning the steering wheel to the left or right a popping noise occurs at low speed.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2012 Highlander
“The door locks on my 2012 toyota highlander stopped working. With only 17500 on the car, all 4 doors wont close with the key fob, or on the door. They open but dont close, i have to manually close each door lock every time i want the doors locked. I am the only owner, i bought the car brand new,…”— owner report to NHTSA, 2012 Highlander
“6/21/17 drivers door failed to lock, 7/24/17 passenger door failed to lock, 8/4/17 passenger rear door failed to lock. Car was stationary”— owner report to NHTSA, 2012 Highlander
Mileage when trouble shows up
Among the 154 reports that include an odometer reading, problems most often appear around 48,151 miles. Half of those reports fall between 17,300 and 71,579 miles — a useful range to weigh against the mileage of the exact car you're looking at.
Recalls (2)
Southeast Toyota is recalling certain model year 2008 and 2010-2013 Toyota Tundra, 2010-2012 Rav4, 2012 Toyota Sequoia, 2010-2011 Toyota Corolla, 2010-2011 Toyota Camry and Camry Hybrid, 2010-2013 Toyota Highlander and Highlander Hybrid, 2010-2013 Toyota FJ…
Fix: Southeast Toyota will notify owners and provide a corrected label with instructions concerning its installation. A small group of the affected vehicles will need additonal remedies which are still…
Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC (SET) is recalling certain models interspersed through model years 2009 through 2013 as follows: model year 2009-2012 Tacoma, 4Runner, Camry, Camry Hybrid, Prius, and RAV4; model year 2009-2010 Avalon, FJ Cruiser, and…
Fix: Southeast Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will test the sensitivity of the occupant detection sensors, and recalibrate them as necessary. The recall began on March 21, 2013. Owners may…
Federal defect investigations
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 2012 Toyota Highlander reliable?
The 2012 Toyota Highlander drew 228 complaints in federal safety records — a below-average year for this model. Its trouble index is 36/100, scored against the model's worst year (2008).
What are the most common 2012 Toyota Highlander problems?
The top reported problems for the 2012 Toyota Highlander are steering (46 complaints), electrical (31), and other (25).
At what mileage do 2012 Toyota Highlander problems show up?
Owners most often report 2012 Toyota Highlander problems around 48,151 miles. Half of all reports that include an odometer reading fall between 17,300 and 71,579 miles.
Does the 2012 Toyota Highlander have recalls?
2 recall campaigns apply to the 2012 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.