2007 Toyota Highlander Problems

What owners report

Complaints on this model year cluster around braking, both the ABS/brake actuator (especially on hybrid versions) and routine hydraulic brake wear, plus low-mileage unintended-acceleration and cruise-control surge reports. Smaller groups describe sun visors that will not stay up and electrical problems such as a non-working horn, dim instrument lighting, and odometer discrepancies noted at resale.

1. 1
   Brakes

   Brake actuator / ABS failure and warning lights

   • 27 complaints (22%)
   • median 128,000 mi at 13.0 yrs old (16 state mileage)
   • owner-quoted repair $2,550 (median of 8 quotes)
   • filed 2010–2026

   Owners describe the ABS/VSC, brake and traction-control warning lights coming on, sometimes with a buzzing noise, a hard or soft pedal, and reduced or uneven braking assist. Several say the dealer diagnosed the brake actuator assembly and quoted a repair in the thousands of dollars; some mention a prior extended warranty or recall campaign on the part on other vehicles and say their own vehicle was not covered. Mostly reported between roughly 75,000 and 175,000 miles, and several of these are hybrid versions.

   2 related service bulletins

   What to check: Ask for service records showing whether the brake actuator has been replaced, and watch for VSC/ABS/brake lamps or a buzzing sound during a test drive. A warranty policy bulletin and a TSB describe brake and ABS warning lamps from actuator malfunctions.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “My 2007 Highlander hybrid lost it's power brakes last week and I had to limp home, then have it towed to a dealer. They said my ABS actuator needs to be replaced and it will cost me $2600! My car has 127,000 miles on it, and is in good shape, I have it serviced regularly. Why isn't my car part of the actuator recall?”

   NHTSA complaint #11265656, filed 2019-10, 127,000 miles

   “While we were driving, going around a corner the antilock system decided to do it itself... And make my vehicle slip sideways. It was very dangerous as it took me from side to side. I have never had this happen before and I don't want it happening again. How do we fix this as fast as possible?”

   NHTSA complaint #11341480, filed 2020-07, 150,000 miles
2. 2
   Electrical system

   Electrical faults: horn, dim cluster, stalls, fires

   • 52 complaints (42%)
   • median 66,750 mi at 4.5 yrs old (40 state mileage)
   • 6 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • owner-quoted repair $2,500 (median of 5 quotes)
   • filed 2007–2025

   Owners describe a horn that will not sound with the dealer unable to find the cause, instrument panel lighting that is hard to read in daylight, and hybrid vehicles stalling with many warning lamps lit, which some attribute to the intelligent power module or hybrid system. A few reports describe sparks and fire after parking, and some buyers discovered large odometer discrepancies at resale. Spread widely, from very low mileage up to roughly 250,000 miles, with the fire and stall reports at higher mileage.

   2 related service bulletins

   What to check: Test the horn, check cluster readability in daylight, and on hybrids scan for stored codes and ask about the power module. Verify the mileage history through a title or vehicle-history check before buying.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “While stopped at a light or driving, our 2007 Toyota Highlander hybrid (246,000 miles) will stall, lighting various warning lights on the dash. The vehicle will (coast to a stop if being driven and) have to be restarted. Toyota did recall d0m to address code p0a40 to address this issue. The recall on my vehicle was done in 2014. The code which came up then is the very same code which is showing now when scanned. The recall issue needs to be addressed again. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11323417, filed 2020-05, 146,000 miles

   “On my 2007 Toyota high lander the horn has stopped working I have no horn , when I press the horn button it does not sound the horn. I took it to the dealer and they check the horn and the dealer said it was working after I left the dealer it did not work , I askedthe service adviser and he said its an intermittent problem, , the horn still does not work I still have no working horn, something is grounding out in the steering column. I still have no working horn and the dealer cant find the problem.”

   NHTSA complaint #10785245, filed 2015-10, 60,500 miles
3. 3
   Vehicle speed control

   Unintended acceleration or surge at low speed

   • 16 complaints (13%)
   • median 29,000 mi at 3.0 yrs old (13 state mileage)
   • 8 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2007–2013

   Owners describe the vehicle accelerating or lurching forward while parking or pulling out of a space, sometimes with the brake pedal to the floor and no response, and in some reports hitting a curb, sign, wall or trees. Dealers typically could not duplicate the problem, in a few cases secured the floor mat with a hook, or found no fault on diagnostic testing. Most reports came in at low mileage, from a few hundred to about 50,000 miles.

   What to check: Confirm the correct floor mats are fitted and secured, and test low-speed maneuvering and cruise-control resume during a drive. Ask whether any throttle or pedal work has been done.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “On may 9, 2007 we purchased a new 2007 Toyota Highlander. About a month later it unexpectedly accelerated and ran through the end of our carport while being driven in to park. Luckily no one was in front of it. The auto sustained about $650 in damages and the carport received similar monetary damages. About a month later we had a similar incident while parking in a parking lot. At first we attributed the incidents to my wife's foot someway slipping off the brakes and on to the accelerator. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10317745, filed 2010-03, 500 miles

   “Was pulling into parking space under 5 MPH and there was a sudden surge forward and the brakes did not work. Went over curb through bushes off another curb hitting underneath of car and brakes then worked again. Car was towed to dealer where they drove it put it on a machine and found nothing wrong with the car!”

   NHTSA complaint #10204479, filed 2007-09, 3,062 miles
4. 4
   Brakes

   Soft or long-travel brake pedal, poor stopping

   • 19 complaints (15%)
   • median 96,000 mi at 7.4 yrs old (14 state mileage)
   • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • owner-quoted repair $2,600 (median of 5 quotes)
   • filed 2009–2026

   Owners report the brake pedal feeling soft, sinking toward the floor, or requiring a longer distance to stop, sometimes with the brake light on and pulsating or uneven braking. Dealers variously adjusted the brakes, replaced the master cylinder, or bled the system, with some owners saying the problem returned afterward; others describe rusted or seized rotors and pads after winter driving. Spread from under 30,000 to about 125,000 miles; some cases came after winter salt exposure.

   2 related service bulletins

   What to check: Press the pedal firmly and hold it to check for creep toward the floor, and look at rotor and pad condition for rust or uneven wear. Ask whether the master cylinder or brake lines have been serviced.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “The brake actuator for the ABS system failed and needed to be replaced. This was and is a known potential problem by the Toyota company as a result of many Toyota owners replacing their vehicle actuators due to failure but no recalls have been activated and available for my vehicle as of this current date. I fortunately did not get into an accident as a result but stop use of the vehicle and had it repaired immediately by a Toyota dealership at my own expense. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11163927, filed 2018-12, 158,830 miles

   “I was driving on double r boulevard in reno at about 35 MPH when suddenly loss brakes. I had to push very hard on the brake pedal and the brake pedal stumped and the brake light came on. The emergency brake was not in use and the brake will for a few seconds and then not work. This happened repeatedly. I manage to park the car at a nearby smith's. My husband took the car to the reno Toyota (dealer) , where they told us it was the master cylinder and that had to be replaced. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10475365, filed 2012-09, 103,000 miles
5. 5
   Visibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors)

   Sun visor drops and will not stay up

   • 12 complaints (10%)
   • median 60,000 mi at 6.3 yrs old (9 state mileage, few)
   • filed 2010–2016

   Owners report the driver or passenger sun visor sagging out of its stored position, hanging at eye level and blocking the view, particularly when turning. Some say the dealer acknowledged it as a common issue on this model but declined to repair it as a defect; others note the rear window or rear glass failing as a separate visibility concern. Reported from about 60,000 to 115,000 miles, usually developing gradually.

   What to check: Flip both visors up and down and check they hold position; a replacement is inexpensive but can recur.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “The passenger side sun visor dropped from the up or stored position to the down position while making a turn, partially and unexpectedly obstructing the driver's view. The visor now will not stay in the stored position.the driver's side visor is beginning to show signs of the same failure.”

   NHTSA complaint #10659509, filed 2014-11, 125,600 miles

   “Driver side sun visor dropped into field of vision. Dealer says this happens a lot with Highlander models. Visor will not stay up or down but rests in between, which defeats its intended use and interferes with driver vision. Dealer refused to repair as defect.”

   NHTSA complaint #10491537, filed 2013-01, 62,000 miles

Buying note. Have a pre-purchase inspection focus on the brake system and, on hybrids, the brake actuator and hybrid components, since those repairs are the costliest in these complaints. Also confirm service history and mileage records, and check that any campaign work on the vehicle is documented.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 60 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.