Skip to content
Toyota HighlanderModel year report

2011 Toyota Highlander Problems

Compared with other Toyota Highlander years

Typical for this model

37/100 0.7× a typical year · 50 = typical

Nearby years with fewer complaints than typical and no open NHTSA investigation: 2009, 2012, 2014

Based only on NHTSA complaints, recalls and investigations. Not adjusted for how many vehicles were sold, and not a reliability rating. How this is calculated

Complaints
181filed with NHTSA
Median mileage
50,000miles, 144 complaints with mileage
Recalls
5campaigns on record
Trend
FallingComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% lower than in the 3 years before.
NHTSA crash rating
4 / 5stars overall, 3 rated versions
EPA fuel economy
22 mpgcombined, 2.7L 4-cyl FWD · 20 city / 25 hwy

Sources: NHTSA records for the 2011 Toyota Highlander (complaints, recalls, investigations), NHTSA crash tests, EPA fuel economy. Report an error

What owners report

Owners of the 2011 Highlander most often complain about a driver-side sun visor that stops staying up and hangs into the line of sight, and about a clunking or popping noise from the steering when turning at low speed. Older vehicles in the sample also show engine oil cooler hose leaks that can drain oil quickly, along with paint peeling on the roof and a power liftgate arm that works loose from the rear door.

  1. Visibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors)

    Driver-side sun visor won't stay up

    • 37 complaints (20%)
    • median 51,155 mi at 3.8 yrs old (30 state mileage)
    • owner-quoted repair $318 (median of 7 quotes)
    • filed 2010–2022

    The driver-side visor loses tension or its internal pivot breaks, so it droops into a partial-down position and cannot be locked upright or folded flat. Owners describe it blocking part of the forward view and having to hold or tie it out of the way. Dealers generally quoted a replacement visor, in some cases saying the part was on backorder, and owners report paying for the part and installation themselves. Mostly reported between about 25,000 and 75,000 miles, often several years into ownership.

    What to check: With the visor folded up, let go and see whether it stays put or sags; check both sides, since the same pivot design is used for driver and passenger.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “As I attempted to lower the visor on the drivers side, the mechanism broke and it would neither stay or or down - blocking visibility. I know a couple of my friends who own highlanders have had the same problem and the dealership I went to said that Toyota was going to do some type of extended warranty to cover the cost. How do I apply for that?”

    NHTSA complaint #10733100, filed 2015-07, 69,125 miles

    “The driver's side visor no longer stays up...it falls down halfway which is blocking my vision. This is a very dangerous safety concern. I called the dealer and was told it would have to be replaced for a cost of $318.00. This is outrageous and Toyota should be ashamed for not posting a recall on something so dangerous when there are so many complaints.”

    NHTSA complaint #10554311, filed 2013-12, 43,000 miles
  2. Steering

    Clunk or pop from steering when turning

    • 21 complaints (12%)
    • median 91,000 mi at 8.1 yrs old (18 state mileage)
    • filed 2015–2022

    Turning the wheel, especially at parking speeds or just pulling away from a stop, produces a knocking, popping or creaking sound that can be felt through the wheel. Several owners say a dealer diagnosed the intermediate steering shaft, and one report notes a dealer described the shaft as binding and said repair was optional unless the noise was bothersome. Others mention the steering wheel not returning to center promptly after a turn. Typically reported from about 35,000 to 100,000 miles, usually noticed at low speed while parking or turning.

    What to check: Turn the wheel lock to lock at a standstill and at walking pace with the radio off, and listen and feel for a knock or creak; also check that the wheel centers itself coming out of a turn.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “For several months, there's a thump when turning the steering wheel in either direction, no matter what road/street. We have less than 43,000 miles on it & do not drive on ruff terrain. We purchased the 2011 Toyota Highlander new, take it to the dealer every 6 mos for maint. & now told it needs a steering shaft replacement & 4 wheel alignment. ($657.33 total!) this is inconceivable to pass on to customers. And a road hazard to all on the roads.”

    NHTSA complaint #11319251, filed 2020-03, 37,000 miles

    “There is a problem with my power steering wheel, it's stiff and I unable to control it when on the road. When driving on the freeway with high speed, the steering wheel sway left or right and I unable to control it back to straight. Also, when making a turn the steering wheel not reflexes, fast enough for me to make a turn. For instance, whenever I make a right turn and then try to straighten the vehicle back to straight, the steering wheel does not reflex back enough that it leads me to hit the curb damaging front wheel rim. …”

    NHTSA complaint #11258713, filed 2019-09, 5 miles
  3. Engine

    Engine oil cooler hose leak

    Mentioned in 5 of 60 sampled complaints

    Owners describe oil seeping from the engine oil cooler pipes or a hose letting go entirely, in one case losing most of the oil on the highway with the oil pressure warning coming on. Some reports reference a Toyota service bulletin covering an oil seep from the cooler pipes on this engine family. Repairs were done at owner expense, and one owner cited a revised part number. Reported mainly between roughly 65,000 and 160,000 miles; one complaint ties it to vehicles with the towing package engine.

    What to check: Look under the front of the engine for oil residue around the cooler pipes and hoses, check the oil level, and ask whether the cooler hose and associated gaskets have been replaced.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “T-sb-0201-11 from Toyota states some vehicles equipped with 2gr-fe/fxe towing package engines may exhibit an oil seep from the engine oil cooler pipes. This TSB affects Toyota and lexus vehicles going back to at least 2008-present. This is a major issue, and I feel this should be handled as a recall instead of a TSB due to the severity of the issue if/when the pipe breaks. …”

    NHTSA complaint #10670285, filed 2015-01, 73,682 miles

    “Engine oil cooler hose bursted and leaked oil everywhere on the highway, engine overheated..was alerted by the system as low pressure engine oil warning. Room to cause significant damage. Need to recall this.”

    NHTSA complaint #11404047, filed 2021-03, 129,100 miles
  4. Body and structure

    Power liftgate arm detaching from rear door

    • 17 complaints (9%)
    • median 50,000 mi at 3.8 yrs old (15 state mileage)
    • filed 2012–2019

    The power liftgate motor arm pulls away from its mounting point at the top of the rear door, and owners report the screw holes strip out when it is re-tightened. Some say the door gave warning signs by opening and closing weakly before a pop was heard. Owners report being referred to a body shop for door replacement rather than a repair of the mount. Reported from about 25,000 to 75,000 miles, after repeated use of the power liftgate.

    What to check: Cycle the power liftgate several times and watch the mounting bracket at the top of the door for movement or loose fasteners, and ask whether the arm or hinges have been replaced.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “The power function lift arm broke off from where it connects into the rea door on my 2011 Highlander. Toyota didn't mentioned about the door hinges related issues and I had to pay for the repair/replacement of the hinges. This, of course didn't prevented nor resolved the issue with the power function lift arm that now is beyond repair; the bolt and screw hole are now stripped.”

    NHTSA complaint #10781482, filed 2015-10, 43,002 miles

    “I purchase my car from carmax on november 20, 2010. Approximately fourteen months after the purchase of this vehicle, I began having trouble with the rear liftgate door not completely closing properly. I took my car back to the dealer on to have this corrected but to date, the dealer has been unable to do so. Thus far, my trucks? Automatic liftgate door has been inoperable for over 120 days and the dealer ship has reviewed the issue, took pictures of the affected area and filed a report to Toyota headquarters. …”

    NHTSA complaint #10474621, filed 2012-09, 26,500 miles

Buying note. Check the sun visors, listen for steering clunks at low speed, and look for oil residue around the engine oil cooler pipes and for paint lifting on the roof. Service records showing prior repairs to the liftgate and cooling hoses are worth asking about.

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.

NHTSA recorded 181 consumer complaints for the 2011 Toyota Highlander. 144 of the complaints include a mileage, and 49% of those were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the median is 50,000 miles. Of all complaints, 14 involved a crash, 8 an injury, according to the filers. NHTSA lists 5 recall campaigns and 315 technical service bulletins for this model year. Compared with the other 15 Toyota Highlander model years that have at least 25 complaints and are old enough to compare, this one scores 37 out of 100, where 50 is a typical year for the model (typical for this model). The comparison allows for the era and for how long each year has had to collect complaints, but not for how many vehicles were sold.

Which parts are reported most

Complaints can name more than one part, so the counts add up to more than the total. Select a part to see its complaints, recalls and bulletins.

Also reported: Engine cooling (5), Exterior lighting (5), Seat belts (4), Tires (3), Electronic stability control (2), Equipment (2), Forward collision avoidance (1), Fuel system (1), Latches, locks and linkages (1), Wheels (1).

Example complaints

Visibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors): “The sun visor on the driver side failed and flipped down, it has since remained in the down position and no longer locks in place. I am taller than my wife so it is a problem for me when I drive her car. I just checked the forums and this is such a common problem that you can't even order replacement sun visors since they sellout very quickly.”

NHTSA complaint #10713589, filed 2015-04, 63,454 miles

Steering: “Driving on a highway with gentle turns at 35mph, power steering failed. I was able to drive straight until there were no cars directly behind me and I could brake to a safe speed to attempt turning. I was eventually able to manually steer the car to turn into a driveway using a three point turn.”

NHTSA complaint #11129485, filed 2018-09, 108,000 miles

Body and structure: “When trying to open the rear hatch from the inside, the beeping sound would not turn office and when I went to investigate what was wrong with the hatch the hydraulic arm had broken and the molding popped off preventing it from working. I took it into Toyota dealership and they replaced the whole motor/arm on the hatch. This was covered through my warranty.”

NHTSA complaint #10904653, filed 2016-09, 70,000 miles

Electrical system: “The electric door locks have failed again for the third time. I have had all 4 door locks replaced, some twice, at considerable expense. The driver's door lock and the driver's-side rear door lock are now broken again. The driver's door lock does not operate electrically at all again. This means I must pull the mechanical key out of the key fob to unlock the door. …”

NHTSA complaint #11203957, filed 2019-04, 137,000 miles

Mileage when problems were reported

49% of the 144 complaints with a mileage were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the middle half falls between 25,000 and 80,000 miles.

14%0–1010%10–2526%25–5024%50–7511%75–10010%100–1506%150+
Share of complaints by mileage when the problem was reported, in thousands of miles (144 complaints with mileage). Red bars: under 50,000 miles. Bucket widths differ. Median: 50,000 miles.

Complaints by year filed

Trend: falling. Complaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% lower than in the 3 years before.

’11’1430’17’20’23’26
Complaints by year the complaint was filed with NHTSA. Red bars: the last 3 full calendar years used for the trend. The current year (2026) is partial.

Crash test ratings

NHTSA's 5-Star Safety Ratings for the 2011 Toyota Highlander. Frontal results are shown driver / passenger; rollover shows the star rating and NHTSA's estimated risk of rolling over in a single-vehicle crash.

VersionOverallFrontalSideSide poleRollover
Highlander · SUV AWD★★★★☆4 / 4554 · 17.4% risk
Highlander · SUV FWD★★★★☆4 / 4554 · 19.8% risk
Highlander HV · SUV AWD★★★★☆4 / 4554 · 17.4% risk

Neighbouring years: 2012: same overall rating. A redesign between years can change both the car and the test.

Source: NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (5-Star Safety Ratings), nhtsa.gov/ratings.

Fuel economy and running cost

EPA ratings for each 2011 Toyota Highlander version. Annual fuel cost is the EPA's estimate at its current fuel prices for 15,000 miles a year (55% city driving).

VersionEngineTransmissionCityHwyComb.Fuel / yr
Highlander 2WD2.7L 4-cyl6-speed automatic202522$3,050
Highlander 2WD3.5L 6-cyl5-speed automatic182420$3,350
Highlander 4WD3.5L 6-cyl5-speed automatic172219$3,550

Source: U.S. EPA and Department of Energy, fueleconomy.gov. Ratings are for comparing vehicles; real-world mileage varies with driving and conditions.

Recalls and investigations

Recall details for the 2011 Toyota Highlander → · Check a VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls

NHTSA investigations

Technical service bulletins

TSBs are manufacturer notes to dealers about known repair procedures. They are not recalls and do not by themselves mean a vehicle has a fault. 315 on record; the latest 10 are shown.

See all 315 bulletins →

Other model years of the Toyota Highlander

YearComplaintsMedian miRecallsCrash ★MPGScore (50 = typical)Trend
2025108,4984525—Too new
20244311,6787525Too new to compareToo new
202318931,812952574 · MoreToo new
202226628,750552477 · MoreRising
202153327,109452490 · MoreRising
202032120,500452472 · MoreRising
201950512,600352379 · MoreRising
201827016,250452362 · TypicalStable
201727120,000352352 · TypicalStable
201611125,000252216 · FewerFalling
201519230,650152222 · FewerFalling
201413636,700452212 · FewerFalling
201320735,000342236 · TypicalFalling
201218251,000242215 · FewerFalling
201118150,000542237 · TypicalFalling
201021654,00010—2248 · TypicalFalling
200913460,0009—2234 · FewerFalling
200840577,45011—2068 · MoreFalling
200712460,5004—22Not compared (before 2008)Falling
200627866,0007—22Not compared (before 2008)Falling
200522456,0006—22Not compared (before 2008)Rising
200428653,1265—22Not compared (before 2008)Rising
200325893,5002—22Not compared (before 2008)Rising
200230170,0002—22Not compared (before 2008)Falling
200113758,3003—22Not compared (before 2008)Falling

All Toyota Highlander model years · Best and worst years by complaints

Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems with the 2011 Toyota Highlander?

Owners of the 2011 Highlander most often complain about a driver-side sun visor that stops staying up and hangs into the line of sight, and about a clunking or popping noise from the steering when turning at low speed. The issues reported most often: Driver-side sun visor won't stay up; Clunk or pop from steering when turning; Engine oil cooler hose leak.

How many NHTSA complaints does the 2011 Toyota Highlander have?

NHTSA recorded 181 consumer complaints for the 2011 Toyota Highlander as of Oct 27, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

What part of the 2011 Toyota Highlander is reported most often?

Visibility is named most often, in 35 complaints (19% of the total), followed by steering with 34.

Has the 2011 Toyota Highlander been recalled?

NHTSA lists 5 recall campaigns for this model year. To check a specific vehicle, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

How did the 2011 Toyota Highlander do in NHTSA crash tests?

NHTSA's 5-Star Safety Ratings give the 2011 Toyota Highlander 4 out of 5 stars overall, across 3 rated versions (body style and drive). Ratings from different model years are only comparable when the vehicle was not redesigned in between.

What gas mileage does the 2011 Toyota Highlander get?

The EPA rates the 2011 Toyota Highlander (Highlander 2WD, 2.7L 4-cyl) at 22 mpg combined, 20 city and 25 highway, with an estimated annual fuel cost of $3,050 at 15,000 miles a year. Other engine and drive versions are rated differently.

At what mileage are problems with the 2011 Toyota Highlander reported?

Among the 144 complaints that include a mileage, the median is 50,000 miles and the middle half falls between 25,000 and 80,000 miles; 49% were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles.

About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 27, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate. Crash ratings are from NHTSA’s New Car Assessment Program. Fuel economy is from the EPA and DOE (fueleconomy.gov).

Complaint counts come from NHTSA’s public complaint database; we count each complaint once. The source records for this vehicle are on nhtsa.gov. Scores and trends are our own summaries of that data, described in the methodology. This page is not legal, safety or repair advice: for a specific vehicle, check its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and ask a qualified mechanic. See an error? Tell us.