2011 Toyota Highlander Electrical system Problems
- Complaints
- 23about this part
- Share
- 13%of 181 total for the year
- Median mileage
- 42,500miles
- Trend
- FallingComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% lower than in the 3 years before.
NHTSA recorded 23 complaints about the electrical system of the 2011 Toyota Highlander, 13% of the 181 complaints for this model year. Where a mileage was given, the median is 42,500 miles.
Example complaints
Selected from NHTSA records; personal details are removed. They are consumer reports, not findings.
“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“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“There are two issues with my 2011 Highlander. I purchased this vehicle 1 year ago and am quite upset about the issues and the money that I need to put into it. I am actually looking into trading this vehicle as, after spending 26k on it, I shouldn't be dealing with or paying for these issues. Toyota has been nonexistent in offering remedies. I have only ever owned toyotas (2 camrys and 1 Highlander) and probably will never own one again. Thanks Toyota!!! - the alarm constantly goes off for no apparent reason. …”
NHTSA complaint #10630089, filed 2014-09, 40,000 miles“The rear door sensor keeps indicating the door is open when it is not. This causes the interior lights to flash, door to chime, and the rear display to show door open . This began happening when I would turn left. When the weather is really hot outside (90s and above) it is worse. This issue causes a bigger problem, with the vehicle thinking that the rear door is not closed it does not allow me to lock/alarm my vehicle when out in public. I am active duty military and currently live overseas, so keeping my vehicle locked/alarmed is extremely important.”
NHTSA complaint #10716385, filed 2015-05, 30,200 miles“While driving at approximately 40 MPH, I was unable to keep the car in the lane on a slight curve to the right in the road. The steering wheel was turning, but the wheels were not responding. The steering wheel was much harder to turn. Suddenly the steering wheel was extremely easy to turn and the car veered heavily to the right causing me to run off the road. This has happened several times at other speeds. The consumer has since traded the vehicle. Updated 09/13/12 the consumer stated electronic steering systems were fundamentally flawed. …”
NHTSA complaint #10448267, filed 2012-02, 13,500 milesRelated service bulletins
- 10238157May 30, 2023TSB: The Immobilizer and Smart Key Reset is a feature that allows the registration of new keys when all master keys are lost. Once the system is reset, all previously registered…
- 10182983Oct 12, 2020TT: Some customers may encounter Bluetooth® connectivity concerns such as: ?Difficulty to pair the phone. ?Intermittent Bluetooth® failure to connect to the vehicle when first…
- 10179763Aug 11, 2020TSB: OBSOLETE NOTICE August 11, 2020: This bulletin is no longer applicable and is now obsolete.
- 10179759Aug 11, 2020TSB: OBSOLETE NOTICE August 11, 2020: This bulletin is no longer applicable and is now obsolete.
- 10179719Aug 11, 2020TSB: OBSOLETE NOTICE August 11, 2020: This bulletin is no longer applicable and is now obsolete.
- 10179715Aug 11, 2020TSB: OBSOLETE NOTICE August 11, 2020: This bulletin is no longer applicable and is now obsolete.
- 10179698Aug 5, 2020TSB: Some 2003 ? 2020 model year Prius, Prius C, Prius V; 2006 ? 2019 model year Highlander Hybrid Vehicle; 2007 ? 2020 Camry Hybrid Vehicle; 2013 ? 2020 model year Avalon Hybrid…
- 10177773Jun 18, 2020TSB: Some 2004 ? 2020 model year Hybrid vehicles may exhibit an excessive buildup of dust, lint, or debris in the HV battery intake filter or cooling fan. The condition could…
- 10176284May 1, 2020TT: This bulletin includes basic procedures for performing a rescue charge on Ni-MH high voltage (HV) batteries. This bulletin should be used in conjunction with the applicable…
- 10164330Jul 1, 2019TSB: REVISION NOTICE July 01, 2019 Rev2: ? Applicability has been updated to 2019 ? 2020 model year Toyota vehicles. ? The Techstream Preparation and Process Overview sections…
Electrical system: other model years
| Year | Complaints | Share of year |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1 | 10% |
| 2024 | 6 | 14% |
| 2023 | 12 | 6% |
| 2022 | 23 | 9% |
| 2021 | 28 | 5% |
| 2020 | 18 | 6% |
| 2019 | 56 | 11% |
| 2018 | 24 | 9% |
| 2017 | 46 | 17% |
| 2016 | 14 | 13% |
| 2015 | 52 | 27% |
| 2014 | 35 | 26% |
| 2013 | 26 | 13% |
| 2012 | 29 | 16% |
| 2011 | 23 | 13% |
| 2010 | 53 | 25% |
| 2009 | 20 | 15% |
| 2008 | 44 | 11% |
| 2007 | 23 | 19% |
| 2006 | 26 | 9% |
| 2005 | 25 | 11% |
| 2004 | 18 | 6% |
| 2003 | 15 | 6% |
| 2002 | 13 | 4% |
| 2001 | 5 | 4% |
Other parts of the 2011 Toyota Highlander
35 complaintsSteering
34 complaintsBody and structure
27 complaintsBrakes
17 complaintsEngine
17 complaintsTransmission and drivetrain
16 complaintsOther or unknown
14 complaintsVehicle speed control
12 complaintsAir bags
8 complaintsEngine cooling
5 complaintsExterior lighting
5 complaintsSeat belts
4 complaints
← All problems reported for the 2011 Toyota Highlander
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.
To check a specific vehicle for open recalls, use its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. Methodology