HomeReliabilityToyotaHighlander › 2012

2012 Toyota Highlander Reliability & Recall Report

Based on 2 NHTSA recalls and 190 owner complaints. All data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — free, no signup required.

D
53/100

Buyer Beware — 2012 Toyota Highlander

The 2012 Toyota Highlander shows a notably poor reliability profile for this model year. Consider an alternative year or have a thorough pre-purchase inspection done by an independent mechanic.

2
NHTSA Recalls
2 recalls on record
190
Owner Complaints
Filed with NHTSA
16
Crashes + Injuries
3 fire reports

Own or buying a 2012 Toyota Highlander?

Check your specific VIN for open recalls, market value, full specs, and a free AI buyer summary.

⚠️

NHTSA Recalls — 2012 Toyota Highlander (2)

All recalls listed below must be repaired by an authorized Toyota dealer at no charge to the owner.

🔧 Unknown Component
NHTSA #13V014000
🔧 Unknown Component
NHTSA #13V123000
💬

Most Common Problems — 2012 Toyota Highlander

Based on 190 owner complaints filed with NHTSA. Bars show relative complaint frequency.

Steering
47
Electrical System
28
Structure
21
Unknown Or Other
17
Visibility/wiper
12
Vehicle Speed Control
11
Air Bags
9
Engine
8
📊

Toyota Highlander — Complaints by Year

Spike in a year = known problem year. The 2012 model year is highlighted.

Frequently Asked Questions — 2012 Toyota Highlander

Is the 2012 Toyota Highlander reliable?
Based on NHTSA data, the 2012 Toyota Highlander has 2 recalls and 190 owner complaints. This model year shows elevated issues — consider alternatives or a thorough pre-purchase inspection.
How many recalls does the 2012 Toyota Highlander have?
The 2012 Toyota Highlander has 2 NHTSA recalls. Affected systems include: see recall details above. All recalls are repaired free at authorized dealers.
What are the most common problems with the 2012 Toyota Highlander?
The most commonly reported problems for the 2012 Toyota Highlander are: Steering, Electrical System, Structure, Unknown Or Other. See the complaint breakdown above for full details.
Is the 2012 Toyota Highlander safe to buy?
The 2012 Toyota Highlander has some safety and reliability items to review before buying. Ensure all 2 recalls are completed at a dealer. A pre-purchase inspection by an independent mechanic is strongly recommended.
What year Toyota Highlander should I buy?
Use the year comparison chart above to identify which model years have the fewest reported problems for the Toyota Highlander.
Data source: All recall and complaint data is sourced directly from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) public API. Data is cached and refreshed every 7 days. Recall and complaint counts reflect data available at the time of last cache update. For the most current recall status on a specific vehicle, enter the VIN above or visit NHTSA.gov/recalls.