What are the most common problems with the 2013 Toyota Highlander?

Steering leads the complaint list, then engine and speed control. See the problems section for what owners describe.

Does the 2013 Toyota Highlander have recalls?

Yes. The by-year fact shows recalls for this model year. The Recalls section lists each one.

What is the gas mileage of the 2013 Toyota Highlander?

See the fuel economy section on this page for the EPA figures.

Is the 2013 Toyota Highlander reliable?

Complaints are spread across several groups, led by steering. Check the problems and recalls sections, and compare with other years in the by-year section.

2013 Toyota Highlander Problems, Recalls and MPG

Q: How many complaints does the 2013 Toyota Highlander have?

NHTSA has 212 owner complaints on file.

NHTSA has 212 owner complaints on file for the 2013 Toyota Highlander^[1]. Steering, engine and speed control lead the list^[2]^[3]^[4].

212owner complaints^[1]

3recalls^[5]

19–28MPG combined (EPA)^[6]

4★NHTSA overall rating^[7]

Problems
Recalls
Fuel economy
Safety
Engine and size
By year
Verdict
FAQ

Most reported problems

Here are the complaint groups, biggest first. These are unverified owner reports to NHTSA.

Steering. 46 complaints^[2]. Owners describe a thunking or clunking sound when turning corners, a steering shaft that needed replacing, and a case where power assist dropped out while driving.
Engine. 35 complaints^[3]. Owners describe a delay after pressing the gas pedal, then a sudden surge forward. They say it comes and goes, and dealers often could not find a cause.
Speed Control. 31 complaints^[4]. These stories overlap with the engine group and describe the same lag when accelerating. Owners also describe the car lunging forward when they braked at low speed.
Electrical System. 26 complaints^[8]. Owners describe audio that skips, radio stations that change on their own, and a door warning with interior lights that came on while driving. Others mention dash warning lights after service.
Unknown Or Other. 24 complaints^[9]. These reports do not point to one clear part.
Structure. 19 complaints^[10].
Brakes. 18 complaints^[11].
Air Bags. 18 complaints^[12].

Recalls

Newest first. Each recall covers only certain vehicles, so not every 2013 Highlander is necessarily included.

Seats (14V148), March 2014. About 46,757 vehicles are potentially affected across every model and year the recall names. The recall names these risks: a crash, injury. Dealers do the repair free of charge.^[13]
Equipment › Other › Labels (13V123), April 2013. About 7,525 vehicles are potentially affected across every model and year the recall names. The recall names these risks: a crash, injury.^[14]
Seats (13V014), January 2013. About 3,235 vehicles are potentially affected across every model and year the recall names. The recall names these risks: a crash, injury, an air bag that may not work as intended.^[15]

Fuel economy

EPA ratings depend on the engine and drive. Annual fuel cost uses EPA's current fuel price assumptions, not prices when the car was new.

Version	City / highway / combined MPG	Annual fuel cost
Highlander 2WD, 2.7L 4-cyl, Automatic (S6), Regular, Front-Wheel Drive^[16]	20 / 25 / 22	$3,050
Highlander 2WD, 3.5L 6-cyl, Automatic (S5), Regular, Front-Wheel Drive^[17]	18 / 24 / 20	$3,350
Highlander 4WD, 3.5L 6-cyl, Automatic (S5), Regular, All-Wheel Drive^[18]	17 / 22 / 19	$3,550
Highlander Hybrid 4WD, 3.5L 6-cyl, Automatic (variable gear ratios), Regular, All-Wheel Drive^[6]	28 / 28 / 28	$2,400

Safety ratings

Version	Overall	Frontal	Side	Rollover	Rollover risk
SUV AWD^[7]	4	4	5	4	17.4%
SUV FWD^[19]	4	4	5	4	17.4%

Engine and size

Horsepower is the rating listed for EPA test vehicles.

Engine	Horsepower
2013 Toyota Highlander with 2.7L 4-cylinder^[20]	187 hp
2013 Toyota Highlander with 3.5L 6-cylinder^[21]	231 to 270 hp

These are Canadian-market specifications from Transport Canada, so US models can differ slightly.

Version	Length	Width	Height	Wheelbase	Curb weight
HIGHLANDER 4DR SUV 4WD^[22]	189 in	75 in	69 in	110 in	3,847 lb
HIGHLANDER 4DR SUV 4WD LIMITED^[23]	189 in	75 in	69 in	110 in	4,321 lb
HIGHLANDER 4DR SUV 4WD V6^[24]	189 in	75 in	69 in	110 in	4,180 lb
HIGHLANDER HYBRID 4DR SUV 4WD-i/LIMITED 4WD-i^[25]	189 in	75 in	69 in	110 in	4,641 lb

How 2013 compares with other years

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA for each Highlander model year. The 2013 is highlighted^[5].

Show the numbers

Model year	Complaints	Recalls
2001	137	3
2002	301	2
2003	258	2
2004	286	5
2005	225	6
2006	648	11
2007	234	6
2008	602	12
2009	174	10
2010	238	11
2011	186	5
2012	191	2
2013	212	3
2014	138	4
2015	196	1
2016	117	2
2017	274	3
2018	274	4
2019	506	3
2020	330	5
2021	546	5
2022	269	6
2023	197	9
2024	43	7
2025	10	4
2026	4	0

NHTSA's counts for the Highlander show 212 complaints and 3 recalls for 2013^[5]. Among the 26 model years listed, 11 have fewer complaints than 2013 and 14 have more^[5]. The fewest complaints are for 2026 (4) and the most are for 2006 (648)^[5]. These counts are not adjusted for sales, so treat them as a rough guide. The chart above shows every year.

Should you buy a used 2013 Highlander?

The 2013 Highlander has 212 owner complaints on file with NHTSA^[1]. Steering is the largest group^[2], followed by engine^[3] and speed control^[4]. Some of those reports mention crashes, so the acceleration stories deserve a careful test drive^[1]. Recalls exist for this year too^[5]. Complaint counts are not adjusted for sales, so treat them as a guide and not a score.

Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems with the 2013 Toyota Highlander?: Steering leads the complaint list^[2], then engine^[3] and speed control^[4]. See the problems section for what owners describe.
Does the 2013 Toyota Highlander have recalls?: Yes. The by-year fact shows recalls for this model year^[5]. The Recalls section lists each one.
How many complaints does the 2013 Toyota Highlander have?: NHTSA has 212 owner complaints on file^[1].
What is the gas mileage of the 2013 Toyota Highlander?: See the fuel economy section on this page for the EPA figures.
Is the 2013 Toyota Highlander reliable?: Complaints are spread across several groups, led by steering^[2]. Check the problems and recalls sections, and compare with other years in the by-year section.

Keep exploring

Other model years of the Toyota Highlander

2006 648 complaints, 11 recalls
2008 602 complaints, 12 recalls
2013 this page
2015 196 complaints, 1 recall
2016 117 complaints, 2 recalls
2017 274 complaints, 3 recalls
2018 274 complaints, 4 recalls
2026 4 complaints, 0 recalls

Compare all model years of the Toyota Highlander

Other Toyota models from 2013

2013 Toyota Avalon 160 complaints, 4 recalls
2013 Toyota Corolla 202 complaints, 5 recalls
2013 Toyota Land Cruiser 6 complaints, 2 recalls
2013 Toyota Prius 426 complaints, 4 recalls
2013 Toyota Sienna 183 complaints, 6 recalls

All Toyota models

Similar cars from 2013: small suvs

2013 Ford Edge 2,447 complaints, 2 recalls
2013 Ford Escape 2,756 complaints, 18 recalls
2013 GMC Terrain 364 complaints, 3 recalls
2013 Honda CR-V 382 complaints, 2 recalls
2013 Hyundai Santa Fe 805 complaints, 7 recalls
2013 Jeep Patriot 120 complaints, 1 recall

All small suvs we cover

Facts and sources

NHTSA has 212 owner complaints on file for the 2013 Toyota Highlander (26 mention a crash, 0 a fire, 12 injuries, 0 deaths reported). NHTSA vehicle records
46 complaints name the steering component group (3 crashes, 0 fires, 1 injuries, median mileage at failure 54,426). NHTSA vehicle records
35 complaints name the engine component group (1 crashes, 0 fires, 1 injuries, median mileage at failure 7,000). NHTSA vehicle records
31 complaints name the speed control component group (7 crashes, 0 fires, 2 injuries, median mileage at failure 9,000). NHTSA vehicle records
Owner complaints and recalls for every Toyota Highlander model year (chart above). NHTSA recall database
EPA rating for Highlander Hybrid 4WD, 3.5L 6-cyl, Automatic (variable gear ratios), Regular, All-Wheel Drive: 28 city / 28 highway / 28 combined MPG; EPA estimated annual fuel cost $2,400. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings, SUV AWD: overall 4 stars, frontal 4 stars, side 5 stars, rollover 4 stars; rollover risk 17.4%. NHTSA vehicle records
26 complaints name the electrical system component group (0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, median mileage at failure 38,150). NHTSA vehicle records
24 complaints name the unknown or other component group (0 crashes, 0 fires, 1 injuries, median mileage at failure 55,094). NHTSA vehicle records
19 complaints name the structure component group (6 crashes, 0 fires, 3 injuries, median mileage at failure 44,745). NHTSA vehicle records
18 complaints name the brakes component group (9 crashes, 0 fires, 2 injuries, median mileage at failure 25,000). NHTSA vehicle records
18 complaints name the air bags component group (10 crashes, 0 fires, 5 injuries, median mileage at failure 63,500). NHTSA vehicle records
Recall 14V148, filed March 27, 2014: Seats. NHTSA recall database
Recall 13V123, filed April 9, 2013: Equipment › Other › Labels. NHTSA recall database
Recall 13V014, filed January 16, 2013: Seats. NHTSA recall database
EPA rating for Highlander 2WD, 2.7L 4-cyl, Automatic (S6), Regular, Front-Wheel Drive: 20 city / 25 highway / 22 combined MPG; EPA estimated annual fuel cost $3,050. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov
EPA rating for Highlander 2WD, 3.5L 6-cyl, Automatic (S5), Regular, Front-Wheel Drive: 18 city / 24 highway / 20 combined MPG; EPA estimated annual fuel cost $3,350. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov
EPA rating for Highlander 4WD, 3.5L 6-cyl, Automatic (S5), Regular, All-Wheel Drive: 17 city / 22 highway / 19 combined MPG; EPA estimated annual fuel cost $3,550. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings, SUV FWD: overall 4 stars, frontal 4 stars, side 5 stars, rollover 4 stars; rollover risk 17.4%. NHTSA vehicle records
EPA Test Car List, 2013 Toyota Highlander with 2.7L 4-cylinder: rated 187 hp. www.epa.gov
EPA Test Car List, 2013 Toyota Highlander with 3.5L 6-cylinder: rated 231 to 270 hp depending on version. www.epa.gov
Transport Canada specifications via NHTSA vPIC, HIGHLANDER 4DR SUV 4WD: length 189 in, width 75 in, height 69 in, wheelbase 110 in, curb weight 3,847 lb (converted from centimeters and kilograms). vpic.nhtsa.dot.gov
Transport Canada specifications via NHTSA vPIC, HIGHLANDER 4DR SUV 4WD LIMITED: length 189 in, width 75 in, height 69 in, wheelbase 110 in, curb weight 4,321 lb (converted from centimeters and kilograms). vpic.nhtsa.dot.gov
Transport Canada specifications via NHTSA vPIC, HIGHLANDER 4DR SUV 4WD V6: length 189 in, width 75 in, height 69 in, wheelbase 110 in, curb weight 4,180 lb (converted from centimeters and kilograms). vpic.nhtsa.dot.gov
Transport Canada specifications via NHTSA vPIC, HIGHLANDER HYBRID 4DR SUV 4WD-i/LIMITED 4WD-i: length 189 in, width 75 in, height 69 in, wheelbase 110 in, curb weight 4,641 lb (converted from centimeters and kilograms). vpic.nhtsa.dot.gov

Complaints submitted to NHTSA by owners; unverified reports, one complaint can name several components. Complaint counts are not normalized by sales; compare years of the same model, not different models. EPA annual fuel cost uses EPA's current fuel price assumptions, not the price when the car was new. Horsepower is the rating listed for EPA test vehicles. Dimensions are Canadian-market specifications and can differ slightly from US models.

2013 Toyota Highlander: problems, recalls and fuel economy