UsedScore

2014 Toyota Highlander: Best bet

Owners filed 69 complaints with NHTSA about the 2014 Toyota Highlander in its first five years on the road, about 49 for every 100,000 sold: 0.6× the rate of a typical Highlander year. That's among the fewest of any Highlander year.

The biggest problem area, counting serious complaints more, is the body and structure (22% of complaints, median 23,000 miles).

Complaint index
0.6×
per vehicle sold, vs. a typical Highlander year
Rank
1st of 14
1st = fewest complaints
Complaints
69
first five years; 49 per 100,000 sold
Recalls
4
campaigns
3rd generation, 2014–2019 (first year of the generation; redesign years often run worse) · Updated September 24, 2026 · How we rate
2014–2016 Toyota Highlander LE AWD (U.S.-spec)

Photo: 2014–2016 Toyota Highlander LE AWD (U.S.-spec) · Ethan Llamas, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Problem areas

Ranked by severity-weighted complaints · share · median miles
  1. Body and structure22% · 15 complaints · median 23,000 miles
  2. Seats and belts9% · 6 complaints
  3. Electrical22% · 15 complaints · median 36,000 miles
  4. Air bags3% · 2 complaints
  5. Speed control7% · 5 complaints
  6. Powertrain6% · 4 complaints
  7. Steering4% · 3 complaints
  8. Suspension6% · 4 complaints
  9. Visibility6% · 4 complaints
  10. Brakes3% · 2 complaints

Bars rank problem areas by complaints weighted for severity (crashes, fires, injuries and deaths count more). A complaint can name more than one area. Mileage is reported on about half of complaints.

What owners describe

Body and structure

Many owners of this Highlander report the power rear liftgate getting stuck, beeping, or refusing to open or close, especially in cold temperatures. Dealers sometimes replaced parts or cited a service bulletin, but several owners say the issue persisted or reappeared after repair.

Warning signs:
Many describe the liftgate beeping, moving a few inches then stopping, or requiring manual force to open or close.
What shops did:
Dealers often replaced struts, cylinders, or the liftgate assembly, referenced a service bulletin, but some owners report the problem returned or was never resolved.
Mileage:
most between 20,000 and 60,000 miles, among 22 complaints that give it

“Automatic liftgate does not close. Starts to close, stops, then beeps. Requires manual closure. Have had in for repair 5 times, including having the entire assembly replaced.”

“Power lift gate will not open or close and lock when the outdoor temperature is below 32 degrees f.”

Electrical

Owners commonly describe electrical glitches such as power liftgates that won't open or close, door lock actuators that fail one by one, and infotainment screens that freeze or reboot while driving. Repairs sometimes fixed the issue, but several owners say dealers couldn't replicate or resolve it, and a few report burning smells or sudden shutdowns.

Warning signs:
Many report beeping or buzzing noises, screens going blank or rebooting, and doors failing to lock or unlock, sometimes with a burning smell.
What shops did:
Dealers often replaced liftgate motors or door actuators, though some owners say technicians could not find or confirm the problem, and a few mention a software update.
Mileage:
most between 25,000 and 50,000 miles, among 26 complaints that give it

“Power rear lift gate will open or close on demand only sporadically”

“Every single door lock actuator has failed in the vehicle causing remote locking and unlocking to not work”

Summaries are written with AI from the owner complaints shown on NHTSA's site and checked against them; quotes are word for word.

Recalls (4)

Check a VIN on NHTSA ›
  • NHTSA 14V576000September 201415,872 vehicles

    Fuel system, gasoline: delivery: hoses, lines/piping, and fittings

    Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain model year 2014 Toyota Avalon, Camry, Sienna, and Highlander and model year 2015 Lexus RX350 vehicles. Fuel may leak from the one of the fuel delivery pipes in the engine compartment.

    Risk: A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source increases the risk of a fire.

    Fix: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will replace any of the suspect fuel delivery pipes free of charge.

  • NHTSA 14V272000May 201448,840 vehicles

    Electrical system: software · Seat belts

    Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain model year 2014 Highlander and Highlander Hybrid vehicles. The affected vehicles may have improper software installed in the air bag electronic control unit (ECU) for the operation of the front passenger seat belt force limiter, and as a result, the force limiter may use the restraint setting designed for small occupants, such as those that weigh approximately 110 pounds, for all occupants regardless of their size. As such, some of these vehicles do not conform to Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."

    Risk: In the event of a crash, a larger front passenger seat occupant may not be properly restrained and be at an increased risk of injury.

    Fix: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will install a software update in the air bag electronic control unit, free of charge.

  • NHTSA 14V274000May 2014231 vehicles

    Seats: mid/rear assembly

    Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain model year 2014 Highlander vehicles manufactured April 23, 2014, through April 29, 2014. The affected vehicles may have a second row right-hand seat assembly that does not fully lock into the inboard seat track in the forward first, second and third adjusting positions. As such, these vehicles do not conform to Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 207, "Seating Systems."

    Risk: If the seat does not fully lock into the inboard seat track, the seat could move, increasing the risk of injury to an occupant in the event of a crash.

    Fix: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and, if necessary, replace the second row right-hand seat, free of charge.

  • NHTSA 14V051000February 20147,067 vehicles

    Seat belts: rear/other

    Toyota is recalling certain model year 2014 Highlander vehicles manufactured November 20, 2013, through January 18, 2014. The third row middle seat belt assembly might not have been properly secured to the vehicle floor anchorage during vehicle assembly. As such, these vehicles fail to conform to the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 210, "Seat Belt Assembly Anchorages."

    Risk: A seat belt that is not properly secured to its anchorage could increase the risk of injury to an occupant in the event of a crash.

    Fix: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the third row middle seat belt anchor, and, if necessary, properly secure it to the vehicle floor anchorage, free of charge.

A recall only helps if the repair was done. Enter the vehicle's 17-character VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup before you buy.

Service bulletins

Toyota sent NHTSA 438 service bulletins and other notices to dealers covering the 2014 Highlander. These are repair instructions, not recalls. Warranty extensions and bulletins about its top problem areas:

  • T-SB-0058-23 Rev1 · June 2025The air conditioning dye injection tool kit has been developed to aid in identifying the location of air conditioning refrigerant leaks.
  • T-SB-0035-24 Rev2 · December 2024Acid rain results from rainwater or other airborne moisture that become acidic due to industrial chemical impurities in the atmosphere.
  • T-SB-0038-24 Rev2 · December 2024To prevent brake rotor rust from forming during transportation and storage, wheel film will be used instead of a cardboard type of anti-rust cover.
  • T-SB-0039-24 Rev2 · December 2024The condition known as acid rain is caused by airborne chemicals or particles in the atmosphere, which mix with rainwater, nighttime dew, or high humidity to form acidic compounds.
  • T-SB-0061-23 Rev2 · December 2024Toyota vehicles are currently protected with RapgardTM protective film designed to protect the horizontal painted surfaces.
  • T-SB-0062-23 Rev2 · December 2024Vehicles may occasionally be subjected to contamination by airborne iron particles shed from railroad tracks, train wheels, exposure to heavy machinery facilities, grinding, welding, etc.
  • T-SB-0055-24 Rev1 · July 2024Some 2005 – 2024 Toyota vehicles that have undergone water intrusion may exhibit a condition in which a musty odor is present.
  • T-SB-0035-24 Rev1 · July 2024Acid rain results from rainwater or other airborne moisture that become acidic due to industrial chemical impurities in the atmosphere.

All 2014 Highlander bulletins on NHTSA ›

Questions owners ask

Is the 2014 Toyota Highlander reliable?
Owners filed 69 complaints with NHTSA about the 2014 Toyota Highlander in its first five years on the road, about 49 for every 100,000 sold: 0.6× the rate of a typical Highlander year. That's among the fewest of any Highlander year. Ratings compare Highlander years with each other using complaints filed with NHTSA; they don't measure every problem owners have.
What are the most common 2014 Highlander problems?
Owners' complaints most often involve the body and structure (22%), the seats and seat belts (9%) and the electrical system (22%). A complaint can name more than one area.
Has the 2014 Toyota Highlander been recalled?
Yes. NHTSA lists 4 recall campaigns for the 2014 Toyota Highlander, the most recent in September 2014 (fuel system, gasoline). Enter the vehicle's VIN on NHTSA's recall lookup to see whether the repairs were done.

Sources

Owner complaints, recalls and manufacturer communications from NHTSA's public data files, as of September 24, 2026. Complaints are counted once each, over the model year's first 60 months on the road. UsedScore is not affiliated with NHTSA or Toyota. The 2014 Toyota Highlander on NHTSA.gov · How we rate