Car · Toyota problems

2019 Toyota Highlander problems

507 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2019 Toyota Highlander. The most reported area is power train (transmission and drive) (42% of them). NHTSA also lists 89 service bulletins and 3 recall campaigns.

Counts are what owners told NHTSA, as filed. NHTSA does not confirm each report, and a complaint is not proof of a cause. Injuries: 18. Deaths: 0.

Complaints by area

Each bar is the share of this model year's 507 complaints that name that area. A complaint can name more than one area, so the shares add up to more than 100%.

• Power train (transmission and drive)213 · 42%
• Fuel system109 · 21%
• Other or unknown83 · 16%
• Engine and engine cooling74 · 15%
• Electrical system56 · 11%
• Service brakes20 · 4%
• Air bags14 · 3%
• Speed control and throttle13 · 3%

15 smaller areas not shown (76 complaints in total).

Do not compare models by these numbers. NHTSA has no sales count for each model, so a model with more complaints may just have sold more cars. Use them to see which areas owners write about, not to rank cars.

Service bulletins

NHTSA's database lists 89 repair bulletins from Toyota for the 2019 Toyota Highlander. A bulletin is a repair instruction sent to dealers. It is not a recall and does not mean your car is covered. The 8 newest:

1. T-SB-0055-24 Rev2Received February 11, 2026

   Some 2005 - 2026 Toyota vehicles that have undergone water intrusion may exhibit a condition in which a musty odor is present.

2. T-TT-0790-25Received September 9, 2025

   Electrical system

   Some customers may experience echoing on the line calling the vehicle when using Bluetooth Hands Free.

3. T-SB-0058-23 Rev1Received July 10, 2025

   Electrical system

   The air conditioning dye injection tool kit has been developed to aid in identifying the location of air conditioning refrigerant leaks.

4. T-SB-0035-24 Rev2Received January 9, 2025

   Body and structure

   Acid rain results from rainwater or other airborne moisture that become acidic due to industrial chemical impurities in the atmosphere.

5. T-SB-0038-24 Rev2Received January 9, 2025

   Body and structure

   To prevent brake rotor rust from forming during transportation and storage, wheel film will be used instead of a cardboard type of anti-rust cover.

6. T-SB-0039-24 Rev2Received January 9, 2025

   Body and structure

   The 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.

7. T-SB-0062-23 Rev2Received January 9, 2025

   Body and structure

   Vehicles may occasionally be subjected to contamination by airborne iron particles shed from railroad tracks, train wheels, exposure to heavy machinery facilities, grinding, welding, etc.

8. T-SB-0103-20 Rev1Received July 23, 2024

   Engine and engine cooling

   Updated non-electric water pump leak inspection and diagnostic tips for some 2008 - 2025 model year Toyota vehicles.

Recalls

NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns for the 2019 Toyota Highlander. Recall repairs are free at a Toyota dealer. The 2 to look at first:

1. 20V682000November 4, 2020

   Fuel system, gasoline

   The low-pressure fuel pump inside the fuel tank may fail.

2. 19V244000March 27, 2019

   Equipment

   The text on the load capacity label may become illegible.

See all 3 recalls for the 2019 Toyota Highlander, or check your VIN below to see which are open on your car.

Common repairs in this area (not a diagnosis)

These are repair jobs that sit in the areas owners report most. A complaint may need a diagnosis first: the same symptom can come from many causes, and a serious one such as engine failure is not fixed by a cheap part. They are not a forecast of what your Highlander will need. Ranges are US estimates for all makes.

Start with a diagnosis

• Diagnostic scan (check engine light)$55 to $250

Power train (transmission and drive) 213 complaints · 42%

• Transmission fluid service$140 to $480
• Transmission solenoid replacement$290 to $1,200
• Torque converter replacement$880 to $2,475
• Clutch replacement (manual transmission)$1,000 to $2,050

Fuel system 109 complaints · 21%

• Fuel pump replacement$370 to $1,075
• Fuel injector replacement (one injector)$170 to $820
• EVAP purge valve replacement$80 to $240
• Gas cap replacement$5 to $95

Engine and engine cooling 74 complaints · 15%

No repair price here: this area usually needs a diagnosis first. A diagnostic scan (check engine light) runs $55 to $250.

Electrical system 56 complaints · 11%

• Battery replacement$150 to $470
• Alternator replacement$360 to $930
• Starter replacement$280 to $740
• Battery cable replacement$100 to $340

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Check your VIN

Complaints and bulletins cover a whole model year. Only the VIN shows what is open on your car.

By VIN By year, make and model

VIN (17 characters, on the dashboard by the windshield or the driver door jamb)

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Recall and complaint data comes from NHTSA, the US government's vehicle safety agency, and is cached for up to a day. Recall repairs at a dealer are free. A recall that is not listed may not apply to your car or may not be filed yet. Check nhtsa.gov/recalls too.

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2019 Toyota Highlander: questions

What are the most common problems on the 2019 Toyota Highlander?

Of the 507 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2019 Toyota Highlander, 213 (42%) name power train (transmission and drive), and 109 (21%) name fuel system. A complaint can list more than one area, so the shares add up to more than 100%. These are owner reports, not proven causes.

Is the 2019 Toyota Highlander reliable?

These numbers cannot say. NHTSA complaints have no sales count to compare against, so a high number on one model does not mean it fails more than another. Use them to see which areas owners write about, then check your own VIN for open recalls.

Do these complaints include crashes or fires?

Owners marked 22 of the 507 complaints as involving a crash and 1 as involving a fire. They also reported 18 injuries and 0 deaths. NHTSA records these as the owner reports them and does not confirm each one.

How many recalls does the 2019 Toyota Highlander have?

NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns for the 2019 Toyota Highlander. Recall repairs are free at a Toyota dealer. Enter your VIN to see which ones are open on your car.

What is a service bulletin?

A service bulletin is a repair instruction a maker sends to its dealers. It is not a recall, and it does not mean your car is covered. NHTSA lists 89 repair bulletins for the 2019 Toyota Highlander.

More

• 2022 Highlander problems
• 2021 Highlander problems
• 2020 Highlander problems
• 2018 Highlander problems
• 2017 Highlander problems
• 2013 Highlander problems
• 2010 Highlander problems
• 2019 recalls
• All Toyota recalls
• Toyota problems by model
• Check-engine codes

Sources

• NHTSA complaint and technical service bulletin files, checked October 29, 2026
• NHTSA recalls

Complaint, bulletin and recall counts come from NHTSA as filed. Repair prices are estimates from our own ranges. Not a repair shop, estimates only.