NHTSA lists 2 safety recalls and 117 owner complaints for the 2016 Toyota Highlander (including the hybrid).
Recalled components: electrical system and equipment. Most-described problem: a shattered sunroof (7 complaints, 6%). Most-reported area: brakes (22 complaints, 19%; median mileage when it happened: 28,000).
One of the best Highlander years by owner complaints
The 2016 drew 49 owner complaints in its first three years, against 114 for a typical Highlander year since 2016. No open NHTSA investigation names it, and it has no recall telling owners not to drive or to park outside.
No Highlander year stands out enough to avoid; best years: 2016 and 2017. Based on owner complaints, not adjusted for sales.
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain model year 2016 Highlander vehicles manufactured May 26, 2016, to September 16, 2016. The brake fluid level sensor may not be connected to the wire harness, preventing the sensor from detecting the brake fluid level. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 135, "Light Vehicle Brake Systems."
Risk: If the brake fluid level is low and is not detected, the braking performance may be decreased, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix and full notice
Fix: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and, as necessary, connect the wire harness to the sensor, free of charge. The recall began November 14, 2016. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's number for this G03.
Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC (SET) is recalling certain model year 2016 Toyota Camry and Highlander, 2015-2016 Toyota Tundra, Scion FR-S, and tC vehicles. The Load Carrying Capacity Modification Label may not reflect the correct added weight of the installed accessories. As a result, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 110, "Tire Selection and Rims for Passenger Cars."
Risk: An incorrect label may lead an owner to overload the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix and full notice
Fix: SET will notify owners, and provide a corrected label for placement over the inaccurate label, free of charge. The recall began on July 14, 2016. Owners may contact SET customer service at 1-866-405-4226.
NHTSA listing: HIGHLANDER. Toyota campaign SET-16C.
Questions about any of these recalls: call NHTSA's Vehicle Safety Hotline at 888-327-4236 (TTY 888-275-9171) or check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
NHTSA also lists 1 equipment recall for parts sold for this vehicle, not the vehicle itself: Electrical system (Fujian Wanda Automobile Glass Industry C, 18E-107).
NHTSA investigations
NHTSA's investigations file, dated Nov 12, 2026, lists no investigations for the 2016 Toyota Highlander.
What owners report
Owners have filed 117 complaints with NHTSA about the 2016 Highlander. Below, they are sorted by the problems owners describe and by the areas NHTSA files them under. NHTSA does not verify complaints.
Median 28,000 miles at failure, from 17 reports with mileage
Electrical system14 · 12%
Air bags10 · 9%
Engine9 · 8%
Exterior lighting9 · 8%
Steering7 · 6%
Tires7 · 6%
Unknown or other22 · 19%
Median 30,000 miles at failure, from 15 reports with mileage
A complaint can name more than one area, so shares add up to more than 100%. Mileage is shown where at least 15 owners reported it.
Toyota Highlander recalls and complaints by model year
The highlighted bars are the 2016 model year. Newer model years have had less time on the road, so their counts are lower. Counting complaints filed in each model year's first three years, the 2019 Highlander drew the most (152) and the 2016 drew 49.
Owner complaints
2016: 117 complaintsTap or drag across the chart for other years.
Show as a table
Owner complaints by model year, Toyota Highlander
Model year
Complaints
2010
238
2011
187
2012
191
2013
212
2014
138
2015
197
2016
117
2017
275
2018
281
2019
517
2020
332
2021
554
2022
273
2023
201
2024
43
2025
11
2026
4
Safety recalls
2016: 2 recallsTap or drag across the chart for other years.
Show as a table
Safety recalls by model year, Toyota Highlander
Model year
Recalls
2010
11
2011
5
2012
2
2013
3
2014
4
2015
1
2016
2
2017
3
2018
4
2019
3
2020
5
2021
5
2022
6
2023
9
2024
7
2025
4
2026
0
Crash test ratings
NHTSA's 5-Star Safety Ratings for each version it tested. Rollover risk is NHTSA's estimate of the chance of rolling over in a single-vehicle crash.
What are the most common 2016 Highlander problems?
In the 117 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2016 Toyota Highlander, the problems described most are a shattered sunroof (7) and stalling or shutting off (5). NHTSA does not verify complaints, and one complaint can describe several problems.
Is the 2016 Toyota Highlander safe?
In NHTSA crash tests every tested version of the 2016 Toyota Highlander earns 5 stars overall. The table above lists each tested version.
Is NHTSA investigating the 2016 Toyota Highlander?
No. NHTSA's investigations file, dated Nov 12, 2026, lists no investigations for the 2016 Toyota Highlander.
How do I check if my Highlander has an open recall?
Enter the 17-character VIN from your dashboard, door jamb or registration at nhtsa.gov/recalls. The lookup lists unrepaired recalls for that exact vehicle. Safety recall repairs are free at Toyota dealers.
Sources and method
NHTSA recalls file (NHTSA datasets), dated Nov 12, 2026; every campaign checked against NHTSA's recalls API.
NHTSA owner complaints file, dated Nov 11, 2026. Counted by complaint number, so a complaint naming three components counts once in the total.
NHTSA investigations file, dated Nov 12, 2026. Defect petitions, which ask NHTSA to open an investigation, are listed apart and only while open. Audit queries, which check whether a company met its recall and reporting duties rather than whether a vehicle has a problem, are not listed.
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings (NCAP).
NHTSA model names covered: HIGHLANDER, HIGHLANDER HYBRID.
Complaint counts are unverified owner reports. They rise with sales volume and time on the road, so compare model years with care. How we build these pages. Spotted an error? Tell us.