VehicleVerdict

2009 Toyota Highlander engine problems

The 2009 Toyota Highlander has 28 engine complaints filed with NHTSA — 16% of the year's total, and down from the prior model year.

28

Engine complaints

16%

Share of year

0

Crash-involved

0

Related recalls

Engine complaints by year

Highlander engine complaints by model year92 complaints2001: 19 complaints2002: 31 complaints2003: 92 complaints2004: 36 complaints2005: 14 complaints2006: 40 complaints2007: 9 complaints2008: 76 complaints2009: 28 complaints2010: 14 complaints2011: 22 complaints2012: 19 complaints2013: 34 complaints2014: 3 complaints2015: 11 complaints2016: 10 complaints2017: 47 complaints2018: 31 complaints2019: 70 complaints2020: 16 complaints2021: 44 complaints2022: 10 complaints2023: 27 complaints2024: 4 complaints2025: 1 complaints
Highlander engine complaints by model year. Red bars are years to avoid.

What owners report

“2009 TOYOTA HIGHLAND HAD BEEN DRIVED FOR ABOUT 10 MINUTES, PARKED, LOCKED AT 7:25 AM ON JAN 22, 2010. APPROXIMATELY 20 MINUTES LATER A 6TH FT HIGH FLAMES WERE DISCOVERED BY THE OWNER COMING FROM THE ENGINE. SOMEONE HAD ALREADY REPORTED THE FIRE AND THE FIRE DEPARTMENT RESPONDED BY 7:50 AM.*CW”

Complaint filed with NHTSA · Engine · January 22, 2010 · fire

Common questions

How many engine complaints does the 2009 Toyota Highlander have?

NHTSA has 28 complaints about the 2009 Toyota Highlander engine — 16% of all complaints filed for that model year.

Related

Based on NHTSA ODI data through June 2026. Complaints are consumer-reported and unverified. Updated July 5, 2026.

Compiled by Sharon Ben-Moshe, Founder.