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#BS-2009-TOYHIG-AB1C

2009 Toyota Highlander Hybrid

Based on reports from 55 owners and 4 recalls for this exact model.

Complaints
55
Crashes
4
Fires
0
Recalls
4
TSBs
117
🟢

Preliminary Verdict

Proceed with Caution

Based on 55 complaints, 4 crashes, 0 fires, and 4 recalls.

See full verdict with buy/skip conditions

Top reported problems

1

died while driving

2 complaints • Severity 8/10

$X,XXX
2

power hatchback stopped working

1 complaints • Severity 8/10

$X,XXX
3

abs lights on alarms sounding shaking

1 complaints • Severity 6/10

$X,XXX

Preview: What's in your full report

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Mechanic Inspection Checklist

!Check the BrakesHIGH

22 owners reported brakes issues — failures commonly reported around 60K miles.

!Inspect the Service Brakes, ElectricMED
Look for symptoms of wear and premature failure
+ 6 more items in full checklistUnlock

Failure Timeline by Mileage

19
0–30K
3
30–60K
8
60–90K
3
90–120K
10
120–150K
6
150K+

Peak failure range: 0–30K miles (19 reports) • Median: 60K miles

Full report: which components fail at each mileageUnlock

30,000-Mile Cost Projection

Best Case

$X,XXX

Most Likely

$X,XXX

Worst Case

$X,XXX

Top cost driver: Brakes (22 reports).

Includes fuel costs, common repairs, and recall riskUnlock

Also in your report

Owner Intelligence

AI-synthesized themes from real complaints

Buyer Lot Checklist

Questions, test drive checks, walk-away triggers

Negotiation Talking Points

Data-backed dollar deductions

Buy / Skip Verdict

Final recommendation with conditions

10 sections total in the full reportUnlock all

Where the complaints fall

Brakes22 (40%)
Service Brakes, Electric7 (13%)
Engine5 (9%)
Speed Control2 (4%)
Hybrid Propulsion System: Inverter2 (4%)
Electrical2 (4%)
Other2 (4%)
Wheels & Tires2 (4%)

2009 Toyota Highlander Hybrid: Known Issues & Problem Areas

Brakes Issues

Brakes complaints account for 40% of all reports filed for the 2009 Toyota Highlander Hybrid, with 22 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. The median mileage at time of complaint is 60,200 miles, suggesting issues tend to surface around the 60K-mile mark.

Service Brakes, Electric Issues

Service Brakes, Electric complaints account for 13% of all reports filed for the 2009 Toyota Highlander Hybrid, with 7 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to service brakes, electric-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.

Engine Issues

Engine complaints account for 9% of all reports filed for the 2009 Toyota Highlander Hybrid, with 5 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to engine-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.

Speed Control Issues

Speed Control complaints account for 4% of all reports filed for the 2009 Toyota Highlander Hybrid, with 2 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to speed control-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.

Data sourced from NHTSA owner complaints and community reports. The full report analyzes severity, repair costs, and failure patterns for each category.

Complaint trend by year

20
10
1
11
3
12
6
13
3
15
8
16
5
17
3
18
6
19

Complaints filed with NHTSA by year for the 2009 Toyota Highlander Hybrid. Recent trend: increasing.

Don't negotiate blind — know what this car costs to own

Repair costs • Negotiation scripts • Mechanic checklist • Buy/skip verdict

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Recall History (4 recalls)

09V223000Sep 2009

EQUIPMENT:OTHER:LABELS

TOYOTA IS RECALLING 27,080 MODEL YEAR 2005 THROUGH 2010 PASSENGER CARS BUILT FROM SEPTEMBER 1, 2005 TO MAY 4, 2009. THESE VEHICLES WERE NOT EQUIPPED WITH LOAD CARRYING CAPACITY MODIFICATION LABELS WHICH FAILS TO CONFORM WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 110, "TIRE SELECTION AND RIMS."

13V014000Mar 2013

SEATS

Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC (SET) is recalling certain models interspersed through model years 2009 through 2013 as follows: model year 2009-2012 Tacoma, 4Runner, Camry, Camry Hybrid, Prius, and RAV4; model year 2009-2010 Avalon, FJ Cruiser, and Highlander Hybrid; model year 2010-2013 model year Corolla, Sienna and Tundra; model year 2009-2013 Highlander and Venza; model year 2012 Prius V; and model year 2010-2012 Sequoia. During modification by SET to include accessories such as leather seat covers, seat heaters or headrest DVD systems, these vehicles may not have had the passenger seat occupant sensing system calibration tested. Without passing the calibration test, the occupant sensing system may not operate as designed.

13V396000Nov 2013

HYBRID PROPULSION SYSTEM: INVERTER

Toyota is recalling certain model year 2006-2010 Highlander hybrid vehicles manufactured February 16, 2005, through July 29, 2010; and model year 2006-2008 Lexus RX400h vehicles manufactured February 23, 2005, through December 2, 2008. The Intelligent Power Module (IPM) inside the inverter module may contain transistors that have higher operating temperatures than the solder can support and the transistors may be heat damaged by the solder. If this occurs, various warning lamps, including the malfunction indicator lamp, slip indicator light, brake system warning light, and master warning light, will be illuminated on the instrument panel.

15V689000Nov 2015

VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS

Toyota Motor Company (Toyota) is recalling certain model year 2009-2011 Tundra, Sequoia, Corolla, Corolla Matrix and Scion xB, 2008-2011 Highlander and Highlander Hybrid, 2007 Camry and Camry Hybrid, 2009 Camry and Camry Hybrid, 2006-2011 RAV4, 2006-2010 Yaris, and 2009-2010 Scion xD and Pontiac Vibe vehicles. During the manufacturing of the Power Window Master Switch (PWMS), grease lubricant may have been inconsistently applied to the sliding electrical contacts.

Recall severity analysis & seller scripts

The full report rates each recall's severity and gives you scripts for asking the seller about recall completion.

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The worst model year for the Toyota Highlander Hybrid is the 2008 — worth knowing if you're cross-shopping years. The biggest problem area is brakes.

About this data

NHTSA Complaints

Federal database of owner-filed safety complaints. 55 records for this vehicle.

NHTSA Recalls

Manufacturer-issued safety recalls. 4 recalls found for this vehicle.

Repair Cost Data

Real-world repair costs from owner reports and independent databases.

Other Toyota Highlander Hybrid Model Years

2025202420232022202120202019201820172016201520142013201220112010200920082007200620052004
View all Toyota Highlander Hybrid years →

2009 Toyota Highlander Hybrid: Frequently Asked Questions

What is the most common problem with the 2009 Toyota Highlander Hybrid?
The most commonly reported issue with the 2009 Toyota Highlander Hybrid is related to the brakes, with 22 complaints filed with NHTSA.
Is the 2009 Toyota Highlander Hybrid reliable?
The 2009 Toyota Highlander Hybrid has 55 complaints, 4 crash reports, and 0 fire reports filed with NHTSA. The full report analyzes whether these numbers indicate real risk or are proportional to the vehicle’s popularity.
How much does it cost to fix 2009 Toyota Highlander Hybrid problems?
Repair costs vary by issue. The full BumperScan report includes detailed repair cost estimates (low/median/high) for every major issue, plus a 30,000-mile total cost of ownership projection.
Does the 2009 Toyota Highlander Hybrid have any recalls?
Yes, the 2009 Toyota Highlander Hybrid has 4 recalls on record. The full report includes recall severity analysis and scripts for asking the seller about recall completion.
What mileage do Toyota Highlander Hybrid problems start?
Based on 49 complaints with mileage data, the median mileage at time of complaint is 60,200 miles. The highest concentration of reported issues occurs in the 0–30K mile range. The full report breaks down exactly which components fail at each mileage bracket.
What’s in the full report?
10 sections of AI analysis: severity-ranked issues, component scores (0-100), 30K-mile cost projection, failure timeline by mileage, recall details with seller scripts, owner sentiment analysis, mechanic checklist, buyer lot checklist, negotiation ammo with dollar figures, and a buy/skip verdict.
How is this different from free NHTSA data?
NHTSA gives you raw complaint text. BumperScan cross-references 2.1M+ complaints with community repair cost data, EPA fuel data, and recall records — then uses AI to synthesize it into actionable advice with dollar figures.
How is this different from Carfax?
Carfax is VIN-specific history ($45/report). BumperScan is model-level reliability intelligence — what problems this car is known for, what they cost, and whether you should buy it. Complementary, not competing.
What if the report isn’t useful?
100% money-back guarantee. If the report doesn’t help you make a more informed decision, we’ll refund you — no questions asked.
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10 sections of AI analysis based on 55 owner reports. Know before you buy.

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