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#BS-2009-TOYHIG-6E03

2009 Toyota Highlander

Based on reports from 178 owners and 9 recalls for this exact model.

Complaints
178
Crashes
7
Fires
7
Recalls
9
TSBs
292
🟡

Preliminary Verdict

Think Twice

Based on 178 complaints, 7 crashes, 7 fires, and 9 recalls.

See full verdict with buy/skip conditions

Top reported problems

1

excessive oil consumption

4 complaints • Severity 9.5/10

$X,XXX
2

abs system hazard

1 complaints • Severity 8/10

$X,XXX
3

timing cover leak

1 complaints • Severity 10/10

$X,XXX

Preview: What's in your full report

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Mechanic Inspection Checklist

!Check the EngineHIGH

27 owners reported engine issues — failures commonly reported around 58K miles.

!Inspect the BrakesMED
Look for symptoms of wear and premature failure
+ 6 more items in full checklistUnlock

Failure Timeline by Mileage

48
0–30K
27
30–60K
26
60–90K
20
90–120K
13
120–150K
11
150K+

Peak failure range: 0–30K miles (48 reports) • Median: 58K 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: Engine (27 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

Engine27 (15%)
Brakes26 (15%)
Electrical19 (11%)
Structure:body11 (6%)
Steering11 (6%)
Speed Control10 (6%)
Other7 (4%)
Wheels & Tires7 (4%)

2009 Toyota Highlander: Known Issues & Problem Areas

Engine Issues

Engine complaints account for 15% of all reports filed for the 2009 Toyota Highlander, with 27 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. The median mileage at time of complaint is 58,000 miles, suggesting issues tend to surface around the 58K-mile mark.

Brakes Issues

Brakes complaints account for 15% of all reports filed for the 2009 Toyota Highlander, with 26 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to brakes-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.

Electrical Issues

Electrical complaints account for 11% of all reports filed for the 2009 Toyota Highlander, with 19 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to electrical-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.

Structure:body Issues

Structure:body complaints account for 6% of all reports filed for the 2009 Toyota Highlander, with 11 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to structure:body-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

5
09
33
10
5
11
6
12
20
13
11
14
26
15
5
16
8
17
9
18
14
19
12
20
4
21
7
22
4
23
6
24
3
25

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

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 (9 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."

10V023000Mar 2010

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:ACCELERATOR PEDAL

TOYOTA IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2008-2010 HIGHLANDER, MODEL YEAR 2009-2010 COROLLA, VENZA AND MATRIX PASSENGER VEHICLES. THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL CAN GET STUCK IN THE WIDE OPEN POSITION DUE TO ITS BEING TRAPPED BY AN UNSECURED OR INCOMPATIBLE DRIVER'S FLOOR MAT. THIS RECALL IS AN EXPANSION OF A CAMPAIGN OF 3.8 MILLION OTHER TOYOTA VEHICLES ANNOUNCED IN 2009 FOR THE SAME ISSUE (SEE 09V-388).

10V035000May 2010

EQUIPMENT:OTHER:LABELS

GULF STATES TOYOTA IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2005-2010 VEHICLES FOR FAILING TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 110, "TIRE SELECTION AND RIMS." THESE VEHICLES WERE SOLD BETWEEN SEPTEMBER 1, 2005 AND JUNE 2, 2008 WITHOUT THE REQUISITE LOAD CARRYING CAPACITY MODIFICATION LABELS.

10V036000May 2010

EQUIPMENT:OTHER:LABELS

SOUTHEAST TOYOTA IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2005-2011 PASSENGER VEHICLES FOR FAILING TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 110, "TIRE SELECTION AND RIMS." THESE VEHICLES WERE SOLD WITHOUT THE REQUISITE LOAD CARRYING CAPACITY MODIFICATION LABELS.

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.

+ 4 more recalls in the full report

Recall severity analysis & seller scripts

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

Unlock

The worst model year for the Toyota Highlander is the 2003 — worth knowing if you're cross-shopping years. The biggest problem area is engine.

2009 Toyota Highlander vs. Class Average (Sport Utility Vehicle - 2WD)

This vehicle

178

Class avg

220

Complaint volume is roughly in line with other sport utility vehicle - 2wd vehicles from 2009.

Complaint counts correlate with sales volume — popular vehicles naturally generate more reports. The full report normalizes for this.

About this data

NHTSA Complaints

Federal database of owner-filed safety complaints. 178 records for this vehicle.

NHTSA Recalls

Manufacturer-issued safety recalls. 9 recalls found for this vehicle.

Repair Cost Data

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

Other Toyota Highlander Model Years

20252024202320222021202020192018201720162015201420132012201120102009200820072006200520042003200220012000199919981997
View all Toyota Highlander years →

2009 Toyota Highlander: Frequently Asked Questions

What is the most common problem with the 2009 Toyota Highlander?
The most commonly reported issue with the 2009 Toyota Highlander is related to the engine, with 27 complaints filed with NHTSA.
Is the 2009 Toyota Highlander reliable?
The 2009 Toyota Highlander has 178 complaints, 7 crash reports, and 7 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 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 have any recalls?
Yes, the 2009 Toyota Highlander has 9 recalls on record. The full report includes recall severity analysis and scripts for asking the seller about recall completion.
What mileage do Toyota Highlander problems start?
Based on 145 complaints with mileage data, the median mileage at time of complaint is 58,000 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 178 owner reports. Know before you buy.

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