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#BS-2012-TOYHIG-6E032012 Toyota Highlander
Based on reports from 228 owners and 2 recalls for this exact model.
Preliminary Verdict
Think Twice
Based on 228 complaints, 20 crashes, 4 fires, and 2 recalls.
Top reported problems
car makes clunking noise when turning
9 complaints • Severity 7.8/10
excessive oil consumption
3 complaints • Severity 8.7/10
all wheel drive not engaging
1 complaints • Severity 10/10
Preview: What's in your full report
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Mechanic Inspection Checklist
46 owners reported steering issues — failures commonly reported around 48K miles.
Failure Timeline by Mileage
Peak failure range: 0–30K miles (56 reports) • Median: 48K miles
30,000-Mile Cost Projection
Best Case
Most Likely
Worst Case
Top cost driver: Steering (46 reports).
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
Where the complaints fall
2012 Toyota Highlander: Known Issues & Problem Areas
Steering Issues
Steering complaints account for 20% of all reports filed for the 2012 Toyota Highlander, with 46 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. The median mileage at time of complaint is 48,000 miles, suggesting issues tend to surface around the 48K-mile mark.
Electrical Issues
Electrical complaints account for 12% of all reports filed for the 2012 Toyota Highlander, with 27 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to electrical-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.
Engine Issues
Engine complaints account for 8% of all reports filed for the 2012 Toyota Highlander, with 19 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 6% of all reports filed for the 2012 Toyota Highlander, with 14 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
Complaints filed with NHTSA by year for the 2012 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
Recall History (2 recalls)
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.
EQUIPMENT:OTHER:LABELS
Southeast Toyota is recalling certain model year 2008 and 2010-2013 Toyota Tundra, 2010-2012 Rav4, 2012 Toyota Sequoia, 2010-2011 Toyota Corolla, 2010-2011 Toyota Camry and Camry Hybrid, 2010-2013 Toyota Highlander and Highlander Hybrid, 2010-2013 Toyota FJ Cruiser, 2011 Toyota Land Cruiser, 2010-2013 Toyota Venza, 2010-2011 Toyota 4Runner, 2010-2013 Toyota Tacoma, 2011-2012 Toyota Sienna, 2012 Toyota Prius, 2013 Scion FR-S, 2011 Scion XD, 2011 Scion XB, and 2012 Scion TC vehicles. These vehicles were sold with labels that were outside the allowable one percent of accuracy of actual weight added. Thus, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) Number 110, "Tire Selection and Rims."
Recall severity analysis & seller scripts
The full report rates each recall's severity and gives you scripts for asking the seller about recall completion.
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.
2012 Toyota Highlander vs. Class Average (Sport Utility Vehicle - 2WD)
This vehicle
228
Class avg
313
Complaint volume is roughly in line with other sport utility vehicle - 2wd vehicles from 2012.
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. 228 records for this vehicle.
NHTSA Recalls
Manufacturer-issued safety recalls. 2 recalls found for this vehicle.
Repair Cost Data
Real-world repair costs from owner reports and independent databases.
Other Toyota Highlander Model Years
2012 Toyota Highlander: Frequently Asked Questions
What is the most common problem with the 2012 Toyota Highlander?
Is the 2012 Toyota Highlander reliable?
How much does it cost to fix 2012 Toyota Highlander problems?
Does the 2012 Toyota Highlander have any recalls?
What mileage do Toyota Highlander problems start?
What’s in the full report?
How is this different from free NHTSA data?
How is this different from Carfax?
What if the report isn’t useful?
Get the Full 2012 Toyota Highlander Report
10 sections of AI analysis based on 228 owner reports. Know before you buy.