2009 Toyota Highlander Hybrid Recalls, Complaints & Specs
4 safety recalls list the 2009 Toyota Highlander Hybrid, and owners have filed 40 complaints with NHTSA. Check your own VIN below.
4 safety recalls for the 2009 Toyota Highlander Hybrid
Most recent first. Recall repairs are free at any authorised dealer. Click a recall for the full defect, consequence and remedy text.
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Power window devices and controls (visibility)
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…
Remedy: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the switch, applying a lubricant if no abnormality is found. If abnormality is found, the PWMS circuit board will be replaced, free of charge. The recall is expected…
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Inverter (hybrid propulsion system)
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…
Remedy: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will replace the IPM free of charge. Owners may contact Toyota at 1-800-331-4331. Vehicles that had their IPM replaced under recall 11V-342 are not affected by this campaign.
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Seats and air bags: sensor/control module-inactive
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…
Remedy: Southeast Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will test the sensitivity of the occupant detection sensors, and recalibrate them as necessary. The recall began on March 21, 2013. Owners may contact Southeast Toyota…
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Labels (equipment)
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."
Remedy: Toyota will notify owners and provide them with a new, accurate label to be installed over the inaccurate label free of charge. The safety recall began on august 18, 2009. Owners may contact toyota at 1-888-270-9371.
40 owner complaints filed with NHTSA
Owners of the 2009 Toyota Highlander Hybrid have filed 40 complaints with NHTSA; 2 describe a crash. Reports cite 1 injury and 0 deaths. The average mileage at failure in those reports is 76,279 miles. Complaints peaked in 2010 with 16 filed that year.
Most-reported components
What owners are reporting
“Tl* the contact owns a 2009 toyota highlander hybrid. While driving up a hill at 20 MPH, the vehicle stalled and the ABS, traction control, steering system, and battery warning indicators illuminated.”
Owner complaint to NHTSA, June 18, 2019 · Service brakes
“Brakes failed shortly after the ABS warning light went off. Dealer diagnosed this as a break actuator assembly failure. It looks like toyota had a warranty enhancement program for vehicle years 2006-2”
Owner complaint to NHTSA, March 6, 2019 · Service brakes
Fuel economy and specs
EPA ratings for the 2009 Toyota Highlander (Highlander 2WD, Highlander 4WD, Highlander Hybrid 4WD). Ranges cover every tested configuration.
| Combined | 19–26 mpg |
|---|---|
| City / Highway | 17–27 / 23–27 |
| Fuel | Regular |
| EPA class | Sport Utility Vehicle - 2WD, Sport Utility Vehicle - 4WD |
| Engine | 4/6 cyl, 2.7/3.3/3.5 L |
| Transmission | Automatic (S5); Automatic (S6); Automatic (variable gear ratios) |
Compare Toyota Highlander Hybrid model years
Recall and complaint counts for every Toyota Highlander Hybrid model year in NHTSA's database.
| Model year | Recalls | Complaints |
|---|---|---|
| 2004 Toyota Highlander Hybrid | 1 | 0 |
| 2005 Toyota Highlander Hybrid | 1 | 1 |
| 2006 Toyota Highlander Hybrid | 6 | 370 |
| 2007 Toyota Highlander Hybrid | 2 | 110 |
| 2008 Toyota Highlander Hybrid | 6 | 197 |
| 2009 Toyota Highlander Hybrid | 4 | 40 |
| 2010 Toyota Highlander Hybrid | 4 | 22 |
| 2011 Toyota Highlander Hybrid | 1 | 5 |
| 2012 Toyota Highlander Hybrid | 0 | 9 |
| 2013 Toyota Highlander Hybrid | 0 | 5 |
| 2014 Toyota Highlander Hybrid | 1 | 2 |
| 2015 Toyota Highlander Hybrid | 0 | 4 |
| 2016 Toyota Highlander Hybrid | 0 | 6 |
| 2017 Toyota Highlander Hybrid | 2 | 3 |
| 2018 Toyota Highlander Hybrid | 0 | 5 |
| 2019 Toyota Highlander Hybrid | 0 | 6 |
| 2020 Toyota Highlander Hybrid | 4 | 9 |
| 2021 Toyota Highlander Hybrid | 4 | 15 |
| 2022 Toyota Highlander Hybrid | 4 | 6 |
| 2023 Toyota Highlander Hybrid | 6 | 9 |
| 2024 Toyota Highlander Hybrid | 4 | 0 |
| 2025 Toyota Highlander Hybrid | 3 | 0 |
Checking a specific 2009 Toyota Highlander Hybrid
How do I know if my 2009 Toyota Highlander Hybrid has an open recall?
Enter your 17-character VIN above. The VIN is on the driver's side dashboard (visible through the windshield), the driver's door jamb sticker, and your registration or insurance card. The check runs against NHTSA's live database and tells you which campaigns list your vehicle. 4 campaigns currently list the 2009 Toyota Highlander Hybrid; your car may already have been repaired under some of them.
Is the recall repair free?
Yes. Under federal law, manufacturers must fix safety recalls at no charge for vehicles up to 15 years old from the date of sale to the first owner. Contact any authorised Toyota dealer with your VIN and the NHTSA campaign number (for example 09V223000).
What is the difference between a recall and a complaint?
A recall is a safety campaign filed by the manufacturer or ordered by NHTSA, with a defined defect and remedy. A complaint is a report an owner sent to NHTSA; it is not verified, but patterns of complaints are what trigger NHTSA investigations and, eventually, recalls.
Other Toyota models
- Camry18,189 complaints
- Prius12,516 complaints
- Corolla11,739 complaints
- RAV49,385 complaints
- Sienna8,549 complaints
- Tacoma8,440 complaints
- Tundra6,922 complaints
- Highlander5,745 complaints
Source: NHTSA recall and complaint databases and EPA fuel economy data, October 2026. Complaint counts are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects. Recall counts are safety campaigns that list this model year; whether a particular car was already repaired depends on its VIN. How this data is compiled.