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2020 Toyota Highlander Hybrid Recalls, Complaints & Specs

4 safety recalls list the 2020 Toyota Highlander Hybrid, and owners have filed 9 complaints with NHTSA. Check your own VIN below.

4
safety recalls
9
owner complaints to NHTSA
23–36
MPG combined (EPA)

4 safety recalls for the 2020 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.

  1. Occupant classification (air bags)

    NHTSA 23V865000 Reported 999,901 vehicles potentially affected Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing

    Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Avalon, Avalon Hybrid, Corolla, Highlander, Highlander Hybrid, RAV4, RAV4 Hybrid, Lexus ES350, Lexus RX350, Lexus RX450H, 2021 Sienna Hybrid, Lexus ES250, 2020-2022 Camry, Camry Hybrid, and ES300H vehicles. A short circuit may develop in the Occupant…

    Remedy: Dealers will inspect and replace the sensor as necessary, free of charge. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed in February 2024. Some final remedy owner letters were mailed October 31, 2024.…

  2. Bumpers (structure)

    NHTSA 23V720000 Reported 750,795 vehicles potentially affected Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing

    Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2020-2023 Highlander & Highlander Hybrid vehicles. During normal vehicle operation, minor impact to the front lower bumper cover may result in the cover coming loose or detaching.

    Remedy: Dealers will repair or replace the upper and lower front bumper covers as necessary, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed April 22, 2024. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's…

  3. Software (electronic stability control (esc))

    NHTSA 22V239000 Reported 458,110 vehicles potentially affected Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing

    Toyota Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2022 Lexus LX 600, Lexus NX 350h, Lexus NX 450h+, Toytoa RAV4 Hybrid, 2021-2022 Lexus LS 500h, Toyota Mirai, RAV4 PRIME, Sienna, Venza, and 2020-2022 Toyota Highlander Hybrid vehicles. The Skid Control ECU software may not turn on the Vehicle Stability Control (VSC) system…

    Remedy: Dealers will update the Skid Control ECU software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed May 27, 2022. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's number for this recall is…

  4. Seats and air bags

    NHTSA 20V633000 Reported 3,121 vehicles potentially affected Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing

    Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2020 Highlander and Highlander hybrid vehicles. Incorrect seat trim covers on one or both of the front seats can prevent the seat-mounted side air bag from deploying properly.

    Remedy: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the front seats and replace the seat trim covers as necessary, free of charge. The recall began December 11, 2020. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at…

9 owner complaints filed with NHTSA

Owners of the 2020 Toyota Highlander Hybrid have filed 9 complaints with NHTSA. The average mileage at failure in those reports is 31,500 miles. Complaints peaked in 2025 with 6 filed that year.

Most-reported components

What owners are reporting

“After driving on an interstate and having my foot on the brake - the car jumps forward and accelerates. It has done this for a couple years, and it continues to happen more frequently. Sometimes it ju”

Owner complaint to NHTSA, June 24, 2025 · Service brakes

“The contact owns a 2020 Toyota Highlander Hybrid. The contact stated that while driving on the highway at 75 MPH, the front passenger’s and driver’s side top shield assembly and the engine cover under”

Owner complaint to NHTSA, April 28, 2025 · Structure

Fuel economy and specs

EPA ratings for the 2020 Toyota Highlander (Highlander AWD, Highlander Hybrid, Highlander Hybrid AWD, Highlander Hybrid AWD LTD/PLAT). Ranges cover every tested configuration.

Combined23–36 mpg
City / Highway20–36 / 27–35
FuelRegular
EPA classSmall Sport Utility Vehicle 2WD, Small Sport Utility Vehicle 4WD, Standard Sport Utility Vehicle 4WD
Engine4/6 cyl, 2.5/3.5 L
TransmissionAutomatic (AV-S6); Automatic (S8)

Compare Toyota Highlander Hybrid model years

Recall and complaint counts for every Toyota Highlander Hybrid model year in NHTSA's database.

Model yearRecallsComplaints
2004 Toyota Highlander Hybrid10
2005 Toyota Highlander Hybrid11
2006 Toyota Highlander Hybrid6370
2007 Toyota Highlander Hybrid2110
2008 Toyota Highlander Hybrid6197
2009 Toyota Highlander Hybrid440
2010 Toyota Highlander Hybrid422
2011 Toyota Highlander Hybrid15
2012 Toyota Highlander Hybrid09
2013 Toyota Highlander Hybrid05
2014 Toyota Highlander Hybrid12
2015 Toyota Highlander Hybrid04
2016 Toyota Highlander Hybrid06
2017 Toyota Highlander Hybrid23
2018 Toyota Highlander Hybrid05
2019 Toyota Highlander Hybrid06
2020 Toyota Highlander Hybrid49
2021 Toyota Highlander Hybrid415
2022 Toyota Highlander Hybrid46
2023 Toyota Highlander Hybrid69
2024 Toyota Highlander Hybrid40
2025 Toyota Highlander Hybrid30

Checking a specific 2020 Toyota Highlander Hybrid

How do I know if my 2020 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 2020 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 20V633000).

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

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.