RecallMyCar

2002 Toyota Highlander Recalls, Complaints & Specs

2 safety recalls list the 2002 Toyota Highlander, and owners have filed 301 complaints with NHTSA. Check your own VIN below.

2
safety recalls
301
owner complaints to NHTSA
24 / 6
complaints citing a crash / fire
18–22
MPG combined (EPA)

2 safety recalls for the 2002 Toyota Highlander

Most recent first. Recall repairs are free at any authorised dealer. Click a recall for the full defect, consequence and remedy text.

  1. Latch (latches/locks/linkages)

    NHTSA 04V181000 Reported 366,572 vehicles potentially affected TOYOTA MOTOR NORTH AMERICA, INC.

    Certain sport utility vehicles have a child protection lock (cpl) system on both of the rear side doors. When an operator of the vehicle closes the door very hard with the cpl lever set to the lock position, there is a possibility that the lever may contact the body panel, causing the cpl lever to move into the unlock position.

    Remedy: Dealers will shorten the cpl lever. Owner notification began may 7, 2004. Owners should contact toyota at 1-800-331-4331.

  2. Mounting (fuel system)

    NHTSA 02V208000 Reported 154,593 vehicles potentially affected TOYOTA MOTOR NORTH AMERICA, INC.

    On sport utility vehicles, there is a breather hose that attaches to the nozzle of the on-board refueling vapor recovery (orvr) valve, which is located on the topside of the fuel tank. The breather hose is attached with a clamp, whose "tabs" face in the upward direction. When the vehicle was crashed under the new car assessment program…

    Remedy: Dealers will rotate the specified clamp. Owner notification began september 23, 2002. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a…

301 owner complaints filed with NHTSA

Owners of the 2002 Toyota Highlander have filed 301 complaints with NHTSA; 24 describe a crash and 6 describe a fire. Reports cite 25 injuries and 4 deaths. The average mileage at failure in those reports is 75,726 miles. Complaints peaked in 2010 with 59 filed that year.

Most-reported components

What owners are reporting

“I saw someone steal my car and told them they hacked. Windshield wipers would slow up and down. Burning of the electrics when try to charge. Car stopping in the middle of the road. Car going on and of”

Owner complaint to NHTSA, May 29, 2019 · Electronic stability control (esc)

“Accelerator sticiking. Vehicle accelerates at 4000 to 5000 rpms had vehice towed to toyota of bedford 440-809-8399”

Owner complaint to NHTSA, July 2, 2018 · Vehicle speed control

Fuel economy and specs

EPA ratings for the 2002 Toyota Highlander (Highlander 2WD, Highlander 4WD). Ranges cover every tested configuration.

Combined18–22 mpg
City / Highway16–19 / 21–25
FuelRegular
EPA classSport Utility Vehicle - 2WD, Sport Utility Vehicle - 4WD
Engine4/6 cyl, 2.4/3 L
TransmissionAutomatic 4-spd

Compare Toyota Highlander model years

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

Model yearRecallsComplaints
1997 Toyota Highlander01
1998 Toyota Highlander01
2001 Toyota Highlander3137
2002 Toyota Highlander2301
2003 Toyota Highlander2258
2004 Toyota Highlander5286
2005 Toyota Highlander6224
2006 Toyota Highlander7277
2007 Toyota Highlander4124
2008 Toyota Highlander11404
2009 Toyota Highlander9134
2010 Toyota Highlander10216
2011 Toyota Highlander5181
2012 Toyota Highlander2182
2013 Toyota Highlander3207
2014 Toyota Highlander4136
2015 Toyota Highlander1192
2016 Toyota Highlander2111
2017 Toyota Highlander3269
2018 Toyota Highlander4268
2019 Toyota Highlander3490
2020 Toyota Highlander4319
2021 Toyota Highlander4529
2022 Toyota Highlander5260
2023 Toyota Highlander9184
2024 Toyota Highlander742
2025 Toyota Highlander410
2026 Toyota Highlander02

Checking a specific 2002 Toyota Highlander

How do I know if my 2002 Toyota Highlander 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. 2 campaigns currently list the 2002 Toyota Highlander; 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 02V208000).

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.