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2020 Toyota Highlander Recalls, Complaints & Specs

4 safety recalls list the 2020 Toyota Highlander, and owners have filed 319 complaints with NHTSA. Check your own VIN below.

4
safety recalls
319
owner complaints to NHTSA
16 / 0
complaints citing a crash / fire
23–36
MPG combined (EPA)

4 safety recalls for the 2020 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. 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. 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…

  4. Engine and delivery (fuel system)

    NHTSA 20V162000 Reported 38,810 vehicles potentially affected Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing

    Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2020 Highlander vehicles equipped with a 3.5 L, V6 (2GR-FKS) gasoline engine. Due to an Engine Control Unit (ECU) programming error, fuel may not be correctly supplied to the engine while using the stop and restart feature.

    Remedy: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the ECU, free of charge. The recall began May 15, 2020. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-888-270-9371. Toyota's number for this recall is 20TA06.

319 owner complaints filed with NHTSA

Owners of the 2020 Toyota Highlander have filed 319 complaints with NHTSA; 16 describe a crash. Reports cite 20 injuries and 0 deaths. The average mileage at failure in those reports is 39,862 miles. Complaints peaked in 2025 with 100 filed that year.

Most-reported components

What owners are reporting

“We were behind a vehicle that had come to a rolling stop because the vehicle in front of him had hit the person in front of him , we were going about 25 miles per hour and about 2 car lengths from him”

Owner complaint to NHTSA, October 4, 2026 · Service brakes

“• What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? The UA80 8-speed automatic transmission assembly (specifically internal mechanical wear resulting f”

Owner complaint to NHTSA, October 2, 2026 · Power train

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 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 2020 Toyota Highlander

How do I know if my 2020 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. 4 campaigns currently list the 2020 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 20V162000).

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.