Most common 2006 Toyota Highlander Hybrid problems
Share of the 370 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Toyota Highlander Hybrid complaints by model year
Best Highlander Hybrid years: 2017, 2011, 2013. Years to avoid: 2021, 2010, 2006, 2008, 2007. Compare all years →
2006 Toyota Highlander Hybrid recalls (6)
Hybrid propulsion system › Inverter
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.
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.
Engine and engine cooling
Toyota is recalling certain model year 2004 avalon vehicles; 2004 and 2005 camry, camry solara, highlander, and sienna vehicles, 2006 highlander hybrid; 2004 and 2005 Lexus es330 and rx330; and 2006 Lexus rx400h vehicles manufactured from June 1, 2004 through March 31, 2005, equipped with the 1mz-fe or 3mz-fe engine.
Remedy: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will check the crankshaft pulley to identify whether it was produced by the U.S. Supplier. If so, the dealer will replace the pulley with a new one at no charge.
Electrical system
Toyota is recalling certain model year 2006-2007 highlander hybrid and Lexus rx400h passenger cars manufactured from February 16, 2005, through August 30, 2006. A module inside the inverter module May contain inadequately soldered transistors that during high-load driving, May be damaged by heat caused by the large current.
Remedy: Toyota/Lexus mailed an interim owner notification on July 19, 2011 to advise owners of this recall and the fact that they will receive a future notice when parts become available to complete repairs.
Vehicle speed control › Accelerator pedal
Toyota is recalling certain model year 2004-2006 highlander, highlander hybrid, and model year 2004-2007 Lexus rx330, rx350, and rx400h vehicles. If the forward retention clip used to secure the floor carpet cover, which is located in front of the center console, is not installed properly the cover May lean toward the…
Remedy: Dealers will replace the floor carpet cover with a newly designed one free or charge. The safety recall is expected to begin during March 2011. Owners May contact Toyota at 1-800-331-4331.
Equipment › Other › Labels
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.
Vehicle speed control › Accelerator pedal
On certain sport utility and hybrid vehicles, the two retaining clips for the driver's side forward center console can become loose. If both clips separate from the floor carpet cover, the cover May lean toward the accelerator pedal, causing interference with the accelerator pedal rod.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the two floor carpet cover retaining clips free of charge. The recall began on July 24, 2006, and should be completed by early September 2006.
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into 3 possible defects involving the 2006 Toyota Highlander Hybrid:
Unintended and Uncontrolled Acceleration
On February 16, 2010, NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened RQ10-003 to determine whether the scope of prior Toyota recalls relating to potential unintended acceleration were sufficiently broad, including, among others, Toyota recalls 07E-082, 09V-388, 10V-017, and 10V-023.NHTSA also requested information regarding potential electronic causes of unintended acceleration in Toyota and Lexus vehicles.I.
Hybrid inverter failure - vehicle stall
In a June 29, 2011 letter to NHTSA, Toyota submitted a Defect Information Report regarding a safety recall of certain Toyota Highlander Hybrid and Lexus RX400h vehicles to address a defect condition with the hybrid inverter assembly (NHTSA Recall No.
Pedestrian alert sounds
NHTSA received a petition on or about July 18, 2022, requesting that Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 141 be applied to all electric and hybrid vehicles operating in the United States. The petition can be reviewed at NHTSA.gov under ODI Number 11486072. FMVSS 141 establishes performance requirements for pedestrian alert sounds for motor vehicles.
What 2006 Toyota Highlander Hybrid owners say
Brakes all 137 →
I was stopped at a traffic light at the off-ramp of east-bound 202/mcqueen rd exit. My right foot was on the brake pedal, when the vehicle began to accelerate unexpectedly and hit the rear of vehicle stopped in front of me. As I realized the collision, I pressed the brake harder deliberately (while the car in front of me had started to move further), and to my horror my car continued to accelerate despite my depressing the brake pedal. I consciously checked my feet to ensure I was pressing the brakes and not the accelerator. My car continued to strangely & unexpectedly accelerate until it hit the same car in front of me again the 2nd time at the traffic intersection. After the 2nd collision, my car stopped and I pulled over to the side of the mcqueen road.
When coming to a stop the brakes randomly surge instead of stopping. After a van rear ended my car at a stoplight, the tendency to surge increased and caused two rear end collisions within a few months. Toyota claims there is nothing wrong with it. Codes were documented, but I feel this is an issue that needs to be addressed beyond the manufacturer. It is especially prone to the surge when brakes are hit suddenly on city or highway streets. It feels as though the computer cannot decide whether to charge the battery or brake and that hesitation is frightening!
Electrical system all 74 →
While driving home from work in normal free-flowing traffic conditions on the freeway, several lights came on the dash indicating brake issues including vsc, ABS, skid, parking brake light. Continued to cautiously drive home, brakes seemed OK. Had our non-dealer mechanic look at the brakes all were fine and had recently been replaced. He could not find a brake issue. Took to the local Toyota dealer and one code came up c1391 "abnormal leak in accumulator" and was told I needed a new brake actuator at the cost of $3273.00. Diagnostic cost $138.00. Additional information on diagnostic paperwork from dealer says, "check for DTC's found c1391, check for fluid leaks, could not find leaks, check accumulator pressure voltage (3.5 v), depressed pedal 4-5 times accumulator pressure drops below 3.0 v, recommend replace brake/ABS actuator". …
On 12/02/13 the brake light and vcs system light came on. The warning light also went on and a beep noise inside the cabin, brakes does not function (breaks not responding). I took the car to an authorized Toyota dealership. According to the dealer codes (c1241 low or high power supply voltage, c1256 accumulator low pressure, and c1391 abnormal leak in accumulator) must be replaced the actuator assy, b part no. 4405048190. Actuator was replaced on 12/28/13 at $1,495 with tax for $ 1,600 and labor cost of $333.84. Ust be replaced. On 05/25/15 again the brake light and vcs system light came on. The warning light also went on and a beep noise inside the cabin, brakes does not function (no break). I took the car to an authorized Toyota dealership for a diagnostic and I pay $64.20. Again they mentioned that for a second time the actuator assy, b part no. 4405048190 needs a replacement. …
Engine & cooling all 53 →
The contact owns a 2006 Toyota Highlander Hybrid. The contact stated while driving 65 MPH, the vehicle stalled with the check hybrid system and two other unknown warning lights illuminated. The contact managed to coast the vehicle to the side of the highway; however, the vehicle failed to restart. Due to the failure, the vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic where a diagnostic test was performed. The mechanic discovered that there was a leak in the inverter cooling system. Upon investigation, the contact discovered an unknown recall that was related to the failure. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but informed her that the vehicle was not included in the unknown recall. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 280,000.
Have been experiencing braking problems ... Driving in traffic or coming to a complete stop fairly quickly (I.e. Stop sign), the brake engages ... Lets go for a second... Catches, car stops. This didn't happen all the time, but it began happening quite frequently ... Took it to Toyota. They changed the brake pads and rotors on the front ... Since there was a technical bulletin on the newer model, but not mine. Riving on a service road ... 55-60 MPH ... The car starts slowing down by itself ... Constantly.. Kept speeding up and it kept slowing down, as if brakes were being applied... No brake lights though. Today I was driving the car ... Going down a gradual slope ... On a turn ... Braked ... The car sped up .. Went from 30 MPH to about 35 MPH, while braking ... Car skided off the road, skid light came on, beeping non stop ... Hit a pole... Shattered my mirror and scratched the side ... …
2006 Toyota Highlander Hybrid engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3.3L 6-cyl hybrid | CVT | FWD | 28 / 25 / 27 |
| 3.3L 6-cyl hybrid | CVT | 4WD/AWD | 27 / 25 / 26 |
EPA ratings. Class: SUV.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2006 Toyota Highlander Hybrid a good car?
Based on 370 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2006 Highlander Hybrid rates avoid: 25.7× as many complaints as a typical year of the Highlander Hybrid at the same age. It is one of the Highlander Hybrid years we suggest avoiding. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 2006 Toyota Highlander Hybrid?
The brakes — 137 complaints, 37% of all complaints for this model year, most often about antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip. Next are the electrical system (74) and engine & cooling (53).
How many recalls does the 2006 Toyota Highlander Hybrid have?
There are 6 recalls for the 2006 Toyota Highlander Hybrid, the most recent from September 4, 2013 (inverter). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Toyota Highlander Hybrid?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2017, 2011 and 2013. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2021, 2010, 2006, 2008 and 2007. See the full Toyota Highlander Hybrid years comparison.
At what mileage do 2006 Toyota Highlander Hybrid problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 95,000 miles; 24% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.