Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (accelerator pedal, throttle, sudden acceleration, cruise control).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2006 Toyota Highlander Hybrid owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
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.
My wife was parked in front of our apartment building, idling with her foot on the brake, when our 2006 Toyota Highlander Hybrid suddenly accelerated and crashed into a gate. Before the car crashed, she repeatedly applied the brake and even put the car in park. The car did not stop. After the impact, the engine continued to rev and accelerate before finally stopping. This had never happened before. The body has been repaired, but per Toyota, nothing mechanical or electronic has been touched. Last week Toyota sent a specialist out to inspect the car and download data. We were present at the time, and 5 DTC codes displayed. The descriptions displayed on the investigator's lap top mentioned vehicle speed sensors on right wheel and left wheel, the emps, body ECU switch circuit and "low or high power supply voltage". The car was test driven, and no errors or codes were reported. …
I was driving our 2006 Toyota Highlander Hybrid up the driveway and around to the back of our home where we have a rear entry garage. As I turned in the driveway I started to slow/stop the car so I could backup to pull into the garage the car accelerated suddenly striking a small tree in the yard doing a lot of damage to the left front, left front wheel and left quarter panel. It's possibly totalled. It was as if a something siezed the car and suddenly pulled it forward at a high rate of speed. If the tree had not stopped the car I would have struck the house. No airbags deployed. I am bruised and sore but otherwise OK. I had been running on battery through our neighborhood and up the driveway but after it happened I noticed the engine was now running so I don't know if the surge was the result of the gas engine kicking in or some other sudden acceleration problem.
Tl* the contact owns a 2006 Toyota Highlander Hybrid. The contact was driving approximately 30 MPH when the vehicle suddenly accelerated without warning. The contact applied the brakes to stop the unintended acceleration but the vehicle would not respond. The contact then crashed into a tree. The driver received injuries to her ankle and the front passenger sustained a broken finger. The rear passenger who was pregnant was killed and another passenger sustained major internal bleeding. The police were called and a report was filed. The three surviving passengers were transported to the hospital via ambulance. The vehicle was then towed to an independent mechanic where they are awaiting an investigation. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 27,000. The VIN was not available.
I was turning right at an intersection when a woman walking her dog began crossing the street. I slammed on the brakes to avoid her and the car suddenly accelerated soundlessly forward (car is Hybrid but pressing accidentally on the gas pedal with force would have caused revving noise) and I could not control it.. I ran over the woman's foot and also her dogs feet. I drove the car up over a curb which resulting in a flat tire to get the car to stop. There was no injury to the car or myself. The woman was taken to the hospital but had no broken bones. The dog had bruising and discomfort but no serious injuries either. Took the car to a Toyota dealership and they could find no alerts, warnings, or anything wrong with it that could have caused it to accelerate unintentionally.
Driving on the highway at a slow speed due to traffic, around 20 MPH. The car in front of me unexpectedly came to a complete stop. I had 2 car lengths and put on the brakes, but the car never "grabbed"--I just slowed and coasted into the back of the car ahead of me. Because the ABS on a Hybrid does not kick in until the car reaches 25 MPH, my car was busy regenerating power from the brakes rather than doing a quick, emergency stop. Now I am liable for the damage to the car ahead of me that I rear-ended, and I am concerned that I would not stop properly if a child ran in front of me on a neighborhood street. This has been submitted as a problem with the Toyota prius as well on hybridcars.com forum.
Tl* the contact owns a 2006 Toyota Highlander Hybrid. The contact was driving approximately 2 MPH and attempting to park in a residential garage. With the brakes applied, the vehicle suddenly accelerated and crashed into the garage wall. The vehicle was taken to the dealer for diagnostics where the technicians performed the repair under NHTSA campaign id number: 06V253000 (vehicle speed control:accelerator pedal). The manufacturer sent an engineer to inspect the vehicle for the unintended acceleration failure. The inspector determined there was no abnormal failure and that the vehicle was functioning properly. The vehicle was not further repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 83,000.
Driver started to back up a 2006 Toyota Highlander Hybrid in a parking lot. It shot back at maximum acceleration jumping a curb and striking a pedestrian. By then, driver had brakes on and shifted into neutral. She put the car into drive and it again accelerated to the maximum striking her husband. At the time, we couldn't figure out what was wrong. We assumed, somehow the driver, who had an impeccable record, had done something wrong. Now, with all the publicity, we believe it was caused by the electronic controls. Nothing else seems as likely because we had no reason to believe there was an electronic failure, nothing was done.
Tl* the contact owns a 2006 Toyota Highlander Hybrid. The contact stated that while traveling approximately 20 MPH, the brake pedal was applied and failed to respond. As a result, the contact crashed into a planter pot. A police report was not filed and there were no injuries reported. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and stated that the VIN was not included in NHTSA campaign id number: 11V112000 (vehicle speed control) and NHTSA campaign id number: 10V499000 (service brakes, hydraulic ).the approximate failure mileage was 58,160.
Moving a Toyota Highlander 2006 had finished backing up and was preparing to move forward into a parking spot and the car continued backward and hit a pedestrian and another car. All observers agree that the car accelerated after my foot was off the pedal and I had no chance to put the car in drive before it happened. I hit a pedestrian who was hospitalized and received a large gash in her leg which required many stitches and physical therapy rehabilitation and another auto which was totaled due to the damage.
Related recalls
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.
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.
Acceleration complaints in other Highlander Hybrid years
Frequently asked questions
How common are acceleration problems on the 2006 Toyota Highlander Hybrid?
NHTSA has 33 complaints about the speed control & acceleration of the 2006 Toyota Highlander Hybrid, 9% of the model year's 370 complaints. The component named most often is accelerator pedal (1 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2006 Toyota Highlander Hybrid acceleration problems?
Yes — NHTSA recall 11V-112 (accelerator pedal, Feb 24, 2011); NHTSA recall 06V-253 (accelerator pedal, Jul 13, 2006). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
At what mileage do 2006 Toyota Highlander Hybrid acceleration problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 70,000 miles, and 17% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 13 crashes, 0 fires and 6 injuries and 2 deaths to speed control & acceleration problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
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.