Most common 2009 Toyota Highlander Hybrid problems
Share of the 40 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 →
2009 Toyota Highlander Hybrid recalls (4)
Visibility › Power window devices and controls
Toyota Motor Company (Toyota) is recalling certain model year 2009-2011 Tundra, Sequoia, Corolla, Corolla Matrix and Scion xB, 2008-2011 Highlander and Highlander Hybrid, 2007 Camry and Camry Hybrid, 2009 Camry and Camry Hybrid, 2006-2011 RAV4, 2006-2010 Yaris, and 2009-2010 Scion xD and Pontiac Vibe vehicles.
Remedy: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the switch, applying a lubricant if no abnormality is found. If abnormality is found, the PWMS circuit board will be replaced, free of charge.
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.
Seats
Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC (SET) is recalling certain models interspersed through model years 2009 through 2013 as follows: model year 2009-2012 Tacoma, 4Runner, Camry, Camry Hybrid, Prius, and RAV4; model year 2009-2010 Avalon, FJ Cruiser, and Highlander Hybrid; model year 2010-2013 model year Corolla, Sienna and…
Remedy: Southeast Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will test the sensitivity of the occupant detection sensors, and recalibrate them as necessary. The recall began on March 21, 2013.
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.
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into 3 possible defects involving the 2009 Toyota Highlander Hybrid:
Upper Steering Column Separation
On May 4, 2018, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened Preliminary Evaluation PE18-005 to investigate three allegations of steering column separation for Model Year (MY) 2008 through 2013 Toyota Highlander vehicles. Two (2) of the 3 complaints were received by ODI in April 2018 and occurred while the vehicle was in motion.
Steering Column Separation
On November 16, 2018, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened an Engineering Analysis (EA18-006) as an upgrade to a Preliminary Evaluation (PE18-005). The investigation focused on allegations of steering wheel separation from the lower steering column after using the tilt and/or telescoping mechanism.
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 2009 Toyota Highlander Hybrid owners say
Brakes all 29 →
I own a 2009 Highlander Hybrid and am concerned that I am experiencing the same type of problems with braking that are now being reported for the prius. Sometimes, when braking it feels like the brakes are not engaging and there is a sensation that the car is speeding up. Continued pressure on the brake pedal finally slows the car down. I was recently involved in a minor accident when I was unable to brake quickly enough when approaching a traffic light and hit the car in front. The sensation that the brakes were not engaging was experienced at that time as well as on other occasions. I reported this issue to my Toyota dealer just a few weeks ago, and the mechanic who test drove the vehicle, with me in the passenger seat, stated he experienced a similar delay in braking. …
Tl* the contact owns a 2009 Toyota Highlander Hybrid. While driving up a hill at 20 MPH, the vehicle stalled and the ABS, traction control, steering system, and battery warning indicators illuminated. In addition, "stop vehicle in a safe place immediately" appeared on the instrument panel. The contact had to depress the brake pedal with excessive force to stop the vehicle. The contact coasted the vehicle over to the side of the road and had it towed home. The vehicle was not taken to a dealer or an independent mechanic for diagnostic testing. The failure recurred and the vehicle was taken to royal south Toyota (located at 3115 s walnut st, bloomington, in 47401, [phone]) where it was diagnosed, but no failure code was found. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 124,842.
Engine & cooling
Tl* the contact owns a 2009 Toyota Highlander Hybrid. While driving up a hill at 20 MPH, the vehicle stalled and the ABS, traction control, steering system, and battery warning indicators illuminated. In addition, "stop vehicle in a safe place immediately" appeared on the instrument panel. The contact had to depress the brake pedal with excessive force to stop the vehicle. The contact coasted the vehicle over to the side of the road and had it towed home. The vehicle was not taken to a dealer or an independent mechanic for diagnostic testing. The failure recurred and the vehicle was taken to royal south Toyota (located at 3115 s walnut st, bloomington, in 47401, [phone]) where it was diagnosed, but no failure code was found. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 124,842.
Tl* the contact owns a 2009 Toyota Highlander Hybrid. While driving 30 MPH, the contact heard a clunking noise coming from the front end of the vehicle. The vehicle lost power and failed to accelerate or restart. The vehicle was towed to the dealer. The dealer immediately noticed that the vehicle seemed to consume abnormal quantities of oil. The vehicle had an oil change a month and a half prior to the failure and the oil meter measured one quart of engine oil left in the vehicle. The dealer was unable to diagnose the failure. Several months later, the contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 13V396000 (Hybrid propulsion system). After the recall repair was performed, the failure recurred. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 125,000. The VIN was not available.
Fuel & propulsion system
Tl* the contact owns a 2009 Toyota Highlander Hybrid. While driving 30 MPH, the contact heard a clunking noise coming from the front end of the vehicle. The vehicle lost power and failed to accelerate or restart. The vehicle was towed to the dealer. The dealer immediately noticed that the vehicle seemed to consume abnormal quantities of oil. The vehicle had an oil change a month and a half prior to the failure and the oil meter measured one quart of engine oil left in the vehicle. The dealer was unable to diagnose the failure. Several months later, the contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 13V396000 (Hybrid propulsion system). After the recall repair was performed, the failure recurred. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 125,000. The VIN was not available.
Takata recall- when fuiling from the pump, nuzzles keep shuting off itself like the tank is already full. Its been happening recently. At the same time, check break system by deler start appering. It takes 3 to 4 push to start the car after this error message. Sometimes it takes longer and especially it happens in the morning. Took to deler but they did not find a code to check but this is still happening.
2009 Toyota Highlander Hybrid engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3.3L 6-cyl hybrid | CVT | 4WD/AWD | 27 / 25 / 26 |
EPA ratings. Class: SUV.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2009 Toyota Highlander Hybrid a good car?
Based on 40 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2009 Highlander Hybrid rates avoid: 3.4× 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 2009 Toyota Highlander Hybrid?
The brakes — 29 complaints, 73% of all complaints for this model year. Next are the engine & cooling (5) and fuel & propulsion system (4).
How many recalls does the 2009 Toyota Highlander Hybrid have?
There are 4 recalls for the 2009 Toyota Highlander Hybrid, the most recent from October 22, 2015 (power window devices and controls). 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 2009 Toyota Highlander Hybrid problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 66,000 miles; 44% 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.