Most common 2003 Toyota Highlander problems
Share of the 258 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Toyota Highlander complaints by model year
Best Highlander years: 2025, 2016, 2014. Years to avoid: 2021, 2019, 2023, 2022, 2020. Compare all years →
2003 Toyota Highlander recalls (2)
Latches/locks/linkages › Doors › Latch
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.
Wheels
On certain sport utility vehicles equipped with five factory alloy wheels (model 6934 and 6936), with factory llat, and with port installed wr4, four alloy wheel upgrade processed at the jacksonville, florida port and distributed by southeast Toyota distributors in the states of alabama, florida, georgia, north and south…
Remedy: Owners will be provided with different style lug nuts, a warning label for the spare re/alloy wheel, and an owner's manual addendum.
What 2003 Toyota Highlander owners say
Engine & cooling all 87 →
Automatically disengage the transmission Stopped the road Icalled my husband Myhusband came and together we got the car to a safe place.Then Icame home with my husband and he called the insurance company and had the car towed. Ifound a place to fix the car and they said the transmission was broken and it cost about 6500 dollars.Icontacted the insurance company said they couldn't help.The car was towed home and is not available.
The engine overheated suddenly, blowing hot air from the ac and the temperature gauge went up. We managed to get home and get to the Toyota dealership the next day. The dealership mechanic told us the engine bolts stripped due to the block being soft, and that he had seen this problem before. The issue of the soft block was confirmed in a subsequent search of the internet. Apparently Toyota is aware of this flaw, but there is no warranty remedy. The 2003 inline 4-cylinder engine is the model with the bolt stripping problem. Neither the dealership nor another japanese auto repair place would consider trying to replace the bolts. They said that because of the soft metal in the block, a new set of larger bored bolts would be unlikely to hold. The cost to put in another engine is approximately the value of the car, if there were used engines available. …
Brakes all 33 →
Tl* the contact owned a 2003 Toyota Highlander. While the vehicle was in reverse, it accelerated independently. The contact stated that the brake pedal was depressed, but failed to effectively slow down the vehicle. The gear shifter button was pushed into drive and the vehicle sped forward and crashed into a tree. The air bags failed to deploy. There were no injuries and a police report was not filed. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic. The failure recurred twice prior to the crash. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 150,000. The vehicle was destroyed.
Dt*: the consumer hit a patch of black ice traveling at 45 MPH when approaching a stop sign; the vehicle proceeded through a stop sign striking another vehicle in the passenger side. The airbags did not deploy. The pre-braking was minimal due to the icy road conditions. Both occupants of the vehicle were wearing seat belts and sustained minor injuries. Police were on the scene and a report was taken. The vehicle sustained extensive damage, but was not totaled due to assessment of the insurance adjustor and the lack of airbag deployment. Prior to the accident, the airbag warning light illuminated in cold temperatures, but the vehicle was not seen by a dealer for this problem. Prior to the accident, the rear brakes and rotors were replaced. Updated 03/03/06. Updated
Windows, wipers & sunroof all 28 →
For the last year, the driver's sun visor on my 2003 Toyota Highlander limited has been loose and does not stay up - it is especially loose during warmer weather. The visor will fall down in front of the driver's face, especially when going over bumps or rough roads. This is extremely dangerous and a safety hazard which could lease to a serious incident. I have mentioned this twice while bringing my vehicle for maintenance and have been told it cannot be repaired and I would have to buy a new visor. Last week I spoke with the parts department and was told this is common and a new visor cost more than $700 because it has the homelink. It was suggested I get a visor without homelink for around $70. While this is affordable, I would then lose the homelink feature, which was part of my decision-making to buy the Highlander. …
On the way home from the dealer we opened the rear windows slightly. The result was a pulsating pressure painful to the ears of all occupants. Increasing speed increased the painful effect we later learned was something experienced by all highlanders from 2001. The dealer said it was the "first" he heard of this phenomenon. Toyota customer relations said they were aware this happens when you open rear window(s) in a Highlander and agrees that it should have been disclosed to us giving us an opportunity to purchase another model instead. At this point this condition is totally unacceptable and the dealer is giving us no indication they are going to do anything but hope I give up. To purchase a car for $30,000+ and be told not to open the windows is absurd. It is unfortunate I am being forced to go to arbitration when the car has such low mileage. …
2003 Toyota Highlander engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.4L 4-cyl | 4-speed automatic | FWD | 19 / 25 / 22 |
| 2.4L 4-cyl | 4-speed automatic | 4WD/AWD | 17 / 22 / 19 |
| 3.0L 6-cyl | 4-speed automatic | FWD | 17 / 21 / 18 |
| 3.0L 6-cyl | 4-speed automatic | 4WD/AWD | 16 / 21 / 18 |
EPA ratings. Class: SUV.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2003 Toyota Highlander a good car?
Based on 258 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2003 Highlander rates average: about as many complaints as a typical year of the Highlander at the same age. 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 2003 Toyota Highlander?
The engine & cooling — 87 complaints, 34% of all complaints for this model year, most often about engine. Next are the brakes (33) and windows, wipers & sunroof (28).
How many recalls does the 2003 Toyota Highlander have?
There are 2 recalls for the 2003 Toyota Highlander, the most recent from April 15, 2004 (latch). 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?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2025, 2016 and 2014. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2021, 2019, 2023, 2022 and 2020. See the full Toyota Highlander years comparison.
At what mileage do 2003 Toyota Highlander problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 94,000 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.