Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (power windows, windshield, wipers, mirrors, sunroof).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2004 Toyota Highlander owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
Gas station did not close hood completely and it blew open while trying to enter the highway at just over 40 miles per hour.the secondary safety catch did not hold or work ! The hood blew open and shattered the windshield and bent the hood up into the roof.the tops of the fenders near the hinges were also ripped up.
Heat doesn't work and A/C intermittently blows cold or hot. Windshield and windows will fog up in bad weather and without heat I can't defog them forcing me to pull over and manually wipe the fog off every few minutes.
The passenger airbag indicator warning light came on while nobody was even in the passenger seat, while traveling on a california highway. A check of the Toyota owner's manual stated that the entire airbag system would not function if this light came on and stayed on for no reason at all. Since we live no where near a dealer, nearest dealer is 100 miles away, I let it stay that way for awhile. There was also a safety problem with defective headlights on this model, where the always on daylamps melt the front headlights and leave a visible melted bubble, that the dealer refuses to fix because they didn't manufacture the headlights and the vehicle year and mileage is out of warranty- but, we still have the vehicle- they should stand behind their product. …
Late last year we noticed that the dayrunning portion of the headlamp cover had melted on the inside, next to the tip of the bulbs on each side. There is no way to turn the dayrunning feature on or off, it is always on. Not only does this wear down the battery, which we've already replaced in one year, but the headlight cover cannot handle the heat generated from constantly being "on". We would like this issue resolved and a discount given on a new set, since it isn't our fault, as it couldn't be turned off. Headlights are expensive, and at night it is a safety issue, since our visibility is drastically reduced- where we live, there are deer and winding hilly roads. If Toyota won't do anything, we will be forced to do this expensive repair ourselves, but will be very, very disappointed. Toyota should stand behind their product, this is a design flaw and a huge safety issue.
Right passenger front row window motor stopped working for no apparent reason. This window was rarely used so it was very surprising. No longer under warranty.cost $345.36 to fix. Was fixed because of fear of not being able to exit vehicle in case of a crash. Toyota says 2004 is not part of current recall for window motors but definitely seems like the recall should be expanded because had same problem happen again on the 2nd row passenger side window motor on July 09. Suddenly stopped working for no apparent reason and again this window barely used. Could not afford to fix so it is stuck in up position. Have contacted Toyota and hoping they will expand recall to 2004 highlanders. I hope all Toyota owners will report window motor problems and any other electrical problems to both the NHTSA and Toyota.
While driving the normal vibration of the vehicle causes the driver's side visor to fall down obstructing the view of the road. This occurs frequently especially if the road is uneven and on the freeway. The visor contains a factory garage door opener built in. I am 6'1" tall; thus, the view of the road is mostly obstructed. This first occurred as I was driving at freeway speeds, fortunantly I was not involed in an accident. If I was in heavy traffic there was a good chance of this causing an accident. I have contacted Toyota requesting information on a quick fix, if applicable, and asked if they are willing to cover the cost of repairing the defect as the warranty of the vehicle has expired.
Sun visor (driver side) fell down while I was driving on the freeway with a speed of about 65mph.. It blocked my view. Thank god I was able to pull over to a safe place. The visor is holding in place by a rubber band and a stick but the problem is that when my car is park the heat inside the car melts the rubber band and the visor falls over again. I talked to Toyota dealer about this problem several times. Their response was that my extended warranty is over and that the only solution was to buy a new visor for about $500 (+ installation fees and extra electronic mirror cable). Toyota needs to address this problem, it is a driving hazard. It should be a recall item.
Tl contact owns a 2004 Toyota Highlander. While driving 25-40 MPH, the traction control warning signal illuminated and the brakes pulsated. The traffic control light should have illuminated when there was wheel slippage. The contact stated that the failure occurred during dry road conditions and especially when turning at low speeds. The dealer was unable to duplicate the failure. The VIN was unknown. The failure mileage was 60,000 and current mileage was 70,700. Updated 03/10/08. *ljthe driver side windshield wiper stopped working.
The heater inside my car won't turn off. I have hot air blowing continuously, even when the air system is turned off! This makes the car dangerous to drive for very long. (t>100 most of time) there was no accident or incident, it just started. The problem is well documented on various car forums online due to wire defect.
The driver sun visor keeps dropping from it's kept position and blocks the drivers view. This almost caused 2 accidents with myself and then my wife. The sudden dropping of the visor is very dangerous. I have talked to other Highlander owners and they have similar issues.
Window & Wiper complaints in other Highlander years
Frequently asked questions
How common are window & wiper problems on the 2004 Toyota Highlander?
NHTSA has 25 complaints about the windows, wipers & sunroof of the 2004 Toyota Highlander, 9% of the model year's 286 complaints. The component named most often is power window devices and controls (3 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2004 Toyota Highlander window & wiper problems?
No. NHTSA lists no windows, wipers & sunroof recall for the 2004 Toyota Highlander, though it has 5 recalls for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 2004 Toyota Highlander window & wiper problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 67,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 1 crash, 0 fires and 0 injuries to windows, wipers & sunroof 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.