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 owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
Today, another Lexus /Toyota has an acceleration problem which finally caused 4 deaths. Many of us have had similar experiences. You have 3 at least already listed in your complaints. 2006 Toyota highlanders (3) just took off and drivers couldn't stop them (I am one) until the car hit something. Lexus too, made by Toyota. Please check into this. I wrote Toyota to explain that I did not put my foot on accelerator. I got a generic letter back, without help or explanation. We have a problem with these cars , someone needs to address these unexplained accelerations.. My car flew through the air with me screaming , trying to stop it. I hit headon into a cement side of an irrigation ditch. Passenger is still in rehab since March of this year. Is it just the mats, as the san diego press is suggesting with the death of the chp and his 3 family members? I think not. …
2006 Toyota Highlander hybrid - I was stopped in a right turn only lane. The vehicle in front of me began to make a right turn on a red light. As he moved forward, I slightly released pressure on the brakes and my vehicle lunged forward and crashed into the vehicle in front of me which had stopped suddenly. This "lunging" is a common occurrence in this Toyota vehicle. We had thought it was just an idiosyncrasy of the hybrid vehicle. However, my brother has a newer model Highlander hybrid and he does not experience this lunging. What I mean by lunging is that the vehicle, at times, will lunge forward as you release the brake at higher speed than an idle. In the simple accident mentioned above, my vehicle sustained over $3000 in damage, which is quite an extraordinary amount for this type of accident.
Once after parking and then twice while driving on a highway, the check hybrid system light, the vsc light, the check engine light, and the caution light all illuminated and the vehicle lost all power including steering assistance . Each time requiring multiple key turns to restart the vehicle into limp home mode. This vehicle has been repaired once before for a similar issue which occurred while driving up a hill in moderate traffic. The tank is full of fuel, the tires are less than a year old, and the vehicle undergoes regular maintenance(which includes a new battery as the one bought from Toyota had a few dead cells after only a year or two). I've read multiple complaints about this online while searching for the underlying issue and there seems to be a related recall that doesn't include my VIN.
After an synthetic oil change and rear brake job at Firestone a few days earlier in atlanta, I was driving along and my check vsc system light came on. I then took it back to Firestone and they put it on the computer and there were no codes; subsequently they suggested that I take it to the dealer for diagnosis. The diagnosis at the dealer revealed that I needed a new ABS accumulator and this could be repaired for $3,118. I was not interested in spending this amount since the part has a know design manufacturers defect. I decided to do some research on clearing the check vsc system light and followed the instructions and the code cleared for about 9 days and reappeared on yesterday for some reason. What can I do?
Dt*: the contact stated while brake pressure was applied at 5 MPH into a parking space, the vehicle lurched forward and jumped over a curb without warning. The contact shifted the vehicle in reverse and the vehicle suddenly accelerated backwards while constant brake pressure was applied. The vehicle crashed into another parked vehicle where it came to a final stop. The contact was wearing a seat belt, but no injuries were sustained. There was moderate damage to the rear bumper and right passenger side panel of the vehicle. The police were alerted and a report was taken. The vehicle was towed to a dealer who was unable to duplicate the problem. The manufacturer was alerted.
Tl* the contact owns a 2006 Toyota Highlander. The contact stated that while driving approximately 50 MPH, the brake pedal was depressed continuously however, the vehicle continued to accelerate rapidly. The contact crashed into the rear of another vehicle, causing a chain reaction crash. The air bags deployed and bruised the contact's left arm, chest and neck. The contact also sustained multiple bruises from the seat belt. A police report was filed of the incident. The vehicle was towed to a collision center for inspection of the massive front end damages. The manufacturer was not notified of the incident. The approximate failure mileage was 99,000.
The vsc light, ABS light, check engine light and sound is are on. The code is back as well c1391 for this brake actuator. It is a well known problem with toyotas . This was fixed once already by Toyota dealer and failed after 40K miles again. How can a part has failed again in such a short time and miles? This is a common problem and we can't get help from Toyota company other than to pay for their lack of quality on parts? I can't afford $4000 plust to fix a part that only lasted 40,000 miles. When is Toyota going to do a recall on this part and fix it for good?
Tl contact owns a 2006 Toyota Highlander. The contact was driving at approximately 50 MPH when the vehicle suddenly accelerated. The contact depressed the brake pedal but the vehicle did not slow down. She swerved left to right in an attempt to stop the vehicle; instead, the vehicle flipped over. The contact climbed out the front window and sustained head injuries as none of the air bags deployed. A police report was filed. The contact had not called the manufacturer at the time of the complaint. The current and failure mileages were approximately 55,000.
1. I was traveling east on bolsa ave. Going straight, and the other driver was coming out of the abc market driveway. She made a right turn. 2. My car made a loud sound and then drove into the other driver's car. 3. I had my foot on the brakes, but the car went forward like it was a racing car. Then the car went in reverse and landed from the street onto the sidewalk. 4. My car is a 2006 Toyota Highlander 5. I believed the pedal got stuck and the car accelerated towards the other car. 6. It felt like the car was going 100 miles an hour.
Was driving in traffic when an alarm sounded and several dashboard lights lit up. Center display said "check vsc system". I took it to the dealer who said the ABS module needs to be replaced at a cost $2,800. Other than a vibration under the hood while slowing down the car appears to be operating normally. The ABS warning light is on which leads me to believe the ABS maybe disabled. I was able to run a vsc diagnostic and pulled code 45. Given the number of reported incidents for this failure it appears to be a wide spread problem.
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.
Acceleration complaints in other Highlander years
Frequently asked questions
How common are acceleration problems on the 2006 Toyota Highlander?
NHTSA has 43 complaints about the speed control & acceleration of the 2006 Toyota Highlander, 15% of the model year's 278 complaints. The component named most often is accelerator pedal (2 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2006 Toyota Highlander acceleration problems?
Yes — NHTSA recall 11V-112 (accelerator pedal, Feb 24, 2011). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
At what mileage do 2006 Toyota Highlander acceleration problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 50,000 miles, and 29% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 14 crashes, 1 fire and 11 injuries and 1 death 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.