Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (battery, alternator, wiring, ignition, instrument cluster, infotainment).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2010 Toyota Highlander owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
The contact owns a 2010 Toyota Highlander. The contact stated that while driving 40 MPH, the vehicle lost automotive power and started to drift to the right side of the road. The brake pedal was depressed, and the vehicle was able to come to a complete stop. The contact mentioned she waited for AAA for roadside assistance. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed alternator needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure but offered no assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 185,420.
When applying the brake slowly all of a sudden the car went full acceleration and crashed 500ft away at high speed. The car is crashed but available for inspection for a short period of time until the insurance company takes full posession. There are not open recalls. The only lights on the dash were for TPMS sensor.
The contact owns a 2010 Toyota Highlander. The contact stated that the gear shifter had been stuck on several occasions. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where the fuses were replaced on several occasions; however, the failure persisted. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the rearview mirror wiring had failed. The vehicle was repaired. The contact related the failure to an unknown recall. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.
The brake actuator assembly and brake booster pump assembly had a recall on it but my truck was not having problems then. I noticed that when I start braking, the truck speeds up. Then all the light on the dash board came on. When my vehicle started having problems I call and they told me that the recall had expired 3 months earlier for my vehicle and it was up to the owner to have it fixed. I didn't get a notice and I wasn't aware of such recall so why am I liable for the repairs. I need help with this please.
The door ajar indicator on the dash is lit up 100% of the time even though it appears that all doors are closed. This problem started approx. 2 years ago. In addition if the car sits for more than 1 day, it drains the battery and the car has to be jumped. When making a left hand turn or start from a stopped position, the warning sound dings. And the key fob cannot be used to lock the car. My mechanic discovered that it is the rear hatch sensor that is faulty. Maybe the sensor is faulty or maybe I think the hatch is closed and latched and it really isn't or it is but at any moment, the latch could release and the hatch fly open. After doing a google search on this problem, I discovered that there are a lot of other people are having the same issue with their Highlander....I have attached a file that contains screen shots of others with this issue. …
2010 Toyota Highlander caught on fire while parked in garage of residence, destroying the Highlander and the car parked adjacent to it, along with most of the house. Prior to the fire, there were no issues with the vehicle. The Highlander was stationary, with the ignition off and parked in the garage. A subsequent investigation including inspecting burn patterns and thermal damage indicated the fire originated at the front of the Toyota Highlander on the driver's side where the fuse panel, battery and starter/solenoid were located. All three sources of ignition remain energized with the ignition off. The upper portion of the plastic housing on the fuse panel and battery had melted exposing the receivers for the fuses and plates inside the battery. The ends of the receivers had alloying on the receivers, but no failures were noted on fuse panel or battery. …
Safety hazard - beginning in mid 2014, my driver side door lock started to give me problems not locking with the remote. I changed the battery several times to no avail. Soon, the other door locks stopped working one by one. Eventually, none of the locks worked with the remote or by pressing the power lock buttons on the doors. When this problem initially started, I noticed my radio station information would also disappear or be illegible. When I took the vehicle to the dealer, it was over $1,000 to have the actuators repaired, since they had "gone bad". After researching a bit, I noticed several makes, models and years of Toyota vehicles are also having these problems. My vehicle only had $50,000 miles at most when all this started, and I maintain the suggested maintenance. …
When stationary or driving, dashboard door-open light stays on. All dome lights stay on when driving unless turned completely off on dashboard but they will still flicker and warning sound will go on and off when driving, turning a corner, or going over a bump on any road. When locking the car with the door-remote, the warning sound goes on and stays on until car is unlocked. Car must be locked by hand to stop warning sound. Car was sent to Toyota repair center for electrical repairs, but this warning light issue was not repaired. There is a bump in the rear hatch from backing up in a garage. Service dept. Said rear door needed to be repaired because rear hatch would not close correctly. However, rear hatch has always closed and still closed. Toyota could not guarantee a new hatch or repaired body work would fix the problem. Warning lights problem started months before rear door issue. …
Information center is flashing overheadlights, audible warning bell, visual warning lights flash on drivers display, unable to lock vehicle. This is alll due to the tailgate registering as open when in fact it is closed. If you unplug the sensor, it will not allow access into or out of the rear door. It has now started to not allow the vehicle to be locked - saying there is a door open (rear). If you go around and independently slam doors one at a time and then try to lock with the remote after each, it will eventually allow u to lock after slamming pass ft. Door. The is a notable problem for this series and is becoming quite prevalent . Dealer says don't know what is causing it. Independant mechanic say it is door actuator - which is extremely expensive.
Rear hatch sensor / door ajar defect rear door (hatch) ajar warning light, interior lights and warning sound (bing!) come on (often several times per second, as if flashing) whenever braking, turning, or on uneven surface. Not only is it annoying, the level of disturbance is severely distracting and necessitates taking eyes off the road to check the alarm. On a long trip this causes dangerous levels of aggravation. Multiple users have experienced this. I request that a recall be issued requiring Toyota to remedy this, regardless of warranty status, because of the safety issues due to the high levels of aggravation experienced by the users.
Electrical complaints in other Highlander years
Frequently asked questions
How common are electrical problems on the 2010 Toyota Highlander?
NHTSA has 53 complaints about the electrical system of the 2010 Toyota Highlander, 25% of the model year's 216 complaints. The component named most often is 12v/24v/48v battery (2 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2010 Toyota Highlander electrical problems?
No. NHTSA lists no electrical system recall for the 2010 Toyota Highlander, though it has 10 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 2010 Toyota Highlander electrical problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 66,000 miles, and 12% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 1 crash, 2 fires and 2 injuries to electrical system 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.