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 2010 Toyota Highlander owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
Sun roof glass exploded while driving on a highway at about 60 to 65 miles per hour. We had the sun shade closed so we did not know the sun roof glass had exploded. Pulled off the road, no other car or truck was near us, and discovered the sun roof glass had exploded and glass was prevented from entering the passenger compartment because the shade was closed. Went to a Toyota dealer about 10 miles away and they said it was probably caused by a rock. I said no one was near us, front or back, and they said we might have had a chip in the sun roof glass from before this happened. It was a nice day, no rain, not too hot, around 65 degrees, comfortable, sun was out. They taped the glass that was still together so we could drive home and have it repaired. They did not have the glass and would take several days. This happened in July, 2012.
Tl* the contact owns a 2010 Toyota Highlander. The contact stated that the passenger side visor was fractured. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The dealer was contacted and stated that they would not repair the vehicle free of charge since the VIN was not included in a related recall. The dealer advised the contact to call the manufacturer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and informed the contact that the repairs would not be free of charge. The manufacturer also advised the contact to call the NHTSA hotline and provided case number 1705112724. The failure mileage was 137,300. Updated 06/29/17 the consumer requested to dismiss this case as it has been resolved by the manufacturer. Updated 07/11/2017
I purchased this 2010 Toyota Highlander new. At 45,000 miles, the driver-side sun visor failed to remain in the upright position. It continues to fall and block the driver's view when driving. Even though the vehicle was within the 50,000 mile warranty period, the dealership said the sun visor is not covered under the warranty. I new visor is over $200. I used to work for the Toyota at the headquarters located in torrance, california. It is unfortunate that Toyota does not recognize this sun visor as a customer hazard and failure of the part. This failure should be repaired/replaced at Toyota's expense before it causes serious harm to the driver and passengers.
The visor is defective and gets stuck in a 45 degree angle position. A warranty repair was made, but it happened a second time outside of warranty. Also, the passenger side visor developed the same problem, also outside of warranty. Based on the position of the visor at a 45 degree angle, if there's an accident the head of the driver or passenger will go right into the brim of the visor. This is obviously very dangerous and should be addressed by Toyota. I believe Toyota needs to issue a recall immediately before someone gets seriously injured or worse.
The driver's side sun visor will not stay up. Repeated attempts to get the local Toyota dealer to fix the problem resulted in them saying that it is not covered by the warranty. This is a safety issue. The visor could fall enough to block the driver's vision. Also, in the event of an accident the driver's forehead would be propelled into the edge of a sun visor that is partially down causing a possible serious head injury. This issue should be a safety recall.
The front side window glass is inoperative due to broken window mounting tab. I had to disconnect the power to the window motor so it can't be used. As far as I'm concerned it's a safety issue if operated while driving, the window comes off track and gets cockeyed.
The driver's visor broke. I put it down to block the bright sun here in the desert and heard a loud snap. The visor no longer has the ability to stay up or all the way forward. Resulting problem: 1. In the up position it will not fully retract into the roof visor pocket and hangs down about 2.5 inches from the car roof. Concerned the small edge would smack me right in the middle of the forehead if I was in an accident and fell forward. If you were tall you could potentially be impacted directly in the eyes if you fell forward from a read end collision. 2. In the down position, which the visor is most frequently here in the desert region, it no longer can be pushed forward to the windshield, so it hangs down low, and partially obstructs your ability to read signs above your line of vision over the hood. …
Several times since we purchased the vehicle, the front driver's window will come off track and not allow to roll up the window. This really is not a safety issue however one time the window did not come off track however the door would not open from the inside. We had to roll down the window to open from the outside. This was very scary since my wife drives the vehicle and transports our children and grandson. I was afraid if she were in an accident and the power window did not work she would have to find another way to exit the vehicle. Since the vehicle has been out of warranty, we found another place to fix the issue. We still have issues at times with the window. Another issue is that the rear door sensor constantly indicates the door is open when it is not. …
I was driving on m hwy into sedalia mo on Saturday afternoon, 4/5/14, when I heard a loud pop like a gunshot, and I looked up & saw that my moonroof shattered into a million pieces, but it stayed together like safety glass is supposed to. Tiny shards started to filter down but I was able to stop & close the sun visor to prevent other glass from falling down. There was no one in front of me that could have kicked up a rock, no explanation for the moonroof to suddenly shatter. We just purchased this car in February, & bought a certified Toyota platinum warranty at that time. The local dealership called for warranty approval & they were told Toyota does not cover glass and we would have to file with our insurance to pay for the repair. Thankfully I only have $50 deductible, but this should never have happened, unless it was a defect that Toyota should be responsible for.
Tl contact owns a 2010 Toyota Highlander. The contact stated that when he turned the headlights on, he could not see objects on the side of the vehicle. While driving approximately 35 MPH and various speeds if he hit a dip or curve in the road, the visibility would drop to less than 2 feet in front of him. He noticed the issue difference whenever he had to use the headlights. He took the vehicle to the dealer and was informed that there was no solution to the problem. He called the manufacturer and was advised to file a lemon law complaint. The current mileage was approximately 3,500. The failure mileage was approximately 60. Updated 03/19/10. The windshield had to be replaced due to hairline cracks forming, the heated seats were not heating properly, the skid control light had illuminated and the dash lights would blink intermittently. Updated 07/27/10
Related recalls
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.
Window & Wiper complaints in other Highlander years
Frequently asked questions
How common are window & wiper problems on the 2010 Toyota Highlander?
NHTSA has 42 complaints about the windows, wipers & sunroof of the 2010 Toyota Highlander, 19% of the model year's 216 complaints. The component named most often is windshield (2 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2010 Toyota Highlander window & wiper problems?
Yes — NHTSA recall 15V-689 (power window devices and controls, Oct 22, 2015). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
At what mileage do 2010 Toyota Highlander window & wiper problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 50,000 miles, and 9% before 25,000 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.