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 2013 Toyota Highlander owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
The factory Blizzard Pearl paint on this vehicle is experiencing severe chemical delamination down to the bare primer and sheet metal on multiple body panels. This structural failure aligns exactly with Toyota Customer Support Program ZKG. Large sheets of brittle paint regularly flake and peel off while driving at highway speeds, creating a projectile and visibility hazard for following motorists. Despite this being a known manufacturing defect, the vehicle falls outside of Toyota's arbitrary 10-year secondary extension window, leaving a recognized factory flaw unremedied.
Our 2013 Toyota Highlander has had 3 of the 4 door actuators fail in a 26 month period. The first actuator failed in in March 2017 (car was only 3 years, 8 months old), the second actuator failed in February 2018 (car was 4 years, 7 months old) and the third actuator failed in May 2019 (car was only 5 years 10 months old). Because the door actuator failed, the door did not lock when placing the car in drive which increased the chances the door would open in the event of a crash; thereby, reducing the structural integrity of the vehicle in a crash. Since the actuators also failed to automatically unlock when the car was placed in park, the actuators would not automatically unlock the doors in the event of an airbag deployment; thereby, possibly impeding the ability to enter/exit the car in an emergency situation. A complaint was lodged with Toyota and a case number was established. …
Black shredded material blew out of the air vents upon starting the car. If I had not had the A/C on and, rather, chose to turn it on while driving, I might have been blinded by the large amount of shredded material that flew into my face and eyes. - that is a liability as far as I am concerned. Had I been driving, I can see that I would have had a very difficult time being able control something I could not see. I was told by the dealership that I May have a rodent issue - I have done some research on line and have learned that Toyota, among other car manufacturers, is constructing vehicle parts out of biodegradable products, including soy, cane husks, etc., making my car a tasty treat for nasty animals. Furthermore, there is nothing that prevents something from crawling from the outside into the cabin through the engine and I believe that to be a manufacturing defect. …
The complaint has to do with computer systems on this vehicle. Some of the complaint is convenience, but worrisome because other systems seem to be involved as well. The computer screen has always been slow/hesitent, with various "glitches". Vehicle has GPS mapping screen which occassionally "disconnects" and resets to blank screen. The Bluetooth and other systems have also "disconnected" and couldn't be reset until the vehicle was stopped and turned off. The headlights sometimes do not shut off, day/night doesn't work properly. Have had occassional problems with door locks not working as they should. Never know when and which systems will be affected. I have also filed a complaint about intermitent non-acceleration issues, which maybe related.
About a week ago my right rear passenger door lock started to fail. The door would not unlock. This is the door my 5 year old daughter uses. I took it too a dealer and was charged $638 total to replace the actuator. The service tech actually misquoted me, I would never pay this much to fix this part. Upon reading now I see that many, many people have this problem. My car is still under 3 years old. The actuators should not fail. I have never had this problem in any other car. This is a severe safety issue if the car is in an accident. These cars need to be recalled. I will be contacting Toyota too.
Bought vehicle 'certified' on 04/20/17 and first oil change 06/30/17 corrosion on battery terminal notated. New battery purchased. 05/25/17, corrosion is again notated. Vehicle has been through 2 separate oil changes and no corrosion notated. Now dealer is stating verbally $5800 to fix terminals and cable due to battery acid and corrosion leading to electrical damage. Harness damage. Flaw of this vehicle is all components are interconnected. Rep will not put in writing, but is saying major hazard. Toyota will give only $2500 towards cost. Not driving car at this time.
Each of the four door lock actuators have malfunctioned such that the door cannot be unlocked/opened from either the inside or outside of the car. This has occurred during the past 18 months. It is a safety hazard in case of a wreck/fire where someone could not get out of the car emergently or security threat if the driver/passenger emergently needed to enter the car to avoid harm. I have receipts for all repairs at the local Toyota dealership. I was told by a Toyota dealer ship representative this is a recognized issue with the vehicle.
Tl* the contact owns a 2013 Toyota Highlander. While driving at approximately 45 MPH, the power steering failed and the instrument panel displayed that the power steering needed assistance. The vehicle was driven to the dealer for diagnostic testing. The technician stated that the electronic computer that managed the steering needed to be replaced. The manufacture was notified of the failure. The VIN was unknown. The approximate failure mileage was 48,500.....updated 10-27-15
The door locks are failing one by one. It seems to be bad actuators. First, one door wasn't locking automatically when pressing lock on the key fob. Now, I have 2 doors not locking automatically when I hit lock on the key fob. I feel this poses a safety hazard for myself and my belongings because if I ever needed to enter my car quickly with my 2 kids, I cannot. This occurs while vehicle is parked.
I have had to replace every automatic opener door locks on every door and some twice (early 2014 to present). They can't tell me why the keep failing. Now that the car is out of warranty I now have 2 more automatic door locks that have failed. I have another friend who owns a Highlander and he is having the automatic door openers fail. This must be a defect in the design of these locks.
Electrical complaints in other Highlander years
Frequently asked questions
How common are electrical problems on the 2013 Toyota Highlander?
NHTSA has 26 complaints about the electrical system of the 2013 Toyota Highlander, 13% of the model year's 207 complaints. The component named most often is body control module/bcm (1 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2013 Toyota Highlander electrical problems?
No. NHTSA lists no electrical system recall for the 2013 Toyota Highlander, though it has 3 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 2013 Toyota Highlander electrical problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 40,000 miles, and 40% 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.