Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (service brakes, ABS, rotors and pads, parking brake).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2022 Toyota Highlander owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
The contact owns a 2022 Toyota Highlander. The contact stated while driving 65 MPH, the brake pedal was depressed, causing the vehicle to shudder and the steering wheel was vibrating. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed with warped rotors. The contact related the failure to Technical Service Bulletin: 0072-18 (Front Brake), however, the vehicle was not covered under the TSB. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 12,000.
The contact owns a 2022 Toyota Highlander. The contact stated that while depressing the brake pedal, the brakes failed to respond causing the braking distances to be extended. The contact stated that the failure was intermittent but had occurred on several occasions almost causing a crash. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer on several occasions, but the cause of the failure was not yet determined. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 8,000.
When coming to a stop, intermittently the brakes feel like they disengage for a moment before kicking back in and lunging me forward. The first time it happened I thought my foot has slipped off the brake pedal. When I happened again, I knew something was wrong and started noting when it happens and the driving conditions. I have taken it in the dealer 4 times now, have opened a ticket with Toyota and have been told since they can't reproduce the problem there isn't much they can do to fix it. The service manager did advise that a scan of my car revealed my ABS/skid kicked in at one of the times I noted, but that was it. This malfunction is typically at low speeds and when apply the brake on a curve. There is no reason the abs to kick as as this doesn't occur when slamming on brakes, but normal braking. No warning lights have been noted on my car and confirmed by the dealership. …
The contact owns a 2022 Toyota Highlander. The contact stated while driving 35-40 MPH and attempting to accelerate to enter the highway, the accelerator pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle responded sluggishly. The vehicle emitted abnormal sounds as though the transmission was in neutral. The contact depressed the accelerator pedal all the way to the floorboard and the vehicle responded as intended. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact was able to continue driving. Additionally, the contact stated that while driving 40 MPH, the brake pedal was depressed but hesitated to respond, causing 20 feet stopping distance delay. The contact stated that the failure mainly occurred in wet conditions, snowy conditions while driving approximately 60 MPH. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and test driven. …
My mother was killed on 5/27/22 by her brand new 2022 Highlander Platnum with about 2000 miles on it. There wasn't anyone inside her car at the time of her wrongful death. No person's car should kill it's owner in her own driveway at anytime especially when the car was empty. The Police report has not been completed by the local Police department yet. The day before the accident she took her car to her dealership Hansel Toyota Petaluma at 9am where she bought her car only a few weeks earlier bc her front bumper had fallen off on the freeway to ask them to put her bumper back on but Hansel Toyota of Petaluma refused her reasonable request. What they told my parents was to go file a claim with her auto insurance carrier. So they did. The next day my mother was run over and killed by her own car. Why did Hansel Toyota refuse to fix my mother's front bumper that day? Isn't that their job? …
On multiple occasions the breaks appear to momentarily slip, resulting in the car lunging forward. This tends to happen when slowly decelerating, especially when going down hill. It happens at random, regardless of weather or road conditions. I reported the issue to Toyota two services ago and they stated they were unable to replicate the issue despite driving my car 20 miles. Their best guess was that the ABS system is engaging briefly (Ok. That's an issue. They say there's nothing they can do). Both my husband and I have experienced this issue. It's incredibly unnerving and I'm worried it has potential to cause an accident. I have noticed an increase in occurrence over the past few months. I try to document the date and time of each incident. …
While driving my 2022 Toyota Highlander (VIN: [redacted] , 29,427 miles), I have experienced multiple recurring safety defects that Toyota has been unable or unwilling to repair under warranty. Front collision sensors frequently trigger without any object present, creating a risk of unexpected emergency braking at freeway speeds. Transmission hesitates and surges unpredictably, sometimes propelling the vehicle into traffic. In heavy rain, my windshield wipers activated on their own and multiple system failure warnings appeared (including ABS failure), nearly causing a crash. Persistent startability issue when fuel is below half a tank. Seatbelt malfunction caused a passenger to strike their head. Seat heater failure, seat separation, persistent coolant odor, and nonfunctional factory wireless charger since purchase. …
The cars brakes will release and car will lurch forward forcing you to hit the brakes again to avoid colliding with car in front of you. This is a KNOWN problem called "HYBRID REGENERATIVE BRAKE TRANSITION FEELING IMPROVEMENT" PER Toyota's TSB-0059-23. They know of the problem, but do not tell people about it upon bringing car in. My car is starting to do it more now, and they will not cover because it is "beyond 36,000 miles or 3 year manufacturer warranty" This is NOT a minor safety problem. I have had this happen being first car to stop at red light and brake will release and lurch forward almost causing me to go into cross traffic! It has happened multiple times almost making me hit the car in front of me (rear ending the car stopped in front of me). This is not a warranty issue like the weatherstriping on window is bad! THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE INVOLVING 100,000 OF CARS. …
I would like to file a complaint regarding Toyota's known brake surge issue addressed in Technical Service Bulletin T-SB-0059-23. I believe this is a serious safety issue because the unexpected braking or brake surge when stopping can potentially cause a driver to lose control of the vehicle or contribute to an accident. I contacted a Toyota dealership near me about the issue, but they were unwilling to provide any assistance. I then contacted another Toyota dealership, which informed me that they could perform the repair but would charge approximately $400. I am concerned that Toyota has identified and documented this issue through T-SB-0059-23 but does not provide the repair free of charge unless the vehicle is still within the 36,000-mile warranty period. …
We have noticed that when we brake the vehicle, it intermittently LURCHES FORWARD very fast while you are breaking and trying to stop! This is extremely unsafe! We need to stop and brake and not go forward. It does this unexpectedly with no notice and does not always do it consistently but we have noticed it is getting worse and worse and we are worried we will hit another car in front or even a person because the car will not stop on time. When I looked online, this is a well known issue on Toyota Highlanders, especially hybrids like ours and Toyota has done nothing to fix this dangerous problem. They have even told car owners to drive slower but I can tell you it doesn't seem to matter if I'm going 25 mph or faster or slower- the car gives no notice and goes FASTER while you are trying to stop!!!!! Please help us Toyota Highlander owners!!!! This car gives us no warning whatsoever. …
Brake complaints in other Highlander years
Frequently asked questions
How common are brake problems on the 2022 Toyota Highlander?
NHTSA has 39 complaints about the brakes of the 2022 Toyota Highlander, 15% of the model year's 263 complaints. The component named most often is disc › rotor (1 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2022 Toyota Highlander brake problems?
No. NHTSA lists no brakes recall for the 2022 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 2022 Toyota Highlander brake problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 8,000 miles, and 100% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 3 crashes, 0 fires and 0 injuries and 1 death to brakes 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.