TOYOTA HIGHLANDER HYBRID · model year

2005 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER HYBRID

2 NHTSA complaints, and 1 active recall for this specific cohort.

NHTSA overall rating

Not crash-tested

New Car Assessment Program

The 2005TOYOTAHIGHLANDER HYBRID carries 2 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.

Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 2005 HIGHLANDER HYBRID is steering with 1 filings, followed by electronic stability control (esc) (1). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability. This model year has 1 active recall campaign, which means the manufacturer is obligated to remedy the covered defect at no charge for the life of the vehicle — the full NHTSA campaign numbers are listed below.

NHTSA currently has 3 investigation files overlapping the 2005 HIGHLANDER HYBRID. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.

2
Complaints
0
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths

Total Complaints

2 filings

Crashes Reported

0 reports

Source

NHTSA ODI

Federal complaints database

Complaints vs. fleet median (215)

At or below the fleet median complaint volume.

Complaints by Component

ComponentCount
STEERING1
ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)1

Recalls (1)

11V11200024/02/2011

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

Recent Complaints

20150311STEERING

WHILE DRIVING THE POWER STEERING STOP WORKING. VERY HARD TO TURN THE STEERING WHEEL TO PARK IN SAFE PLACE. CAR RUNS BUT IS VERY DIFFICULT TO STEER. SAFETY HAZARD. *TR

Mileage: 131,000

20150311ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)

WHILE DRIVING THE POWER STEERING STOP WORKING. VERY HARD TO TURN THE STEERING WHEEL TO PARK IN SAFE PLACE. CAR RUNS BUT IS VERY DIFFICULT TO STEER. SAFETY HAZARD. *TR

Mileage: 131,000

Compare 2005TOYOTAHIGHLANDER HYBRID to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 2005 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER HYBRID have?
The 2005 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER HYBRID has 2 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
Are there any recalls for the 2005 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER HYBRID?
Yes, the 2005 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER HYBRID has 1 recall(s). The most common affected component is VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:ACCELERATOR PEDAL. Recalls are issued by NHTSA and manufacturers must provide a free remedy.
What are the most common problems with the 2005 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER HYBRID?
The most-complained component for the 2005 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER HYBRID is STEERING with 1 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC).
Is the 2005 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER HYBRID safe to buy?
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. No NHTSA crash test rating is available for this model year. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.

Vehicle Safety Guides

Data as of 2025. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.