TOYOTA HIGHLANDER HYBRID · model year

2013 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER HYBRID

6 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.

NHTSA overall rating

Not crash-tested

New Car Assessment Program

The 2013TOYOTAHIGHLANDER HYBRID carries 6 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 2013 HIGHLANDER HYBRID is air bags with 1 filings, followed by unknown or other (1) and service brakes (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.

NHTSA currently has 3 investigation files overlapping the 2013 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.

6
Complaints
0
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths

Total Complaints

6 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
AIR BAGS1
UNKNOWN OR OTHER1
SERVICE BRAKES1
ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)1
POWER TRAIN1
STRUCTURE:BODY1

Recent Complaints

20190627STRUCTURE:BODY

WE RECENTLY HAD OUR HIGHLANDER COMPLETELY TOTALED BY OUR INSURANCE AFTER A FAILURE TO HAVE OUR AIR CONDITIONING DRAIN PROPERLY. THE CLOG CAUSED WATER TO BACK UP INTO THE FRAME OF THE CAR AND FLOOD OUR FLOOR CARPETING. THE DRAINAGE ISSUE ALSO CAUSED THE HEADLINERS TO BECOME WET AND DRIP ONTO THE LEATHER UPHOLSTERY. WE BROUGHT THIS TO THE ATTENTION OF THE DEALERSHIP ADVANTAGE TOYOTA VALLEY STREAM AND THEY FIRST SUGGESTED CLEARING THE MOON ROOF BUT THAT WASN'T THE ISSUE. WHEN WE BROUGHT IT BACK TO THEM THEY KNEW IT WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE A/C DRAIN. THIS APPEARS TO BE A KNOWN ISSUE WITH TOYOTA VEHICLES. EVEN THOUGH THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM IT'S NOT PART OF THEIR STANDARD MAINTENANCE PROCESS. WE COULD HAVE SAVED OURSELVES A HEADACHE BY HAVING THEM "ADD" THIS TO THE REGULAR MAINTENANCE.

Mileage: 48,000

20180109POWER TRAIN

OVER NIGHT MY PARKED SUV MOVED 10 FEET BACKWARDS ON A VERY SLIGHT UP SLOPED PARKING SPACE AT MY HOME. IT WAS LOCKED, IN PARK AND NO ICE UNDERNEATH. I DID NOT MOVE IT AFTER FIRST NOTICING INCIDENT, BUT IT THEN MOVED ANOTHER 2 FEET THIS MORNING. THEN LATER I GOT IN AND MOVED IT BACK TO ORIGINAL PLACE, PUT IT IN PARK AND IT CAME TO AN ABRUPT STOP. THEN SET PARKING BRAKE SO THIS DOESN'T HAPPEN AGAIN. CALLED SOUTH HILLS TOYOTA AND THEY WERE NOT AWARE OF ANY CAUSE OR PROBLEM. PLEASE ADVISE, RJM PS: NO ICY CONDITIONS INVOLVED. SMART KEY WAS IN HOUSE ON TABLE. NO ONE IN HOUSEHOLD MOVED IT.

Mileage: 47,200

20160801SERVICE BRAKES

8/1/2016 2013 HIGHLANDER HYBRID WAS TRAVELING AT 60MPH WHEN LIGHTS ON DASH STARTED BLINKING WITH A LOUD BEEPING NOISE. BRAKE MALFUNCTION, CHECK ABS WAS READING ON THE INFORMATION SCREEN. TRAFFIC AHEAD ON 2 LANE HIGHWAY WITH A SPEED LIMIT OF 55MPH HAD SUDDENLY STOPPED AND I WAS FORCED TO SLAM ON BRAKES. AT THIS POINT THE BRAKES FELT VERY HEAVY, HEAVIER THAN USUAL, AS I DETECTED WHEEL LOCK UP AND PROCEEDED TO PUMP THE BRAKES TO AVOID REAR ENDING THE VEHICLE AHEAD.

Mileage: 53,400

20160801ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)

8/1/2016 2013 HIGHLANDER HYBRID WAS TRAVELING AT 60MPH WHEN LIGHTS ON DASH STARTED BLINKING WITH A LOUD BEEPING NOISE. BRAKE MALFUNCTION, CHECK ABS WAS READING ON THE INFORMATION SCREEN. TRAFFIC AHEAD ON 2 LANE HIGHWAY WITH A SPEED LIMIT OF 55MPH HAD SUDDENLY STOPPED AND I WAS FORCED TO SLAM ON BRAKES. AT THIS POINT THE BRAKES FELT VERY HEAVY, HEAVIER THAN USUAL, AS I DETECTED WHEEL LOCK UP AND PROCEEDED TO PUMP THE BRAKES TO AVOID REAR ENDING THE VEHICLE AHEAD.

Mileage: 53,400

20150622UNKNOWN OR OTHER

WATER IS LEAKING INTO THE VEHICLE, SOAKING CARPET AND THE FLOOR, EVERYTIME IT RAINS. LOTS OF WATER REMAINS IN THE FLOOR EVERYTIME IT HAPPENS, MOSTLY IN THE MIDDLE ROW, SMELLING BAD AFTER A WHILE. DEALER SAID THEY CAN'T FIND IT. !..UPDATED 08/13/15 *BF UPDATED 11/27/2015*JS

20150209AIR BAGS

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER HYBRID. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH, THE AIRBAG OFF WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER AND WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 16,500.

Mileage: 16,500

Compare 2013TOYOTAHIGHLANDER HYBRID to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 2013 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER HYBRID have?
The 2013 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER HYBRID has 6 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 2013 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER HYBRID?
The most-complained component for the 2013 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER HYBRID is AIR BAGS with 1 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include UNKNOWN OR OTHER and SERVICE BRAKES.
Is the 2013 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.