2013 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER Complaints and Recall Information

SEATS

Toyota is recalling certain model year 2013 Highlander vehicles manufactured March 13, 2013, through August 6, 2013. In the affected vehicles, the second row left hand seat may not lock in place when positioned in the forward front or second adjusting position. As such, the vehicles do not conform to Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 207, "Seating Systems."

Risk: If the seat does not lock into the seat track, there may be an increased risk of injury to an occupant in the event of a crash.

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:SENSOR/CONTROL MODULE-INACTIVE

Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC (SET) is recalling certain models interspersed through model years 2009 through 2013 as follows: model year 2009-2012 Tacoma, 4Runner, Camry, Camry Hybrid, Prius, and RAV4; model year 2009-2010 Avalon, FJ Cruiser, and Highlander Hybrid; model year 2010-2013 model year Corolla, Sienna and Tundra; model year 2009-2013 Highlander and Venza; model year 2012 Prius V; and model year 2010-2012 Sequoia. During modification by SET to include accessories such as leather seat covers, seat heaters or headrest DVD systems, these vehicles may not have had the passenger seat occupant sensing system calibration tested. Without passing the calibration test, the occupant sensing system may not operate as designed.

Risk: If the front passenger seat occupant sensing system is out of calibration, the front passenger airbags may not deploy or they may deploy inappropriately for the passenger's size and position. This could increase the risk of personal injury during the event of a vehicle crash necessitating airbag deployment.

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

A persistent smell of fuel occurred while in slow moving traffic and after vehicle was parked after use. Upon close inspection, the fuel injector fuel rail end cap exhibited a slow fuel leak. This component caused a recall for year model highlanders for 2014 production year describing the same type of component failure. The component has faulty end cap weldment that fails, causing the same failure mode being observed in my highlander. This is a fire hazard! Fuel rails should not be failing like this. A replacement fuel rail assembly has been order from Salinas Toyota. The original component can be made available for inspection/testing. I will also take a video of the leak and provide file upon request.

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

I own a Toyota and have always been a strong supporter of the brand — I truly believe Toyota’s reliability and build quality are unmatched. That’s why I was shocked and disappointed to discover that the paint on the roof of my car, especially near the sunroof, had started peeling. I left for a two-week trip, and when I returned in June 2025, I noticed that the paint had begun to flake and peel severely. The surface felt brittle and dry, and simply touching the area caused more paint to come off. It was clear that the damage had occurred during sun exposure while I was away. I later learned that Toyota had launched a Customer Support Program related to paint issues on white vehicles, but I was completely unaware that it existed or that it had ended in 2024. Had I known, I would have brought the vehicle in sooner. My car only started showing signs of this defect in mid-2025, well after the program had expired. I’m reporting this because I believe the issue is still ongoing and more widespread than Toyota may realize. As a loyal Toyota owner and enthusiast, this experience has been incredibly frustrating and disappointing.

SEAT BELTS

Driver side airbags (curtain and left seat) spontaneously deployed while I was parking the car. I did not hit anything. I was not injured but my safety was put at risk because I likely would have crashed if it had happened while I was driving. I contacted Toyota and they sent an investigator to inspect the car. He found no issues in the data he collected and could not give a reason for the airbags deployment. I received a letter saying they were not going to help in any way. There were no warnings lights or indicators that could have warned me of the airbags deploying prior to the incident.

AIR BAGS

Driver side airbags (curtain and left seat) spontaneously deployed while I was parking the car. I did not hit anything. I was not injured but my safety was put at risk because I likely would have crashed if it had happened while I was driving. I contacted Toyota and they sent an investigator to inspect the car. He found no issues in the data he collected and could not give a reason for the airbags deployment. I received a letter saying they were not going to help in any way. There were no warnings lights or indicators that could have warned me of the airbags deploying prior to the incident.

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:CUSHION

The contact owns a 2013 Toyota Highlander. The contact stated that while driving in negative 10-degree weather at 75 MPH, the driver's and passenger’s side curtain air bags deployed without warning or impact. The local dealer was contacted, but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 124,000. The VIN was not available.

AIR BAGS:PASSENGER SIDE FRONTAL:CUSHION

The contact owns a 2013 Toyota Highlander. The contact stated that while driving in negative 10-degree weather at 75 MPH, the driver's and passenger’s side curtain air bags deployed without warning or impact. The local dealer was contacted, but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 124,000. The VIN was not available.