2007 Toyota Highlander Hybrid: common problems

Owners of the 2007 Toyota Highlander Hybrid filed 110 complaints with NHTSA, most often about service brakes and electrical system. Details by component below, with sources.

Key figures

Owner complaints: 110
involving a crash: 14

What fails most often

1 Service brakes 42% of all complaints
2 Electrical system 25% of all complaints
3 Vehicle speed control 14% of all complaints
4 Hybrid propulsion system 13% of all complaints
5 Electronic stability control 9% of all complaints
6 Engine 7% of all complaints
7 Fuel/propulsion system 7% of all complaints
8 Powertrain 4% of all complaints

Circle size and colour show each component’s share of NHTSA complaints. Schematic only, not a drawing of the exact model.

Service brakes: 46 complaints (42% of all), 10 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Electrical system: 28 complaints (25% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Vehicle speed control: 15 complaints (14% of all), 6 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Hybrid propulsion system: 14 complaints (13% of all).
Electronic stability control: 10 complaints (9% of all).

Symptoms owners describe

How many of the 110 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).

warning lights, check engine19 · 17%
stalls while driving17 · 15%
loss of power / limp mode10 · 9%
brake failure8 · 7%
unintended acceleration7 · 6%
jerking, harsh shifts5 · 5%
won't start3 · 3%
steering or power steering problems3 · 3%
windows, sunroof3 · 3%
airbags did not deploy2 · 2%

Components owners complain about

Component	Owner complaints	involving a crash
Service brakes	46	10
Electrical system	28	1
Vehicle speed control	15	6
Hybrid propulsion system	14	0
Electronic stability control	10	0
Engine	8	0
Fuel/propulsion system	8	2
Powertrain	4	0
Visibility	4	0
Air bags	3	2
Engine and cooling	3	0
Steering	3	0
Wheels	3	0
Structure	2	0

What owners report

Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.

Based on speaking with many people about this accident they are all shocked my airbags did not deploy based on the type and severity of the accident and all of my doctors have questioned why they did not deploy and were also surprised.
Air bags · crash · 2013-10-25 · NHTSA complaint #10549444
Air bags never deployed. I was not injured except for a sore neck and right shoulder. They are just now pulling the black box from my car. No response from toyota yet.[xxx] information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6).
Service brakes · crash · 2013-10-01 · NHTSA complaint #10546345
I was leaving my condo driving up hill when my car lost power and rolled backwards . I panicked didn't know what was happening and rolled into another car . I had to roll downhill and call aaa to tow to hooman toyota long beach.
Fuel/propulsion system · crash · 2013-07-25 · NHTSA complaint #10531781
I hadn't been doing anything but sitting there, waiting for the car in front of me to start moving, when my vehicle went forward (lurched) and I rear-ended the car in front of me! I have never done that in my life.
Service brakes · crash · 2010-07-01 · NHTSA complaint #10340948
Tl contact owns a 2007 toyota highlander hybrid. The contact stated that she was driving approximately 1 mph, when the vehicle accelerated and crashed into the garage and a bedroom. She then shifted the vehicle into reverse it accelerated in reverse.
Vehicle speed control · crash · 2010-02-24 · NHTSA complaint #10313871
We believe this accident was caused by a problem of sudden acceleration or braking that made the car go forward overpowering the brake. We also believe that this problem may be related to the toyota acceleration and electronic braking that has been the basis of the recent toyota recalls. Based on our experience: 1.
Service brakes · crash · 2010-02-05 · NHTSA complaint #10306296
During the process of putting the car in reverse, with my foot on the brake,(necessary for ignition) my car accelerated on its own at a very high speed, and smashed into the parked car behind me. I had absolutely no control of this car.
Vehicle speed control · crash · 2009-11-05 · NHTSA complaint #10291096
The contactâs son stated while driving approximately 70 MPH, the vehicle lost motive power and stalled. The contact stated that several unknown warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the contactâs residence. The vehicle was not taken to a dealer to be diagnosed.
Engine · 2022-01-26 · NHTSA complaint #11449033

When owners complained

NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.

20093
201022
20118
20129
201320
20149
201510
20166
20176
20188
20197
20221
20241

Comparison

By complaint count this model year ranks 3,347 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 9% most complained about).

On average one model year of the Highlander Hybrid has 38 complaints (22 years in the data). This year has 110, above average.

What to check before buying

Service brakes. Pedal feel, ABS operation, leaks, discs and hoses.
Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
Vehicle speed control. Accelerator pedal, cruise control, throttle codes.
Hybrid propulsion system. HV battery state, hybrid codes, water ingress.

Other years of this model

Questions and answers

What are the most common problems with the 2007 Toyota Highlander Hybrid?

Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: service brakes, electrical system, vehicle speed control. Total complaints: 110. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: warning lights, check engine (17%), stalls while driving (15%), loss of power / limp mode (9%).

How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2007 Toyota Highlander Hybrid?

NHTSA lists 0 manufacturer service bulletins for this year. A bulletin tells dealers how to diagnose or fix a known issue; it is not a recall.

Should I buy a 2007 Toyota Highlander Hybrid from a US auction?

Owner complaints describe defects, not crash damage. Before bidding, check the components listed above and review the lot photos: VinWind builds a report of visible and hidden damage by VIN.

Other 2007 models

Read also

Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-05.