2015 Toyota Highlander Hybrid: common problems

Owners of the 2015 Toyota Highlander Hybrid filed 4 complaints with NHTSA, most often about electrical system and engine. Details by component below, with sources.

Key figures

Owner complaints: 4

What fails most often

1 Electrical system 50% of all complaints
2 Engine 25% of all complaints

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

Electrical system: 2 complaints (50% of all).
Engine: 1 complaints (25% of all).

Symptoms owners describe

How many of the 4 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).

infotainment or screen glitches2 · 50%
windows, sunroof1 · 25%

Components owners complain about

Component	Owner complaints	involving a crash	Technical service bulletins (TSB)
Electrical system	2	0	0
Engine	1	0	0
Other	2	0	0

What owners report

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

He opened the garage doors and windows in the house. I have since researched this. Several people have died under the same circumstances. I feel lucky. The car is a hybrid so it was alternating all night between the engine and the battery. We also had a cm detector in the garage which is not legally required.
Engine · 2017-10-20 · NHTSA complaint #11035322
The consumer stated the entune system screen froze while the vehicle was in motion on a straight road, making a right or left turn, and sitting idle in traffic. The screen would go dark and reset the system when the navigation feature was in use whether the radio was on or off. It would lose the navigation route.
Electrical system · 2017-03-23 · NHTSA complaint #10918313
Radio was off. When I was stopped in either traffic or a light we could hear a motor trying to start. I made it home safely. I had the car towed to the dealership and was advised that since they could not replicate the problem it didn't happen. They returned the car to me without any documentation of a complaint.
Electrical system · 2017-03-03 · NHTSA complaint #10958546

When owners complained

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

20173
20181

Comparison

By complaint count this model year ranks 15,521 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 42% most complained about).

On average one model year of the Highlander Hybrid has 38 complaints (22 years in the data). This year has 4, below average.

What to check before buying

Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
Engine. Cold start, unusual noises, oil leaks and engine codes.

Other years of this model

Questions and answers

What are the most common problems with the 2015 Toyota Highlander Hybrid?

Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: electrical system, engine. Total complaints: 4. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: infotainment or screen glitches (50%), windows, sunroof (25%).

How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2015 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 2015 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 2015 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.