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Before you buy a used Toyota Highlander.

2021–2026 · Hybrid · 1 engine

Taken only from Testigo's sourced sheets. Use it to question the seller and on the test drive: it does not confirm that any particular car is affected.

Toyota Highlander, real photo of this generation
Alexander Migl · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons · Photo source

The essentials.

Typical faults by engine

The period and mileage are those mentioned by each sheet's sources. They are not a maintenance interval and do not predict that any particular car will fail.

2.5 Hybrid

Hybrid

Official recalls: ask before you pay

A recall existing does not mean this car is affected or that it is still outstanding: it depends on the chassis number, the market and the production date.

  1. Ask the seller for the chassis number (VIN): it has 17 characters, appears in the car's documents and can usually also be seen at the base of the windscreen.
  2. Ask an official Toyota dealer, or the brand's official website if it lets you check by chassis number, whether each recall has been done or is still outstanding for that VIN.
  3. Manufacturer recalls are normally carried out free of charge by the official service network. If one is outstanding, ask for it to be done before you close the sale.
Toyota wheel, axle and suspension recalls (2004–2026)Suspension and steering

How to check it: Check by VIN whether any of the recalls is outstanding (at the dealer or on the DVSA website) and carry out the inspection or replacement it requires.

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Toyota engine, transmission and software recalls (2002–2026)Powertrain and engine management

How to check it: Check by VIN whether any of the recalls is outstanding (at the dealer or on the DVSA website) and carry out the inspection or replacement it requires.

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Toyota electrical, lighting and electronics recalls (2004–2025)Electrical and electronic systems

How to check it: Check by VIN whether any of the recalls is outstanding (at the dealer or on the DVSA website) and carry out the inspection or replacement it requires.

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Toyota body, seat and fitting recalls (2002–2024)Bodywork

How to check it: Check by VIN whether any of the recalls is outstanding (at the dealer or on the DVSA website) and carry out the inspection or replacement it requires.

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On the test drive: what to look and listen for

Taken from each sheet's symptoms and checks. You can tick off what you have already looked at: it is saved only in this browser.

0 of 2 checked

Brakes

  • Look out for: Vibration in the steering wheel and the pedal when braking, even gently and at any speed, often shortly after wheels, pads or discs were changed.

    Ask them to check: Ask the garage to loosen and re-tighten the nuts with a torque wrench, to the manual's torque and in a star pattern, and to measure whether the discs have been left warped; if so, they will need skimming or replacing.

High-voltage battery

  • Look out for: Hybrid battery cooling maintenance message, warning light with codes P0A80 or P0A7F, a noisy fan and less electric assistance; if ignored, the battery ages faster.

    Ask them to check: Clean or replace the filter and clean the fan before condemning the battery; keep the intake grille clear. At the garage, read the codes and, if needed, install the software Toyota specifies.

OBD codes worth looking for

If they let you read the fault memory with an OBD reader, these are the codes mentioned in this model's sheets:

P0A80P0A7F

Sources

Every fact on this page comes from these Testigo sheets and their original sources. Sources are not checked in real time.

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