2014 Toyota Highlander: True Cost, Problems & Verdict
135 NHTSA owner complaints · 5 recalls · data-computed verdict. No opinions — public data only.
Editor's note
Avoid the 2018 to 2020 Highlander, which score 46, 40 and 37 on 261, 472 and 306 complaints, and treat the 2017 at 57 as a car that needs its drivetrain history documented. Buy a 2011 to 2016, where every year scores between 78 and 86 and none has more than 210 complaints. Read the full note on the model page. 2014 specifically: a year the record favours — 135 complaints, score 79/100. The caveats in the note apply to other years of this nameplate more than to this one.
Read the guide
Used Toyota Highlander: the years to avoid and the years to buy, including 2014 — written and signed by Adir Trabelsi, 2026-09-16.
Owner complaints: 135 filed with NHTSA
Complaints per year on the road: 11.25
What owners say
Verbatim reports filed with the United States safety regulator (NHTSA) by owners of this exact model year. Public record.
The radio keeps freezing up all the time along with the back tail light area going in and out. I keep smelling like burnt wire smell. Engine sound really rough.
I noticed the smell of wires burning, a billow of smoke started emitting from the two levers used to heat the seats near the gear shift area. I was on the freeway and immediately pulled to the side of the road, turned off the car and called 911 before any flames were seen. There were no warning signs, lamps or other symptoms until the smell of burning wires and the smoke.
The contact owns a 2014 Toyota Highlander. The contact stated that a hybrid system warning alert was displayed. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed and determined that the windshield wiring system had failed and that the windshield needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The mechanic informed the contact that the windshield failure was associated with NHTSA Campaign N…
Recalls: 5 campaigns (4 severe)
| Campaign | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|
| 14V051000 | Seat Belts:Rear/Other | Toyota is recalling certain model year 2014 Highlander vehicles manufactured November 20, 2013, through January 18, 2014. The third row middle seat belt assembly might not have been properly secured to the vehicle floor anchorage during vehicle assembly. |
| 14V576000 | Fuel System, Gasoline:Delivery:Hoses, Lines/Piping, And Fittings | Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain model year 2014 Toyota Avalon, Camry, Sienna, and Highlander and model year 2015 Lexus RX350 vehicles. Fuel may leak from the one of the fuel delivery pipes in the engine compartment. |
| 14V272000 | Electrical System:Software | Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain model year 2014 Highlander and Highlander Hybrid vehicles. The affected vehicles may have improper software installed in the air bag electronic control unit (ECU) for the operation of the front passenger seat belt force limiter, and as a result, the force limiter may use the restraint… |
| 14V274000 | Seats:Mid/Rear Assembly | Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain model year 2014 Highlander vehicles manufactured April 23, 2014, through April 29, 2014. The affected vehicles may have a second row right-hand seat assembly that does not fully lock into the inboard seat track in the forward first, second and third adjusting positions. |
| 18E107000 | Electrical System | Fujian Wanda Automobile Glass Industry (Wanda) is recalling certain aftermarket Replacement Windshields sold for use in 2014-2018 Toyota Highlander vehicles. The windshields have an attached wire harness that water may leak into, possibly causing damage to the vehicle's Engine Control Module (ECM). |
What it costs to buy — and what owning it really takes
Class-level estimates, priced as a mid-size SUV of its model year, re-priced to your country. Not a quote, not a valuation of one specific car — condition, mileage and options move it. How these are computed.
What it costs to run
EPA combined 22 MPG · estimated annual fuel cost $2,800
Re-priced automatically from your country's retail fuel, electricity and parts indices — change country in the bar at the top. Estimates; see methodology.
What this car's problems cost to fix
Ranked by the components owners of this exact model year actually complain about. Each figure is flat-rate labour hours x the local shop rate plus a parts band — an estimate of what this kind of failure costs, not a quote, and not a prediction that this car will need it. Formula.
- Electrical System35 complaints · typical job: Alternator, battery-drain or body-module diagnosis and replacement (3.0 h labour + parts)$540–$1,310
- Unknown Or Other34 complaints · typical job: Diagnosis and mixed repair (2.0 h labour + parts)$360–$940
- Structure32 complaints · typical job: Body, subframe or corrosion repair (6.0 h labour + parts)$1,070–$2,920
- Power Train8 complaints · typical job: Transmission service or clutch-pack repair (7.0 h labour + parts)$1,290–$4,040
- Visibility/Wiper6 complaints · typical job: Wiper motor, linkage or windscreen replacement (2.5 h labour + parts)$490–$1,200
- Seat Belts5 complaints · typical job: Pretensioner or retractor replacement (1.5 h labour + parts)$360–$800
Other Toyota Highlander years
Toyota Highlander years to avoid, and the best years to buy →
FAQ
What is the most common problem with the 2014 Toyota Highlander?
The most-reported issue in NHTSA complaint data is Electrical System (35 complaints in our indexed sample).
Is the 2014 Toyota Highlander a good used car to buy?
Our data verdict is BUY with a reliability score of 79/100, computed from 135 NHTSA complaints and 5 recall campaigns. See the verdict card for the top reasons.
How much does it cost to fix the 2014 Toyota Highlander's most common problem?
35 of the NHTSA complaints filed against the 2014 Toyota Highlander sit in the Electrical System group — more than any other component on this model year. The representative job there is alternator, battery-drain or body-module diagnosis and replacement: about 3.0 hours of labour plus parts, roughly $540–$1,310 at a US independent shop and re-priced to your country at the top of the page. It is an estimate of what this class of failure costs, not a quote for this car.
What does a 2014 Toyota Highlander cost to run per year?
About $5,293 a year in fuel or energy plus the maintenance band — roughly $26,468 over five years, before purchase price, insurance and depreciation. Figures come from available EPA fuel-economy data and industry maintenance averages, and are re-priced to your country.
Does the 2014 Toyota Highlander have recalls?
Yes — NHTSA lists 5 recall campaign(s) for the 2014 Toyota Highlander, 4 of them touching fire, crash or stall risk, the most recent recorded 07/02/2014. Check this car's VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls before you buy.
Compare with
Other midsize suvs of about the same age.
What will a 2014 Toyota Highlander really cost YOU per year?
Fuel, maintenance band and depreciation — computed from public data in 10 seconds.
Open the true-cost calculatorData sources
Complaints & recalls: NHTSA ·
Fuel economy: EPA fueleconomy.gov ·
Scoring: our published methodology.
Maintenance bands are industry-average estimates (AAA Your Driving Costs, CarMD index) — labeled estimates, not measurements.
Last updated: 2026-10-04.
Moderate evidence — 135 complaints, 5 recalls on record
- 135 NHTSA complaints on record (11.2/yr of exposure) — better than a typical year of this model (16.2/yr)
- 5 recall campaigns, 4 touching safety-critical systems