2015 Toyota Highlander: True Cost, Problems & Verdict
190 NHTSA owner complaints · 2 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. 2015 specifically: a year the record favours — 190 complaints, score 78/100. 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 2015 — written and signed by Adir Trabelsi, 2026-09-16.
Owner complaints: 190 filed with NHTSA
Complaints per year on the road: 17.27
What owners say
Verbatim reports filed with the United States safety regulator (NHTSA) by owners of this exact model year. Public record.
The a/c condenser was damaged due to impact of road debris. This caused loss of proper system operation. The cost to repair was $1100+. The debris entered thru the front grill, which has nothing in place to prevent debris from entering the engine compartment.
The paint is severely peeling on the outside. This can likely flake off and damages other vehicles, property, and roadway infrastructure. This is the factory coat of paint. Color is Toyota Blizzard Pearl (070)
The contact owns a 2015 Toyota Highlander. The contact stated that the power liftgate consistently failed halfway through while opening and closing the liftgate. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact became aware of information online about Technical Service Bulletin: SB0023/16, NHTSA ID Number: 10134306 (Structure, Electrical System); and associated the failu…
Recalls: 2 campaigns (2 severe)
| Campaign | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|
| 15V144000 | Steering:Electric Power Assist System | Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain model year 2015 Camry, Camry Hybrid, Highlander, and Highlander Hybrid, and 2014-2015 Rav4 vehicles. A component of the electric power steering (EPS) electronic control unit (ECU) may have been damaged during the manufacturing process. |
| 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 System52 complaints · typical job: Alternator, battery-drain or body-module diagnosis and replacement (3.0 h labour + parts)$540–$1,310
- Unknown Or Other43 complaints · typical job: Diagnosis and mixed repair (2.0 h labour + parts)$360–$940
- Structure30 complaints · typical job: Body, subframe or corrosion repair (6.0 h labour + parts)$1,070–$2,920
- Steering25 complaints · typical job: Electric power-steering rack or column motor replacement (5.0 h labour + parts)$1,020–$2,500
- Service Brakes15 complaints · typical job: Pads, rotors and caliper service, both axles (3.0 h labour + parts)$580–$1,140
- Visibility/Wiper12 complaints · typical job: Wiper motor, linkage or windscreen replacement (2.5 h labour + parts)$490–$1,200
Other Toyota Highlander years
Toyota Highlander years to avoid, and the best years to buy →
FAQ
What is the most common problem with the 2015 Toyota Highlander?
The most-reported issue in NHTSA complaint data is Electrical System (52 complaints in our indexed sample).
Is the 2015 Toyota Highlander a good used car to buy?
Our data verdict is BUY with a reliability score of 78/100, computed from 190 NHTSA complaints and 2 recall campaigns. See the verdict card for the top reasons.
How much does it cost to fix the 2015 Toyota Highlander's most common problem?
52 of the NHTSA complaints filed against the 2015 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 2015 Toyota Highlander cost to run per year?
About $5,338 a year in fuel or energy plus the maintenance band — roughly $26,690 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 2015 Toyota Highlander have recalls?
Yes — NHTSA lists 2 recall campaign(s) for the 2015 Toyota Highlander, 2 of them touching fire, crash or stall risk, the most recent recorded 13/03/2015. 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 2015 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.
Strong evidence — 190 complaints, 2 recalls on record
- 190 NHTSA complaints on record (17.3/yr of exposure) — in line with a typical year of this model (16.2/yr)
- 2 recall campaigns, 2 touching safety-critical systems