2017 Toyota Highlander: True Cost, Problems & Verdict
265 NHTSA owner complaints · 4 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. 2017 specifically: 265 complaints on record, score 56/100 — read the year table on the model page to see where it sits among its siblings.
Read the guide
Used Toyota Highlander: the years to avoid and the years to buy, including 2017 — written and signed by Adir Trabelsi, 2026-09-16.
Owner complaints: 265 filed with NHTSA
Complaints per year on the road: 29.44
What owners say
Verbatim reports filed with the United States safety regulator (NHTSA) by owners of this exact model year. Public record.
About a few weeks back we started noticing a whining noise while accelerating. For safety reason we are not using the truck for long distance driving. Yes, the problem was able to reproduce by an independent mechanic and confirmed. Has not been inspected by the manufacturer or any other. There are no warning lights on the dashboard.
I had been shopping, as I attempted to increase speed, my car wouldn't respond. I smelled something burning and I switched lanes because I needed a safe place to stop. I turned onto [XXX] in Pembroke (I think) and still had no forward (or backward) movement. The lower gears (D5 & D4 ) DID NOT show on the dashboard indicator. I called my husband and he came to me. Then we called AAA and had the car towed to Chichest…
I was driving down the road about 50 miles an hour just south of otter Valley Union, high school and Brandon Vermont when I heard an extremely loud poof/thud sound. It also caused my ears to pop. I pulled over and realized it was the front sunroof that had basically shattered. Now there is a big hole and it’s just getting bigger. I was in a clear area with no overhanging trees. There were no vehicles in front of me …
Recalls: 4 campaigns (2 severe)
| Campaign | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|
| 17V295000 | Tires:Temporary/Emergency Spare Tire | Gulf States Toyota, Inc. (Gulf States) is recalling certain 2017 4Runner , 86, Avalon, Camry, Camry Hybrid, Corolla, Corolla iM, Highlander, Highlander Hybrid, Prius, Prius C, RAV4, RAV4 Hybrid, Sienna and Yaris vehicles. |
| 20V682000 | Fuel System, Gasoline:Delivery:Fuel Pump | Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2018-2019 4Runner, 2019-2020 Avalon, 2019 Corolla Hatchback, 2017-2019 Highlander, 2018-2020 Camry, 2020 Corolla, 2018-2019 Land Cruiser, 2017-2020 Tacoma, 2019-2020 RAV4, 2019-2020 Sequoia, 2017-2020 Sienna, 2019-2020 Tundra, 2018-2020 Lexus ES350, 2017 Lexus GS200t, 2017-2019 Lexus… |
| 17V520000 | Equipment | Gulf States Toyota, Inc. (GST) is recalling certain 2017 Toyota Highlander and Highlander Hybrid vehicles equipped with accessory roof rail cross bars. |
| 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 $2,950
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.
- Power Train72 complaints · typical job: Transmission service or clutch-pack repair (7.0 h labour + parts)$1,290–$4,040
- Unknown Or Other52 complaints · typical job: Diagnosis and mixed repair (2.0 h labour + parts)$360–$940
- Engine46 complaints · typical job: Cooling-system or timing-drive repair (6.0 h labour + parts)$1,040–$2,220
- Electrical System46 complaints · typical job: Alternator, battery-drain or body-module diagnosis and replacement (3.0 h labour + parts)$540–$1,310
- Service Brakes29 complaints · typical job: Pads, rotors and caliper service, both axles (3.0 h labour + parts)$580–$1,140
- Fuel/Propulsion System28 complaints · typical job: Fuel pump or injector replacement (3.5 h labour + parts)$680–$1,620
Other Toyota Highlander years
Toyota Highlander years to avoid, and the best years to buy →
FAQ
What is the most common problem with the 2017 Toyota Highlander?
The most-reported issue in NHTSA complaint data is Power Train (72 complaints in our indexed sample).
Is the 2017 Toyota Highlander a good used car to buy?
Our data verdict is CAUTION with a reliability score of 56/100, computed from 265 NHTSA complaints and 4 recall campaigns. See the verdict card for the top reasons.
How much does it cost to fix the 2017 Toyota Highlander's most common problem?
72 of the NHTSA complaints filed against the 2017 Toyota Highlander sit in the Power Train group — more than any other component on this model year. The representative job there is transmission service or clutch-pack repair: about 7.0 hours of labour plus parts, roughly $1,290–$4,040 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 2017 Toyota Highlander cost to run per year?
About $5,439 a year in fuel or energy plus the maintenance band — roughly $27,195 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 2017 Toyota Highlander have recalls?
Yes — NHTSA lists 4 recall campaign(s) for the 2017 Toyota Highlander, 2 of them touching fire, crash or stall risk, the most recent recorded 02/05/2017. 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 2017 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 — 265 complaints, 4 recalls on record
- 265 NHTSA complaints on record (29.4/yr of exposure) — worse than a typical year of this model (16.2/yr)
- 4 recall campaigns, 2 touching safety-critical systems