2020 Toyota Highlander: True Cost, Problems & Verdict
306 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. 2020 specifically: this is one of the years the note above says to approach with care — 306 complaints on record, verdict AVOID.
Read the guide
Used Toyota Highlander: the years to avoid and the years to buy, including 2020 — written and signed by Adir Trabelsi, 2026-09-16.
Owner complaints: 306 filed with NHTSA
Complaints per year on the road: 51.0
What owners say
Verbatim reports filed with the United States safety regulator (NHTSA) by owners of this exact model year. Public record.
Coming to a stop or slowing down the vehicle has a spot where it feels like the brakes fail then come back on. Especially if going down a grade. This happens around 15 to 20 mph. Started off a slight moment when you are sure the brakes quit working for just a second. As the vehicle gets older it has brown to be more noticeable.
The contact owns a 2020 Toyota Highlander. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the brake pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle failed to stop as intended. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to stop, and the vehicle jerked abnormally. No warning lights were illuminated. The failure was a persistent failure. The vehicle was taken to the dealer. The contact was informed of a softwa…
I am having fuel pump issues and my VIN was excluded from the recall from Toyota for similar issues. Toyota’s low-pressure fuel pump recall (originally announced Jan 2020, expanded multiple times through Jan 2025) covers vehicles across several model years, where a defective impeller made from inadequate resin material could swell and cause fuel starvation and sudden stalling. Highlander is mentioned as included for …
Recalls: 4 campaigns (3 severe)
| Campaign | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|
| 20V633000 | Air Bags | Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2020 Highlander and Highlander hybrid vehicles. Incorrect seat trim covers on one or both of the front seats can prevent the seat-mounted side air bag from deploying properly. |
| 20V162000 | Fuel System, Gasoline:Delivery | Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2020 Highlander vehicles equipped with a 3.5 L, V6 (2GR-FKS) gasoline engine. Due to an Engine Control Unit (ECU) programming error, fuel may not be correctly supplied to the engine while using the stop and restart feature. |
| 23V865000 | Air Bags:Sensor:Occupant Classification | Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Avalon, Avalon Hybrid, Corolla, Highlander, Highlander Hybrid, RAV4, RAV4 Hybrid, Lexus ES350, Lexus RX350, Lexus RX450H, 2021 Sienna Hybrid, Lexus ES250, 2020-2022 Camry, Camry Hybrid, and ES300H vehicles. A short circuit may develop in the Occupant Classification System (OCS)… |
| 23V720000 | Structure:Body:Bumpers | Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2020-2023 Highlander & Highlander Hybrid vehicles. During normal vehicle operation, minor impact to the front lower bumper cover may result in the cover coming loose or detaching. |
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 23 MPG · estimated annual fuel cost $2,650
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 Train120 complaints · typical job: Transmission service or clutch-pack repair (7.0 h labour + parts)$1,290–$4,040
- Unknown Or Other41 complaints · typical job: Diagnosis and mixed repair (2.0 h labour + parts)$360–$940
- Service Brakes38 complaints · typical job: Pads, rotors and caliper service, both axles (3.0 h labour + parts)$580–$1,140
- Air Bags32 complaints · typical job: Airbag module, clockspring or sensor replacement (2.5 h labour + parts)$600–$1,700
- Structure29 complaints · typical job: Body, subframe or corrosion repair (6.0 h labour + parts)$1,070–$2,920
- Fuel/Propulsion System19 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 2020 Toyota Highlander?
The most-reported issue in NHTSA complaint data is Power Train (120 complaints in our indexed sample).
Is the 2020 Toyota Highlander a good used car to buy?
Our data verdict is AVOID with a reliability score of 37/100, computed from 306 NHTSA complaints and 4 recall campaigns. See the verdict card for the top reasons.
How much does it cost to fix the 2020 Toyota Highlander's most common problem?
120 of the NHTSA complaints filed against the 2020 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 2020 Toyota Highlander cost to run per year?
About $5,129 a year in fuel or energy plus the maintenance band — roughly $25,645 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 2020 Toyota Highlander have recalls?
Yes — NHTSA lists 4 recall campaign(s) for the 2020 Toyota Highlander, 3 of them touching fire, crash or stall risk, the most recent recorded 14/10/2020. 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 2020 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 — 306 complaints, 4 recalls on record
- 306 NHTSA complaints on record (51.0/yr of exposure) — worse than a typical year of this model (16.2/yr)
- 4 recall campaigns, 3 touching safety-critical systems