There are 12 owner-reported air bags & restraints complaints for the 2005 Toyota Highlanderin NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
Driver's seat belt locked up so I was unable to wear it, I hit a deer tried to swerve to miss it, and my car was shaking uncontrollably.
SEAT BELT ON FRONT DRIVERS SEAT CONTINUES TO FOLD OVER, AND WILL NOT RETRACT. *TR
INVOLVED IN THEE CAR T-BONE COLLISION THAT CAUSED SEVERAL INJURIES TO UPPER AND LOWER EXTREMITIES. THE AIR-BAG FAILED TO INFLATE. VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION AT A CONTROLLED INTERSECTION ON A RURAL ROAD AND TURNING LEFT.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 10 MPH FROM A COMPLETE STOP, THE BRAKE PEDAL TRAVELED TO THE FLOOR UPON ENGAGING. THE VEHICLE FAILED TO SLOW DOWN AND CRASHED INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAG PARTIALLY DEPLOYED. THE CONTACT SUFFERED BRUISES AND MINOR PAIN TO THE CHEST AS A RESULT OF THE DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT FAULTY WEBBING. IN ADDITION, THE SEAT BELT RETRACTOR WOULD NOT FUNCTION DURING THE CRASH. THE FRONT HOOD AND BUMPER WERE DAMAGED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 37,804.
WE WERE INVOLVED IN A HORRIBLE ACCIDENT. A MOTORCYCLE WAS SPEEDING AND CRASHED INTO THE DRIVER'S SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE DOOR WAS SEVERELY BASHED IN, THE STEEL FRAME OF THE VEHICLE WAS BENT, AND THE FLOOR WAS COMING UP. I CALLED TOYOTA TO ASK WHY THE SIDE CURTAIN AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY. TWO DIFFERENT PEOPLE TOOK REPORTS. TODAY THEY CALLED ME AND TOLD ME THAT THEY WOULD ONLY DEPLOY IF THERE WAS A SEVERE INTRUSION, ENOUGH FOR PEOPLE TO BE HURT. I WAS HURT (BACK AND HEAD) AND MY LITTLE COUSIN SUFFERED A NOSEBLEED. HE ALSO SAID THE MOST IMPORTANT SAFETY FEATURE IS SEATBELTS. I SAID THERE WAS A SEVERE INTRUSION, BAD ENOUGH THE CAR WAS TOTALED. I TOLD HIM THAT I WAS VERY DISAPPOINTED IN HIM AND TOYOTA AND THAT I WAS ONLY CALLING BECAUSE THEY NEED TO KNOW THESE THINGS SO THEY CAN MAKE THEIR CARS SAFER. I HAD FOUR LITTLE CHILDREN IN MY CAR THAT DAY AND I ALWAYS THOUGHT WE WERE IN THE SAFEST CAR. NO MORE TOYOTAS FOR ME. *TT
SEAT BELT ARE FRAYED AND COMING APART. I HAVE CONTACTED MY LOCAL TOYOTA DEALER AS WELL AS TOYOTA COSTUMER SERVICE AND WAS TOLD THE CAR IS OUT OF WARRANTY AND IT IS NO LONGER THEIR RESPONSIBILITY. THEY SAID THEY'D BE HAPPY TO CHANGE THE SEAT BELTS, AND THEN HANDED ME A HEFTY QUOTE. THANKS TOYOTA, GLAD YOU CARE. *TR
SEAT BELT CLIP BROKE; IT HAD BEEN USED MINIMALLY OVER TIME AND WAS NOT ABUSED WHEN IT FAILED TO BUCKLE. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE ATTEMPTING TO PARK, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED AND CRASHED INTO A TREE. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE CONTACT CALLED THE MANUFACTURER WHO STATED THAT THEY WOULD INSPECT THE VEHICLE. AFTER THE FAILURE, THE CONTACT RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE FOR RECALL 06V253000 (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL: ACCELERATOR PEDAL). THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 44,200. UPDATED 01/31/11/ *BF UPDATED 04/20/11
THE SIDE AIRBAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE TOYOTA HIGHLANDER WAS INITIALLY STRUCK ON THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE NEAR THE FRONT END OF VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS THEN STRUCK (T-ED) ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE BY A LARGE PICKUP TRUCK (APPROX SPEED 60 MPH). THE IMPACT DENTED THE DOORS TO THE SEATS AND BOTH DRIVER'S SIDE DOORS WOULD NOT OPEN DUE TO THE IMPACT. VSC, ABS WERE ENGAGED AS EVIDENCED BY THE PANEL LIGHTS ON AT THE END OF THEE CRASH, HOWEVER NO AIRBAGS DEPLOYED RESULTING IN TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY (CLOSED HEAD INJURY), POST CONCUSSIVE SYNDROME, GRAND MAL SEIZURE, RETROGRADE AMNESIA FOR DRIVER. VEHICLE ALSO HAD A THIRD IMPACT AS IT WAS PUSHED INTO BARRIER WALL. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER. WHILE STOPPED IN TRAFFIC, THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE WAS REAR ENDED BY ANOTHER VEHICLE TRAVELING 40 MPH. THE CONTACT'S AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY AND SHE SUSTAINED INJURIES TO HER HEAD, BACK, CHEST, AND LEGS. THE OTHER DRIVER WAS UNINJURED AND A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE IS CURRENTLY BEING DIAGNOSED BY THE DEALER. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 32,000.
I WAS REAR ENDED BY A TRUCK WHILE STOPPED COMPLETELY ON THE HARDY TOLL ROAD IN HOUSTON. THE TRUCK WAS GOING APPROX 30 MPH. MY SEAT BELT DID NOT WORK AND MY HEAD HIT THE STEERING WHEEL RESULTING IN A CONCUSSION. TOYOTA TOLD ME THAT SEAT BELTS PROVIDE NO PROTECTION DURING A REAR END COLLISION. I THINK THEY ARE WRONG. *JB
WHO DO I NEED TO SPEAK WITH REFERENCE EASE OF ROLLOVER OF THE TOYOTA HIGHLANDER AND THE FACT THAT THE AIR BAGS DID NOT OPEN AT ALL WHEN I WAS FLIPPED OVER THREE TIMES? THE SPEED WAS NOT A FACTOR I WAS DOING 25 MILES WHEN BROADSIDED BY A 87 FORD RANGER GOING 25, WHICH HIT THE DRIVER DOOR LOW IMPACT ON THE HIGHLANDER SENT MY HIGHLANDER AIRBORN FLIPPING AND SPINNING. THE PRINCE WILLIAM POLICE HAVE THE REPORTS ON THE ACCIDENT. THE HIGHLANDER IS IN STATE FARM HANDS NOW. THE ACCIDENT HAPPENED ON MAY 14TH IN PRINCE WILLIAM COUNTY ON ROUTE 1. *NM
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
Data synced from NHTSA on Apr 25, 2026