After receiving a signification midlife facelift last year, the Toyota Highlander has become popular as ever among midsize SUV buyers in the states. Generally having boated class-leading quality and reliability ratings in true Toyota fashion, the 2012 Toyota Highlander does place itself as a no-nonsense family SUV option. However, as with any new update or generation, the 2012 Highlander has brought with it a few shortcomings that readers of ours must be aware of before putting down your money on one. This section discusses all such problems in detail to give you a brief idea about the ownership of this SUV. With base prices starting at $28,240, the 2012 Highlander would squarely go against rivals like the Ford Explorer, the Honda Pilot, and the Mazda CX-9.
2012 Toyota Highlander User Complaints and Problems
Mechanical Complaints
- Engine problems- Though known to be robust otherwise, the engines on the 2012 Toyota Highlander, especially high mileage units are known to consume excessive oil. Toyota did face a bunch of lawsuits in the near past for oil consumption issues and this issue does come in close relation. Oil leaks are mostly non-existent as most issues have been traced to some sort of issue with the piston oil ring or excessive wear of the cylinder liner on the thrust side. Timely oil changes do prevent this issue from occurring to an extent but if the consumption is found to be over allowable limits, the engine might require a rebuild. The average failure mileage is around 125,000 miles as per NHTSA reports.
- Transmission problems- Though rare, some 2012 Toyota Highlander owners have reported occasional judder, lurching, and shifting delays from the transmission. When looking for a used SUV, these issues might point toward an improperly maintained transmission with an increased possibility of failure in the long run.
Electric System complaints
- Liftgate problems-Erratic functioning of the liftgate on the 2012 Toyota Highlander is another commonly reported issue.Failing to lock/unlock, unintended opening while the vehicle is parked or closed and closing, while the trunk is in use, are some of the commonly seen problems. Toyota has reported this to be some sort of issue with the software on the control module which should be fixed when initialized properly, which would reset the system. Hardware issues are rarely noticed in this issue.
- Bluetooth problems- Loss of audio through Bluetooth connection or complete unavailability of wireless connectivity has been one issue reported on the Entune media/radio unit on the 2012 Toyota Highlander. Soft reboots done by pressing the volume knob for 5 seconds do resolve most of the bugs on the system and if it doesn’t, you might need to visit the dealer for updating the system with available patches or even reprogram the entire unit.
Structural Complaints
- Steering Problems- Steering column failure has been the most common issue reported by many users on the 2012 Toyota Highlander as per the NHTSA. Users have experienced clicking noises from the steering and increased steering effort while driving this SUV. The problem was traced to be with an intermediate steering shaft with had an estimated replacement cost of over $1,200. Although this issue has been pretty common among users, as complained, the manufacturer has not rolled out any recalls or service bulletins on this issue.
- Door lock issues- The door locks on the 2012 Toyota Highlander are said to be unreliable. In cold weather, the locks fail to respond to key fob request and at times, takes multiple clicks for the system to unlock or even requires a manual unlock. The primary issue was traced to be with the lock actuators, but users who got them replaced still complained about the issue persisting even after the fix.
Safety Complaints
- Airbags Issues- The airbag lights on the 2012 Toyota Highlander reportedly stay on even when the passenger seat has been equipped. Owners who come across this issue are highly advised to get the vehicle rectified under recall 13V014000 for suspected faults with the occupant sensing system which may cause the airbag to not deploy in the event of a crash.
2012 Toyota Highlander Recalls
|
S. No |
Date |
NHTSA ID |
Issues Noticed |
Additional Remarks |
Remedy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1 |
9th April 2013 |
13V123000 |
Inaccurate load carrying capacity labels |
These vehicles were sold with labels that were outside the allowable one percent of accuracy of actual weight added, which may result in the user overloading the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash. |
Toyota will notify owners and provide a corrected label with instructions concerning its installation. The recall began on May 28, 2013. |
|
2 |
16th January 2013 |
13V014000 |
Occupant sensing system calibration |
During modification by SET to include accessories such as leather seat covers, seat heaters, or headrest DVD systems, these vehicles may not have had the passenger seat occupant sensing system calibration tested causing it to not work as intended, increasing the risk of injury in the event of a crash. |
Southeast Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will test the sensitivity of the occupant detection sensors, and recalibrate them as necessary. The recall began on March 21, 2013. |
Should you buy a used 2012 Toyota Highlander?
Sporting one of the most trusted brand names in the industry, it is hard for us not to recommend the Toyota Highlander. Bringing in the best amalgamation of comfort, price, and reliability, this midsize SUV would have no problems fitting in as a do-it-all family SUV in your garage. However, used buyers (examples with mileages above 100,000 miles) must be aware of oil consumption issues that exist in certain batches of engines which might result in an expensive rebuild later. Apart from that, there are no prominent deal breakers here, which, along with the rest of the perks, help it rank high in our lists this year.
