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Home›Toyota›Toyota Highlander› fuel system problems
Owner complaints · Fuel/Propulsion System · every model year

Toyota Highlander fuel system problems, 2016–2026

259 of the 2,522 complaints owners filed with NHTSA about the Toyota Highlander 2016–2026 name the fuel system (NHTSA’s “Fuel/Propulsion System” heading — fuel tanks, lines, pumps and injection — and on an EV, the propulsion battery and motors). The loudest years: 2019 (107), 2017 (38), 2018 (37). Filed under the same heading across these years: 3 recall campaigns. Every figure is a linked federal record; none is a failure rate, none a repair cost, and none a verdict on one car.

259 complaints, 11 model years 10% of everything filed about the Highlander typically at 10k miles

Toyota Highlander fuel system problems by model year

Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer communications

One row per model year on file, newest first. A year marked in depth has its own page: the complaints, the owners’ words and every document under this heading for that year.

Model yearComplaints naming the fuel systemShare of the year’sTypically atOn file under the heading
20260———the year →
20250———the year →
2024819%——the year →
2023179%——the year →
20220———the year →
2021326%—17 TSBsthe year →
2020206%—1 recallthe year →
2019 in depth10722%10k7 TSBs · 2 recallsthe record →
20183714%27k2 recallsthe year →
20173814%35k1 recallthe year →
20160———the year →

Two things the counts carry that are not the car: how many of each year were sold, and how long each has been on the road — an older year out-counts a newer one before anything is wrong with it. The share column is the honest comparison across years: what part of that year’s complaints named the fuel system. Nothing here is a rate.

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When the fuel system complaints were filed, and at what mileage

Source: NHTSA complaint database
259complaints name the fuel system, all years

Filed per calendar year, every model year together: 2017: 5 · 2018: 3 · 2019: 8 · 2020: 88 · 2021: 59 · 2022: 16 · 2023: 21 · 2024: 20 · 2025: 17 · 2026: 22

10kmiles, typically

Across the model years, half of the 100 owners who gave an odometer reading reported the fuel system problem between 4,000 and 25,000 miles. A median of reports, not the life of a part.

In owners’ own words

Source: NHTSA complaint database

Filed with NHTSA by the people who own these cars, about the fuel system, from the model years with the most to say. Quoted as written, with anything identifying removed; unverified reports — what was said, not a finding that it was true.

I bought this 2019 Highlander 2 months ago and the check engine light came on-the fuel injector was burnt up, replaced it, not even 24 hours later the car was pouring gas and check engine light back on..it barely has 30,000 miles on it. I will never buy a Toyota again.
Fuel/Propulsion System Mar 31, 2020 NHTSA owner report
The contact owns a 2019 Toyota Highlander. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 20v012000 (fuel system, gasoline) however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair.
Fuel/Propulsion System Mar 17, 2020 NHTSA owner report
The contact owns a 2017 Toyota Highlander. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V682000 (Fuel System, Gasoline). The vehicle was taken to the dealer for the recall repair. After the recall repair, the check engine warning light remained illuminated.
Fuel/Propulsion System at 68,000 miles Jun 2, 2021 NHTSA owner report
The contact owns a 2017 Toyota Highlander. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 20v682000 (fuel system, gasoline) however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair.
Fuel/Propulsion System Mar 15, 2021 NHTSA owner report
The contact owns a 2018 Toyota Highlander. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 20v012000 (fuel system gasoline) however, the part to do the recall repair was not available. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair.
Fuel/Propulsion System May 12, 2020 NHTSA owner report

What is on file about the fuel system, across the years

Source: NHTSA recalls, investigations and manufacturer communications

Recall campaigns filed under this heading, any model year

Other systems with a record on the Toyota Highlander

Source: the same files

Every system, every model year: Toyota Highlander problems by year →

From here
Every 2027 model on file, by price Compare two vehicles, trim vs trim See what a VIN was priced at See what owners reported

Common questions

Source: NHTSA complaint database, recalls and manufacturer communications

Which Toyota Highlander years have the most fuel system complaints?

2019, 107; 2017, 38; 2018, 37. Raw counts, and an older year has had longer to collect them; by share of each year's own complaints the loudest is the 2019 (22%).

Is there a recall for the fuel system on the Toyota Highlander?

Yes — 3 campaigns are filed under this heading across these model years: 20V682000 (2019), 20V162000 (2020), 20V012000 (2019). A recall is matched by VIN, and applies to specific years; check yours at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

When do fuel system problems show up on the Toyota Highlander?

Owners who gave an odometer reading reported it at a median of 9,800 miles across the model years; half of them between 4,000 and 25,000. That is when reports cluster, not the life of a part.

What does NHTSA's "Fuel/Propulsion System" heading cover?

Fuel tanks, lines, pumps and injection — and on an EV, the propulsion battery and motors. Owners choose the heading when they file, so it says which area of the vehicle the complaint is about, not which part failed.