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CarComplaints.com Notes: The 2010 Highlander's rear liftgate thinks it's open when it's closed and then once it's actually open, you might not be able to shut it again. Remember folks, if your liftgate is stuck open for more than 4 hours, consult your mechanic.

10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
0 / 2
Injuries / Deaths:
0 / 0
Average Mileage:
58,180 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.

So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.

2010 Toyota Highlander electrical problems

electrical problem

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2010 Toyota Highlander Owner Comments (Page 1 of 3)

problem #48

Mar 102021

Highlander

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

The brake actuator assembly and brake booster pump assembly had a recall on it but my truck was not having problems then. I noticed that when I start braking, the truck speeds up. Then all the light on the dash board came on. When my vehicle started having problems I call and they told me that the recall had expired 3 months earlier for my vehicle and it was up to the owner to have it fixed. I didn't get a notice and I wasn't aware of such recall so why am I liable for the repairs. I need help with this please.

- Bentonia, MS, USA

problem #47

Feb 172021

Highlander

  • 170,000 miles
The contact owns a 2010 Toyota Highlander. The contact stated that the hydraulic liftgate would not open as needed electrically and manually. The contact had taken the vehicle to an independent mechanic who opened the liftgate with a mechanical tool. The mechanic then unscrewed an arm piece on the driver's side of the liftgate which allowed him to open the liftgate manually. Neither the dealer nor the manufacturer were notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 170,000.

- Brooklyn, NY, USA

problem #46

Dec 162018

Highlander

  • miles
2010 Toyota Highlander caught on fire while parked in garage of residence, destroying the Highlander and the car parked adjacent to it, along with most of the house. Prior to the fire, there were no issues with the vehicle. The Highlander was stationary, with the ignition off and parked in the garage. A subsequent investigation including inspecting burn patterns and thermal damage indicated the fire originated at the front of the Toyota Highlander on the driver's side where the fuse panel, battery and starter/solenoid were located. All three sources of ignition remain energized with the ignition off. The upper portion of the plastic housing on the fuse panel and battery had melted exposing the receivers for the fuses and plates inside the battery. The ends of the receivers had alloying on the receivers, but no failures were noted on fuse panel or battery. Extreme thermal damage was observed on the connector end of the solenoid where most of the facing had melted or was consumed. Lines of demarcation from extreme heat was observed on the remaining section of the solenoid facing. The cable connecting the battery to the solenoid was not connected to the solenoid due to the extreme damaged to the solenoid. The terminal connector on the cable sustained arcing and/or melting of the metal terminal. The conclusions were that the fire was caused by a failed solenoid attached to the starter on the 2010 Toyota Highlander. Lab analysis of the starter/solenoid revealed failure at the connection end of the solenoid with beading and arcing on contacts inside the solenoid.

- Houston, TX, USA

problem #45

Jan 092021

Highlander

  • 100,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

While I was driving, the steering wheel locked and I was not able to move the car. I put the car on pkg and it got locked too. Could not put in reverse or drive. Windows got locked too. The ABS system light up. A miracle that few minute before I exited a highway. A tow truck took the car and it has been in the Toyota dealer for the past week and they do not now what is wrong with the car

- San Juan, PR, USA

problem #44

Aug 012018

Highlander

  • miles
The rear hatch gives a chime and says it is open when it is closed. This is a 2010 Highlander and I see that there are many complaints about this online. This is a saftey issue because you never know if it is actually open or if it actually closed but just chiming for no reason. It happens very intermittently, but often when going over a bump but other times there is no pattern, it just happens sometimes and not others. It happens when stationary and when moving. It has been happening for a couple of years at least.

- Washington, DC, USA

problem #43

Aug 052020

Highlander

  • 55,690 miles
Door ajar radomly comes on for back rear door liftgate happens while driving

- Pittsburgh, PA, USA

problem #42

Jan 012015

Highlander

  • 70,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Door sensor broken. Goes on and off repeatedly while in motion on street and highway specially when making turns regardless of speed. Happens more frequently on hot days. It has been a long term problem and would cost too much money to fix. This should be manufacturer's responsibility. I've found similar complaints online including videos on youtube demonstrating the particular 2010 Toyota Highlander issue.

- Artesia, CA, USA

problem #41

Mar 052020

Highlander

  • 87,000 miles
Rear hatch sensor / door ajar defect rear door (hatch) ajar warning light, interior lights and warning sound (bing!) come on (often several times per second, as if flashing) whenever braking, turning, or on uneven surface. Not only is it annoying, the level of disturbance is severely distracting and necessitates taking eyes off the road to check the alarm. On a long trip this causes dangerous levels of aggravation. Multiple users have experienced this. I request that a recall be issued requiring Toyota to remedy this, regardless of warranty status, because of the safety issues due to the high levels of aggravation experienced by the users.

- Columbus, GA, USA

problem #40

Jun 182018

Highlander

  • 82,285 miles
The rear latch on this vehicle failed. It cost $600 to repair

- Norwood, MA, USA

problem #39

Jun 202019

Highlander

  • 90,000 miles
Every time I accelerate, break, turn, coming to a stop and going over a bump my door ajar chimes on the dash for the back door (hatch). Also, the dome lights come on when the chime and picture pops up that my rear gate is ajar. I believe this is a safety issue because I am not the only car with this exact same issue. This needs to be recalled since this potentially is a safety issue. This is a continual and ongoing issue.

- Prescott Valley, AZ, USA

problem #38

Aug 012019

Highlander

  • 116,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

The trunk door sensor constantly goes off and on while driving, so says that the trunk door is ajar when it is not. This tends to happen more when it is warmer, the car turns to the right or the windows are down. It is a distraction while driving.

- Savoy, IL, USA

problem #37

Aug 042019

Highlander

  • 154,000 miles
When we are driving our Toyota 2010 Highlander if you hit a bump the door ajar light comes on even though the doors are not opem. We are not able to use the sunroof or open the windows because the door ajar light comes on and the interior light and the beeping for a door open. This is very disttacting when trying to drive. It is getting worse now every time we make a turn ot go over the slighest bump the light comes on and the dinging for the door starts Toyota really needs to fix this! it happens all the time when we drive our car'

- Powhatan, VA, USA

problem #36

Apr 302017

Highlander

  • 25,000 miles
Faulty rear door ajar sensor reports rear door open intermittently while door is closed causing interior lights, warning lights, and chimes. Started with only turns, acceleration, deceleration, but rapidly deteriorated to near constant failure, particularly in warm weather. Initially started near 2 years ago (25K miles), but was only mildly irritating. Now vehicle cannot be locked with this condition.

- Santa Rosa, CA, USA

problem #35

Sep 272018

Highlander

  • 108,000 miles
When driving and turning or going over a bump the "door ajar" indicator beeps and the dome lights turn on. Brought to auto service repair shop and the left rear door and the rear gate sensor/actuator need to be replaced. $1100!!

- Andover, MN, USA

problem #34

Apr 012018

Highlander

  • 125,000 miles
When we open a window or the sunroof the door ajar sign comes on and starts to beep also the interior light comes on. Sometimes it happens when we turn a corner or hit a bump just right. I am afraid of something shorting out and starting a fire! also the front head lights keep burning out we have to replace them at least once a month. The Highlander runs great but electrical problems scare me. Toyota really needs to recall and fix this problem.the problem with the door open always happens when we are driving. The problelm happens every time we drive the car.

- Powhatan, VA, USA

problem #33

May 082018

Highlander

  • miles
Rear hatch sensor ajar whenever the windows are open and car exceeds 30 mph. Windows must remain close for the sensor chime and activation to cease. Seems to be a problem with the rear hatch sensor. The car has been owned for 8 years and has 77000 miles on the odometer. No accidents.

- The Colony, TX, USA

problem #32

Aug 032018

Highlander

  • 90,000 miles
Back door ajar, interior light and a bing sound come on when I turn left

- Palo Alto, CA, USA

problem #31

Jul 072018

Highlander

  • 68,751 miles
While driving and making a right turn the red door indicator light on the dashboard lights up, the car chimes and the interior ceiling light goes on and off.

- Garnerville, NY, USA

problem #30

Sep 012017

Highlander

  • 95,000 miles
While driving (in motion), frequent warning message comes on the display panel that says the back (rear) door is open when it's not. Also, interior lights come on, and there is the warning / beep that keeps flashing. Sometimes, when the back gate alert comes on, doors get unlocked. This has been going on since September 2017.

- West Lafayette, IN, USA

problem #29

Jun 052018

Highlander

  • 62,000 miles
The back door ajar, interior light and a bing sound comes on when I turn left or open any window? searched the internet and found many related complaints. Please issue a recall.

- O Fallon, MO, USA

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