Home › Cars › Toyota › Highlander › 2013
2013 Toyota Highlander problems: engine and transmission complaints and recalls
No elevated drivetrain complaint concentration in the available NHTSA records for the 2013 Toyota Highlander. Engine, transmission and fuel system account for 26% of relevant complaints.
Better than 79% of the 1,790 model years we track (2010–2023).
Excludes 24 airbag, lighting and seat-belt recall complaints that would otherwise mask the signal (unadjusted: 23%).
Does the 2013 Toyota Highlander have engine or transmission problems?
Not as a pattern, going by owner complaints. 48 of 188 relevant complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2013 Toyota Highlander concern the engine, transmission or fuel system (26%). For comparison, the 2012 scores 15% and the 2014 scores 9%. This describes the model year, not any one car: a well-maintained or already-repaired example can be fine, and a clean model year can still have a bad car in it.
Complaints by component
The years either side
Manufacturers fix things mid-generation. A bad year next to a clean one is common; the fix usually arrived in between.
How the 2013 compares with other Toyota Highlander years
Of the 14 Toyota Highlander years with enough complaints to score, the 2013 is the 7th-best on engine and transmission share (26%). The worst is the 2019 (68%), the best the 2014 (9%). By volume, the 2013 drew 212 complaints (48 drivetrain), against 191 for the 2012 and 138 for the 2014.
Toyota Highlander years to avoid and best years →
2010 Highlander problems · 2011 Highlander problems · 2012 Highlander problems · 2013 · 2014 Highlander problems · 2015 Highlander problems · 2016 Highlander problems · 2017 Highlander problems · 2018 Highlander problems · 2019 Highlander problems · 2020 Highlander problems · 2021 Highlander problems · 2022 Highlander problems · 2023 Highlander problems
The rest of the picture on the 2013 Toyota Highlander
- The mileage where it happens. When owners of the 2013 Toyota Highlander said the problem showed up, and the range most of them fell in.
- Up to 15 owner reports, with the ones about your car's own engine first.
- What to ask the seller and what to check on the test drive, for this car.
- Two cars side by side, if you are deciding between them.
What one owner reported
One of 48 drivetrain complaints. The full report shows up to 15, with quotes about the engine in the car you are looking at first.
2013 Toyota Highlander engine and transmission recalls
No engine or transmission recalls. NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns on the 2013 Toyota Highlander, none of them for the engine, transmission or fuel system. A recall is the manufacturer admitting a defect and paying to fix it; whether a specific car still has one open depends on its VIN, which the full report checks. The owner complaints above are a separate record and often point at problems that never became a recall.
3 other recalls on this model year (airbags, lighting, brakes and the rest)
Source: NHTSA recall campaigns filed against this year, make and model; one of NHTSA's listings did not answer when this page was built, so the list may be incomplete. Checked October 3, 2026.
Checking one particular 2013 Toyota Highlander? This page is about the model year. Accidents, title brands and odometer records belong to the individual car, and that is what a vehicle history report covers.
Get a history report from EpicVIN Before you pay: EpicVIN’s $1 offer is a 3-day trial (up to 5 reports) that renews at $49.99 a month unless you cancel. Other plans are listed under “View all our packages” at checkout. We may earn a commission if you buy through this link. It does not change what this page reports.Questions people ask about the 2013 Toyota Highlander
Does the 2013 Toyota Highlander have engine or transmission problems?
Not as a pattern, going by owner complaints. 48 of 188 relevant complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2013 Toyota Highlander concern the engine, transmission or fuel system (26%). It describes the model year, not any one car, so an inspection still matters.
What is the most common problem with the 2013 Toyota Highlander?
Going by NHTSA owner complaints, the most common problem filed against the 2013 Toyota Highlander is steering: 46 of 212 complaints (22%) name it, followed by engine (32) and vehicle speed control (31). A complaint can name more than one component, so these overlap. Engine, transmission and fuel-system complaints together make up 26% of the relevant total.
Is the 2013 Toyota Highlander reliable?
On the engine and transmission, nothing stands out: 26% of relevant complaints filed with NHTSA concern the drivetrain, below the 33% line where we call a signal elevated. That is better than 79% of the 1,790 model years we track. Among the 14 Toyota Highlander years we score, it ranks 7th-best. Complaint data describes the model year, not one car, and it says nothing about trim, paint or electronics outside the drivetrain; an independent inspection still decides it.
Are there engine or transmission recalls on the 2013 Toyota Highlander?
No. NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns on the 2013 Toyota Highlander, none of them for the engine, transmission or fuel system.
Which Toyota Highlander years are better?
Among the Toyota Highlander years we track, the 2014 (9%), the 2010 (13%) and the 2015 (13%) have a lower engine and transmission complaint share than the 2013 (26%). Manufacturers fix things mid-generation, so the year before or after can be a different car. Every year side by side: https://thelanecheck.com/cars/toyota-highlander
Have the VIN?Paste it and get the full report for that car. First report free, then a 30-day pass covers a whole car search.
Check a VINExperimental model-level information. This is not a vehicle inspection, vehicle-history report, financial advice or purchase recommendation. It describes patterns across a model year, not the condition of any individual vehicle. Combined across 2 body styles NHTSA files separately.