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2002 Toyota Highlander Problems and Recalls
Owners filed 301 complaints with NHTSA about the 2002 Toyota Highlander, most often about the visibility and wipers (46% of complaints, typically around 65,000 miles). It is 5th of 26 Highlander model years by number of complaints and has 2 recalls.
Most common 2002 Toyota Highlander problems
Visibility and wipers
139 complaints · 46%Half of these problems showed up before 65,000 miles. Parts named most often: defroster/defogger/hvac system, windshield, power window devices and controls, glass, side/rear.
The driver side sun visor (w/ lighted mirror and homelink) on my 2002 Toyota Highlander will not stay up and drops down when driving which is a serious hazard. I understand that this is a very common problem with this vehicle and the cost for only the replacement part is over $700.00. It is obviously a design issue…
2002 Toyota Highlander. Sun visor with homelink keeps falling down with hitting minor bumps. Safety hazard, as vision is blocked and can lead to accidents.
Speed control
31 complaints · 10%Half of these problems showed up before 61,000 miles. Parts named most often: cruise control, accelerator pedal.
I bought a 2002 Toyota Highlander limited in may 2008. The car had just under 60,000 miles on the odometer. This car is my second car, mainly to be used to tow my horse trailer. Within a month of owning the car it showed the sudden unexpected acceleration. This was not unfamiliar to me because I also own a 2002 Toyota…
Tl contact owns a 2002 Toyota Highlander. The contact was driving 5 MPH into a parking garage when suddenly, the vehicle accelerated. She attempted to engage the brake pedal to stop the vehicle and crashed into a tree. The contact notified the insurance company and they covered the repair cost. The contact was sore…
Engine
29 complaints · 10%Half of these problems showed up before 100,000 miles. Parts named most often: engine, exhaust system.
The contact owns a 2002 Toyota Highlander. The contact stated that while driving approximately 40 MPH, the vehicle began to shake violently as a strong odor of engine oil and fuel emitted from under the hood. The engine warning indicator illuminated continuously. The vehicle was maneuvered to the side of the road and…
Vehicle has Toyota 2az-fe (2.4 l) 4 cylinder engine. Oil & coolant leaking from back of engine. Head bolts on main gasket failed. In searching internet, countless other owners have unfortunately experienced the same failure which is due to an inherent design problem by Toyota. Bolts between gasket and main engine…
Body and structure
24 complaints · 8%Half of these problems showed up before 50,000 miles. Parts named most often: body.
Sun visors on 2002 Toyota highlanders did not stay in position and interfered with driver visibility- the sun visors will not stay in the up position and will drop down into the driver's eyes while driving. Furthermore, the sun visors were rendered useless as they will not stay in position when in use. The driver is…
Tl contact owns a 2002 Toyota Highlander. The driver and passenger mud flaps have cracked. The flaps have not been replaced. The dealer stated that they will not replace the mud flaps for free. The failure mileage was 50,000 and the current mileage was 89,000.
Other or unspecified
14 complaints · 5%Drivers side sun visor fall down into drivers view without warning, blocking the drivers view and creating a serious safety issue. The drivers visor will not stay in place on my 2002 Toyota Highlander. There is no visible defect with the visor and no damage to the vehicle that caused this problem to start. Judging…
After only having my new 2002 Toyota Highlander for approx. 8 months, the accelerator in the car stuck and I ended up running into a car. I complained to Toyota and had the dealer look at the car numerous times, but they kept telling me there was nothing wrong. Well 8 years later and they still haven't recalled my…
Transmission
14 complaints · 5%Half of these problems showed up before 107,000 miles. Parts named most often: automatic transmission, axle assembly, driveline.
With only 106,000 miles on my Highlander, the transmission has failed and needs to completely be replaced. A $4600 repair right before christmas. I am in tears. The dealership didn't seem very surprised that this would occur. Ironic? But the transmission specialist I went to for a second opinion said this should never…
At 108k miles, my 2002 Toyota Highlander transmission went out and had to be replaced. Whatever happened to toyotas lasting to 200k miles, like in the commercials? I'll never be able to jump up and be the one proclaiming how many miles my Toyota has now! I'm very disappointed, as I bought this vehicle expecting to…
Air bags
13 complaints · 4%Half of these problems showed up before 76,000 miles. Parts named most often: frontal.
The contact owns a 2002 Toyota Highlander. The contact stated that the vehicle was involved in a crash where the driver side was impacted and none of the air bags deployed. The driver and two passengers suffered head and back injuries as a result of the crash. A police report was filed. The vehicle was taken to a…
The air bags dashboard light blinks intermittently in temperatures below 20 f. Dealer says to bring in. Trouble is we need the car for hours before they open and by that time the car has warmed up, the car has been turned on and off several times during errand running. After which time, the warning light is not…
Electrical
13 complaints · 4%Half of these problems showed up before 103,500 miles. Parts named most often: wiring, instrument cluster/panel.
Tl contact owns a 2002 Toyota Highlander. When the contact opened the door to her vehicle, she discovered the passenger compartment filled with smoke. The passenger seat was burned. There were no occupants in the vehicle at the time of the failure. The police and fire departments arrived at the scene and extinguished…
My 2002 Toyota Highlander had approximately 110,000 miles on it at the time when I started hearing a noise around the distributor. I took it to my mechanic (not Toyota for other reasons) and he said the bearings in the distributor were going out. I called Toyota (Toyota of texas - grapevine) to order the part. They…
Complaints are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects. One complaint can name several components, so shares add up to more than 100%.
2002 Toyota Highlander recalls
Doors and locks: latch
Risk: This condition could allow the door to be opened with the inside while the operator believes that the cpl was activated. If the door were opened from the inside while the vehicle was in motion, an occupant could fall out and be injured.
Fix: Dealers will shorten the cpl lever. Owner notification began may 7, 2004. Owners should contact toyota at 1-800-331-4331.
Full defect summary
Certain sport utility vehicles have a child protection lock (cpl) system on both of the rear side doors. When an operator of the vehicle closes the door very hard with the cpl lever set to the lock position, there is a possibility that the lever may contact the body panel, causing the cpl lever to move into the unlock position.
Fuel system: mounting
Risk: In the worst case, nozzle breakage could result in fuel leakage if the vehicle rolls-over after a high speed frontal crash.
Fix: Dealers will rotate the specified clamp. Owner notification began september 23, 2002. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact toyota at 1-800-331-4331.
Full defect summary
On sport utility vehicles, there is a breather hose that attaches to the nozzle of the on-board refueling vapor recovery (orvr) valve, which is located on the topside of the fuel tank. The breather hose is attached with a clamp, whose "tabs" face in the upward direction. When the vehicle was crashed under the new car assessment program (ncap) test (I.e., 35 MPH frontal barrier crash), the clamp "tabs" contacted the underside of the body due to movement of the fuel tank, causing the nozzle to break.
Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer. Enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see which recalls are still open on your car.
Questions about the 2002 Toyota Highlander
- What are the most common problems with the 2002 Toyota Highlander?
- By NHTSA owner complaints: visibility and wipers (139 complaints, typically around 65,000 miles); speed control (31 complaints, typically around 61,000 miles); engine (29 complaints, typically around 100,000 miles).
- How many recalls does the 2002 Toyota Highlander have?
- 2 recalls listed by NHTSA, the latest from April 15, 2004 (doors and locks). Check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see which ones are still open on your car.
- Is the 2002 a bad year for the Toyota Highlander?
- It is 5th of 26 Highlander model years by number of complaints, with 301 complaints. Complaint counts are not adjusted for how many cars were sold, so popular years collect more of them, and the newest years have had less time to.