2006 Toyota Highlander Owner Complaints

ABS actuator/accumulator issue on 2006 Toyota Highlander hybrid limited. Internal component failure there are recalls on others but not this particular year. Was driving along hit the brakes and got hard pedal. Yes there were other indicator lights on including the VSC system and traction control I came to an intersection and I couldn't stop I couldn't even kind of stop it was all hard pedal were before it was normal as if there wasn't an issue. I've done a lot of research and I've seen a lot of forums and people are complaining that Toyota isn't backing this problem my 2006 Toyota is in perfect condition not a single problem except for this break issue and if you take it to Toyota the park cost $2,200 in about roughly over $5,000 to fix it well who wants to put that kind of money into a car of that year the problem is it's just a shame and a safety deal that it put my family's life at risk we could have crashed it if I wasn't an actual driver by trade I wouldn't have known how to react in other families could be harmed in this. It's worth looking into I did not need to make her police report because I veered off into a field that saved my family's life. As of now I'm hoping to open a recall campaign and just have that part replaced I could have a car that could drive another 100,000 miles and give and keepToyota good name

NHTSA ID

11755074

Incident

Jun 19, 2026

The contact owns a 2006 Toyota Highlander. The contact stated that while driving approximately 60 MPH, the vehicle failed to decelerate while the brake pedal was depressed. The contact stated that excessive pressure was needed on the brake pedal to stop the vehicle. The ABS and ESC warning lights were illuminated. In addition, there was an abnormal sound coming from underneath the vehicle. The vehicle was towed to a local independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed and determined that the ABS unit needed to be replaced. The vehicle was towed to another independent mechanic for a second opinion, and it was confirmed that the ABS unit needed to be replaced. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the brake actuator needed to be upgraded. The vehicle was diagnosed, and parts were ordered for the repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 195,000.

NHTSA ID

11747659

Incident

Jun 26, 2026

Mileage

195,000 mi

My 2006 Toyota Highlander Hybrid Limited has an ABS fault that has caused my vehicle to undergo several maintenance issues and poses a serious safety hazard. My vehicle has less than 150,000, and over the course of the last year, my ABS light, my emergency brake light, my TSC light, and my tire pressure sensor light have all come on and refuse to go away. Additionally, the maintenance light, along with a "CHECK VSC SYSTEM" message has been on my dash for months and will not reset. My ABS has been making an intermittent buzzing sound that cycles every ten seconds when my car is on. That has been going one since shortly before the lights. When the lights came on, I noticed a serious change in my braking. The pedal would become spongy one moment and rock solid the next, or my car would brake intensely with the lightest pressure or require my foot basically to the floor to stop it. This has caused a serious issue for the safety of myself and my family. After using and OBDII scanner with ABS capabilities, the codes I received point to the ABS assembly failing to retain pressure, hence the persistent cycling to compensate for it loosing pressure. This was confirmed after the battery voltage/connection, relays, fuses, and speed sensors had all been tested. After doing further research, several other owners of similar configurations to mine share the same issue. My dashboard even makes an incredibly distracting ringing noise that can only be stopped by removing all the fuses and relays to the ABS entirely. This has not been caused as a lack of proper maintenance as this vehicle has only been in my possession for the past 3 years, of which before it came from the Toyota dealership. The dealership wants over $3,000 to fix the issue, and the part alone is $1,850 since the part has been discontinued. This fix costs more than the car is worth given its age and mileage. During any inclement weather, or in traffic, the car is unpredictable in how hard it might brake.

NHTSA ID

11710274

Incident

Jan 12, 2026

Toyota’s part number 44050-48190 brake actuator assembly failed, as it has in other models and is very commonly doing in the Highlander model. It is triggering other warning lights issues in the vehicle. Vehicle safety is at risk. Many others have reported the same issue.

NHTSA ID

11707172

Incident

May 1, 2025

I was on the interstate driving about 72 mph when the car just shut off all the dash lights came on and the dash it said check hybrid system I had no brakes or steering I got it off the road turned it off and back on again it started up and I drove it home but the dash still displayed check hybrid system , a week later I get in it to go to work and there’s an alarm that won’t cut off and the abs , traction control and brake light and warning light and tire pressure light are all on and the brakes are hard and there’s a weird noise coming from somewhere when u push on the brake and it says check VSC system on the dash now

NHTSA ID

11680473

Incident

Aug 1, 2025

The vehicle suffers from an ABS module failure. I've been researching that this is common problem with the Toyota Highlander Hybrid and presents a danger of failing brakes while driving. My brakes partially failed with my [XXX] son in the car. When attempting to stop, I had no hydraulic pressure and luckily was able to get the vehicle stopped after the car had regained some pressure. The vehicle had been running for several minutes, so it wasn't related to a fresh start and the system not having time to pressurize, if that's a thing. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ID

11662789

Incident

Apr 26, 2025

The brakes on my 06 Highlander hybrid AWD have been finicky at best since I’ve owned the vehicle. The car lunges forward when braking, all the way until a complete stop. While driving at around 55 MPH a medium sized dog ran out into the road. I braked hard but the brakes just lunging and trying to stop. At one point feels like it’s not braking anymore and just hope to veer out of the way. This can be fatal not only to the driver but to others driving as well. The fact that people are still having this issue, and Toyota hasn’t come up with a proper long term solution speaks to how much Toyota cares about its customer bases’ safety. It is honestly disgusting that people have had accidents and may have fatal and Toyota continues to not care. Please urge Toyota to look into this further and attempt to fix this permanently!

NHTSA ID

11648546

Incident

Mar 1, 2025

The driver's side sun visor does not stay up against the roof of the car and falls down obstructing the driver's view. It will not stay up and falls down immediately when pushed up against the roof. We have resorted to tying the visor up but then are unable to use the sun visor while driving.

NHTSA ID

11635145

Incident

Jan 9, 2025

Car is lunging forward while braking.I just had to put a new abs module and pump on the vehicle which was very expensive.Since I know there was a recall but I was not notified.Is there a way to get toyota to pay for the new pump and module ?

NHTSA ID

11631922

Incident

Dec 20, 2024

Two problems being reported are severe safety issues, and could result in injury, death, and/or property damage. Problem 1: While driving, the brake pedal suddenly went all the way to the floor, and the car would not stop. To avoid hitting the car in front at a stop sign, I had to turn the wheel, resulting in running through the stop sign and onto the grass and shoulder before the car finally stopped. Multiple dashboard warning lights appeared. After stopping, the brakes momentarily returned but failed again within 2-3 minutes. A loud, high-pitched, piercing whistle sound began, indicating a complete loss of brakes. The car had to be towed 200 miles back home. It is not safe to drive the car without functioning brakes. The OBD scan codes are: C1256 (accumulator low pressure), C1391 (abnormal leak of accumulator pressure), and C1256 (accumulator low pressure). Problem 2: When starting the car, the brakes are applied first, and then the car is placed in gear. The car involuntarily and immediately jumps forward or backward and continues to move, even though the brakes are being applied. Having the foot on the brakes has NO EFFECT on the car moving! The car should not move at all when the brakes are being applied. To stop the movement, I must quickly pump the brakes repeatedly. This occurs every time the car is placed into gear after starting the engine, causing it to jump forward or backward and continue moving despite brake application. Both problems are severe safety issues, and could result in injury, death, or property damage.

NHTSA ID

11601445

Incident

Jul 9, 2024

The ABS Module on the vehicle continually go bad. A newly never used one was purchased 2yrs 4 months ago. A genuine Toyota part ($1300) and it has already gone bad. This is causing safety issues as the brakes make a loud thumping sound when pressed. The car also starts rolling in reverse when turned on if the engine hasn’t started as yet.

NHTSA ID

11572473

Incident

Feb 17, 2024

Over 2 year ago our 2006 Highlander Hybrid began making a series of noises when depressing the brake pedal when in park and in motion. Dashboard screen are showing Check ABS, Check VSC System, Check Brake System and Brake Malfunction, and Errors. The noise would get louder and last longer and took longer distance to slow or stop. The shop asked for over $3000 that I don't have to fix so I drive it less and less. Please help if possible.

NHTSA ID

11550896

Incident

Jun 22, 2020

The past couple months the Brakes have been acting up. Changed brakes and rotors to only find out that my brake pump or actuator are faulty and a known issue for highlanders yet my vehicle had no recalls

NHTSA ID

11521613

Incident

May 11, 2023

The Brake Actuator on many Toyota Hybdrid and Lexus Hybrid models fails prematurely leading to a unsafe situation with virtually no braking. Toyota extedend the warranty on the item however there are many cars which didn't qualify for the repalcement and are still failing. This should have been a recall rather a warranty extension. This Brake Actuator fails because of a design flaw, it has been since redesigned. The part istself is priced by Toyota at about $2000 in addition to installation labor that can run in thouands depending on the Toyota model.

NHTSA ID

11521202

Incident

Apr 3, 2023

When braking, apparently when the vehicle transitions from regenerative braking to hydraulic braking, there is a brief total loss of braking force and a noticeable sense of acceleration before the hydraulic brakes begin to grab and slow the vehicle resulting in an unanticipated increase in stopping distance and causing a near collision as my vehicle went several feet past the stop line into an active intersection due to this defect.

NHTSA ID

11515079

Incident

Apr 2, 2023

Power brakes stopped working while driving due to bad brake actuator. Vehicle shut down while driving due to power train system.

NHTSA ID

11488120

Incident

Oct 4, 2022

I can see many complaints similar to mine on line since the car was built in 2006. Driving on a 7hr trip when engine light came on and car overheated. We had to pull over on a busy highway and wait for car to cool down and light to go off. It was scary since I had my child in the car and traffic was moving at 60 mph. The next day I had the Toyota dealer charge me $160.00 to tell me coolant and oil were leaking from the head gasket and the bolt corroded and listed out causing a sealing issue. We just had the car in their shop doing thousands of dollars of maintenance and had a full inspection done in preparation for this trip. We also had fluid leaks from the engine twice before at 65819 miles and again at 84458 miles. No mention of this issue was ever brought up by dealer. I have full records and always did maint as suggested. so now the dealer says it will need a used engine at a cost of $9,000+. I am now without a car. This car should have been recalled and repaired, now it is totaled it. Thank goodness we were not injured or hit by another car on the interstate. sorry unable to send a copy of repair estimate done at Daytona Toyota 386-255-7475

NHTSA ID

11472744

Incident

May 22, 2022

My electric brake computer thu a code C1256 & C1391, ABS Brake Actuator Failure. Not regular maintenance item. No code ever thrown til this time. Major people killer when it fails. My experience was during a rain storm, lost all brakes for maybe 1-2 seconds. Felt like you were on ice. No control, No ABS. Then code and lights on dash lit up. I limped home worried I had no brakes or some brakes. Scared me and my family completely. Now car sits in driveway afraid to drive. I went to dealer, they read the codes and found 2 codes present. C1256 and C1391, ABS Brake Actuator FAILURE, needs to be replaced for SAFE Operation of car. Why isn’t this Brake Actuator under warranty? Excessive mileage? How would you know it was bad if you NEVER got the “CODE” as per Toyota Corporation.

NHTSA ID

11465651

Incident

Apr 2, 2022

Brake Actuator Assembly is a known issue with several Toyota models including my Hylander Hybrid. Toyota tried to address these actuator issues by extending the warranty coverage for the Brake Actuator Assembly on a limited basis, however; there is not an actual recall for this when there obviously should be. Thousands of customers are left with unknowingly driving vehicles that are not safe and for those that have had their brakes fail (and survive) are left with $3,000-$4,500 in repair bills to resolve these issues. In April 2021, I noticed odd purging-like sounds while stopped at stop signs or red lights when the brakes were engaged. This concerned me so, I had our local Toyota dealership check out our highlander but they said there was nothing wrong with the vehicle and we assumed they knew what they were talking about so we went about our business. Unfortunately, some months later while driving hundreds of miles from our home, the Check VSC light, ABS, Brake, and one other dash warning lights came on and the purging sound became much louder. Lucky for us, the brakes still worked enough to stop the vehicle. An official recall would have facilitated our local Toyota Dealer Service Dept in alerting us about these issues before we were put in a dangerous situation. Our Hylander is currently being worked on at our local Toyota Dealership. A guy in the service department is how we found out about the Toyota Customer Support Program that outlines the brake actuator shortcomings/failures. The service dept. manager's exact words were "it's like a recall but it's not an official recall". Here is a video I found on the Toyota Nation website where this gentleman's wife had her brakes fail and hit a car in a parking lot. Thank god she was not injured! https://youtu.be/mn_xs6k8_H4 Ultimately, all Toyota models with these faulty brake components should be recalled!!

NHTSA ID

11446649

Incident

Dec 20, 2021

While normally driving on the highway and without no warning the vehicle the power steering stops working , it just dies with no power and dash lights warning start to flash and Check Hybrid System turns on. I am not a mechanic nor a technician . The mechanic disconnected the ground cable after waiting about 5 minutes and it resets the system. He told me that it has something that may be caused by some electrical problem . He thinks that it has to do with a recall about some soldering electrical part in the inverter control. This has happened in 3 more occasion and I've been lucky and i have time to let it go to side of the road and i disconnect the ground wire for 5 minutes and connect it back and it resets and then starts to work normal. Since the vehicle stalls completely i fear that this could cause an accident or lost of life due to other vehicles coming behind at high speeds . Please i need help!

NHTSA ID

11440636

Incident

Nov 15, 2021

I was driving the car then as I hit the brakes it felt like they were not engaging until I applied more pressure. Then as I was almost home the abs and traction control lights came on. Took it to a specialist and they said that the abs module would have to be replaced. There are tons of people apparently with my same year and model with the same concern

NHTSA ID

11439316

Incident

Nov 1, 2021

The contact's client owned a 2006 Toyota Highlander. The contact stated while his client was driving at an unknown speed when the front passenger tire blowout and he crashed into a tree. The contact stated the front driver side air bag did deploy but the front passenger-side air bag failed to deploy causing the client's wife to have a fractured clavicle and spine, and internal injuries. The contact stated the wife was having a third surgery on 10/6/2021. The driver sustained 6 fractured ribs and did seek medical attention at a hospital. The contact also stated the client was traveling with a dog who was injured in the accident and decided to put down the dog due to the extended injuries. A police report was filed. The vehicle was not drivable. The vehicle was towed to towing lot. The contact called the local dealer and spoke to them about a possible air bag recall inquiry. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 120,000.

NHTSA ID

11435668

Incident

Oct 1, 2021

Mileage

120,000 mi

Sudden power steering failure. Hybrid vehicle with power assist steering.

NHTSA ID

11434500

Incident

Sep 22, 2021

ABS Control Module. Yes could be made available for review. A few years ago, a diagnostic showed the ABS Control Module as bad (it started buzzing is what made us get it checked). Toyota replaced it, but there was still buzzing after the service, from a NEW part!? I strongly expressed this to Toyota since it still seemed like an issue to me, but they told me nothing could be done unless the computer said it was bad or if there was a recall. The buzzing continued to get worse and does it almost all the time now, and finally the ABS light came on, sometimes it will make an alert noise, and the vehicle will not brake properly (with the brake pedal feeling very firm), so apparently now that the ABS light is on, a diagnostic showed it bad again. I have researched to find many other people experiencing this same issue with this part going bad AND continuing to quickly go bad even after replacing, and I have been advised the danger of this, for if it goes out while driving, you cannot brake like normal and cause an accident. If a brand new part was making the same buzzing noise when the previous part did not used to make that noise, then something seems very wrong! And this is very much a safety issue if your brakes suddenly stop working like they are supposed to! Please help! I appreciate your time. Thank you!

NHTSA ID

11434093

Incident

Apr 22, 2021

In the last 4 weeks my 06 Highlander Hybrid has had malfunctions in the brakes and in the power steering. Both issues rendering the car inoperable. The first issue that was to arise was the brake actuator pump. I noticed it was failing when i got in the vehicle to move it out of the driveway and noticed after i put the car in gear that their was no power brake assist. When the car was shifted into drive the car began rolling even while i was pushing hard on the brakes. Luckily the brake assist resumed and i did not run into anything but the car unintentionally moved about 5 feet. I mentioned this to my wife, and she said while driving home one day the car made a high pitched buzz. She was close to home, so she made it home and parked the car and forgot about the noise. After the car was turned back on again no noise was made and no CEL or warnings were displayed. The actuator was replaced, and the car operated fine for about one week and probably 40 miles of driving. I want to mention I had noted a odd feeling in the brakes for years leading up the the failure. The brake pedal would continue to the floor while trying to maintain constant pressure on the brakes. I believe this is due to the actuator losing pressure, but it would cause an uneasy sensation of failing brakes, but no CEL's were ever triggered. The new actuator fixed this. After fixing the car we drove it on a few trips. Yesterday 8/24/21 my wife went to drive the car, and it wouldn't start. She tried about 10 times and it wouldn't turn on. I put a battery charger on the car and the battery looked okay. I tried to start it a few time probably 5 and finally got the READY light, so the car was ready to go, but all of a sudden the car would shut off and the READY light would go out and the P/S light would come on. This light is triggered when something is wrong with the power steering system, and the computer will disable the vehicle. The car immobile now. These are worth recalling.

NHTSA ID

11430261

Incident

Jul 30, 2021