2013 Toyota Highlander Fuel system Problems

A persistent smell of fuel occurred while in slow moving traffic and after vehicle was parked after use. Upon close inspection, the fuel injector fuel rail end cap exhibited a slow fuel leak. This component caused a recall for year model highlanders for 2014 production year describing the same type of component failure. The component has faulty end cap weldment that fails, causing the same failure mode being observed in my highlander. This is a fire hazard! Fuel rails should not be failing like this. A replacement fuel rail assembly has been order from Salinas Toyota. The original component can be made available for inspection/testing. I will also take a video of the leak and provide file upon request.

NHTSA ID

11676467

Incident

Jul 27, 2025

I purchased the car in 2020 with 73K miles on it. It has sporadically had incidents of unintended acceleration. I happens when I slow for a stop sign, red light, or crosswalk. My foot is on the brake when this occurs, the engine then goes into high gear and no amount of pressure on the brake will stop it. I put the car in park and turn the key off. There are no warning lights. It has happened more frequently in 2024. On [XXX], I tried to come to a stop at a crosswalk in Plymouth MA. The UA occurred, putting the folks in the crosswalk and myself in danger. The next day I contacted the dealer and Toyota. The upshot - they said the car is fine, it must be my mats or shoes or something that is not their fault. I've been driving Toyotas for 40 years, I've never had a mat or shoe problem. There is something faulty with the acceleration/braking system. The last occurrence was [XXX] in Plympton MA. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ID

11599219

Incident

Feb 11, 2024

My car will stall with no warning. I have taken my car multiple times to the dealership and the problem has not been able to be repaired. There have been other years of Toyota recalled for this exact same problem however, mine has not been. This is a serious safety concern!

NHTSA ID

11424211

Incident

Jul 5, 2021

AT 37,500 MILES WHILE MOVING THE CHECK ENGINE AN TRACTOR OFF WARNING LIGHT CAME ON. THE DEALER CHARGED $125.00 TO REPLACE THE GAS CAP. IF THIS IS A SYSTEMIC PROBLEM WITH TOYOTA I BELIEVE IT SHOULD BE RECALLED. THANK YOU *TR

NHTSA ID

10949221

Incident

Jan 31, 2017

Mileage

371,500 mi

UPON ENTERING INTO CAR AFTER IT HAD BEEN PARKED I SMELLED GASOLINE. WIFE SAID SHE HAD JUST FILLED UP BEFORE COMING HOME AND PERHAPS SPILLED SOME. I GOT OUT OF VEHICLE AND CHECKED AND SAW SMALL PUDDLE OF GASOLINE WHERE CAR HAD BEEN PARKED. MOVED CAR AWAY FROM HOUSE AND RAISED HOOD TO VENT ENGINE COMPARTMENT. I REMOVED FRONT SKID PLATE/PANEL TO FIND LEAK AND ALLOW FURTHER AIR CIRCULATION. I POWER CYCLED KEY AND SAW FUEL LEAK AGAIN. AFTER FURTHER INVESTIGATION FOUND WERE MAIN FUEL LINE WAS MISTING ONTO ENGINE AND SURROUNDING PARTS. LEAKS WERE COMING FROM MIDDLE PORTION OF HOSE AND NOT AT CONNECTIONS. NEXT DAY I HAD MY CAR TOWED TO THE DEALER. THEY SUSPECTED RODENT DAMAGE. UPON INSPECTION THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE OF "CHEWING" OR OTHER TYPE OF EXTERNAL DAMAGE. A REPLACEMENT LINE WAS ORDERED AND INSTALLED. I WAS CHARGED FOR THE REPAIRS. I HAVE KEPT THE ORIGINAL FUEL LINE FOR FURTHER INVESTIGATION. DEALER HAD NO EXPLANATION OF THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. I FEEL BLESSED THAT WE DID STOP WHEN WE DID OTHERWISE IT WOULD OF RESULTED IN AN GASOLINE FED ENGINE FIRE BECAUSE OF THE GAS SPRAYING ONTO THE EXHAUST AND OTHER HOT ENGINE PARTS IN A CONFINED AREA.

NHTSA ID

10945482

Incident

Jan 11, 2017

Mileage

63,000 mi

VEHICLE HESITATES WHEN ACCELERATING, USUALLY WHEN MAKING A TURN FROM A STOP OR MOVING SLOWLY. IT IS ESPECIALLY HAZARDOUS WHEN TRYING TO MAKE A LEFT TURN IN FRONT OF ONCOMING TRAFFIC. HAS HAPPENED MULTIPLE TIMES, NOT JUST THE DATE BELOW. THE DEALER CAN NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. WE BOUGHT THE CAR IN EARLY 2014 NEW, AND NOTICED THIS PROBLEM BEFORE 5,000 MILES. THE CAR NOW HAS 22,000 MILES AND IT STILL DOES THIS INTERMITTENTLY.

NHTSA ID

10897242

Incident

Aug 2, 2016

Mileage

5,000 mi

FROM STOP (AT TRAFFIC LIGHT, MERGING, ETC), PRESS ON GAS PEDAL FOR ACCELERATION AND VEHICLE DOES NOT GO, HESITATES, THEN DOES ACCELERATE. THIS HAS HAPPENED MULTIPLE TIMES, INTERMITTENTLY, AND HAS BEEN REPORTED TO TITUS WILL TOYOTA DEALERSHIP. SINCE THEY HAVE NOT DUPLICATED IT, PROBLEM CONTINUES INTERMITTENTLY. NEVER KNOW WHEN THIS WILL OCCUR. IT IS VERY DISCONCERTING AND DANGEROUS. THIS VEHICLE HAS A LOT OF "COMPUTER" GLITCHES WITH GPS MAPPING, BLUETOOTH, AUTO LIGHTS, ETC. MAYBE RELATED?

NHTSA ID

10809977

Incident

Jun 26, 2015

Mileage

16,000 mi

UPON ACCELERATION THE VEHICLE HESITATES FOR 3-5 SECONDS, IT HAS HAPPENED NUMEROUS TIMES. WENT TO THE DEALER AND THEY SAY NOTHING WRONG. VERY DANGEROUS PULLING INTO A HIGHWAY.

NHTSA ID

10759535

Incident

Aug 25, 2015

Mileage

17,000 mi

I PURCHASED THE 2013 HIGHLANDER NEW FROM A DEALER IN VIENNA, VA IN JULY 2013. THE AUTO STARTED A STRING OF ENGINE HESITANCY TO ACCELERATE PROBLEMS AT AROUND 5,000 MILES WHICH WAS REPORTED TO THE DEALER AT THE 5,000 MILE CHECK-UP AND AGAIN AT THE 7,500 MILE CHECKUP. THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM AND GAVE THE ENGINE A CLEAN BILL OF HEALTH. WE MOVED TO MN IN MAY 2014 AND THE HESITANCY OF THE CAR TO MOVE (ACCELERATE) FROM A STOPPED POSITION FOR SEVERAL SECONDS AFTER ENGAGING THE GAS PETAL CONTINUES AND IS INCREASING IN FREQUENCY. THE CAR HAS BEEN TAKEN IN TO THE LOCAL TOYOTA DEALER ON THREE OCCASIONS WITH THE SAME ANSWER THAT THERE IS NO PROBLEM WITH THE CAR. I HAVE BEEN IN TWO NEAR ACCIDENTS WHILE PULLING OUT IN TRAFFIC ON TO A HIGH SPEED DIVIDED HIGHWAY AND CONSIDER THIS A VERY SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE. IT HAPPENS RANDOMLY, (THREE TIMES THIS PAST WEEK), BUT A PATTERN HAS DEVELOPED - MOST INCIDENTS OCCUR WHILE IDLING AT INTERSECTIONS FOR SOME TIME WAITING FOR TRAFFIC TO CLEAR, TRAFFIC LIGHTS, ETC, AND THEN MAKING A LEFT HAND TURN ONTO THE ROADWAY. THE CAR HAS EXHIBITED THIS BEHAVIOR ONLY A COUPLE TIMES WHILE MAKING A RIGHT HAND TURN FROM A IDLING START. THE SENSATION IS THAT THE ENGINE STALLED AND NO MATTER WHAT IS DONE WITH THE GAS PETAL NOTHING HAPPENS FOR ANYWHERE UP TO 4-5 SECONDS. WITH TRAFFIC MOVING AT 60 MILES AN HOUR AND ONE IS ATTEMPTING TO MERGE INTO TRAFFIC, A FIVE SECOND DELAY BRINGS THE ON-COMING TRAFFIC ALMOST 450 FEET CLOSER TO ONE BEFORE THE CAR STARTS TO MOVE REQUIRING MORE DISTANCE IN TRAFFIC GAPS TO OVERCOME A POTENTIAL STALL IN THE ROADWAY. I HAVE COME ACROSS ANOTHER LOCAL OWNER WITH THE SAME PROBLEM AND NOTE AT LEAST 15 OTHER COMPLAINTS ON THE WEB OF ALMOST THE EXACT CIRCUMSTANCES. WHAT DOES IT TAKE FOR TOYOTA TO RECOGNIZE THIS AS A SAFETY ISSUE? UPDATED 12/12/2017*CN

NHTSA ID

10744308

Incident

Apr 25, 2014

Mileage

7,600 mi

EVERY TIME I SWITCH FROM BRAKE TO GAS PEDAL QUICKLY, THE CAR LOOSES POWER AS IF TO STALL. THEN IT REGAINS POWER AND ACCELERATES. IT ALSO HAPPENS IF I AM ON THE HIGHWAY AND TOUCH THE BRAKE PEDAL BEFORE ATTEMPTING TO PASS AND THEN I CAN'T GET POWER TO PASS FOR A COUPLE SECONDS. VERY SCARY AND DANGEROUS I THINK. THE DEALER EXPLAINED TO ME THAT TOYOTA HAD MADE A CHANGE TO MAKE THE COMPUTER IN CHARGE OF DECIDING IF ONE COULD ACCELERATE OR NOT RATHER THAN A DIRECT LINK FROM THE GAS PEDAL TO THE CARBURETOR. THE CONDITION IS UNNERVING AND I BELIEVE POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS AS I HAVE ALMOST BEEN IN ACCIDENTS WHEN I TRY TO ACCELERATE AND THE CAR WON'T RESPOND UNTIL IT IS READY TO ALLOW IT. *TR

NHTSA ID

10704025

Incident

Sep 30, 2013

Mileage

10 mi

ON SUNDAY, JANUARY 18, 2015 AT APPROXIMATELY 7:50AM MST, AFTER FILLING UP THE GAS TANK AT THE HOLIDAY GAS STATION ON PLEASANT GROVE BOULEVARD IN PLEASANT GROVE, UT, I BEGAN TO PULL AWAY FROM THE GAS PUMPS. BEFORE EXITING THE GAS STATION, AND AFTER MOVING ABOUT 20 FEET AT ABOUT 5 MPH, THE ENGINE SUDDENLY REVVED UP TO AROUND 4000 RPM. I IMMEDIATELY TOOK MY FOOT ENTIRELY OFF OF THE GAS PEDAL AND SLAMMED MY FOOT DOWN ON THE BRAKE, HOLDING THE BRAKE DOWN FIRMLY. DESPITE NOTHING PRESSING ON THE GAS PEDAL, AND DESPITE THE BRAKE PEDAL BEING VERY FIRMLY AND CONTINUOUSLY PRESSED, THE ENGINE CONTINUED TO CYCLE AT EXACTLY THE SAME HIGH RPM AND THE VEHICLE CONTINUE TO MOVE FORWARD, STRAINING AGAINST THE BRAKE. I THEN SWITCHED THE GEAR FROM DRIVE INTO NEUTRAL. THE VEHICLE STOPPED MOVING, BUT THE ENGINE CONTINUED TO REV AT EXACTLY THE SAME RPM. AT THIS TIME, THE ENGINE WAS CONTINUOUSLY REVVING AT APPROXIMATELY 4000 RPM, THE CAR WAS NOT MOVING, THE GEAR WAS SET TO NEUTRAL, NOTHING WAS PRESSING ON THE GAS/ACCELERATOR PEDAL, AND I WAS FIRMLY PRESSING ON THE BRAKE PEDAL. I THEN EXAMINED THE DRIVER FOOTWELL TO MAKE SURE THAT NOTHING COULD POSSIBLY BE PRESSING ON THE GAS PEDAL AND INDEED THERE WERE NO OBSTRUCTIONS IN THE DRIVER FOOTWELL. I THEN TOOK MY FOOT OFF OF THE BRAKE AND PUMPED THE GAS PEDAL SEVERAL TIMES BUT THE ENGINE DID NOT RESPOND IN ANY WAY TO THIS ACTION ? RATHER IT CONTINUED TO SIMPLY REV AT THE CONSTANT HIGH RPM. I THEN TURNED OFF THE IGNITION, AT WHICH TIME THE ENGINE STOPPED AND THE VEHICLE WAS ENTIRELY OFF. I THEN SWITCHED THE GEAR INTO PARK, AND THEN STARTED THE IGNITION AND THE VEHICLE STARTED NORMALLY. I PROCEEDED TO SWITCH THE GEAR INTO DRIVE, AND PRESSED ON THE ACCELERATOR AND THE VEHICLE MOVED FORWARD AS EXPECTED WITHOUT ANY UNEXPECTED ACCELERATION. SINCE THEN, THE VEHICLE HAS BEHAVED NORMALLY. *TR

NHTSA ID

10683283

Incident

Jan 18, 2015

Mileage

35,000 mi

I PURCHASED A NEW 2013 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER LIMITED IN NOVEMBER 2013. A FEW DAYS LATER, UPON ACCELERATING FROM A STOP INTO A LEFT TURN, THE ENGINE CUT OFF FOR A FEW SECONDS WHILE ENTERING TRAFFIC. THIS HAPPENED A COUPLE MORE TIMES BEFORE THE FIRST CHECKUP, AT WHICH TIME I INFORMED THE SERVICE TECHNICIAN, PROBLEM WAS NOTED ON SERVICE SHEET, BUT WHEN SERVICE WAS COMPLETED, THEY SAID THEY COULD FIND NO PROBLEM. THE HESITATION CONTINUED, QUITE RANDOMLY, AND SEEMED TO HAPPEN IN LEFT TURN, ACCELERATING SITUATIONS. AT NEXT SERVICE AND CHECKUP (DIFFERENT DEALER) I TOLD THEM ABOUT THE PROBLEM AND IT WAS WRITTEN UP AGAIN WITH SAME RESULT, NO PROBLEM COULD BE FOUND. THIS HAS BEEN REPORTED TO DEALER AT LEAST THREE TIMES, NO RESULTS, NO ACTION TAKEN, NO PROBLEM FOUND. I CONSIDER THIS A DANGEROUS SITUATION, ESPECIALLY WHEN MERGING INTO TRAFFIC. BASED ON INFORMATION I HAVE SEEN, IT APPEARS THAT TOYOTA SHOULD ADDRESS THIS PROBLEM ASAP. *TR

NHTSA ID

10608016

Incident

Nov 12, 2013

Mileage

300 mi

AS I WAS PULLING INTO A PARKING SPACE (MAYBE 5 MILES PER HOUR) AND PUT MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE TO STOP, MY 2013 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER LUNGED FORWARD SO HARD THAT IT WENT OVER THE CONCRETE SPACER, A GRASS MEDIAN, THE CURB AND INTO THE STREET BEYOND THE PARKING LOT. I WAS ABLE TO BRAKE AND STOP THE ACCELERATION, BUT IT WAS SO SUDDEN, FAST AND UNEXPECTED THAT I SCRAPED THE PASSENGER SIDE ON THE VEHICLE NEXT TO ME. A BY-STANDER COMMENTED "I DON'T KNOW WHAT HAPPENED! ALL OF A SUDDEN YOUR CAR JUST RACED AWAY!" I HAVE DRIVEN FOR OVER 45 YEARS WITHOUT AN ACCIDENT. I HAVE BEEN A LOYAL TOYOTA CUSTOMER, BUYING ONE FOR MY SON AND DAUGHTER AS WELL AS THIS VEHICLE AND I THOUGHT WHATEVER PROBLEMS TOYOTA HAD WERE TAKEN CARE OF BUT NOW I AM AFRAID TO DRIVE MY VEHICLE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10586279

Incident

May 1, 2014

Mileage

11,432 mi

WHEN DRIVING THE VEHICLE AT 35MPH WHEN YOU STEP ON THE GAS PEDAL THERE'S A DELAY ON ACCELERATION ESPECIALLY WHEN THE VEHICLE IS GOING UPHILL. IT STARTED WHEN THE VEHICLE MILEAGE WAS AT 1250 MILES ITS ON AND OFF. *TR

NHTSA ID

10554216

Incident

Nov 27, 2013

Mileage

1,250 mi

OCCASIONAL THROTTLE NO RESPONSE WHEN TRYING TO ACCELERATE MODERATELY FROM A STOP, OR FROM A VERY LOW SPEED (I.E.-COASTING AROUND A 90 DEGREE TURN WITH THE ENGINE AT IDLE SPEED.) I THEN PUSH HEAVILY ON THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL, AND IT REVS UP, DOWNSHIFTS, AND RACES AHEAD. IT IS DANGEROUS, IN TRAFFIC. I HAVE BROUGHT IT TO THE DEALER TWICE, AND THEY CANNOT REPRODUCE THE PROBLEM. TWO SO CALLED FACTORY REPS RODE AROUND WITH ME THE SECOND TIME, WITH A COMPUTER CONNECTED. DIAGNOSTICS SHOWS NO ERROR CODES. *TR

NHTSA ID

10551534

Incident

Aug 14, 2013

Mileage

1,000 mi