With a five-star safety rating from the NHTSA, a Top Safety Pick award from the IIHS, just three recalls, and annual repair costs under $500, the 2019 Highlander is one of the most dependable SUVs on the road today.
Key Points
- In 2020, the 2019 Toyota Highlander was recalled twice for potential fuel pump failure, with over one and a half million Toyota and Lexus units being affected each time.
- A handful of drivers have reported onboard computer glitches and parts shortages stemming from the sport utility vehicle’s recalls.
- The SUV’s first recall was for a payload capacity label that had a tendency to wear down, becoming unreadable.
- Overall, there’s very little to complain about with a 2019 Toyota Highlander. If you want a hassle-free midsize SUV, this is about as good as it gets.
Potential Fuel Pump Failure Led to a Pair of Recalls in 2020
The 2019 Highlander has 63 complaints for the fuel/propulsion system, and 32 for the engine.
The majority of both of these categories point to a faulty fuel pump. Specific incidents range from stalling and hesitancy while accelerating, to the engine shutting down completely.
Out of three recalls total, two are for potential fuel pump failure, each one affecting a half-million units, including 2019 Highlanders, among other Toyota and Lexus models.
Complaints have continued to roll in well past the date of the second recall. The most recent was registered in July 2021.
Many of the newer complaints note that the VIN was covered in the recall, but the repairs had gone unclaimed by the time they bought the SUV.
Fuel Pump Recalls Result in ECU Problems and a Parts Shortage
An issue stemming from the 2019 Highlander’s fuel pump recalls sees the onboard computer acting funny following repairs. In some instances, warning lights will flash on at random.
In other cases, more severe issues reportedly occurred, including engine stall or trouble shifting, braking, or steering.
Fortunately, rate of incidence is low, with only 18 complaints for electrical systems, and not all of them pointing to the same problem.
Further fallout relating to the fuel pump includes a handful of drivers who were unable to get the repairs taken care of because their local dealer doesn’t have the parts required.
In late 2020, one 2019 Toyota Highlander owner reported that their local Toyota seller had a back order of 97 fuel pumps.
By the time you’re reading this, the parts shortage should be sorted out. But it goes to show how things can go wrong with large recalls. Even when the fix is rolled out in a timely manner, repairing millions of Toyotas is no small task.
Again, it’s a reminder that you should always check the VIN before buying a used car.
Payload Capacity Labels may Wear Down, Risking Vehicle Damage and Requiring Replacement under Recall
The first recall issued for the 2019 Toyota Highlander was not actually for a mechanical problem. It was for a load capacity label that could potentially wear down, leaving drivers unable to read the numbers.
The label issue may not seem like a big deal, but it could be. If you’re loading some gravel into the cargo area for your driveway and you can’t read the label, you might wind up overloading the SUV.
The error could end up putting serious wear and tear on your suspension, engine, and transmission.
The recall offers a simple fix: Drive down to the dealer and they’ll slap a new sticker on there for you. Or you can just check your driver’s manual to make sure you’re not overloading your Highlander.
At the low end, a 2019 Highlander can carry a payload of around 1,486 pounds, including passengers. If you have a lot of hauling to do, you might want to see about taking a truck or making a few extra trips.
2019 Toyota Highlander Remains One of the Most Reliable SUVs on the Market
The 2019 Toyota Highlander is on a very short list of super-reliable midsize used SUVs. In this segment, and at this price point, you’ve only got the Highlander, your usual Hondas, Nissans, and Kias, and not much else.
After more than three years on the road, the SUV has gathered just 151 complaints, zero investigations, and three recalls, and one of those was for a worn-out sticker. Toyota have been prompt in addressing the faulty fuel pump, rate of incidence for other problems has been very low, and average maintenance costs come in at under $500 a year.
The biggest concern about a 2019 Highlander is that because it has few problems, if you do encounter an issue, you may be the only driver dealing with it. That makes finding information online difficult, and you can forget seeing a recall.
But, with the sport utility vehicle still eligible for CPO warranty, even that shouldn’t be much of a problem.
There’s very little to complain about with a 2019 Toyota Highlander. If you want a hassle-free midsize SUV, this is about as good as it gets.
Photos: Toyota
