Name: 2004 Toyota Highlander
Brand: Toyota

Brakes

Premature pad/rotor wear, pulsation or vibration, antilock system, parking brake, master cylinder, calipers, squeaking, brake failure, regenerative braking.

What Owners Say

Calipers

"Original front calliper seized. Replacement rear calibre seized replaced under warranty."

Anonymous, (2004 Toyota Highlander Base 3.3-L V6)

Premature brake wear

"I took it into the shop for a routine inspection. The brakes on right front were worn to metal on metal. The left side brakes were just fine."

Anonymous, VA (2004 Toyota Highlander Base 3.3-L V6)

Rotors

"Same problem."

Anonymous, VA (2004 Toyota Highlander Base 3.3-L V6)

"Same vibration when brakes were applied as 2009 model. Curious that both had brake issues in the same year."

Anonymous A., TN (2004 Toyota Highlander Limited 3.3-L V6)

"Brakes needed repaired due to rotors and drums being worn and gouged in places. Pads were worn thin, too. I attribute brakes needing to be repaired as normal part of good car maintenance."

Anonymous, IN (2004 Toyota Highlander Limited 3.3-L V6)

Cruise control, clock, warning lights, body control module, keyless entry, wiper motor or washer, tire pressure monitor, interior or exterior lights, horn, gauges, 12V power plug, USB ports, alarm or security system, remote engine start, heated or cooled seats, heated steering wheel, headlights, automatic headlights, automatic wipers, wireless charging pad.

What Owners Say

Exterior lights (other than headlights)

"Rear right brake light is out. The new bulb did not fix the problem. Needs a complete rear light assembly."

Anonymous, FL (2004 Toyota Highlander Base 3.3-L V6)

Steering And Suspension

Shocks or struts, ball joints, tie rods, wheel bearings, alignment, steering linkage (includes rack and pinion), power steering (pumps and hoses, leaks), wheel balance, springs or torsion bars, bushings, electronic or air suspension.

What Owners Say

Power steering pumps and hoses

"The power steering hoses all failed much earlier than any other car we have owned."

Anonymous, MA (2004 Toyota Highlander Base 3.3-L V6)

Shocks or struts

"I took my Toyota in for an oil change and they found I needed new struts. this was 2 weeks ago. They just wore out. Had then replaced."

Anonymous, CA (2004 Toyota Highlander Limited 3.3-L V6)

Springs or torsion bars

"There is not much to say about this. The torsion bar broke. I had considered not fixing it but as I pull a trailer with this vehicle I felt it was important to have it replaced"

Anonymous A., ON (2004 Toyota Highlander Limited 3.3-L V6)

Steering linkage (includes rack and pinion)

"Noise in front end while driving from worn out parts due to age of vehicle and weather in north east with winters and salt on roads and such. Very reliable vehicle overall for the many years I've owned it. If they only made cars like this today."

Anonymous, NY (2004 Toyota Highlander Base 3.3-L V6)

Climate System

AC compressor, blower (fan) motor, condenser, evaporator, heater system, automatic climate system, electrical failure, refrigerant leakage.

What Owners Say

Automatic climate control

"system would not give consistent heat or cooling."

Anonymous, NE (2004 Toyota Highlander Limited 3.3-L V6)

Drive System

Driveshaft or axle, CV joint, differential, transfer case, four-wheel-drive/all-wheel-drive components, driveline vibration, electrical failure, traction control, electronic stability control.

What Owners Say

Driveshaft or axle

"The problem started in December of 2022, I would notice slight shudder when turning a corner or on initial accelerating from a stop. Once up to speed everything seemed fine. I started to hear a clunking noise in the back of the car which turned out to be a broken torsion bar. Shudder was still noticeable. Drove the Highlander until mid April. As the shudder was getting worse I took it to my mechanic to have a look at the problem and told him to replace the torsion bar and fix what ever was making the shudder. He did both for approximately $1600. No more shudder and tuck handles like a new one. Hope to get another 10 years out of it."

Anonymous A., ON (2004 Toyota Highlander Limited 3.3-L V6)

"Front U joint on the driveshaft locked up causing a vibration when accelerating. I found out that Toyota manufactured the driveshaft in a way that the U joint is not replaceable so the whole driveshaft had to be replaced at a cost of about $1,400 dollars."

Anonymous A., NY (2004 Toyota Highlander Limited 3.3-L V6)

Exhaust

Muffler, pipes, catalytic converter, exhaust manifold, heat shields, leaks.

What Owners Say

Engine Minor

Accessory belts and pulleys, engine computer, engine mounts, engine knock or ping, fuel leaks, oil leaks.

Toyota Highlander

Reliability

Owner Reported Trouble Spots

Brakes

What Owners Say

Electrical Accessories

What Owners Say

Steering And Suspension

What Owners Say

Climate System

What Owners Say

Drive System

What Owners Say

Exhaust

What Owners Say

Engine Minor

What Owners Say

Fuel System/Emissions

Engine Electrical

Engine Major

Transmission Major

In-car Electronics

Noises And Leaks

Paint And Trim

Engine Cooling

Body Hardware

Transmission Minor

2004 SUVs Reliability

Toyota vs. Other New Car Brands Reliability