2004 Toyota Highlander Steering Problems

NHTSA component category: STEERING · data through 07/12/2026

24Steering complaints

8.4%Of all 286 complaints

#3Most-reported category

Source: U.S. NHTSA complaint data. Complaints are unverified reports from vehicle owners — a complaint is not a confirmed defect.

How steering ranks on this vehicle

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION46 · 16.1%

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL33 · 11.5%

STEERING24 · 8.4%

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM18 · 6.3%

ENGINE16 · 5.6%

Share of the 286 complaints citing each category; one complaint can cite several. Full breakdown on the 2004 Toyota Highlander overview page.

What owners report

“HEARD A CLICKING SOUND WHEN TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL LEFT OR RIGHT.”NHTSA complaint 10250016 — filed 11/27/2008

“WHILE DRIVING ON BUSY HIGHWAY THE STEERING OF MY TOYOTA BECAME IMPOSSIBLE I MANAGED TO GET CAR OFF OF ROAD . HAD VEHICLE TOWED TO…”NHTSA complaint 10247652 — filed 11/04/2008

“AFTER STARTING MY CAR AND DRIVING IT TWO BLOCKS, THE VSC LIGHT AND AUDIBLE WARNING BUZZER WENT ON AT THE SAME TIME MY CAR LOST…”NHTSA complaint 10247404 — filed 10/31/2008

Excerpts are shortened and scrubbed of personal details; they are individual, unverified reports.

Steering complaints by year filed

Frequently asked questions

Does the 2004 Toyota Highlander have steering problems?

Steering is the #3 most-reported problem area on the 2004 Toyota Highlander: 24 of 286 complaints on file (8.4%). Complaints are unverified owner reports, not confirmed defects.

How many complaints does the 2004 Toyota Highlander have in total?

286 complaints were on file with NHTSA as of 07/12/2026. Across all categories, 32 involved a crash, 3 involved a fire, 23 reported injuries, and 47 reported deaths.

What does NHTSA's steering category include?

NHTSA assigns each complaint to standard component categories; this page reports the STEERING category exactly as NHTSA defines and records it.

About this data — Complaint figures on this page are consumer reports submitted to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), a U.S. government agency. NHTSA does not verify individual complaints; a complaint is not proof that a defect exists, and counts reflect what owners chose to report, not confirmed failure rates. Recall information comes from official NHTSA safety recall campaigns; recall repairs are free at authorized dealers. Always check your specific vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. CarModelProblems.com is an independent site and is not affiliated with NHTSA or any vehicle manufacturer. Data through 07/12/2026.