2002 Toyota Highlander recalls
NHTSA lists 2 safety recall campaigns for the 2002 Toyota Highlander. Between them they involve latches and locks and fuel system. The most recent was received on April 15, 2004.
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Latches and locks
Toyota/child protection lock on side doors
The defect: Certain sport utility vehicles have a child protection lock (cpl) system on both of the rear side doors. When an operator of the vehicle closes the door very hard with the cpl lever set to the lock position, there is a possibility that the lever may contact the body panel, causing the cpl lever to move into the unlock position.
The risk: This condition could allow the door to be opened with the inside while the operator believes that the cpl was activated. If the door were opened from the inside while the vehicle was in motion, an occupant could fall out and be injured.
The remedy: Dealers will shorten the cpl lever. Owner notification began may 7, 2004. Owners should contact toyota at 1-800-331-4331.
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Fuel system
Toyota/fuel tank hose attachment
The defect: On sport utility vehicles, there is a breather hose that attaches to the nozzle of the on-board refueling vapor recovery (orvr) valve, which is located on the topside of the fuel tank. The breather hose is attached with a clamp, whose "tabs" face in the upward direction. When the vehicle was crashed under the new car assessment program (ncap) test (I.e., 35 mph frontal barrier crash), the clamp "tabs" contacted the underside of the body due to movement of the fuel tank, causing the nozzle to break.
The risk: In the worst case, nozzle breakage could result in fuel leakage if the vehicle rolls-over after a high speed frontal crash.
The remedy: Dealers will rotate the specified clamp. Owner notification began september 23, 2002. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact toyota at 1-800-331-4331.
Check by VIN
A campaign rarely covers every Highlander built in 2002. Enter your 17-character VIN to find the recall campaigns filed for your make, model and model year. The VIN is on the driver’s side of the dashboard (visible through the windshield), on the door-jamb label, and on your registration and insurance documents.
Is a recall still open on your vehicle? Only NHTSA’s official VIN check can say whether a campaign applies to your exact vehicle and whether the repair has already been done.
Your VIN is decoded with NHTSA’s public vPIC service to identify the make, model and year. It is not stored and is not added to any page address.
What 2002 Toyota Highlander owners should do
- Check your VIN on NHTSA’s lookup to see which of these campaigns apply to your vehicle and whether any are still open.
- Call a Toyota dealer and book the repair, quoting the campaign numbers (04V-181, 02V-208).
- If you have bought the vehicle used, the recall still applies: the repair is free whoever owns the vehicle now.
- Make sure your current address is on file with the manufacturer so the owner letters reach you.
Other Toyota Highlander model years
- 2025 4
- 2023 9
- 2022 5
- 2021 4
- 2020 4
- 2019 3
- 2018 4
- 2017 3
- 2016 2
- 2015 1
- 2014 4
- 2013 3
- 2012 2
- 2011 5
- 2010 10
- 2009 9
- 2008 11
- 2007 4
- 2006 7
- 2005 6
- 2004 5
- 2003 2
- 2001 3
Common questions
Does the 2002 Toyota Highlander have any recalls?
Yes. NHTSA lists 2 campaigns for the 2002 Toyota Highlander: 04V-181 (Toyota/child protection lock on side doors); 02V-208 (Toyota/fuel tank hose attachment).
How do I know if my 2002 Toyota Highlander has an open recall?
Enter your VIN in NHTSA’s recall lookup. Most campaigns cover only part of a model year’s production, and the lookup also shows whether the repair has already been done on your vehicle.
Will the dealer charge to fix the 2002 Toyota Highlander?
No. Safety recall repairs are done free of charge by Toyota dealers. Quote the NHTSA campaign number when you book.