2020 Toyota Highlander recalls

NHTSA lists 4 safety recall campaigns for the 2020 Toyota Highlander. Between them they involve air bags, body and structure and engine and cooling. The most recent was received on December 20, 2023.

December 20, 2023Air bags

OCS Sensors May Short Circuit

NHTSA campaign 23V-865 · 999,901 vehicles potentially affected · Air bags

The defect: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Avalon, Avalon Hybrid, Corolla, Highlander, Highlander Hybrid, RAV4, RAV4 Hybrid, Lexus ES350, Lexus RX350, Lexus RX450H, 2021 Sienna Hybrid, Lexus ES250, 2020-2022 Camry, Camry Hybrid, and ES300H vehicles. A short circuit may develop in the Occupant Classification System (OCS) sensor, preventing the front passenger air bag from deploying.

The risk: An air bag that does not deploy during a crash increases the risk of injury.

The remedy: Dealers will inspect and replace the sensor as necessary, free of charge. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed in February 2024. Some final remedy owner letters were mailed October 31, 2024. Letters will continue to be mailed in phases through January 2026. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's number for this recall is 23TB15/23TA15 Lexus 23LB03/23LA03.
October 26, 2023Body and structure

Front Bumper Assembly May Detach

NHTSA campaign 23V-720 · 750,795 vehicles potentially affected · Structure

The defect: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2020-2023 Highlander & Highlander Hybrid vehicles. During normal vehicle operation, minor impact to the front lower bumper cover may result in the cover coming loose or detaching.

The risk: A detached front bumper cover can become a road hazard, increasing the risk of a crash.

The remedy: Dealers will repair or replace the upper and lower front bumper covers as necessary, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed April 22, 2024. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's number for this recall is 23TB12/23TA12.
October 14, 2020Air bags

Seat Trim Can Interfere with Air Bag Deployment

NHTSA campaign 20V-633 · 3,121 vehicles potentially affected · Air bags

The defect: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2020 Highlander and Highlander hybrid vehicles. Incorrect seat trim covers on one or both of the front seats can prevent the seat-mounted side air bag from deploying properly.

The risk: Improper deployment of the seat-mounted side air bag increases the risk of injury in the event of a crash.

The remedy: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the front seats and replace the seat trim covers as necessary, free of charge. The recall began December 11, 2020. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's number for this recall is 20TB14 / 20TA14.
March 19, 2020Engine and cooling

ECU Error May Cause Vehicle Stall

NHTSA campaign 20V-162 · 38,810 vehicles potentially affected · Engine

The defect: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2020 Highlander vehicles equipped with a 3.5 L, V6 (2GR-FKS) gasoline engine. Due to an Engine Control Unit (ECU) programming error, fuel may not be correctly supplied to the engine while using the stop and restart feature.

The risk: Improper fuel supply programming can result in a vehicle stall, increasing the risk of a crash.

The remedy: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the ECU, free of charge. The recall began May 15, 2020. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-888-270-9371. Toyota's number for this recall is 20TA06.

Check by VIN

A campaign rarely covers every Highlander built in 2020. 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 2020 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 (23V-865, 23V-720, 20V-633, 20V-162).
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

Common questions

Does the 2020 Toyota Highlander have any recalls?

Yes. NHTSA lists 4 campaigns for the 2020 Toyota Highlander: 23V-865 (OCS Sensors May Short Circuit); 23V-720 (Front Bumper Assembly May Detach); 20V-633 (Seat Trim Can Interfere with Air Bag Deployment); 20V-162 (ECU Error May Cause Vehicle Stall).

How do I know if my 2020 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 2020 Toyota Highlander?

No. Safety recall repairs are done free of charge by Toyota dealers. Quote the NHTSA campaign number when you book.