2017 Toyota Highlander · symptom sheet
Battery dies or the car will not start
- 25owner reports
- 36,000median miles
- $450median quote
- 0involved a crash
Newest report Mar 25, 2026 · checked Oct 2, 2026
47 of the 267 complaints on this car are about the electrical system. 25 of those describe dead battery.
Tick what matches of 25 reports
Dead battery on other Highlander years
No other Highlander model year has enough reports of dead battery for a sheet of its own. See every Highlander year.
What this problem usually is
These owners walk out to a car that's dead. Some find it drained after sitting only a day or two, some need a jump start every week, and some have had the battery replaced more than once without the problem going away. A good number describe the dealer testing the battery, calling it fine, and sending them home.
What got replaced
Owners who name the part that was replaced mention the battery (22 reports) and the alternator (3 reports).
Recalls and investigations
One recall on the electrical system covers the 2017 model year. A recall on the same system isn't always the same failure, so read the defect text.
The windshields have an attached wire harness that water may leak into, possibly causing damage to the vehicle's Engine Control Module (ECM).
All 4 recalls on the 2017 Toyota Highlander, with the owner complaints on each recalled system
NHTSA investigations into the electrical system on the Highlander
Unintended and uncontrolled acceleration. Closed mar 1, 2011, led to recall 11V-112.
None of these investigations covers the 2017 model year.
What owners paid
6 of the 25 reports quote a price. Each dot is one quote. The middle half runs $200 to $800.
When it happens
The middle half of failures fell between 25,000 and 44,832 miles, from the 12 reports that gave a mileage.
Is this a known problem?
The manufacturer has sent NHTSA 5 service bulletins or notices for the 2017 Toyota Highlander that deal with this problem. Newest first.
Federal rules make a manufacturer send NHTSA a copy of any notice about a defect that goes to more than one dealer or owner. Most of these are service bulletins, the repair instructions manufacturers send to dealers. NHTSA generally leaves safety recall bulletins out of this file, and recalls are listed separately.
Some 2004 ? 2020 model year Hybrid vehicles may exhibit an excessive buildup of dust, lint, or debris in the HV battery intake filter or cooling fan. The condition could reduce the efficiency of the HV battery cooling system.
TT: A vehicle may arrive to the dealer with a MIL ?ON? condition and P0A80 or P1AC000 stored in the memory. Some cases have been identified with internal modification done to the HV Battery. Modified or altered parts are not covered under warranty.
TT: Some Customers may complain about a Hybrid Vehicle Battery cooling system warning message. This warning message may appear when the HV Battery cooling system loses efficiency due to debris on the filter and or some object obstructing the air inlet.
A BATTERY IN A STORED VEHICLE IS SUBJECT TO CONDITIONS THAT CAN REDUCE ITS PERFORMANCE AND LIFE. THESE CONDITIONS INCLUDE STORAGE PERIOD, TEMPERATURE, PARASITIC DRAIN, AND BATTERY LOAD.
1 more on the 2017 Toyota Highlander page.
What owners wrote
“2017 Highlander with the Auto Start/Stop. It will sometimes go completely dead when idling, like at a stop light. Completely dead meaning zero electricity - no lights. This will last a couple of seconds. But one day, the car died at a stop light right. No power. Completely dead. Couldnât turn on my hazard lights Gears were stuck. Couldnât shift gears.”
Filed Jul 8, 2024
Should you keep driving it?
This page can't tell you that. 0 of 25 reports involved a crash. Owners who file are the ones who had a bad experience, and nobody checks their reports. If the problem affects steering, braking, power or a fire risk, treat it as a safety fault and have it inspected before a long or high-speed drive.
File your own report with NHTSA. Complaint counts are how a problem gets an investigation. How reports land on this sheet.
Guide Paid for this repair before a recall covered it? How recall reimbursement works
Other problems on this car
- Engine stalls or loses power while driving 48 reports
- Brakes grind, pulse or wear early 29 reports
- Check engine light or misfire 25 reports