Model year 2015 · Small Sport Utility Vehicle 2WD, Standard Sport Utility Vehicle 4WD

2015 Toyota Highlander: recalls, fuel economy and safety ratings

EPA rates the 2015 Toyota Highlander at 20–28 mpg combined across 5 versions. NHTSA lists 1 safety recall and 195 owner complaints for this model year. Its best NHTSA overall crash-test rating is 5 out of 5 stars.

Safety recalls

1

EPA combined mpg

20–28

NHTSA overall rating

5/5

Recall file dated Oct 27, 2026 · EPA file dated Sep 29, 2026 · updated Oct 27, 2026, 7:34 AM EDT

NHTSA lists this vehicle as HIGHLANDER HYBRID.

Check your own car: enter your 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see open recalls for that exact vehicle, and contact a Toyota dealer to schedule the repair — safety recall repairs are free. The list below covers the whole model year, so not every recall applies to every car.

2015 Toyota Highlander recalls

NHTSA's recall file lists 1 safety recall for the 2015 Toyota Highlander, newest first.

Steering: Electric power assist system

NHTSA 15V144000 Reported Mar 13, 2015
Filed by
Toyota Motor Corporation
Units affected
110,085 (estimate)
Problem
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain model year 2015 Camry, Camry Hybrid, Highlander, and Highlander Hybrid, and 2014-2015 Rav4 vehicles. A component of the electric power steering (EPS) electronic control unit (ECU) may have been damaged during the manufacturing process. Over time, this damage may result in failure of the electric power steering system.
Risk
An unexpected loss of power steering increases the risk of a crash.
Remedy
Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the serial number of the EPS ECU or steering column assembly. If the number is within the affected range, the EPS ECU will be replaced, free of charge. The recall began on May 7, 2015. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331.

Full recall record on nhtsa.gov

Recall summaries are written by NHTSA from manufacturers' defect reports. Dates are when NHTSA received the report.

2015 Toyota Highlander fuel economy by version

EPA city/highway/combined estimates for each engine, transmission and drive combination. Annual fuel cost is EPA's estimate for 15,000 miles a year (55% city, 45% highway) at EPA's current fuel-price assumptions; your cost will vary.

2015 Toyota Highlander EPA fuel economy
VersionEngineTransmissionDriveFuelCity/Hwy/CombFuel cost/yrCO2 g/mi
Highlander 2WD2.7L 4-cylAutomatic 6-speedFront-Wheel DriveRegular20/25/22 mpg$3,050398
Highlander 2WD3.5L 6-cylAutomatic 6-speedFront-Wheel DriveRegular19/25/21 mpg$3,200425
Highlander AWD3.5L 6-cylAutomatic 6-speedAll-Wheel DriveRegular18/24/20 mpg$3,350437
Highlander Hybrid AWD3.5L 6-cyl hybridCVT (6 modes)All-Wheel DriveRegular27/28/28 mpg$2,400319
Highlander Hybrid AWD LE Plus3.5L 6-cyl hybridCVT (6 modes)All-Wheel DriveRegular28/28/28 mpg$2,400313

Source: FuelEconomy.gov (U.S. DOE and EPA), file dated Sep 29, 2026. Each version links to its FuelEconomy.gov record.

EPA estimates come from standardized lab tests so cars can be compared fairly; real-world mileage depends on speed, weather, load, tires and driving style.

2015 Toyota Highlander crash-test ratings

NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings for the tested versions. More stars mean a lower chance of serious injury in that type of crash. Rollover risk is NHTSA's estimated chance of rolling over in a single-vehicle crash.

2015 Toyota Highlander NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings
Tested vehicleOverallFrontalSideRolloverRollover riskForward collision warning
2015 Toyota Highlander HV SUV AWD5 stars4 stars5 stars4 stars16.9%Optional
2015 Toyota Highlander SUV AWD5 stars4 stars5 stars4 stars16.9%Optional
2015 Toyota Highlander SUV FWD5 stars4 stars5 stars4 stars18.5%Optional

Source: NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings (New Car Assessment Program), checked Oct 26, 2026.

Star ratings compare vehicles of similar size and weight; a frontal rating for a large pickup is not directly comparable with one for a small car.

2015 Toyota Highlander owner complaints

Owners have filed 195 complaints with NHTSA about the 2015 Toyota Highlander, most recently on Sep 23, 2026. 17 mention a crash, 6 a fire, 16 injured people and 0 deaths. These are unverified reports; a complaint is not proof of a defect.

Most-cited components in 2015 Toyota Highlander complaints
Component named in complaintsMentions
Electrical system51
Unknown or other44
Steering25
Structure: Body25
Service brakes15
Visibility/wiper12
Engine11
Vehicle speed control11
Exterior lighting10
Air bags8

Source: NHTSA consumer complaint files (complaints received since January 1, 2015). One complaint can name several components.

Had a safety problem with your vehicle? You can report it to NHTSA at nhtsa.gov/report-a-safety-problem.

Other Toyota Highlander model years

Toyota Highlander by model year
YearCombinedRecallsComplaintsOverall rating
2026 Highlander24–35 mpg045/5
2025 Highlander24–35 mpg4105/5
2024 Highlander24–36 mpg7435/5
2023 Highlander24–36 mpg91985/5
2022 Highlander23–36 mpg62725/5
2021 Highlander23–36 mpg55485/5
2020 Highlander23–36 mpg53305/5
2019 Highlander22–29 mpg35115/5
2018 Highlander22–29 mpg42755/5
2017 Highlander22–29 mpg32745/5
2016 Highlander20–28 mpg21175/5

All Toyota Highlander years compared · Decode a VIN

Other 2015 Toyota models

2015 Toyota 4Runner2015 Toyota Avalon2015 Toyota Camry2015 Toyota Corolla2015 Toyota Land Cruiser2015 Toyota Prius2015 Toyota Prius c2015 Toyota Prius v2015 Toyota RAV42015 Toyota Sequoia2015 Toyota Sienna2015 Toyota Tacoma2015 Toyota Tundra2015 Toyota Venza2015 Toyota Yaris

Sources

  • Recalls: NHTSA recall flat file (FLAT_RCL_POST_2010), dated Oct 27, 2026, plus a live check of api.nhtsa.gov in your browser.
  • Complaints: NHTSA consumer complaint flat files (COMPLAINTS_RECEIVED), counts only — we do not republish complaint text.
  • Crash tests: NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings API.
  • Fuel economy: FuelEconomy.gov vehicles file (U.S. DOE and EPA), dated Sep 29, 2026.
  • NHTSA, EPA and DOE do not endorse OpenVIN. Vehicle names identify vehicles only; OpenVIN is not affiliated with Toyota.