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2004 Toyota Highlander Limited V6 FWD

The 2004 Toyota Highlander Limited V6 FWD is a 230-hp 3.3-liter V6 SUV with a 5-speed ect-i automatic and front-wheel drive. It starts at $29,980 MSRP and is rated at 19 mpg combined.

It makes 230 horsepower at 5,800 rpm and 242 lb-ft of torque at 4400 rpm. EPA fuel-economy estimates are 17 mpg city and 23 mpg highway (19 mpg combined).

The Highlander measures 184.6 inches long on a 106.9-inch wheelbase.

Spec Value
Vehicle
Body TypeSUV
PowertrainGas
Price
MSRP$29,980 ($51,580 *)
MSRP with Destination$30,520 ($52,509 *)
Destination Charge$540
Engine
Engine Type3MZ-FE 3.3L DOHC 24-valve VVT-i V6
Displacement3.3 L
Horsepower230 hp @ 5,800 rpm
Torque242 lb-ft @ 4400 rpm
ValvetrainDOHC 24-valve VVT-i
Injection TypeSequential multi-port EFI
Drivetrain
Drive TypeFront-Wheel Drive
Transmission
Transmission5-speed ECT-i automatic
Fuel Economy
City17 MPG
Highway23 MPG
Combined19 MPG
Recommended FuelRegular Unleaded
Suspension
Front SuspensionIndependent MacPherson strut with stabilizer bar
Rear SuspensionIndependent MacPherson strut with stabilizer bar
Brakes
Front Brake DiscVentilated disc
Rear Brake DiscSolid disc
Tires & Wheels
Wheels Front17 in.
Wheels Rear17 in.
Tires FrontP225/65R17
Tires RearP225/65R17
Dimensions & Weight
Length184.6 in
Width71.9 in
Height66.1 in
Wheelbase106.9 in
Ground Clearance6.9 in
Cargo Volume39.7 ft³
Interior
Headroom Front40 in
Headroom Rear39.8 in
Legroom Front40.7 in
Legroom Rear36.4 in
Shoulder Room Front57.9 in
Shoulder Room Rear57 in
Hip Room Front55.1 in
Hip Room Rear54.9 in
* Amount adjusted for inflation to 2026 dollars

Safety & Recalls

NCAP safety ratings

Overall Not rated
Frontal crash Not rated
Frontal – driver ★★★★★
Frontal – passenger ★★★★★
Side crash Not rated
Rollover Not rated
Tested variant: 2004 Toyota Highlander 4-DR.

Recalls

5 recalls on file with NHTSA for the 2004 Toyota HIGHLANDER. Not every recall applies to every trim or VIN — check yours at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

Nov 9, 2011 · ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

TOYOTA IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2004 AVALON VEHICLES; 2004 AND 2005 CAMRY, CAMRY SOLARA, HIGHLANDER, AND SIENNA VEHICLES, 2006 HIGHLANDER HYBRID; 2004 AND 2005 LEXUS ES330 AND RX330; AND 2006 LEXUS RX400H VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM JUNE 1, 2004 THROUGH MARCH 31, 2005, EQUIPPED WITH THE 1MZ-FE OR 3MZ-FE ENGINE. THE AMOUNT OF ADHESIVE AGENT APPLIED BETWEEN THE OUTER RING AND THE TORSIONAL RUBBER DAMPER (INNER RING) IN THE CRANKSHAFT PULLEY MAY BE INADEQUATE. IF THE ADHESIVE IS INSUFFICIENT, THERE IS A POSSIBILITY THAT THE OUTER RING MAY BECOME MISALIGNED AND IT MAY NOT PROPERLY ROTATE WITH THE INNER RING, CAUSING NOISE AND/OR ILLUMINATION OF THE BATTERY DISCHARGE INDICATOR LIGHT.

Consequence: IN SOME CASES, THE BELT FOR THE POWER STEERING PUMP MAY BECOME DETACHED FROM THE PULLEY WHICH COULD RESULT IN A LOSS OF POWER STEERING AND A SUDDEN INCREASE IN STEERING EFFORT, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Remedy: TOYOTA WILL NOTIFY OWNERS, AND DEALERS WILL CHECK THE CRANKSHAFT PULLEY TO IDENTIFY WHETHER IT WAS PRODUCED BY THE U.S. SUPPLIER. IF SO, THE DEALER WILL REPLACE THE PULLEY WITH A NEW ONE AT NO CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN DURING EARLY JANUARY 2012. OWNERS MAY CONTACT TOYOTA AT 1-800-331-4331.

NHTSA campaign 11V539000

Feb 24, 2011 · VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:ACCELERATOR PEDAL

TOYOTA IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2004-2006 HIGHLANDER, HIGHLANDER HYBRID, AND MODEL YEAR 2004-2007 LEXUS RX330, RX350, AND RX400H VEHICLES. IF THE FORWARD RETENTION CLIP USED TO SECURE THE FLOOR CARPET COVER, WHICH IS LOCATED IN FRONT OF THE CENTER CONSOLE, IS NOT INSTALLED PROPERLY THE COVER MAY LEAN TOWARD THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL AND INTERFERE WITH THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL ARM.

Consequence: IF THIS OCCURS, THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL MAY TEMPORARILY BECOME STUCK IN A PARTIALLY DEPRESSED POSITION RATHER THAN RETURN TO THE IDLE POSITION. A STUCK ACCELERATOR PEDAL MAY RESULT IN UNINTENDED AND SUSTAINED VEHICLE SPEEDS AND MAKE IT DIFFICULT TO STOP, INCREASING THE RISK OF A VEHICLE CRASH.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE FLOOR CARPET COVER WITH A NEWLY DESIGNED ONE FREE OR CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN DURING MARCH 2011. OWNERS MAY CONTACT TOYOTA AT 1-800-331-4331.

NHTSA campaign 11V112000

Oct 21, 2010 · SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:MASTER CYLINDER

TOYOTA IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2005-2006 AVALON, MODEL YEAR 2004-2006 HIGHLANDER, MODEL YEAR 2004-2006 LEXUS RX, AND MODEL YEAR 2006 LEXUS GS AND IS VEHICLES. BRAKE FLUID CONTAINING POLYMERS IS USED THAT ACTS AS LUBRICANTS FOR CERTAIN BRAKE SYSTEM COMPONENTS. IF REPLACEMENT BRAKE FLUID IS USED THAT DOES NOT CONTAIN SUCH POLYMERS, OR THAT CONTAINS ONLY SMALL AMOUNTS, A PART OF THE RUBBER SEAL LOCATED AT THE REAR OF THE BRAKE MASTER CYLINDER MAY BECOME DRY, AND THE SEAL MAY CURL DURING MOVEMENT OF THE PISTON. IF THIS OCCURS, A SMALL AMOUNT OF BRAKE FLUID COULD SLOWLY LEAK FROM THE SEAL INTO THE BRAKE BOOSTER.

Consequence: A LEAK OF BRAKE FLUID COULD LEAD TO A CHANGE IN BRAKE PEDAL FEEL AND OVERTIME A DEGRADATION IN BRAKING PERFORMANCE INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE SEAL WITH A NEWLY DESIGNED ONE. THIS SERVICE WILL BE PERFORMED FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON NOVEMBER 15, 2010. OWNERS MAY CONTACT TOYOTA AT 1-800-331-4331 AND LEXUS AT 1-800-255-3987.

NHTSA campaign 10V499000

Jul 13, 2006 · VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:ACCELERATOR PEDAL

ON CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY AND HYBRID VEHICLES, THE TWO RETAINING CLIPS FOR THE DRIVER'S SIDE FORWARD CENTER CONSOLE CAN BECOME LOOSE. IF BOTH CLIPS SEPARATE FROM THE FLOOR CARPET COVER, THE COVER MAY LEAN TOWARD THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL, CAUSING INTERFERENCE WITH THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL ROD.

Consequence: THIS CONDITION MAY INTERFERE WITH THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL RETURNING TO THE IDLE POSITION INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE TWO FLOOR CARPET COVER RETAINING CLIPS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON JULY 24, 2006, AND SHOULD BE COMPLETED BY EARLY SEPTEMBER 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT TOYOTA AT 1-800-331-4331 OR LEXUS AT 1-800-255-3987.

NHTSA campaign 06V253000

Apr 15, 2004 · LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH

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.

Consequence: 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.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL SHORTEN THE CPL LEVER. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN MAY 7, 2004. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT TOYOTA AT 1-800-331-4331.

NHTSA campaign 04V181000

286 owner complaints to NHTSA for the 2004 Toyota HIGHLANDER

Owner Complaints

286 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2004 Toyota HIGHLANDER (32 mention a crash, 3 a fire, 16 an injury). See all on nhtsa.gov

Most-cited areas
Power Train58
Vehicle Speed Control40
Steering35
Service Brakes24
Visibility21
Engine And Engine Cooling20
A complaint can cite more than one area.
Most recent complaints
May 22, 2026 · Steering, Engine
“Hello, I am the Buyer of the subject Vehicle, Upon doing my research, I found out several reports stating that The subject vehicle's 2.4L engine has manufacturing defect, that causes Head Bolts to get…”
Oct 9, 2024 · Air Bags, Wheels Crash
“My car malfunctioned my tire locked up while I was driving on the high way causing me to spin out of control and skid all the way into a guard rail totalled my car out and not one air bag went off”
Feb 16, 2024 · Air Bags
“The passenger airbag occupancy sensor in my car has stopped sensing a passenger has been stuck on "OFF" for the past 2-6 months (I believe) even when an adult is sitting in the seat. I don't know…”
Oct 27, 2023 · Structure
“The contact owns a 2004 Toyota Highlander. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the front bumper inadvertently detached. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it…”
Jan 4, 2021 · Service Brakes
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE OPERATING THE VEHICLE AND PRESSING TO BRAKE PEDAL, THE PEDAL FAILED TO RETURN TO THE IDLE POSITION. THE VEHICLE STABILITY…”

Complaints are unverified reports submitted to NHTSA by owners. They cover the whole model year, not a specific trim, and a count alone doesn't show how common a problem is.

Source: US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (nhtsa.gov), matched as 2004 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER. US-market vehicles only; data cached for up to 7 days.

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