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2006 Toyota Highlander Hybrid Limited 4WD

The 2006 Toyota Highlander Hybrid Limited 4WD is a 268-hp 3.3-liter V6 SUV with an electronically controlled continuously variable transmission and four-wheel drive. It starts at $39,290 MSRP and is rated at 26 mpg combined.

It makes 268 horsepower and 212 lb-ft of torque. EPA fuel-economy estimates are 27 mpg city and 25 mpg highway (26 mpg combined).

The Highlander Hybrid measures 185.6 inches long on a 106.9-inch wheelbase and has a curb weight of 4,245 lb.

Spec Value
Vehicle
Body TypeSUV
PowertrainHybrid
Price
MSRP$39,290 ($63,340 *)
Engine
Engine Type3.3-liter DOHC 24-valve VVT-i V6 Hybrid Synergy Drive
Displacement3.3 L
Horsepower268 hp
Torque212 lb-ft @ 4400 rpm (engine) rpm
ValvetrainDOHC, 24-valve, VVT-i
Injection TypeEFI
Drivetrain
Drive Type4WD
Transmission
TransmissionElectronically Controlled Continuously Variable Transmission (ECVT)
Fuel Economy
City27 MPG
Highway25 MPG
Combined26 MPG
Recommended FuelRegular 87-octane or higher
Suspension
Front SuspensionIndependent MacPherson strut with stabilizer bar
Rear SuspensionIndependent MacPherson strut with stabilizer bar
Brakes
Front Brake DiscVentilated disc (Electronically Controlled Braking with regenerative control)
Rear Brake DiscSolid disc (Electronically Controlled Braking with regenerative control)
Tires & Wheels
Wheels Front17 in. aluminum alloy
Wheels Rear17 in. aluminum alloy
Tires FrontP225/65R17
Tires RearP225/65R17
Dimensions & Weight
Length185.6 in
Width71.9 in
Height68.7 in
Wheelbase106.9 in
Front Track62 in
Rear Track61.2 in
Ground Clearance7.3 in
Approach Angle29°
Departure Angle22°
Cargo Volume10.5 ft³
Curb Weight4,245 lbs
Interior
Headroom Front40.1 in
Headroom Rear38.7 in
Legroom Front42.9 in
Legroom Rear34.6 in
Shoulder Room Front57.9 in
Shoulder Room Rear57.1 in
Hip Room Front55.2 in
Hip Room Rear54.6 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: 2006 Toyota Highlander Hybrid 4-DR.

Recalls

6 recalls on file with NHTSA for the 2006 Toyota HIGHLANDER HYBRID. Not every recall applies to every trim or VIN — check yours at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

Sep 4, 2013 · HYBRID PROPULSION SYSTEM: INVERTER

Toyota is recalling certain model year 2006-2010 Highlander hybrid vehicles manufactured February 16, 2005, through July 29, 2010; and model year 2006-2008 Lexus RX400h vehicles manufactured February 23, 2005, through December 2, 2008. The Intelligent Power Module (IPM) inside the inverter module may contain transistors that have higher operating temperatures than the solder can support and the transistors may be heat damaged by the solder. If this occurs, various warning lamps, including the malfunction indicator lamp, slip indicator light, brake system warning light, and master warning light, will be illuminated on the instrument panel.

Consequence: The vehicle may enter a fail-safe/limp-home mode that limits the drivability of the vehicle. It is possible that the hybrid system will shut down while the vehicle is being driven, causing the vehicle to stall unexpectedly, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will replace the IPM free of charge. Owners may contact Toyota at 1-800-331-4331. Vehicles that had their IPM replaced under recall 11V-342 are not affected by this campaign.

NHTSA campaign 13V396000

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

Jun 29, 2011 · ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

TOYOTA IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2006-2007 HIGHLANDER HYBRID AND LEXUS RX400H PASSENGER CARS MANUFACTURED FROM FEBRUARY 16, 2005, THROUGH AUGUST 30, 2006. A MODULE INSIDE THE INVERTER MODULE MAY CONTAIN INADEQUATELY SOLDERED TRANSISTORS THAT DURING HIGH-LOAD DRIVING, MAY BE DAMAGED BY HEAT CAUSED BY THE LARGE CURRENT. IF THIS OCCURS, VARIOUS WARNING LAMPS, INCLUDING THE MALFUNCTION INDICATOR LAMP, SLIP INDICATOR LIGHT, BRAKE SYSTEM WARNING LIGHT, AND MASTER WARNING LIGHT, WILL BE ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL.

Consequence: THE VEHICLE MAY ENTER A FAIL-SAFE/LIMP-HOME MODE THAT LIMITS THE DRIVABILITY OF THE VEHICLE. IT IS POSSIBLE THAT THE HYBRID SYSTEM WILL SHUT DOWN WHILE THE VEHICLE IS BEING DRIVEN, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO STALL UNEXPECTEDLY, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Remedy: TOYOTA/LEXUS MAILED AN INTERIM OWNER NOTIFICATION ON JULY 19, 2011 TO ADVISE OWNERS OF THIS RECALL AND THE FACT THAT THEY WILL RECEIVE A FUTURE NOTICE WHEN PARTS BECOME AVAILABLE TO COMPLETE REPAIRS. TOYOTA DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE HYBRID INVERTER PRODUCTION NUMBER TO DETERMINE WHETHER THE INVERTER CONTAINS SUSPECT TRANSISTORS AND REPLACE THE MODULE FREE OF CHARGE. OWNERS MAY CONTACT TOYOTA AT 1-800-331-4331.

NHTSA campaign 11V342000

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

Jun 15, 2009 · EQUIPMENT:OTHER:LABELS

TOYOTA IS RECALLING 27,080 MODEL YEAR 2005 THROUGH 2010 PASSENGER CARS BUILT FROM SEPTEMBER 1, 2005 TO MAY 4, 2009. THESE VEHICLES WERE NOT EQUIPPED WITH LOAD CARRYING CAPACITY MODIFICATION LABELS WHICH FAILS TO CONFORM WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 110, "TIRE SELECTION AND RIMS."

Consequence: INCORRECT LOAD CARRYING CAPACITY MODIFICATION LABELS COULD RESULT IN THE VEHICLE BEING OVERLOADED, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Remedy: TOYOTA WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND PROVIDE THEM WITH A NEW, ACCURATE LABEL TO BE INSTALLED OVER THE INACCURATE LABEL FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON AUGUST 18, 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT TOYOTA AT 1-888-270-9371.

NHTSA campaign 09V223000

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

649 owner complaints to NHTSA for the 2006 Toyota HIGHLANDER HYBRID

Owner Complaints

649 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2006 Toyota HIGHLANDER HYBRID (63 mention a crash, 11 a fire, 25 an injury). See all on nhtsa.gov

Most-cited areas
Service Brakes240
Electrical System100
Vehicle Speed Control76
Hydraulic66
Engine And Engine Cooling49
Hybrid Propulsion System46
A complaint can cite more than one area.
Most recent complaints
Oct 7, 2026 · Service Brakes
“Multiple warning lights appeared on the dash board including ABS, also check VSC system in the dialogue window. Code C1391 (Abnormal leak in accumulator) appeared in a diagnostic scan. After some…”
Sep 12, 2026 · Service Brakes
“The Antilock Braking Actuator has failed. This seems to be a known issue and was already recalled on the Toyota Camry. Toyota sells the part for $1500 locally and labor will be added to that as well…”
Sep 1, 2026 · Service Brakes
“The ABS/Brake Actuator is going out. There is a stuttering as I'm coming to a stop, but when I brake from normal speeds to slow down, there is no stutter/vibration. Only when I'm going very slow and…”
Aug 5, 2026 · Service Brakes
“ABS actuator/accumulator issue on 2006 Toyota Highlander hybrid limited. Internal component failure there are recalls on others but not this particular year. Was driving along hit the brakes and got…”
Jul 1, 2026 · Service Brakes, Hydraulic
“The contact owns a 2006 Toyota Highlander. The contact stated that while driving approximately 60 MPH, the vehicle failed to decelerate while the brake pedal was depressed. The contact stated that…”

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 2006 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER HYBRID. US-market vehicles only; data cached for up to 7 days.

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