2011 Toyota Highlander Steering Problems

NHTSA component category: STEERING · data through 07/14/2026

33Steering complaints

18.2%Of all 181 complaints

#1Most-reported category

Source: U.S. NHTSA complaint data. Complaints are unverified reports from vehicle owners — a complaint is not a confirmed defect.

How steering ranks on this vehicle

STEERING33 · 18.2%

VISIBILITY/WIPER25 · 13.8%

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM20 · 11%

ENGINE17 · 9.4%

POWER TRAIN15 · 8.3%

Share of the 181 complaints citing each category; one complaint can cite several. Full breakdown on the 2011 Toyota Highlander overview page.

What owners report

“THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER. WHILE DRIVING UNKNOWN SPEEDS, THERE WAS AN ABNORMAL KNOCKING AND POPPING NOISE WHEN TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL LEFT…”NHTSA complaint 11129875 — filed 09/17/2018

“DRIVING ON A HIGHWAY WITH GENTLE TURNS AT 35MPH, POWER STEERING FAILED. I WAS ABLE TO DRIVE STRAIGHT UNTIL THERE WERE NO CARS DIRECTLY BEHIND…”NHTSA complaint 11129485 — filed 09/14/2018

“EVERY TIME I TURN MY WHEEL I HAVE A THUMPING SOUND (WORSE WHEN I AM TURNING RIGHT)”NHTSA complaint 11064888 — filed 01/25/2018

Excerpts are shortened and scrubbed of personal details; they are individual, unverified reports.

Steering complaints by year filed

Frequently asked questions

Does the 2011 Toyota Highlander have steering problems?

Steering is the most-reported problem area on the 2011 Toyota Highlander: 33 of 181 complaints on file (18.2%). Complaints are unverified owner reports, not confirmed defects.

How many complaints does the 2011 Toyota Highlander have in total?

181 complaints were on file with NHTSA as of 07/14/2026. Across all categories, 14 involved a crash, 0 involved a fire, 8 reported injuries, and none reported deaths.

What does NHTSA's steering category include?

NHTSA assigns each complaint to standard component categories; this page reports the STEERING category exactly as NHTSA defines and records it.

About this data — Complaint figures on this page are consumer reports submitted to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), a U.S. government agency. NHTSA does not verify individual complaints; a complaint is not proof that a defect exists, and counts reflect what owners chose to report, not confirmed failure rates. Recall information comes from official NHTSA safety recall campaigns; recall repairs are free at authorized dealers. Always check your specific vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. CarModelProblems.com is an independent site and is not affiliated with NHTSA or any vehicle manufacturer. Data through 07/14/2026.