Model year guide

2006 Toyota Highlander Hybrid

Recalls, most-reported problems, crash-test ratings, fuel economy and what a 2006 Toyota Highlander Hybrid is worth — from official NHTSA and EPA data. 73 on record.

2006 Toyota Highlander Hybrid — representative photo
Representative photo · via Wikimedia Commons

2006 Toyota Highlander Hybrid at a glance

Safety recalls6
Owner complaints648
Combined26–27 mpg
Typical price$7,250

Free: that car's specs and build sheet, model-year recall campaigns and a fair price.

2006 Toyota Highlander Hybrid recalls 6

Engine And Engine Cooling NHTSA Campaign #11V539000 · 09/11/2011

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 …

Fix: 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 …

Vehicle Speed Control:accelerator Pedal NHTSA Campaign #11V112000 · 24/02/2011

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.

Fix: 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.

Electrical System NHTSA Campaign #11V342000 · 29/06/2011

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 INDICA…

Fix: 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 INVERTE…

Hybrid Propulsion System: Inverter NHTSA Campaign #13V396000 · 04/09/2013

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 h…

Fix: 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.

Vehicle Speed Control:accelerator Pedal NHTSA Campaign #06V253000 · 13/07/2006

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.

Fix: 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.

Equipment:other:labels NHTSA Campaign #09V223000 · 15/06/2009

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."

Fix: 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.

Source: U.S. NHTSA, checked 5 Oct 2026. A campaign covers the model year; to see whether a particular car still needs the repair, check its VIN on NHTSA.gov or ask a franchised dealer.

2006 Toyota Highlander Hybrid common problems

The most-reported problem areas across all 648 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — and what to check before you buy.

Service Brakes
Brakes should feel firm and quiet — no grinding, pulsing or pulling. Check for an ABS light and uneven pad/rotor wear.
Electrical System
Test every electrical feature: windows, locks, infotainment, charging and all lights. Watch for flickering, dead accessories or warning lights.
Vehicle Speed Control
Test cruise control and throttle response, and watch for any hesitation or unintended acceleration.
Hydraulic
Have a trusted mechanic inspect this system as part of a pre-purchase inspection.
Engine And Engine Cooling
Check coolant level and color, look for leaks, and confirm the engine reaches normal temperature without overheating.
Hybrid Propulsion System
Have a trusted mechanic inspect this system as part of a pre-purchase inspection.

2006 Toyota Highlander Hybrid safety ratings

Frontal crash★★★★★
Side crash★★★★★

Source: NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings (NCAP), tested as the 2006 Toyota Highlander Hybrid 4-DR.. Ratings can differ by body style and drivetrain.

2006 Toyota Highlander Hybrid MPG & running costs

Combined26–27 mpg
City28 mpg
Highway25 mpg
Est. annual fuel cost$2,550

Source: U.S. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov. The EPA lists 2 versions of this model year; combined is shown as a range and the other figures are averages.

What's a 2006 Toyota Highlander Hybrid worth?

Low
$4,600
Typical price
$7,250
High
$10,300

From 72 comparable 2006 Toyota Highlander Hybrid listings.

Estimated 5-year cost to own

A rough guide to what running a 2006 Toyota Highlander Hybrid costs over five years and 75,000 miles.

Fuel (5 yrs)$12,750
Fuel only$12,750
Per mile$0.17

How this is estimated: fuel is the U.S. EPA annual cost at 15,000 miles a year. There aren't enough comparable listings to estimate depreciation for this model, so it is left out. Not included: insurance, maintenance, repairs, taxes, registration and finance costs. Treat it as a comparison guide, not a quote.

2006 Toyota Highlander Hybrid trims & engines on record

Trims
Base · Limited · STD
Engines
3.3L 6-cyl

2006 Toyota Highlander Hybrid vehicles on record

Other Toyota Highlander Hybrid model years

2006 Toyota Highlander Hybrid — frequently asked questions

Does the 2006 Toyota Highlander Hybrid have any safety recalls?

NHTSA lists 6 recall campaigns for the 2006 Toyota Highlander Hybrid. Whether an individual car still needs a recall repair depends on its VIN — check it on NHTSA.gov or ask a franchised dealer. Recall repairs are free.

What are the most common problems with the 2006 Toyota Highlander Hybrid?

Across all 648 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the most-reported problem areas are service brakes, electrical system, vehicle speed control.

What is the 2006 Toyota Highlander Hybrid safety rating?

NHTSA gives the 2006 Toyota Highlander Hybrid crash-test ratings of frontal 5★, side 5★ (out of 5; this model year pre-dates NHTSA's overall score).

What gas mileage does the 2006 Toyota Highlander Hybrid get?

The 2006 Toyota Highlander Hybrid has U.S. EPA estimates of 26–27 mpg combined, depending on engine and trim (2 versions).

How much is a 2006 Toyota Highlander Hybrid worth?

Comparable 2006 Toyota Highlander Hybrid listings run roughly $4,600–$10,300, typically around $7,250 (from 72 vehicles).

Sources: NHTSA (recalls, complaints, crash tests), U.S. EPA (fuel economy). Vehicle data only — CarLogs never shows owner information.