2013 Toyota Highlander: Hesitation while accelerating
Common wear/failure (not a recall)
Symptoms
Owners of the 2013 Highlander report: hesitation while accelerating. CarComplaints.com lists 4 owner complaints, average mileage 38,500 miles.
NHTSA has 35 owner complaints for the 2013 Highlander in this area. Examples:
- NHTSA complaint ODI #11765422 (filed 09/18/2026): “I purchased a 2013 toyota highlander in 2018 or.2019 with 64,000 miles. i was told to go 5000 miles before changes. my oil was gone many times when i did this. i reported this to toyota dealership.i eventually stopped using them because they were hearing my p…”
- NHTSA complaint ODI #11599219 (filed 07/05/2024): “I purchased the car in 2020 with 73k miles on it. it has sporadically had incidents of unintended acceleration. i happens when i slow for a stop sign, red light, or crosswalk. my foot is on the brake when this occurs, the engine then goes into high gear and…”
Likely causes
Sources do not establish a single root cause; diagnosis is needed. Owner-reported fixes are listed below.
Fix, in plain English
Most common owner-reported solutions on CarComplaints.com: none clearly reported. Check for open recalls and extended warranty coverage with a dealer before paying out of pocket.
DIY difficulty: Pro
Internal engine work (lifters, oil consumption, fuel dilution diagnosis) requires engine teardown or dealer software/tests. (Our assessment.)
Cost
No sourced cost range: get a written quote after diagnosis.
Typical parts (search links, no affiliate codes)
AutoZone · O'Reilly · Advance · RockAuto
Sources
- CarComplaints.com: Hesitation while accelerating (2013 Highlander)
- NHTSA complaints API, 2013 Highlander
Page last updated .