Currently, Toyota Highlanders are sourced domestically for the US market. Princeton, Indiana serves as the home of the American Highlander production facility.
However, Toyota Highlanders weren’t constantly made in the USA. Only starting in 2007, the United States joined the list of nations making the Highlander.
The US market imported Toyota Highlanders from Japan when Toyota produced the first model of the Highlander in 2001.
In This Article...
Which Japanese Highlanders are available?
The current Toyota Highlander, which is in its fourth generation, is made in Princeton, Indiana, and Guangzhou, China. This facility, which has been running since 1998, employs over 7000 people. The plant has a production capacity of 450,000 automobiles per year and a total area of 4000 acres.
This factory produces more than just the Toyota Highlander. The Princeton, Indiana Plant produces a total of seven distinct models. These are the models:
- Nissan Sienna
- Cadillac Equinox
- Mitsubishi Outlander
- Sequoia Toyota
- Tundra Toyota
- The fourth-generation Toyota Rav
- Tacoma, Toyota
Other nations, such as China and Japan, produced earlier iterations of the Toyota Highlander. The first generation of the Highlander, which debuted in 2001, was only produced in Japan.
China and Japan both produced the second generation, which was produced between 2004 and 2007. The third generation, which was produced primarily in China from 2008 to 2013, was in use.
The fourth and current generation, which debuted in 2014, is produced in China, Japan, and the United States. While Japan and China make automobiles for their own markets, all North American production is handled by the Princeton, Indiana plant.
What issues do Toyota Highlanders from 2021 have?
Customers were enraged by the Highlander’s frequent fuel pump problems in prior years. Sadly, the 2021 Toyota Highlander doesn’t seem to have undergone much changes.
“My 2021 Highlander Hybrid Platinum is experiencing a fuel filling difficulty,” reads one NHTSA complaint. The vehicle won’t need more than 13.5 gallons at fill-up for the first 2,000 kilometers. Nothing to top off. The car’s fuel tank holds 17.1 gallons. According to the car’s estimation, the distance to empty has only been 2 miles. It uses between 12.5 and 13.5 gallons per fill up. It’s unclear whether the tank is unable to fill completely because there are still 4-5 gallons at the empty level or whether it is filling partially. I bought this automobile so I could travel with my family and take advantage of its fuel efficiency and range. In order to prevent my family from becoming stuck without fuel, it is crucial to know if the tank is actually empty or still has a significant amount of petrol.
Another complaint reads, “The gas tank only holds 12.513 gallons with a range of 425-450 at most, in contrast to Toyota’s statements in their advertising and specifications that the tank holds 17.1 gallons and the car has a range of 598 miles. I confirmed this is out of specification with Toyota, and they claimed the tank will only hold 14 gallons and the range will make the decision on its own. I worry that I will run out of gas because I use the car for long distances and bought it because of the tank capacity and range.
Toyota has not yet commented on this issue or any other fuel-related problems. Given the numerous class action cases involving malfunctioning fuel pumps that were improperly serviced on other models, it makes sense that the firm would like to remain silent. On the current course of events, it won’t be long before this “improved model encounters the same kind of litigation.
Where are Toyota Highlanders built in the US?
At Toyota’s Princeton assembly factory, a brand-new vehicle is almost ready to leave the line. (IIB image by Wes Mills)
This week, the Texas-based Toyota Motor North America celebrated a significant achievement when its Princeton facility in southwest Indiana produced its 30 millionth vehicle constructed in the United States. The production of an all-hybrid 2021 Toyota Sienna minivan was finished by Indiana workers.
Toyota began making cars in the United States in 1986 and presently has ten plants there.
The Princeton facility was initially constructed in 1996 to build the Tundra pickup truck, but it currently also makes the Sienna minivan, Sequoia full-size SUV, Highlander and Highlander Hybrid mid-size SUVs.
The business announced its intention to invest $13 billion in the US in 2017. The commitment totaled $1.3 billion in Indiana and resulted in the creation of 550 additional jobs. The Gibson County facility currently has 7,000 workers working for the corporation.
“For all of us at Toyota Indiana, being in charge of the 30-millionth vehicle built in the United States is a source of great pleasure, according to Leah Curry, president of Toyota Motor Manufacturing Indiana. “We construct cars with the needs of our clients in mind, working with our supply partners.
According to the business, the investment enabled TMMI satisfy Highlander demand. The Highlander and Highlander Hybrid are solely produced at the Princeton plant in the United States.
By moving Sequoia production to Texas by 2022, the firm said last year, the Indiana facility will be able to produce more Highlanders.
What issues do Toyota Highlanders have?
Knowing what kind of performance to anticipate from each model year is crucial if you’re thinking about purchasing a Toyota Highlander. Although Toyota is a reliable brand and the Highlander is a well-liked and sturdy SUV, not every year for the Highlander was successful. If you want to be sure you get a dependable car that will endure through years of regular use, you must be aware of the Toyota Highlander years to stay away from.
Some buyers love experimental cars, but nobody wants to purchase one they believe won’t be a dependable daily driver.
We’ll also touch on the Highlander model years that have received the best ratings and reviews, as well as any other factors you might want to take into account before purchasing a Toyota Highlander.
Here are a few of the Toyota Highlander’s most frequent issues to stay away from.
- Engine bolts are ripping out.
- Engine malfunction
- Using Engine Oil More Rapidly than Normal.
- Issues with the AC condenser and fuel tank.
- faulty oxygen sensor and head gasket.
- Get a Handpicked List of the Top Used Cars in Your Area.
What Toyota models are produced in Japan?
“Many Toyota cars sold in the US bear the proud label “Made in Japan.” For many years, automobiles produced in the Land of the Rising Sun were regarded as being of the highest caliber and having the best construction. That is still true today, but a day is coming when all Toyota vehicles sold in the United States will likewise have been produced in the region.
What does that mean in terms of what a “domestic vehicle Would Toyota still have a good reputation for quality?
Although this is far from a done deal, it is a possibility that should be given serious consideration given that the vast majority of Toyotas sold here are already produced locally.
Currently, nearly 70% of Toyota vehicles sold in the United States are produced in North America. Avalon, Camry, Corolla, Highlander, Tacoma, Tundra, Sienna, and RAV4 are a few examples. The Yaris, FJ Cruiser, and Land Cruiser are examples of vehicles made in Japan. The simplest method to ensure that every Toyota sold here is built in America is to simply stop selling the models that aren’t.
Do you really think people would miss the Yaris and FJ Cruiser? Did not believe so. Although there is a devoted fanbase for the Land Cruiser, this might be the one import exception. The Prius, which is now manufactured in Japan, may move its production to the United States in 2015.
Whatever Toyota’s plans for production, there is no doubt that it will expand its American workforce and establish itself as a household name on par with Ford and Chevrolet. Detroit Free Press reported,
Toyota has also increased the size of its design and engineering facilities, including those at its technical center in Ann Arbor and the CALTY style studio close to Los Angeles.
In North America, Toyota announced or created 3,500 new positions, totaling $1.6 billion.
When does Toyota cease to be a foreign brand given the amount of engineering, design, manufacture, and investment in the United States?
Is the hybrid Toyota Highlander produced in Japan?
Toyota currently has no plans to relocate the Highlander’s manufacturing to another nation.
However, in the past, it has changed how the Highlander is produced. The Fukuoka facility in Japan initially handled all production of the Highlander.
Toyota increased its production from Japan to China and the USA in 2007.
Additionally, the manufacturer stopped producing the Highlander in China and Japan in 2019. As a result, the Princeton plant was granted sole production authority over the Toyota Highlander.
Is Toyota Hiring or Firing in the US?
This year, Toyota will add additional employees to its US operations. The company published employment openings on various job boards in August. The majority of the openings are for sales and administrative positions.
Toyota, on the other hand, has no plans to fire any employees in the United States of America this year.
However, because it had to close its plants in order to abide by lockdown regulations, the company lost money this year.
Toyota will lower the compensation of its ad hoc employees in the USA to make up for these losses. Additionally, permanent employees will have to choose between forgoing two days of pay or taking a two-day unpaid absence.
Toyota claims that a portion of the savings will go toward funding for coronavirus research.
Do the 2021 Highlander’s transmission issues persist?
In order to enable you to drive at the correct speed, the gearbox transfers power from the motor to your wheels.
Given that the transmission must convert the exact quantity of power for the required speed,
The Toyota Highlander is dependable in 2021.
The anticipated reliability rating for the 2021 Highlander is 82 out of 100. A predicted reliability score from J.D. Power of 91 to 100 is regarded as the best, 81 to 90 as great, 70 to 80 as medium, and 0-69 as fair and below average.
Electronic stability control: Control module: Software
Certain 2022 Lexus LX 600, Lexus NX 350h, Lexus NX 450h+, Toyota RAV4 Hybrid, 20212022, Lexus LS 500h, Toyota Mirai, RAV4 PRIME, Sienna, Venza, and 20202022, Toyota Highlander Hybrid vehicles are being recalled by Toyota Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota). When the vehicle is restarted after the driver has turned off the Vehicle Stability Control (VSC) system, the Skid Control ECU software might not activate the VSC system. The Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 126, “Electronic Stability Control Systems,” is not met by these vehicles.
Driving with the stability control system disabled makes collisions more likely.
The software for the Skid Control ECU will be updated for free by the dealers. On May 27, 2022, letters of owner notice were sent. The toyota customer support number is 1-800-331-4331. Toyota’s reference number is 22TA03. The recall number for Lexus is 22LA01.