Everything NHTSA's vPIC database knows about this exact vehicle:
Decoding from NHTSA…
Vehicle history — accidents, title & owners
The decode above is what this vehicle is. For what it's been through — accidents, title brands, odometer, theft/total-loss and previous owners — pull a full history report.
NHTSA publishes the first 11 characters of the VIN with every complaint — that identifies the plant, model year, body and engine. So these are reports from cars built exactly like this one, not an average across the whole model.
5TDBK3EH4DS••••••2013 Toyota HIGHLANDER
This build draws 2.1× more complaints than the average 2013 Toyota HIGHLANDER build (6 vs 3).
6on this build
191on the model
67builds in total
1involved a crash
1injuries
Most reportedAir Bags 2Service Brakes 1Power Train 1Structure 1
What owners of this build wrote
Power TraincrashJul 2016
The contact owns a 2013 toyota highlander. While the vehicle was being reversed, the hatchback open warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the gear shift lever was placed in park before exiting the vehicle. While attempting to close the hatch, the vehicle started to…
Air BagsApr 2025
Driver side airbags (curtain and left seat) spontaneously deployed while I was parking the car. I did not hit anything. I was not injured but my safety was put at risk because I likely would have crashed if it had happened while I was driving. I contacted Toyota and they sent an…
SteeringOct 2018
Started hearing a loud popping noise underneath the steering wheel or pedals. Noise became louder as time went on especially when I made turns. Toyota recent diagnosed the problem as an intermediate steering shaft. Was originall told it might be a rack and pinion problem.…
Unknown Or OtherJul 2018
The power back door hinge on the left side broke. The hinge is no longer attached to the door. The keyless entry will not work
Service BrakesNov 2015
While driving uphill, the brakes malfunctioned and brakes (and the gas) wouldn't work. My car slid backwards down the hill into a street with an oncoming car. Brake function did not return the entire slide down the hill (approx. 65 feet), and the screen on the dashboard said…
Read all 6 complaints on this exact buildFull text, search by keyword, and the systems that fail most on cars built like yours.Unlock with Pro →
Owner complaints…
Now the whole model — all 67 builds of it, not just this build. Same NHTSA reports, wider net:
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Exact value for this VIN, adjusted for mileage
The original window sticker and factory options
Full research report as a PDF you can hand to a mechanic
Decoded via NHTSA vPIC. Recalls, complaints and safety from NHTSA; MPG from EPA fueleconomy.gov. Full history reports from our partner. VIN 5TDBK3EH4DS270516 · decoded Aug 2026. — ForCar Reviewed by Denis Kataev, founder of ForCar.