ToyotaHighlander2001L4/toyota/highlander/2001/l4/

2001 Toyota Highlander — L4

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 2001 Highlander L4.

Engine L4Transmission Automatic 4-spd

The 2001 Toyota Highlander L4 utilizes an L4 engine paired with a 4-speed automatic transmission to achieve EPA estimates of 19/25/22 mpg, requiring 4 quarts of 5W-30 API oil for maintenance. Documentation for this specific model year records 3 recalls and 139 total owner complaints, with visibility cited as the top complaint area. When viewed against the model's complaint history covering 1997-2026, this volume places the vehicle between the lowest recorded year of 1 complaint in 1997 and the highest of 475 complaints in 2021, defining its specific standing in the model's reliability history.

Model year201120102009200720062005200420032001

Quick specs

Fluid capacities, tune-up values and fuel economy at a glance.

Engine oil capacity4 qtOEM · verified
Engine oil type5W-30 APIOEM · verified
Lug nut torque76 ft-lbsOEM · verified
EPA fuel economy19/25/22 mpgEPA · verified

Fitment & sizes

Replacement part sizes and factory part numbers — battery, bulbs, filters and belts.

From the factory this vehicle uses a BCI 24F · 585 CCA battery, OE oil filter 90915YZZD1. Each part links to every other vehicle that shares it, so a part you already stock may fit more of your fleet than you'd expect.

Battery groupBCI 24F · 585 CCAOEM · verified
Tail / brake / turnTRLYOEM · verified
Tire sizeP225-70R16OEM · verified
Wheel / rim6.5-JJ inOEM · verified

OE service part numbers OEM · verified

Engine oil filter90915YZZD1 alt 90915YZZF1
Engine air filter17801YZZ01
Fuel filter233000A020
Spark plug9008091180
Front wiper blades8522248040 alt 8521253051
Serpentine belt9936631040 alt 9008091212
Thermostat90916A3003 alt 1632562010
Cabin air filter871394802083

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

TransmissionAutomatic 4-spd

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length184.6 in
Overall width72 in
Overall height68.5 in
Wheelbase107.1 in
Curb weight3880 lb
Track (front / rear)62.2 / 61.4 in
Weight distribution (front / rear)58/42

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined19 / 25 / 22 mpg
DrivetrainFront-Wheel Drive
Recommended fuelRegular Gasoline

Service quick specs OEM factory data

Capacities, torques and tune-up values from the factory service manual.

This engine holds 4 qt of 5W-30 API engine oil, 80W-90 · GL-5 in the differential, DOT 3 brake fluid. Torque lug nuts to 76 ft-lbs. The firing order is 1-3-4-2.

Lubricants & capacities

Brake FluidDOT 3
Differential Gear Oil80W-90 · GL-5
Differential Gear Oil Capacity1.9 Pints
Engine Oil5W-30 · API
Engine Oil Capacity4 qt
Engine Oil5W-30 · API
Engine Oil Capacity5 qt
Transfer Case FluidGL-5 · 80W-90

Engine torques

Crankshaft Pulley and/or Damper Bolts192 ft-lbs
Crankshaft Pulley and/or Damper Bolts159 ft-lbs

Chassis torques

Lug Nuts76 ft-lbs
Front Wheel Hub159 ft-lbs
Rear Wheel Hub159 ft-lbs

Ignition

Cylinder Firing Order1-3-4-2
Curb Idle Speed (No Load)700 rpm
Curb Idle Speed Variance (No Load)50 rpm
Spark Plug ManufacturerDenso
Spark Plug Gap0.039-0.0.043 in
Spark Plug Torque13.0 ft-lbs
Spark Plug ManufacturerDenso
Spark Plug Gap0.043 in

Battery & A/C

RefrigerantR134a
Refrigerant Capacity1.43 lbs
Oil GroupPAG
Oil Type46
Oil Capacity6.90 oz
Standard BCI Group Number24F
Standard BCI Cranking Performance585 cca

Service checks

Injector Primary Resistance13.4-14.2 @ 68 degreesF ohms
Injector Primary Resistance12-16 na ohms
Engine Compression145-218 psi

Brakes

Torque Caliper to Bracket25 ft-lbs
Torque to Knuckle79 ft-lbs / 44 ft-lbs
Minimum Pad ThicknessFront: 0.039; Rear: 0.039 in
Minimum Shoe Thickness0.039 in
Rotor Runout Limit0.002 in / 0.0059 in
Rotor Nominal Thickness From1.102 in / 0.394 in
Rotor Nominal Thickness To1.102 in / 0.394 in
Rotor Discard at or Under1.024 in / 0.335 in

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.

Under the factory schedule, replace the engine oil and filter every 7,500 mi; spark plugs at 120,000 mi; coolant every 30,000 mi. The big-interval services (every 30,000 mi for coolant, and the transmission fluid) are the ones owners most often skip — on a lower-mileage example, assume the original fluids are still in it and check them first.

Every 7,500 miEngine Oil (drain & refill) · Engine Oil Filter (replace) · Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
Every 15,000 miBrake Line (inspect) · Brake System (inspect) · CV Joint Boot (inspect) · Differential (inspect fluid level) · Exhaust System (Complete) (inspect) · Steering Gear Box Assembly (inspect)
Every 22,500 miCabin Air Filter (replace)
Every 30,000 miEngine Air Filter Element (replace) · Engine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill) · Fuel Evaporative Emission Control System Lines (inspect) · Fuel Line (inspect) · Fuel Tank (inspect) · Fuel Tank Filler Cap O-Ring (inspect)
At 60,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect)
Every 60,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Drive Axle Assembly (drain & refill) · Engine Valves (inspect valve lash)
Every 90,000 miTiming Belt (replace)
At 120,000 miSpark Plugs (replace)

Reliability & federal safety record

Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.

The 2001 Toyota Highlander marks the first full model year of production, and its federal record reflects the typical challenges of an introductory year. Complaints surged to 139—far above the negligible figures for 1997-1998 (pre-launch prototypes) and still below the 328 complaints in 2002—while recalls jumped to 3, the highest for any first-generation year except 2004 and 2005. The data doesn’t specify root causes, but the top complaint areas (visibility, engine cooling, powertrain, and brakes) suggest early-build teething issues rather than systemic design flaws. Compared to later years, 2001’s recall count is moderate, and investigations remained at zero, indicating Toyota addressed concerns through recalls and TSBs (135 issued) rather than formal probes. This year sits at the start of the generation’s reliability arc, where initial problems were identified and corrected in subsequent models. **Takeaway: While not the most refined year, the 2001 Highlander’s issues were actively managed, making it a viable buy if service records confirm recall/TSB completions and crash/fire complaints (20 and 2, respectively) are accounted for.**

3
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
135
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
0
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
139
Owner complaints
20 involved a crash · 2 a fire

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 139 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Visibility21
Engine & Engine Cooling16
Power Train14
Service Brakes, Hydraulic14
Tires9
Vehicle Speed Control9
Structure8
Air Bags8

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 2 of 3 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

04V181000Latches/Locks/Linkages:Doors:LatchReported 15/04/2004

CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES HAVE A CHILD PROTECTION LOCK (CPL) SYSTEM ON BOTH OF THE REAR SIDE DOORS. WHEN AN OPERATOR OF THE VEHICLE CLOSES THE DOOR VERY HARD WITH THE CPL LEVER SET TO THE LOCK POSITION, THERE IS A… Remedy: DEALERS WILL SHORTEN THE CPL LEVER. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN MAY 7, 2004. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT TOYOTA AT 1-800-331-4331.

01V228000Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components:Master CylinderReported 05/07/2001

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: SPORT UTIITY VEHICLES. THE RESERVOIR FILLER CAP OF THE BRAKE MASTER CYLINDER MAY INDUCE A VACUUM, INTRODUCING SOME AIR INTO THE BRAKE MASTER CYLINDER RESERVOIR. THIS COULD CAUSE ABNORMAL BRAKE NOISE… Remedy: DEALERS WILL BLEED THE AIR FROM THE BRAKE LINES AND REPLACE THE RESERVOIR FILLER CAP. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN JULY 30, 2001. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED…

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 135 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
T-SB-0035-24 Rev22024-12-06StructureAcid rain results from rainwater or other airborne moisture that become acidic due to…
T-SB-0038-24 Rev22024-12-06StructureTo prevent brake rotor rust from forming during transportation and storage, wheel film…
T-SB-0039-24 Rev22024-12-06StructureThe condition known as acid rain is caused by airborne chemicals or particles in the…
T-SB-0061-23 Rev22024-12-05StructureToyota vehicles are currently protected with RapgardTM protective film designed to…
T-SB-0062-23 Rev22024-12-03StructureVehicles may occasionally be subjected to contamination by airborne iron particles shed…

Common OBD-II trouble codes

The most common OBD-II codes for this vehicle's emissions system. These are standardized SAE J2012 definitions, not vehicle-specific fault reports.

P0420
Catalyst system efficiency below threshold — Bank 1
P0300
Random / multiple cylinder misfire detected
P0171
System too lean — Bank 1
P0455
Evaporative emission system leak detected — large leak
P0128
Coolant thermostat below regulating temperature
P0442
Evaporative emission system leak detected — small leak

VIN tools

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VIN
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Build data
Plant, GVWR class, engine and body data for any 17-character VIN.
Recalls
Check open recall campaigns against a specific vehicle by VIN.

Vehicles with shared specs

Find every vehicle that shares this one's battery, bulbs, oil capacity, platform or parts.

Reference guides

Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.

Frequently asked

How much oil does the 2001 Highlander L4 take?

4 qt of 5W-30 API, per the factory manual.

Does the 2001 Highlander have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 3 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.

What gas mileage does the L4 get?

EPA figures are 19 city / 25 highway / 22 combined mpg.