ToyotaHighlander Hybrid Limited2006V6/toyota/highlander-hybrid-limited/2006/v6/

2006 Toyota Highlander Hybrid Limited — V6

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 2006 Highlander Hybrid Limited V6.

Body SUVEngine V6Transmission Automatic (variable gear ratios)

The 2006 Toyota Highlander Hybrid Limited is a V6 SUV that pairs its hybrid powertrain with an automatic transmission featuring variable gear ratios to deliver an EPA-estimated 28 city, 25 highway, and 27 combined mpg. Keeping that V6 running requires just 4 quarts of 5W-30 API oil, though the broader ownership demands of this year are far less economical. This specific model year occupies a deeply troubled position in the Highlander's reliability history, defined by 645 owner complaints predominantly centered on the Service Brakes alongside 11 separate recalls, meaning researchers should approach this iteration as a notably problematic chapter fraught with documented mechanical and safety concerns.

Model year20112010200920072006

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 economy28/25/27 mpgEPA · verified

Fitment & sizes

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

From the factory this vehicle uses a BCI 51r · 435 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 51r · 435 CCAOEM · verified
Tail / brake / turnTRLYOEM · verified
Tire size225-65R17OEM · verified
Wheel / rim6.5-JJ inOEM · verified

OE service part numbers OEM · verified

Engine oil filter90915YZZD1 alt 90915YZZF1
Engine air filter1780120050 alt 17801YZZ01
Fuel filter233000A020 alt 2330020130
Spark plug9008091180
Battery2880064132 alt 2880020060
Front wiper blades8522248040 alt 8521253051
Serpentine belt9008091212 alt 9936631040
Thermostat90916A3003 alt 9091603136
Cabin air filter871394802083

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

TransmissionAutomatic (variable gear ratios)

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 / combined28 / 25 / 27 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 oil drain plug to 33.0 ft-lbs. The firing order is 1-2-3-4-5-6.

Lubricants & capacities

Automatic Transmission FluidATF
Automatic Transmission Fluid Capacity3.7
Automatic Transmission FluidATF
Automatic Transmission Fluid Capacity3.7
Automatic Transmission FluidATF
Automatic Transmission Fluid Capacity3.8
Brake FluidDOT 3
Differential Gear Oil80W-90 · GL-5

Engine torques

Camshaft Bearing/Carrier Cap Bolts or Studs12 ft-lbs
Crankshaft Pulley and/or Damper Bolts133 ft-lbs
Crankshaft Pulley and/or Damper Bolts162 ft-lbs
Engine Flywheel Bolts61 ft-lbs
Engine Oil Pan Drain Plug27.0 ft-lbs
Engine Oil Pan Drain Plug33.0 ft-lbs

Chassis torques

Lug Nuts76 ft-lbs
Transfer Case Fill Plug36.0 ft-lbs
Transfer Case Drain Plug36.0 ft-lbs
Front Wheel Hub217 ft-lbs
Rear Wheel Hub217 ft-lbs

Ignition

Cylinder Firing Order1-2-3-4-5-6
Curb Idle Speed (No Load)700 rpm
Curb Idle Speed Variance (No Load)50 rpm
Curb Idle Speed (No Load)700 rpm
Curb Idle Speed Variance (No Load)50 rpm
Spark Plug ManufacturerDenso
Spark Plug Gap0.039-0.043 in
Spark Plug Torque13.0 ft-lbs

Battery & A/C

RefrigerantR134a
Refrigerant Capacity1.25-1.38 lbs
Oil GroupPAG
Oil Type46
Oil Capacity4.50 oz
Standard BCI Group Number51r
Standard BCI Cranking Performance435 cca
Standard BCI Group Number24F

Service checks

Pressure Test17 psi
Radiator Cap Pressure Relief14-18 psi
Thermostat Opening Temperature176-183 °F
RPM44.0-50.0 rpm
Residual Pressure21 psi
Fuel Pump Pressure Minimum44.0 psi
Fuel Pump Pressure Maximum50.0 psi
Residual Pressure21.0 psi

Brakes

Brake ApplicationWITH REAR DISC / WITH STANDARD
Torque Caliper to Bracket32 ft-lbs / 25 ft-lbs
Torque to Knuckle58 ft-lbs / 79 ft-lbs
Minimum Pad ThicknessFront: 0.039; Rear: 0.039 in
Minimum Shoe Thickness0.039 in
Brake ApplicationWITH REAR DISC / WITH STANDARD
Rotor Runout Limit0.0059 in / 0.002 in
Rotor Nominal Thickness From0.433 in / 1.102 in

Multi-step torque procedures OEM · verified

Connecting Rod (Large End) Bearings — tightening sequence 1 stages
118 ft. lbs., Step 2: 9018 ft. lbs

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.

Under the factory schedule, replace the engine oil and filter every 5,000 mi; coolant every 50,000 mi. The big-interval services (every 50,000 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 5,000 miBrake Linings (inspect) · Driveshaft Flange Yoke (torque) · Engine Oil (drain & refill) · Engine Oil Filter (replace) · Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
Every 15,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Air Conditioning Condenser (inspect) · Brake Line (inspect) · CV Joint Boot (inspect) · Differential (inspect fluid level) · Engine Coolant System (inspect fluid level)
Every 30,000 miCabin Air Filter (replace) · Engine Air Filter Element (replace) · Fuel Evaporative Emission Control System Lines (inspect) · Fuel Line (inspect) · Fuel Tank (inspect) · Fuel Tank Filler Cap O-Ring (inspect)
Every 50,000 miEngine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill) · Hybrid Inverter (drain, flush & refill coolant)
At 60,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect)
Every 60,000 miEngine Valves (inspect valve lash)
Every 90,000 miTiming Belt (replace)
At 100,000 miEngine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill) · Hybrid Inverter (drain, flush & refill coolant)
Every 100,000 miTransmission Assembly (inspect fluid level)

Reliability & federal safety record

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

Owner complaints about the 2006 Toyota Highlander Hybrid Limited top in one area — the service brakes, 100 of 645 reports (16%), well ahead of the next concern. None of this vehicle's 6 recall campaigns target the service brakes, so those reports read as owner-reported wear-and-tear rather than an acknowledged defect. 63 of the reports describe a crash and 11 a fire — a small share of the total, but worth weighing against the service brakes pattern above. These are tallies of what owners actually reported to the federal government, not an editorial score — and higher-selling models naturally rack up more reports.

11
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
200
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
4
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
645
Owner complaints
63 involved a crash · 11 a fire
NHTSA crash-test rating federal NCAP · out of 5 stars
Rollover★★★★★

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 645 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Service Brakes100
Service Brakes, Hydraulic52
Electrical System46
Vehicle Speed Control42
Hybrid Propulsion System39
Engine & Engine Cooling38
Steering25
Service Brakes, Electric25

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 2 of 6 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

11V539000Engine And Engine CoolingReported 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… Remedy: 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…

11V112000Vehicle Speed Control:Accelerator PedalReported 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… Remedy: 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…

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 200 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
T-SB-0119-15 Rev22026-02-13EngineOBSOLETE NOTICE February 13, 2026: This bulletin is now obsolete. Please see T-SB-0009-26.
T-SB-0009-262026-02-13EngineThis bulletin includes basic procedures for performing a rescue charge on Ni-MH high…
T-SB-0055-24 Rev22026-01-07Unknown Or OtherSome 2005 – 2026 Toyota vehicles that have undergone water intrusion may exhibit a…
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…

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

Decode factory build data for a specific vehicle by VIN.

VIN
Decode a VIN to confirm the transmission and build data for a specific Highlander Hybrid Limited. OEM
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 2006 Highlander Hybrid Limited V6 take?

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

Does the 2006 Highlander Hybrid Limited have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 11 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.

What gas mileage does the V6 get?

EPA figures are 28 city / 25 highway / 27 combined mpg.