Toyota Highlander Used Engines

Highlander engines are mostly V6s, and mostly the 3.5L 2GR-FE, which is one of the better engines Toyota has built. The exceptions are worth knowing: the 2001–2007 car offered a 2.4L four, the 2008-up car a 2.7L four, and both hybrids used Atkinson-cycle versions that are separate parts. Because the 3.5L ran from 2008 to 2019 in two slightly different forms, give us the model year rather than just the family code.

Toyota Highlander Used Engines — engine options by generation

How to pick the right one

Model year plus engine family. The split that catches people is 2017, when the 3.5L changed from the port-injected 2GR-FE to the direct-injected 2GR-FKS — same displacement, same family name, different fuel system and a different head. The other is the hybrid: every Highlander hybrid engine is Atkinson cycle with a different compression ratio and no conventional accessory drive, so it cannot be substituted either way. On four-cylinder cars, 2AZ-FE and 1AR-FE are different families with 2008 as the line.

What usually fails on these engines

The 2.4L 2AZ-FE of the early Highlander has the head bolt problem common to that family: the threads pull out of the aluminium block, coolant disappears with no visible leak, and the head gasket goes. Toyota revised the block mid-run and the later casting is the one to buy. The 2GR-FE has one real weak point, the VVT-i oil supply line — the original rubber section fails and starves the timing chain — and we replace it on every 2GR we ship. The 1AR-FE and the V6 hybrids are both unremarkable in service.

What ships with every unit

• Compression and leak-down tested before it is listed, with the test sheet in the box.
• VIN matched fitment — send us your VIN and we confirm the engine code against your vehicle before the order ships.
• Written warranty on every engine, with labour coverage available.
• Free freight anywhere in the lower 48, shipped on a pallet to a commercial address or a terminal.

Related reading: Toyota 2AZ-FE 2.4L engine guide, Toyota 2GR-FE 3.5L V6 engine guide, all engine guides.

Toyota Highlander used engines - frequently asked questions

Which engines did the Toyota Highlander use?

Across 2001 to today the Toyota Highlander was built with 2.4L I4, 3.0L V6, 3.3L V6, 3.3L V6 hybrid, 2.7L I4, 3.5L V6, 3.5L V6 hybrid and 3.5L V6 / 2.5L hybrid. The table above lists which one belongs to each generation, with the engine family and VIN character that identifies it.

How do I know which engine is in my Toyota Highlander?

The eighth character of the VIN encodes the engine on almost every US vehicle, and that is the only reliable way to settle it - two cars of the same year and trim can carry different engines. Send us the VIN and we check the engine code against your vehicle before anything ships.

Will an engine from a different year fit my Toyota Highlander?

Model year plus engine family. The split that catches people is 2017, when the 3.5L changed from the port-injected 2GR-FE to the direct-injected 2GR-FKS — same displacement, same family name, different fuel system and a different head.

What usually fails on these engines?

The 2.4L 2AZ-FE of the early Highlander has the head bolt problem common to that family: the threads pull out of the aluminium block, coolant disappears with no visible leak, and the head gasket goes. Toyota revised the block mid-run and the later casting is the one to buy.

What comes with a used Toyota Highlander engine?

Every engine is compression and leak-down tested before it is listed and the test sheet ships in the box. Fitment is VIN matched before the order goes out, every engine carries a written warranty with labour coverage available, and freight is free anywhere in the lower 48.