2021 Toyota Highlander
Problems, recalls and owner-reported issues
Power train is the leading concern among 520 owner complaints filed for this model year. This is the highest complaint count among 25 Highlander model years with reports.
Of the 2021 reports, 16 involved a crash and 4 involved a fire. 18 people were injured.
What owners report most often
Recalls and investigations
Seats, mid/rear assembly, reclinerMar 5, 2026
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2021-2025 Highlander and Highlander Hybrid vehicles. The second-row seat backs may fail to lock into position during seat back adjustment.
A seat back that fails to lock may not properly restrain an occupant during a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
Dealers will replace the return springs in the seat back recliner assemblies, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed September 9, 2026. This is a phased recall. Owners may contact Toyota’s customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's numbers for this recall are 26TB06 and 26TA06.
Campaign 26V128000 on NHTSA.gov
TiresJun 18, 2024
Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC (SET) is recalling certain 2021-2024 Highlander vehicles. The 20-inch accessory tires with an insufficient load rating for the vehicle's Gross Axle Weight Rating (GAWR) were installed. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 110, "Tire Selection and Rims."
Tires with an insufficient load rating can be overloaded and fail, increasing the risk of a crash.
SET will inspect and replace the tires and information placard, as necessary free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 16, 2024. Owners may contact SET's customer service at 1-866-405-4226. SET's number for this recall is SET24A.
Campaign 24V452000 on NHTSA.gov
Air bags, sensor, occupant classificationDec 20, 2023
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Avalon, Avalon Hybrid, Corolla, Highlander, Highlander Hybrid, RAV4, RAV4 Hybrid, Lexus ES350, Lexus RX350, Lexus RX450H, 2021 Sienna Hybrid, Lexus ES250, 2020-2022 Camry, Camry Hybrid, and ES300H vehicles. A short circuit may develop in the Occupant Classification System (OCS) sensor, preventing the front passenger air bag from deploying.
An air bag that does not deploy during a crash increases the risk of injury.
Dealers will inspect and replace the sensor as necessary, free of charge. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed in February 2024. Some final remedy owner letters were mailed October 31, 2024. Letters will continue to be mailed in phases through January 2026. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's number for this recall is 23TB15/23TA15 Lexus 23LB03/23LA03.
Campaign 23V865000 on NHTSA.gov
Structure, body, bumpersOct 26, 2023
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2020-2023 Highlander & Highlander Hybrid vehicles. During normal vehicle operation, minor impact to the front lower bumper cover may result in the cover coming loose or detaching.
A detached front bumper cover can become a road hazard, increasing the risk of a crash.
Dealers will repair or replace the upper and lower front bumper covers as necessary, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed April 22, 2024. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's number for this recall is 23TB12/23TA12.
Campaign 23V720000 on NHTSA.gov
Representative owner complaints: power train
222 reports, newest first. Show all
Power train, Apr 14, 2026
Transmission Failure. Had to have it replaced.
Power train, Electrical system, Engine, Apr 10, 2026
The vehicle experienced a transmission failure at approximately 62,000 miles, which required a transmission replacement. Toyota replaced the transmission with a rebuilt transmission. Immediately after the repair, the vehicle began experiencing multiple issues that were not present prior to the repair. The vehicle initially would not reverse, and the battery was drained shortly after the repair was completed. Following the repair, the vehicle has continued to experience ongoing electrical malfunctions, including dashboard warning lights, system alerts, and dash lights flashing during remote start. The vehicle has also developed a rattling noise underneath the vehicle. The exact failed component has not been clearly identified. The dealership has provided changing diagnoses and has not provided written diagnostic documentation despite requests. The vehicle has been inspected by the dealership multiple times; however, the issues have not been resolved. During a recent diagnostic, the dealership stated that the catalytic converter is now the issue, but this does not address the ongoing electrical problems. These issues raise safety concerns due to unpredictable vehicle behavior and potential failure of critical systems while driving. Warning lights and system errors began appearing after the transmission repair and have continued since that time. The vehicle is available for inspection upon request.
Power train, Apr 7, 2026
A whining noise was observed at around 78k miles. Brought to the dealer and they indicated parts in the transmission are failing and it requires replacement. They said this has been happening more frequently on 2021 Highlanders (also see T-SB-0008-21). It's also a well-documented issue online. My contact with Toyota was that they did not intend to cover any repairs as the vehicle is out of warranty, even though it's not an isolated issue. They would not disclose how many vehicles have reported this issue. I believe it has reached safety recall-level.
Power train, Apr 1, 2026
The contact owns a 2021 Toyota Highlander. The contact stated that the vehicle experienced transmission failure while driving. There was an abnormal whining sound coming from the vehicle while accelerating, and the sound increased in volume while driving. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed with an internal transmission failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 55,803.
Power train, Mar 29, 2026
Transmission has started to whine, my understanding is this is common for the transmission I have. I have had this verified by 2 different garages. There are no engine lights showing. The noise started around 90K.
Power train, Mar 28, 2026
My 2021 Toyota Highlander was my first car I purchased that I saved up for and has had a sudden issue accrue with a winning sound out of now where. I took it to the dealer ship and they told me I need a new transmission. My vechile only has 73k miles and I noticed this sound is getting worst and worst. I don’t know what to do so I turned to the internet and I was blow away to see how many people have this same issue with the same year and it’s been happing to so many people. I am a father of a special needs child and I sport my family on my own I can not afford to replace this and they won’t do anything for me. I beg anyone that reads this to please help us out cause this is not fair they we pay our hard earned money to get hit with this unexpected issues that they obviously know about but want do anything cause it will ruin there rep.
Power train, Mar 27, 2026
Upon inspection at my local Toyota dealership, the UA80F 8-speed transmission on my 2021 Toyota Highlander has a known whining noise attributed to a failed transmission pump. The whining noise occurs when the car accelerates from 0 to around 50 miles per hour. When it gets to highway speeds, there is no noise. Anyone in the car can be put at risk if the transmission stops functioning on the roadways, and we're left stranded or we're suddenly blocking traffic. This issue is a known issue according to T-SB-0008-21, and there are many people online who seemed to have encountered this issue even beyond the warranty limits of 5 years/60,000 miles. Even my local AAMCO tells me that this is a dreaded and known issue of past customers. This issue first appeared around the 60,000 miles of distance traveled. There is no warning for this problem. You just have to be fortunate enough to discover the noise before the warranty deadlines. I discovered the noise at around 58,000 miles around June 2025, but I didn't know it was an issue back then. Had I known about this, I would've still qualified for the warranty. This noise has been reproduced and confirmed by my local Toyota dealership, and they're quoting me $11,506.53 to fix this issue. Other 3rd party transmission shops are quoting me ~$6,000. I'm frankly frustrated that Toyota did not issue a recall for this known issue that I did not cause. I wanted to drive this car for life, but I'm unsure what to do now. Either pay an exorbitant amount of money or sell it.
Power train, Mar 23, 2026
Transmission failure @110,000miles and a $9000.00 replacement cost. Service advisor at Toyota Dealership indicated they have seen other similar failures on this Highlander Platinum Model at their dealership but unit is out of warranty by a few thousand miles
Power train, Mar 18, 2026
2021 Toyota Highlander xse all-wheel drive model. Transmission failure: unusual sounds started just after 60,000 miles. Transmission began to whine mid-70,000 miles. Repair costs $8,000. Transmission business recommends rebuilding the Transmissions due to poor design and known issues.
Power train, Mar 18, 2026
My 2021 Toyota Highlander is experiencing a transmission issue causing a high pitched whining. It has the problematic UA80F. Toyota has declined to remedy the problem even with it being a known issue.
Power train, Mar 17, 2026
During acceleration above 25 mph a noticeable whining sound is heard from the transmission. When not acceleration the sound goes away. The vehicle only has 72300 miles
Power train, Mar 16, 2026
The transmission began making a wheezing sound. The dealership looked at the vehicle and determined it needed a new transmission. This is a known problem. Toyota issued a service bulletin on the issue in February 2021. I purchased the vehicle a few months after that. T-SB-0008-21
Power train, Mar 4, 2026
My vehicle is experiencing a transmission safety issue that has been diagnosed by the authorized Toyota dealer service center (Toyota of Scranton). During my most recent service visit on 3/2/26, the dealer reported that the transmission is “failing and whining” and recommended full transmission replacement. This condition creates unsafe driving behavior, including abnormal whining noise during acceleration and the concern for sudden transmission failure while driving. The Highlander started exhibiting issues with the transmission within the past 7 days. This issue appears consistent with the known transmission defect referenced in Toyota Technical Service Bulletin T‑SB‑0008‑21, which addresses whining and grinding noises caused by internal transmission component failure in 2021 model‑year vehicles equipped with UA80-series transmissions. Multiple independent reports indicate that this condition can worsen and may lead to loss of power or drivability while the vehicle is in motion. For safety reasons, I am submitting this complaint so the issue can be evaluated as part of any ongoing or future defect investigations. I am concerned about the potential risk of transmission failure while driving, which could increase the chance of a crash.
Power train, Engine, Mar 3, 2026
The contact owns a 2021 Toyota Highlander. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was a whining sound coming from the vehicle. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed with transmission failure. The dealer stated that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. After the vehicle was parked and turned off, there was transmission fluid leaking from the vehicle. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the head gasket had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The contact then noticed fluid leaking from the transfer case while the vehicle was parked and turned off. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the transfer case had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 74,700.
Power train, Feb 27, 2026
At around 70,000 mi the transmission started making noises and at the 80,000 mile marker I took it in for its maintenance they found debris in the transmission fluid and I was just told it's either a replace it now or replace it when it falls out of the vehicle. A vehicle with less than 100,000 mi and I am the only owner, for the transmission to go out or start going out and Toyota not solve problems is ridiculous
Power train, Feb 21, 2026
I was driving to a stop light when I heard a Raddle. Pull over and all the oil came out the engine. When I took it to the dealer they told me that the engine blew up. 14k repair that Toyota would not cover the repair.
Power train, Feb 19, 2026
The contact owns a 2021 Toyota Highlander. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was an abnormal whining sound coming from the transmission. The contact was concerned about the sound and contacted a dealer. The vehicle was driven to the dealer and was diagnosed with transmission failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 60,347.
Power train, Feb 18, 2026
I am reaching out regarding our 2021 Toyota Highlander which currently has $65 K miles and is just out of warranty. Recently we noticed a wining noise during acceleration. We took the vehicle to the dealer who told us that the transmission will need to be REPLACED. $9500 repair. This is a known issue with Toyota and they will not work with us on this. We are stuck! No customer goodwill! Thank you!
Power train, Feb 16, 2026
I purchased my brand new Highlander on January 31, 2021 and was told today that I need a transmission replacement. My vehicle started about two month ago with a whining sound while accelerating. My vehicle currently has 78,000 miles and is out of the extended warranty of 60,000/5 year. I learned that Toyota released a bulletin on February 9, 2021 stating transmission issues for particular Toyota models, the Highlander being one. After researching the issue, there are several stories of Highlander owners who are experiencing the same issue. It’s a shame that they knew of the problem in February 2021 and with the transmission replacements on vehicles less than 5 years old and haven’t issued a formal recall for this known defect.
Power train, Feb 13, 2026
2021 toyota highlander AWD limited - Car started making a whirling (whirring, whining) noise upon acceleration. It ramps up as accelerating. There are no warning lights showing. It stops when you take foot off of gas. Problem had been confirmed by 2 toyota dealers as needing a new transmission. One said it was in last gear, the other simply said noise was coming from the transmission and based on the NSB in 2021 it was transmission so would need to be replaced. One was $9700+, the other was $8600+. Went back and forth with Toyota to see if they would provide any help. They won’t cover any of the cost. Husband has a 2019 toyota highlander XLE making the same exact noise. Haven’t taken it yet for diagnostics
Power train, Feb 12, 2026
Known transmission failure.whining noise when accelerating. T-SB-0008-21
Power train, Feb 10, 2026
Toyota is asking me to pay for a brand new transmission replacement in my car that is only 5 years old, 74,000 miles on it. The cost is $10,000. How is it possible a brand new vehicle is needing this? I have read a lot of reviews that Toyota is knowingly using the transmission type that they even had to recall on earlier models. Why are they still making vehicles using this type of transmission when it continues to need total transmission replacement so early on? And Offer zero assistance. We bought Toyota because we thought it was the best. I will never buy Toyota again, this is a huge cost for a young family with a teachers salary.
Power train, Feb 10, 2026
The transmission in my 2021 Toyota Highlander began making a loud whining/whirring noise that increases with vehicle speed. The vehicle was inspected by a Toyota dealership, and I was told the transmission has failed and needs to be replaced. Toyota stated the repair would be out of pocket, despite the vehicle’s age and proper maintenance. There were no warning lights prior to the failure. This condition affects drivability and raises safety concerns, including the risk of sudden transmission failure or loss of power while driving, especially at highway speeds. I believe this is a premature transmission defect and am reporting it for investigation.
Power train, Feb 9, 2026
I am writing about my 2021 Toyota Highlander XLE AWD VIN # [XXX] . I purchased this vehicle brand new on 3/29/2021 at ‘Koons Easton Toyota’ in Easton, MD. In October 2025 I started hearing whining noise from the engine compartment. It was audible only when accelerating the vehicle and would go away if I took my foot off the accelerator. On 10/22/2025, I took the vehicle for inspection to ‘Ourisman Toyota 40’ dealership in Edgewood, MD. The technician told me that this is a known issue in this model/year and recommended to replace transmission as there was no other fix. He gave me a $9,995 estimate for transmission replacement. I subsequently learned that there was technical service bulletin on this exact defect released by Toyota on 2/9/2021. It said that models with UA80F transmission will make whining noise and then fail. The only remedy was to replace the transmission with brand new transmission part number 30500-0E160. This bulletin was posted on NHTSA website also. [XXX] This bulletin was released 50 days before I purchased the brand-new vehicle on 3/29/2021. My frustration and disappointment came from the fact that Toyota had known about this issue for 50 days and still proceeded to sell this vehicle to me. This is unacceptable as there should have been a recall on this defect or Toyota should have pulled the vehicle from the market. This is not about the powertrain warranty running out as that would apply to unforeseen issues that neither manufacturer nor buyer knew about in advance. It is about knowingly selling the customer a defective product even after disclosing the major defect publicly. Transmission failure can be a serious safety issue because it could have caused sudden loss of power and difficulty controlling speed. I request NHTSA to investigate these widespread Highlander transmission issues the same way Ford F150 transmission issues are being investigated. Thanks INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Power train, Feb 8, 2026
We began noticing a whining sound that has progressively gotten louder and more frequent upon acceleration. After taking it to the dealership, they claim it requires a transmission replacement. According to the dealership themselves and information online, this seems to be a common defect with 2021 Highlanders.