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: other or unspecified
65 reports, newest first. Show all
Other or unspecified, Jun 5, 2025
My 2021 Toyota Highlander, purchased with 16k miles, has a leak in the AC system in the rear of the vehicle (as of May 2025, at 3 years 10 months into the vehicle's service, with 28k miles). This pipe runs the length of the car and costs $2000-$3000 to repair. This was confirmed at an independent service center that used leak detection dye to identify the problem. I am finding multiple reports of people having this problem in young Toyota vehicles (<4 years old) and with low miles. I believe this is a design flaw and not indicative of normal corrosion, as the vehicle does not exhibit corrosion elsewhere in the under carriage.
Structure, Other or unspecified, Visibility/wiper, Jun 4, 2025
This is a supplemental complaint to add more detail to a prior submission. I am the original owner of a 2021 Toyota Highlander with 10,000 miles at the time of the issue worsening to the point that I finally broke down and was forced to pay the Toyota dealership's hefty diagnostic fee. The air conditioning system has failed due to a refrigerant leak in the rear A/C lines, specifically near the exhaust area under the vehicle. The dealership diagnosed the issue and quoted me over $3,000 to replace “all necessary components in the rear.” They offered no coverage or goodwill repair despite the vehicle’s age and mileage. Upon researching the issue for longer than a year at this point, I discovered far too many similar complaints from other Highlander owners (years 2019–2021) describing identical failures — typically rear A/C lines corroding, cracking, or leaking prematurely. In some cases, customers were told Toyota is aware of the issue but not issuing a TSB or recall. In other cases, dealers said no permanent fix exists. These repairs are prohibitively expensive and, in some reports, recurring due to poor line placement or dissimilar metal corrosion near heat sources. This significantly impacts safety in several ways: Impaired Visibility: The AC system is integral to effective defogging and defrosting of the windshield, especially in humid or cold conditions. Without it, visibility is severely compromised, increasing the risk of an accident. Driver Impairment: In extreme temperatures, lack of climate control can lead to driver fatigue, distraction, and reduced concentration, posing an indirect safety risk. I am reporting it to request NHTSA monitor the trend. This seems to reflect a possible engineering or design flaw, and the number of similar owner reports suggests it may warrant further review by Toyota and NHTSA. Customers should not be facing multi-thousand-dollar repairs on near-new vehicles with basic systems failing. Thank you for tracking this issue.
Other or unspecified, Apr 22, 2025
MY TRUNK WILL NOT OPEN OR CLOSE PROPERLY FAULTY SENSORS
Air bags, Other or unspecified, Mar 7, 2025
Toyota continues to knowingly not remedy an airbag sensor issue. My vehicle has the light on indicating it is suffering from the same recall. I bought this car from them in 2024 and they sold it to me with the knowledge that there was a safety issue. I’ve tried to find a solution as this is a major safety issue. Toyota took my money in full for the car, yet can only offer me a loaner for 25 days. They said in CA, it most likely won’t get fixed until the end of 2026. I don’t have money. I have one car and I need a vehicle to transport to work and kids to school. This is not right and this is not safe. A remedy for people in CA that won’t be fixed for two more years that is an ACTUAL SAFETY issue , is not right. This is to document the safety complaint as the dealership continues to ignore the issue, and the 1-800 Toyota line continues to ignore it. All BBB complaints shows I’m not the only one. I can’t take a rental because they won’t pay me back, it’s not guaranteed, and I’m out another $40,000. They put people in impossible situations. The manager at the service center it’s your fault if you walk out of here without taking a loaner. You’re choosing to put your family at risk. And I said no, you’re offering me a loaner and you can’t guarantee a vehicle that will fit my family. I don’t know what to do.
Electrical system, Other or unspecified, Mar 6, 2025
The dictation had stopped working, can not longer send messages while driving.
Other or unspecified, Feb 23, 2025
The rear hatch has been causing me issues for quite a while. Last year, I would have to hit the close button once or twice for it to close. It would close a few inches, beep, and then stop. It has become much worse the last six months. I have to manually close the hatch myself because it won't go down all the way using the button. We took it to Cedar Rapids Toyota and they said this is a very common issue in this vehicle. They adjusted the hatch and lubricated it. Once they were done, they said it doesn't work any better. It costs over $1,000 to replace the parts and they can't get the parts until June because so many people are having the same issue. This vehicle needs to be recalled. Thanks,
Other or unspecified, Forward collision avoidance, Jan 29, 2025
Subject: Transmission Issue – 2021 Toyota Highlander Dear NHTSA, I am reporting a serious transmission issue with my 2021 Toyota Highlander (82,000 miles). I recently took it to the dealership for an unusual noise, and they diagnosed a transmission failure, quoting over $9,000 for replacement and service. After researching, I discovered Toyota has known about transmission issues in the 2021 Highlander since at least 2021. I have always serviced my vehicle at the same dealership, yet they never informed me of this known defect. Instead, they waited until my warranty expired to disclose the issue, despite my repeated maintenance visits where I reported the noise. I also found a 2021 Toyota document acknowledging transmission problems in this model, and many other owners have reported the same issue. It seems dealerships avoided addressing this until warranties expired, leaving owners with massive repair costs. This raises serious concerns about Toyota’s handling of known defects. I urge the NHTSA to investigate and take action to protect consumers from unfair repair costs and potential safety risks.
Other or unspecified, Dec 31, 2024
While pulling onto highway I heard a loud pop and scratching noise. Pulled off road and looked at vehicle from outside. When I looked on top I saw that the glass from sunroof had a hole and had shards like it had exploded from inside pressure.
Other or unspecified, Dec 24, 2024
Infotainment system, this system comes with talk to text abilities. However, the system will say it is not compatible with the device which isn’t true as this same device work from day one of owning this vechile. About a year after owning this vechile I began to start having issues with talk to text through Bluetooth. The only option now to respond to a text through the infotainment system is with a predefined group of messages. This is not the only case of this issue occurring as many models within the 2020-2021 Toyota have had the same issue.
Other or unspecified, Dec 17, 2024
The navigation has failed to perform properly since the car was new. I have complained about it/taking it in on more than one occasion. Now the car is three years old and has 23,000 miles on it. I am told I must pay to repair the navigation system which never worked properly in the first place. It directs me to roads that are closed;, finds the store I wish to go to, but then says I can’t navigate there;, sends me to a residential neighborhood when I have put in the address of a school;, changes the address I input while I am enroute. It is supposed to navigate to addresses in my contact list, but when I select a contact it then asks me to choose from a similar name in a different state than I have entered in my contacts. I am very curious to know if there have been other complaints or technical service bulletins.
Other or unspecified, Nov 27, 2024
On 2023, the bumper of my car fell while I was driving on the highway. At that time, I took my vehicle to the Toyota Dealership to get inspected and they inspected the vehicle and recommended me to take it to a Body Shop to get it repaired. I paid for the repairs from my pocket since they did not take any responsibility of the damages. On December 2023, I received a letter from Toyota telling me that my highlander has a recall due to bumpers felling off and needed to add some clips from the manufacturer. I opened a case and provided all the information requested by Toyota. At the end they asked me for a CCR document where none of the representatives I've spoke were able to explain what is this document. I provided receipts, Dealership inspection document, my car documents. Today 11.27.2024, I receive a letter telling me that they are not going to move forward with the reimbursement. The body shop that they recommended me does not provide a letter with the specific information they are asking me for. Toyota contacted them and confirmed they did the repairs and they still refused to pay for the manufacturer damages.
Electrical system, Other or unspecified, Forward collision avoidance, Nov 20, 2024
The Battery was leaking fluid, smoke was visible and rotten smell from the battery. Electrical secondary brake system came on the dashboard
Electrical system, Other or unspecified, Sep 19, 2024
[XXX], while driving on a [XXX], my 2021 Highlander Platinum unexpectedly shut down without ANY prior warning or indication of a malfunction. This abrupt failure put my safety, as well as that of my passengers and other motorists, at considerable risk. As a longtime Toyota customer, I have always valued the reputation of Toyota vehicles for their reliability and safety. However, this incident has significantly shaken my confidence in that reputation. I trusted that my vehicle, particularly one as recent as the 2021 Highlander, would perform safely and effectively in all driving conditions. The complete and sudden failure of the vehicle on a busy highway is not only unacceptable, but also alarming. I now find myself questioning whether I can continue to rely on this vehicle or the brand itself. After having the vehicle towed from obstructing a busy lane of traffic, the battery was jump started to get the car running again. I had NEVER had ANY issues with battery and all regular services had been completed at a Toyota Service Center, but several codes appeared on the dashboard after this incident advising the vehicle be taken to a dealer. Vehicle was taken to Toyota Service Center [XXX] for a diagnostic check, but they couldn’t find any error codes or issues with the vehicle. I contacted Toyota to thoroughly investigate this matter and address the underlying issue that caused the shutdown, so that I can regain confidence in its safety and dependability. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Other or unspecified, Sep 19, 2024
Sunroof shattered while vehicle was parked. Nothing touched the vehicle. We were just sitting in the car when it happened.
Other or unspecified, Aug 14, 2024
The sunroof exploded in 75 degree weather. My safety was put at risk by the sunroof exploding and others were put at risk that were following on highway from flying glass. The problem was confirmed by safelite. Toyota refuses to take any responsibility. The sunroof was inspected and repaired by safelite. There was no warning that the sunroof was going to explode. The vehicle maintenance is at the highest level.
Other or unspecified, Jul 15, 2024
This is my new car certified
Other or unspecified, May 28, 2024
The sun roof on this car spontaneously combusted. I was able to pull up many other complaints regarding the same issue on this car. This needs to be recalled. My [XXX] baby could have had shattered glass had we not had it closed. These sun roofs need to be recalled and inspected! INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Other or unspecified, Apr 18, 2024, fire
I had been driving for about 20 minutes at approximately 50-55 MPH when the check engine light came on. Seconds later, the red hybrid malfunction message displayed and I lost the ability to accelerate. I was able to pull over and I saw grayish smoke and flames coming from under the hood on the right side. I exited the vehicle and called 911. It took moments from the start to being completely engulfed in flames. Several loud pops or explosions happened during this period. The police and fire department arrived and extinguished it.
Other or unspecified, Apr 11, 2024
We were driving across the Texas panhandle at the posted speed limit of 75 mph. It was about noon, the outside temperature was about 60 fahrenheit & there was a cross wind of about 30 mph. There were no vehicles in front of me & the closest approaching vehicle was a good half mile away. No vehicles had recently driven past us from the approaching lane. There was a sudden explosion above us & through the 1-2" gap in the motorized retractable sunshade of our moonroof, I could see broken glass. Through that gap, some glass fragments fell in on us. I pulled over to stop, got out & inspected the roof, & the front glass panel was completely shattered & 75% gone. Many of the fragments were on the sunshade & I removed those. Going at about 40 mph we went to the closest small town where a mechanic removed some residual loose glass, vacuumed as much off the shade as he could, & patched the hole with cardboard held in place by duct tape so we could get home for a repair. If the shade had not been almost closed, we would have been showered with glass with risk of bodily & eye injury.
Other or unspecified, Apr 1, 2024
I have noticed that my vehicle tends to jolt forward as I’m applying the brakes to come to a complete stop.
Other or unspecified, Jan 31, 2024
Driving back from lunch with a friend we heard a pop and loud shattering sound as my sunroof glass exploded for no apparent reason. I called the dealer where I purchased the car 40 days ago with every extended warranty that I could. Toyota denied the claim stating that there was not any bulletins stating material defect and that the glass was not part of any warranty and I will have to file an insurance claim.
Other or unspecified, Service brakes, Nov 2, 2023
While slowing and braking to stops (approximately less than 20 mph), the vehicle will lurch/lunge forward. It feels like you took your foot off the brake pedal but you did not. This occurs randomly. It does not happen every time. There are no warning lamps, messages, etc., prior to or during this issue. The vehicle has ~39000 miles. This has been occurring for at least 20000 miles. Risk: If this occurs when close to pedestrians, other vehicles, intersections, etc., it could result in an impact. The dealer could not reproduce but did find online message forums that reported the same issue.
Other or unspecified, Oct 12, 2023
The Passenger rear tire burst automatically today around 8 AM morning. Unsure if this automatic burst is part of any recall or not but it was a scary burst with big noise with no warnings of low air pressure. A lot of time was wasted today and spent money to fix a new tire.
Other or unspecified, Jun 20, 2023
Driver side mirror glass started shaking all the time. The mirror frame is stable, but the mirror glass is shaking when car is idling and driving. Makes it almost impossible to use that mirror when driving
Other or unspecified, Jun 2, 2023
Driver side view mirror shakes a lot making it impossible to make things out in your mirror while driving. Very dangerous to see what is in your mirror.