IllustrationP 235 / 55 R 20 This tire has developed a sidewall bulge. It has always been properly inflated. I currently have the tire but the manufacturer has requested that I send it to them.
2021 Toyota Highlander
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
More warning signs than most Highlander years
Owner complaints for the 2021 Toyota Highlander are substantially higher than the model-year median of 186.5.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Highlander years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
Limited mileage data: 42 of 512 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Power Train. Review the 219 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Service Brakes. Review the 66 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Structure. Review the 51 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
16 crash reports4 fire reports12 injury reports
What owners actually said
512 reportsP 235 / 55 R 20 The sidewall blew out on the highway. I did not hit any road hazards and the tires were properly inflated. I have the tire now but Continental has requested I ship it to them.
MY TRUNK WILL NOT OPEN OR CLOSE PROPERLY FAULTY SENSORS
My SUV is having issues with the tires air and also the sensors are not working properly
Was driving and all of a sudden ‘steering power low’ came on and engine died, got stuck in a busy intersection and needed assistance from police officer until I could be towed. Steering did not work to push car to side of the road so I was stuck in the center of the traffic. There was absolutely no lights or warnings before the …
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Was driving and all of a sudden ‘steering power low’ came on and engine died, got stuck in a busy intersection and needed assistance from police officer until I could be towed. Steering did not work to push car to side of the road so I was stuck in the center of the traffic. There was absolutely no lights or warnings before the steering power low and it died. Could have been very dangerous, I am supposed to drive north through the mountains to go camping in 2 days, lucky it didn’t happen then. At the mechanic now and they jumped the battery and say it’s working fine and they can’t find the problem.
There is a whining noise that occurs when the car is accelerating. At times, there car will skip when accelerating. There is also a vibration. I was informed the issue is with the transmission. A bad transmission can make driving very difficult, potentially causing the vehicle to stall or become unresponsive, and can be a safe…
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There is a whining noise that occurs when the car is accelerating. At times, there car will skip when accelerating. There is also a vibration. I was informed the issue is with the transmission. A bad transmission can make driving very difficult, potentially causing the vehicle to stall or become unresponsive, and can be a safety concern. I drive my child to school daily, over an hour from our home, and drive to homes to provide hospice care to terminally ill patients. This issue causes great concern, both financially and for safety.
There is a TSB about the transmission whine between certain serial numbers. My transmission was outside of the range but started whining. I took it to the Toyota dealership and they advised me that the transmission needs to be replaced.
The contact owns a 2021 Toyota Highlander. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V865000 (Air Bags); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The…
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The contact owns a 2021 Toyota Highlander. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V865000 (Air Bags); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue and a case was filed. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
Windshield side beveled trim driver’s side snapped and flew off on the highway into oncoming traffic and the passenger side is also loss and almost coming off.
The transmission is whining at medium speeds of 30-35 mph. The transmission started making the noise about 3 weeks ago. It appears that Toyota was aware of the potential defect in the transmission as Toyota issued a technical service bulletin (T-SB-008-21 and NHTSA # 10188917) on February 9, 2021. The TSB was sent to dealership…
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The transmission is whining at medium speeds of 30-35 mph. The transmission started making the noise about 3 weeks ago. It appears that Toyota was aware of the potential defect in the transmission as Toyota issued a technical service bulletin (T-SB-008-21 and NHTSA # 10188917) on February 9, 2021. The TSB was sent to dealerships 17 days before we purchased the vehicle. Toyota took no steps to notify the owners or to prevent the sale of the vehicle with a know defective transmission. The TSB said the only cure to the defect was a transmission replacement. Toyota offered no extension for this drivetrain defect beyond the standard 60 month/60,000 mile warranty. Our vehicle is just outside of these parameters at 70k miles. The vehicle should not have been sold with know defects in the transmission and Toyota at the very least should offer to extend the standard warranty.
Official recalls
426V128000 · Seats:mid/rear Assembly:recliner
Mar 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.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: A seat back that fails to lock may not properly restrain an occupant during a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
Remedy: 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.
24V452000 · Tires
Jun 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."
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: Tires with an insufficient load rating can be overloaded and fail, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: 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.
23V865000 · Air Bags:sensor:occupant Classification
Dec 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.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: An air bag that does not deploy during a crash increases the risk of injury.
Remedy: 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.
23V720000 · Structure:body:bumpers
Oct 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.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: A detached front bumper cover can become a road hazard, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: 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.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.