2021 Toyota Highlander

I am reporting that the fix for NHTSA recall #23V-865, Toyota recall #23TA15 has not been done in a timely manner & I am concerned for the safety of my passengers. The recall info came out December 2023 & Toyota was supposed to have a fix 3rd quarter 2024. We are now in 2nd quarter 2025 & there is still no fix. This is unacceptable. Again, I am concerned for the safety of my passengers, one of which is my elderly mother-in-law who has difficulty getting in & out of the back seat.

TRANSMISSION, Jolts when backing up, and hesitates in traffic. The dealership confirmed it's the transmission. No warning lights, just running poorly with hesitation, afraid of breakdown. First appear a month ago after my warranty expired. I have a 2021 Highlander with 80,000 miles and still owe $22,992.84 on the vehicle. My warranty 60/60,000 is of is not any good. The issues is the transmission. The dealership is telling me it's not covered even though this is an issue with this model. For a another $11,000 they can install a new transmission. Toyota you are better then this, my Camry I had almost 300,000 on it. I had another highlander before this one. Very disappointed.

I purchased a new 2021 Toyota Highlander and began to experience a clicking noise coming from under the vehicle which grew in intensity. The vehicle has 76,000 miles. I regularly took the vehicle to a Toyota dealership for service where they never mentioned any needed service for the transmission. I informed the dealership of the clicking noise where I was told by a Service Technician that they have seen a large number of newer Toyota Highlanders experience transmission failures. I asked the Technician if a recall was issued and he simply shrugged his shoulders and walked away. This is a serious issue affecting a major component of a vehicle and safety, it is unconscionable that a major reputable manufacturer such as Toyota would be aware of a major defect and refuse to address the issue.

The transmission began to do a whining noise at 70K which is a signal of soon deterioration and failure. Toyota acknowledged the widespread issue but for only a very small portion in the T-SB-0008-21, though covered only under the standard 60K warranty. My car doesn't fall in the range of transmission mentioned in the TSB, though it is the same UA80 transmission model, and the symptoms and the problem is exactly the same as verified by the dealer. I have learned that many Highlander owners with UA80 transmissions are having the exact same issue around or right after the 60K miles.

The contact owns a 2021 Toyota Highlander. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, the display screen malfunctioned and displayed a solid black screen. During the failure, several functions and features could not be accessed or activated, including the front and rear defrosters. The contact was unable to clear the front and rear windshields, which created a visibility hazard for the driver. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, who diagnosed that the display screen unit needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The failure mileage was 45,000.

The contact owns a 2021 Toyota Highlander. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V720000 (Structure). The contact stated that while driving 30 MPH, an abnormal sound was coming from the front bumper. Upon inspection, the front bumper had partially detached from the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the dealer; however, it was unknown if the vehicle was repaired. The contact also received notification of NHTSA Campaign Numbers: 23V865000 (Air Bags); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The vehicle was taken to the dealer. The vehicle was not repaired. 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. The vehicle had been with the dealer for over one year. The failure mileage was approximately 15,000. Parts distribution disconnect.