2021 Toyota Highlander problems, complaints & recalls
Far moreSteady
NHTSA has received 516 owner complaints about the 2021 Toyota Highlander, or 91.0 per year on the road — far more complaints than typical for a vehicle of its age (complaint index 2.16, where 1.00 is the average of all tracked vehicles). Among the 85 model-year 2021 vehicles we track, it ranks #78 for fewest complaints per year. Against other Toyota models its rate is 167% higher; against other Midsize SUVs it is 71% higher.
Counts are normalized by time on the road, not by sales volume: a popular model generates more reports than a rare one, and complaints are not verified individually. How we count
Complaints filed between 2020-12-30 and 2026-09-02. Median delay from incident to filing: 12 days.
516Complaints
91.0Complaints per year on the road
2.16Complaint index vs. all tracked vehicles
5Recalls
3.7%Share involving a crash or fire
185Last 12 months
Analysis
The previous model year (2020) drew 47.6 complaints per year, fewer than this one. The following model year (2022) drew 51.8 per year, fewer than this one. In its first two years on the road the 2021 model collected 85 complaints, 39% higher than the average vehicle of the same model year.
The most common problem area is Transmission / powertrain (38.0% of complaints), followed by Body & structure (11.2%) and Brakes (10.1%). Transmission / powertrain complaints are 3.3 times as common here as across all tracked vehicles. Within Transmission / powertrain reports, owners most often mention “whining”, “transmission”, “noise”, “whine” and “t-sb”. 19 reports (3.7%) describe a crash or fire; owners mention 18 injuries and 0 deaths.
Half of the reported incidents happened within 47 months of the model year's start; the busiest period was years three to five (48% of incidents). In the last 12 months 185 new complaints were filed, versus 158 in the 12 months before — a steady pace.
NHTSA lists 5 safety recalls for this model year. 28% of the complaints fall in component areas that a recall addresses. 1 NHTSA defect investigation covers this model year; the most recent is “Pedestrian alert sounds” (opened 2023-01-27, closed 2023-08-07).
Complaint index
vs. all tracked vehicles2.16
vs. other Toyota models2.67
vs. other 2021 models2.38
vs. other Midsize SUVs1.71
Complaints in first 2 years on the road · vs. same-year average (85)1.39
On XXX, I was driving my 2021 Toyota Highlander at approximately 55 mph when a deer entered the roadway and I had to brake suddenly to avoid a collision. My [XXX] daughter was properly seated in the second-row seat and was properly restrained by her seatbelt.
Other · 2026-06-14 · ODI 11743952
My vehicle was parked for about an hr 30 min , and it started smoking from dashboard area and immediately went into flames .
Engine · 2026-04-30 · ODI 11735002 · Fire
1. The car makes a squeaky sound when I accelerate. The faster I go the louder the noise becomes. I took the car to the Toyota dealership and was told that the transmission needs to be replaced. The car is only 5 years old.
Transmission / powertrain · 2026-09-02 · ODI 11761538
While driving and applying the brakes to come to a complete stop at low speed (approximately 5–15 mph), the vehicle intermittently loses brake responsiveness for a brief moment during the transition from regenerative braking to hydraulic (friction) braking.
Brakes · 2026-09-02 · ODI 11761604
The transmission whining started 70,000 miles and it is progressively gotten worse, there has been some sudden shifting at times. The manufacturer has known about this 8 speed transmission. Problem since 2017 and they haven’t done anything to improve it.
Transmission / powertrain · 2026-09-02 · ODI 11761620
Excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA, trimmed for length. The ODI number is NHTSA's record identifier.
Summary: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2021-2024 Highlander and Highlander Hybrid vehicles. The second-row seat backs may fail to lock into position during seat back adjustment.
Risk: 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. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed April 27, 2026. Additional letters will be sent once the final remedy is available, anticipated August 27, 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.
Summary: 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."
Risk: 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.
AIR BAGS:SENSOR:OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION Campaign 23V865000 · 2023-12-20
Summary: 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.
Risk: 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.
Summary: 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.
Risk: 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.
ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC):CONTROL MODULE:SOFTWARE Campaign 22V239000 · 2022-04-13
Summary: Toyota Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2022 Lexus LX 600, Lexus NX 350h, Lexus NX 450h+, Toytoa RAV4 Hybrid, 2021-2022 Lexus LS 500h, Toyota Mirai, RAV4 PRIME, Sienna, Venza, and 2020-2022 Toyota Highlander Hybrid vehicles. The Skid Control ECU software may not turn on the Vehicle Stability Control (VSC) system when the vehicle is restarted after the driver has disabled the VSC system. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 126, "Electronic Stability Control Systems."
Risk: Driving with a deactivated stability control system increases the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will update the Skid Control ECU software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed May 27, 2022. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's number for this recall is 22TA03. Lexus' number for this recall is 22LA01.
DP22005 · ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:PROPULSION SYSTEM · Opened 2023-01-27 · Closed 2023-08-07 · Campaign 22V063000 · Model years: 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022
NHTSA received a petition on or about July 18, 2022, requesting that Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 141 be applied to all electric and hybrid vehicles operating in the United States. The petition can be reviewed at NHTSA.gov under ODI Number 11486072. FMVSS 141 establishes performance requirements for pedestrian alert sounds for motor vehicles. The standard applies to hybrid and ele…
Frequently asked questions
How many complaints were filed for the 2021 Toyota Highlander?
516 complaints were filed with NHTSA for the 2021 Toyota Highlander, or about 91.0 per year on the road.
What is the most common problem reported for the 2021 Toyota Highlander?
The most common category is Transmission / powertrain, accounting for 38.0% of complaints.
Does the 2021 Toyota Highlander have any recalls?
NHTSA lists 5 safety recall(s) for this model year. 1 NHTSA defect investigation covers this model year; the most recent is “Pedestrian alert sounds” (opened 2023-01-27, closed 2023-08-07).
Is the 2021 Toyota Highlander still generating complaints?
In the last 12 months 185 new complaints were filed, versus 158 in the 12 months before — a steady pace.
How does the 2021 Toyota Highlander compare with similar vehicles?
NHTSA has received 516 owner complaints about the 2021 Toyota Highlander, or 91.0 per year on the road — far more complaints than typical for a vehicle of its age (complaint index 2.16, where 1.00 is the average of all tracked vehicles). Among the 85 model-year 2021 vehicles we track, it ranks #78 for fewest complaints per year. Against other Toyota models its rate is 167% higher; against other Midsize SUVs it is 71% higher.