2021 Toyota Highlander Complaint Log

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.

I have a 2021 Toyota highlander platinum. The car makes whining noise when accelerating my car has 70k miles and according to Toyota my warranty expired at 60k miles it’s a common issue with these cars and Toyota knows that but they won’t help with the fix. This affected a lot of people and they want almost 11k for a trans replacement. If it’s a common issue with all their cars then they should take full responsibility and fix the cars. I hope you guys could be of help and hold they accountable.

The dictation had stopped working, can not longer send messages while driving.

Transmission is producing a whining noise during acceleration. Very common with this model transmission.

The transmission has a whining noise caused by the front carrier pinion shafts. There is a TSB out for the transmission issue. Transmission has been inspected by a technician. No warnings - the noise was a warning I suppose. It first appeared in March 2025.

Transmission whine

My Highlander is making a whine noise due to the issue described in T-SB-0008-21. I was never made aware that this was a potential issue. My car is making the whine noise, but Toyota Of Capistrano refuses to cover the cost of fixing it because my car has 86,000 miles. I would have taken the car in sooner had I known of this issue.

Vehicle has 84,000 miles, purchased new in 2021. Started to experience whining noise with acceleration and irregular shifting of gears. Knew it was a transmission problem. Vehicle inspected at the Toyota dealership and service advisor stated that metal shavings are seen in the transmission oil. Advised that a new transmission is needed but may take several months before it is available. Cost of replacement >$9000. The extended warranty that I purchased previously no longer applies as the vehicle has more than 72,000 miles. Technical service bulletin (T-SB-0008-21) notes that transmission issue recognized by Toyota since 2021. There should be more support from Toyota in supporting customers in replacing the transmission. There appears to be many other owners who have experienced similar issues. Due to well recognized safety issue related to transmission failures, a recall should/need to be pursued. Please help.

Since I got his vehicle i satated to the Toyota that having the breaks problem and dash is not working properly and blind spot is not working on time

Vehicle transmission has a whining sound Dealer stated needs new transmission Parts not available continue driving local only Would not state car is safe to drive and told not to take on long trips. No rental provided Also there is a airbag recall for this model and have not been notified

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,

The navigation display unit failed in my 21 Toyota Highlander. It randomly flashes causing a driving distraction as it attempts to reboot, but then fails to turn on.

MY TRUNK WILL NOT OPEN OR CLOSE PROPERLY FAULTY SENSORS

On February 16, 2025 the vehicle was parked. The temperatures that day were in single digits. After approximately 1 1/2 hours the 12V system was drained. The driver panel was blank and the vehicle did not respond to any attempt to start. This vehicle had a similar incident the prior year, also in extreme cold conditions. During that incident the vehicle was towed to the dealership. They recharge the 12V system and did not find any problems once the faults were cleared. For the February incident, an attempt was made to jump start the vehicle. After the jump start the driver panel was active, but the vehicle reported a hybrid system malfunction and would not start the engine. The vehicle was then towed to the dealership. Attached is the report from service team. Problem #1. Under cold weather conditions this vehicle will drain the 12V system leaving the driver stranded in dangerous weather. Problem #2. The jump start procedure leaves the ECU exposed to severe damage. This leaves the vehicle inoperable.

2021 Vehicle has 105,000 miles, purchased certified used in 2023 from dealership. Whining noise with acceleration began so we brought to dealership to get the recalls fixed and asked about the whine on acceleration. Vehicle inspected at the Toyota dealership and service advisor stated that the transmission needed a full replacement and would have catastrophic failure if we keep driving. Advised that a new transmission is needed and cost of replacement is $10,000. The warranty no longer applies as the vehicle has over 100,000 miles. However we purchased with 66000. Technical service bulletin (T-SB-0008-21) notes that transmission issue recognized by Toyota since 2021. Hundreds of posts and complaints by Toyota Highlander owners with 2021 models can be found online. The dealership tried their third party warranty and the claim was denied. There should be more support from Toyota in supporting customers in replacing the transmission as it is clear this is a known issue. A recall is needed and a remedy in place. There is no reason a transmission should fail this early. Toyota needs to provide more support for this safety issue and replace the faulty transmission.

The contact owns a 2021 Toyota Highlander. The contact stated that while driving on the highway at 65 MPH, the front bumper became detached. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact pulled over and zip-tied the bumper to the frame of the vehicle. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact referenced NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V720000 (STRUCTURE); as a possible cause for the failure. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 47,330.

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.

I have a faulty transmission that is now widely known. 2021 Highlander with the UA80 transmission. Out of warranty and Toyota wants to provide no help even know this is an ongoing issue with so many owners

Vehicle makes a loud noise when under 65mph. Car shakes when breaking. Transmission needs to be replaced.

Transmission Failure. Had to have it replaced.

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.

The contact owns a 2021 Toyota Highlander. The contact stated while driving at 55 MPH, the driver’s side mirror was vibrating abnormally. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a dealer and the vehicle was diagnosed and it was determined that the screw securing the mirror had loosened. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure persisted. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 38,000.

At 4 years of ownership and 45,723 miles our 2021 Toyota Highlander XLE experienced a Transfer Case Failure

Transmission failure at 94k miles. Driving on I90 the truck started making very loud whining noise. TSB0008-21 was issued by Toyota Feb-21 and I bought my truck Apr-21. Toyota did NOT disclose this to me.Vehicle failure happened exactly like the TSB. Toyota takes no responsibility-extended warranty is 100% unethical as I am still waiting 4 weeks later for repair. Toyota has no new transmissions available either. Please look into issuing a recall- thousands of people are impacted- please investigate. Toyota is choosing profit over people and safety.

My transmission has a whining noise and is just over warranty. It is likely to fail soon. Toyota knows the transmission has had issues and has only recalled a select number of them but the issues are all over the board. The issues is consistent across all makes that use the UA80 trans mission (Sennia, Highlander, Camry, etc). In fact, these transmissions (new and remanufactured) all out of stock across the country because the issue is so bad. Research verifies this issue. Please see actual customer experiences below. There are way more out there when you research. [XXX] [XXX] [XXX] [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

- transmission has a whine sound. - steering while start in to peel off after 25k miles driving

Transmission starting whining at 65k miles. Toyota corporate will do nothing since its technically out of warranty. Transmission in a Toyota should not fail at 60k miles. This is huge problem with this year vehicle. The only solution seems to be NEW transmission which is $8-10k.

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 unavailable. 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 contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

Around 76k miles, a whining occurs upon accelerating. Hear ever so slightly in 1st gear. Gradually is more evident as the speed increases. At 78k I decided it was definitely getting louder and was concerned after researching and learning that MULTIPLE 2021 Highlanders have needed transmissions replaced. I brought it in to a mechanic who searched for every possible problem, but ultimately came back to tell me it is my transmission failing.

My 21 Highlander has a wine noise coming from the transmission. There is currently a bulletin out by Toyota T-SB-000821 confirming that the transmission in this model needs to be replaced. I took my car to two separate mechanics who confirmed the noise is coming from transmission. I called Toyota this morning. Spoke with a lady and she told me she cannot locate the bulletin on my VIN number so pretty much there’s nothing they can do to help. I’m having the issue with my car that Toyota is aware about and has put out a bulletin regarding the issue. I think Toyota needs to take care of this. This is not something that should be VIN specific if I’m having the issue then fix it! At least send me to a Toyota dealership for you guys to confirm the issue and fix it!

When I apply my foot to the brake pedal the car slows, but just as I am about to reach the final part it feels like the brake is let go and the vehicle goes forward and I have to push harder on the brake to stop the vehicle. This issue can cause me to run into a vehicle that is stopped. I have not taken it to a dealer yet. No warning signs on the dash. This has been going on for about a year now.

We have been hearing whining coming from the front of the vehicle for months. Over the life of our time with this car, we have reported to Toyota multiple times about the sound, and about how sometimes the engine seems slow to shift. The whining increases as you press the gas pedal. Toyota is aware of this issue with Highlanders, but has told us they aren't going to fix it, as there is no recall on the issue. Turns out, there's a TSB related to the exact issue that we have with our Highlander. Now that we are out of warranty, we are looking at potentially replacing the transmission of a vehicle that Toyota has a record of intentionally avoiding to repair. Multiple independent service centers have confirmed the issue. They all have referred us back to Toyota because of the severity of the issue. There were no warning lamps or lights or the issue. However, the "whining" is audible every time in the vehicle.

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.

My transmission started to make whining noise took to the dealer to check they confirmed it was a transmission issue that it needed to be replaced. After doing some digging I came across a toyota service bulitin that claimed this issue only affected a batch of vehicles. ( T-SB-0008-21 ) I have searched on forums and found out that a lot of people are haveing the same issue and Toyota is not doing anything about it. PLEASE HELP !!!

The Highlander only have 62000, miles and still has a new car smell ,but it need a transmission was told by service advisor that it could stop in the middle of the of traffic with no warning no engine light on dash nothing upon further research a lot of customers are having the same problem Please help Toyota has been my brand since 1996 and I’m sad that the don’t stand behind the brand for such a major issue

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 and another dealer, Sport City Toyota(12650 Lyndon B Johnson Fwy, Dallas, TX 75228), were contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

Transmission went out at 94,000 mils. Loud whinning noise and vechicle very loud sounds like a disel truck once cranked.

The vehicle pulls/jolts foward as I slow down at a stoplight. At first, I thought this was normal, but over the past year, I've noticed something unusual, possibly with the gear shifting. It has become more noticeable over time. It has happened enough where I almost get into a fender bender with the car in front of me. I started researching this issue and it's a common complaint among other Highlander vehicle owners. [XXX] . I reported this issue to the Toyota Dealership and all have stated this was normal. I have also seen other issues with the transmission with the similar year and build. Leading me to believe this car may have an early sign of transmission issues. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

2021 Toyota Highlander Hybrid - experiences the sensation of brake loss during transitional period when car switches between regenerative brakes and mechanical brakes; most often occurs on a downgrade approaching a stop. During the transition, the car will surge ahead unexpectedly. I would consider this a significant safety issue; causes the driver to misjudge the required stopping distance and it is possible to hit something (or someone) in front of you. There is a TSB-0059-23 against this issue that requires a software update of the brake actuator. The issue is serious enough in my opinion that a recall of all Highlander hybrids is justified and Toyota should cover the cost of the update. The issue is intermittent and has occurred since new.

If the important safety recall on 2021 highlander is that important, why is it taking years to fix , I feel toyota is dragging their feet and no one from the Nhtsa is doing anything about it, I think social media will be informed about your inaction of letting them slide for so long !

I purchased my new 2021 Highlander in Sept. of 2021. At about 88K miles, my car started making a whining or buzzing noise when accelerating. I am scheduled to take my highlander to the dealership to be looked at, but in the meantime, research on multiple forums and NHTSA -this is found to be a common issue with the 2021 toyota highlander transmission. Upon further research, I discovered that prior to buying the car, Toyota was already aware of this problem as they issued a Technical Service Bulletin T-SB-0008-21 in February of 2021 yet they did not inform me or hold the cars for sale to correct what could cause accidents when the transmission fails. Upon further investigation, there are numerous people with this problem in their 2021 Highlanders. This needs to be addressed immediately and deserves a recall, as most owners discover this issue after the 60K power train warranty has ended.

My car out of no where once it hit 60k miles (which makes it fall off warranty) I start having transmission problems. It’s a 2021 which is very weird for that to happen. Bought it brand new. I was driving with my kids in the car on the highway and the car decelerates and I freaked out. I see that I’m not the only one that is having this issue and it looks like it’s 2020-2021 models that are having transmission issues and I think this needs to be something to get checked. Automatically after driving the car decelerates and you don’t know where or when it can be the rpm drops. Took it to the dealership they said it’s transmission but a brand new car right when it hits 60k miles then this happens.

Toyota is not trying to own up to failing transmissions especially in the Highlanders. The Highlander started making a whining noise around 50k miles like a supercharger. The dealer said the car needed a whole new transmission. The transmission is available for inspection upon request. The car is hard to accelerate because the transmission is failing without giving any warning signals on the dashboard.

Transmission is making a whining noise.

Headed westbound on 285 in Georgia; hit on passenger side front door and vehicle swerved several lanes and hit a wall going 60 miles per hour. The airbags did not deploy. I was injured badly and the vehicle was totaled.

My vehicle was rear-ended while stopped by a 2014 Toyota Corolla that was estimated to be traveling between 60-70 miles per hour. During the crash, the driver seat failed, resulting in the partially reclining into the second row passenger. The failure mechanism appears to be internal to the seatback, as the seat twisted during the failure, causing me to lean more towards the passenger side of the vehicle.

I am an owner of a 2021 Highlander XLE AWD (bought new). In October of 2024 around 34000 miles the transmission started to make a whining noise and seemed to be surging/bucking , hesitation and hunting for gears. Toyota determined it fit the criteria of a TSB to have the transmission replaced. The dealership had my car for two months and then eventually replaced the transmission with a remanufactured unit. This “new” unit still has the issues of surging/bucking , hesitation and hunting for gears. I fear that this “new” transmission is in the process of failing again with less than 10k on it. Of course I will be out of warranty when it does and I’ll be on the hook for a $10000 repair. I’m appalled that Toyota has not done a true fix for this issue and has not even put an extended warranty on it either. I purchased this vehicle from Toyota on good faith that it would last and be reliable. 34k one transmission died and I’m sure this one will follow suite. Ultimately UA80 transmission is ticking time bomb and Toyota needs to be held accountable for this.

Air conditioning lines eroded and needed to be repaired after 26,000 miles/ 3 or 4 years. A/C line repair cost was $2500. Vehicle is garage kept and cleaned regularly during winter, it should not be having rusting problems, especially in this good of condition.

The car started making a whining.humming sound only while pressing the gas. Took to mechanic and they advised it was TSB 0008-21. I need a new transmission. I drive this daily with my own kids, and several that aren't mine. If the transmission were to go out, I would not be able to accelerate and the care would stop moving. I can't even imagine this happening on a high with hundreds of cars speeding or a busy road. This could cause a bad accident, injury or death. No warnings etc. The noise just started and took right to mechanic. I gave the mechanic a copt of power train warrant and hoping it gets covered and fixed.

Transmission make grinding noise scared to drive when I check online on Google it states that all 2021 toyota highlander make grinding noise and only solution is to replace it