2021 Toyota Highlander Complaint Log

THE DEALER HAS CONFIRMED A PROBLEM ON THE MATTER AND SAID IT WOULD COST $8000.00 TO FIX IT. HAS NOT PUT A RECALL ON IT YET. BUT THERE IS A BULLITON ON THE MATTER.

My wife’s Highlander started whining under acceleration. I am not a trained mechanic but know enough about vehicles that I k ew it was the transmission. I checked Google for 2021 Highlander complaints and found hundreds of them. The vehicle has 90k on it but luckily we bought the extended warranty through Toyota. I took the vehicle in for service and told them the transmission was whining and needed replaced and would be covered under my warranty. They looked at me strange and said ok sure, we’ll check it out. 4 hours later they called to confirm I needed a new transmission. They estimate it to take be 4 weeks before they receive the transmission. Apparently so many being replaced they are on back order. Luckily we bought our vehicle as a “Certified Pre-Owned” so we get a loaner the entire time. Just sad to see Toyota quality going down hill like it has.

Car need. New transmission with only 44,000 miles. Toyota is going to replace but not sure if will happen again.

Rear lift gate doesn't fully open or close sometimes. I have to manually assist in opening or closing after trying the key fob, inside push button and rear switch above the license plate. I have attempted to reset the height adjustment thinking it would fix it, with no success. I have made sure that the gasket is in place, lubricated the struts and tried opening a closing with the car running and again without success. I'm asking this be investigated due to my concern that this is going to be a safety issue if it doesn't open after an accident, to exit the vehicle if needed. Thank you.

Chest clip is magnetic and can be opened by child without using the buttons to open. No longer staying closed.

Sunroof shattered while vehicle was parked. Nothing touched the vehicle. We were just sitting in the car when it happened.

I purchased my new 2021 Highlander in Sept. of 2021. At about 70K miles, my car started making a whining or buzzing noise when accelerating. I took it to the Toyota dealership in Fort Collins, CO. They told me my transmission is failing. They stated I needed completely replaced for just a few dollars under $8000. They stated that the Highlander transmissions are on backorder for replacement. They said it could go completely in a year or a month, they didn't know but I couldn't get it fixed for months because of the backordered transmissions. There is no warning light or alert. This is very concerning since I commute at night alone long distances, or if the transmission goes while I'm on an interstate, etc...I did some research and found 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.

The contact owns a 2021 Toyota Highlander. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V865000 (AIR BAGS) however, the part to do the repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer 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. Parts distribution disconnect.

[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)

Transmision is whining and stuttering or slipping gears

39,000 miles- Transmission starting to make a loud whining noise while driving. Dealership stated failed carrier bearing, unsafe to drive as this could cause the transmission to lock up at any moment. Toyota has a TSB out for this and has provided a loaner. My car does not fall within the TSB VIN range however still has same failure.

The rear hatch of the vehicle started malfunctioning right when the three year manufacture's warranty was expiring on 08/2024 (very convenient). It would only open part way, barely or sometimes not open at all. One instance, my dog's tail got stuck in the hatch and it would not open. I had to force it open and thankfully I am able to do that. January of 2025 I took the car into Will's Toyota in Twin Falls, ID (where I purchased it new) and they told me that my option was to replace the hydraulic struts that were $1000 for the service. I took the car in on 10/23/25 due to the issue getting worse to have them replace the hydraulic struts. The dealership said they've had a lot of cars with the same issue. I just do not understand how a company can sell a car and a major part of the car fail conveniently when the warranty is to expire. Oh and I called Toyota customer service to complain and they said they don't keep track of this kind of thing...

I just bought this 2021 Highlander XSE & the drivers side mirror vibrates above 30mph. I feel this makes it very hard to see properly especially on the interstate traveling 70mph & trying to get a clear view of the roadway & cars around me. I took the car to my local Toyota dealer & was told this is a common problem among the new design with the Highlander’s. I do not feel safe not being able to see properly.

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 local dealer was contacted, and it was confirmed that the part was not yet available. 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 stated that the air bag warning light remained illuminated while operating the vehicle. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The local dealer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was unknown. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

The Battery was leaking fluid, smoke was visible and rotten smell from the battery. Electrical secondary brake system came on the dashboard

The vehicle is a hybrid. While traveling downhill at a speed around 35 mph with light brake pressure, the vehicle feels like it lurches forward a second or so before returning to braking. It has occurred since we purchased the vehicle new in 2021. It has happened multiple times in a variety of scenarios but it occurs most consistently in the downhill scenario described above.

The start/stop operating system failed. When the engine cut off while waiting for train to pass, the engine went to turn over and completely stopped the vehile. Although the car would not start, I was unable to cut the car off completely. It would say ignition on. The lights in vehicle were on. Running the ac caused the car to say high power consumption but there was no way to cut vehicle off without removing the battery to reset the vehicle. Caused the car to malfunction while sitting at a complete stop. Also cause the parking break to engage and I was unable to disengage parking break. A message came across saying parking break unavailable. My safety and others were put at risk because had it happened at any other time a crash would have been caused. It caused a roadway to be blocked off which caused confusion and near accidents.

Transmission is failing. Making whiny noise on acceleration.

The Check Engine light came on and I took it into Toyota of Downtown dealership where I was receiving periodic maintenance. After 2 days, they said the light was out but they hadn't found the cause. I could either leave if for a few more days or take it and bring it back if the light came on again. This was early August. I chose to take the car & when the Check Engine warning light came on again, I took it in on Aug 15, 2024 before I left to Portland to give them more time. I returned on Monday & couldn't reach them. The next day they informed me that while on a test drive, there was a loud bang, it started smoking and by the time 911 arrived it was on fire. After a 2 month investigation by Toyota's Engineering Analysis fire inspection, they concluded Toyota was not involved. The dealership has not provided me with the report although I've requested it but they aren't accepting responsibility either although it was in their possession when the fire occurred.

[XXX] [XXX] [XXX] [XXX] [XXX] Vin # [XXX] 2021 Toyota Highlander 4DR AWD XLE I am writing to report a potentially dangerous transmission defect in my 2021 Toyota Highlander XLE, at approx. 60-70k miles. The vehicle recently developed a high-pitched whining noise while accelerating, which a certified Toyota service technician suspects is internal to the transmission. This exact issue is outlined in Toyota Technical Service Bulletin T-SB-0008-21, issued February 9, 2021, for 2021 Highlanders equipped with the UA80E or UA80F 8-speed automatic transmission. According to the TSB, the cause is worn pinion shafts in the front carrier assembly, and the prescribed repair is complete transmission replacement. Unfortunately, my vehicle was just outside the 60,000-mile powertrain warranty window, despite experiencing the failure consistent with a known manufacturer defect. Numerous other owners have reported identical symptoms between 60,000–80,000 miles, often facing repair costs over $8,000 and multi-week delays due to part availability. This is not a typical wear-and-tear issue. A failure of the transmission at highway speeds or during critical maneuvers could lead to loss of power or control, posing a real safety risk to drivers and passengers. I respectfully urge the NHTSA to investigate this issue further. I am happy to provide: Thank you for your commitment to driver safety. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

I noticed in March of 2024 that the lower part of my bumper was starting to detach. So I brought my car in to get inspected while I was getting my car serviced. Their was a recall issues in 2023. When the dealership looked at my car they said their was no remedy for the recall that I would have to wait until their is one. They said they can not fix the car even though the lower bumper was already starting to detached. Now July 27, 2024. While driving the bumper fully detached and now I’m dragging the bumper underneath my car. Had to take it to a mechanic to get it removed and then saw my dealership to get it fixed because of the recall. Now My bumper got fully detached and I suffered because of this Recall problem. Dealership said they can’t fix the problem that it was because of a collision that happened from a previous owner of the car that got into a collision in 2021. Where I bought the car in 2023 where the bumper was not detached and now I’m suffering because the dealership said Toyota corporate won’t fix the car under the recall. Now I’m stuck with fixing a bumper where I never got into an accident and could of been injured because of this bumper falling while drive and I have to pay out of pocket to fix it.

Unknown

Our Highlander has a recall for the clips on the front bumper. A few weeks ago, my wife was driving behind a truck pulling a trailer. My wife that it was a set of caster wheels that flew out from the trailer and made contact with her front bumper. Upon inspection the impact from that debris put a crack in the upper front bumper. No other visible damage was present. Later that day while my wife was driving 75 on the interstate, the defective clips from the recall gave way and the lower front bumper gave way and started to drag on the ground. Luckily it stayed in tack enough that the vehicle did not run it over causing my wife to wreck or even worse having other vehicles needing to avoid it on the interstate. We paid for a tow truck to safely take it off the interstate so we could tie wrap the lower bumper up and take it to the dealer. Toyota recall does warn that light impact to the bumper could result in the bumper falling. It also goes on to say that if the clips cannot be changed out, they will replace both the lower and upper bumpers. I took the car to the local dealer, and they confirmed that the clips could not be replaced due to the damage that had been done. I showed the dealer the recall notification on the internet, and they stated they could not do anything as they were not a body shop. So, I opened a complaint with Toyota Customer Care [XXX] ) and stated my case. They in turn notified a local dealer to address the issue. I have called customer care twice not without the dealer even trying to contact me. Due to there faulty part, my wife could have been in a much more serious accident. I would like your assistance in have Toyota make good on their commitment to replace both the lower and upper bumper as a result of the light contact that created this situation. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

I WAS COMING HOME FROM WORK AND THE BREAK SYSTEM FAIL AND THEN I WAS COMING TO SA STOP LIGHT I WAS ABLE TO BREAK SLOWLY AND I WAS ABLE TO GO INTO SHELL GAS STATION GOT OFF TO PUT GAS AND THE STARTED TALKING TO TAKE IT TO THE NEAR DEALER TOYOTA .I GOT OFF THE VECHICLE PUT GAS AND WHEN I STARTED TO TURN ON I WOULD TURN ON AT ALL I DO T KNOW I GAVE IT SOME GAS AND I WAS ABLE TO TURN IT ON BUT THE MOTER WAS SHAKING AND IT WAS STALING ON ME. THE H AND COLD GAUGE WAS STUCK NOT MOVING ETHIER. THAT FAN FROM THE MOTER STOP WORKING AS WELL I WAS ABLE TO TURN IT ON AND I DRO E IT TO MY MOTHERS HOUSE AND LEFT IT THEIR GOT A TOWTRUCK ON THE JULY 28 2024 TO TAKE IT TO THE DEALERSHIP I HAD TO PAY THE TOW TRUCK AND UNTILL KNOW I HAVENT GOT MY REFUND BACK BECAUSE I HAD TOWNIG WITH THE VECHICLE WHEN I PURCHASED IT. ITS 2 MONTHS OUT I STILL HAVENT GOTTEN MY TRANSMISSION OR GOTTEN FIX AND THE VECHICLE HAD THE EXTENDED WARRANTY AS WELL IT HAS 71,700 ML ON IT AND I ALSO HAVE TO PAY THE RENTAL VECHICLE AS WELL. TOYOTA DOENT WAST TO PAY AT ALL FOR THE RENTAL VECHICLE.

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 contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The dealer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

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.

This is my new car certified

Vista Toyota in Casper WY refused to preform the repair for recall 23V720 due to a scratch on the bumper. I contacted Toyota corporate they did not respond.

Transmission failure at 70,000 miles waited 3 months for replacement transmission.

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 contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The dealer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

The contact owns a 2021 Toyota Highlander. The contact received notifications of NHTSA Campaign Numbers: 23V720000 (Structure) and 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 stated while driving 65 MPH, there was an abnormal sound coming from the front end of the vehicle and it felt like the front tires had struck an object on the highway. The contact stopped the vehicle and observed that the lower half of the front bumper had detached and was on the road surface. The contact called a local dealer and was informed that the parts were not yet available. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 31,000. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

A whine developed while accelerating on the highway. The whine continued any time I accelerated higher than about 35 mph. I suspected it was the transmission and Toyota confirmed I was right. I need a whole new transmission. At 59,000 miles, my Highlander is still under power train warranty. However, my car was diagnosed July 9 and I am still waiting for the part to come in at the dealership more than 2 months later. I was told verbally that I would be able to still drive the car while waiting, but I don't feel safe doing so.

The contact owns a 2021 Toyota Highlander. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, there was a whining sound coming from the transmission while accelerating. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who diagnosed that the transmission was faulty and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 54,000.

Transmission/differential - Took my car in around 80k miles for a routine transmission service. I got my car back and it started making a whining noise when you accelerate. Never did I get a code, check engine light nothing. Took it back to get looked it since the sound never went away. I am being told it needs a new transmission. I was told my car transmission was too hot for them to even look at after sitting for 24hr parked! I have read and done a lot of research that this is a common issue and never has been recalled. Even a shortage now on transmissions with so many needing them now! My car is only 3 years old and won’t be covered.. this should have been recalled and or known to buyers before purchasing if it was known to have issues early 2021…

Transmission is shifting roughly and whining. Has to be replaced, on backorder for a month. This is a safety issue as it could fail while driving. Online search finds a service bulletin (T-SB-0008-21) and many, many consumer complaints about the same issue.

THE ENGINE COVER ASSEMBLY DETACHED FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY CAR WHILE DRIVING. SIMILAR TO THE EXISTING RECALL FOR THE FRONT LOWER BUMPER COVER ASSEMBLY. While pulling out of a parking lot, I noticed that there was a scraping noise under my car. Prior to parking at Jones Beach State Park, I was traveling on Ocean Parkway at a high rate of speed (50-60MPH) and it was a very windy day. I did not hit any obstructions or scrape the bottom of my car on anything. There was nowhere for me to pull over and as I sped up, the noise went away. When I got off the highway, the noise returned. When I got home, I looked under my car and there was a plastic piece dragging just in front of my front tires. I remembered I had received a notice about a Toyota recall related to the lower front bumper cover assembly and looked that up - it felt very similar to what I had experienced. When I got to the dealer, they told me it was not subject to the recall and the repairs on this would be $200 diagnostic plus $529.88 parts and labor. I was told I must have hit something to make it detach. I did not hit or scrape anything. My car has pretty good clearance, it would have had to be HUGE for me to hit or scrape it. I would have known.

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 contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The dealer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

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 contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The dealer was not made aware of the issue. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available. I am VERY concerned that Toyota hasn’t taken this more seriously. I notice in the NTSB website it has injuries and fatalities listed to the left of the complains. Does someone have to be injured or killed before Toyota gets their act together??? Thinking we may need to trade this for another SAFER, RELIABLE vehicle. I have also had many people flash me due to the headlights being too high and in their face-another SAFETY concern.

Undershield came loose and was dragging on the ground

Excessive whining noise, shift flare. The vehicle is only a couple of years old. I was told by the dealer that the transmission will likely need to be replaced. There are numerous complaints within the Toyota Nation forums. It was recommended that we report the incidents here, as having a large number of cars on the road with failing transmissions can certainly be considered a road hazard/safety issue.

Water leaking into the A pillar where airbags are located due to faulty seals in roof rails.

As your braking coming to a stop, the vehicle surges forward, feels like you lost your brakes and then it stops. If the car in front of you were to stop suddenly, you would hit them from behind. It had been going on for a while, but since it was my wife’s car she said she just stayed way back from the car ahead of her. I came within inches of hitting someone in early June 2025. I took the car to my Toyota dealer June 25, 2025 and they said there was a computer update for the braking system. It took away most of the problem, but it still surged.On August 19, 2025 I took the car back to the dealer where they had another computer update for the brakes. We will see if that works!! I feel it’s a safety issue, we should have been notified. Out of warranty cost me $348.01

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.

Premature AC refrigerant leak and failure in system in the 2021 Toyota Highlander due to corroded/defective rear AC lines located near the exhaust/spare tire, observed at very low mileage and upon official inspection at the nearest Toyota dealership. Noticed early in ownership and decided to have the vehicle scanned when air being released only continued to grow warmer in the sweltering summer months. Reporting due to advice from friends and owners in my exact situation with the very same issue as well as the pricey three-thousand dollars and upwards quote to have this work done from Curry Toyota, 3026 E Main St, Cortlandt, NY 10567. Vehicle purchased new to avoid these very issues.

The vehicle hesitates during right turns, creating a hazardous, potentially dangerous, situation. From research I understand this is a known issue when transitioning between battery and gasoline propulsion. Research indicates this is a known situation, Toyota T-SB-0059-23. However, the TSB expires at the termination of the vehicle 3 years/36 months warranty. As a safety issue, in my opinion this problem should be addressed, regardless of vehicle age or mileage.

When braking, there is a momentary period where it feels like the brakes fail, then function again. When approaching stopped traffic, this could put those vehicle occupants, and our vehicle occupants at risk of an accident. Toyota maintains this is normal for a hybrid, however our 2013 Camry Hybrid has no such momentary brake failure. Our independent repair shop has been unable to replicate this condition , but they have found no obvious problems with the braking system - they believe it is something computer caused, likely when the hybrid generation brake switches to the hydraulic brake. There are no warning lights displayed. This has been a long standing issue.

When decelerating from a speed of approximately 25 mph on a downward slope of about 5 degrees, and applying the brakes, a number of things occur: 1) There is a 1-2 second delay in the braking action. 2) When applied the braking action is less than expected for certain brake pedal pressure, which causes the driver to increase the brake pedal pressure 3) When the brake pedal is initially depressed, the speed of the vehicle experiences a slight upward speed bump before the braking action is applied, which is 'light' as described in 2). This behavior is transient. Most of the time, it does not happen. It happens often enough to be of concern.

The recall on the passenger airbags for Toyota cars has not been resolved for a few years now. We owned a 2013 Rav4 for a few years and that airbag was never fixed. Now we own a 2021 Toyota Highlander with the same problem. What's Toyota going to do about it? My husband drives the car so I'm the passenger and I don't feel like dying. ?"???

My car has been making a grinding and whining noise. I took it to the dealership and the service manager stated Toyota has been having a known issue on transmission and it will have to be replaced. The vehicle can stop working while i am driving and cause a very bad accident.

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 contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The dealer was made aware of the issue. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.