2021 Toyota Highlander Complaint Log

Regarding Toyota TSB T-SB-0008-21, ‘Whine or Grind Noise From the Transmission’, issued February 2021: Some 2021 model year Avalon, Highlander, and Camry vehicles equipped with UA80E or UA80F transmissions may exhibit a whine or grind noise from the transmission. This condition may be caused by an issue with the front carrier assembly pinion shafts. This is a widespread problem with these specified transmissions. The noise generally starts around 60-70k miles, just outside the warranty period. Toyota knowingly continued to sell vehicles with these defective transmissions. Repair estimates range from $8.5k-$13k.

Infotainment system, this system comes with talk to text abilities. However, the system will say it is not compatible with the device which isn’t true as this same device work from day one of owning this vechile. About a year after owning this vechile I began to start having issues with talk to text through Bluetooth. The only option now to respond to a text through the infotainment system is with a predefined group of messages. This is not the only case of this issue occurring as many models within the 2020-2021 Toyota have had the same issue.

The sun roof on this car spontaneously combusted. I was able to pull up many other complaints regarding the same issue on this car. This needs to be recalled. My [XXX] baby could have had shattered glass had we not had it closed. These sun roofs need to be recalled and inspected! INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

While accelerating onto the freeway the vehicle suddenly loses power creating a serious safety issue. A check-engine light comes on but the safefy issue is that the vehicle goes into a power loss mode ON THE FREEWAY. A truck nearly rear-ended me the first time it happened. Toyota Service was unable to duplicate and so said National Toyota advised them to release the vehicle back to me. The same issue happened to my boyfriend and his son - total loss of power while accelerating onto the freeway. Then a mechanic recreated the issue 5 additional times (usually in the dawn hours when traffic was light due to safety concerns). Was unable to find the cause of the issue but a loss of power in a vehicle is as serious a concern as an unwanted acceleration. I am frustrated that Toyota is not taking this seriously.

We were driving across the Texas panhandle at the posted speed limit of 75 mph. It was about noon, the outside temperature was about 60 fahrenheit & there was a cross wind of about 30 mph. There were no vehicles in front of me & the closest approaching vehicle was a good half mile away. No vehicles had recently driven past us from the approaching lane. There was a sudden explosion above us & through the 1-2" gap in the motorized retractable sunshade of our moonroof, I could see broken glass. Through that gap, some glass fragments fell in on us. I pulled over to stop, got out & inspected the roof, & the front glass panel was completely shattered & 75% gone. Many of the fragments were on the sunshade & I removed those. Going at about 40 mph we went to the closest small town where a mechanic removed some residual loose glass, vacuumed as much off the shade as he could, & patched the hole with cardboard held in place by duct tape so we could get home for a repair. If the shade had not been almost closed, we would have been showered with glass with risk of bodily & eye injury.

The contact owns a 2021 Toyota Highlander. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V720000 (Structure) and 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.

Rear power lift gate routinely malfunctions, stopping partway while opening or closing. Dealer recommends resetting the lift gate, which occasionally works to address the problem but is not a reliable fix. Issue has been ongoing for several years without remedy.

I have noticed that my vehicle tends to jolt forward as I’m applying the brakes to come to a complete stop.

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.

The contact owns a 2021 Toyota Highlander. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V720000 (Structure); 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.

Recall has been open for a long time and I am preparing for a military PCS move and must have this fixed.

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.

Front lower and upper bumper covers. While driving the covers become detached from each other placing the vehicle at risk and other drivers at risk as the components will separate from the car potentially causing damage to the vehicle/tires/etc. or other vehicles in proximity to the car. The dealer has acknowledged this is a known issue but indicates they have no solution. The vehicle was purchase from Pat Lobb Toyota of McKinney Texas on 1/22/2024 and delivery taken on 1/23/2024. They indicate that they inspected the vehicle and found no risk. There are no warnings when this is happening.

Driving back from lunch with a friend we heard a pop and loud shattering sound as my sunroof glass exploded for no apparent reason. I called the dealer where I purchased the car 40 days ago with every extended warranty that I could. Toyota denied the claim stating that there was not any bulletins stating material defect and that the glass was not part of any warranty and I will have to file an insurance claim.

While depressing the brake pedal the vehicle continues to accelerate before finally slowing to a stop. This happens on bumpy road surfaces as well as level road surfaces. There were no warning lights, alarms or messages prior to or during the failure. This issue started around 35,000 mileage and has progressively gotten worse to current day. (Current mileage as of 1/29/2024 is 54,346.) This issue would cause the vehicle to potentially rear end a vehicle you are following or propel the vehicle into an intersection typically controlled by a traffic signal or device. Local dealer has said there is nothing wrong as they could not replicate the issue.

The contact owns a 2021 Toyota Highlander. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Numbers: 23V720000 (Structure) and 23V865000 (Air Bags) however, the parts to do the recall repairs were not yet available. 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 that the lower end of the front bumper had become loosened, and the contact was concerned that the lower part of the bumper might detach. The failure mileage was approximately 55,000. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

I had been driving for about 20 minutes at approximately 50-55 MPH when the check engine light came on. Seconds later, the red hybrid malfunction message displayed and I lost the ability to accelerate. I was able to pull over and I saw grayish smoke and flames coming from under the hood on the right side. I exited the vehicle and called 911. It took moments from the start to being completely engulfed in flames. Several loud pops or explosions happened during this period. The police and fire department arrived and extinguished it.

I’ve had brakes inspected and was told my brakes look great. However there is major chattering coming off highway to slow on off ramp sometimes they don’t grab as they should and I have to be extra proactive. Sometimes steering back and forth quickly to slow vehicle until the brakes will work properly bringing vehicle to a stop or before a collision could occur

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.

See attached document for complaint.

The contact owns a 2021 Toyota Highlander. The contact had received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V865000 (AIR BAGS). The contact stated that the dealer was contacted; however, the contact was informed that the parts were not yet available. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted about parts not being available. The contact had not experienced a failure.

It has been over a year of this recall and the manufacturer still has not repaired it or offered a solution

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 not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure.

SAFETY RECALL 23TA15 (Interim Notice 23TB15) was issued December 20, 2023 - almost one year ago. Toyota does not yet have a remedy for this potentially serious safety issue. For several months, Toyota's website has had the following verbiage regarding this "Toyota estimates the remedy can be available in Quarter 3, 2024, but this is subject to change based on parts availability." I cannot continue to drive people with this potentially serious safety issue. When will a remedy be available?

My Toyota Dealer, Toyota Corporate Customer Service, Toyota Recall Web site, and NHTSA web site have no remedy, no scheduled remedy, and have sent no status reports since recall 23TA15 was issued 12/20/2023. The only data that I can find states an estimated fix by October 2024. Almost 1M vehicles are impacted by OCS defective part that may cause the passenger air bag to fail causing serious injury or death. Toyota an NHTSA should take immediate action to make sure that there is a sense of urgency (after almost a year), an action plan is in place, and owners are kept informed on a timely basis.

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.

Recall remedy is not a available in timely manner. Recall # 23ta15

This vehicles airbags have been under recall for over one year!! Toyota should’ve had a remedy for this issue by now. They also stated that they would have a fix for this by the third quarter of 2024. It is 2025! This issue needs fixed now!! We have young children that ride in this car every single day! This is completely unacceptable and needs reported and fixed now!

The component that has failed is the passenger airbag system under Toyota Recall 23TA15 (Interim Notice 23TB15). The recall notice states that the passenger airbag may not deploy in the event of a crash. My vehicle is a 2021 Toyota Highlander (VIN: [XXX] ). This safety defect has been outstanding and unresolved for over 21 months with no available repair or remedy. The vehicle is available for inspection upon request. The safety of my family is directly at risk. I am a mother of three young children, and we frequently travel with passengers in the front seat. If the passenger airbag does not deploy during an accident, it could result in catastrophic injury or death to anyone sitting in that seat. This ongoing recall forces me to make a difficult choice between risking my family’s safety or not using the vehicle as intended. The problem has been acknowledged by Toyota and confirmed by their recall notice. I contacted Toyota and opened a case with their Brand Engagement Center, but they denied my request for assistance and informed me there is no current remedy. I was told my case has been taken to the highest level within Toyota and that the only option left is to pursue lemon law. The vehicle has been inspected and serviced at Toyota authorized facilities in the past, and Toyota has my warranty and repair history. However, since the recall remedy does not yet exist, no inspection has resolved the issue. There have been no warning lamps, dashboard messages, or other visible symptoms prior to or during this recall; the only notice is Toyota’s acknowledgment that the defect exists and has not been fixed. In summary, I have been forced to drive an unsafe vehicle with a known airbag defect for nearly two years. This delay in remedy is unacceptable and puts my family and the public at risk every day. I am requesting NHTSA’s assistance in holding Toyota accountable for this unresolved safety recall. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Transaxle Repair/Replacement: recommend transmission replacement due to whining noise coming from transmission due to internal failure. The transaxle is the transmission for front wheel drive vehicles. The transaxle transfers power from the engine to the wheels. Unsafe driving conditions issue is stemming from faulty transmission, not only on this particular vehicle but many 2021 Toyota Highlander vehicles for the same transaxle repair/replacement issue. I have gone to Toyota multiple times before and even with a Technical Service Bulletin in place for this transmission issue, they did not correct the problem, nor fix it while it was under warranty. Toyota has been aware of this Technical Service Bulletin since Feb 9 2021. T-SB-0008-21 [XXX] Owners of the 2021 Toyota Highlander have reported various transmission problems, including: Whine or Grind Noise: Some vehicles exhibit a whine or grind noise from the transmission, which may be caused by an issue with the front carrier assembly pinion shafts1. Jerky Gear Shifts: Drivers have experienced jerky gear shifts, especially when accelerating from a stop or slowing down to very low speeds2. Delayed Shifts and Hard Shifts: There have been complaints about delayed shifts, hard shifts, and lurching when shifting gears3. Transmission Slipping: Instances of the transmission slipping between gears and jerking when accelerating have also been reported4. Safety Concerns These transmission issues pose several safety risks: Loss of Control: Jerky and delayed gear shifts can lead to a loss of control, especially in situations requiring quick acceleration or deceleration. Increased Accident Risk: Transmission slipping and hard shifts can cause unexpected vehicle behavior, increasing the risk of accidents. Driver Distraction: The noise and irregular shifting can distract drivers, reducing their focus on the road. Mechanical Failure: Persistent transmission issues, or stalling. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Electronic parking brake not always disengaging and sending error.

The steering technology in this vehicle reads lines on the road that are not correct or valid lanes and almost caused several accidents during the 2 years I had the vehicle. Luckily, I was paying attention and had to jerk the wheel to the correct lane but the steering wheel will force itself to the other false lane. This is extremely dangerous and this is a huge safety issue.

While slowing and braking to stops (approximately less than 20 mph), the vehicle will lurch/lunge forward. It feels like you took your foot off the brake pedal but you did not. This occurs randomly. It does not happen every time. There are no warning lamps, messages, etc., prior to or during this issue. The vehicle has ~39000 miles. This has been occurring for at least 20000 miles. Risk: If this occurs when close to pedestrians, other vehicles, intersections, etc., it could result in an impact. The dealer could not reproduce but did find online message forums that reported the same issue.

The vehicle has accelerated suddenly when I apply the brakes. It has happened on multiple occasions in different circumstances. I was heading up a hill into a slow stop at a stop sign and once I applied the brakes it suddenly jolted forward for a second until I slammed on the brakes more over riding it. I have had the car for a week and thought it could be just happen stance but it has happened multiple times. The first time there was a car in front of me as I applied the breaks and it is terrifying as I almost crashed into them.

My 2021 Toyota highlander hybrid is having seemingly random issues when braking. I notice it most of the time when the vehicle is going downhill. The vehicle will lose braking briefly, and I have to depress the brake harder to slow the vehicle. In that moment when it loses the brake, the vehicle gives the feeling it is lurching forward, which can cause unpredictable stopping distance. It creates a hazard for the driver, the vehicles in front, and the vehicles behind.

The Passenger rear tire burst automatically today around 8 AM morning. Unsure if this automatic burst is part of any recall or not but it was a scary burst with big noise with no warnings of low air pressure. A lot of time was wasted today and spent money to fix a new tire.

The lane assist will not stay turned off, even when it is done manually each time I get in the car. The steering pulls me back when I'm trying to change lanes, making it unsafe.

The electric park brake makes a loud screaming sound during engaging cycle as I put the gear in park. The sound gets worse during warmer weather. I visited the dealer twice for the same problem and reported it to Toyota. During my visit another highlander came into dealership. It made the same sound when the driver placed it in Park. According to the dealer, this sound is normal. I say it’s not. I have way cheaper cars with Electric park and they don’t make this sound. If the park brake unit fails it’s going to be real costly to repair and may fail while driving and gets engaged.

Vehicle windshield glass has a distorted and wavy quality that impacts visibility for the driver. I have contacted the dealership about this issue and there is not a current recall for the windshield. The windshield says Toyota Pilkington laminated acoustic heated [XXX] , DOT15. I purchased this vehicle in the last week and did not notice the distortion on the short test drive. At first, I thought it was a reflection issue from the dash, but it is not. This should be investigated and remedied. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

The doors lock and sometimes don't lock with the key

The sunroof on my 2021 Toyota Highlander spontaneously exploded. I was merging onto a highway but just started to accelerate normally - was going approximately 20-30 mph. The entrance ramp was a merge lane, and there was a semi truck with no load, so intentionally accelerated slowly to allow the truck driver easy access to the highway. The temperature outside was approximately 80 degrees, clear skies, no construction around me. No object from the truck in front flew backwards to hit my Highlander. It sounded like a gunshot, but felt no impact to the Highlander. I slightly opened the sunroof liner, because the loud noise seem to come from directly overhead. I saw that the sunroof was shattered, so quickly closed the sunroof liner to prevent any glass from falling down. I exited the first exit and drove to the dealership. Ironically, I already had an appointment for routine maintenance. When I arrived at the dealer - I saw that an approximate 6" x 2" section of glass was missing, and the rest of the sunroof was completely shattered. There is no visible damage to any other part of the Highlander. The service advisor looked and it looked like the glass looked like it was pushed up, in his words "looked like it was pressure induced from the inside". My friend searched - and found this is a common problem in 2020-2021 Toyota Highlanders.

I was driving on the highway when suddenly I heard a terrible sound like a shot, I thought that we were shot or had an accident. But the sunroof glass was broken. there wasn't anything causing impact I you can see this incident is outward like something exploded from inside via stress

When slowing down with steady brake pressure, sometimes there is a short pause, 1-2 seconds where it feels like you just lost the brakes. Sometimes this happens when turning and braking too. It isn’t something I can recreate and Toyota opened a case, looked at the car, and said it is normal. Not my 1st hybrid and this is not normal. This has happened many times over the last year and Toyota has looked at the brakes at least 3 or 4 times.

Tire Size 235/65R18 Tires are under 40,000 miles and especially passenger right tread is gone. Tire’s already need to be replaced. The tire won’t hold air. No puncture anywhere, went to dealership and they couldn’t believe that the tires are so worn down already with such low mileage. I tried contacting Bridgstone they dismissed any concerns. I've been trying to get some help. These tires seem defective.

ON OCCASSION WHEN ATTEMPTING TO BREAK IN TRAFFIC OR SLOW DOWN AT A YIELD OR STOP SIGN THE BREAKS SEEM TO "FADE". THE CAR DOES NOT STOP UNTIL I PRESS HARDER ON THE BREAKS. I FEEL THAT THE CAR SEEMS TO MOVE FORWARD EVEN THOUGH I HAVE PRESSED ON BRAKE. THE PROBLEM SEEMS TO OCCUR MOST FREQUENTLY DURING STOPING AT THE BOTTOM OF A SLOPE, DURING TURNING OR TRYING TO STOP ON A ROUGH SURFACE. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN BACK TO THE DEALER ON 2 OCCASSIONS AND HAS APPARENTLY BEEN RECALIBRATED, WITH THE PROBLEM ONLY TO REOCCUR. THE DEALER DOES NOT SEEM TO HAVE A PERMANENT FIX FOR THE PROBLEM. WHERE THIS PROBLEM OCCURS INTERMITENTLY THE DEALER HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO REPLICATE THE ISSUE. TOYOTA HAS ISSUED A TSB0017-21 TO RECALIBRATE. ON OCCASSION I FELT I WAS GOING TO REAR END THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME OR DRIFT INTO THE INTERSECTION WITH ONCOMING TRAFFIC. BREAKING HARD TO REMEDY THE PROBLEM COULD CAUSE MY VEHICLE TO BE REAR ENDED. TO MY KNOWLEDGE, THERE WERE NO WARNING LAMPS, MESSAGES OR OTHER SYMPTOMS OF THE PROBLEM PRIOR TO THE "FAILURE"

On 2023, the bumper of my car fell while I was driving on the highway. At that time, I took my vehicle to the Toyota Dealership to get inspected and they inspected the vehicle and recommended me to take it to a Body Shop to get it repaired. I paid for the repairs from my pocket since they did not take any responsibility of the damages. On December 2023, I received a letter from Toyota telling me that my highlander has a recall due to bumpers felling off and needed to add some clips from the manufacturer. I opened a case and provided all the information requested by Toyota. At the end they asked me for a CCR document where none of the representatives I've spoke were able to explain what is this document. I provided receipts, Dealership inspection document, my car documents. Today 11.27.2024, I receive a letter telling me that they are not going to move forward with the reimbursement. The body shop that they recommended me does not provide a letter with the specific information they are asking me for. Toyota contacted them and confirmed they did the repairs and they still refused to pay for the manufacturer damages.

While braking at random times, at any speed, the vehicle surges forward. This makes you have to break harder to get the vehicle to stop. It seems as if the breaks do not work at all for a brief period. I have brought it into the dealer, my car is no longer under warranty, they found nothing wrong.

Driver side mirror glass started shaking all the time. The mirror frame is stable, but the mirror glass is shaking when car is idling and driving. Makes it almost impossible to use that mirror when driving

With increasing frequency, we have noticed what feels like the brakes releasing after being applied. This has happened at low speeds 5-10mph and mid speeds of 20-30's mph. It seems to happen more often when cornering or coming to full stop at low speeds. When the brakes let up it seems almost to accelerate the vehicle. So far we have been able to avoid a collision, but we are fearful that we may hit and injure someone as a pedestrian or in another vehicle. We have complained to Toyota twice now and had the car looked at. They can't find anything wrong and tell us it is normal for hybrid cars?

3 wheel alignments in same vehicle needed in less than 30 months: <5,000, 30,000 and 35,000 odometer readings It’s not from pot holes; I have owned about 14 cars in family fleet and have never had 1 vehicle need more than 1 alignment during it’s time of ownership of over 1,000,000 miles driven Something is wrong with vehicle design or mechanical components to go out of alignment so frequently