Toyota Highlander Complaints (2021)

550 consumer complaints on file.

#11694782October 21, 2025
AIR BAGS
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.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11694237October 18, 2025
SERVICE BRAKES
My 2021 Toyota Highlander Hybrid has a braking issue identified in Toyota Service Bulletin T-SB-0059-23, Hybrid Regenerative Brake Transition Feeling Improvement. When going downhill and applying the brake, the vehicle lurches forward temporarily as the braking system transitions from regenerative to hydraulic braking. The first time my vehicle did this, it was very alarming and I had to take additional measures to slow my vehicle as I was driving downhill. My vehicle frequently demonstrates this problem, however, I did not report it to my local Toyota dealer because I read in an online chat group that it was a characteristic of this vehicle. Although the TSB recommends a Reprogram of the Brake Actuator Assembly Control Module, the repair is only covered under the Toyota Basic Warranty which is in effect for 36 months or 36k miles, whichever occurs first. My vehicle is past the warranty limit, and because I did not report it to my dealer previously, this repair is not covered under the TSB or the Toyota Basic Warranty. Toyota Highlander Hybrid model years 2020-2022 are affected. The Technical Service Bulletin was issued August 29, 2023, so if a 2020 model Highlander Hybrid has this problem, 2020 models would have already passed the warranty limit by the time the TSB was issued and thus would not be covered. This is a safety risk as drivers can lose control of the vehicle when braking, particularly when going downhill. The Warranty should be extended, or this problem should be elevated to a RECALL so that older affected vehicles, or those with higher mileage can be covered under warranty. Drivers should not have to pay for a recognized problem that affects the safety of this vehicle and has been identified in a Technical Service Bulletin. This problem puts drivers at risk of losing control of the vehicle and the problem can be mediated with a software reprogram. T-SB-0059.23 should be elevated to a RECALL, or extended regardless of age or mileage.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11693834October 16, 2025
POWER TRAIN
2021 Highlander XLE started making a whining noise when accelerating. Noise stops when you let off the gas. Took it to Toyota who said the transmission needed to be replaced. Although everywhere you look this is apparently a known problem, Toyota has yet to cover it or recall the part making the owners have to pay 9k to replace a transmission.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11693466October 14, 2025
POWER TRAIN
Slipping and Whining transmission while driving in the Ozark mountains on [xxx]. I didn't feel I had full control of the vehicle. No warnings of any kind. Took the vehicle to Saint Charles Toyota service department on 10/2/25 where a bad transmission diagnosis was confirmed. Regards, [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11692118October 8, 2025
POWER TRAIN
There is a known transmission issue with some 2021 Toyota Highlanders, Avalons, and Camrys. Toyota Bulletin T-SB-008-21 from February of 2021 states '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'. I have a 2021 Highlander with 127,000 miles that started to show this whine noise. Local transmission shop confirms that a new transmission is needed. I am taking it to a local Toyota Dealer next week to confirm. I started a case online with Toyota USA, and since I'm over Warranty, they started that will not assist with reimbursement. My complaint is how came a recall was not done on this? Why did Toyota do nothing and now many of their customers with these vehicles face costly repairs ($7,000 - $12,000)? Toyota should at least reimburse their customers for some of the cost of the repair needed for this, even if out of warranty.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11692041October 8, 2025
POWER TRAIN
Transmission began producing a whine sound at 58k and slipped several times.. A transmission that slips could cause a wreck involving all passengers. Requires replacement. No warning lamps. Show some integrity Toyota and stand behind your products.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11691844October 7, 2025
POWER TRAIN
66,564 Miles, Transmission slipped and caused a delay in power, now it has a big high pitched whine and continues to do it. This looks to be a big problem across the board for 2021 Highlanders.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11691673October 6, 2025
POWER TRAIN
Winning sound coming from the transmission - upon seeking information online I was able to find a service bulletin from 2021 that addresses the issue - I see a large number of posts online with people having the same issue - the only solution is a transmission replacement - Toyota should be made to do a recall on these vehicles
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11691549October 6, 2025
POWER TRAIN
Hearing a whining noise when I step on the gas pedal. The toyota dealership informed me I need a new transmission on a 4 year old vehicle with about 88,000 miles on it. Toyota said because there is no recall, they will not cover the replacement
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11690948October 2, 2025
AIR BAGS
The contact owned a 2021 Toyota Highlander. The contact stated that while his wife was driving at an undisclosed low speed and in the process of merging into the highway, the vehicle was suddenly rear-ended in the rear quarter panel area, near the rear tire, causing the vehicle to face oncoming traffic. The driver-side and passenger-side air bags did not deploy. The message "Park Brake Malfunction" was displayed. The contact transported his wife to an urgent care clinic the evening of the incident for a medical check-up because the contact's wife was pregnant and was starting to feel pain. The contact's wife sustained neck injuries. A police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to a tow yard. The insurance company was notified of the incident and towed the vehicle to Copart to be inspected. The vehicle was totaled. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 51,000.
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
0
#11689569September 24, 2025
STRUCTURE:BODY, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
During rain, the A-pillar and headliner show evidence of a leak. Open source research found this is likely due to faulty or poor quality components used in the roof rail system. My vehicle is completely stock with no additions or installations on the roof, just the factory rails.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11689359September 24, 2025
POWER TRAIN
Noticed 2021 Toyota highlander start whining around 85000 miles. Did some research on the sound and found that Toyota UA80F transmissions have all had the same issue and issued a tsb to their dealerships but not people who purchased the car. Warranty runs out and now you are on the hook for an 10k transmission replacement or risk your car breaking down at any point on the road. Car was inspected today by Toyota to receive the quote to fix at 10400 with no discussion of possible remedies for their defective transmissions. The exact quote would be "that's not our problem, you have to take it up with Toyota office, bud". So now we have a ticking time bomb on the road with the only remedy to pay 10400 to replace a defected transmission that was covered in other recalls by the same company.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11688659September 20, 2025
AIR BAGS
The airbags did not deploy when I was involved in an accident on the freeway July 2025. During the collision, there was a message on the driver dashboard that read "SRS Airbag System Malfunction Visit Your Dealer". When I took my Highlander into the collision autobody shop, they notified me that my car had an open recall and that I needed to get in touch with manufacturer or schedule an appointment with a local Toyota dealership to see if they could remedy the recall as soon as possible. When I called Toyota, they confirmed that there was a recall on the Highlander's that opened in 2023 and that there was supposed to be a remedy in 2024, but unfortunately there is still no remedy available. They let me know that I would not be able to bring the vehicle in for service and that the collision center would not be able to remedy the situation on Toyota's behalf. This safety issue put myself and my family that includes multiple children that were in the vehicle at the time of the accident, in a very unsettling situation. We were afraid to drive the car any further than 5 miles or on the freeway, wondering if the airbags would deploy at any minute. There was little to no information provided whether the airbags were in fact supposed to deploy upon impact compared to if it was just a sensor mishap. There were no prior warnings, message, symptoms or mailers sent out notifying us that there were any recalls on the car.
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11688370September 19, 2025
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Glass in sunroof exploded, loudly, while driving on interstate, at 65 miles an hour, showering passenger and driver in shards of glass. There was no impact to the sunroof. Just a loud explosion. Heavy traffic at high speed while covered in glass had to make emergency stop. Glass could have easily gotten in our eyes. Thank goodness the two of us were wearing a ball cap and a visor. Would gladly have car available for inspection upon request. We will take pictures.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11687739September 16, 2025
AIR BAGS
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)
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11687246September 15, 2025
POWER TRAIN
Making a whinnig noise while accelerating
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11686610September 11, 2025
AIR BAGS
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.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11686241September 10, 2025
POWER TRAIN
Transmisson started whining and slipping at 61000 miles. 1k miles out of warrenty. Even though toyota has a service bulletin about knowing my exact year and serial number transmisson will go bad. No recall issued and they want 9k for a repair. Rick McGill toyota on alcoa highway knoxville tennensse diagnosed it.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11685578September 7, 2025
POWER TRAIN
Transmision is whining and stuttering or slipping gears
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11684575September 2, 2025
POWER TRAIN
2021 Toyota Highlander 87000 miles began making humming noise when stepping on gas and goes away when foot off gas. Toyota said metal shavings in transmission fluid and we need new transmission. We have made appointment to replace. No warning lights. No incident just filing complaint
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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