Complaint volume
475 consumer-submitted complaints are matched to this model year. Treat the count as a research signal, then read the actual summaries for repeated symptoms.
Complaint records
2021 Toyota Highlander Complaints
475 consumer-submitted complaints on record for the 2021 Toyota Highlander, grouped by component category.
475 Total complaints
16 Crash reports
3 Fire reports
12 Injury reports
Complaint data reflects consumer-submitted reports. A complaint is not proof
of a defect, recall, or manufacturer fault. Enriched severity fields come
from official bulk records when the complaint can be matched by ODI number.
Buyer interpretation
How to use these complaints before buying
Complaint records are most useful when they turn into inspection points, seller questions, and comparison checks against nearby model years.
Pattern to inspect
The most common categories are power train, service brakes, unknown or other. Use those categories as a test-drive checklist instead of judging the vehicle from the total count alone.
Severity flags
Enriched records include 16 crash reports, 3 fire reports, 12 injury reports, and 0 fatality reports. These fields come from complaint records and should be read in context.
Mileage clue
Mileage is available on 38 complaints, with an average reported failure mileage of 26,599 miles. Compare that with the mileage on the listing.
Questions to ask the seller
- Have you had any problems related to power train, service brakes, unknown or other?
- Can I see recent maintenance and repair records?
- Has the vehicle ever been towed, involved in a crash, or repaired for the same issue twice?
- Can we also check the recall record for this 2021 Toyota Highlander?
Used-car checklist
Use these complaints before the test drive.
Build a buyer checklist to turn these issues into questions and inspection points.
2021 Toyota Highlander
Build buyer checklist Compare with other years Sends year, make, and model to pre-fill your checklist.
How severe are the 2021 Toyota Highlander complaints?
16 Crash
3 Fire
12 Injury
0 Fatality
9 Towed
8 Medical attention
What are the most common 2021 Toyota Highlander complaint categories?
POWER TRAIN 170
SERVICE BRAKES 41
UNKNOWN OR OTHER 36
STRUCTURE 34
AIR BAGS 28
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM 22
ENGINE 14
POWER TRAIN,ENGINE 8
TIRES 8
VISIBILITY/WIPER 7
475 total complaints on record
Latest complaints
| Date | Component | Summary | Severity | Mileage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 2025 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | MY TRUNK WILL NOT OPEN OR CLOSE PROPERLY FAULTY SENSORS | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Apr 2025 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,AIR BAGS | My SUV is having issues with the tires air and also the sensors are not working properly | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Apr 2025 | STEERING | Was driving and all of a sudden ‘steering power low’ came on and engine died, got stuck in a busy intersection and needed assistance from police officer until I could be towed. Steering did not work to push car to side of the road so I was stuck in the center of the traffic. There was absolutely no lights or warnings before the steering power low and it died. Could have been very dangerous, I am supposed to drive north through the mountains to go camping in 2 days, lucky it didn’t happen then. At the mechanic now and they jumped the battery and say it’s working fine and they can’t find the problem. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Apr 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 made aware of the issue and a case was filed. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Apr 2025 | POWER TRAIN | There is a TSB about the transmission whine between certain serial numbers. My transmission was outside of the range but started whining. I took it to the Toyota dealership and they advised me that the transmission needs to be replaced. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Apr 2025 | POWER TRAIN | There is a whining noise that occurs when the car is accelerating. At times, there car will skip when accelerating. There is also a vibration. I was informed the issue is with the transmission. A bad transmission can make driving very difficult, potentially causing the vehicle to stall or become unresponsive, and can be a safety concern. I drive my child to school daily, over an hour from our home, and drive to homes to provide hospice care to terminally ill patients. This issue causes great concern, both financially and for safety. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Apr 2025 | STRUCTURE,VISIBILITY | Windshield side beveled trim driver’s side snapped and flew off on the highway into oncoming traffic and the passenger side is also loss and almost coming off. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Apr 2025 | POWER TRAIN | The transmission is whining at medium speeds of 30-35 mph. The transmission started making the noise about 3 weeks ago. It appears that Toyota was aware of the potential defect in the transmission as Toyota issued a technical service bulletin (T-SB-008-21 and NHTSA # 10188917) on February 9, 2021. The TSB was sent to dealerships 17 days before we purchased the vehicle. Toyota took no steps to notify the owners or to prevent the sale of the vehicle with a know defective transmission. The TSB said the only cure to the defect was a transmission replacement. Toyota offered no extension for this drivetrain defect beyond the standard 60 month/60,000 mile warranty. Our vehicle is just outside of these parameters at 70k miles. The vehicle should not have been sold with know defects in the transmission and Toyota at the very least should offer to extend the standard warranty. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Apr 2025 | POWER TRAIN | Transmission is producing a whining noise during acceleration. Very common with this model transmission. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Apr 2025 | AIR BAGS | 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. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Apr 2025 | ENGINE | TRANSMISSION, Jolts when backing up, and hesitates in traffic. The dealership confirmed it's the transmission. No warning lights, just running poorly with hesitation, afraid of breakdown. First appear a month ago after my warranty expired. I have a 2021 Highlander with 80,000 miles and still owe $22,992.84 on the vehicle. My warranty 60/60,000 is of is not any good. The issues is the transmission. The dealership is telling me it's not covered even though this is an issue with this model. For a another $11,000 they can install a new transmission. Toyota you are better then this, my Camry I had almost 300,000 on it. I had another highlander before this one. Very disappointed. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Apr 2025 | POWER TRAIN | I purchased a new 2021 Toyota Highlander and began to experience a clicking noise coming from under the vehicle which grew in intensity. The vehicle has 76,000 miles. I regularly took the vehicle to a Toyota dealership for service where they never mentioned any needed service for the transmission. I informed the dealership of the clicking noise where I was told by a Service Technician that they have seen a large number of newer Toyota Highlanders experience transmission failures. I asked the Technician if a recall was issued and he simply shrugged his shoulders and walked away. This is a serious issue affecting a major component of a vehicle and safety, it is unconscionable that a major reputable manufacturer such as Toyota would be aware of a major defect and refuse to address the issue. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Mar 2025 | STEERING,POWER TRAIN | - transmission has a whine sound. - steering while start in to peel off after 25k miles driving | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Mar 2025 | POWER TRAIN | The transmission began to do a whining noise at 70K which is a signal of soon deterioration and failure. Toyota acknowledged the widespread issue but for only a very small portion in the T-SB-0008-21, though covered only under the standard 60K warranty. My car doesn't fall in the range of transmission mentioned in the TSB, though it is the same UA80 transmission model, and the symptoms and the problem is exactly the same as verified by the dealer. I have learned that many Highlander owners with UA80 transmissions are having the exact same issue around or right after the 60K miles. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Mar 2025 | VISIBILITY,BACK OVER PREVENTION | 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. | Crash: No Fire: No | 45,000 |
| Mar 2025 | AIR BAGS,STRUCTURE | 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. | Crash: No Fire: No | 15,000 |
| Mar 2025 | POWER TRAIN,AIR BAGS | 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 | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Mar 2025 | POWER TRAIN | Car need. New transmission with only 44,000 miles. Toyota is going to replace but not sure if will happen again. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Mar 2025 | POWER TRAIN | 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. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Mar 2025 | VISIBILITY | 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. | Crash: No Fire: No | 38,000 |
| Mar 2025 | AIR BAGS,UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 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. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Mar 2025 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,UNKNOWN OR OTHER | The dictation had stopped working, can not longer send messages while driving. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Mar 2025 | POWER TRAIN | 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. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Mar 2025 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 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. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Feb 2025 | POWER TRAIN | 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. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |