Toyota / Highlander / 2021
2021 Toyota Highlander problems
Owners have filed 615 complaints about the 2021 Toyota Highlander with NHTSA. Power train accounts for 32.7% of them — far more than any other system, ahead of service brakes at 10.6%.
Complaints615
Crashes29
Fires5
Injuries31
Deaths0
What owners report breaking
Power train 32.7% · 201
Service brakes 10.6% · 65
Unknown or other 9.8% · 60
Structure 8.0% · 49
Engine 7.2% · 44
Air bags 6.8% · 42
Fuel/propulsion system 5.0% · 31
Electrical system 4.1% · 25
Severity
Of those complaints, 29 describe a crash, 5 describe a fire and 31 report an injury.
Reading the numbers
Across the 23 model years of the Toyota Highlander in this data, 2021 ranks 2nd by complaint volume — 2019 draws the most.
Filings are rising — 441 in the last three years against 174 in the three before. For a vehicle this age that usually points to a wear-related failure owners are hitting now.
The median odometer reading at the time of complaint was 20,000 miles.
In owners' own words
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 Iâm sad that the donât stand behind the brand for such a major issue Power train
At around 70,000 mi the transmission started making noises and at the 80,000 mile marker I took it in for its maintenance they found debris in the transmission fluid and I was just told it's either a replace it now or replace it when it falls out of the vehicle. A vehicle with less than 100,000 mi and I am the only owner, for the transmission to go out or start going out and Toyota not solve problems is ridiculous Power train
2021 Toyota Highlander XSE AWD with approximately 60,400 miles. Vehicle has developed a noticeable driveline/transmission humming/whining noise during acceleration, beginning at lower speeds and increasing with vehicle speed under throttle. Noise is most noticeable while pressing the accelerator and appears consistent with Toyota T-SB-0008-21 regarding transmission whine/grind concerns on UA80F transmissions. Power train
Verbatim from NHTSA filings. Complaints are unverified owner reports.
Safety recalls
Checking NHTSA for open recalls…