Car · Toyota problems

2021 Toyota Highlander problems

533 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2021 Toyota Highlander. The most reported area is power train (transmission and drive) (43% of them). NHTSA also lists 93 service bulletins and 5 recall campaigns.

Counts are what owners told NHTSA, as filed. NHTSA does not confirm each report, and a complaint is not proof of a cause. Injuries: 19. Deaths: 0.

Complaints by area

Each bar is the share of this model year's 533 complaints that name that area. A complaint can name more than one area, so the shares add up to more than 100%.

• Power train (transmission and drive)228 · 43%
• Other or unknown68 · 13%
• Service brakes68 · 13%
• Body and structure52 · 10%
• Engine and engine cooling47 · 9%
• Air bags42 · 8%
• Fuel system31 · 6%
• Electrical system28 · 5%

15 smaller areas not shown (91 complaints in total).

Do not compare models by these numbers. NHTSA has no sales count for each model, so a model with more complaints may just have sold more cars. Use them to see which areas owners write about, not to rank cars.

Service bulletins

NHTSA's database lists 93 repair bulletins from Toyota for the 2021 Toyota Highlander. A bulletin is a repair instruction sent to dealers. It is not a recall and does not mean your car is covered. The 8 newest:

1. T-SB-0040-24 Rev1Received July 8, 2026

   Body and structure

   Some 2020 - 2026 model year Highlander and Highlander Hybrid vehicles may exhibit a water leak from the roof rack attachment clips.

2. T-SB-0021-26Received April 8, 2026

   Electrical system

   Some 2020 - 2024 model year Highlander and Highlander Hybrid vehicles may exhibit a condition in which the air conditioner does not cool due to a leak and/or corrosion in the rear underbody air...

3. T-SB-0001-26Received February 11, 2026

   Electrical system

   Some 2018 - 2024 model year Toyota vehicles equipped with a Premium Audio with Dynamic Navigation System require a Special Service Tool (SST) USB flash drive to update the map, points of interest...

4. T-SB-0055-24 Rev2Received February 11, 2026

   Some 2005 - 2026 Toyota vehicles that have undergone water intrusion may exhibit a condition in which a musty odor is present.

5. T-SB-0106-22 Rev2Received February 11, 2026

   Electrical system

   OBSOLETE NOTICE January 30, 2026: This bulletin is now obsolete.

6. T-SB-0086-25Received December 5, 2025

   Body and structure

   Some 2020 - 2023 model year Highlander and Highlander Hybrid vehicles may exhibit a condition in which the Power Back Door (PBD) will not open or close and/or stops moving while opening or closing.

7. 22TE09Received October 8, 2025

   Electrical system

   Although the HV Floor Under Wire Harness and Rear Traction Motor Cable is covered by Toyota's New Vehicle Limited Warranty for 3 years or 36,000 miles (whichever comes first), we at Toyota care...

8. T-SB-0058-23 Rev1Received July 10, 2025

   Electrical system

   The air conditioning dye injection tool kit has been developed to aid in identifying the location of air conditioning refrigerant leaks.

Recalls

NHTSA lists 5 recall campaigns for the 2021 Toyota Highlander. Recall repairs are free at a Toyota dealer. The 3 to look at first:

1. 23V720000October 26, 2023

   Structure

   During normal vehicle operation, minor impact to the front lower bumper cover may result in the cover coming loose or detaching.

2. 26V128000March 5, 2026

   Seats

   The second-row seat backs may fail to lock into position during seat back adjustment.

3. 24V452000June 18, 2024

   Tires

   The 20-inch accessory tires with an insufficient load rating for the vehicle's Gross Axle Weight Rating (GAWR) were installed.

See all 5 recalls for the 2021 Toyota Highlander, or check your VIN below to see which are open on your car.

Common repairs in this area (not a diagnosis)

These are repair jobs that sit in the areas owners report most. A complaint may need a diagnosis first: the same symptom can come from many causes, and a serious one such as engine failure is not fixed by a cheap part. They are not a forecast of what your Highlander will need. Ranges are US estimates for all makes.

Start with a diagnosis

• Diagnostic scan (check engine light)$55 to $250

Power train (transmission and drive) 228 complaints · 43%

• Transmission fluid service$140 to $480
• Transmission solenoid replacement$290 to $1,200
• Torque converter replacement$880 to $2,475
• Clutch replacement (manual transmission)$1,000 to $2,050

Service brakes 68 complaints · 13%

• Brake pad replacement (front)$190 to $400
• Brake rotors and pads (front)$320 to $790
• Brake pad replacement (rear)$180 to $420
• Brake caliper replacement (one wheel)$240 to $590
• Brake fluid flush$75 to $180

Body and structure 52 complaints · 10%

No repair price here: this area usually needs a diagnosis first. A diagnostic scan (check engine light) runs $55 to $250.

Engine and engine cooling 47 complaints · 9%

No repair price here: this area usually needs a diagnosis first. A diagnostic scan (check engine light) runs $55 to $250.

Check a quote you got

Check your VIN

Complaints and bulletins cover a whole model year. Only the VIN shows what is open on your car.

By VIN By year, make and model

VIN (17 characters, on the dashboard by the windshield or the driver door jamb)

0 of 17 characters

Look up this VIN

Recall and complaint data comes from NHTSA, the US government's vehicle safety agency, and is cached for up to a day. Recall repairs at a dealer are free. A recall that is not listed may not apply to your car or may not be filed yet. Check nhtsa.gov/recalls too.

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2021 Toyota Highlander: questions

What are the most common problems on the 2021 Toyota Highlander?

Of the 533 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2021 Toyota Highlander, 228 (43%) name power train (transmission and drive), and 68 (13%) name service brakes. A complaint can list more than one area, so the shares add up to more than 100%. These are owner reports, not proven causes.

Is the 2021 Toyota Highlander reliable?

These numbers cannot say. NHTSA complaints have no sales count to compare against, so a high number on one model does not mean it fails more than another. Use them to see which areas owners write about, then check your own VIN for open recalls.

Do these complaints include crashes or fires?

Owners marked 17 of the 533 complaints as involving a crash and 4 as involving a fire. They also reported 19 injuries and 0 deaths. NHTSA records these as the owner reports them and does not confirm each one.

How many recalls does the 2021 Toyota Highlander have?

NHTSA lists 5 recall campaigns for the 2021 Toyota Highlander. Recall repairs are free at a Toyota dealer. Enter your VIN to see which ones are open on your car.

What is a service bulletin?

A service bulletin is a repair instruction a maker sends to its dealers. It is not a recall, and it does not mean your car is covered. NHTSA lists 93 repair bulletins for the 2021 Toyota Highlander.

More

• 2022 Highlander problems
• 2020 Highlander problems
• 2019 Highlander problems
• 2018 Highlander problems
• 2017 Highlander problems
• 2013 Highlander problems
• 2010 Highlander problems
• 2021 recalls
• All Toyota recalls
• Toyota problems by model
• Check-engine codes

Sources

• NHTSA complaint and technical service bulletin files, checked October 29, 2026
• NHTSA recalls

Complaint, bulletin and recall counts come from NHTSA as filed. Repair prices are estimates from our own ranges. Not a repair shop, estimates only.