2021 Toyota Highlander problems and complaints
Owners have filed 531 complaints with NHTSA about the 2021 Toyota Highlander. The most-reported areas: Power Train (227), Service Brakes (68), Unknown Or Other (67).
Key takeaways
- 531 owner complaints on file with NHTSA.
- 16 involve a crash, 4 a fire, 18 reported injuries.
- Complaints are unverified owner reports; recalls are confirmed defects.
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Power Train | 227 | 43% |
| Service Brakes | 68 | 13% |
| Unknown Or Other | 67 | 13% |
| Structure | 52 | 10% |
| Engine | 47 | 9% |
| Air Bags | 42 | 8% |
| Fuel/Propulsion System | 31 | 6% |
| Electrical System | 28 | 5% |
| Forward Collision Avoidance | 12 | 2% |
| Visibility/Wiper | 10 | 2% |
| Steering | 9 | 2% |
| Exterior Lighting | 8 | 2% |
One complaint can name several components, so shares add up to more than 100%.
| Version | Overall | Front | Side | Rollover |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 Toyota HIGHLANDER SUV AWD | 5/5 | 4/5 | 5/5 | 4/5 |
| 2021 Toyota HIGHLANDER SUV FWD | 5/5 | 4/5 | 5/5 | 4/5 |
Latest complaints, as filed
Owner-written and unverified by NHTSA.
Electrical System,visibility/Wiper - filed 2026-10-11
On November 19, 2025, the 12.3-inch infotainment display in my 2021 Toyota Highlander Limited went black and never recovered. That screen is the only display for the rear-view backup camera. With it dead, there is no backup camera image when reversing. The failure started as an intermittent blank screen with the revers...
Power Train - filed 2026-10-09
The contact owns a 2021 Toyota Highlander. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was a loud high-pitched whining sound coming from the vehicle. The contact stated that the vehicle hesitated while accelerating and the transmission was shifting rough. The contact stated that the vehicle had...
Power Train - filed 2026-10-06
Noticed a whine noise slowly progressing over a couple of weeks. Researched the sound and took it for diagnostic eval. with Holman Toyota in Mt. Laurel, NJ on 10/3/2026. As suspected, the transmission is failing. Mechanic documented via video the fluid sample containing suspended metallic particles with discoloration ...
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More for the 2021 Toyota Highlander
Complaints are reports filed by owners with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. NHTSA publishes them without verifying them, and counts rise with how many cars were sold, so compare years of the same model rather than different models. Crash ratings are NHTSA's own 5-Star Safety Ratings results.