2021 Toyota Highlander complaints

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.

60k miles on the car and the transmission needs to be replaced out of pocket due to a gear pinon wearing down. This is a 10k dollar repair and just happens to be after the warranty has expired.

My 2021 Toyota Highlander equipped with the UA80 transmission developed a whining/grinding noise under acceleration around 73,000 miles. Toyota diagnosed internal transmission failure and recommended full replacement costing approximately $9,000. Toyota issued TSB T-SB-0008-21 acknowledging defects involving the front carrier assembly pinion shafts in these transmissions. This defect creates a potential safety hazard due to possible loss of power or drivability during highway operation. I am requesting that NHTSA investigate the widespread transmission failures affecting 2021 Highlanders and related Toyota vehicles.

I noticed transmission whining shortly after purchasing on 3/12/24. Odometer reading at purchase 62,347. I justified whining to myself as luck of the draw. Until a few months ago I started hearing grinding noise coming from the transmission. Had transmission diagnosed at Lancaster Toyota on 4/22/2026. Approximate odometer reading, 78,700. Was told that a replacement transmission was needed. Cost 9,526.17 No warning lamps or messages appeared. Transmission type UA80F SN A4A20J O 4195

When applying the brakes when slowing down fro a traffic light or in traffic, the brkaes suddely stop workign for a few sseconds at a speed of 5-10 mph, causing car to lurch forward before the brakes reengage. This has existed for a couple of year but has gotten worse in thelast 6 month.s The risk is that the lurch occurs prior ot the full stop ,potentilly causing the car to run into the car directly in ftont of our car. Toyota is aware of the problem and issued a technical sevce bulletinT-SB -0059-23 whichidentified this and a software update helps in resolving the issue. The bulletin however states the cost needs ot be paid by th cusotmer if it is out of warrnaty. This does not makes snse as it is a potetnail safety issue that coudl casue a collisiion and wodul seem to rise to the level of a recall. There are many refermces to the issue on social media. It seems Toyota should be rqeuired to make this a recall item at no cost to the customer.

Transmission. My 2021 Toyota Highlander with approximately 94,500 miles developed a consistent whining noise during acceleration. The issue occurs daily during normal driving and appears to be worsening. A Toyota dealership diagnosed the problem and confirmed the noise is coming from the transmission and that the transmission requires replacement. This appears to be a premature failure of a major drivetrain component. The condition could lead to loss of power or transmission failure while driving, creating a potential safety risk. There was no prior warning, and the vehicle has been properly maintained.

Car was making whining sound with acceleration at 62k miles. Dealer told me I need to spend 8k on a replacement.

Early failure of front struts on a 2021 Toyota Highlander XLE, leaking fluid at 29,000 miles. Manufacturer does not seem to have any reported issues with these components. Issue discovered just one month after warranty expiration. Given the low daily use and time, this might be a manufacturer defect/concern. Could potentially be a safety concern affecting the vehicle handling and maneuverability.

My vehicle was parked for about an hr 30 min , and it started smoking from dashboard area and immediately went into flames .

The rear hatchback of my Toyota Highlander fails to open. I tried resetting it and that did not correct the problem. The only way I’m able to open the trunk is by manually crawling into the trunk, removing the back panel on the hatch door and pressing an internal latch release. While no injuries have happened because of this problem, if someone was stuck in this car or if there were an accident and a passenger needed to be accessed through the rear trunk, this would create a problem as it is not accessible from the outside of the car.

Car makes a high pitched whining noise at low speeds of approx. 10-30 mph

2021 Toyota Highalnder UA80F Transmission Whine / Known Defect - Potential for Sudden Failure I own a 2021 Toyota Highlander Platinum V6 AWD (UA80F 8-speed automatic transmisstion) purchased in July 2021. Current milage is 78k. Starting 3 days ago I noticed a faint whine noise coming from the transmission. The pitch changes with speed and when the throttle is depressed (It's louder under load/acceleration). This matches the exact symptoms described in Toyota TSB T-SB-0008-21 for whine/grind noise caused by the front carrier assembly pinion shaft issues in 2021 Highlanders with UA80 transmissions. On April 27, I went to a Toyota dealer to confirm the source of the noise and diagnose. As per their diagnosis report "Tech took vehicle on road test to duplicate concern, after confirming complaint vehicle was then lifted up and inspected while under a load, tech as able to isolate noise to transmission at this time, fluid level and condition was inspected to ensure there were no signs of shavings or discoloration and after inspection tech found nothing abnormal during fluid level check. Tech then ran a health check to ensure there were no DTC present related to transmission concern and found no DTC present. Recommend replacing transmission and torque converter at this time". They provided a quote of $9,392. This condition represents a safety concern because the internal wear can progress to harsher shifting, loss of power, limp mode, or complete transmission failure while driving,

The contact owns a 2021 Toyota Highlander. The contact stated that there was an abnormal winding sound coming from the vehicle while accelerating. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed with transmission failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact called a transmission shop and was informed that the part to repair the vehicle was on back order. The manufacturer was contacted, opened a case, and referred to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 106,000.

Rear power lift gate routinely malfunctions, stopping partway while opening or closing. Dealer recommends resetting the lift gate, which occasionally works to address the problem but is not a reliable fix. Issue has been ongoing for several years without remedy.

2021 Toyota Highlander transmission failure

My automatic transmission failed per the dealership and is just outside of the warranty but is considered a premature failure based on the expected life of the vehicle.

I am an owner of a 2021 Highlander XLE AWD (bought new). In October of 2024 around 34000 miles the transmission started to make a whining noise and seemed to be surging/bucking , hesitation and hunting for gears. Toyota determined it fit the criteria of a TSB to have the transmission replaced. The dealership had my car for two months and then eventually replaced the transmission with a remanufactured unit. This “new” unit still has the issues of surging/bucking , hesitation and hunting for gears. I fear that this “new” transmission is in the process of failing again with less than 10k on it. Of course I will be out of warranty when it does and I’ll be on the hook for a $10000 repair. I’m appalled that Toyota has not done a true fix for this issue and has not even put an extended warranty on it either. I purchased this vehicle from Toyota on good faith that it would last and be reliable. 34k one transmission died and I’m sure this one will follow suite. Ultimately UA80 transmission is ticking time bomb and Toyota needs to be held accountable for this.

Transmission has failed as have many others of the same year make and model without acknowledgement of a manufacturer defect

This appears to be a fuel pump or something with the fuel issue on a 2021 Toyota Highlander L series. While driving it would stop and switch off at stop lights and stop sign. The codes that come up have to do with fuel being lean. However this also affects the braking system and causes it to be very hard to steer with this issue. The problem I have is that it cuts off without even you knowing what's happening and I was almost rear-ended twice. My car is now sitting outside unable to start. It doesn't even have 85,000 miles on it with all these issues. I believe it also said something about my transmission but unsure because the codes were flashing off and on.

Transmission Failure. Had to have it replaced.

Rear lift gate doesn't fully open or close sometimes. I have to manually assist in opening or closing after trying the key fob, inside push button and rear switch above the license plate. I have attempted to reset the height adjustment thinking it would fix it, with no success. I have made sure that the gasket is in place, lubricated the struts and tried opening a closing with the car running and again without success. I'm asking this be investigated due to my concern that this is going to be a safety issue if it doesn't open after an accident, to exit the vehicle if needed. Thank you.

The vehicle experienced a transmission failure at approximately 62,000 miles, which required a transmission replacement. Toyota replaced the transmission with a rebuilt transmission. Immediately after the repair, the vehicle began experiencing multiple issues that were not present prior to the repair. The vehicle initially would not reverse, and the battery was drained shortly after the repair was completed. Following the repair, the vehicle has continued to experience ongoing electrical malfunctions, including dashboard warning lights, system alerts, and dash lights flashing during remote start. The vehicle has also developed a rattling noise underneath the vehicle. The exact failed component has not been clearly identified. The dealership has provided changing diagnoses and has not provided written diagnostic documentation despite requests. The vehicle has been inspected by the dealership multiple times; however, the issues have not been resolved. During a recent diagnostic, the dealership stated that the catalytic converter is now the issue, but this does not address the ongoing electrical problems. These issues raise safety concerns due to unpredictable vehicle behavior and potential failure of critical systems while driving. Warning lights and system errors began appearing after the transmission repair and have continued since that time. The vehicle is available for inspection upon request.

When accelerating at all, the engine emits a whining noise. The only time the whine stops is when the foot is removed from the pedal. It does not whine at idle. I believe it is the transmission going bad. The problem has been confirmed by a local service center. No warning lamps or messages have appeared.

A whining noise was observed at around 78k miles. Brought to the dealer and they indicated parts in the transmission are failing and it requires replacement. They said this has been happening more frequently on 2021 Highlanders (also see T-SB-0008-21). It's also a well-documented issue online. My contact with Toyota was that they did not intend to cover any repairs as the vehicle is out of warranty, even though it's not an isolated issue. They would not disclose how many vehicles have reported this issue. I believe it has reached safety recall-level.

The contact owns a 2021 Toyota Highlander. The contact stated that the vehicle experienced transmission failure while driving. There was an abnormal whining sound coming from the vehicle while accelerating, and the sound increased in volume while driving. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed with an internal transmission failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 55,803.

The vehicle experiences intermittent power steering malfunction while driving. Warning messages including “Power Steering Malfunction” and “Low Voltage Abnormality” appear, and the steering wheel becomes stiff and difficult to turn. This has occurred multiple times during normal driving conditions, including at low speeds and while turning. When the issue occurs, it requires increased effort to steer, creating a risk of loss of control. Additional warning messages have included AWD malfunction, pre-collision system malfunction, and lane tracing assist malfunction. These alerts appear simultaneously with the steering issue. The problem began shortly after purchase and has continued intermittently. The vehicle has been inspected, but the issue has not been resolved. This condition creates a safety risk, especially when driving with passengers.

Transmission has started to whine, my understanding is this is common for the transmission I have. I have had this verified by 2 different garages. There are no engine lights showing. The noise started around 90K.

My 2021 Toyota Highlander was my first car I purchased that I saved up for and has had a sudden issue accrue with a winning sound out of now where. I took it to the dealer ship and they told me I need a new transmission. My vechile only has 73k miles and I noticed this sound is getting worst and worst. I don’t know what to do so I turned to the internet and I was blow away to see how many people have this same issue with the same year and it’s been happing to so many people. I am a father of a special needs child and I sport my family on my own I can not afford to replace this and they won’t do anything for me. I beg anyone that reads this to please help us out cause this is not fair they we pay our hard earned money to get hit with this unexpected issues that they obviously know about but want do anything cause it will ruin there rep.

Upon inspection at my local Toyota dealership, the UA80F 8-speed transmission on my 2021 Toyota Highlander has a known whining noise attributed to a failed transmission pump. The whining noise occurs when the car accelerates from 0 to around 50 miles per hour. When it gets to highway speeds, there is no noise. Anyone in the car can be put at risk if the transmission stops functioning on the roadways, and we're left stranded or we're suddenly blocking traffic. This issue is a known issue according to T-SB-0008-21, and there are many people online who seemed to have encountered this issue even beyond the warranty limits of 5 years/60,000 miles. Even my local AAMCO tells me that this is a dreaded and known issue of past customers. This issue first appeared around the 60,000 miles of distance traveled. There is no warning for this problem. You just have to be fortunate enough to discover the noise before the warranty deadlines. I discovered the noise at around 58,000 miles around June 2025, but I didn't know it was an issue back then. Had I known about this, I would've still qualified for the warranty. This noise has been reproduced and confirmed by my local Toyota dealership, and they're quoting me $11,506.53 to fix this issue. Other 3rd party transmission shops are quoting me ~$6,000. I'm frankly frustrated that Toyota did not issue a recall for this known issue that I did not cause. I wanted to drive this car for life, but I'm unsure what to do now. Either pay an exorbitant am

Transmission failure @110,000miles and a $9000.00 replacement cost. Service advisor at Toyota Dealership indicated they have seen other similar failures on this Highlander Platinum Model at their dealership but unit is out of warranty by a few thousand miles

My 2021 Toyota Highlander is experiencing a transmission issue causing a high pitched whining. It has the problematic UA80F. Toyota has declined to remedy the problem even with it being a known issue.

2021 Toyota Highlander xse all-wheel drive model. Transmission failure: unusual sounds started just after 60,000 miles. Transmission began to whine mid-70,000 miles. Repair costs $8,000. Transmission business recommends rebuilding the Transmissions due to poor design and known issues.

During acceleration above 25 mph a noticeable whining sound is heard from the transmission. When not acceleration the sound goes away. The vehicle only has 72300 miles

When slowing down to stop and the brake is depressed, multiple occasions where the brakes don’t catch. The car jerks forward and I am unable to engage the brakes. I have ended up in the middle of an intersection due to this. It happens frequently, and Toyota continues to brush me off.

The transmission began making a wheezing sound. The dealership looked at the vehicle and determined it needed a new transmission. This is a known problem. Toyota issued a service bulletin on the issue in February 2021. I purchased the vehicle a few months after that. T-SB-0008-21

The contact owns a 2021 Toyota Highlander equipped with Bridgestone Tires, Tire Line: Alenza Sport, Tire Size: 255/50/R20, DOT Number: 276100C2R. The contact stated the vehicle was inspected by the dealer, where it was discovered that all four tires were prematurely worn quickly and showed defects. The tires were replaced under NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V452000 (Tires). The dealer informed the contact that the issue was related to the previous recall. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle failure mileage was 80,000. The tire failure mileage was 7,000.

*Component/System:** The **Fuel Pump / Fuel Delivery System** failed. The vehicle and the replaced spark plugs/coils are available for inspection upon request. **Safety Risk:** The vehicle **stalls abruptly while in motion (at speed)**, causing an immediate loss of motive power in traffic. This creates an extreme risk of rear-end collisions and leaves the driver stranded in active lanes of travel. The vehicle must be shifted to park, turned off, and restarted to temporarily "reset" the system, which is life-threatening in high-speed or heavy-traffic environments. **Confirmation/Reproduction:** The problem has been confirmed by an **independent service center**. Initial diagnostic codes led to the replacement of spark plugs and ignition coils; however, the stalling persisted. Subsequent diagnostic testing specifically identified the fuel pump as the point of failure, consistent with symptoms of known Toyota fuel pump recalls. **Inspections:** The vehicle has been inspected by an **independent mechanic**. It has not yet been inspected by Toyota corporate, the police, or insurance representatives, as no crash has occurred yet—though the risk is imminent. **Warning Symptoms:** The Check Engine light illuminated on January 21, February 21, Febuary 26, March 6 and March 10. Prior to the first total stall, the vehicle exhibited brief hesitations during acceleration. There were no specific "Fuel Pump" warnings on the dashboard; the vehicle simply loses power without a countdown or se

My vehicle is experiencing a transmission safety issue that has been diagnosed by the authorized Toyota dealer service center (Toyota of Scranton). During my most recent service visit on 3/2/26, the dealer reported that the transmission is “failing and whining” and recommended full transmission replacement. This condition creates unsafe driving behavior, including abnormal whining noise during acceleration and the concern for sudden transmission failure while driving. The Highlander started exhibiting issues with the transmission within the past 7 days. This issue appears consistent with the known transmission defect referenced in Toyota Technical Service Bulletin T‑SB‑0008‑21, which addresses whining and grinding noises caused by internal transmission component failure in 2021 model‑year vehicles equipped with UA80-series transmissions. Multiple independent reports indicate that this condition can worsen and may lead to loss of power or drivability while the vehicle is in motion. For safety reasons, I am submitting this complaint so the issue can be evaluated as part of any ongoing or future defect investigations. I am concerned about the potential risk of transmission failure while driving, which could increase the chance of a crash.

While driving westbound on I-8 at approximately 70 MPH in the left lane, a warning message suddenly appeared on my dashboard stating that a malfunction in the hybrid system had been detected. Immediately after the alert, the vehicle lost power and stopped accelerating. I was forced to quickly maneuver across multiple lanes of traffic and barely made it to the narrow right shoulder. Because I had been traveling in the left lane at highway speed, the situation was extremely dangerous, and I was fortunate not to be rear-ended. The vehicle was undrivable and had to be towed to a mechanic. Upon inspection, the cause was identified as a faulty fuel pump, which triggered the hybrid system malfunction and sudden loss of power. The vehicle has only 44,000 miles, making this premature failure especially concerning. Toyota currently has possession of the vehicle but is refusing to cover the repair. Notably, there was a recall issued for fuel pump failures causing similar issues in 2020 model-year vehicles. Given the identical nature of the failure, I believe this indicates an ongoing fuel pump defect that has not been fully resolved.

The contact owns a 2021 Toyota Highlander. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was a whining sound coming from the vehicle. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed with transmission failure. The dealer stated that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. After the vehicle was parked and turned off, there was transmission fluid leaking from the vehicle. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the head gasket had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The contact then noticed fluid leaking from the transfer case while the vehicle was parked and turned off. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the transfer case had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 74,700.

Both of the front door lock actuators went out, so the vehicle won’t lock at all & I can’t use my Toyota app that I pay for. The left back door/hatch rail that lifts up the door is making a loud sound upon opening & getting stuck when opening. Have to push the open button several times or open it manually to get it to open at all. Have taken it to the Toyota dealer to inspect both & both are costly to repair. Can’t find either of the parts anywhere, so I’m guessing a lot of others are having these issues as well.

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

I bought this vehicle used on 04/23/2024 with 18,596 miles on the odometer. When I was inspecting the vehicle prior to delivery at the dealership, I noticed a crack low on the windshield. The dealership replace the windshield prior to my taking delivery of the vehicle. In the spring of 2025 I had a crack develop in the windshield and had to have it replaced. Another crack has since developed (it is now 2/25/26), and I will, once again, have to have the windshield replaced. I have not driven on any freeways recently, so no high-speed travel. I have been driving for over 40 years and have never had this frequency of windshield failures. I have become aware that this issue is discussed by numerous newer model year (2021, 2022, 2023, etc) Toyota Highlander owners. Some have replaced their windshield multiple times like me. It would appear that there may be an issue in the design/aerodynamics of the front/windshield or a defect in the structure of the body that supports the windshield, that leads to this increased frailty of the windshield. I would very much like to see the NHTSA look into this issue and to force Toyota to look carefully at the high number of windshield failure incidents in these vehicles.

I was driving to a stop light when I heard a Raddle. Pull over and all the oil came out the engine. When I took it to the dealer they told me that the engine blew up. 14k repair that Toyota would not cover the repair.

The contact owns a 2021 Toyota Highlander. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was an abnormal whining sound coming from the transmission. The contact was concerned about the sound and contacted a dealer. The vehicle was driven to the dealer and was diagnosed with transmission failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 60,347.

I am reaching out regarding our 2021 Toyota Highlander which currently has $65 K miles and is just out of warranty. Recently we noticed a wining noise during acceleration. We took the vehicle to the dealer who told us that the transmission will need to be REPLACED. $9500 repair. This is a known issue with Toyota and they will not work with us on this. We are stuck! No customer goodwill! Thank you!

I purchased my brand new Highlander on January 31, 2021 and was told today that I need a transmission replacement. My vehicle started about two month ago with a whining sound while accelerating. My vehicle currently has 78,000 miles and is out of the extended warranty of 60,000/5 year. I learned that Toyota released a bulletin on February 9, 2021 stating transmission issues for particular Toyota models, the Highlander being one. After researching the issue, there are several stories of Highlander owners who are experiencing the same issue. It’s a shame that they knew of the problem in February 2021 and with the transmission replacements on vehicles less than 5 years old and haven’t issued a formal recall for this known defect.

Power Back Door (PBD) will not open or close and/or stops moving while opening or closing. Problem seems to be in the motor controls of the strut assemblies on both sides of rear hatch. Vehicle is off warranty, but should be covered by Toyota due to faulty factory installed equipment... Instead, they want to charge us $1600 to repair. On the Toyota forums, many people are complaining of the same exact problem! Toyota needs to have a recall and repair at the cost of the manufacturer.

2021 toyota highlander AWD limited - Car started making a whirling (whirring, whining) noise upon acceleration. It ramps up as accelerating. There are no warning lights showing. It stops when you take foot off of gas. Problem had been confirmed by 2 toyota dealers as needing a new transmission. One said it was in last gear, the other simply said noise was coming from the transmission and based on the NSB in 2021 it was transmission so would need to be replaced. One was $9700+, the other was $8600+. Went back and forth with Toyota to see if they would provide any help. They won’t cover any of the cost. Husband has a 2019 toyota highlander XLE making the same exact noise. Haven’t taken it yet for diagnostics

The liftgate has had issues from the moment I purchased this vehicle. It had 30,000 miles and we purchased all extended warranty options. The liftgate often fails to close, especially in cold weather. There have been times I have to manually push the liftgate closed certain instances. This would not even work, and I unknowingly started driving my vehicle while the liftgate was still open about an inch or two essentially, the liftgate seems to have a mind of its own sometimes it will work just fine more more often often than not it malfunctions. This is dangerous because it could easily cause a head injury or trap a child or a family member inside the car if it will not open or closed properly. We took the car to our dealership to have it repaired while under warranty. My car care technician reported that there was dust/dirt which voided my warranty coverage. I paid a lot for the warranties and for this woman to report dirt on my vehicle’s backend and that then causing my warranty coverage to not be valid was just ridiculous. We fought for an exception to be filed and they never spoke of this again. Dishonest and untrustworthy, this is how I would define my Toyota dealership. The issue was noted immediately to dealership/technicians. We had them provide us with a repair quote that was very costly and so we would not let them do the work. There is a massive amount of information for this problem and it is a common occurrence. Toyota is facing a class action lawsuit alleging tha