2021 Toyota Highlander complaints

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

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.

Car need. New transmission with only 44,000 miles. Toyota is going to replace but not sure if will happen again.

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.

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.

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.

The dictation had stopped working, can not longer send messages while driving.

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.

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.

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.

My transmission has a whining noise and is just over warranty. It is likely to fail soon. Toyota knows the transmission has had issues and has only recalled a select number of them but the issues are all over the board. The issues is consistent across all makes that use the UA80 trans mission (Sennia, Highlander, Camry, etc). In fact, these transmissions (new and remanufactured) all out of stock across the country because the issue is so bad. Research verifies this issue. Please see actual customer experiences below. There are way more out there when you research. [XXX] [XXX] [XXX] [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

On February 16, 2025 the vehicle was parked. The temperatures that day were in single digits. After approximately 1 1/2 hours the 12V system was drained. The driver panel was blank and the vehicle did not respond to any attempt to start. This vehicle had a similar incident the prior year, also in extreme cold conditions. During that incident the vehicle was towed to the dealership. They recharge the 12V system and did not find any problems once the faults were cleared. For the February incident, an attempt was made to jump start the vehicle. After the jump start the driver panel was active, but the vehicle reported a hybrid system malfunction and would not start the engine. The vehicle was then towed to the dealership. Attached is the report from service team. Problem #1. Under cold weather conditions this vehicle will drain the 12V system leaving the driver stranded in dangerous weather. Problem #2. The jump start procedure leaves the ECU exposed to severe damage. This leaves the vehicle inoperable.

Since I got his vehicle i satated to the Toyota that having the breaks problem and dash is not working properly and blind spot is not working on time

The contact owns a 2021 Toyota Highlander. The contact stated that rainwater leaked into the roof panel into the front driver’s and passenger’s side door panels, causing a mildew odor inside the cabin of the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who discovered mold was present inside the panels of the vehicle. The contact was informed that the interior headliner and headliner clips needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The failure mileage was 5.

The rear hatch has been causing me issues for quite a while. Last year, I would have to hit the close button once or twice for it to close. It would close a few inches, beep, and then stop. It has become much worse the last six months. I have to manually close the hatch myself because it won't go down all the way using the button. We took it to Cedar Rapids Toyota and they said this is a very common issue in this vehicle. They adjusted the hatch and lubricated it. Once they were done, they said it doesn't work any better. It costs over $1,000 to replace the parts and they can't get the parts until June because so many people are having the same issue. This vehicle needs to be recalled. Thanks,

This vehicles airbags have been under recall for over one year!! Toyota should’ve had a remedy for this issue by now. They also stated that they would have a fix for this by the third quarter of 2024. It is 2025! This issue needs fixed now!! We have young children that ride in this car every single day! This is completely unacceptable and needs reported and fixed now! 😡😡😡

Transmission failure at 94k miles. Driving on I90 the truck started making very loud whining noise. TSB0008-21 was issued by Toyota Feb-21 and I bought my truck Apr-21. Toyota did NOT disclose this to me.Vehicle failure happened exactly like the TSB. Toyota takes no responsibility-extended warranty is 100% unethical as I am still waiting 4 weeks later for repair. Toyota has no new transmissions available either. Please look into issuing a recall- thousands of people are impacted- please investigate. Toyota is choosing profit over people and safety.

Subject: Transmission Issue – 2021 Toyota Highlander Dear NHTSA, I am reporting a serious transmission issue with my 2021 Toyota Highlander (82,000 miles). I recently took it to the dealership for an unusual noise, and they diagnosed a transmission failure, quoting over $9,000 for replacement and service. After researching, I discovered Toyota has known about transmission issues in the 2021 Highlander since at least 2021. I have always serviced my vehicle at the same dealership, yet they never informed me of this known defect. Instead, they waited until my warranty expired to disclose the issue, despite my repeated maintenance visits where I reported the noise. I also found a 2021 Toyota document acknowledging transmission problems in this model, and many other owners have reported the same issue. It seems dealerships avoided addressing this until warranties expired, leaving owners with massive repair costs. This raises serious concerns about Toyota’s handling of known defects. I urge the NHTSA to investigate and take action to protect consumers from unfair repair costs and potential safety risks.

39,000 miles- Transmission starting to make a loud whining noise while driving. Dealership stated failed carrier bearing, unsafe to drive as this could cause the transmission to lock up at any moment. Toyota has a TSB out for this and has provided a loaner. My car does not fall within the TSB VIN range however still has same failure.

It has been over a year of this recall and the manufacturer still has not repaired it or offered a solution

At 4 years of ownership and 45,723 miles our 2021 Toyota Highlander XLE experienced a Transfer Case Failure

Transmission make grinding noise scared to drive when I check online on Google it states that all 2021 toyota highlander make grinding noise and only solution is to replace it

While braking, the car often lurches forward (so much so that it will throw my head back against the headrest). It almost feels like the car accelerated even though I have my foot on the brake. It will "re-engage" but it is frightening and also unsafe if you are close behind another vehicle or object. I have also felt the car lurch forward while it was in park a few times. Again, completely scared me because I thought I was going to be pushed into my garage wall. These incidences do not happen every time but they shouldn't be happening at all. I understand the hybrid aspect of it with the brakes and expect a small sensation but to be lurched forward so much is completely unsafe. I initially told the dealership about the brake sensation shortly after punching the car in 2021 and was told there was nothing wrong. I now see hundreds of people posting on social media with the same problem. Toyota needs to do a recall and have this fixed. There are no warning lights or messages that appear when the problem takes place.

The recall on the passenger airbags for Toyota cars has not been resolved for a few years now. We owned a 2013 Rav4 for a few years and that airbag was never fixed. Now we own a 2021 Toyota Highlander with the same problem. What's Toyota going to do about it? My husband drives the car so I'm the passenger and I don't feel like dying. ?"???

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 unavailable. 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 contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

While pulling onto highway I heard a loud pop and scratching noise. Pulled off road and looked at vehicle from outside. When I looked on top I saw that the glass from sunroof had a hole and had shards like it had exploded from inside pressure.

Headed westbound on 285 in Georgia; hit on passenger side front door and vehicle swerved several lanes and hit a wall going 60 miles per hour. The airbags did not deploy. I was injured badly and the vehicle was totaled.

The contact owns a 2021 Toyota Highlander. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V865000 (AIR BAGS) however, the part to do the repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.

My transmission started to make whining noise took to the dealer to check they confirmed it was a transmission issue that it needed to be replaced. After doing some digging I came across a toyota service bulitin that claimed this issue only affected a batch of vehicles. ( T-SB-0008-21 ) I have searched on forums and found out that a lot of people are haveing the same issue and Toyota is not doing anything about it. PLEASE HELP !!!

Infotainment system, this system comes with talk to text abilities. However, the system will say it is not compatible with the device which isn’t true as this same device work from day one of owning this vechile. About a year after owning this vechile I began to start having issues with talk to text through Bluetooth. The only option now to respond to a text through the infotainment system is with a predefined group of messages. This is not the only case of this issue occurring as many models within the 2020-2021 Toyota have had the same issue.

My brakes seem to have an issue at times and I am happy to provide it for inspection if needed. When traveling downhill with a slight curve to a stop at slower speeds, the car lunges forward for a second just after the brakes have been engaged. It does not happen all the time, but when it does happen it feels like you could crash into a car in front of you. This issue happens 2-4 times a month and has been happening since I purchased the vehicle. I recently found a Toyota forum with many people stating they have the same problem. Toyota does not seem to be aware of the issue when I have asked them. There have not been any warning lights etc. at any time during this issue nor any recalls with the issue. I am requesting it to be looked at by the manufacturer at the next scheduled service.

I purchased my new 2021 Highlander in Sept. of 2021. At about 88K miles, my car started making a whining or buzzing noise when accelerating. I am scheduled to take my highlander to the dealership to be looked at, but in the meantime, research on multiple forums and NHTSA -this is found to be a common issue with the 2021 toyota highlander transmission. Upon further research, I discovered that prior to buying the car, Toyota was already aware of this problem as they issued a Technical Service Bulletin T-SB-0008-21 in February of 2021 yet they did not inform me or hold the cars for sale to correct what could cause accidents when the transmission fails. Upon further investigation, there are numerous people with this problem in their 2021 Highlanders. This needs to be addressed immediately and deserves a recall, as most owners discover this issue after the 60K power train warranty has ended.

The navigation has failed to perform properly since the car was new. I have complained about it/taking it in on more than one occasion. Now the car is three years old and has 23,000 miles on it. I am told I must pay to repair the navigation system which never worked properly in the first place. It directs me to roads that are closed;, finds the store I wish to go to, but then says I can’t navigate there;, sends me to a residential neighborhood when I have put in the address of a school;, changes the address I input while I am enroute. It is supposed to navigate to addresses in my contact list, but when I select a contact it then asks me to choose from a similar name in a different state than I have entered in my contacts. I am very curious to know if there have been other complaints or technical service bulletins.

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 I’m sad that the don’t stand behind the brand for such a major issue

Transmission went out at 94,000 mils. Loud whinning noise and vechicle very loud sounds like a disel truck once cranked.

I purchased my new 2021 Highlander in Sept. of 2021. At about 70K miles, my car started making a whining or buzzing noise when accelerating. I took it to the Toyota dealership in Fort Collins, CO. They told me my transmission is failing. They stated I needed completely replaced for just a few dollars under $8000. They stated that the Highlander transmissions are on backorder for replacement. They said it could go completely in a year or a month, they didn't know but I couldn't get it fixed for months because of the backordered transmissions. There is no warning light or alert. This is very concerning since I commute at night alone long distances, or if the transmission goes while I'm on an interstate, etc...I did some research and found that prior to buying the car, Toyota was already aware of this problem as they issued a Technical Service Bulletin T-SB-0008-21 in February of 2021 yet they did not inform me or hold the cars for sale to correct what could cause accidents when the transmission fails. Upon further investigation, there are numerous people with this problem in their 2021 Highlanders. This needs to be addressed immediately and deserves a recall.

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 unavailable. The local dealer was contacted, and it was confirmed that the part was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact stated that the air bag warning light remained illuminated while operating the vehicle. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The local dealer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was unknown. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

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 and another dealer, Sport City Toyota(12650 Lyndon B Johnson Fwy, Dallas, TX 75228), were contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

Transmission is shifting roughly and whining. Has to be replaced, on backorder for a month. This is a safety issue as it could fail while driving. Online search finds a service bulletin (T-SB-0008-21) and many, many consumer complaints about the same issue.

The vehicle pulls/jolts foward as I slow down at a stoplight. At first, I thought this was normal, but over the past year, I've noticed something unusual, possibly with the gear shifting. It has become more noticeable over time. It has happened enough where I almost get into a fender bender with the car in front of me. I started researching this issue and it's a common complaint among other Highlander vehicle owners. [XXX] . I reported this issue to the Toyota Dealership and all have stated this was normal. I have also seen other issues with the transmission with the similar year and build. Leading me to believe this car may have an early sign of transmission issues. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

On 2023, the bumper of my car fell while I was driving on the highway. At that time, I took my vehicle to the Toyota Dealership to get inspected and they inspected the vehicle and recommended me to take it to a Body Shop to get it repaired. I paid for the repairs from my pocket since they did not take any responsibility of the damages. On December 2023, I received a letter from Toyota telling me that my highlander has a recall due to bumpers felling off and needed to add some clips from the manufacturer. I opened a case and provided all the information requested by Toyota. At the end they asked me for a CCR document where none of the representatives I've spoke were able to explain what is this document. I provided receipts, Dealership inspection document, my car documents. Today 11.27.2024, I receive a letter telling me that they are not going to move forward with the reimbursement. The body shop that they recommended me does not provide a letter with the specific information they are asking me for. Toyota contacted them and confirmed they did the repairs and they still refused to pay for the manufacturer damages.

My car out of no where once it hit 60k miles (which makes it fall off warranty) I start having transmission problems. It’s a 2021 which is very weird for that to happen. Bought it brand new. I was driving with my kids in the car on the highway and the car decelerates and I freaked out. I see that I’m not the only one that is having this issue and it looks like it’s 2020-2021 models that are having transmission issues and I think this needs to be something to get checked. Automatically after driving the car decelerates and you don’t know where or when it can be the rpm drops. Took it to the dealership they said it’s transmission but a brand new car right when it hits 60k miles then this happens.

The Battery was leaking fluid, smoke was visible and rotten smell from the battery. Electrical secondary brake system came on the dashboard

2021 Toyota Highlander Hybrid - experiences the sensation of brake loss during transitional period when car switches between regenerative brakes and mechanical brakes; most often occurs on a downgrade approaching a stop. During the transition, the car will surge ahead unexpectedly. I would consider this a significant safety issue; causes the driver to misjudge the required stopping distance and it is possible to hit something (or someone) in front of you. There is a TSB-0059-23 against this issue that requires a software update of the brake actuator. The issue is serious enough in my opinion that a recall of all Highlander hybrids is justified and Toyota should cover the cost of the update. The issue is intermittent and has occurred since new.

The Check Engine light came on and I took it into Toyota of Downtown dealership where I was receiving periodic maintenance. After 2 days, they said the light was out but they hadn't found the cause. I could either leave if for a few more days or take it and bring it back if the light came on again. This was early August. I chose to take the car & when the Check Engine warning light came on again, I took it in on Aug 15, 2024 before I left to Portland to give them more time. I returned on Monday & couldn't reach them. The next day they informed me that while on a test drive, there was a loud bang, it started smoking and by the time 911 arrived it was on fire. After a 2 month investigation by Toyota's Engineering Analysis fire inspection, they concluded Toyota was not involved. The dealership has not provided me with the report although I've requested it but they aren't accepting responsibility either although it was in their possession when the fire occurred.

Toyota is not trying to own up to failing transmissions especially in the Highlanders. The Highlander started making a whining noise around 50k miles like a supercharger. The dealer said the car needed a whole new transmission. The transmission is available for inspection upon request. The car is hard to accelerate because the transmission is failing without giving any warning signals on the dashboard.

If the important safety recall on 2021 highlander is that important, why is it taking years to fix , I feel toyota is dragging their feet and no one from the Nhtsa is doing anything about it, I think social media will be informed about your inaction of letting them slide for so long !

THE DEALER HAS CONFIRMED A PROBLEM ON THE MATTER AND SAID IT WOULD COST $8000.00 TO FIX IT. HAS NOT PUT A RECALL ON IT YET. BUT THERE IS A BULLITON ON THE MATTER.

My Toyota Dealer, Toyota Corporate Customer Service, Toyota Recall Web site, and NHTSA web site have no remedy, no scheduled remedy, and have sent no status reports since recall 23TA15 was issued 12/20/2023. The only data that I can find states an estimated fix by October 2024. Almost 1M vehicles are impacted by OCS defective part that may cause the passenger air bag to fail causing serious injury or death. Toyota an NHTSA should take immediate action to make sure that there is a sense of urgency (after almost a year), an action plan is in place, and owners are kept informed on a timely basis.

Transmission is making a whining noise.