2021 Toyota Highlander: Reliability Data
Source: NHTSA — 516 complaints
516
Total Complaints
15,000mi
Median Mileage
Power Train
Top Issue
29
Crash Reports
When Do Complaints Happen?
Distribution of NHTSA complaints by vehicle mileage at time of report.
2,000
25th Percentile
15,000
Median Mileage
47,929
75th Percentile
What Fails?
Most reported component issues from NHTSA complaints.
Power Train
139
Service Brakes
63
Unknown Or Other
54
Air Bags
41
Engine
37
Fuel/Propulsion System
29
Body
29
Electrical System
21
Structure
10
Automatic Emergency Braking
9
Severity Assessment
29
Crashes
3
Fires
30
Injuries
0
Deaths
Sample Complaint Reports
"MY 2021 HIGHLANDER HYBRID PLATINUM IS EXPERIENCING A FUEL FILLING ISSUE. OVER THE FIRST 2,000 MILES, THE VEHICLE WILL NOT TAKE MORE THAN 13.5 GALLONS AT FILL UP ' NO TOPPING OFF. THE CAR HAS A 17.1 GALLON TANK. THE CAR HAS GONE AS LOW AS 2 MILES TO EMPTY ACCORDING TO THE CAR ESTIMATE. AT EACH FI..."
"THE DTE INDICATOR ON THE VEHICLE IS OPERATING INCORRECTLY. I FILLED THE HIGHLANDER UP WITH 10 MILES DTE AND IT ONLY TOOK 13.2 GALLONS OF FUEL. THE DTE INDICATOR WAS 425 MILES AFTER FILL UP. TOYOTA ADVERTISES 600 MILES PER TANK. MY HIGHLANDER IS 175 MILES OFF OF THE MANUFACTURES ADVERTISED EXPECTATIO..."
"THE VEHICLE EV DOES NOT ENGAGE WHEN IT IS COLD OUTSIDE FOR AT LEAST 10-15 MINUTES OF DRIVING. THIS DRASTICALLY ALTERS THE FUEL ECONOMY."
Source: NHTSA ODI Complaints Database. Names and identifying details omitted.
When Were Complaints Filed?
Number of complaints by the year the issue occurred.
When Does Each Component Fail?
Median mileage at complaint for top components.
Power Train
139 complaints
25th: 54,000 mi
Median: 60,347 mi
75th: 66,000 mi
Air Bags
41 complaints
25th: 27,000 mi
Median: 41,000 mi
75th: 52,000 mi
Engine
37 complaints
Median: 3,400 mi
Where Are Complaints Coming From?
Top states by complaint count.
CA: 77
TX: 30
NY: 28
OH: 23
AZ: 23
FL: 22
NC: 20
NJ: 20
MD: 18
GA: 17
Who Files Complaints?
0.4%
Original Owners
99.6%
Second+ Owners
Toyota Highlander — Other Years
See how this model compares across different model years.
Active Recalls (4)
Federal safety recalls issued for this vehicle.
Bumpers
Campaign 23V720000 | 26/10/2023
A detached front bumper cover can become a road hazard, increasing the risk of a crash.
Dealers will repair or replace the upper and lower front bumper covers as necessary, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed April 22, 2024. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's number for this recall is 23TB12/23TA12.
Occupant Classification
Campaign 23V865000 | 20/12/2023
An air bag that does not deploy during a crash increases the risk of injury.
Dealers will inspect and replace the sensor as necessary, free of charge. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed in February 2024. Some final remedy owner letters were mailed October 31, 2024. Letters will continue to be mailed in phases through January 2026. Owners may con
Tires
Campaign 24V452000 | 18/06/2024
Tires with an insufficient load rating can be overloaded and fail, increasing the risk of a crash.
SET will inspect and replace the tires and information placard, as necessary free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 16, 2024. Owners may contact SET's customer service at 1-866-405-4226. SET's number for this recall is SET24A.
Recliner
Campaign 26V128000 | 05/03/2026
A seat back that fails to lock may not properly restrain an occupant during a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
Dealers will replace the return springs in the seat back recliner assemblies, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed April 20, 2026. Owners may contact Toyota’s customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's numbers for this recall are 26TB06 and 26TA06.
Extend Your Transmission Life
Based on the most common issues reported for this vehicle.
- Change transmission fluid at manufacturer intervals — not 'lifetime' fluid
- Come to a full stop before shifting from reverse to drive
- Don't ride the brakes on hills — use a lower gear
- Check transmission fluid level and color monthly — dark fluid needs changing
- Address slipping, hard shifts, or delayed engagement immediately
Compare Toyota Highlander
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Data source: View this vehicle on NHTSA.gov | NHTSA ODI Complaints Database. Public domain.
Methodology: Complaint counts and mileage distributions are computed directly from consumer-reported NHTSA complaints. This data represents reported issues, not failure rates — vehicles without complaints are not represented. Full methodology.
Data through: 2026-03-28