NHTSA Data Explorer
Toyota Highlander
Data refreshed September 6, 2026
Select a model year to filter results to that year of the Toyota Highlander.
Complaints
6,467
Active records
Recalls
57
Active records
TSBs
1,369
Active records
Filing history
Monthly totals over the last 20 years. Click a legend item to show or hide that series.
Reported severity
Based on consumer complaints filed since 2000. Recalls and TSBs do not include severity data.
Deaths
58
Injuries
416
Crashes
529
Fires
76
Top reported issues — Toyota Highlander
Click a category to expand its values.
Operating state
Condition issue
Noise
Reporting mechanism
Braking behavior
Performance issue
Driver assistance issue
Engine behavior
Transmission/drivetrain behavior
Safety restraint issue
Fluid issue
Access/entry issue
Vibration/harshness
Electrified system issue
Steering behavior
Thermal issue
Safety restraint behavior
Electrical issue
Infotainment behavior
Lighting behavior
Starting behavior
Powering on/off behavior
HVAC behavior
Smell
Ride/handling behavior
Recent change
Wiper/washer behavior
Communication/network issue
Charging behavior
Recent filings
The 10 most recent filings for each type.
2021 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER
Filed Sep 3, 2026
At 57,000 miles the dealership says the transmission must be replaced. Toyota refused to replace it under warranty because they stated it wasn't serviced at Toyota consistently. There isnt a service for the transmission under 100k miles. This is a known issue with this transmission and they act oblivious to this issue.
2013 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER
Filed Sep 3, 2026
The factory Blizzard Pearl paint on this vehicle is experiencing severe chemical delamination down to the bare primer and sheet metal on multiple body panels. This structural failure aligns exactly with Toyota Customer Support Program ZKG. Large sheets of brittle paint regularly flake and peel off while driving at highway speeds, creating a projectile and visibility hazard for following motorists. Despite this being a known manufacturing defect, the vehicle falls outside of Toyota's arbitrary…
2021 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER
Filed Sep 3, 2026
On August 24, 2026, my vehicle was parked, turned off, and locked for more than 6 hours in a parking lot. Without warning, the vehicle experienced a spontaneous thermal event/self combustion. The fire and thermal damage were entirely localized to the dashboard area inside the passenger cabin. The engine compartment, battery area and front mechanical components remained completely unaffected by the fire. The vehicle was off, motor was cold and car was closed and parked for about 6 hours when…
2021 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER
Filed Sep 2, 2026
While driving and applying the brakes to come to a complete stop at low speed (approximately 5–15 mph), the vehicle intermittently loses brake responsiveness for a brief moment during the transition from regenerative braking to hydraulic (friction) braking. This causes the vehicle to lurch forward unexpectedly before the brakes fully re-engage. The issue is intermittent and unpredictable, occurring most often when coming to a stop at slow speed, which makes it difficult to anticipate and…
2022 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER
Filed Sep 2, 2026
The cars brakes will release and car will lurch forward forcing you to hit the brakes again to avoid colliding with car in front of you. This is a KNOWN problem called HYBRID REGENERATIVE BRAKE TRANSITION FEELING IMPROVEMENT PER Toyota's TSB-0059-23. They know of the problem, but do not tell people about it upon bringing car in. My car is starting to do it more now, and they will not cover because it is beyond 36,000 miles or 3 year manufacturer warranty This is NOT a minor safety problem. I…
2021 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER
Filed Sep 2, 2026
The transmission whining started 70,000 miles and it is progressively gotten worse, there has been some sudden shifting at times. The manufacturer has known about this 8 speed transmission. Problem since 2017 and they haven’t done anything to improve it. Isn’t is something that the warranty only covers the drivetrain and. Transmission till 60,000. And know they are telling us that we have to pay anywhere from $7,000-$12,000 to,have it replaced. We have taken it to the Toyota dealership Thayer…
2021 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER
Filed Sep 2, 2026
1. The car makes a squeaky sound when I accelerate. The faster I go the louder the noise becomes. I took the car to the Toyota dealership and was told that the transmission needs to be replaced. The car is only 5 years old. I checked online and noticed a lot of other people are also complaining about the same issue with their 2021 Toyota Highlander. 2. While driving on the Turnpike a few months ago, the driver side front door suddenly popped open on me. I had to hold it with my left hand,…
2019 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER
Filed Sep 2, 2026
The UA80 8-speed automatic transmission failed at 87,896 miles. Symptoms began as slipping in 1st and 2nd gears and harsh jerking when accelerating from a stop, with the engine revving while the vehicle failed to move. This is a loss of motive power that can occur without warning in traffic. On 8/31/2026 a Toyota dealer diagnosed a failed transaxle requiring complete replacement, with a whine traced to the differential inside the transmission, and quoted $11,126.81. This matches the failure…
2020 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER
Filed Sep 1, 2026
The transmission started making a whining noise around 69,000 miles that a mechanic said was due to transmission failure. There were no warning lights or messages. I took it to the Toytota dealer who sold it to me new. They inspected it and confirmed that the transmission needed replaced which they did. Online research said these symptoms meant the transmission could fail at any time while driving it which could put passengers and others at risk.
2022 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER
Filed Sep 1, 2026
According to Toyota service department in Bozeman front pump or input bearing failed causing whine noise with transmission