- Safety
- 5
- of 5 stars
- Recalls
- 4
- on record
- MPG
- 23
- combined
Open recalls on record
4 safety recalls. Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer — check the VIN before you buy.
Vehicle Summary
2021 Toyota Highlander
Before You Buy
Safety record at a glance
- Recall campaigns
- 4
- Owner complaints
- 477
- Complaints citing a crash
- 16
These are raw counts from NHTSA records. They are not normalised by how many of these vehicles are on the road, so a model that sold in large numbers will tend to show more of everything. We do not publish a composite safety or reliability score.
4 Recalls on Record
These recalls have been issued by the manufacturer. Contact any authorized dealer to verify they have been completed — repairs are free.
Safety recalls
4 NHTSA campaigns affecting this model year.
- 23V720000high
Body/structure issue
STRUCTURE:BODY:BUMPERS
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2020-2023 Highlander & Highlander Hybrid vehicles. During normal vehicle operation, minor impact to the front lower bumper cover may result in the cover coming loose or detaching.
- 23V865000high
Airbag system issue
AIR BAGS:SENSOR:OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Avalon, Avalon Hybrid, Corolla, Highlander, Highlander Hybrid, RAV4, RAV4 Hybrid, Lexus ES350, Lexus RX350, Lexus RX450H, 2021 Sienna Hybrid, Lexus ES250, 2020-2022 Camry, Camry Hybrid, and ES300H vehicles. A short circuit may develop in the Occupant Classification System (OCS) sensor, preventing the front passenger air bag from deploying.
- 24V452000high
Tire/wheel issue
TIRES
Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC (SET) is recalling certain 2021-2024 Highlander vehicles. The 20-inch accessory tires with an insufficient load rating for the vehicle's Gross Axle Weight Rating (GAWR) were installed. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 110, "Tire Selection and Rims."
- 26V128000high
Safety restraint issue
SEATS:MID/REAR ASSEMBLY:RECLINER
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2021-2024 Highlander and Highlander Hybrid vehicles. The second-row seat backs may fail to lock into position during seat back adjustment.
Consumer complaints
477 owner reports filed with NHTSA.
- 477
- Total
- 16
- Crashes
- 3
- Fires
- 18
- Injuries
Most reported components
- ENGINE212
- BRAKES63
- OTHER45
- AIR BAGS42
- STRUCTURE40
Notable Issues
477 consumer complaints filed with NHTSA. 18 reports involve injuries. 16 reports involve a crash.
Most reported problems
Specifications & ratings
Specifications
- Body class
- Sport Utility Vehicle (SUV)
- Drive type
- FWD
- Engine
- 2.5L 4-cyl
- Fuel type
- Regular Gasoline
- Transmission
- Automatic
- Seats
- 5
Fuel economy
20
City
28
Hwy
23
Comb
- Annual cost
- $2,600
- Fuel
- Regular Gasoline
NHTSA crash ratings
- Overall
- Frontal
- Side
- Rollover
Explore related
Systems recalled
Safety timeline
Full timeline- Recall
A seat back that fails to lock may not properly restrain an occupant during a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
- Recall
Tires with an insufficient load rating can be overloaded and fail, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Recall
An air bag that does not deploy during a crash increases the risk of injury.
- Recall
A detached front bumper cover can become a road hazard, increasing the risk of a crash.