Toyota Highlander Hybrid problems and complaints, 2010 to 2021

37 NHTSA owner complaints and 8 recalls across 2 model years, 2010 to 2021. Built from NHTSA owner complaints and recalls, generated October 26, 2026.

37complaints
8recalls
1reported crashes
0reported fires
1reported injuries

Which Toyota Highlander Hybrid years should you avoid?

We cover 2 model years of the Toyota Highlander Hybrid, too few to say which stand out.

NHTSA does not publish sales figures, so these are complaint counts, not a rate per car on the road. A year that sold more cars collects more complaints, and older years have had longer to collect them.

Every model year

Year	Complaints	Recalls	Crashes	Injuries	Our read	Most reported
2021	15	4	0	0	Few red flags	Airbags
2010	22	4	1	1	Few red flags	Brakes

Most reported problem areas

Share of the 37 complaints sorted by system, all years together.

Brakes9 (24%)
Electrical & infotainment8 (22%)
Airbags & seat belts7 (19%)
Structure & body6 (16%)
Engine & powertrain5 (14%)

Recalls (8)

Safety · 26V128000 · Mar 2026 · model year 2021
A seat back that fails to lock may not properly restrain an occupant during a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
Airbags · 23V865000 · Dec 2023 · model year 2021
An air bag that does not deploy during a crash increases the risk of injury.
Structure · 23V720000 · Oct 2023 · model year 2021
A detached front bumper cover can become a road hazard, increasing the risk of a crash.
Safety · 22V239000 · Apr 2022 · model year 2021
Driving with a deactivated stability control system increases the risk of a crash.
Body & glass · 15V689000 · Oct 2015 · model year 2010
If the sliding electrical contacts are not protected by lubricant, debris and moisture that get into the switch may cause a short circuit and the switch assembly may overheat and melt, increasing the risk of a fire.
Safety · 13V396000 · Sep 2013 · model year 2010
The vehicle may enter a fail-safe/limp-home mode that limits the drivability of the vehicle. It is possible that the hybrid system will shut down while the vehicle is being driven, causing the vehicle to stall unexpectedly, increasing the risk of a crash.
Safety · 13V123000 · Apr 2013 · model year 2010
An inaccurate label could lead to owners overloading their vehicles and tires. An overloaded vehicle can result in a tire failure which may result in a vehicle crash, personal injury, or property damage.
Airbags · 13V014000 · Jan 2013 · model year 2010
If the front passenger seat occupant sensing system is out of calibration, the front passenger airbags may not deploy or they may deploy inappropriately for the passenger's size and position. This could increase the risk of personal injury during the event of a vehicle crash necessitating airbag deployment.