Car Defect Radar
Built from NHTSA complaints and recalls collected for this model, generated September 22, 2026. Totals reflect what has been collected, not every complaint ever filed.

Recalls

0 total

Safety issues the manufacturer must repair for free. A recall means confirm the fix was done, not walk away.

No recalls on record for this model

No safety recalls were found in this dataset. It is still worth entering the exact VIN on NHTSA before purchase, since recalls can be added at any time.

Owner complaints by system

512 total

Unverified reports owners filed with NHTSA, grouped by the part of the car. Useful for spotting patterns. Open a group to read recent examples.

Engine & powertrain

Worth reading
268

Most reports here involve transmission slipping. Of these, 2 mention a crash, 3 mention an injury.

transmission slipping 123premature wear 61
A recent report: Transmission Failure Yes TSB No Warning Lights

Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11764003 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov

Electrical & infotainment

Worth reading
29

Most reports here involve software faults.

software faults 9sudden stalling 3
A recent report: 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…
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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 this incident occurred.

Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11761851 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov

Brakes

Worth reading
59

Most reports here involve loss of braking. Of these, 4 mention a crash, 3 mention an injury.

loss of braking 36unintended acceleration 14software faults 4
A recent report: 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…
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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 compensate for. This has happened more than a few times now, most latest, On XXX, this occurred while approaching a stop at traffic light and it felt that the vehicle nearly made contact with the vehicle ahead of me. I brought the vehicle to Elgin Toyota in [XXX] , in 2025 to report this issue. The service department test drove the vehicle but was unable to reproduce the symptom and did not perform any repair. I have since learned that Toyota issued Technical Service Bulletin T-SB-0059-23, "Hybrid Regenerative Brake Transition Feeling Improvement," dated XXX, which describes this exact symptom in 2020–2022 Toyota Highlander and Highlander Hybrid vehicles. I am filing this report because I believe this is a safety-related braking defect, particularly at low-speed stops, that creates a real risk of a rear-end collision. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11761604 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov

Steering, suspension & tires

Worth reading
22

Most reports here involve loss of steering. Of these, 1 mention a crash.

loss of steering 4premature wear 4
A recent report: Early failure of front struts on a 2021 Toyota Highlander XLE, leaking fluid at 29,000 miles. Manufacturer does not seem to have any reported issues with these components. Issue discovered just one…
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Early failure of front struts on a 2021 Toyota Highlander XLE, leaking fluid at 29,000 miles. Manufacturer does not seem to have any reported issues with these components. Issue discovered just one month after warranty expiration. Given the low daily use and time, this might be a manufacturer defect/concern. Could potentially be a safety concern affecting the vehicle handling and maneuverability.

Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11735102 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov

Airbags & seat belts

Worth reading
32

Most reports here involve airbags not deploying. Of these, 4 mention a crash, 5 mention an injury.

airbags not deploying 8premature wear 1
A recent report: My system information warning signal and chime indicates that an unbuckled passenger is present in my front passenger seat when nobody is there. Additionally, buckling the seat belt does not turn off…
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My system information warning signal and chime indicates that an unbuckled passenger is present in my front passenger seat when nobody is there. Additionally, buckling the seat belt does not turn off the signal and chime. The sporadic signal and chime can continue for a very long time before eventually stopping. However, after another 30 seconds or so, it can start again. This cycle can continue for over an hour. It tends to occur more frequently above 35mph, but can also occur under that speed. From my research, this problem appears similar to another recall (Recall #23TA15 / Campaign 23V-865000), however my VIN currently isn't included in that recall.

Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11758715 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov

Structure & body

Worth reading
74

Most reports here involve fluid leaks. Of these, 2 mention a crash, 4 mention an injury.

fluid leaks 5software faults 3
A recent report: Lift gate does not open. Hydraulic struts have failed and the lift gate will only open with significant manual effort. This means that the rear door cannot be opened from inside the car.

Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11759561 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov

Other systems

Worth reading
28

Most reports here involve software faults. Of these, 3 mention a crash, 3 mention an injury.

software faults 2corrosion 2
A recent report: The contact owns a 2021 Toyota Highlander. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 26V128000 (Seats). The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, the contact attempted…
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The contact owns a 2021 Toyota Highlander. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 26V128000 (Seats). The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, the contact attempted to lower the second-row seats, and the seat failed to lock into position and failed to recline as intended. The vehicle was taken to a dealer approximately five months later when a remedy became available, and the recall repair was attempted, but the dealer stated that the spring was replaced; however, the spring did not allow for the second-row seat to latch or lock securely. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 58,900.

Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11756472 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov

Is 512 complaints a lot? They were filed between 2021 and 2026, roughly 91 a year, which is more than the typical model in this dataset. We do not have sales figures for this model, so treat this as a rough volume, not a rate per car on the road. Popular, high-volume models naturally collect more complaints over time.