Ask the seller for proof the repair was completed, or run the free VIN check. Recall repairs are done at no cost by a dealer.
Recalls
Safety issues the manufacturer must repair for free. A recall means confirm the fix was done, not walk away.
Safety recall
A seat back that fails to lock may not properly restrain an occupant during a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
- Remedy
- Dealers will replace the return springs in the seat back recliner assemblies, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed September 9, 2026. This is a phased recall. Owners may contact Toyota’s customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's numbers for this recall are 26TB06 and 26TA06.
- Status
- Remedy available. Confirm by VIN that this repair was completed.
- What to do
- Enter the VIN on NHTSA's recall lookup to confirm this car was repaired.
Tires recall
Tires with an insufficient load rating can be overloaded and fail, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- 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.
- Status
- Remedy available. Confirm by VIN that this repair was completed.
- What to do
- Enter the VIN on NHTSA's recall lookup to confirm this car was repaired.
Airbags recall
An air bag that does not deploy during a crash increases the risk of injury.
- Remedy
- 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 contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's number for this recall is 23TB15/23TA15 Lexus 23LB03/23LA03.
- Status
- Remedy available. Confirm by VIN that this repair was completed.
- What to do
- Enter the VIN on NHTSA's recall lookup to confirm this car was repaired.
Structure recall
A detached front bumper cover can become a road hazard, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- 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.
- Status
- Remedy available. Confirm by VIN that this repair was completed.
- What to do
- Enter the VIN on NHTSA's recall lookup to confirm this car was repaired.
Owner complaints by system
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
268
Most reports here involve transmission slipping. Of these, 2 mention a crash, 3 mention an injury.
Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11764003 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov
Electrical & infotainment
29
Most reports here involve software faults.
Read full complaint
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
59
Most reports here involve loss of braking. Of these, 4 mention a crash, 3 mention an injury.
Read full complaint
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
22
Most reports here involve loss of steering. Of these, 1 mention a crash.
Read full complaint
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
32
Most reports here involve airbags not deploying. Of these, 4 mention a crash, 5 mention an injury.
Read full complaint
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
74
Most reports here involve fluid leaks. Of these, 2 mention a crash, 4 mention an injury.
Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11759561 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov
Other systems
28
Most reports here involve software faults. Of these, 3 mention a crash, 3 mention an injury.
Read full complaint
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
How does it compare with other years? The 2021 has 512 complaints on file, more than the 2020 (314) and more than the 2022 (245). That is the most of the 15 model years of the Toyota Highlander we cover. Older model years have had longer to collect complaints.