Problems · NHTSA complaints
2021 Toyota Highlander Hybrid problems
Owners filed 15 complaints about the 2021 Toyota Highlander Hybrid with NHTSA between Dec 2020 and Feb 2026. The most-cited component is air bags (8).
Complaints
15
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
0
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
0
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
Complaints by component
One complaint can cite several components
- Air bags8
- Structure4
- Electrical system1
- Service brakes, hydraulic1
- Vehicle speed control1
- Hybrid propulsion system1
- Fuel/propulsion system1
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.
Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Nov 11, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
When complaints were filed
Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
1
0
0
0
9
4
1
View as table
| Model year | Complaints filed per calendar year |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 1 |
| 2021 | 0 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 9 |
| 2025 | 4 |
| 2026 | 1 |
Mileage at failure isn’t a structured field in NHTSA complaint data, so we don’t chart it. Some owners mention it in their reports below.
Top problems in owners’ words
Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
Air bags
8 reports1 related recall
“The contact owns a 2021 Toyota Highlander Hybrid. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V865000 (AIR BAGS); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.”
Structure
4 reports1 related recall
“The contact owns a 2021 Toyota Highlander Hybrid. The contact stated that the hatchback failed to open completely. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, and the dealer recommended that the hatchback motor be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the VIN was not included in a related recall. The failure mileage was approximately 50,000.”
Electrical system
1 report
“The contact owns a 2021 Toyota Highlander Hybrid. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle, the instrument panel lights were flashing. The vehicle then independently turned off and restarted repeatedly. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where it was determined that the battery level was low and needed to be replaced. The battery was replaced, and other unknown repairs for shifting failure were performed. The vehicle was driven back to the residence; however, the failure recurred upon starting the vehicle the following day. Additionally, the seat belt chime reminders engaged even though the seat belts were securely fastened, and the tailgate had failed to open. The dealer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the VIN was not included in TSB Number: T-SB-0019-21. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, and the contact requested a trade-in or buy-back assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 77,900.”
Service brakes, hydraulic
1 report
“The contact owns a 2021 Toyota Highlander Hybrid. The contact stated that while driving at slower speeds, the braking system experienced intermittent brake failures, causing the brakes to erroneously release while being depressed. During the failure, the vehicle unintendedly lurched forward. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, who was unable to duplicate the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted regarding the failures. The failure mileage was 6,000.”
Vehicle speed control
1 report
“The contact owns a 2021 Toyota Highlander Hybrid. The contact stated while depressing the brake pedal, the vehicle continued to accelerate forward before coming to a stop. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer on several occasions but no cause for the failure was found. The contact was informed that the vehicle operated normally due to the hybrid system. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 10.”
Hybrid propulsion system
1 report
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 11, 2026
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.