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2021 Toyota Highlander recalls

4 recalls are on record with NHTSA for the 2021 Toyota Highlander.

2021 Toyota Highlander recall lookup visual: Vehicle rear underside raised on a dark service lift with cool metal light and red reflection

Methodology: recall and complaint counts are pulled from NHTSA public data by make, model, and model year during the site build. This page is not a VIN-specific open-recall status.

Sources and review: source: NHTSA recalls and complaints datasets. Last reviewed June 2026; author: VinSleuth editorial desk; reviewer: Vehicle public-records review.

4 Open recalls
467 Complaints
0 Fire reports
0 Crash reports

Recall details

Recall STRUCTURE:BODY:BUMPERS #23V720000 Reported 26/10/2023

Defect

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.

Risk

A detached front bumper cover can become a road hazard, increasing the risk of a crash.

Free fix

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.

Recall AIR BAGS:SENSOR:OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION #23V865000 Reported 20/12/2023

Defect

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.

Risk

An air bag that does not deploy during a crash increases the risk of injury.

Free fix

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.

Recall TIRES #24V452000 Reported 18/06/2024

Defect

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."

Risk

Tires with an insufficient load rating can be overloaded and fail, increasing the risk of a crash.

Free fix

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.

Recall SEATS:MID/REAR ASSEMBLY:RECLINER #26V128000 Reported 05/03/2026

Defect

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.

Risk

A seat back that fails to lock may not properly restrain an occupant during a crash, increasing the risk of injury.

Free fix

Dealers will replace the return springs in the seat back recliner assemblies, free of charge. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed April 27, 2026. Additional letters will be sent once the final remedy is available. Owners may contact Toyota’s customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's numbers for this recall are 26TB06 and 26TA06.

Check your exact VIN

Decode a specific 2021 Toyota Highlander VIN to see its spec, recalls, complaints, and crash ratings together.

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Other Toyota Highlander model years

Recalls differ by model year — check the years near yours.

What owners complain about

Top components in 467 NHTSA complaints for the 2021 Toyota Highlander.

POWER TRAIN 182
SERVICE BRAKES 47
UNKNOWN OR OTHER 44
STRUCTURE 40
AIR BAGS 35
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM 22
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 20
ENGINE 15

Frequently asked

How many recalls does the 2021 Toyota Highlander have?

4 recalls are on record with NHTSA for the 2021 Toyota Highlander. Recall repairs are always free at a franchise dealer.

Do I have to pay to fix a Toyota recall?

No. Federal law requires manufacturers to repair safety recalls for free at any authorized dealer, regardless of who owns the vehicle or its warranty status.

Is this recall list specific to my VIN?

This page lists recalls reported to NHTSA for every 2021 Toyota Highlander. To confirm whether a recall is still open for one specific VIN, enter it in our decoder or check with Toyota. NHTSA has no public by-VIN recall feed, so we look up the make, model, and year.

2021 Toyota Highlander crash ratings All recalls