2021 Toyota HIGHLANDER: complaints, problems and recalls

MY 2021 HIGHLANDER HYBRID PLATINUM IS EXPERIENCING A FUEL FILLING ISSUE. OVER THE FIRST 2,000 MILES, THE VEHICLE WILL NOT TAKE MORE THAN 13.5 GALLONS AT FILL UP ' NO TOPPING OFF. THE CAR HAS A 17.1 GALLON TANK. THE CAR HAS GONE AS LOW AS 2 MILES TO EMPTY ACCORDING TO THE CAR ESTIMATE. AT EACH FILL UP IT TAKES BETWEEN 12.5 AND 13.5 GALLONS. IT IS NOT CLEAR IF THE TANK IS FILLING UP COMPLETELY AND THERE ARE 4-5 GALLONS LEFT AT 'EMPTY' OR THE TANK IS NOT ABLE TO FILL COMPLETELY. I PURCHASED THIS CAR FOR IT'S FUEL ECONOMY AND RANGE WHILE …

Owner-reported narrative. 2,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11389811 at NHTSA ↗

THE DTE INDICATOR ON THE VEHICLE IS OPERATING INCORRECTLY. I FILLED THE HIGHLANDER UP WITH 10 MILES DTE AND IT ONLY TOOK 13.2 GALLONS OF FUEL. THE DTE INDICATOR WAS 425 MILES AFTER FILL UP. TOYOTA ADVERTISES 600 MILES PER TANK. MY HIGHLANDER IS 175 MILES OFF OF THE MANUFACTURES ADVERTISED EXPECTATION. I DON'T KNOW IF I AM OUT OF FUEL AT 0 DTE OR IF I CAN DRIVE ANOTHER 175 MILES BEFORE EMPTY. I AVERAGED 35.6 MPG ON THIS FILL UP BUT EVERY TIME I FILL THE TANK I GET SIMILAR RESULTS.

Owner-reported narrative. 1,250 miles reported. Look up ODI 11395869 at NHTSA ↗

THE VEHICLE EV DOES NOT ENGAGE WHEN IT IS COLD OUTSIDE FOR AT LEAST 10-15 MINUTES OF DRIVING. THIS DRASTICALLY ALTERS THE FUEL ECONOMY.

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11403069 at NHTSA ↗

THE 2021 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER HYBRID GAS TANK IS EXACTLY 17.1 US GALLONS IN SIZE BUT EVEN WHEN THE LOW FUEL INDICATOR LIGHT TURN ON AND THE THE FUEL GAUGE IS AT NEAR EMPTY IT WILL ONLY ACCEPT A MAXIMUM OF 12.9 TO 13.8 GALLONS. TOYOTA STATES THAT THE MAXIMUM RANGE ON A FULL TANK OF THE VEHICLE IS 615 MILES BUT WHEN FULL THE MAX-RANGE ALWAYS FALLS BETWEEN 460 TO 490 MILES GIVEN MY MPG OF 34.5 TO 36.5. THERE IS AN ISSUES WITH THE FUELING SYSTEM THAT DOES NOT ALLOW THE VEHICLE TO BE PROPERLY FUELED OR THE SYSTEM IS DEFECTIVE. OTHER DRIVERS HAVE BEEN…

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11405453 at NHTSA ↗

THE 2021 HIGHLANDER HYBRID IS NOT TAKING MORE THAN 10-11GALLONS PER FILL UP AND THE DISTANCE TO EMPTY INDICATOR ONLY STATES APPROX. 420MILES NOT THE 590-615MILES BASED ON THE STATED 34/35 MPG PER TOYOTA ON THE HYBRID MODEL. WE HAVE FILLED THE VEHICLE SEVERAL TIMES AND AT MULTIPLE GAS STATIONS AND EACH TIME THE TANK WILL NOT ACCEPT MORE THAN 10-11GALLONS.

Owner-reported narrative. 320 miles reported. Look up ODI 11405764 at NHTSA ↗

THIS IS NOT A SAFETY ISSUE PER SE BUT ONE OF FALSE ADVERTISING. TOYOTA ADVERTISES THE RANGE OF MY HYBRID HIGHLANDER AS 600 MILES ON 17.1 GAL TANK AT 35 MPG. I DO GET 35 MPG (WHICH IS QUITE COMMENDABLE FOR A VEHICLE THIS SIZE) BUT I CANNOT FILL THE FUEL TANK MORE THAN 12-13 GAL EVEN WHEN NEARLY BONE-DRY EMPTY. IN TURN I CANNOT DRIVE ANY FURTHER THAN 450 MILES WITHOUT FILLING UP. SOMETHING IS WRONG WITH EITHER THE DESIGN OF FUEL TANK SUCH THAT NOT ALL THE FUEL CAN BE ACCESSED OR THE DESIGN OF THE FUEL FILLER HOSE SUCH THAT ONE CANNOT FILL THE TA…

Owner-reported narrative. 600 miles reported. Look up ODI 11406311 at NHTSA ↗

WE ARE EXPERIENCING PCS IS NOT WORKING, WE WERE DRIVING ON FREEWAY WHEN CARS STOPPED SUDDENLY AND NOT EVEN DISPLAYING ANY WARNING SIGNAL OF 'BRAKE' ON THAT MOMENT, WE WERE SO CLOSE TO IMPACT A TRAILER, SECOND TIME SIMILAR SITUATION THE NEXT DAY AFTER THE FIRST APPT AT SERVICE WHERE THEY STATED THAT PCS WAS WORKING PROPERLY , CARS STOPPED SUDDENLY AND NOT EVEN WITH THE WARNING TIMING SET UP IN TO THE 'EARLY TIME', WARNING US TO USE THE BRAKE. THE EXPLANATION FROM SECOND APPT IT WAS 'IT WORKED WITH CRUISE ON', ON MY PREVIOUS CARS NEVER NEEDED T…

Owner-reported narrative. 2,600 miles reported. Look up ODI 11406776 at NHTSA ↗

GAS TANK ONLY HOLDS 12.5 - 13 GALLONS WITH A RANGE OF 425-450 AT MOST WHEREAS TOYOTA CLAIMS IN THEIR ADVERTISING AND SPECS THAT THE TANK HOLD 17.1 GALLONS AND THE CAR HAS A RANGE OF 598 MILES. I CONFIRMED WITH TOYOTA THAT THIS IS OFF SPECIFICATION AND THEY SAID THE TANK WILL ONLY TAKE 14 GALLONS AND THE RANGE WILL DECIDE ITSELF. I USE THE CAR FOR LONG TRIPS, BOUGHT IT FOR THE TANK SIZE AND RANGE AND AM CONCERNED I AM GOING TO RUN OUT.

Owner-reported narrative. 1,903 miles reported. Look up ODI 11407136 at NHTSA ↗

Reported: 2023-10-26 (October 26, 2023)

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.

Consequence: 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.

Reported: 2023-12-20 (December 20, 2023)

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.

Consequence: 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.

Reported: 2024-06-18 (June 18, 2024)

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."

Consequence: 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.

Reported: 2026-03-05 (March 5, 2026)

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.

Consequence: 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.