2021 Toyota Highlander: Problems & Reliability
YEAR TO AVOIDThe 2021 Toyota Highlander has 535 NHTSA owner complaints, 179 manufacturer service bulletins, and 4 recall campaigns on federal record, led by power train and service brakes issues. Among the 12 Toyota Highlander model years with federal records, it ranks 1st by combined complaint and bulletin volume — one of the years to avoid.
Sources: NHTSA complaints (ODI), manufacturer service bulletins, recall campaigns, CarWhere verified buyer prices · Updated 2026-11-05 · By CarWhere Research · Methodology
535
NHTSA complaints
179
Service bulletins
4
Recall campaigns
—
Avg. buyer-paid
Most-reported problem areas on the 2021 Toyota Highlander
Power Train — 229 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for this model year.
Service Brakes — 68 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for this model year.
Unknown Or Other — 67 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for this model year.
How the 2021 compares to adjacent years
Counts are raw federal filings, not adjusted for sales volume. Prices are averages of CarWhere verified buyer transactions (shown when 3+ deals exist for the year). Full year-by-year table: Toyota Highlander years to avoid.
Know what to pay for the right 2021 Toyota Highlander — then negotiate it
Years-to-avoid tells you which year. Search live listings to see the target price and what verified buyers actually paid for it.
- Verified buyer-paid target price for your exact make, model & trim
- DealDrive AI negotiator reads any dealer quote and writes your counteroffer
- Comparable real deals near you, from verified transactions
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FAQ
Is the 2021 Toyota Highlander reliable?
The 2021 Toyota Highlander has 535 NHTSA owner complaints, 179 manufacturer service bulletins, and 4 recall campaigns on federal record, led by power train and service brakes issues. Among the 12 Toyota Highlander model years with federal records, it ranks 1st by combined complaint and bulletin volume — one of the years to avoid. Counts are raw federal filings, not adjusted for sales volume.
What are the most common problems with the 2021 Toyota Highlander?
The most-reported problem areas for the 2021 Toyota Highlander in NHTSA owner complaints are power train, service brakes, unknown or other. Service bulletins (179 on file) show what the manufacturer issued repair guidance for.
Does the 2021 Toyota Highlander have recalls?
Yes — 4 recall campaigns on federal record for the 2021 Toyota Highlander. Recall completion is VIN-specific: run the exact VIN to see whether the work was actually done on the car you're considering.
Is the 2021 Toyota Highlander a good year to buy?
The 2021 is one of the Toyota Highlander years to avoid by complaint and bulletin volume — the 2025 and 2024 model years show cleaner records. If the price reflects the risk and the specific car checks out by VIN, informed buyers still do fine; just don't pay clean-year money for it.
How do I check a specific 2021 Toyota Highlander before buying?
Decode the VIN free at carwhere.com/tools/vin-decoder to confirm the build, then run the $9.99 CarWhere Full VIN Report for the exact VIN — recall, complaint, and service-bulletin record for this model year, the original window sticker where the manufacturer publishes one, and a market price check from verified buyers. One-time purchase, no subscription.