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2021 Toyota Highlander problems: engine and transmission complaints and recalls
60% of relevant owner complaints filed with NHTSA on the 2021 Toyota Highlander are about the engine, transmission or fuel system. That is a model-level pattern, not bad luck.
Worse than 80% of the 1,790 model years we track (2010–2023).
Excludes 50 airbag, lighting and seat-belt recall complaints that would otherwise mask the signal (unadjusted: 54%).
Does the 2021 Toyota Highlander have transmission problems?
Owner complaints say yes, as a model-year pattern. 282 of 473 relevant complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2021 Toyota Highlander concern the engine, transmission or fuel system (60%), and the largest group is filed under power train (222). For comparison, the 2020 scores 56% and the 2022 scores 30%. On a test drive, check for shuddering, slipping, delayed or harsh shifts, or a whine at speed. This describes the model year, not any one car: a well-maintained or already-repaired example can be fine, and a clean model year can still have a bad car in it.
Complaints by component
The years either side
Manufacturers fix things mid-generation. A bad year next to a clean one is common; the fix usually arrived in between.
How the 2021 compares with other Toyota Highlander years
Of the 14 Toyota Highlander years with enough complaints to score, the 2021 is the 2nd-worst on engine and transmission share (60%). The worst is the 2019 (68%), the best the 2014 (9%). By volume, the 2021 drew 523 complaints (282 drivetrain), against 317 for the 2020 and 259 for the 2022.
Toyota Highlander years to avoid and best years →
2010 Highlander problems · 2011 Highlander problems · 2012 Highlander problems · 2013 Highlander problems · 2014 Highlander problems · 2015 Highlander problems · 2016 Highlander problems · 2017 Highlander problems · 2018 Highlander problems · 2019 Highlander problems · 2020 Highlander problems · 2021 · 2022 Highlander problems · 2023 Highlander problems
The rest of the picture on the 2021 Toyota Highlander
- The mileage where it happens. When owners of the 2021 Toyota Highlander said the problem showed up, and the range most of them fell in.
- What the repair costs. Typical transmission repair ranges, to price into your offer.
- Cleaner alternatives. Similar cars and nearby years with a better record.
- Up to 15 owner reports, with the ones about your car's own engine first.
- What to ask the seller and what to check on the test drive, for this car.
- Two cars side by side, if you are deciding between them.
What one owner reported
One of 282 drivetrain complaints. The full report shows up to 15, with quotes about the engine in the car you are looking at first.
2021 Toyota Highlander engine and transmission recalls
No engine or transmission recalls. NHTSA lists 4 recall campaigns on the 2021 Toyota Highlander, none of them for the engine, transmission or fuel system. A recall is the manufacturer admitting a defect and paying to fix it; whether a specific car still has one open depends on its VIN, which the full report checks. The owner complaints above are a separate record and often point at problems that never became a recall.
4 other recalls on this model year (airbags, lighting, brakes and the rest)
Source: NHTSA recall campaigns filed against this year, make and model. Checked October 3, 2026.
Checking one particular 2021 Toyota Highlander? This page is about the model year. Accidents, title brands and odometer records belong to the individual car, and that is what a vehicle history report covers.
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Does the 2021 Toyota Highlander have transmission problems?
Owner complaints say yes, as a model-year pattern. 282 of 473 relevant complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2021 Toyota Highlander concern the engine, transmission or fuel system (60%). Before buying one, have an independent mechanic check the transmission and ask the seller whether it has been repaired or replaced.
What is the most common problem with the 2021 Toyota Highlander?
Going by NHTSA owner complaints, the most common problem filed against the 2021 Toyota Highlander is power train: 222 of 523 complaints (42%) name it, followed by service brakes (67) and structure (51). A complaint can name more than one component, so these overlap.
Is the 2021 Toyota Highlander reliable?
On the engine and transmission, owner complaints point to a weak spot: 60% of relevant complaints filed with NHTSA concern the drivetrain (high signal). That is worse than 80% of the 1,790 model years we track. Among the 14 Toyota Highlander years we score, it ranks 2nd-worst. Complaint data describes the model year, not one car, and it says nothing about trim, paint or electronics outside the drivetrain; an independent inspection still decides it.
Are there engine or transmission recalls on the 2021 Toyota Highlander?
No. NHTSA lists 4 recall campaigns on the 2021 Toyota Highlander, none of them for the engine, transmission or fuel system.
Which Toyota Highlander years are better?
Among the Toyota Highlander years we track, the 2014 (9%), the 2010 (13%) and the 2015 (13%) have a lower engine and transmission complaint share than the 2021 (60%). Manufacturers fix things mid-generation, so the year before or after can be a different car. Every year side by side: https://thelanecheck.com/cars/toyota-highlander
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Check a VINExperimental model-level information. This is not a vehicle inspection, vehicle-history report, financial advice or purchase recommendation. It describes patterns across a model year, not the condition of any individual vehicle.