What are the most common Toyota Highlander problems?
According to Au7o's analysis of 920+ owner reports, the 2021 Toyota Highlander has 12 documented issues. The most frequently reported are: UA80 8-Speed Transmission Whine/Grind — Front Carrier Pinion Shaft Failure, Second-Row Seat Back May Fail to Lock (Recall 26V-128), Occupant Classification System (OCS) Sensor Short Circuit — Front Passenger Air Bag Will Not Deploy (Recall 23V865000). Of these, 3 are rated critical and should be addressed promptly.
Is the Toyota Highlander reliable?
The 2021 Toyota Highlander has 12 known issues documented across 920+ owner reports. 3 issues are rated critical: UA80 8-Speed Transmission Whine/Grind — Front Carrier Pinion Shaft Failure and Second-Row Seat Back May Fail to Lock (Recall 26V-128) and Occupant Classification System (OCS) Sensor Short Circuit — Front Passenger Air Bag Will Not Deploy (Recall 23V865000). Prospective buyers should inspect for these issues and factor potential repair costs into their purchase decision. Regular maintenance following the manufacturer's schedule helps prevent many common problems.
How much does it cost to fix common Toyota Highlander problems?
Repair costs for known Toyota Highlander issues range from $0 to $12,000, depending on the specific problem and whether you choose DIY or professional repair. The most critical issue, UA80 8-Speed Transmission Whine/Grind — Front Carrier Pinion Shaft Failure, typically costs $0-$12,000 to repair. Au7o provides step-by-step DIY maintenance guides that can help reduce repair costs.
What is the 2020-2024 Toyota Highlander UA80 8-Speed Transmission Whine/Grind — Front Carrier Pinion Shaft Failure?
The UA80E/UA80F 8-speed automatic in V6 Highlanders can develop a whine or grind noise traced to defective front carrier assembly pinion shafts/bearings. As the bearings delaminate they shed metal debris through the fluid, which can progressively damage the torque converter and t… Repairs typically run $0-$12,000. Severity: high.
What is the 2021-2024 Toyota Highlander Second-Row Seat Back May Fail to Lock (Recall 26V-128)?
Toyota recalled approximately 550,007 model-year 2021-2024 Highlander and Highlander Hybrid SUVs (NHTSA 26V-128) because the second-row seat-back recliner teeth may not fully engage when the seat back is adjusted, due to a supplier design change to the recliner guide/ratchet comb… Repairs typically run $0-$0. Severity: high.
What is the 2020-2022 Toyota Highlander Occupant Classification System (OCS) Sensor Short Circuit — Front Passenger Air Bag Will Not Deploy (Recall 23V865000)?
The front passenger seat on 2020-2022 Highlander and Highlander Hybrid vehicles carries an Occupant Classification System sensor mat that weighs the occupant and tells the air bag control module whether — and how hard — to fire the passenger air bag. Improperly manufactured senso… Repairs typically run $0-$1,300. Severity: high.
What is the 2020-2024 Toyota Highlander 8-Speed Automatic Transmission Shudder and Hesitation?
The Direct Shift 8AT transmission in 4th-gen Highlanders exhibits shudder, hesitation on acceleration, and rough downshifts. The torque converter lockup clutch causes vibration at low speeds, particularly between 25-45 mph. Repairs typically run $0-$2,500. Severity: medium.
What is the 2020-2021 Toyota Highlander Hybrid Fuel Tank Venting Defect — Tank Cannot Be Filled to Capacity?
On 2020-2021 Highlander Hybrids a fuel-tank venting/charcoal-canister defect causes the gas pump's automatic shut-off to trigger prematurely. The advertised 17.1-gallon tank typically accepts only ~12-14 gallons from empty before the nozzle clicks off, and forcing more fuel can c… Repairs typically run $0-$1,200. Severity: medium.
What is the 2020-2023 Toyota Highlander 12-Volt Battery Parasitic Drain — Repeated No-Start From Data Communication Module / Remote Start?
Fourth-generation Highlanders and Highlander Hybrids repeatedly kill their 12V battery while parked, sometimes over just a few days and often with a battery only weeks old. Owners on ToyotaNation trace it to modules that never go to sleep: the Data Communication Module (the telem… Repairs typically run $100-$700. Severity: medium.
What is the 2020-2022 Toyota Highlander Vehicle Stability Control Fails to Re-Enable After Restart — Skid Control ECU Software (Recall 22V239000)?
On 2020-2022 Highlander Hybrid vehicles the Skid Control ECU software does not turn Vehicle Stability Control back on when the vehicle is restarted after the driver has manually switched VSC off. The car therefore restarts with stability control still disabled, which does not com… Repairs typically run $0-$0. Severity: medium.
What is the 2014-2022 Toyota Highlander Premature Front Brake Rotor Warping / Brake Pedal Pulsation at Low Mileage?
Owners report steering-wheel shimmy and brake-pedal pulsation from warped/unevenly-deposited front rotors at surprisingly low mileage (some as early as 10,000–37,000 miles). The mechanism is usually uneven pad-material transfer ('rotor painting') from heat rather than literal war… Repairs typically run $250-$700. Severity: medium.
What is the 2014-2021 Toyota Highlander A/C Condenser Leak / Thin-Fin Failure (Rock-Strike Refrigerant Loss)?
The front-mounted A/C condenser on the Highlander is built with thin fins/tubes that owners say cannot survive a stray rock, so it develops small refrigerant leaks and loses cooling — and because the condenser sits low and forward, it gets struck more often than on many vehicles. Repairs typically run $600-$1,100. Severity: medium.
What is the 2020-2024 Toyota Highlander Windshield Cracks Easily and Costly Safety Sense Camera Recalibration?
Owners of Toyota Safety Sense-equipped Highlanders frequently report the windshield cracking easily from minor stone chips, and the replacement is far more involved and expensive than a traditional windshield because the forward camera below the rearview mirror (used for pre-coll… Repairs typically run $350-$1,100. Severity: medium.
What is the 2020-2024 Toyota Highlander Panoramic Moonroof Rattle/Creak and Water Leak?
Fourth-generation (XU70) Highlanders with the panoramic/twin-panel moonroof are widely reported to develop a rattle or creaking noise over bumps and on angled driveway approaches, caused by the glass and seal rubbing against the folded sheet-metal roof edge. A separate but relate… Repairs typically run $0-$600. Severity: low.
What is the 2020-2023 Toyota Highlander Highway Wind Noise and Sunroof/Moonroof Rattle (A-Pillar Seal / Mirror Whistle)?
Fourth-generation Highlander owners widely report excessive wind noise that intensifies at highway speed (typically 40 mph and up) — a whistle near the windshield/upper A-pillar or sunroof area and noise off the exterior mirror housings — which Toyota has acknowledged as a poor-s… Repairs typically run $0-$250. Severity: low.
