Recalls › Toyota › 2021 Highlander
2021 Toyota Highlander Recalls & Safety Report
The following open safety recalls are on record with the U.S. NHTSA for the 2021 Toyota Highlander. Recalls apply to specific VINs and build ranges. Check your VIN to confirm which affect your vehicle.
SEATS:MID/REAR ASSEMBLY:RECLINER Critical safety
Summary: 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.
Remedy: 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, anticipated August 27, 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.
NHTSA campaign # 26V128000 · Manufacturer: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing · Reported: 2026-03-05 · Seats/Restraints
TIRES Critical safety
Summary: 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.
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.
NHTSA campaign # 24V452000 · Manufacturer: Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC · Reported: 2024-06-18 · Tires
AIR BAGS:SENSOR:OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION Critical safety
Summary: 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.
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.
NHTSA campaign # 23V865000 · Manufacturer: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing · Reported: 2023-12-20 · Airbag
STRUCTURE:BODY:BUMPERS Critical safety
Summary: 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.
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.
NHTSA campaign # 23V720000 · Manufacturer: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing · Reported: 2023-10-26 · Structure/Body
Recall summary
This 2021 Toyota Highlander has 4 open recalls on record with the U.S. NHTSA.
By affected component
- SEATS:MID/REAR ASSEMBLY:RECLINER — 1 recall
- TIRES — 1 recall
- AIR BAGS:SENSOR:OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION — 1 recall
- STRUCTURE:BODY:BUMPERS — 1 recall
By severity
- Critical safety — 4
Most recent recall reported: 2026-03-05.
Recall data is sourced from the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).
Frequently asked questions
Does the 2021 Toyota Highlander have open recalls?
Yes — there are 4 open NHTSA safety recalls on record for the 2021 Toyota Highlander. Recalls apply to specific VIN and build ranges, so check your exact VIN to confirm which affect your vehicle.
How do I check if a recall applies to my exact VIN?
This page lists recalls at the model level. Enter your 17-character VIN on our free VIN lookup to see which recalls apply to your specific car and to monitor it for new ones.
Who pays for a recall repair?
Safety recall repairs are performed free of charge by a franchised dealer for the affected make — the manufacturer covers the cost. Start by confirming your VIN is affected, then contact a dealer.
About this report
SaveVIN surfaces open recalls published by the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). A model-level page lists every recall reported for the model; your specific VIN determines which apply to your car. Enter your VIN above for a VIN-precise report and to monitor it for new recalls.
Data source: U.S. NHTSA (nhtsa.gov). SaveVIN surfaces public recall data and is not affiliated with or endorsed by NHTSA.