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What 473 owners told NHTSA about the 2021 Toyota Highlander

These are the actual owner complaints behind this car’s reliability verdict, filed with the federal government, unedited. They’re unverified reports, not confirmed defects: read them as leads for your pre-purchase inspection, not a diagnosis.

All (473)Crash / fire / injury (26)Transmission & drivetrain (189)Brakes (64)Body & structure (48)Engine (44)Airbags (42)Fuel system (30)Electrical system (25)Visibility & wipers (16)Driver assistance (12)Lane Departure (8)

1 of 473 complaints match · Electrical system · crash/fire/injury only · clear filters

Nov 18, 2024Electrical systemEngineFire

The Check Engine light came on and I took it into Toyota of Downtown dealership where I was receiving periodic maintenance. After 2 days, they said the light was out but they hadn't found the cause. I could either leave if for a few more days or take it and bring it back if the light came on again. This was early August. I chose to take the car & when the Check Engine warning light came on again, I took it in on Aug 15, 2024 before I left to Portland to give them more time. I returned on Monday & couldn't reach them. The next day they informed me that while on a test drive, there was a loud bang, it started smoking and by the time 911 arrived it was on fire. After a 2 month investigation by Toyota's Engineering Analysis fire inspection, they concluded Toyota was not involved. The dealership has not provided me with the report although I've requested it but they aren't accepting responsibility either although it was in their possession when the fire occurred.

NHTSA ODI 11625936

Working with the data? Download all 473 complaints as CSV · fetched from NHTSA July 11, 2026

How to use these: a complaint is one owner’s report, filed voluntarily and published unverified. Patterns matter more than any single story. If several owners describe the same failure at similar mileage, put that system at the top of your pre-purchase inspection list. Back to the full 2021 Toyota Highlander verdict →