2021 Toyota Highlander Body & structure Problems

This is a formal report of Recall Non-Compliance regarding Safety Recall 23V-720 (Toyota Recall 23TA12) on my 2021 Highlander Hybrid. An authorized dealership performed the recall on May 6, 2024, utilizing Op Code 23TA12R1 (Inspection & Install Fasteners). The dealership only addressed the lower bumper and failed to properly remedy the upper bumper retention tabs, stating it isn’t part of recall. The upper bumper cover has completely separated from the fenders during normal daily driving. The upper plastic mounting slots are torn out and clips will not hold. The dealership is refusing further repairs, instructing me to file a car insurance claim or pay a body shop myself to correct an un-remedied federal safety defect. The vehicle currently remains an active structural road hazard because the official recall remedy completely failed to secure the bumper assembly from detaching. A TAS case has been opened at the dealer, but federal intervention is requested to ensure recall compliance.

NHTSA ID

11755623

Incident

Aug 5, 2024

The back hatch of the car has issues closing regularly. Nearly half of the time you push the button to shut the back hatch when it is open it will not close and has to be shut manually. Typically, it shuts an inch or two and then beeps at you and when you push the button again nothing happens but beeping. This is an issue because it is very difficult to close. Even as a 6' 200+ lb man who does strength training regularly, shutting the back hatch is difficult to do manually let alone for my much smaller wife. This has let to her having to ask for help from strangers in a parking lot to help close the door which is unsafe, particularly since we have small children. Toyota has acknowledged that this is a known issue and have stated that there is nothing that they can do to fix it. This acknowledgement came when the car was very new and my father was the owner and again just a few months ago when we brought up the issue again with Toyota.

NHTSA ID

11747815

Incident

Nov 1, 2025

The front lower bumper detached while driving on the PA turnpike. The vehicle was traveling in the left lane approximately 75 MPH and was bumping on the road until we were able to pull over all the way to the right lane for approximately 1-2 miles. This hanging bumper dragging on the floor causing some damage to upper bumper as well. This was extremely unsafe for everyone in our vehicle and put the safety of all other driver around us at risk of accidents. No warning lights were present before bumper detached. Toyota dealership looked at it and refused to do anything about it, saying that they see damage to upper bumper and that is not part of recall. I told them the damage to upper bumper was caused by lower bumper falling off and being dragged at speeds of 75MPH until we could safely pull over. They stated that the recal only offered a repair kit to lower bumper. I will include a picture of bumper after lower bumper detached and upper bumper still firmly attached. I had no option and had the bumper repaired by a auto body repair shop. This should have been fixed by toyota and i would like to be reimbursed by toyota. There should be punishment to toyota corp for endagering the public and not keeping their word to correct recalls when they are known about. On June 8, 2026 i received a text message from toyota informing me that there was a recall on my vehicle for front bumper detaching. I responded that is exactly what happened to my vehicle. Needless to say they did not respond to that.

NHTSA ID

11744777

Incident

Mar 31, 2026

Rear power lift gate routinely malfunctions, stopping partway while opening or closing. Dealer recommends resetting the lift gate, which occasionally works to address the problem but is not a reliable fix. Issue has been ongoing for several years without remedy.

NHTSA ID

11732621

Incident

Apr 1, 2024

Rear lift gate doesn't fully open or close sometimes. I have to manually assist in opening or closing after trying the key fob, inside push button and rear switch above the license plate. I have attempted to reset the height adjustment thinking it would fix it, with no success. I have made sure that the gasket is in place, lubricated the struts and tried opening a closing with the car running and again without success. I'm asking this be investigated due to my concern that this is going to be a safety issue if it doesn't open after an accident, to exit the vehicle if needed. Thank you.

NHTSA ID

11730318

Incident

Sep 23, 2024

Both of the front door lock actuators went out, so the vehicle won’t lock at all & I can’t use my Toyota app that I pay for. The left back door/hatch rail that lifts up the door is making a loud sound upon opening & getting stuck when opening. Have to push the open button several times or open it manually to get it to open at all. Have taken it to the Toyota dealer to inspect both & both are costly to repair. Can’t find either of the parts anywhere, so I’m guessing a lot of others are having these issues as well.

NHTSA ID

11721587

Incident

Dec 31, 1969

I bought this vehicle used on 04/23/2024 with 18,596 miles on the odometer. When I was inspecting the vehicle prior to delivery at the dealership, I noticed a crack low on the windshield. The dealership replace the windshield prior to my taking delivery of the vehicle. In the spring of 2025 I had a crack develop in the windshield and had to have it replaced. Another crack has since developed (it is now 2/25/26), and I will, once again, have to have the windshield replaced. I have not driven on any freeways recently, so no high-speed travel. I have been driving for over 40 years and have never had this frequency of windshield failures. I have become aware that this issue is discussed by numerous newer model year (2021, 2022, 2023, etc) Toyota Highlander owners. Some have replaced their windshield multiple times like me. It would appear that there may be an issue in the design/aerodynamics of the front/windshield or a defect in the structure of the body that supports the windshield, that leads to this increased frailty of the windshield. I would very much like to see the NHTSA look into this issue and to force Toyota to look carefully at the high number of windshield failure incidents in these vehicles.

NHTSA ID

11720556

Incident

Apr 20, 2025

Power Back Door (PBD) will not open or close and/or stops moving while opening or closing. Problem seems to be in the motor controls of the strut assemblies on both sides of rear hatch. Vehicle is off warranty, but should be covered by Toyota due to faulty factory installed equipment... Instead, they want to charge us $1600 to repair. On the Toyota forums, many people are complaining of the same exact problem! Toyota needs to have a recall and repair at the cost of the manufacturer.

NHTSA ID

11718082

Incident

Feb 4, 2026

The liftgate has had issues from the moment I purchased this vehicle. It had 30,000 miles and we purchased all extended warranty options. The liftgate often fails to close, especially in cold weather. There have been times I have to manually push the liftgate closed certain instances. This would not even work, and I unknowingly started driving my vehicle while the liftgate was still open about an inch or two essentially, the liftgate seems to have a mind of its own sometimes it will work just fine more more often often than not it malfunctions. This is dangerous because it could easily cause a head injury or trap a child or a family member inside the car if it will not open or closed properly. We took the car to our dealership to have it repaired while under warranty. My car care technician reported that there was dust/dirt which voided my warranty coverage. I paid a lot for the warranties and for this woman to report dirt on my vehicle’s backend and that then causing my warranty coverage to not be valid was just ridiculous. We fought for an exception to be filed and they never spoke of this again. Dishonest and untrustworthy, this is how I would define my Toyota dealership. The issue was noted immediately to dealership/technicians. We had them provide us with a repair quote that was very costly and so we would not let them do the work. There is a massive amount of information for this problem and it is a common occurrence. Toyota is facing a class action lawsuit alleging that some of its “Highlander SUVs contain defective power-door components. This problem allegedly prevents the automatic open/close feature on the back door, also known as the “liftgate,” from working properly and has already cost some car owners thousands of dollars in repairs. According to the suit, Toyota knew about the defect and hid this information from the public.” Thus, the tech noted “dirt” to conceal a much bigger problem, make $$ off a loyal customer, revealing dishonest practices.

NHTSA ID

11717531

Incident

Mar 15, 2025

Trunk has stopped working. It loudly beeps and will not open on its own. Trunk has to be manually opened and shut with great force to be used.

NHTSA ID

11715008

Incident

Jan 6, 2026

While I was driving the vehicle on December 30, 2025 emerging on to the highway I heard a loud popping sound which I thought was one of the tires going flat when the plastic barrier underneath the car became unattached

NHTSA ID

11708038

Incident

Dec 30, 2025

Rear liftgate motors no longer functioning.

NHTSA ID

11701505

Incident

Oct 29, 2025

Failed seals on roof rack that allowed water to enter the A pillars. Unknown potential damage to air bag system, and electrical wiring. Smaller leaks can go undetected and damage components over time without owners knowledge. Dealer confirmed water intrusion, Toyota refused to repair the defect. Toyota is aware of the problem and had issued a service bulletin on April 22, 2024 (T-SB-0040-24) with a range of 2020-2023 Highlander vehicles affected. This defect may also affect components within the B pillars, and more.

NHTSA ID

11701289

Incident

Oct 6, 2025

During rain, the A-pillar and headliner show evidence of a leak. Open source research found this is likely due to faulty or poor quality components used in the roof rail system. My vehicle is completely stock with no additions or installations on the roof, just the factory rails.

NHTSA ID

11689569

Incident

Sep 23, 2025

The contact owns a 2021 Toyota Highlander. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V720000 (Structure). The contact stated while driving approximately 35 MPH and exiting a highway with his family, the front bumper assembly detached from the vehicle. The contact stated that the vehicle was steered to the side of the road where duct tape and glue was used to secure the bumper, and the vehicle as taken to the residence. The vehicle was then taken to the dealer where the dealer and the dealer refused to perform the recall repair due to temporary repair that the contact had performed. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 60,000.

NHTSA ID

11684445

Incident

Aug 24, 2025

Mileage

60,000 mi

I purchased a 2021 Toyota Highlander Hybrid brand new. This vehicle was manufactured during COVID (production date of 10/2020) with significant mfg defects that have surfaced after several years of ownership. Both the passenger and driver’s side doors have growing cracks/defects which has slowly caused the doors/windows to bow out. A collision company estimates the repairs to be at least $11,000 and after confirming that I had no accidents or work done on the vehicle to cause this problem, agreed that this is a manufacturing defect. Toyota has additionally refused to acknowledge that the vehicle is most likely a safety hazard to drive with the window now so bowed out on the passenger window, that it is exposed to the elements. The Corporation has refused to remedy the mfg defects citing that it has been 4 years and too many miles later, even though I have a nearly 4 year history with them of meticulously taking my vehicle in to get serviced etc. Ultimately they know that this defect was a hidden/growing problem, but because of the extent of the damage involved, they have refused to take ownership.

NHTSA ID

11679104

Incident

May 1, 2025

Dull Popping noise from rear bar under seat of 3rd row

NHTSA ID

11674880

Incident

Jul 1, 2025

The contact owns a 2021 Toyota Highlander. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V720000(Structure); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. An unknown local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.

NHTSA ID

11674293

Incident

Jul 17, 2025

The contact owns a 2021 Toyota Highlander. The contact stated that while driving on the highway at 65 MPH, the front bumper became detached. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact pulled over and zip-tied the bumper to the frame of the vehicle. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact referenced NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V720000 (STRUCTURE); as a possible cause for the failure. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 47,330.

NHTSA ID

11670880

Incident

Feb 12, 2025

Mileage

47,330 mi

This is a supplemental complaint to add more detail to a prior submission. I am the original owner of a 2021 Toyota Highlander with 10,000 miles at the time of the issue worsening to the point that I finally broke down and was forced to pay the Toyota dealership's hefty diagnostic fee. The air conditioning system has failed due to a refrigerant leak in the rear A/C lines, specifically near the exhaust area under the vehicle. The dealership diagnosed the issue and quoted me over $3,000 to replace “all necessary components in the rear.” They offered no coverage or goodwill repair despite the vehicle’s age and mileage. Upon researching the issue for longer than a year at this point, I discovered far too many similar complaints from other Highlander owners (years 2019–2021) describing identical failures — typically rear A/C lines corroding, cracking, or leaking prematurely. In some cases, customers were told Toyota is aware of the issue but not issuing a TSB or recall. In other cases, dealers said no permanent fix exists. These repairs are prohibitively expensive and, in some reports, recurring due to poor line placement or dissimilar metal corrosion near heat sources. This significantly impacts safety in several ways: Impaired Visibility: The AC system is integral to effective defogging and defrosting of the windshield, especially in humid or cold conditions. Without it, visibility is severely compromised, increasing the risk of an accident. Driver Impairment: In extreme temperatures, lack of climate control can lead to driver fatigue, distraction, and reduced concentration, posing an indirect safety risk. I am reporting it to request NHTSA monitor the trend. This seems to reflect a possible engineering or design flaw, and the number of similar owner reports suggests it may warrant further review by Toyota and NHTSA. Customers should not be facing multi-thousand-dollar repairs on near-new vehicles with basic systems failing. Thank you for tracking this issue.

NHTSA ID

11664890

Incident

May 31, 2024

Roof rails leak and allow water to enter the head liner and the air bags in the support arms of the cabin. Toyota has a Toyota Service Bulletin related to this but they and their dealers will not fix this. It would seem to be an issue if the air bags do not function as intended due to Toyota ignoring a manufacturing defect on their vehicles.

NHTSA ID

11659944

Incident

May 2, 2025

Windshield side beveled trim driver’s side snapped and flew off on the highway into oncoming traffic and the passenger side is also loss and almost coming off.

NHTSA ID

11654176

Incident

Apr 10, 2025

The contact owns a 2021 Toyota Highlander. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V720000 (Structure). The contact stated that while driving 30 MPH, an abnormal sound was coming from the front bumper. Upon inspection, the front bumper had partially detached from the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the dealer; however, it was unknown if the vehicle was repaired. The contact also received notification of NHTSA Campaign Numbers: 23V865000 (Air Bags); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The vehicle was taken to the dealer. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The vehicle had been with the dealer for over one year. The failure mileage was approximately 15,000. Parts distribution disconnect.

NHTSA ID

11649261

Incident

Mar 19, 2024

Mileage

15,000 mi

The contact owns a 2021 Toyota Highlander. The contact stated that rainwater leaked into the roof panel into the front driver’s and passenger’s side door panels, causing a mildew odor inside the cabin of the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who discovered mold was present inside the panels of the vehicle. The contact was informed that the interior headliner and headliner clips needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The failure mileage was 5.

NHTSA ID

11645366

Incident

Oct 10, 2022

Mileage

5 mi

Water leaking into the A pillar where airbags are located due to faulty seals in roof rails.

NHTSA ID

11618826

Incident

Jun 1, 2024