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2021 Toyota Highlander Exterior lighting Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the exterior lighting system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Exterior lighting reportsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
8
Latest Sep 27, 2026
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
2%
of 518 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
0
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
0

What this page shows

Reports naming headlights, tail lights, turn signals and other exterior lighting. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2021 Toyota Highlander submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 8 reports on file name it.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

Owner reports naming exterior lighting

Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed

Exterior lighting
Filed Sep 27, 2026

Head lights for newer vehicles are coming very bright and are pointing higher than normal safety levels causing on coming traffic feels like these lights are on high beam, which causes blinding issues for on coming traffic.

NHTSA ID
11767217
Incident
Aug 13, 2026
BrakesElectricalExterior lighting
Filed Feb 27, 2025

Since I got his vehicle i satated to the Toyota that having the breaks problem and dash is not working properly and blind spot is not working on time

NHTSA ID
11645339
Incident
Feb 27, 2025
AirbagsExterior lighting
Filed Jun 12, 2024

The contact owns a 2021 Toyota Highlander. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V865000 (Air Bags); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The dealer was not made aware of the issue. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available. I am VERY concerned that Toyota hasn’t taken this more seriously. I notice in the NTSB website it has injuries and fatalities listed to the left of the complains. Does someone have to be injured or killed before Toyota gets their act together??? Thinking we may need to trade this for another SAFER, RELIABLE vehicle. I have also had many people flash me due to the headlights being too high and in their face-another SAFETY concern.

NHTSA ID
11594018
Incident
Jun 12, 2024
Exterior lighting
Filed Mar 26, 2024

The contact owns a 2021 Toyota Highlander. The contact stated while driving at night at approximately 35 MPH, the low-beam headlights appeared to shine directly into the eyes of drivers in the opposite lane. The contact stated that other drivers would flash their high-beam headlights. The contact stated that he had checked at night by observing the low beam lights aiming point and he saw that they appeared to be aimed high. The contact had not taken the vehicle to a local dealer or independent mechanic. The vehicle was not diagnosed and was not repaired. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 20,000.

NHTSA ID
11579527
Incident
Sep 26, 2022
Mileage
20,000 mi
Exterior lighting
Filed Jan 27, 2024

The headlights of the Toyota Highlander are too bright for other drivers. When driving at night, I am constantly flashed because the drivers think the highbeams are turned on when in fact, the lights are too bright for their visibility.

NHTSA ID
11568160
Incident
Dec 1, 2021
Exterior lighting
Filed Dec 6, 2022

The front headlights (low beam) are aimed too high resulting in blinding of oncoming drivers. More than half of all oncoming cars flash their lights suggesting. This has occurred for a year and a half since the vehicle was purchased. While a small adjustment was made to the headlights by the vehicle owner, this type of adjust was denied from the Toyota service department, and should never have been needed in the first place.

NHTSA ID
11496262
Incident
Jan 1, 2022
Exterior lighting
Filed Jul 28, 2022

The headlights on the Toyota Highlander XLE AWD (2021) are set too high. They are constantly bothering vehicles in front of me, they believe I have the high lights and upcoming traffic are constantly putting on their highlights because they are annoyed. My Toyota dealership has not received any complaints but they are legit.

NHTSA ID
11476330
Incident
Jul 26, 2022
Exterior lighting
Filed Mar 23, 2022

Head lights are situated too high and are distracting upcoming vehicles, which may distort upcoming traffic.

NHTSA ID
11458016
Incident
Mar 22, 2022

Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.

Other components reported on this vehicle

Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own

Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

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