2021 Toyota Highlander · symptom sheet
Brakes grind, pulse or wear early
- 67owner reports
- 36,000median miles
- 4involved a crash
Newest report Sep 17, 2026 · checked Oct 2, 2026
67 of the 521 complaints on this car describe brake wear. Only transmission failure is reported more often on this car.
Tick what matches of 67 reports
Brake wear on other Highlander years
Report counts are for each model year on its own, so a newer car has had less time to collect them. Model years with too few reports of it for a sheet: 2014, 2015, 2016, 2019, 2023, 2024.
What this problem usually is
Brake reports cover a wide spread of symptoms. Grinding or squealing is common, and so is a pulsing pedal or a shake through the car when stopping. Others describe pads and rotors worn out long before they expected, a brake warning light, or a pedal that goes soft or sinks toward the floor. The most serious ones say the car didn't stop in time.
What got replaced
Owners who name the part that was replaced mention the ABS module (6 reports).
Recalls and investigations
No recall on the brakes covers the 2021 model year as of Oct 2, 2026.
When it happens
The middle half of failures fell between 16,000 and 39,000 miles, from the 12 reports that gave a mileage.
What owners wrote
“Iâve had brakes inspected and was told my brakes look great. However there is major chattering coming off highway to slow on off ramp sometimes they donât grab as they should and I have to be extra proactive. Sometimes steering back and forth quickly to slow vehicle until the brakes will work properly bringing vehicle to a stop or before a collision could occur”
Filed Jan 16, 2024
“While braking at random times, at any speed, the vehicle surges forward. This makes you have to break harder to get the vehicle to stop. It seems as if the breaks do not work at all for a brief period. I have brought it into the dealer, my car is no longer under warranty, they found nothing wrong.”
Filed Jun 22, 2023
“my car experiences intermittent acceleration when applying the breaks. It lunges forward for some reason. It has also not stopped when hitting the breaks hard but lunges as well. I am using the last date that this happened.”
Filed Feb 22, 2023
“Brakes temporarily fail at low speed when regenative brakes switch to hydraulic brakes.”
Filed Jan 17, 2023
Should you keep driving it?
This page can't tell you that. 4 of 67 reports involved a crash and 5 people were hurt. Owners who file are the ones who had a bad experience, and nobody checks their reports. If the problem affects steering, braking, power or a fire risk, treat it as a safety fault and have it inspected before a long or high-speed drive.
File your own report with NHTSA. Complaint counts are how a problem gets an investigation. How reports land on this sheet.
Guide Taking it to a shop? How to describe this problem so it gets found
Other problems on this car
- Transmission fails or needs replacement 103 reports
- Airbag warning light or recall 42 reports
- Engine stalls or loses power while driving 41 reports