2021 Toyota Highlander · symptom sheet
Engine stalls or loses power while driving
- 41owner reports
- 75,000median miles
- $9,000median quote
- 0involved a crash
Newest report Sep 9, 2026 · checked Oct 2, 2026
299 of the 521 complaints on this car are about the transmission and drivetrain. 41 of those describe stalling.
Tick what matches of 41 reports
Stalling 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, 2020, 2022, 2023, 2024.
What this problem usually is
Stalling reports are some of the most alarming on the site. The engine quits while the car is moving, sometimes on a highway and sometimes at a stop. Many owners say it restarted right away and the dealer found no stored code, which is part of why these complaints pile up before anything gets fixed.
What got replaced
Owners who name the part that was replaced mention the battery (4 reports) and the fuel pump (3 reports).
Recalls and investigations
No recall on the transmission and drivetrain covers the 2021 model year as of Oct 2, 2026.
NHTSA investigations into the transmission and drivetrain on the Highlander
Unintended and uncontrolled acceleration. Closed mar 1, 2011, led to recall 11V-112.
Engine seizure. Closed jun 20, 2002.
None of these investigations covers the 2021 model year.
What owners paid
11 of the 41 reports quote a price. Each dot is one quote. The middle half runs $8,000 to $11,000.
When it happens
The middle half of failures fell between 50,000 and 94,500 miles, from the 18 reports that gave a mileage.
What owners wrote
“My car start with a noise and just lost power in the middle of the road causing almost an accident. This was caused due to the manufacture issue for the transmissions with my car model and brand.”
Filed May 21, 2026
“Automatic transmission making humming noise while driving, can potentially fail without warning and leading to loss of power and potential crash.”
Filed Nov 7, 2025
Should you keep driving it?
This page can't tell you that. 0 of 41 reports involved a crash. 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
- Brakes grind, pulse or wear early 67 reports
- Airbag warning light or recall 42 reports