DETROIT — Toyota Highlander recalls have expanded across the United States after federal safety regulators confirmed that more than 550,000 SUVs could have a defective seat-back mechanism that may increase the risk of injury during a crash.
The recall affects 550,007 vehicles, including 420,771 standard Highlander SUVs and 129,236 Highlander Hybrid models, according to filings with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The vehicles involved are model years 2021 through 2024, one of the most widely sold midsize SUV lines in the American market.
What Caused the Toyota Highlander Recalls
The safety issue centers on the second-row seat-back locking mechanism. Regulators say the recliner assembly in the seat may not fully lock after the seat is adjusted. If the seat back remains unsecured, it may fail to properly restrain passengers in the event of a crash.
Toyota warned that a seat back that is not locked in place could increase the risk of injuries, particularly in high-speed collisions.
The issue was first reported to regulators earlier this year, prompting the automaker to issue a voluntary safety recall affecting hundreds of thousands of U.S. vehicles.
Which Highlander Models Are Affected
The highlander recall includes the following vehicles sold across the United States:
- 2021 Toyota Highlander
- 2022 Toyota Highlander
- 2023 Toyota Highlander
- 2024 Toyota Highlander
- 2021–2024 Toyota Highlander Hybrid
In total, more than half a million SUVs are part of the recall campaign, making it one of the largest U.S. vehicle safety actions announced by Toyota in 2026.
What Toyota Owners Should Do
Toyota said it will notify affected vehicle owners by mail beginning in May 2026. Once the repair program begins, dealerships will replace the return springs in the seat recliner assemblies with improved components. The repair will be performed free of charge.
Drivers can also check whether their SUV is included in the recall by entering their Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) on Toyota’s recall website or the NHTSA safety recall database.
Why the Highlander Recall Matters
The Toyota Highlander is one of the top-selling three-row SUVs in the United States, widely used by families and rideshare drivers. Safety recalls involving seating systems can draw particular scrutiny because they directly affect occupant protection during crashes.
Industry analysts say recalls of this scale are common in the auto industry but still important for consumers to address quickly.
Owners who receive recall notices are urged to schedule repairs with authorized Toyota dealerships as soon as replacement parts become available.
