The defect
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2021-2025 Highlander and Highlander Hybrid vehicles. The second-row seat backs may fail to lock into position during seat back adjustment.
The risk
A seat back that fails to lock may not properly restrain an occupant during a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
The remedy
Dealers will replace the return springs in the seat back recliner assemblies, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed September 9, 2026. This is a phased recall. Owners may contact Toyota’s customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's numbers for this recall are 26TB06 and 26TA06.
NHTSA's own wording · initiated by MFR
Vehicles covered
| Model | Model years |
|---|---|
| Toyota Highlander | 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025 |
| Toyota Highlander Hybrid | 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025 |
Components: SEATS:MID/REAR ASSEMBLY:RECLINER
Model years in this recall
NHTSA complaints and the number of recall campaigns for each model year this recall covers.
| Model | Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|---|
| Toyota Highlander | 2021 | 531 | 4 |
| Toyota Highlander | 2022 | 263 | 5 |
| Toyota Highlander | 2023 | 189 | 9 |
| Toyota Highlander | 2024 | 43 | 7 |
| Toyota Highlander | 2025 | 10 | 4 |
| Toyota Highlander Hybrid | 2021 | 15 | 4 |
| Toyota Highlander Hybrid | 2022 | 6 | 4 |
| Toyota Highlander Hybrid | 2023 | 9 | 6 |
| Toyota Highlander Hybrid | 2024 | 0 | 4 |
| Toyota Highlander Hybrid | 2025 | 0 | 3 |
Other seats recalls in 2026
29 of the 666 recall campaigns reported to NHTSA in 2026 concerned the seats; Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing filed 245 campaigns in all.
| 26V671000 9 Oct 2026 | Volvo Car USA, LLC |
| 26V664000 8 Oct 2026 | Hyundai Motor America |
| 26V655000 6 Oct 2026 | Ford Motor Company |
| 26V588000 11 Sept 2026 | Hyundai Motor America |
| 26V544000 21 Aug 2026 | PACCAR Incorporated |
| 26V470000 21 Jul 2026 | Ford Motor Company |
| 26V451000 14 Jul 2026 | Ford Motor Company |
| 26V430000 2 Jul 2026 | Kia America, Inc. |
NHTSA recalls (public domain) · all recalls of 2026