2021-2025 Toyota Highlander Seat Recliner Recall (26V128)
Toyota Motor Corporation · 686,588 vehicles · Reported March 5, 2026
Toyota Motor Corporation is recalling 686,588 2021-2025 Toyota Highlander; 2021-2025 Toyota Highlander Hybrid vehicles. The second-row seat backs may fail to lock into position during seat back adjustment. A seat back that fails to lock may not properly restrain an occupant during a crash, increasing the risk of injury. Dealers will make the repair free of charge.
Recall 26V128 at a glance
| NHTSA campaign number | 26V128000 |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer recall number | 26TB06 / 26TA06 |
| Date reported to NHTSA | March 5, 2026 |
| Manufacturer | Toyota Motor Corporation |
| Vehicles | 2021-2025 Toyota Highlander; 2021-2025 Toyota Highlander Hybrid |
| Units affected | 686,588 |
| Component | Seats > Mid / Rear Assembly > Recliner |
| Safety risk | A seat back that fails to lock may not properly restrain an occupant during a crash, increasing the risk of injury. |
| Fix | Available at dealers |
What is wrong with the 2021-2025 Toyota Highlander in recall 26V128?
The second-row seat backs may fail to lock into position during seat back adjustment.
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.
Is it safe to drive a 2021-2025 Highlander with recall 26V128?
NHTSA has not told owners to stop driving, but the risk is real: A seat back that fails to lock may not properly restrain an occupant during a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
NHTSA describes the risk this way: A seat back that fails to lock may not properly restrain an occupant during a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
There is no do-not-drive order on this campaign. If your Highlander shows warning lights or behaves differently in a way that involves the recliner, have it checked before driving further.
Which vehicles are included in recall 26V128?
Recall 26V128 covers 686,588 vehicles: 2021-2025 Toyota Highlander; 2021-2025 Toyota Highlander Hybrid.
NHTSA lists 686,588 vehicles in this campaign. Not every vehicle of these models and years is included, so check your VIN.
| Model years | Make | Model |
|---|---|---|
| 2021-2025 | Toyota | Highlander |
| 2021-2025 | Toyota | Highlander Hybrid |
What is the fix for the Highlander seat recliner recall?
Yes. Dealers will replace the return springs in the seat back recliner assemblies, free of charge.
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 Toyotaâs customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's numbers for this recall are 26TB06 and 26TA06.
Manufacturer recall number: 26TB06 / 26TA06.
When was recall 26V128 announced?
Toyota Motor Corporation reported recall 26V128 to NHTSA on March 5, 2026.
| Date | What happened |
|---|---|
| March 31, 2021 | First affected vehicle built (per Toyota Motor Corporation's filing). |
| March 5, 2026 | Toyota Motor Corporation filed the defect report with NHTSA; NHTSA assigned campaign 26V128000. |
| September 9, 2026 | Letters mailed (per NHTSA). |
This recall was filed 7 months ago. If your Highlander was built in that window, the VIN check below is the way to confirm it is included.
How do I check if my Highlander is part of recall 26V128?
Enter your 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. If recall 26V128 is open on your Highlander, it will be listed there.
Enter your 17-character VIN at NHTSA’s recall lookup. It shows any open safety recall on your vehicle, including 26V128000. Your VIN is on the registration card, the insurance card, and the driver side of the dashboard where it meets the windshield. Recent recalls can take a few days to appear in the lookup.
What should Highlander owners do about recall 26V128?
Check your VIN, schedule the free recall repair, and keep a repair order for every dealer visit.
- Check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to confirm recall 26V128000 applies to your Highlander.
- Book the recall appointment with any authorized Toyota dealer. Ask up front whether parts are available and how long the vehicle will be there.
- Keep a copy of every repair order. Check that each one lists your complaint, the mileage, and the dates in and out.
- Write down when symptoms involving the recliner happen: date, mileage, speed, weather and what you felt or heard. Photos and short videos help.
- Count the days the vehicle is at the dealer. Days out of service add up toward California's 30-day presumption.
- If the problem comes back after the repair, return to the dealer and contact a lemon law attorney.
What are Highlander owners reporting to NHTSA?
Owners have filed 1,041 complaints with NHTSA about these vehicles since 2020, 82 of them about the body, doors and seats.
Since recall 26V128 was reported on March 5, 2026, owners have filed 30 complaints with NHTSA about the body, doors and seats on these vehicles. 2 of them (7%) describe the same problem happening more than once or coming back after a repair attempt.
How we counted: we matched NHTSA owner complaints for the model years in this recall that list the body, doors and seats and were received on or after March 5, 2026, then flagged narratives that describe a repeat failure or a problem returning after a dealer repair, recall service or software update. Data from NHTSA, accessed October 1, 2026. Complaints are unverified owner reports and may involve a related body, doors and seats issue rather than this exact defect; automated text matching can miss or misread some reports.
NHTSA’s public complaint database lists 1,041 owner complaints filed since 2020 for the vehicles in this recall, and 82 of them involve the body, doors and seats. Complaints are reports from owners and have not been verified by NHTSA, but a high count for the same component is a sign the problem is widespread.
- 2021 Toyota Highlander: 521 complaints in total, 15 about the body, doors and seats
- 2022 Toyota Highlander: 257 complaints in total, 28 about the body, doors and seats
- 2023 Toyota Highlander: 181 complaints in total, 30 about the body, doors and seats
- 2024 Toyota Highlander: 42 complaints in total, 2 about the body, doors and seats
- 2021 Toyota Highlander Hybrid: 15 complaints in total, 3 about the body, doors and seats
- 2025 Toyota Highlander: 10 complaints in total, 0 about the body, doors and seats
- 2023 Toyota Highlander Hybrid: 9 complaints in total, 4 about the body, doors and seats
- 2022 Toyota Highlander Hybrid: 6 complaints in total, 0 about the body, doors and seats
A few excerpts from owner complaints filed with NHTSA (unverified, lightly trimmed):
The contact owns a 2021 Toyota Highlander Hybrid. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V720000 (Structure) 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 made aware of the issue.
2021 Toyota Highlander Hybrid owner, FL, NHTSA complaint 11570995, filed February 9, 2024
The contact's mother owns a 2021 Toyota Highlander Hybrid. The contact stated while driving 70 MPH out of town, another driver informed the contact that the front bumper had detached. The contact pulled over to the side of the road and inspected the vehicle. The contact continued driving to the destination.
2021 Toyota Highlander Hybrid owner, UT, NHTSA complaint 11614292, filed September 12, 2024
The contact owns a 2021 Toyota Highlander Hybrid. The contact received notifications of NHTSA Campaign Numbers: 23V720000 (Structure) and 23V865000 (Air Bags); however, the parts to do the recall repairs were not yet available. The local dealer was contacted.
2021 Toyota Highlander Hybrid owner, CA, NHTSA complaint 11615432, filed September 19, 2024
Can recall 26V128 make my Highlander a lemon in California?
Not by itself. A recall repair that fails, or repeat dealer visits for the same defect, can support a California lemon law claim.
Recall 26V128000 does not automatically make your Highlander a lemon. California's Song-Beverly Act asks two questions: does a warranty defect substantially impair the vehicle's use, value or safety, and did the manufacturer fail to fix it in a reasonable number of tries (Civ. Code 1793.2(d))?
Door latch, seat and body structure defects can affect safety in a crash and everyday use. If the recall repair does not solve the problem, the repeat visit is part of your record.
The recall repair is available at dealers. If it works, great. If the same symptom comes back, the recall visit is one repair attempt and the next visit is another.
California law presumes a reasonable number of attempts has been made if, within 18 months or 18,000 miles of delivery, the same problem was repaired two or more times for a defect likely to cause death or serious injury, four or more times for any covered defect, or the vehicle was out of service for repairs more than 30 days in total (Civ. Code 1793.22(b)). Some of these require written notice to the manufacturer. A claim can still succeed outside that window.
An owner who prevails in a lemon law case can recover reasonable attorney fees and costs from the manufacturer (Civ. Code 1794(d)). You pay nothing, win or lose. We are paid only if you win, and the manufacturer pays our fees, including in settlements. If a case is lost, our firm covers the costs.
In our cases, a recall repair visit counts as a repair attempt, and it's strongest when the owner complained about the problem before the recall came out. A recall shows the defect is real and that enough owners reported it for the manufacturer to issue a fix.
The biggest mistake I see is waiting too long. The mileage offset starts at your first repair visit for the problem, so the sooner you take it in, the better. If the problem comes and goes, take it in when it happens. You can't go back to that date later.
If you get a recall notice, call a lemon law attorney right away. You may have taken the car in for the same problem before and forgotten, or there may be other recalls related to it.
Jacob Shayesteh, Esq. (SBN 362320), Founder and Managing Attorney. Quotes lightly edited for clarity. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.
Has your Highlander been back to the dealer for this problem?
Call 877-536-6620Other Toyota Highlander recalls
Frequently asked questions about recall 26V128
Did the recall 26V128 fix work?
Since recall 26V128 was reported on March 5, 2026, owners have filed 30 complaints with NHTSA about the body, doors and seats on these vehicles. 2 of them (7%) describe the same problem happening more than once or coming back after a repair attempt. If your vehicle still has the problem after the recall repair, go back to the dealer, get a repair order, and talk to a lemon law attorney.
Is the 26V128000 recall repair free?
Yes. Safety recall repairs are done free of charge at authorized dealers.
How do I know if my Highlander is part of recall 26V128000?
Enter your 17-character VIN in NHTSA's recall lookup at nhtsa.gov/recalls, or call a dealer. The VIN is on your registration, insurance card and the lower corner of the windshield.
Does a recall mean my car is a lemon?
Not on its own. A lemon law claim depends on whether a covered defect keeps coming back or keeps the vehicle out of service. A recall repair that fails, or repeat visits for the same problem, can support a claim.
What should I keep for a possible lemon law claim?
Keep every repair order, the recall owner letter, your purchase or lease contract, and notes on dates, mileage and symptoms. Make sure each dealer visit is written up, even when the dealer says it cannot find a problem.
Does the recall fixing my car mean I have no case?
Not necessarily. Even if the recall repair fixed it, you may still have a case, and a car that's a year or more old can still qualify.
Do used cars qualify for California lemon law?
We take certified pre-owned, demo and dealer vehicles. Since the California Supreme Court's Rodriguez decision in 2024, ordinary used cars generally do not qualify.
How long does a recall lemon law case take?
Recall-related cases typically resolve in one to three months from your first call. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.
What does a lemon law attorney cost?
You pay nothing, win or lose. We are paid only if you win, and the manufacturer pays our fees, including in settlements. If a case is lost, our firm covers the costs.
Sources
- NHTSA recall record 26V128000 (recall report and owner letters are posted there)
- NHTSA complaints and recalls data, accessed October 1, 2026
- California Civil Code 1793.2 and 1793.22
Attorney advertising. America’s Lemon Lawyer is a trade name of Wynn Law Group, APC. Responsible attorney: Jacob Shayesteh, Esq. (SBN 362320). This page is general information, not legal advice. America’s Lemon Lawyer is not affiliated with NHTSA or Toyota. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.