Power Train Problems of Toyota Highlander - part 1

The contact owns a 2021 Toyota Highlander. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was a whining sound coming from the vehicle. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed with transmission failure. The dealer stated that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. After the vehicle was parked and turned off, there was transmission fluid leaking from the vehicle. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the head gasket had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The contact then noticed fluid leaking from the transfer case while the vehicle was parked and turned off. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the transfer case had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 74,700.

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2018 Toyota Highlander awd. Whining noise when gas is pressed. Whining stops when gas pedal not engaged. Started at 116000 mileage. Regular service done at dealer. Slippage/ delay in gear shifting (automatic). No light on dash to show there may be an issue. Bought a Toyota, because they are supposed to be great cars that run long time. Not real happy to hear that they know they have quality and training issues that can seriously hurt people, and they are not doing anything about it. And “their”consumers have to eat the cost for their mistake. I hope NHTSA files another motion to cover move of the vehicle having the powertrain issue.

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Transmission began making a whining noise around 70,000 miles. Transmission completely failed at 90,000 while driving on the highway and lost all forward gears and neutral. Only reverse gear works.

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My vehicle is experiencing a transmission safety issue that has been diagnosed by the authorized Toyota dealer service center (Toyota of scranton). During my most recent service visit on 3/2/26, the dealer reported that the transmission is “failing and whining” and recommended full transmission replacement. This condition creates unsafe driving behavior, including abnormal whining noise during acceleration and the concern for sudden transmission failure while driving. The Highlander started exhibiting issues with the transmission within the past 7 days. This issue appears consistent with the known transmission defect referenced in Toyota technical service bulletin t?sb?0008?21, which addresses whining and grinding noises caused by internal transmission component failure in 2021 model?year vehicles equipped with ua80-series transmissions. Multiple independent reports indicate that this condition can worsen and may lead to loss of power or drivability while the vehicle is in motion. For safety reasons, I am submitting this complaint so the issue can be evaluated as part of any ongoing or future defect investigations. I am concerned about the potential risk of transmission failure while driving, which could increase the chance of a crash.

Transmission failed at early miles around 90k.

I have been hearing a high pitched whirling noise. I took it to my dealership and the diagnostic report said it was an internal transmission problem. They said there was no code identified when they ran the diagnostic test, but they could also hear the noise. There were no other symptoms of an issue other than the noise I heard. I have done all scheduled maintenance for this car since I leased, then purchased it in 2019. When I researched the issue further, I found that vehicles from 2019 are known to have been built with faulty transmissions. I did not know this at the time of purchase.

The contact owns a 2021 Toyota Highlander. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was an abnormal whining sound coming from the transmission. The contact was concerned about the sound and contacted a dealer. The vehicle was driven to the dealer and was diagnosed with transmission failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 60,347.

I am reaching out regarding our 2021 Toyota Highlander which currently has $65 k miles and is just out of warranty. Recently we noticed a wining noise during acceleration. We took the vehicle to the dealer who told us that the transmission will need to be replaced. $9500 repair. This is a known issue with Toyota and they will not work with us on this. We are stuck! no customer goodwill! thank you!.

Vehicle: 2020 Toyota Highlander xle purchased: August 2020 owner: original owner transmission: ua80f dealer quote for “transmission assembly remove and replace: $8,666. 22 +tax the vehicle is experiencing delayed acceleration (lagging power) and a loud whirring noise from the transmission when the accelerator pedal is pressed. The whirring noise immediately stops when the accelerator pedal is released. The Toyota Highlander had just exceeded the 60,000 mile/5 year powertrain warranty. Vehicle has 68,079 miles and is 5 1/2 years old. The delayed acceleration creates a serious safety hazard, particularly when starting from a complete stop while attempting to make a turn into traffic. On multiple occasions, the vehicle failed to respond promptly when the accelerator was pressed, placing the vehicle at risk of being struck by oncoming traffic. On February 17, 2026, oakbrook Toyota diagnosed the vehicle with a failed/bad transmission after charging a $200 diagnostic fee to investigate the whirring noise and power delay. This failure occurred on a vehicle that has been properly maintained and has not been modified. Upon searching the internet, there are many, many complaints regarding the ua80 transmissions failing between 60,000 and 70,000 miles. There are also multiple lawsuits filed for failed transmissions.

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I purchased my brand new Highlander on January 31, 2021 and was told today that I need a transmission replacement. My vehicle started about two month ago with a whining sound while accelerating. My vehicle currently has 78,000 miles and is out of the extended warranty of 60,000/5 year. I learned that Toyota released a bulletin on February 9, 2021 stating transmission issues for particular Toyota models, the Highlander being one. After researching the issue, there are several stories of Highlander owners who are experiencing the same issue. It’s a shame that they knew of the problem in February 2021 and with the transmission replacements on vehicles less than 5 years old and haven’t issued a formal recall for this known defect.

My 2020 Toyota Highlander, with 83k miles, started making a whining noise when accelerating. I took the vehicle to a local auto shop and they advised there was a transmission issue. There were never any warning signs of issue. I then took the vehicle to antwerpen Toyota in clarksville, MD (where the vehicle was purchased) and paid $185 for a diagnostic appointment. On February 20, 2026, the dealership provided a written estimate for “replace automatic transmission assy” with a total cost of $9,403. 77. I am very concerned for the safety of myself and others continuing to drive the vehicle without proper repair. The vehicle is otherwise in great condition and I keep up with all regular maintenance.

The contact owns a 2018 Toyota Highlander. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle made grinding sounds while accelerating. Additionally, the vehicle jerked while shifting into gear. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who determined that the transmission fluid was dirty and that the transmission assembly and torque converter needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 107,700.

Delayed acceleration, jerking shifting between gears and whining noise.

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I’m concerned that my transmission was defective. My vehicle has 94k miles and was told by dealer I needed a new transaxle. We have never used our vehicle to tow or ever been stuck. It just doesn’t make sense why it would be defective. I was able to locate a Toyota bulletin regarding this.

Toyota is asking me to pay for a brand new transmission replacement in my car that is only 5 years old, 74,000 miles on it. The cost is $10,000. How is it possible a brand new vehicle is needing this? I have read a lot of reviews that Toyota is knowingly using the transmission type that they even had to recall on earlier models. Why are they still making vehicles using this type of transmission when it continues to need total transmission replacement so early on? and offer zero assistance. We bought Toyota because we thought it was the best. I will never buy Toyota again, this is a huge cost for a young family with a teachers salary.

Ua80 transmission failure @ 3. 5 yrs old and 89k miles.

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My Toyota was just in the shop for 100,000 mile service and investigation of whining noise upon acceleration. Was notified that the transmission needs replaced and will cost over $7500 . Transmissions are supposedly on back order. Upon further investigation, discovered there is a known issue with 2017-2019 Highlander transmissions that Toyota failed to issue a recall and failed to notify owners of these models. Repairs have not been made as transmissions are on backorder due to the magnitude of the issue.

Failed ua80/f transmission needs replacement for poor manufacturing.

I had the 60,000 mile service on February 2,2026 and after the service was completed I left the dealership and got on the freeway to go home. I heard a whining noise and immediately turned around and took it back to the dealer. I took the mechanic who worked on my car for a drive and he was able to hear the winding noise and we returned to the dealership. It took the mechanic three hours to come to the conclusion that I needed a new transmission. They still have my car and I have not heard anything about coverage or when it will be done.

Known transmission failure. Whining noise when accelerating. T-sb-0008-21.

On Sunday, February 1st 2026 during sub-freezing temperatures the vehicle's 8-speed automatic transmission (ua80) experienced a complete mechanical failure while driving. This resulted in a sudden and total loss of vehicle propulsion, requiring the car to be towed. Prior to the failure, the vehicle's awd system indicator light was illuminated. The failure was diagnosed by alexandria Toyota on February 3rd of 2026 as a catastrophic internal transmission failure requiring full replacement of the transmission assembly with cooler (see attached quote). This defect causes an unreasonable safety risk by potentially stranding the vehicle in moving traffic or causing a crash due to unexpected loss of power.

The transmission in my 2021 Toyota Highlander began making a loud whining/whirring noise that increases with vehicle speed. The vehicle was inspected by a Toyota dealership, and I was told the transmission has failed and needs to be replaced. Toyota stated the repair would be out of pocket, despite the vehicle’s age and proper maintenance. There were no warning lights prior to the failure. This condition affects drivability and raises safety concerns, including the risk of sudden transmission failure or loss of power while driving, especially at highway speeds. I believe this is a premature transmission defect and am reporting it for investigation.

Transmission starting making a whining noise failing at 106,950 miles. Inspection by transmission shop shows issue related to ua80e/f transmissions. Concerns or increased inspection for transmission were never mentioned during prior maintenance with dealerships or any notices sent out to owners. No warnings or codes recorded on system eco. •Toyota tech tip t tt 0410 •bulletin t sb 0160 18 •bulletin t sb 0008 21 •bulletin t sb 0122 20 •bulletin t sb 0087 23.

1. What component or system failed or malfunctioned? system: power train: automatic transmission specific component: ua80 8-speed automatic transmission (internal failure) available for inspection: yes, the vehicle is currently available. 2. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? while merging onto the highway, the transmission failed to upshift, resulting in a sudden and unexpected loss of acceleration. The vehicle could not reach or maintain highway speeds (speed limit). This created an immediate hazard as I was unable to keep up with the flow of traffic, forcing me to make an emergency exit across multiple lanes while moving significantly slower than other vehicles. The loss of motive power increased the risk of a high-speed rear-end collision. 3. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer? yes. The problem was confirmed by heritage Toyota service. The technicians confirmed an internal transmission failure. A secondary consultation with a transmission specialist (aamco) also identified the failure as a known mechanical defect common to this transmission model. 4. Has the vehicle been inspected by the manufacturer. . . Or others? yes, it has been inspected by the authorized Toyota dealership listed above. I have also reported the issue to Toyota brand engagement (national), but a corporate field inspection (dspm) has not yet been performed. 5. Were there any warning lamps. . . Or other symptoms? symptoms: a distinct whining noise from the engine/transmission area that increased with vehicle speed. Prior events: the vehicle was taken to the dealer specifically for this noise. The dealer performed a fluid change and released the vehicle. The catastrophic failure (loss of power) occurred less than 24 hours after leaving the dealership. No dashboard warning lights illuminated prior to the loss of power.

Whinning noise during acceleration on the road and gear shift problems.

- the vehicle has been experiencing shifting issues (its an automatic vehicle) when driving in all instances and at all speeds that has progressively gotten worse over the past 4-8 weeks. - as it seems to be a transmission issue (and a known one pending litigation) the safety issue is if the transmission fails during operation of the car. - it was brought to a dealership to be inspected after it was initially felt as more of a vibration than the more harsh shifting/engine sounds and issues that it is currently experiencing. The dealership thought it to be the front hub assembly/bearing that was the issue. I had the front driver side replaced and the issue still remains and has continued to worsen. It has not been inspected by the manufacturer, police, or insurance representative. - there have been no warning lamps or messages at all. - through research it appears this is a known issue with ongoing litigation (2 class action lawsuits currently in litigation related to ua80f transmissions of which it appears that our VIN is in the affected group).

Vehicle experienced sudden loss of power and severe hesitation from a stop. Acceleration is extremely weak from approximately 0–20 mph, then returns to normal once moving. Traction control system automatically disables itself and check engine light illuminates. Vehicle feels unsafe when pulling into traffic or intersections due to delayed acceleration. Diagnostic trouble codes retrieved: p0740 (torque converter clutch actuator stuck on), p0745 (pressure control solenoid a stuck off), and p2713 (pressure control solenoid d stuck off). Dealer recommended full transmission replacement costing over $11,000 at only 79,000 miles. Dealer stated this failure is common on this model. Similar failures have been reported by other owners of Toyota vehicles equipped with the ua80 8-speed automatic transmission. No recall currently exists for this issue. This condition presents a safety concern due to delayed acceleration when entering traffic and loss of traction control functionality. Vehicle is being driven minimally until repaired.

We began noticing a whining sound that has progressively gotten louder and more frequent upon acceleration. After taking it to the dealership, they claim it requires a transmission replacement. According to the dealership themselves and information online, this seems to be a common defect with 2021 Highlanders.

The contact owns a 2018 Toyota Highlander. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle was idling roughly with an abnormal sound. The vehicle was driven to the shoulder of the road. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where it was diagnosed with transmission failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact ordered the parts to repair the transmission but was informed that the parts were not available nationwide. The contact stated that the failure was a known failure. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 98,340.

The transmission is whining and is going out it is shifting hard now.

I was driving on a 2-lane road early in the morning with light snowfall. There was about 1" of snow on the road, with the roads not yet plowed or treated as it was the beginning of the snowfall. About 15 minutes into my trip, I was on a relatively flat and straight stretch of the road and let up on the gas paddle to avoid going too fast -- was probably traveling ~35 mph. Although the road was straight and flat at that point, my car suddenly started fishtailing, slowly turned 180 degrees and sliding to the other side of the road, ending up on the opposite edge of the road. When it hit the edge of the road, it tipped over on its right side, as apparently the dirt at the edge of the road was not as slippery as the road, and the SUV having a high center of gravity. Since my car was an awd hybrid vehicle, I believe that the triggering event was the vehicle shutting down the gas engine and switching to ev mode when I started coasting (that usually happens when I'm driving <40 mph and the vehicle is sufficiently warm). But I did not look at the dashboard to see if the ev mode switched on at that point. In addition, while I did not sense any skidding prior to this event, it's possible that there may have been a slick spot right at that point in the road. But it seemed to me that when the power to the front wheels was reduced from the gas engine shutting down (as I believe was the case), the transition to electric motors taking over the front drive created some perceived traction issues which triggered the electric motors in the back to try to compensate for the perceived traction issues in the front. But the rear drive ended up creating a significant differential where the right rear wheel was driving much harder than the left rear wheel, creating the car spin and slide, which the traction control did not correct. I did not apply the brakes nor gas once the car started skidding. The car was 10 years old and was a total loss as a result of tipping on its side.

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Transmission failed catastrophically at 133,000 miles while vehicle was in operation at a busy intersection. Vehicle became immobilized and unable to move. Unable to safely exit vehicle due to traffic. Stranded for 60-90 minutes with multiple vehicles nearly striking the disabled vehicle, creating a serious safety hazard. Police were called but failed to show up. Prior to failure: vehicle exhibited loud whining noise during initial startup that would sometimes lessen or stop. This symptom appeared sometime within the last 1,000 miles of operation. Toyota dealer service at 132k miles noted transmission fluid was "ok" during routine maintenance. At 133k miles transmission failed catastrophically. Independent transmission service center reports burnt-smelling transmission fluid indicating severe thermal damage and transmission failure. Problem confirmed by two independent service centers. Transmission is available for inspection upon request. Vehicle is not drivable.

My 2022 Toyota Highlander experienced transmission-related issues that affected the vehicle’s performance, reliability, and overall value. These problems caused inconvenience, safety concerns, and additional stress, and in some cases required diagnostic visits, repairs, or time without use of the vehicle. As a consumer who purchased the vehicle with the reasonable expectation of dependable operation, I believe compensation is warranted for the diminished value, disruption, and potential repair costs resulting from this defect.

Ua80 transmission failed.

High pitch wine when accelerating.