Power Train Problems of Toyota Highlander - part 2

Transmission began to manifest gear shifting issues. Took to mechanic shop to have diagnosed and found premature wear. The recommendation was to replace this transmission. However there are no factory replacements for this transmission and the only alternative is a used transmission replacement. Parts can't be sourced for even a rebuild. This vehicle has 96k miles on it. In review of recommended, routine services for this vehicle, transmission service is not recommended due to being a "sealed" transmission. Apparently this is a known issue as documented by Toyota under TSB "csp zjc". In this particular situation there have not been any warning lights. Replacement quote for a used transmission was $15,000 on 01/12/2025.

See all problems of the 2019 Toyota Highlander 🔎.

Technical service bulletin was issued for my 2021 Highlander car in February of 2021 for a well documented transmission issue (whine and grind noise). We are now put in a position that requires us to replace the transmission at a substantial cost. This expense is budget crushing and any assistance in getting Toyota to assist with the expense would be greatly appreciated.

See all problems of the 2021 Toyota Highlander 🔎.

The contact owns a 2021 Toyota Highlander. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle jerked abnormally and failed to accelerate as intended while depressing the accelerator pedal. The contact pulled to the side of the road. The vehicle failed, then failed to respond while in drive or reverse. No warning light was illuminated. The contact called for roadside assistance and had the vehicle towed to a safe location. The vehicle was then towed to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed the vehicle and informed the contact that the transmission had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired due to the cost. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.

Transmission failure of 2022 Toyota Highlander le at 82,329 miles. Safety compromised due to possible roadside failure.

See all problems of the 2022 Toyota Highlander 🔎.

Transmission has failed, making high pitched whining noise while accelerating. Will need full replacement the car only has 66k miles on it - just out of warranty.

I had problems in gear shift the car when start moving it’s go very slow it’s need about 1 minute to change the shift. The Toyota dealership recommended me to change the transmission with the cost $11,000.

See all problems of the 2017 Toyota Highlander 🔎.

Transmission is presenting a high-pitched whining noise.

See all problems of the 2020 Toyota Highlander 🔎.

Transmission started to make a whining noise. After a month the sound increased in loudness and took to dealer to check. Came back with needing transmission replaced due to bad bearing. Was replaced with aftermarket warrenty protection.

I started hearing a winning noise that got louder with speed, this month I took it to the dealership in austin, TX and they said it needed a new transmission. It only has 67,219 miles. My 2008 was sold at 219k miles with no problems. I see online there has been problems with this type of transmission for many years. They are replacing it with the very same transmission. . . .

Purchased my 2017 Highlander in June of 2017. At 4912 miles noticed the transmission was slipping. Contacted the dealership and was told from an employee that in his 20 plus years he had never had a transmission do that. Took it to the dealership and it was the transmission. It was replaced under warranty. In January of 2026 took it to the dealership after noticing a weird whinnying sound when running. After running a diagnostic test I was informed that my transmission needed replaced again. It only has 72,426 miles. Was told that the transmission was on back order and when asked if safe to drive, told yes.

Our 2020 Highlander with 45,000 miles started making a whining noise when accelerating. After the Toyota garage looked at it we were told that we needed a full transmission replacement. No warning lights came on alerting of us of problem. We were also told by the service depart that they are not surprised there hasn’t been a recall due to how many transmissions they have replaced on these vehicles and especially this type of transmission. Upon researching this particular issue, it is a wide known issue with class action lawsuits. New transmissions are also only carrying a 1 year warranty. That is hardly a warranty on a costly repair. It will cost us out of pocket $8,000 for a vehicle that is meticulously maintained and with only 44,000 miles. These vehicles are still being sold putting myself, my family and many more americans as risk.

Transmission has high pitch when accelerating.

Transaxle (transmission) failure. Whining noise then failed while driving freeway. Towed to dealer/mechanic and confirm failure. There was a whining sound but no engine light warnings prior to complete failure. Toyota put out a TSB for this but was never informed - pol19-04. Toyota needs to expand csp zjc coverage to all ua80f/ua80e-equipped vehicles exhibiting symptoms, regardless of VIN range.

See all problems of the 2018 Toyota Highlander 🔎.

I own a 2017 Toyota Highlander with 6 cylinders (engine model 2gr-fks). It has 107,000 miles. I brought it to my dealer for inspection and service, and noted that it was making a whirring/whining sound upon acceleration. There were no warning messages on the dashboard to alert me of any issues. The dealer reported back to me that the transmission was failing and quoted $11k to fix it. Upon researching this issue, I learned that this is a known problem with 2017 model Highlanders.

Transmission failure. Unexpectedly failed while driving. Failure to accelerate before total failure. Repaired with used transmission since new ones are unavailable. Called Toyota to report the failure. No acknowledgement of any failure mechanism.

Transmission stopped working while I was driving. Could not drive the car.

The transfer case blew out when I stopped at a red-light, within the first 3 years of original ownership. Only 65,000 miles on the odometer, mostly from highway driving. The car is now inoperable and repair quotes are prohibitively expensive.

See all problems of the 2023 Toyota Highlander 🔎.

Good morning, I purchased a 2019 Toyota Highlander at a Toyota dealership and the transmission has died at 68,000. It died while driving in heavy traffic with my kids in the car. Toyota has completed an inspection of the transmission and determined that it needed to be replaced. They also said that because the transmissions are in back order due to all of the failures, I would have to wait 45-60 days to get a remanufactured transmission. I've also heard that they are replacing these transmissions with the same ones that are failing and only offering a 1 year warranty. Ive already spoke with Toyota brand engagement and they told me that there was nothing that they could do.

-- what component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? this report is regarding a premature transmission failure in our 2017 Toyota Highlander equipped with the ua80f 8-speed automatic transmission. Our Highlander is currently stuck at high tech automotive in wenatchee, wa 150+ miles from home after experiencing a transmission failure on the highway. -- how was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? during the transmission failure while driving on the highway the check engine light came on as well as abs light and vehicle went into a limp mode. The transmission failure and subsequent limp mode rapidly decreased our speed while traveling on the highway and forced us to limp the vehicle at low speeds across traffic putting ourselves and others traveling on the highway at risk. This vehicle has been well maintained and serviced in accordance with Toyota’s recommended maintenance schedule. Despite this, the transmission failed unexpectedly during a recent family road trip to wenatchee, wa, leaving us stranded far from home. -- has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? yes, the vehicle was towed to high tech automotive in wenatchee wa (where it is currently stranded). The diagnostics report there confirmed proper transmission fluid level and a failed transmission with burnt transmission fluid. -- has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? not yet. A request for assistance was sent to Toyota today. -- were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? there were no warning lamps, or messages. We've had the vehicle maintained and there was a whirring sound which we had inspected at dougs auto tune and repair thinking it could be the timing chain or alternator but there was no indication of transmission issues.

Whine noise when you accelerate coming from the automatic transmission. Car is hesitant in shifting gears when needing to accelerate causing safety issues/concerns while driving due to the inconsistency. Toyota dealer as inspected the vehicle and recommended a transmission replacement. Dealer has filed a claim with Toyota to see if it will be covered or not. Total price of repair quoted from dealer was $8700. 00. I am also being told there is a back order on parts related to the repair of the vehicle and that the amount of vehicles with this issue are increasing in numbers each day. I purchased this vehicle new in 2020 and have been the sole owner.

Transmission stutters. Only has 32000 miles.

We began to hear a whine coming from the front of our 2019 Highlander. The tone of the whine got higher as we picked up speed. We went immediately for a preliminary review at the dealer who indicated that it was a known transmission problem in several model years, and the whine would only become more pronounced. We further understood that the very same transmission in our 2019 Highlander has been covered by a recall in years just prior and after 2019, but not for our particular VIN. Nevertheless, it is obvious to even the Toyota dealer mechanic that it is the same issue. The car has been carefully used and maintained since purchasing it new--it only has approximately 74,000. We expect our transmission fix or replacement to be covered.

Transmission whines in low gear.

While driving, my vehicle experienced a sudden transmission failure. The vehicle began to lose power and was unable to shift properly, making it difficult and unsafe to continue driving. I had the vehicle inspected and the transmission is currently being rebuilt. The mechanic performing the rebuild has stated that the failure was caused by a faulty build and a manufacturer defect, not normal wear and tear. I am currently awaiting written documentation from the mechanic confirming this, which will be submitted once received.

I was driving to a stop light when I heard a raddle. Pull over and all the oil came out the engine. When I took it to the dealer they told me that the engine blew up. 14k repair that Toyota would not cover the repair.

The contact owns a 2022 Toyota Highlander. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the accelerator pedal was depressed, but the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended and made an unusual whining sound. No warning lights were illuminated. The contact's husband, a certified mechanic, diagnosed that the transmission had failed. The contact was informed that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure, and a case was filed. The contact related the failure to several unknown tsbs. The contact was informed that the repair was not covered under warranty. In addition, the contact was advised to contact the NHTSA hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 71,000.

The transmission has started making a whining sound just like the cars/transmissions effected buy the TSB from Toyota related to 8-speed auto transmission failures. My dealer said they have seen a lot of them and mine sounds like it, but they claim I'm not part of the TSB allowing for replacement. Toyota has a real problem with the transmissions in 2018 Highlanders but they refuse to fix the problem.

The transmission failed while going up a steep hill the car lost power and shut off. Could have caused seriously property and body damage if traffic or people were around. Luckily no accident happened but could certainly cause an accident if the circumstances are different. Please make an official complain so this could be fully investigated.

2019 Toyota Highlander with approx 178000 miles, ua80e transmission sudden failure while traveling approximately 30 mph, on city street. Manually pushed vehicle to safety away from traffic and unto a parking lot. That same evening drove vehicle about 20 feet to a more secure parking spot. Vehicle has not been moved since 12/15/25. No leaks, no spills etc extremely dangerous.

On Monday December 15, 2025 our transmission failed as we began to drive up a small grade in between two sets of railroad tracks at the intersection of cary, ushers and coons crossing road in the county of saratoga, NY. If it had failed on one of the two sets of tracks it may have endangered us. On December 17, 2025 northway Toyota in latham, NY diagnosed the transmission failure at their dealership. I had attached the appropriate documents. The only warning for failure was a whining sound a few days leading up to the failure, but we thought it was a normal sound from the engine which we have subsequently learned was a sign of a failing transmission as we investigated prior complaints from others.

The contact owns a 2021 Toyota Highlander. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds and depressing the accelerator pedal, the contact heard an abnormal whining sound coming from the front of the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where the contact was informed that it was a known failure. The vehicle was then taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed, and determined that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and advised the contact to work with the dealer to have the transmission repaired. The failure mileage was 66,000.

With under 80,000 miles, my 2019 Toyota Highlander xle needed a full transmission replacement. Noticed some rough gear changes for about 2-weeks (mostly changing from park to drive), then on my drive home from work, the rpm spiked high and all the sensor lights came on (awd, check engine, etc). I drove the rest of the way with hazard lights in limp-mode. Took my car into a Toyota dealer service center (kenosha WI), they did not make any repairs - just disabled the sensor lights and did a test drive - ended up keeping a 2nd day and replaced transmission fluid since they were seeing oddities with shifting. Within 1 week, the same thing happened. This time, I could hardly make it above 20 mph, basically no acceleration. Received 2 quotes from independent transmission specialists / repair shops - both confirmed I needed a new transmission. They said the car is unsafe to drive until it is replaced. This was right near my 6-year 100,000 warranty. Perhaps a few months beyond 6 years. Toyota opted not to make any repairs / improvements. Left the car in unsafe condition for me and my kids. Toyota then quoted $16,346 for a new transmission. Other quotes I received were $10,000 less than Toyota, using new Toyota parts. Seemed like price gauging to me.

I bought my 2021 Toyota Highlander on 11/17/2025 and approximately one month later, I heard a whining noise when the car accelerates past 25 mph. The whining noise gets progressively louder the more the car accelerates. In addition, when driving over a bump or hump, there is a grinding/creaking noise that occurs. I took my car into the Toyota dealership on 12/29/2025 and the service technicians were able to replicate my issues. They even stated that the issue is caused by a bearing failure inside the transmission. I also purchased an extended warranty but unfortunately the inspector sent by the warranty company wants me to get a transmission fluid exchange because they think that will solve the issue. The entire transmission needs to be replaced.

Transmission failure resulted in sudden loss of power while driving, creating a safety risk in traffic. Vehicle was unable to accelerate and required immediate repair. Put myself and my children at risk, as the car suddenly died while I was driving it. Prior to this, there were not issues. Has been routinely maintained and only has approx 83k miles. Toyota agreed that the transmission is the only issue with my car but won't cover the cost to replace it (10k) or the cost of a loaner vehicle. I have been without a car for almost a month while the (refurbished) transmission is on backorder.

Transmission problems at 62000 miles high pitched whine with acceleration.