Toyota Highlander Transmission / powertrain problems
606 of the 2,062 complaints about the Toyota Highlander (29.4%) concern Transmission / powertrain, making it the model's largest problem area. That share is 2.5× the Transmission / powertrain share across all tracked vehicles.
Analysis
By model year, Transmission / powertrain complaints peak with the 2021 model (196, 38% of that year's complaints) and are lowest for the 2024 model (2). 357 Transmission / powertrain complaints were filed in the last 12 months versus 189 in the 12 months before — the pace is rising.
Owners most often describe: “transmission”, “whining”, “noise”, “whine” and “t-sb”. 10 of these reports (1.7%) describe a crash or fire, with 6 injuries and 0 deaths mentioned.
No recall campaign addresses Transmission / powertrain for the tracked model years.
By model year
When complaints were filed
Last 12 months: 357 · Previous 12 months: 189
Common terms in reports
- transmission544
- whining266
- noise250
- whine93
- t-sb59
- sound112
What owners report
Because I am not an expert, I cannot say with certainty what exact vehicle components contributed to this incident. On August 17, 2026, at approximately 12:40 PM, I was slowly driving my 2022 Toyota Highlander XLE in a parking garage where I park my car every…
Because I am not an expert, I cannot say with certainty what exact vehicle components contributed to this incident. On August 17, 2026, at approximately 12:40 PM, I was slowly driving my 2022 Toyota Highlander XLE in a parking garage where I park my car every…
The UA80 8-speed automatic transmission failed at 87,896 miles. Symptoms began as slipping in 1st and 2nd gears and harsh jerking when accelerating from a stop, with the engine revving while the vehicle failed to move.
1. The car makes a squeaky sound when I accelerate. The faster I go the louder the noise becomes. I took the car to the Toyota dealership and was told that the transmission needs to be replaced. The car is only 5 years old.
The transmission whining started 70,000 miles and it is progressively gotten worse, there has been some sudden shifting at times. The manufacturer has known about this 8 speed transmission. Problem since 2017 and they haven’t done anything to improve it.
The transmission started making a whining noise around 69,000 miles that a mechanic said was due to transmission failure. There were no warning lights or messages. I took it to the Toytota dealer who sold it to me new.
Excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA, trimmed for length. The ODI number is NHTSA's record identifier.
Related recalls
No recall campaign addresses Transmission / powertrain for the tracked model years.
Problem areas · Toyota Highlander
- Transmission / powertrain606
- Body & structure222
- Engine213
- Interior & equipment210
- Brakes204
- Airbags & seat belts156
- Fuel system154
- Electrical133
- Wheels, tires & suspension41
Toyota Highlander problems, complaints & recalls by model year ›
Related reading
- Transmission problems explained: shudder, harsh shifts, CVTs and what to test on a driveHow the main automatic transmission types fail, why some designs generate far more owner complaints than others, and a practical test-drive checklist built from what owners report.
Frequently asked questions
How common are Transmission / powertrain problems on the Toyota Highlander?
606 of the 2,062 complaints about the Toyota Highlander (29.4%) concern Transmission / powertrain, making it the model's largest problem area. That share is 2.5× the Transmission / powertrain share across all tracked vehicles.
Which Toyota Highlander model years have the most Transmission / powertrain complaints?
By model year, Transmission / powertrain complaints peak with the 2021 model (196, 38% of that year's complaints) and are lowest for the 2024 model (2).
Is there a recall for Toyota Highlander Transmission / powertrain problems?
No recall campaign addresses Transmission / powertrain for the tracked model years.