2019 Toyota Highlander Complaint Log

Loud whining noises from transmission, repeated unpredictable shifts making pulling out/merging unsafe

Hi Dear My car doesn’t report crash.

I own a 2019 Highlander at just barely over 55,000 miles. I began hearing a humming noise while accelerating and brought it into Toyota. They told me that bearings are worn in the transmission and I need a new transmission replacement, which will cost $11,569.21. I am shocked Toyota has not issued a recall and corrected this well-known issue. I am disappointed in Toyota, being a loyal customer over the years, if they can't guarantee quality or assist in the issue they know about, I will not trust Toyota again.

My Wife drove to work yesterday with no issues. After her shift she stops at the local gas station by her job, she puts the car in park but the car continues to roll forward( as if it was in neutral). Applies the brake and puts the E-brake on(car is now stationary). Puts in some gas, turn car back on, puts in drive and the car is makes a grinding like noise. We get the car towed home, jack it up, drain the fluid. The color of the fluid was darkish but still had a reddish tone to it, very slight sparkle look to it..didn’t see or feel any metal shavings to it.. highly confused on what failed for the transmission to be like that. Haven’t gotten it to the shop yet but a lot of research is showing something internal. No leaks, maintenance has always been serviced on time.

At 138,000 miles my 2019 Toyota Highlander's transmission failed. I noticed a whining sound when I pushed on the accelerator, so I scheduled a service appointment to have it looked at. The day I brought it into the mechanic it began stalling at stop signs. I was driving my children to school when the vehicle began stalling, fortunately I was able to get it looked at that day. My local mechanic diagnosed it as a failed transmission having to do with something inside the transmission. I called Toyota and they said in order to qualify for support through their service program I needed to have the vehicle diagnosed by at a Toyota dealership. I had the vehicle towed to the dealership, where they too confirmed the transmission had failed due to something inside the transmission, which they diagnosed with a telescope. They quoted me 12K for a new transmission! I had routine maintenance performed throughout the life of the vehicle, primarily at the Toyota Service Center. Just 20 months prior to this happening I had the suggested transmission services completed at the dealership. The only services I had completed outside of the dealership over the last 20 months were regular oil changes and tires. The transmission in my 2019 Highlander is the same failed transmission as the ones in the 2017-2018, which Toyota issued a bulletin on, the same transmission Toyota has received numerous complaints about. The same transmission with hundreds of other customer's have filed incident reports on. The transmission they knew was problematic yet continued to put into new vehicles. I've been a loyal Toyota customer, this is my 5th Toyota. I can't believe that there is nothing Toyota is willing to do to support their customers. I thought Toyota prides itself on being a trusted brand with loyal customers, because they make vehicles that last and take care of them when they don't. I was wrong.

Check engine light came on without warning, car started losing power, idling roughly, stalling out, and not wanting to start. Had my battery, alternator, and starter checked and they are all fine. Diagnostic test showed it was to do with how much fuel/air the vehicle is getting. The check engine light goes off and on as I’m still having to try and drive my vehicle to and from work due to not having other transportation.

Vehicle hesitates and sputters upon acceleration, loss of power, and stalls during operation. Trouble codes P0191, P0171, P0174, and P0107B have generated in combination.

The contact owns a 2019 Toyota Highlander. The contact stated that while attempting to start the vehicle, there was an abnormal grinding sound coming from the vehicle. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed with transmission failure. The independent mechanic replaced the transmission fluid; however, the failure reoccurred. The vehicle was towed back to the independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed with transmission failure. The contact was informed that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact was informed that parts were on back order. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure, and a case was filed. The contact was advised to contact the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 128,669.

My transmission is now missing the 3rd gear and left me and my kids stalled in traffic as I was turning in oncoming traffic. Toyota dealership confirmed that was the problem upon inspection.

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.

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.

Traveling at approximately 60-65 mph on interstate 95 in Wakefield the vehicle suddenly downshifted causing a rapid deceleration to around 40 mph. It would not upshift requiring us to pull into the breakdown lane.

I heard Whining Noise from Drivetrain side under Engine Room first time about a month ago. There is a possibility sure It was generated early that Noise longer than when I heard it. and I visited Toyota Dealership Vacaville CA about this issue, Requested to Diagnosis my Highlander 2019 XLE Gas type Vehicle. Technician said, "FOUND WHINE COMING FROM TRANSAXLE ASSEMBLY INDICATING INTERNAL FAILURE". Service Advisor recommended to replace "UA80E TRANSAXLE ASSEMBLY + TORQUE CONVERTER AND RECHECK". And I found Issue about There is a Document (TSB 0008-21) about this my Highlander 2019 XLE. I did not receive any information or recall or contact from TOYOTA until When I realized it.

Transmission whining sound

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.

Transmission began making high pitch whining sound with hard shifting to second gear. Within one year the transmission completely went out and was stuck in third gear.

While driving down the road about 30mph on a paved road, heard a loud bang from the back. Stopped and inspected. The stability button shot off the door into the door jam, the door panel coming off, and the weather stripping separating from the door. The passenger rear airbag went off. Nothing visible on outside. Everything mechanically like it should be. 55,000 miles on car. Bought new from dealership. Done all maintenance and safety recalls. Vehicle is at dealership getting inspected.

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.

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

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.

Bought car in April 2025. Has 80,000 miles. Transmission failed.

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.

The contact owns a 2019 Toyota Highlander. The contact stated that while driving approximately 30 MPH, the vehicle stalled; the contact shifted the vehicle into park(P) and restarted the vehicle for the vehicle to return to normal operation. No warning lights were illuminated; however, the “Auto START/STOP Failure” and “See Dealer" messages were displayed on the instrument panel. The failure reoccurred on several occasions. The vehicle was taken to a dealer, where it was diagnosed, and determined that the wiring harness needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 86,530.

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.

In early January 2026 there was rough/delayed shifting, whining noises, and fluid leaks. Probably linked to the faulty UA80E/F transmission type. The check engine light came on 1/15/26, I took it into a local repair shop. The mechanic flushed and changed the transmission fluid, replaced all of the spark plugs and the serpentine belt. I picked it up on 1/16/26. There was still shuddering, strange sounds (whining/grinding), and hesitation. On 1/20/26 I drove it and the rough/delayed shifting, whining noises, hesitation and burning smell started happening. The car completely broke down on the freeway and wouldn't drive at all. I had to slowly pull over to the shoulder of the freeway and have the car towed to the repair shop. They inspected it and said I need a new transmission, and it cannot be fixed. I believe the next steps are to have it towed to the toyota dealership to have it looked at.

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

My 2019 Toyota Highlander started making a whining noise from 0mph to 40mph-- and at times would shift hard. I took it to first mechanic who stated it was definitely a transmission issue. I took it to a transmission shop who also confirmed it was a transmission issue. I had vehicle towed to Toyota Dealer who performed a Multipoint Inspection and vehicle was placed on a scanner. The codes indicated "internal failure" on transmission and quoted me $10,500 to remove and replace. Parts are backordered for 8 weeks+. Current transmission is only at 63,000 miles and I am the 2nd owner.

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.

Ua80 transmission failed.

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.

High pitch wine when accelerating

After 3 weeks of inconsistent shifting with the automatic transmission and whining and clunking, the car failed to go into gear at all yesterday 1/5/26 while driving near Dulles airport. I had it towed, was told the transmission failed and then I found that this is a systemic design issue with the 2017-2022 cohort of gas V6, 8 speed, AWD Highlanders. Repair will be between $5K and $10K.

Initially had issues with acceleration with RPM’s going high with car moving very slowly. Five days after that started, car broke down 3 times in one trip & would not drive or go in reverse. Per dealership, the car needs a new transmission even though it’s only a 2019 with 110,000 miles.

Transmission has High pitch when accelerating

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

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.

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.

Tramision it no good make nose and power go off transmisión lose power and make smoke

The car randomly shuts off, while waiting in line or when the break is depressed. The vehicle won’t start, battery is completely dead and then comes back randomly.

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.

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.

What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? 12V battery How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? Vehicle unable to start. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? Yes Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? Inspected by independent service center. Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? No warning of impending failures. 2/17/2020, vehicle purchased new from Toyota of Morristown (NJ). 2/23/2023, vehicle's (3 year old; 1 week outside of warranty) original OEM 12V battery failed and was replaced with Toyota OEM 12V battery (Part #2880031291) by independent service center ($376.61). 12/18/2025, vehicle's (less than 2 year old) replacement Toyota OEM 12V battery failed and was replaced with Toyota OEM 12V battery by independent service center ($407.88).

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.

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.

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.

My wife was driving here Highlander at freeway speeds when the vehicle started slowing and would not respond to the throttle. No warnings lights. It would drive but not accelerate to any reasonable speed. She pulled off the freeway and found a parking lot to test, restart car, etc. Again, no warning lights. Once in park, the vehicle would not shift into gear but only revved. The vehicle could not be driven and towed to a Toyota dealer and after a number of tests, it was diagnosed as a blown transmission. It was replaced at great expense. I do not know what the dealer did with the transmission but it was not tested. The safety issue is the sudden and expected loss of power/drive train on a freeway. The vehicle has been well maintained. At 100K, plugs and transmission fluid were replaced. Although the vehicle had around 130K miles, the transmission should not have failed in my opinion.

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