2020 Toyota Camry: whining or grinding noise

7 of the 276 complaints about the 2020 Toyota Camry describe whining or grinding noise.

owner complaints: 7
of this car's complaints: 3%
recalls: 0

Is there a fix? 7 service bulletins cover this area of the car. See below

Whining or grinding noise by model year

2023
1
2022
2
2021
2
2020
7
2019
17
2018
17
2015
2
2014
1
2013
2
2012
1
2011
6
2010
1
2009
1
2007
1
2003
1
2002
1
2000
1

What owners say

Filed Jun 25, 2026 · Transmission · MA

Transmission is making a whining sound when accelerating. The car only has 99,000 miles on it.

Filed May 26, 2026 · Transmission · GA

Transmission began failing. Whining coming from transmission when accelerating and shifting becoming more rough. Dealership said transmission is failing and needs to be replaced. Mileage is at 89,000 miles. Rough shifter made it dangerous to drive on the highways. Was inspected by warranty adjuster. No warning lamps or lights ever appeared.

Filed Mar 14, 2026 · Transmission · NY

I purchased my vehicle from a certified used car dealership in Connecticut in 2020 with a little over 1800 miles. Since purchasing the vehicle, it has been very reluctant to down shift and had slight transmission whine. I was notified of a recall for I believe the TCM a few months after purchasing it, which i had remedied by the dealership. Over the years, my car has been maintained completely to Toyotas manufacturer standard. Around 50,000 miles i started experiencing shuddering during shifts and slipping during shifts and a louder whine Around 89,000 miles my transmission symptoms worsened. Sporadic shifting, obvious whine, grinding and clunking during shifts and shifting between gears, and clicking from a stop. At 97k i serviced the transmission fluid which seemed to help a little bit but did not get rid of the symptoms fully. The fluid was dark brown, which was serviced 3,000 miles before Toyotas recommended interval. I then replaced the driver side cv axle shaft which also did not remedy any symptoms and i was notified by my shop that it was premature transmission failure. Now at 100,998 miles, my transmission grinds and clunks during all lower gear shifts, will shift through gears while maintaining steady speed, and whines audibly from the exterior and interior. My car is still running and driving for now, but after research this is a very common issue with the UA80E transmission and Toyota has knowingly sold these cars with these production errors putting people at risk of injury and financial nightmares.

Filed Feb 5, 2026 · Transmission · CO

Around 67,000 miles I've been noticing a whining sound whenever accelerating. Sound disappears whenever foot is off the gas pedal.

Filed Jan 8, 2026 · Transmission · MA

My 2020 Toyota Camry is experiencing a premature and progressive transmission failure that creates serious safety risks. Symptoms include hesitation and loss of power during acceleration, harsh and delayed shifting, RPMs increasing without vehicle movement, failure to properly engage gears (including reverse), and loud whining/grinding noises. These issues make the vehicle unsafe to drive, especially when merging, crossing intersections, or accelerating from a stop. Toyota and the dealership have confirmed the transmission is failing, yet Toyota has stated that no new or used replacement transmission is available and no repair timeline exists. The vehicle was returned to me despite being unsafe. Toyota has provided no transportation assistance, no repair ETA, and no remedy, leaving me with an undrivable vehicle and ongoing financial obligations. I am aware of numerous similar consumer complaints and ongoing litigation involving Toyota’s 8-speed automatic transmissions exhibiting the same symptoms. This appears to be a systemic defect that poses a safety risk to drivers and the public. I am requesting the federal safety agency review and investigation.

Filed Dec 8, 2025 · Acceleration, Transmission · IL

Have whining from transmission. When trying to accelerate the car does not shift into gears correctly and there is hesitance and delay. Have issues merging on highway and regular traffic due to hesitance and delay. Car can jerk when accelerating. Had dealership inspect twice at different dates. The dealership said nothing was wrong and that the hesitance and delay was just how the car operates. Discovered that other Toyota Camry's had same issue under T-SB-0008-21. Would like for our model year Toyota Camry be added for repairs.

Filed Jan 13, 2025 · Transmission · NJ

There is a progressing whine sound when accelerating, it's a common sign of a transmission failing, others online have described the same issue and they had to replace their transmission, I'd be worried about my transmission failing mid drive and not being able to control the car.