The transmission failed without any warning. It makes a whining sound and the car does not move. It expells a burning odor. I understand thay there is a wide class action lawsuit against Toyota for this issue. Apparently there are many other vehicles whose owners experienced the same issue. At this time, Toyota is not willing to do anything about this issue after speaking with a Toyota advocate representative.
Toyota Camry whining noise problems
64 of the 17,932 owner complaints about the Toyota Camry describe whining or grinding noise, most of them for the 2018 model year.
- owner complaints
- 64
- worst model year
- 2018
- typical mileage
- 43,000
Is there a fix? No recall or service bulletin covers this area of the car yet.
By model year
Often reported together
Transmission failure 17Loss of power 9Jerking 7Harsh shifting 7Grinding brakes 4Slipping 3Hesitation 3ABS 3
Trouble codes mentioned
C1A50 1C1201 1
What owners say
When i purchased this vehicle during 2020 i noticed that the car runs very sluggish and the transmission would jerk a lot when slowing down and when speeding back up, ive been able to replicate this problem for the dealership and i took it to them and all they said they can do is reset the transmission and check the fluid levels. So for the past 4 years ive been driving it like that with no issues resolved. Until this year 2026, i took the car back to the dealership and i explained to them that i hear a whining sound coming from the transmission when its runs at 3k RPMS and they were able to replicate the noise and all they said is they cant do nothing since the transmission still runs even tho their is a clear sign that the transmission is giving up and the jerking and hesitation of the transmission is clear. i also have statement from the service manager claiming their is a whine sound.
In late September 2026, at approximately 80,500 miles, my 2022 Toyota Camry SE (2.5L 4-cylinder, 8-speed automatic transmission) began making a whine under acceleration. The whine starts around 15 mph and fades around 65–70 mph, gets louder the harder I accelerate, and stops when I coast or shift to neutral. When I lift off the accelerator, it continues for about one second with a pulsing sound. Steering and a tire rotation do not change it. On October 13, 2026, at 82,206 miles, a Toyota dealer test drove the vehicle and confirmed a whining noise from the transmission on acceleration. The dealer noted “possible internal wear from bearing,” found no trouble codes, and recommended replacing the transmission assembly at a cost of $8,015.09. At my request, the dealer also performed a transmission drain and refill with genuine Toyota WS fluid the same day, even though Toyota’s maintenance schedule does not require transmission fluid replacement under normal driving conditions. The whine was unchanged afterward. No warning lights or messages have appeared, and the transmission has not slipped. However, owners of the same and similar Toyota models with this 8-speed transmission have reported sudden loss of power while driving after similar symptoms. I am concerned that the transmission could fail without warning in traffic or on the freeway, putting me and others at risk. The vehicle has not been inspected by the manufacturer. I have opened a case with Toyota. The vehicle and transmission are available for inspection upon request.
The vehicle has developed a high-pitched whine that is most noticeable around 30 to 55 mph. The pitch increases directly with vehicle speed, not engine RPM. The sound occurs whenever positive throttle is applied and disappears immediately when the accelerator is released, before vehicle speed noticeably decreases. Gear changes do not appear to affect the pitch. I am concerned this may indicate a transmission/transaxle or final-drive problem. No warning lights are currently present.
Transmission Shutter/ hard shifting/ and whining
I own a 2018 Toyota Camry SE with approximately 120,000 miles. The vehicle is equipped with the 2.5L engine and 8-speed automatic transmission. I have recently developed a noticeable whining noise from the vehicle's drivetrain during acceleration. The noise is most noticeable at lower speeds, approximately 10–60 mph, particularly when accelerating from a stop or at lower speeds. The noise becomes less noticeable or disappears when cruising at higher speeds. The noise is load-dependent. When I release the accelerator while traveling at approximately 30–40 mph and allow the vehicle to coast, the whining noise stops immediately. The noise does not occur when the vehicle is stationary and the engine is revved. I am concerned that this may indicate premature wear or a developing problem with the transmission or related drivetrain components. I am particularly concerned about the potential for progressive transmission failure while driving, which could result in loss of motive power and create a safety hazard. At this time, the vehicle remains drivable, but the noise appears to be abnormal and has raised concerns about the reliability and safety of the drivetrain. I am requesting that the federal safety agency document this complaint and investigate whether similar complaints involving 2017–2024 Toyota Camry vehicles with 8-speed automatic transmissions indicate a broader safety-related defect. I have not yet had the transmission replaced. I can provide additional information, service records, diagnostic results, photographs, or recordings of the noise if requested.
The transmission has begun failing, with less than 60,000 miles and a perfect maintenance record. While driving I noticed a "whine" while accelerating and it would go away when not pressing the accelerator. It also did not make the noise when in neutral. This is a known issue with the 2018 Toyota Camry and the manufacturer did not send out a notice, any type of additional support or maintenance recommendations to make customers aware.
The transmission is failing after about 65,000 miles (7 years from first use). It can be inspected upon request. My safety is at risk in that the transmission is steadily getting worse and could fail at any time or any speed. The transmission failure was diagnosed and confirmed by a local Toyota dealer. There are no warning lights. A high-pitched whine is heard while driving which gets higher with faster vehicle speed.
Transmission is failing in car. Has started whining, consistent with other complaints I have seen regarding the transmissions in these vehicles.
Vehicle has 75,000 original miles. At around 73,000 miles, I began to hear a whining noise from the engine bay while accelerating at highway speeds. I took the car into the dealership where they confirmed the transmission has failed and needs to be replaced. All routine maintenance has been done on schedule and is on record with the dealership since original vehicle deployment. This vehicle has the UA80 transmission that is the center of multiple class-action lawsuits in the US due to early failure, allegedly due to design flaws.
Related recalls
No recalls on record for this model year.
Questions about the Toyota Camry whining noise
Which Toyota Camry years have whining or grinding noise problems?
The model years with the most reports are 2018 (17 complaints), 2019 (17 complaints) and 2020 (7 complaints).
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