2023 Toyota Highlander transmission problems

Filed Sep 6, 2026 · Transmission · PA

Transmission failure at 106,000 miles, full replacement under extended warranty and new transmission is begging to fail at 109,000 miles.

Filed Aug 25, 2026 · Transmission · NC

Transmission failure under 50k miles. Replaced under powertrain warranty. UA81E incurred a whine that was prevalent at light acceleration over 40 mph. This is a known issue that spans multiple years at some point someone has to admit this is a design flaw.

Filed Aug 20, 2026 · Transmission · AZ

See attached document for complaint.

Filed Aug 10, 2026 · Transmission · VA

I have a 2023 Toyota Highlander XSE with 77,015 miles on it. Last week we noticed that when pushing on the gas pedel to accelerate that the car started making a terrible whinning noise that did not go away. i scheduled a service call with dealership i purchased it from and where i take it for all of its scheduled service and they canfirmed that the transmission was failing and needed to be replaced so the problem has been confirmed by the dealership. In addition i contacted the toyota help line and asked for a Goodwill Warranty Assisstance case to be opened which is now under review. prior to the noise there were no indication of an issue such as warning lights messages or other symptons. To date there was no harm done to me or other individuals

Filed Jul 30, 2026 · Transmission · FL

The transmission developed hesitations at take off, a whine at low speeds and over time got louder. Diagnosis by the dealer confirmed yet another bad eight speed transmission failure. This vehicle has 41K miles.

Filed Jun 2, 2026 · Transmission · WA

My 2023 Toyota Highlander was experiencing a high pitch whiny noise when accelerating. I looked up on line and saw that this could be a failing transmission issue. I took it into the Toyota Dealership , 6321 West Canal Drive, Kennewick, WA 99336. They confirmed my concerns. They said the transmission was toast and I could not drive it until repaired. They informed me they would have to order a replacement transmission under warranty. They further informed me that there is a backlog of requests for replacement transmissions because this is a major problem with Toyota. They have no idea how long it will be. It could be weeks or it could be months. In looking online, it appears that Toyota has been aware of this issue with the 8 speed transmission and has not been addressing the problem. My question, why isn't Toyota addressing this problem? Why does it take weeks or months to building a replacement transmission? Something needs to be done about this.

Filed May 14, 2026 · Transmission · SC

Right after vehicle passed 60k miles mark (manufacturer warranty ended) I noticed a whining noise under load. During acceleration the noise is most noticeable between 30-50 mph speed range. If a gas pedal released the noise is gone and if pressed again the noise is coming back. The pitch increases with a speed increase. I took the car to dealership (current odometer reading 61,037 miles) and they diagnosed transmission failure. Apparently it is a very common issue with the current transmission family (UA80/UA81).

Filed Mar 1, 2026 · Transmission · PA

Delayed acceleration, jerking shifting between gears and whining noise

Filed Jan 11, 2026 · Transmission · MN

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.

Filed Nov 3, 2024 · Engine, Fuel system · AZ

Acceleration Issues, engine lag, poor response time and bucking when accelerated is pressed. Dangerous to drive not enough power to merge with traffic and hesitates to go at stop lights. Bought as a family suv and don’t feel safe with them in the car. RPMs jump when at idle. The car struggles to shift gears especially 2nd gear. Does not preform well under normal circumstances not sure how this car would ever be able to tow anything. I feel very mislead by Toyota and its reputation as this vehicle vehicle is lacking safety and performance. Reached out to Toyota about problems and have not received a remedy for the situation. A special campaign was issued but has not helped the problem. Very disappointed with this purchase as I paid over 50k for the vehicle brand new and don’t feel safe in the car as it bucks on acceleration and lacks the power to flow with traffic. This suv will cause negative impacts if safety measures aren’t started quickly.