Toyota Highlander slipping problems

Filed Oct 30, 2026 · Transmission · UT

My 2018 Toyota Highlander AWD (75,000 miles) was diagnosed with internal transmission failure on its UA80F 8-speed automatic transmission. The diagnosis confirmed fluid shear and internal metal wear requiring a $9,000+ replacement. The UA80 series is subject to Toyota TSB T-SB-0160-18 and Customer Support Program ZJC for factory assembly flaws involving retaining hardware and bearing wear. Toyota denied goodwill coverage because my VIN falls outside their narrow ZJC date window. Component Failed & Inspection Availability: UA80F 8-speed automatic transmission assembly (powertrain). The vehicle and transmission are intact and available for the federal safety agency or manufacturer inspection upon request. Safety Risk: Premature internal mechanical failure of the UA80F transaxle presents a severe highway safety risk. Gear wear, fluid shear, and bearing failure in this unit can rapidly progress to a sudden loss of forward propulsion, gear slippage, or full transaxle lockup at high speeds, creating an extreme collision hazard. Dealer/Independent Confirmation: Yes. Confirmed by a technician during a professional inspection that documented stored transmission codes (P0741,P2714 & P2757) and a $9,000+ replacement estimate at 75k miles. Manufacturer/Other Inspections: Inspected by an authorized Toyota dealer and escalated to Toyota Customer Experience (Case File Opened). Toyota acknowledged the diagnosis but denied goodwill assistance due to VIN parameters. No police or insurance inspections have occurred. Warning Lamps & Prior Symptoms: A Check Engine Light illuminated, prompting the inspection, but self-cleared before arriving at the dealer. Stored TCM codes confirmed an active failure. This self-clearing behavior masks an active mechanical defect, creating an additional safety hazard.

Filed Oct 3, 2026 · Transmission · PA

Our Toyota Highlander XLE which has 137000 miles on it has the very well documented "whine" issue with the UA80 transmission. This "whine" issue/failure has resulted in at least two TSB's to be generated by Toyota and is considered the beginning stages of a total transmission failure. It impacts 2017 through at least 2022.The symptoms (whine sound/grinding sound/DTC codes/rough operation/unexpected slippage) are identical in all years. Toyota covered a small subset of the total number of failures suggesting an improperly installed "washer" was at fault. The online community impacted by this failure, most of which are outside of that serial number range, clearly do not feel the same way. Failures have occurred on vehicles with as little as 50,000 miles. The issues of transmission slippage/failure to maintain speed/failure accelerate are all safety risks. This problem has been confirmed MANY times by Toyota and it's network of dealers. I had my own vehicle inspected (at my expense) by a local Toyota dealer and they confirmed the failure. In my particular case, the "whine" sound is the only initial symptom with the expectation of other symptoms and issues if I continue to drive the vehicle.

Filed Oct 2, 2026 · Transmission · MS

• What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? The UA80 8-speed automatic transmission assembly (specifically internal mechanical wear resulting from front carrier assembly bearing degradation/torque converter heat buildup). No, the component and the contaminated transmission fluid are currently being replaced at the dealership. • How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? The severe mechanical wear and metal-on-metal degradation inside the transmission create an imminent hazard where the vehicle can experience sudden slipping, severe hesitation, or a complete, unexpected loss of motive power while traveling at highway speeds. This loss of acceleration in active traffic creates an immediate risk of a rear-end collision and leaves passengers stranded in an unsafe traffic pattern without warning. • Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? Yes. A professional diagnostic inspection confirmed that the transmission fluid was catastrophically low, and the assembly sustained severe internal damage via metal-on-metal contact with metal shavings actively circulating throughout the unit. • Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? The vehicle has been inspected and diagnosed by a service facility. It has not been inspected by the police or insurance representatives, as no crash has occurred yet. However, this failure directly mirrors the mechanical defects acknowledged by the manufacturer in Toyota Technical Service Bulletin T-SB-0008-21 and active federal class-action lawsuits. • Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? There were no electronic dashboard warning lamps or no electronic dashboard warning lamps or visible signs of prior leakage/seepage.

Filed Sep 29, 2026 · Transmission · WI

The transmission developed a faint whining noise, first noticed September 2026 around 84,000 miles, along with some hesitation during operation. A Toyota dealer diagnosed internal bearing failure inside the transmission and recommended full replacement. An independent shop also quoted full replacement. Estimates ranged $8,500–$10,000. Vehicle not yet repaired; available for inspection. Safety risk: the noise is faint enough that a driver could reasonably dismiss it as imagined, unlike a loud noise or dashboard warning. No warning lamps or messages appeared at any point. This absence of a clear warning means affected drivers may keep driving unaware a component is failing internally. The vehicle also experienced hesitation during operation, which could affect safe acceleration, for example when merging into traffic. Based on documented failures of this transmission design in other vehicles, continued driving risks progression to slipping or sudden loss of motive power, with less chance a driver recognizes the need to stop before that happens. Inspected by a Toyota dealership and an independent repair shop; not inspected by manufacturer corporate, police, or insurance.

Filed Sep 29, 2026 · Transmission · NH

2019 Toyota Highlander XLE, 137K miles. Always maintained, never any issues whatsoever, family loved our 'forever' car, UNTIL the dreaded whining noise began underneath the front floorboard. No warning, no indication, just started while driving on the highway and increasingly became louder over the two additional months I drove it. Quick online search indicates this is a very common issue. Brought to a local dealership in Southern NH, where it was quickly diagnosed as a failing transmission in need of replacement. No warranty, out of pocket cost approx. $8K. Just so happened they had a spare, remanufactured transmission already in house, since this was becoming a 'common issue'. They even had what sounded like a dedicated technician that did at least one replacement a week and had the repair time down to a science. No other warning signs, no software codes, no jerking or slipping while driving, just the noise that increased as the gas pedal was pressed. Well known issue, yet no recall for the 2019 year. Toyota forums indicate the replacement transmissions fail as well after accumulating some miles, which might explain why they only offered me a 1-yr warranty if I had replaced mine. It's for this reason I traded in this Highlander vehicle, as this vehicle was no longer safe or suitable for any long distance family driving. It was also my wife's primary vehicle to transport my young daughters, and I believed that the Highlander would have soon left them stranded. I even purchased AAA tow service for the first time in my life at [XXX], all because of this known transmission issue. I now warn everyone who is searching for this SUV to be very aware. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Filed Sep 14, 2026 · Electrical, Transmission · MO

My 2019 Highlander was driving totally normal, when all of a sudden the transmission started slipping and then would no longer accelerate. I was on a windy back road in Alaska with no service, so after letting it sit for a bit I tried to drive it again. It then drove maybe 1/2 more miles before slipping completely and no longer accelerating. No check engine lights came up. I got it towed to my house where a mechanic took a quick scan and said there was a number of transmission codes popping up.

Filed Sep 11, 2026 · FL

About two weeks ago I was driving and the car made a whinny noise and felt like it was shaking and slipping out of no where so I stop in a complex to check it out when I went to reverse the car wouldn’t move forward or backwards I had to turn off and on only to have the car not go pass 20 miles havnt been able to drive it since I got two different check where they say it’s the transmission that the UA80E has that same issue but since there no recall Toyota says it’s not their problem

Filed Sep 9, 2026 · Transmission · IN

transmission has failed. Toyota states: Toyota Technical Service Bulletin T-SB-0008-21 addresses a whining or grinding noise in select 2021 Toyota vehicles equipped with UA80E orUA80F automatic transmissions caused by a defect in the front carrier assembly pinion shafts. Yes it can be available for inspection. This can be repaired with a $12,000 new transmission. * Sudden loss of acceleration: You may press the gas and the vehicle doesn’t accelerate normally. This is particularly dangerous when merging onto a highway, crossing an intersection, or passing. How this toyota highlander is putting safety at risk: * Unexpected shifting or jerking: A failing transmission can slam into gear, hesitate, or shift unpredictably, potentially causing loss of control. * Loss of drive: The transmission may suddenly stop transferring power to the wheels. You could be unable to move forward even though the engine is running. * Getting stuck in a gear: If it goes into a “limp” or failsafe mode, the vehicle may be restricted to a single gear and have very limited acceleration. * Loss of power while already moving: If the transmission disengages unexpectedly, you can lose the ability to accelerate out of a dangerous situation. * Difficulty maintaining speed: On a highway or uphill, a failing transmission may suddenly stop providing adequate power. * Transmission fluid leaks: A significant leak can cause the transmission to lose lubrication and worsen rapidly. Depending on where fluid goes, it can also create other mechanical problems. * Unexpected engine RPM increases: The engine can rev very high without the Highlander gaining speed (“slipping”), which can leave you unexpectedly slow in traffic. * Being stranded in traffic: A complete failure can leave the vehicle immobile, creating a collision hazard if you’re stopped in a travel lane or on a shoulder. unknown if it has been inspected by anyone. There is no warning lights. Then only way you know is by a high whining sound.

Filed Sep 5, 2026 · Transmission · NH

The transmission (power train) in this vehicle shows symptoms of a known defect in Toyota's UA80 8-speed. Since approximately (Aug 2026/~70k mileage), it has produced shining/grinding noised at increasing speed. these symptoms match failure patterns described in Toyota's own Tech Service Bulletin for transmission, which have led to documented cases of sudden power loss, gear slippage, and complete failure in other owners of this and related models. I have not yet experienced complete loss of propulsion, but given the documented failure patterns, there is a foreseeable risk this could occur without warning while driving, including traffic or while merging, creating a safety hazard. I took the vehicle to Toyota of Manchester, NH dealership on [XXX] and requested repair given the known TSB coverage. Toyota denied repair assistance, citing lack of dealer service records, despite transmission fluid being a lifetime-fill component unrelated to this failure mode. I am filing this proactively due to the documented risk of sudden failure, and because Toyota denied to address a known, symptomatic defect before it progresses and declined to take responsibility for the repairs or repair assistance for this defect. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Filed Sep 2, 2026 · Transmission · MD

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. This is a loss of motive power that can occur without warning in traffic. On 8/31/2026 a Toyota dealer diagnosed a failed transaxle requiring complete replacement, with a whine traced to the differential inside the transmission, and quoted $11,126.81. This matches the failure mode in Toyota TSB T-SB-0160-18, which Toyota addressed for some 2017-2018 VINs under Customer Support Program ZJC. My 2019 has the same UA80 unit but falls outside that program. The replacement part is backordered with no ETA per Toyota's own case portal. The vehicle is maintained on schedule and available for inspection. Toyota declined goodwill assistance and refused to provide the denial in writing.