There is Powertrain - Transmission failure on my 2021 Highlander V6 8 speed with just over 50,000 miles. Toyota is aware of transmission failures with the Highlander family of vehicles equipped with the UA80 transmission. The failure with the UA80 transmission can cause a sudden power loss in traffic which escalates it to a safety issue. My Vehicle has been inspected by the Toyota dealership and confirmed to be well-maintained. Transmission failure confirmed by dealership and documents have been shared with Toyota Corporate (Toyota Motor North America). Toyota is refusing to take any responsibility, cover any cost associated, or do any recall, putting their consumers and others at risk.
Toyota Highlander transmission failure problems
377 of the 5,816 owner complaints about the Toyota Highlander describe complete transmission failure, most of them for the 2021 model year.
- owner complaints
- 377
- worst model year
- 2021
- typical repair cost reported
- $9,000
- typical mileage
- 70,000
Is there a fix? No recall or service bulletin covers this area of the car yet.
By model year
Often reported together
Whining noise 195Loss of power 39Grinding brakes 25Harsh shifting 23Hesitation 22Check engine light 21Slipping 19Jerking 19
Trouble codes mentioned
P2757 3P2714 3P0741 3P2713 2P0740 2P2808 1P2756 1P0745 1
What owners say
The contact owns a 2019 Toyota Highlander. The contact stated that while his wife was driving, the engine made an abnormal sound. While making a turn, the vehicle experienced a loss of motive power, slowly responded, and the transmission failed to shift properly. The traction control warning light illuminated prior to the failure, and the check engine warning light illuminated after the failure. The vehicle was taken to the dealer for diagnostic testing. The dealer diagnosed the vehicle with transmission failure, and the contact was informed that the transmission required replacement. The vehicle was driven back to the residence. The contact stated that the vehicle was unsafe to drive due to the transmission failure. The failure mileage was approximately 84,820.
The transmission started whistling around 66k miles. It was diagnosed by 3 different dealerships, including Toyota, as a transmission failure. It was diagnosed as a known issue with this year Highlander, with no fix on the market. I am having to pay $10k out of pocket because this is out of warranty by 6k miles. Highly dissappointed.
Transmission. I brought my 2019 Toyota Highlander to the Toyota dealer for an oil change. Reported a whirring sound when depressing the gas. After they inspected it, I was told it needs a new transmission. I don't know when it can malfunction when driving.
**Component:** The 8-speed automatic transmission (Aisin UA80F, AWD) failed internally. A Toyota dealer test-drove the vehicle on 10/09/2026 and verified the noise comes from transmission internals. The repair order states: "Internal transmission failure causing whining noise while driving/accelerating." **Safety risk:** The transmission is failing internally and has not yet failed completely; if it does while driving, it could cause a sudden loss of motive power. I am reporting it because the same failure mode is documented in Toyota service bulletin T-SB-0008-21 (front carrier assembly pinion shafts), but this transaxle — serial A4A20M 00395, built at TMMWV in December 2020 — is immediately outside the bulletin's affected range (A4A20L00101–A4A20L01824, November 2020). It failed identically, which suggests the November 2020 production change did not fully correct the defect. **Inspection:** A Toyota dealer confirmed the failure by test drive and inspection. Toyota (the manufacturer) has not inspected the vehicle. No police or insurance inspection. **Symptoms:** A whine at all speeds. No warning lamps or messages. No crash, injury, or fire.
The transmission started whining over the summer and has been gradually getting worse. I took it in and was told it needed a new transmission. The vehicle just has 72,000 miles on it and the whine started around 67,000 miles. From my research, this appears to be a known issue with Toyota. If the transmission goes out while I’m driving I could lose control of the vehicle and/or become a hazard, and put my life at risk as well as others on the road.
Whining in the transmission. Took to a certified Toyota Mechanic and confirmed transmission is failing. Will need a total transmission replacement.
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.
I am reporting a premature transmission failure in my 2020 Toyota Highlander XLE AWD at approximately 72,000 miles. The vehicle exhibited transmission-related symptoms beginning before I purchased it. During the test drive at Chapman Ford on May 26, 2025, I noticed a whining noise that sounded like it was coming from the transmission. I brought this to the dealership’s attention and was told nothing was wrong. The noise continued after purchase. Over time, the transmission developed increasingly erratic operation and required professional diagnosis. At approximately 71,903 miles, Meenan Transmission documented a transmission whine, erratic operation, diagnostic trouble code P2713-7F (pressure control solenoid D), and transmission fluid containing metal contamination with a burnt odor. Additional diagnostic codes identified during troubleshooting included P0740, P0741, P2756, P2757, P2713 and P2714. The transmission ultimately required complete replacement. The replacement was authorized through a warranty arranged by Chapman Ford. A replacement transmission and additional parts were supplied by Toyota, to my understanding, and installed by an independent transmission repair facility. I am concerned about a complete transmission failure occurring at approximately 72,000 miles, particularly given the prior whining noise and progressive deterioration. I am also aware that Toyota previously established Customer Support Program ZJC for certain 2017–2018 Highlanders and Siennas equipped with UA80 transmissions. That program identified reported symptoms including transmission whining, harsh shifting and reduced power. My 2020 Highlander is not included in that program, despite having experienced a premature transmission failure involving the same transmission family. I am requesting that the federal safety agency document this failure and evaluate whether similar complaints involving 2020 Toyota Highlanders equipped with UA80 transmissions indicate a potential safety-related defect.
My 2021 Toyota Highlander XLE began making a high-pitched whining noise when accelerating. When researching this noise, associated with the make, model, and year of my vehicle, it became apparent that the noise is associated with a manufacturer's defect in the [XXX]‑speed transmission (Toyota [XXX]). The cited notification states that the correction for this defect is a transmission replacement that is only covered by the 60,000 mile/5 Year warranty. There are three class-action lawsuits associated with this issue, and I wanted to document my incident in the event that my service appointment with [XXX] Toyota in [XXX], on 11/23/2026 indicates that my transmission is affected by the defect so many have experienced. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Related recalls
No recalls on record for this model year.
Questions about the Toyota Highlander transmission failure
Which Toyota Highlander years have complete transmission failure problems?
The model years with the most reports are 2021 (123 complaints), 2019 (93 complaints) and 2020 (60 complaints).
How much does it cost to fix complete transmission failure on the Toyota Highlander?
Owners who mentioned a price put the repair at about $9,000 (median of 100 complaints that include a dollar amount). Costs vary with mileage, warranty and where the work is done.
VIN decoder
See the problems and recalls for an exact car
Buying a used Toyota Highlander?
Check the exact car before you pay: accidents, salvage or flood titles, odometer readings and previous owners.
Check its history