Owner-reported complaints naming the powertrain system, filed with NHTSA
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Powertrain reports that are not specifically the engine or transmission — driveshafts, axles, transfer cases and differentials. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2018 Toyota Highlander submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 75 reports on file name it.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
The 25 most recent of 75, in the owner's own words
My vehicle began making a faint whine noise at around 80k miles. The vehicle is now at around 112,000 miles and the whine is louder. On cold morning the vehicle is sluggish in lower gears when accelerating. After extensive research I've found that the associated whine is related to the Toyota UA80 transmission.
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.
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 NHTSA 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.
UA80 transmission which has known issues failed. Dealer reports that while the transmission has exact symptoms of other UA80 transmission that are covered under recall, our serial number is not covered. Quoted $12454 to replace transmission that has known failure issues
Within 1 mile of the Dealership, the new to us, 2018 Highlander was: -Lunging, not accelerating/Delayed shifting -Unpredictable surging -unintended acceleration -Excessive revving before upshifting I brought it back to the dealership & was given a loaner vehicle Once the transmission line was supposedly fixed, I drove it home. Then discovered it had leaked onto my driveway. They took it back & fixed something in the transmission again. After a few months, we thought it was good to go. In October 2026 it was doing all of the above lunging, lack of response from Transmission Again. I drove it to the dealership. Then told I needed a replacement Transmission. They said line rusted and was leaking. I have been asking if they have pictures from prior services. I have continually gotten under body washes & don’t believe that it started rusting while I was the owner. This transmission is obviously defective like the ones in class action lawsuits. I have called the dealer & now Toyota Customer Care to discuss them doing the right thing. Which I believe would be them taking responsibility and paying for the new transmission. It has been a month of waiting for a transmission to be located.
While driving, my vehicle experienced a severe and sudden failure of the Aisin UA80F 8-speed automatic transmission. The transmission exhibits erratic and hard shifting, severe hesitation, and a dangerous delay in acceleration when trying to merge into traffic or accelerate from a complete stop. Frequently, the engine revs high, but the transmission fails to engage the gear promptly, resulting in a sudden, violent lurch forward when it finally catches. Furthermore, the vehicle intermittently loses motive power entirely while in motion, forcing me to coast to the side of the road. A loud, high-pitched whining noise is audible from the transmission assembly, and diagnostic checks indicate internal mechanical overheating and premature component wear.
My transmission had to be replaced at 30,000 miles and a year and two weeks later it needs replaced again at 42000 miles. Toyota will only cover 1/2 the replacement the second time and nothing the first.
I took my car in to the dealer for a noticable hum sound that was staying to occur. UA80 transmission model has been determined to be failing by the dealership that I took it to. They determined there's metal flakes showing in the fluid.
The contact owns a 2018 Toyota Highlander. The contact stated that while driving 75 MPH, there was an audible chime followed by the message "Transmission Overheating". The vehicle started jerking and hesitating while depressing the accelerator pedal. Additionally, there was a burning odor coming from the vehicle. Due to the failure, the contact pulled off the highway and allowed the transmission to cool down. The vehicle was restarted, and the message disappeared; however, the vehicle continued to hesitate while depressing the accelerator pedal. The contact continued driving 70 MPH, and the transmission message displayed again. The vehicle was then taken to a dealer, and the failure was associated with Customer Support Program: ZJC. The contact was informed that the vehicle was not included in the program. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, and the contact was provided a case number. The manufacturer confirmed that the vehicle was not included in the CSP. The failure mileage was approximately 130,000.
I would like to report a transmission problem with my 2018 Toyota Highlander XLE which I purchased in XXX with 108,000 miles. Since about mid-XXX it has been making a noticeable whine under acceleration in the speed range of about 35-50 mph. I had the noise diagnosed on XXX at the Toyota of [XXX] dealership; they confirmed it and said it cannot be fixed except to replace the entire transmission at a cost of $9900 (estimate attached). I also called the national Toyota customer service center and was told there is no recall, customer support program, or warranty extension available for my vehicle. It is a UA80F (AWD) transmission which have a history of failing prematurely in a variety of Toyota vehicle models, beginning with the whining noise and progressing to grinding and mis-shifting before failing completely. Although my transmission is still functioning adequately despite the whining noise, I am concerned that it may break down well before the expected lifespan of the vehicle. In financial terms, the repair cost is quite onerous and the resale value is now substantially less than it should be. The biggest concern is that it could cause a safety hazard if a failure occurred in conditions such as extreme hot or cold weather, remote or hilly or curvy terrain, or while driving in busy highway speed traffic. As such, I believe that Toyota should bear the responsibility to address these transmission issues and a recall should be issued. Thanks for your consideration. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Whining noise in the transmission
whining sound in the transmission, including high-pitched whining, erratic shifting, clunks, hesitation, and premature failure. These vehicles are equipped with the UA80F (AWD) and UA80E (FWD) 8-speed automatic transmissions.
Transmission failure happened suddenly. I pulled out of a car wash and car would not accelerate. I was in heavy traffic and car wouldn’t move.
Vehicle has a high pitch whine on acceleration. Was diagnosed by Toyota dealer. Advised to replace the transmission. This VIN is not included in the CSP ZJC warranty but is a 2018 and is experiencing the same issue. Sound began at 110k miles.
GUEST STATES HER VEHICLE IS WHINING DURING ACCELLERATION, WILL STOP WHINING FOR A MOMENT WHEN VEHICLE UPSHIFTS AND THEN RETURN. GUEST HAS BEEN IN CONTACT WITH SERVICE MANAGER. NOISE CONFIRMED IN DRIVETRAIN, NOTED SUBLT BUT IT DOES OCCURE TEST DROVE ON BACK HILL. PLEASE HAVE CHECKED ADVISE. Comments: Verified reported sound. Like make and model comparison vehicle did not exhibit sound. Traced source of sound to transmission. Replacement of transmission needed to address reported sound. Warranty company sent independent inspector out, warranty company approved replacement with OEM remanufactured transmission. Car has been at dealer for since July 18, 2026 (1 month and counting) and still waiting for replacement transmission to be available from Toyota. Repair Estimate: $9681.80 Original Approved: $0.00 TOTAL APPROVED: $9681.80
This vehicle has a UA80 8-speed transmission that has prematurely failed. This is a KNOWN issue to Toyota and they have refused to provide a fix. It is a safety hazard when all acceleration stops when attempting to merge into heavy traffic (as had happened to me last week) or on a highway traveling at top speed. I have only 27,000 miles on this automobile and it failed with NO WARNING! Within a very short time frame the following occurred: the check AWD system, TRAC off, check engine and the transmission fluid at a high temperature lights appeared on the dashboard. Shortly thereafter I experienced a burning smell, suddenly no acceleration with a high TAC response and vehicle jerking. My transmission is toast. This would have ended very badly for me as it failed on a highway at speed with heavy traffic. Toyota needs to address this and recall and replace. Shame on you Toyota!
While driving my 2018 Toyota Highlander Limited, the check engine light began flashing off and on. I was near an exit and drove off the freeway. I could feel the car (near the gas pedal) start shaking, then the power went down quickly... as I was trying to find a safe place to go. The farther I drove, there was less power until the car was going about 2 miles an hour. The check light continued flashing as I pulled into a parking lot. This was very scary as I'm sure the car would have just stopped on the freeway if I had not been near an exit as it just simply had no power left. (The check engine light has been on over a year and I took it to three different mechanics. Not one could fix it. This car wiped out my savings and now sits at a Toyota dealership)!
Transmission failed at 65,000 miles right after the warranty expired. Cost to fix is $8,000. This is an epidemic issue with Toyota Highlanders built from 2017 to 2023. Tried to get dealer to cover but they said they refuse. They said that Toyota Corporate settled by paying all dealerships for potential repairs due to this issue, however all funds have been depleted. Basically no help at all. Pursued issue with Toyota Corporate for several weeks of escalations and appeals. In the end they completely refused to offer any solution other than for me to pay out of pocket. This issue should have been a nationwide recall due to the systemic failure on thousands of Toyota Highlanders. Sincerely, [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Complaint: I am writing to report a transmission defect in my 2018 Toyota Highlander AWD (UA80 8-speed automatic transmission). Prior to the check engine light illuminating, I noticed a burning smell coming from the vehicle. Subsequently, the following fault codes were retrieved: •P0741 – Torque Converter Clutch Circuit Performance/Stuck Off •P2714 – Pressure Control Solenoid “D” Performance/Stuck Off •P2757 – Torque Converter Clutch Pressure Control Solenoid Circuit Performance/Stuck Off These symptoms are consistent with the known defect described in Toyota’s Customer Support Program ZJC (POL19-04), which acknowledges a manufacturing defect involving an improperly bent washer tab inside the UA80 transmission. However, my VIN was not included in the covered vehicles under this program, despite experiencing identical symptoms. I am also aware that multiple class action lawsuits were filed in December 2025 against Toyota alleging the company knowingly concealed this defect from consumers for years. I am requesting NHTSA to investigate whether Toyota’s CSP ZJC coverage should be expanded to include additional affected VINs, and to consider issuing a mandatory recall for all vehicles equipped with the defective UA80 transmission.
Transmission failure (whining noise similar to the well-documented issue with UA80F 8-speed transmissions). I reported the noise and requested a specific diagnosis at approximately 95k miles --- no warning lamps/warnings were visible, just noticeable noise while driving without the radio on. On May 22, 2026, Torrington Toyota confirmed that the transmission was failed, but vehicle is drivable. As I purchased a Toyota Extended warranty, Toyota has approved the order of a remanufactured unit, which is on back order, so repair date is TBD/unknown. I lack confidence in the long-term viability of remanufactured unit, as this UA80F transmission continues to have issues, and will cost me $12k+ after the warranty expires, in the likely case that the remanufactured unit fails. There should be a long-term fix to this expensive issue.
The transmission went on my 2018 Toyota Highlander. The other day as I was driving on highway, lost power as I was driving in neutral. I went from 70mph to 10 or less mph, would not accelerate. All of a sudden all warning lights. Check AWD, check engine light came on, many messages at once. There were no warning lights displayed prior to this. I was able to get off an exit. Could not move the car anymore was not in a safe area, called police for assistance. The car was towed to an independent service center who confirmed it was a transmission issue.
UA80F Transmission failure at 100k miles for the 2018 Toyota highlander SE. No warning lights, engine noise (high pitched whine while driving). Took to the dealer and was told the transmission needed to be replaced.
Currently at 113k miles. VIN # is not on the recall or extended warranty list for transmission issues, shift lag has been noticed way before 100k miles. vehicle is making squealing noise on drive, and when gas petal is press. Since no recall, but per research, I may have a faulty transmission that is left out of the Customer support program zjc, t-SB-0160-18.
The UA80 8-speed automatic transmission failed catastrophically without any prior warning symptoms while driving on the highway. During normal acceleration to pass another vehicle, the engine revved to 5,000 RPM as the transmission slipped, then dropped to 3,000 RPM coasting. After exiting the highway approximately one mile later and coming to a stop at a red light, the transmission would no longer engage in any forward gear. The engine revs freely when placed in drive and the accelerator is pressed. Reverse still functions. The vehicle had to be towed from the roadside. This created a serious safety hazard. The driver was stranded on the side of a busy road and lost all forward propulsion without warning while operating at highway speed. The failure occurred suddenly with zero prior symptoms. The vehicle was operating normally around town earlier the same day. The driver had no advance warning of any kind, no warning lights, no unusual noises, no shifting irregularities, before the catastrophic highway failure. This is consistent with reports from other UA80 owners who describe sudden, total transmission failure at similar mileage. The loss of forward propulsion at highway speed posed an immediate safety risk to the driver and surrounding traffic. The driver had to navigate to the shoulder and then reverse off the roadway to reach a safe location to wait for a tow truck. I contacted Toyota Customer Experience at 800-331-4331 and was assigned a case number. Goodwill assistance was denied twice. I was told the system would not allow the representative to proceed. I was disconnected twice during attempts to escalate to a supervisor. My case was then closed without resolution. Over 430 NHTSA complaints have been filed regarding UA80 transmission failures across multiple Toyota and Lexus models from 2017-2024. The pattern of failure is well documented. I am requesting NHTSA investigate this transmission platform and the adequacy of Toyota's limited CSP ZJC coverage.
I am reporting a documented safety defect in my 2018 Toyota Highlander (VIN: [XXX] ). On March 31, 2026, a certified technician at Groove Toyota (Work Order #XXX) performed a diagnostic inspection to investigate a severe 'airplane whine' noise. The technician verified the noise and used a stethoscope to pinpoint the source as 'very loud coming from final drive,' officially recommending a full transmission replacement at an estimated cost of $8,475. This failure is a direct mechanical match for a known factory assembly error (insufficiently bent locking tab) acknowledged by Toyota in Technical Service Bulletin T-SB-0160-18 and Customer Support Program ZJC. Despite the technician's formal diagnosis that the vehicle is mechanically unsound and requires immediate replacement for safe operation, Toyota Corporate denied my request for assistance (Case #XXX) on April 8, 2026. Toyota cited my vehicle's VIN does not fall into the customer support program, although it's essentially the same transmission, effectively refusing to remedy a documented manufacturing defect. This vehicle has excellent service records, and Toyota’s refusal to honor the spirit of the ZJC program leaves me with a documented safety risk that the manufacturer refuses to address. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own
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