2020 Toyota Highlander Power Train Problems
Owners have filed 126 complaints with NHTSA about power train problems on the 2020 Toyota Highlander, 39% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 73,000 miles. The words owners use most often: “whining noise” (27% of reports).
- 126power train complaints
- 73,000median miles at failure
- 2mention a crash
- 1mention an injury
- 0related recalls
- $9,300typical repair cost reported by owners
- 19%of reports with a speed happened at 50+ mph
What owners describe
Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.
- Whining noise: mentioned in 34 of 126 complaints (27%)
- Started making: mentioned in 11 of 126 complaints (9%)
- High pitched: mentioned in 8 of 126 complaints (6%)
- UA80 transmission: mentioned in 7 of 126 complaints (6%)
How much does it cost to fix?
Owners who wrote down what they paid or were quoted put the typical power train repair on the 2020 Toyota Highlander at $9,300, and half of them between $8,050 and $9,950.
Based on 18 NHTSA complaints about this problem alone that state a repair bill or quote (2024–2026), converted to 2026 dollars with the U.S. consumer price index. These are owners' own figures, not a quote: they include dealer quotes, and owners who file complaints often faced larger repairs, so they can run higher than typical shop prices. Prices vary by shop, region and warranty coverage. How we calculate this.
At what mileage do power train problems happen?
Based on 15 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 126 complaints, 2 mention a crash, 1 an injury.
Toyota Highlander power train complaints by model year
| Model year | Power Train complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 Highlander | 1 | 25% | — |
| 2024 Highlander | 3 | 7% | — |
| 2023 Highlander | 20 | 11% | — |
| 2022 Highlander | 54 | 21% | 98,000 |
| 2021 Highlander | 227 | 43% | 59,674 |
| 2020 Highlander | 126 | 39% | 73,000 |
| 2019 Highlander | 205 | 41% | 64,000 |
| 2018 Highlander | 68 | 25% | 95,170 |
| 2017 Highlander | 76 | 28% | 20,000 |
| 2016 Highlander | 1 | 1% | — |
| 2015 Highlander | 7 | 4% | 80,000 |
| 2014 Highlander | 9 | 7% | 53,622 |
| 2013 Highlander | 11 | 5% | 16,000 |
| 2012 Highlander | 7 | 4% | 12,500 |
| 2011 Highlander | 16 | 9% | 17,000 |
| 2010 Highlander | 6 | 3% | 66,000 |
| 2009 Highlander | 7 | 5% | 7,824 |
| 2008 Highlander | 18 | 4% | 12,000 |
| 2007 Highlander | 8 | 6% | 14,045 |
| 2006 Highlander | 22 | 8% | 42,195 |
| 2005 Highlander | 51 | 23% | 45,000 |
| 2004 Highlander | 58 | 20% | 10,000 |
| 2003 Highlander | 13 | 5% | 65,725 |
| 2002 Highlander | 14 | 5% | 107,000 |
| 2001 Highlander | 13 | 9% | 70,750 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (0)
No safety recall lists power train for the 2020 Toyota Highlander. A pattern of complaints does not always lead to a recall.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
⢠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…
My Highlander started making a whining noise while accelerating. Took it to my local dealership and was told I need a new transmission. I have 87,000 miles on it! Total cost = $8,000.
At 51,000 mile the transmission started making a whining noise. Took it to the dealer and they stated the transmission needs replacement.
Frequently asked questions
Do all 2020 Toyota Highlanders have power train problems?
No. NHTSA has 126 owner complaints about power train for the 2020 Toyota Highlander (39% of the 320 complaints for this model year). Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the 2020 Toyota Highlander power train?
No recall currently lists power train for this vehicle.
At what mileage do power train problems start?
The median reported mileage is 73,000 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
How much does it cost to fix power train problems on the 2020 Toyota Highlander?
Owners report a typical cost of $9,300 (half paid between $8,050 and $9,950), from 18 complaints that state a repair bill or quote, in 2026 dollars.
What do owners say about power train problems on the 2020 Toyota Highlander?
The most frequent phrase is “whining noise”, in 34 of 126 complaints, followed by “started making” (11).
See all 2020 Toyota Highlander problems or power train problems across all Highlander years.