Toyota Highlander Power Train Problems
Owners have filed 1,040 complaints with NHTSA about power train problems on the Toyota Highlander across 25 model years. The 2021 model year has the most (227). The words owners use most often: “whining noise” (16% of reports).
- 1,040power train complaints
- —median miles at failure
- 29mention a crash
- 14mention an injury
- 0related recalls
- $9,300typical repair cost reported by owners
- 24%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 169 of 1,040 complaints (16%)
- Transmission failed: mentioned in 61 of 1,040 complaints (6%)
- Service bulletin: mentioned in 61 of 1,040 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 Toyota Highlander at $9,300, and half of them between $8,000 and $10,000.
Based on 121 NHTSA complaints about this problem alone that state a repair bill or quote (2009–2026), 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 289 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 1,040 complaints, 29 mention a crash, 1 a fire, 14 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 | 204 | 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 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.
The contact owns a 2021 Toyota Highlander. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was a loud high-pitched whining sound coming from the vehicle. The contact stated that the vehicle hesitated while accelerating and the transmission was shifting rough. The contact stated…
Transmission failure after whining noise, taken to Toyota multiple times with no diagnosis. Today was informed the transmission is failing by another mechanic. 193,000 miles.
The contact owns a 2019 Toyota Highlander. The contact stated that driving the vehicle lost power and failed to properly accelerate while depressing the accelerator pedal. There was an abnormal whining sound coming from the transmission and the vehicle lunged forward and unintendedly accelerated…
While driving along, the car suddenly begun not too shift in the middle of an intersection. Fortunately for me, this occurred in the middle of the night when there were not many cars around, otherwise serious injury would likely have occurred since it was in a busy area. I had the car towed to an…
Noticed a whine noise slowly progressing over a couple of weeks. Researched the sound and took it for diagnostic eval. with Holman Toyota in Mt. Laurel, NJ on 10/3/2026. As suspected, the transmission is failing. Mechanic documented via video the fluid sample containing suspended metallic particles…
Frequently asked questions
Do all Toyota Highlanders have power train problems?
No. NHTSA has 1,040 owner complaints about power train for the Toyota Highlander. Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the Toyota Highlander power train?
No recall currently lists power train for this vehicle.
How much does it cost to fix power train problems on the Toyota Highlander?
Owners report a typical cost of $9,300 (half paid between $8,000 and $10,000), from 121 complaints that state a repair bill or quote, in 2026 dollars.
What do owners say about power train problems on the Toyota Highlander?
The most frequent phrase is “whining noise”, in 169 of 1,040 complaints, followed by “transmission failed” (61).
Other Toyota Highlander problems
- Electrical System problems (634)
- Service Brakes problems (589)
- Engine problems (536)
- Structure problems (446)
- Vehicle Speed Control problems (444)
- Steering problems (365)
- Air Bags problems (356)
- Visibility problems (318)
See all Toyota Highlander problems.