2020 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER Complaints

At 51,000 mile the transmission started making a whining noise. Took it to the dealer and they stated the transmission needs replacement.

My 2020 Toyota Highlander XLE AWD developed a high-pitched whining noise from the drivetrain/transmission area while accelerating. The noise increases under acceleration and stops when the accelerator is released. The noise is not present when the vehicle is in neutral. I brought the vehicle to an authorized Toyota dealership for diagnosis. The dealership confirmed the condition and determined that the transmission requires replacement. The vehicle had only recently exceeded 60,000 miles when the problem was diagnosed. My safety concern is that this appears to be an internal transmission failure occurring at relatively low mileage. Because the transmission is a major drivetrain component necessary to maintain propulsion, I am concerned that continued deterioration could result in loss of propulsion or a more serious transmission failure while the vehicle is being driven. Toyota has reviewed the dealership's diagnosis and has approved supplying a replacement transmission through goodwill assistance. The original transmission has not yet been removed and remains installed in the vehicle. I am reporting this condition because I have identified other complaints involving Toyota Highlanders with similar transmission whining under acceleration and subsequent transmission replacement. I am concerned that this may represent a recurring transmission defect rather than an isolated failure. Because the original transmission is still installed, the vehicle and transmission should currently be available for inspection by NHTSA or other appropriate parties if requested before the repair is performed.

The transmission started making a whining noise around 69,000 miles that a mechanic said was due to transmission failure. There were no warning lights or messages. I took it to the Toytota dealer who sold it to me new. They inspected it and confirmed that the transmission needed replaced which they did. Online research said these symptoms meant the transmission could fail at any time while driving it which could put passengers and others at risk.

The transmission had a catastrophic failure at 73,000 miles and six years after purchase. There has been a service bulletin issued with known defects on this transmission yet Toyota corporate failed to acknowledge that they installed faulty transmissions in the 2020 Toyota Highlander. The diagnosis was a failed pinion bearing which the dealer diagnosed to replace the transmission at nearly $10,000

Incident: [XXX] Conditions: Clear daylight, dry pavement, normal highway conditions Crash/Injuries: Allstate Claim #[XXX]; several people injured At approximately [XXX], I was driving my 2020 Toyota Highlander Hybrid at about 55 mph in the slow/right lane. The vehicle ahead suddenly made a hard stop. I immediately and forcefully applied the brakes for an emergency stop. My front-seat passenger, [XXX], also saw the danger and yelled for me to stop at the same time. Based on our recollection, approximately five seconds elapsed between his warning and the collision. Despite the rapidly closing distance, the Toyota Pre-Collision System (PCS) did not appear to activate. There was no audible warning/beeping, no flashing red warning, and no “BRAKE!” indicator on the dashboard. This was also observed by [XXX] and [XXX], who was seated in the second row and is particularly attentive to warning signals. The vehicle also did not appear to provide any automatic emergency braking or brake-assist intervention. Despite my immediate and forceful braking, the vehicle did not stop in time and collided with the vehicle ahead, causing significant damage and injuries. The forward-facing sensors and windshield were clean and unobstructed. There were no dashboard warning lights or known system malfunction indicators before the crash. I purchased the Toyota Plus service package after completing the required maintenance during the initial coverage period. All scheduled maintenance and inspections were performed on time by certified Toyota technicians. I was repeatedly assured that the vehicle, including the braking system, was operating normally. I request that NHTSA investigate the possible failure of the PCS, forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking/brake assist, and their integration with the braking system. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Coming to a stop or slowing down the vehicle has a spot where it feels like the brakes fail then come back on. Especially if going down a grade. This happens around 15 to 20 mph. Started off a slight moment when you are sure the brakes quit working for just a second. As the vehicle gets older it has brown to be more noticeable.

The contact owns a 2020 Toyota Highlander. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the brake pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle failed to stop as intended. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to stop, and the vehicle jerked abnormally. No warning lights were illuminated. The failure was a persistent failure. The vehicle was taken to the dealer. The contact was informed of a software update. The contact was informed that an unknown software update was needed to repair the vehicle. The vehicle was repaired. The contact researched Technical Service Bulletin: 005923, which had a similar failure description. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure, and a case was filed. The failure mileage was approximately 15,000.

I was told by oxmoor dealership I had to talk to toyota corporate before I could get my car touched and that I did not need to talk to a lawyer. I called. Prior to the accident, the vehicle had been exhibiting multiple symptoms: an intermittent airbag warning light had illuminated briefly on the dashboard on a few occasions, and the vehicle had begun requiring noticeably longer physical distances to come to a complete stop at traffic signs and lights when not using cruise control. The vehicle was experiencing regular phantom seatbelt warnings—dinging as if a passenger was unbuckled when the seat was completely empty. The phantom seatbelt warnings i didnt think we're a big deal were occurring across multiple seating rows simultaneously in front and back. Directly preceding the crash, while making a turn, the vehicle swerved slightly. When I applied the physical brake pedal, the vehicle did not decelerate normally; instead, it experienced a sudden, abrupt forward acceleration surge into the building. I still haven't gotten my vehicle back or any information on what has been done or when I am getting my car back. I was also charged for an extra day for my rental when I was told to return it on the 16th. I haven't had a rental since then. I keep contacting oxmoor toyota and they said they were waiting on toyota corporate. I haven't had my car for a month. I tried to email. It was returned. My mailbox on my phone has been full of drs and other calls non stop. I texted online on the toyota page for the claim as well. Ive repeatedly asked the toyota dealership what is going on and I get we are waiting on corporate. I called toyota corporate again today and was told they would get back to me. I told the dealership. I am under medical care and in severe pain. Yes my safety was put at risk. Police and fire department were here the night it happened. They said they don't do a police report on private property. There is an insurance claim through state farm.

I am having fuel pump issues and my VIN was excluded from the recall from Toyota for similar issues. Toyota’s low-pressure fuel pump recall (originally announced Jan 2020, expanded multiple times through Jan 2025) covers vehicles across several model years, where a defective impeller made from inadequate resin material could swell and cause fuel starvation and sudden stalling. Highlander is mentioned as included for selected model years in some recall summaries

We have a 2020 Toyota Highlander with 89K miles that we have owned since it was new. I was informed today to not drive it any long distances from the dealer due to an impending failure of the transmission, creating a large safety issue for me and my family. I understand there are related recalls of the UA80 transmission but none for this particular model; there are countless internet reports of failure. I implore the NHTSA to investigate and protect the motoring public.