2023 Toyota Highlander transmission & drivetrain problems

Related recalls

No recalls on file.

What owners say

1. Filed Sep 6, 2026PATransmission & Drivetrain

   Transmission failure at 106,000 miles, full replacement under extended warranty and new transmission is begging to fail at 109,000 miles.

   NHTSA complaint #11762462 · source
2. Filed Aug 25, 2026NCTransmission & Drivetrain

   Transmission failure under 50k miles. Replaced under powertrain warranty. UA81E incurred a whine that was prevalent at light acceleration over 40 mph. This is a known issue that spans multiple years at some point someone has to admit this is a design flaw.

   NHTSA complaint #11759315 · source
3. Filed Aug 10, 2026VATransmission & Drivetrain

   I have a 2023 Toyota Highlander XSE with 77,015 miles on it. Last week we noticed that when pushing on the gas pedel to accelerate that the car started making a terrible whinning noise that did not go away. i scheduled a service call with dealership i purchased it from and where i take it for all of its scheduled service and they canfirmed that the transmission was failing and needed to be replaced so the problem has been confirmed by the dealership. In addition i contacted…

   NHTSA complaint #11755981 · source
4. Filed Jul 30, 2026FLTransmission & Drivetrain

   The transmission developed hesitations at take off, a whine at low speeds and over time got louder. Diagnosis by the dealer confirmed yet another bad eight speed transmission failure. This vehicle has 41K miles.

   NHTSA complaint #11753668 · source
5. Filed Jun 2, 2026WATransmission & Drivetrain

   My 2023 Toyota Highlander was experiencing a high pitch whiny noise when accelerating. I looked up on line and saw that this could be a failing transmission issue. I took it into the Toyota Dealership , 6321 West Canal Drive, Kennewick, WA 99336. They confirmed my concerns. They said the transmission was toast and I could not drive it until repaired. They informed me they would have to order a replacement transmission under warranty. They further informed me that there is a…

   NHTSA complaint #11741497 · source
6. Filed May 14, 2026SCTransmission & Drivetrain

   Right after vehicle passed 60k miles mark (manufacturer warranty ended) I noticed a whining noise under load. During acceleration the noise is most noticeable between 30-50 mph speed range. If a gas pedal released the noise is gone and if pressed again the noise is coming back. The pitch increases with a speed increase. I took the car to dealership (current odometer reading 61,037 miles) and they diagnosed transmission failure. Apparently it is a very common issue with the…

   NHTSA complaint #11737849 · source
7. Filed Jan 11, 2026MNTransmission & Drivetrain

   The transfer case blew out when I stopped at a red-light, within the first 3 years of original ownership. Only 65,000 miles on the odometer, mostly from highway driving. The car is now inoperable and repair quotes are prohibitively expensive.

   NHTSA complaint #11710197 · source
8. Filed Nov 3, 2024AZEngineFuel, Hybrid & EV PropulsionTransmission & Drivetrain

   Acceleration Issues, engine lag, poor response time and bucking when accelerated is pressed. Dangerous to drive not enough power to merge with traffic and hesitates to go at stop lights. Bought as a family suv and don’t feel safe with them in the car. RPMs jump when at idle. The car struggles to shift gears especially 2nd gear. Does not preform well under normal circumstances not sure how this car would ever be able to tow anything. I feel very mislead by Toyota and its…

   NHTSA complaint #11623355 · source
9. Filed Oct 31, 2024OHEngineTransmission & Drivetrain

   On 10/21 the vehicle accelerated on its own. At a stoplight behind another automobile, when I only slightly lifted my foot from the brake, the car lurched forward and the auto safety stop system lit up. I never touched the accelerator pedal. I pushed back down on the brake. This was not the first time this happened.

   NHTSA complaint #11623015 · source
10. Filed Sep 12, 2024KYFuel, Hybrid & EV PropulsionAcceleration & Cruise ControlTransmission & Drivetrain

    Vehicle is sluggish and will not accelerate from a dead stop for several seconds. The gas pedal often has to be pushed much farther down than usual so then when the vehicle actually starts moving it lurches. It often seem like it can't find the proper gear so it will buck and stutter while driving. The shifting is not smooth at all and you never know how the vehicle will respond making for a very unpredictable driving experience. This all started shortly after reaching the…

    NHTSA complaint #11614241 · source
11. Filed Aug 15, 2024OHEngineAcceleration & Cruise ControlTransmission & Drivetrain

    From a stop or slow roll (0-10 mph), significant hesitation is experienced after pushing the gas. The engine will not respond for a few moments and then all of a sudden it will take off in a jerking manner. Note that this is experienced when the engine auto start/stop is deactivated, so it is not from the delay of the engine starting when activated. This hesitation causes a near miss safety situation in many normal driving activities, but the highest risk is when turning…

    NHTSA complaint #11608712 · source
12. Filed Jul 3, 2024SCEngineFuel, Hybrid & EV PropulsionTransmission & Drivetrain

    When 87 octane fuel is put into the vehicle, the 2023 highlander is sluggish to start and make jump at times as well. After reading other complaints online, the current fix was putting 93 octane in the vehicle to remedy the issue. Putting 93 octane fuel in the vehicle does help although the vehicle jumps around RPM's when going from ECO mode to normal. All of these issues pose a risk to the car jumping from a start to cause a rear-end accident. I've complained to the dealer…

    NHTSA complaint #11598542 · source

Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) Office of Defects Investigation public data. Complaints are submitted by owners and are not verified by NHTSA or by us; a complaint does not prove a defect exists. View this vehicle on NHTSA.gov Methodology