2021 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER Power Train Problems

I was driving to a stop light when I heard a Raddle. Pull over and all the oil came out the engine. When I took it to the dealer they told me that the engine blew up. 14k repair that Toyota would not cover the repair.

The contact owns a 2021 Toyota Highlander. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was an abnormal whining sound coming from the transmission. The contact was concerned about the sound and contacted a dealer. The vehicle was driven to the dealer and was diagnosed with transmission failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 60,347.

I am reaching out regarding our 2021 Toyota Highlander which currently has $65 K miles and is just out of warranty. Recently we noticed a wining noise during acceleration. We took the vehicle to the dealer who told us that the transmission will need to be REPLACED. $9500 repair. This is a known issue with Toyota and they will not work with us on this. We are stuck! No customer goodwill! Thank you!

I purchased my brand new Highlander on January 31, 2021 and was told today that I need a transmission replacement. My vehicle started about two month ago with a whining sound while accelerating. My vehicle currently has 78,000 miles and is out of the extended warranty of 60,000/5 year. I learned that Toyota released a bulletin on February 9, 2021 stating transmission issues for particular Toyota models, the Highlander being one. After researching the issue, there are several stories of Highlander owners who are experiencing the same issue. It’s a shame that they knew of the problem in February 2021 and with the transmission replacements on vehicles less than 5 years old and haven’t issued a formal recall for this known defect.

2021 toyota highlander AWD limited - Car started making a whirling (whirring, whining) noise upon acceleration. It ramps up as accelerating. There are no warning lights showing. It stops when you take foot off of gas. Problem had been confirmed by 2 toyota dealers as needing a new transmission. One said it was in last gear, the other simply said noise was coming from the transmission and based on the NSB in 2021 it was transmission so would need to be replaced. One was $9700+, the other was $8600+. Went back and forth with Toyota to see if they would provide any help. They won’t cover any of the cost. Husband has a 2019 toyota highlander XLE making the same exact noise. Haven’t taken it yet for diagnostics

Known transmission failure.whining noise when accelerating. T-SB-0008-21

The transmission in my 2021 Toyota Highlander began making a loud whining/whirring noise that increases with vehicle speed. The vehicle was inspected by a Toyota dealership, and I was told the transmission has failed and needs to be replaced. Toyota stated the repair would be out of pocket, despite the vehicle’s age and proper maintenance. There were no warning lights prior to the failure. This condition affects drivability and raises safety concerns, including the risk of sudden transmission failure or loss of power while driving, especially at highway speeds. I believe this is a premature transmission defect and am reporting it for investigation.

Toyota is asking me to pay for a brand new transmission replacement in my car that is only 5 years old, 74,000 miles on it. The cost is $10,000. How is it possible a brand new vehicle is needing this? I have read a lot of reviews that Toyota is knowingly using the transmission type that they even had to recall on earlier models. Why are they still making vehicles using this type of transmission when it continues to need total transmission replacement so early on? And Offer zero assistance. We bought Toyota because we thought it was the best. I will never buy Toyota again, this is a huge cost for a young family with a teachers salary.

I am writing about my 2021 Toyota Highlander XLE AWD VIN # [XXX] . I purchased this vehicle brand new on 3/29/2021 at ‘Koons Easton Toyota’ in Easton, MD. In October 2025 I started hearing whining noise from the engine compartment. It was audible only when accelerating the vehicle and would go away if I took my foot off the accelerator. On 10/22/2025, I took the vehicle for inspection to ‘Ourisman Toyota 40’ dealership in Edgewood, MD. The technician told me that this is a known issue in this model/year and recommended to replace transmission as there was no other fix. He gave me a $9,995 estimate for transmission replacement. I subsequently learned that there was technical service bulletin on this exact defect released by Toyota on 2/9/2021. It said that models with UA80F transmission will make whining noise and then fail. The only remedy was to replace the transmission...

We began noticing a whining sound that has progressively gotten louder and more frequent upon acceleration. After taking it to the dealership, they claim it requires a transmission replacement. According to the dealership themselves and information online, this seems to be a common defect with 2021 Highlanders.

I had the 60,000 mile service on February 2,2026 and after the service was completed I left the dealership and got on the freeway to go home. I heard a whining noise and immediately turned around and took it back to the dealer. I took the mechanic who worked on my car for a drive and he was able to hear the winding noise and we returned to the dealership. It took the mechanic three hours to come to the conclusion that I needed a new transmission. They still have my car and I have not heard anything about coverage or when it will be done.

whinning noise during acceleration on the road and gear shift problems

Transmission has failed, making high pitched whining noise while accelerating. Will need full replacement the car only has 66k miles on it - just out of warranty

- The vehicle has been experiencing shifting issues (its an automatic vehicle) when driving in all instances and at all speeds that has progressively gotten worse over the past 4-8 weeks. - As it seems to be a transmission issue (and a known one pending litigation) the safety issue is if the transmission fails during operation of the car. - It was brought to a dealership to be inspected after it was initially felt as more of a vibration than the more harsh shifting/engine sounds and issues that it is currently experiencing. The dealership thought it to be the front hub assembly/bearing that was the issue. I had the front driver side replaced and the issue still remains and has continued to worsen. It has not been inspected by the manufacturer, police, or insurance representative. - There have been no warning lamps or messages at all. - Through research it...

Technical Service bulletin was issued for my 2021 Highlander car in February of 2021 for a well documented transmission issue (whine and grind noise). We are now put in a position that requires us to replace the transmission at a substantial cost. This expense is budget crushing and any assistance in getting Toyota to assist with the expense would be greatly appreciated.

Just after the 60,000 mile warranty, the car started making a whining noise when pushing the accelerator. This is part of the well known transmission problem. Transmission will need to be replaced.

I started hearing a winning noise that got louder with speed, this month I took it to the dealership in Austin, TX and they said it needed a new transmission. It only has 67,219 miles. My 2008 was sold at 219k miles with no problems. I see online there has been problems with this type of transmission for many years. They are replacing it with the very same transmission....

The contact owns a 2021 Toyota Highlander. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle jerked abnormally and failed to accelerate as intended while depressing the accelerator pedal. The contact pulled to the side of the road. The vehicle failed, then failed to respond while in drive or reverse. No warning light was illuminated. The contact called for Roadside Assistance and had the vehicle towed to a safe location. The vehicle was then towed to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed the vehicle and informed the contact that the transmission had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired due to the cost. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.

Transmission started to make a whining noise. After a month the sound increased in loudness and took to dealer to check. Came back with needing transmission replaced due to bad bearing. Was replaced with aftermarket warrenty protection.

In May 2021 I purchased my Highlander XLE with 5 miles on the odometer. In Feb 2021 dealerships were notified of Toyota Technical Service Bulletin (T-SB-0008-21) dated Feb 2021 was a problem. I have never been notified of the TSB for transmission whine/grinding noise. At approximately 75,000 miles (out-of-warranty) and regular servicing, my vehicle developed a noticeable whine from the transmission. Now at 102,000 miles I am stuck with a transmission replacement ($7500-$9000) looming at sometime in the future. Very disappointed. I have been reprimanded by grandkids that "You drive like a Grandpa" so, I am not hard on my vehicles. My 1993 Chevy S10 had over 388.000 miles when sold. it was solid!. I think Toyota should be forced to do the right thing and cover any cost of replacement and temporary rental. Seems replacements are back ordered for months!

I bought my 2021 Toyota Highlander on 11/17/2025 and approximately one month later, I heard a whining noise when the car accelerates past 25 mph. The whining noise gets progressively louder the more the car accelerates. In addition, when driving over a bump or hump, there is a grinding/creaking noise that occurs. I took my car into the Toyota dealership on 12/29/2025 and the service technicians were able to replicate my issues. They even stated that the issue is caused by a bearing failure inside the transmission. I also purchased an extended warranty but unfortunately the inspector sent by the warranty company wants me to get a transmission fluid exchange because they think that will solve the issue. The entire transmission needs to be replaced.

The contact owns a 2021 Toyota Highlander. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds and depressing the accelerator pedal, the contact heard an abnormal whining sound coming from the front of the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where the contact was informed that it was a known failure. The vehicle was then taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed, and determined that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and advised the contact to work with the dealer to have the transmission repaired. The failure mileage was 66,000.

I have a faulty transmission that is now widely known. 2021 Highlander with the UA80 transmission. Out of warranty and Toyota wants to provide no help even know this is an ongoing issue with so many owners

The transmission has developed a transmission whining noise which Toyota has released a TSB 0008-21. My vehicle has 104,000 miles and is now out of warranty. If this is a known defect on many Toyota vehicle models a transmission replacement should be free if no longer in warranty.

Almost caused high speed accident merging onto toll road! The vehicle is experiencing a severe transmission slippage, shudder, and grinding noise, consistent with TSB-0008-21 (UA80 transmission failure). This defect causes hesitant acceleration and erratic shifting, creating a safety hazard when merging onto highways or crossing intersections. I am concerned the transmission will fail completely while driving, resulting in a sudden loss of motive power and increasing the risk of a crash. Toyota has covered this exact safety defect in 2017–2019 models (CSP ZJC) but has failed to recall the 2021 models despite identical symptoms. First reared it's head as slipping when putting vehicle in reverse, 25k+ ago. Was told by Toyota Certified mechanics it was an operator error. Morphed into larger issue.

To whom it may concern I hope I've chosen the proper avenue for my problem. I purchased and new 2021 Toyota Highlander. I chose Toyota for it reputation of high standards of dependability. However I took the vehicle in at 20,611 miles (9/22/2021) into the dealership for multiple transmission issues. When passing it would kick down into a lower gear and race the motor. There was also chunky shifting and a small whining noise. (service Ref #XXX). The service manager only wrote down the first symptom. Upon doing a computer diagnostic without driving the vehicle the service manager told me to just drive it more that it probably needed more breaking in. The downshifting and chunky shifting did go away for the most part, but the whining persistently got worse. Finally at 115,000 miles it got much worse and I took it back to the dealership. They informed me that...

I brought my 2021 Highlander L in for some regular maintenance and reported that within the last 2 weeks I have been hearing a whining sound when the vehicle is decelerating. I was informed at the end of the day that the transmission is bad and needs to be replaced. My vehicle is just outside of warranty (69k miles). I have always ensured my Highlander got an oil change on time, had all recommended maintenance done at that appropriate time/milage, and brought it in for safety recalls promptly. This vehicle has never been in an accident, and while I have owned it (and according to Carfax when I purchased it) I have always brought it to a Toyota dealership for any and all work. There have never been any warning messages, and even though my vehicle has been into Toyota regularly for oil changes and regular maintenance, I was never...

Whining sound upon acceleration. Occasional hesitation when shifting gears or rough shifting when going from complete stop to accelerating. Dealership says need new transmission. Warranty company test drove and agreed with dealership findings. 60,000 miles .

Vehicle had a very loud high pitch whining noise the rapid accelerated I was braking and brakes were not working vehicle screen was flashing Vehicle Malfunction. yes vehicle is available. I could not stop the vehicle I struck three signs and a lady fell down as i was approaching the the building very fast, hit a wrought iron black fence and it fell on a park vehicle and then i hit a park vehicle and it stop i threw it in park. i am not sure. Insurance company After the vehicle accelerated there was a message saying VEHICLE MALFUNCTION, not before the accident.

Automatic transmission making humming noise while driving, can potentially fail without warning and leading to loss of power and potential crash.

Transmission is making a loud whine when accelerating. Dealer says the transmission cannot be repaired and must be replaced

Transmission is making a loud whine when accelerating. Dealer says the transmission cannot be repaired and must be replaced

2021 Highlander XLE started making a whining noise when accelerating. Noise stops when you let off the gas. Took it to Toyota who said the transmission needed to be replaced. Although everywhere you look this is apparently a known problem, Toyota has yet to cover it or recall the part making the owners have to pay 9k to replace a transmission.

Slipping and Whining transmission while driving in the Ozark mountains on [xxx]. I didn't feel I had full control of the vehicle. No warnings of any kind. Took the vehicle to Saint Charles Toyota service department on 10/2/25 where a bad transmission diagnosis was confirmed. Regards, [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Transmission began producing a whine sound at 58k and slipped several times.. A transmission that slips could cause a wreck involving all passengers. Requires replacement. No warning lamps. Show some integrity Toyota and stand behind your products.

There is a known transmission issue with some 2021 Toyota Highlanders, Avalons, and Camrys. Toyota Bulletin T-SB-008-21 from February of 2021 states 'Some 2021 model year Avalon, Highlander, and Camry vehicles equipped with UA80E or UA80F transmissions may exhibit a whine or grind noise from the transmission. This condition may be caused by an issue with the front carrier assembly pinion shafts'. I have a 2021 Highlander with 127,000 miles that started to show this whine noise. Local transmission shop confirms that a new transmission is needed. I am taking it to a local Toyota Dealer next week to confirm. I started a case online with Toyota USA, and since I'm over Warranty, they started that will not assist with reimbursement. My complaint is how came a recall was not done on this? Why did Toyota do nothing and now many of their customers with these vehicles face costly repairs...

66,564 Miles, Transmission slipped and caused a delay in power, now it has a big high pitched whine and continues to do it. This looks to be a big problem across the board for 2021 Highlanders.

Hearing a whining noise when I step on the gas pedal. The toyota dealership informed me I need a new transmission on a 4 year old vehicle with about 88,000 miles on it. Toyota said because there is no recall, they will not cover the replacement

Winning sound coming from the transmission - upon seeking information online I was able to find a service bulletin from 2021 that addresses the issue - I see a large number of posts online with people having the same issue - the only solution is a transmission replacement - Toyota should be made to do a recall on these vehicles

Noticed 2021 Toyota highlander start whining around 85000 miles. Did some research on the sound and found that Toyota UA80F transmissions have all had the same issue and issued a tsb to their dealerships but not people who purchased the car. Warranty runs out and now you are on the hook for an 10k transmission replacement or risk your car breaking down at any point on the road. Car was inspected today by Toyota to receive the quote to fix at 10400 with no discussion of possible remedies for their defective transmissions. The exact quote would be "that's not our problem, you have to take it up with Toyota office, bud". So now we have a ticking time bomb on the road with the only remedy to pay 10400 to replace a defected transmission that was covered in other recalls by the same company.

Making a whinnig noise while accelerating

Transmisson started whining and slipping at 61000 miles. 1k miles out of warrenty. Even though toyota has a service bulletin about knowing my exact year and serial number transmisson will go bad. No recall issued and they want 9k for a repair. Rick McGill toyota on alcoa highway knoxville tennensse diagnosed it.

Transmision is whining and stuttering or slipping gears

2021 Toyota Highlander 87000 miles began making humming noise when stepping on gas and goes away when foot off gas. Toyota said metal shavings in transmission fluid and we need new transmission. We have made appointment to replace. No warning lights. No incident just filing complaint

Entering the freeway a mile from home the car would not properly excellerate, only reachind 40 mph before exiting the freeway in favor backroads to my appointment. Shaking back and forth while driving, exacerbated when braking and coming to stop, I needed to put the car into neutral to calm down the shaking while waiting for the light to change. I just went through experiencing a brake failure and reporting of that to this Agency and now see another of many defects associated with the 2020-2022 Toyota Highlanders and Siennas Toyota is not addressing through Recalls as they should be, and further frustrated this Agency has or chooses to have no means by which to enforce Toyota's responsibility to the public

at 65,000 miles, the transmission has developed a "whining" sound consistent with TSB T-SB-0008-21.

Transmission in our 2021 Toyota Highlander required a full replacement due to a known part defect (front carrier assembly front pinion shaft). Toyota will not cover any portion of the $8k cost. In looking into the issue, this is very widespread with even our dealership confirming four transmission replacements by customers in a short period of time. The transmission is also back ordered (ours took 3 months), but the dealership has seen up to six months. I am guessing this is do to the high demand.

At 119,000 miles, the UA80F transmission in our 2021 Toyota Highlander XSE started making a whining noise. A dealer confirms the transmission needs to be replaced. After much research, this is apparently a known issue and Toyota will not warranty the repair after the 60,000 mile warranty expires. Estimated repair cost is $11,000.

Complete failure of transmission at approximately 53k miles. No warnings. No lights. Car had just had its 50k miles service appointment. My safety and that of my family was jeopardized when I unknowingly took this car to/from our family vacation out of state- the gears started jumping a few days after we returned, quickly followed by the grinding, whining noises. Come to find out there is a service bulletin that has been out for 4 years! T-SB- 0008-21 issued on February 9, 2021, for select 2021 Highlander models equipped with a UA80E or UA8OF.8-speed automatic transmission. Why wasn't this a recall? How is this not a safety issue? Why wasn't this disclosed by Toyota when I was sold a car with 30k miles on it for $35k miles?

My Highlander is making a whine noise due to the issue described in T-SB-0008-21. I was never made aware that this was a potential issue. My car is making the whine noise, but Toyota Of Capistrano refuses to cover the cost of fixing it because my car has 86,000 miles. I would have taken the car in sooner had I known of this issue.