2020 Toyota Highlander

The vehicle’s automatic transmission (power train) has developed a loud whining/whirring noise under acceleration. This noise increases with engine load and indicates internal mechanical failure. The transmission is still installed in the vehicle and is available for inspection upon request. This issue poses a safety risk because it causes hesitation and unpredictable acceleration behavior while merging or crossing traffic. There is also concern that the transmission could suddenly fail while driving, resulting in loss of propulsion and potentially causing an accident. The problem has been inspected and confirmed by a Toyota dealership, which advised that the entire transmission needs to be replaced at a cost of over $8,000, despite the vehicle having only approximately 77,000 miles. The vehicle has been inspected by a Toyota manufacturer service center. They identified the transmission failure but stated there are no current recall programs covering this specific VIN. No warning lights or error messages were displayed at any time before or during the failure. The first noticeable symptom was the transmission whining/whirring noise during acceleration, which began around 77,000 miles and continues to worsen.

Road noise was very loud. I thought it was a bearing and I took it to the shop and found out that the 'transfer box' on the side of the transmission had to be replaced. I was told that not replacing it could lead to major transmission failure. This cost $6000. Mechanic said it's unusual. Upon reading the internet I'm learning that I'm not the only one this and similar problems.

When braking, and decelerating through 25 to 20 MPH, the brakes temporarily stop functioning. There is a noticeable change in deceleration that can be felt by the driver AND passengers. This almost feels like an acceleration, but we believe it's the brakes briefly stop functioning. The same problem occurs with different drivers so we are confident the problem is mechanical and not operator dependent. We believe this is a brake actuator issue and there may have been a similar problem in earlier model Toyotas.

I received a safety recall notice from Toyota (Recall No. 23TA15 / 23TB15) for the front passenger Occupant Classification System (OCS) sensors. The letter states that the airbag system may not deploy correctly and that the remedy is not yet available. I’m concerned for my safety and my passengers since the airbag system could fail in a crash. Toyota has not provided a repair timeline or an alternative vehicle. I’ve contacted my dealer and Toyota customer service but was told there’s no fix yet. I would like NHTSA to investigate the delay and require Toyota to provide an immediate remedy or alternate transportation. Symptoms: •Airbag light may remain on or system disabled •Unable to safely seat a passenger in the front seat •No repair currently available despite safety risk Remedy status: •Remedy not available

The 8 speed automatic transmission is failing at 100k miles. Whining noises are heard and after being taken to Toyota dealerships mechanic, we were told that the gear mesh or bearing is bad and that we'll need to replace the transmission. We were told that many other highlanders have experienced the same issues. No light popped up before or during driving while the transmission is whining.