2018 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER Complaints

Vehicle’s 8 speed transmission started a low pitch whine when pressing the accelerator around 90,000 miles. Transmission has begun shifting roughly since 105,000 miles. Vehicle is outside of Toyota’s manufacture date deadline for T-SB-0008-21 but this issue sounds exactly like what is described in Toyota’s TSB.

Vehicle experienced whining noise when decelerating. Toyota dealer service technician documented the noise as coming from the transmission due to an issue with the pinion shafts. Our safety was put at risk by a potential for the transmission no longer working when driving. There were no warning lamps, messages, etc. prior to the failure. The failure occurred around 136,000 miles. All recommended services, including on the transmission, occurred at the same Toyota dealer service.

The contact owns a 2018 Toyota Highlander. The contact stated that while driving uphill and depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle decelerated and rolled backwards unexpectedly. An independent mechanic was contacted. The vehicle was inspected by a mechanic friend and diagnosed with transmission failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 92,000.

The transmission makes a whining noise, especially when pulling, as in driving up an incline. I took the 2018 Highlander to Rusty Drewing Toyota in Jefferson City, MO to be diagnosed. They said the transmission needs to be replaced. In researching the problem, I found a bulletin/recall: 7A61K20482. The bulletin says the serial number must be before 7A617E03416. I want to get on your list and hopefully, be able to get some kind of relief for this problem.

The contact owns a 2018 Toyota Highlander. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle inadvertently lost motive power in the middle of the roadway. The contact stated that the RPM continued to increase rapidly, but the vehicle failed to respond. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed a failure with the washer tab, designed to prevent the loosening of the nut inside the transmission, resulting in damage to the transmission. The contact was informed that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to the Customer Support Program: ZJC. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, a case was opened, and the contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 104,000.

Transmission just started shifting extremely hard between first and second gear. Turning snow mode on stops the shifting problem so I know it’s an internal issue with the transmission. The Highlander XLE only has 67,748 miles. Way to early for a transmission issue

Transmission, whine rough shifting issues. Yes can be looked at. Tough to hear over the noise, harder to know when its going to change gears and increase speed due to slow/intermittent gear shifts. Yes they have a TSB from Toyota that descript the issue and Toyota has extend some vins warranty's for this issue but not for all affect vehicles apparently. No, not by any of those. Yes DTC have come on for awd system issues. Frist appear at 90K.

The transmission on my 2018 Highlander is failing prematurely at 80k miles in alignment with known/published customer support program ZJC. My car is not a VIN covered by the program today. Symptoms include a growing whining sound coming from the transmission and confirmed by two Toyota dealership service centers.

1. What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? The issue involves the Dynamic Radar Cruise Control system (vehicle-to-vehicle distance control mode) in my 2018 Toyota Highlander. This system automatically cancels when the vehicle’s speed drops to approximately 25 mph (40 km/h) or below. The system disengages without driver input during normal driving conditions such as heavy traffic or congestion. The component remains functional but poses a safety concern due to its operational design. The vehicle and system are available for inspection upon request. 2. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? This malfunction creates a significant safety risk when driving in stop-and-go or congested traffic. The sudden loss of adaptive speed control forces the driver to quickly resume manual braking and acceleration, which can cause delayed reactions and potential rear-end collisions. The unexpected disengagement may also confuse drivers, especially those relying on the system to maintain safe following distances. This behavior increases cognitive load and the chance of driver error, particularly for elderly or less experienced drivers. 3. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? Yes. The issue has been observed and replicated multiple times during normal driving conditions, such as during city traffic or highway slowdowns. It is also acknowledged in the vehicle owner’s manual, which specifies that the system automatically cancels below approximately 25 mph. However, this design flaw has not been formally addressed or corrected by Toyota dealerships or service centers as a safety concern. 4. Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? The vehicle has not been inspected specifically for this concern by Toyota or other third parties. However, the condition is consistent across the same model and year,

The vehicle started having a whining noise in the transmission around 60,000 mi we took it to the Toyota dealership they said they couldn't hear anything He called Toyota itself The customer support program several times they have neglected it and it's getting worse