I bought my 2020 Highlander 5 years ago because Toyota had a rep of longevity. I have been judicious in insuring all recommended maintenance has been completed with additional maintenance of oil changes every 5000 miles instead of the recommended 10000 miles. I had transmission service done at 80000 miles, some 12000 miles ago. All maintenance done by Toyota dealer. Most of my driving is highway. I had planned to keep this car another 5 years and get al least 20000 miles out of it.

In the last several weeks, I have noticed a slight whine coming from the transmission when I turn the radio off. One other issue is the right power lift gate strut has started making intermittent binding noises. I researched my transmission whine and found all kinds of complaints about failing transmissions. I have a UA80F transmission. It has always been, what I call a little wonky, especially not down shifting soon enough coming off a hill or not upshifting soon enough coming down a hill. But I have learned to live with it. But now I am very concerned that ‘the whine’ has started at 92000 miles. Given the price of new cars, even if I had to pay $10k to get a new transmission it might be worth it to get another 5 years out of this car. But if you can’t get a replacement new OEM transmission for months and months, I feel like I need to get rid of it quick while everything is still working and before ‘the whine’ is obvious during trade in evaluation. I plan to take it in soon for a diagnosis. I will ask what the current lead time is on a new OEM transmission. Most likely, I will end up getting a new car years sooner than I planned. I only have 1 cars and needs to be reliable.

This is my urge to others; DO NOT BUY A TOYOTA WITH A UA80 Transmission. I don't care which year - I don't care which model. Toyota has swept this issue under the rug and continued to manufacture transmissions with known issues costing people anywhere from $6k to $11k. This is unacceptable and a SHAME upon Toyota. Just look online - you don't need my ONE review to do it for you...the internet is LITTERED with these same issues...Complete transmission replacements from 50k miles on...sure, some covered under warranty...unless you're like me - not car savvy. Want to buy this car for your family on one income??? DON'T. Just don't. Your kids yelling in the back will surely cause you to not hear this faint whine - which you might not even know is the start of a problem - until it's too late and you're out a vehicle, with no savings or money to blow on a new transmission for a car you pay a huge portion of your income on every month. Again - Looking at a Toyota?? Ask if it has a UA80 transmission. If it does - Run.

Our ‘20 highlander started making the know whine while driving. There is a TSB one some of the trans model numbers but this issues is effecting 20-21 trans it is a different issues than the 17-19 issue of a bolt or washer backing out. This an issues with the front carrier assembly pinion shafts. TSB number T-SB-0008-21. This is a know issue with the UA80 model transmissions. I am hoping that Toyota will have a recall on these as the wait do an new 7-10k transmission is over year wait and they don’t have any other fix than a new transmission on a 5 year old car. This inexcusable we have had Toyotas for years.

We are teachers and can’t afford to pay on this car and find 8k on top of that to drive our highlander. They need to at least cover the trans as this a major issue effecting so many models you can even get it fixed because they can’t keep up with the demand of broken parts. Come Toyota do the right thing.