2019 Toyota Highlander
Problems, recalls and owner-reported issues
Power train is the leading concern among 483 owner complaints filed for this model year. This is the 2nd highest complaint count among 25 Highlander model years with reports.
Of the 2019 reports, 22 involved a crash and 1 involved a fire. 18 people were injured.
What owners report most often
Recalls and investigations
Fuel system, gasoline, delivery, fuel pumpNov 4, 2020
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2018-2019 4Runner, 2019-2020 Avalon, 2019 Corolla Hatchback, 2017-2019 Highlander, 2018-2020 Camry, 2020 Corolla, 2018-2019 Land Cruiser, 2017-2020 Tacoma, 2019-2020 RAV4, 2019-2020 Sequoia, 2017-2020 Sienna, 2019-2020 Tundra, 2018-2020 Lexus ES350, 2017 Lexus GS200t, 2017-2019 Lexus GS350, 2019 Lexus GS300, 2018-2020 Lexus LC500h, 2019-2020 Lexus LS500, 2018-2019 Lexus GX460, 2017 Lexus IS200t, 2019 Lexus IS300, 2019 Lexus IS350, 2018-2020 Lexus LC500, 2018 Lexus LS500, 2019 Lexus LS500h, 2018-2019 Lexus LX570, 2017 Lexus RC200t, 2019 Lexus RC300, RC350, 2017 and 2019-2020 Lexus RX350, 2018-2020 RX350L, 2019 Lexus UX200, 2018-2019 Lexus NX300 vehicles. The low-pressure fuel pump inside the fuel tank may fail.
If the fuel pump fails, the engine can stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.
Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel pump assembly with an improved one, free of charge. Owners of specific models were notified that remedy parts were available starting January 21, 2021. Owners of other models will be notified as remedy parts become available. Remedy parts should be available for all affected vehicles by late March 2021. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-888-270-9371 or Lexus customer service at 1-800-255-3987. Note: This recall is an expansion of recall 20V-012. Toyota's number for this recall is 20TA02. Lexus' number for this recall is 20LA01.
Campaign 20V682000 on NHTSA.gov
Fuel system, gasoline, delivery, fuel pumpJan 13, 2020
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) recalled certain 2018-2019 4Runner, Highlander, Camry, Land Cruiser, Sequoia, Sienna, Tacoma and Tundra, and Lexus RC 300, RC 350, GS 350, GX 460, IS 300, LC 500, LS 500, LX 570, RX 350L, and 2019 Toyota Avalon and Corolla, and certain Lexus NX 300, and ES 350 vehicles on January 13, 2020. On March 4, 2020, Toyota expanded the recall to include certain 2014-2015 Toyota 4Runner and Land Cruiser, 2018 Avalon, Corolla, 2014 FJ Cruiser, 2017 Sienna and Lexus 2018 ES 350, 2018-2019 GS 300, 2013-2014 GS350, 2014-2015 GX 460, IS 350 and LX 570, 2014 IS F, 2018-2019 IS 350, LC 500H and LS 500H, 2013-2015 LS 460, 2015 NX 200T and RC350, 2017 RC 200T and RX 350. Toyota also removed the 2018-2019 Toyota 4Runner and Land Cruiser and 2018-2019 Lexus GX 460 and LX 570 and 2019 NX300 from inclusion in this recall. On March 19, 2020, Toyota expanded the recall to include 2015 Lexus GS350 vehicles. The low-pressure fuel pump inside the fuel tank may fail.
If the fuel pump fails, the engine can stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.
Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel pump, free of charge. The recall began May 4, 2020. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-888-270-9371 or Lexus customer service at 1-800-255-3987. Toyota's numbers for this recall are 20TB02 and 20TA02 for Toyota vehicles and 20LB01 and 20LA01 for Lexus vehicles.
Campaign 20V012000 on NHTSA.gov
Equipment, other, labelsMar 27, 2019
Gulf States Toyota (GST) is recalling certain 2019 C-HR, 4Runner, Avalon, Avalon Hybrid, Camry, Camry Hybrid, Highlander, Land Cruiser, Prius, RAV4, Sequoia, Tacoma, Sienna, Tundra and Yaris vehicles. The text on the load capacity label may become illegible. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 110, "Tire Selection and Rims."
If the driver cannot read the label, they may unknowingly overload the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
GST will notify owners, and dealers will provide corrected load carrying capacity modification labels, free of charge. The recall began May 24, 2019. Owners may contact GST customer service at 1-800-444-1074. GST's number for this recall is 19R1.
Campaign 19V244000 on NHTSA.gov
Representative owner complaints: power train
196 reports, newest first. Show all
Power train, May 27, 2025
• Transmission Failure. Inspection is available upon request. • We do not know if we are at risk if the transmission fails while driving. • Certified Toyota Dealership diagnosed and deemed failure – recommends full replacement • Component was inspected by a certified Toyota dealership • No warning lights
Power train, May 24, 2025
Less than 95k miles. Dealer says transmission needs replaced and cooler. Bought new- owned 5 years and 2 months. Many other 2019 highlanders online stating same problem.
Power train, Other or unspecified, Engine, May 15, 2025
Hello, it seems that my vehicle is having a whirling noise when accelerating at different RPMs. When I researched, it isn’t an isolated incident because many others online are experiencing the same issue with most of them being told that the transmission must be replaced. And further investigation, I found that the issue could be the trans axle assembly component which can cause issues if not replaced.
Power train, Engine, May 15, 2025
Upon acceleration, the engine revved high and a whine sound started once the car (2019 Highlander XLE) approached 25-40 miles per hour. It appears that this is a transmission issue that Toyota was aware about years before selling the 2019 (and later) Highlander and other models (according to consumer complaints online). The car has 92,700 miles on it and is thus out of warranty. It had a recall in 2020 though I do not know exactly what was allegedly fixed. Had Toyota disclosed these serious transmission issues, I would not have purchased the car. My local mechanic has advised that the transmission will need to be replaced at a high cost.
Power train, May 13, 2025
At approximately 85K miles my 2019 Highlander began to exhibit a high pitched “whirring” sound upon accelerating. The noise stops once you take your foot off the gas. I brought the vehicle to my local Toyota dealership to investigate the noise. They concluded that it is the transmission and I would need to replace the entire transmission. There are no warning lights or other indications aside from the sound. Transmission fluid is clear of any shavings or other indicators of an issue. Toyota service stated they could not tell me if or when the transmission might fail, just that it should be replaced. There are multiple reports of similar occurrences on online Toyota forums. There are also recalls for the exact same sound for the 2018 Highlander. I opened a case with Toyota customer service and was told there was nothing they could do to assist.
Power train, May 13, 2025
2019Toyota Highlander = Transmission whine and hard shift at times, Needs replacement transmission at 106,000 mile , no codes stored
Power train, May 11, 2025
A whinning noise can be heard from car while driving. Vehicle has just under 60k miles and dealer is saying the transmission is failing and it would need to be replaced. There was no warning lights or indication on display.
Power train, May 9, 2025
2019 toyota highlander bought 3/15/25 with approximately 82,000 miles. Started making whining noise 4/7/25. On 4/9/25 took vehicle to dealer 4/11/25 notified need new transmission and transaxle seal need on new transmission. 2 weeks later on 4/25/25 picked up vehicle drove home 3 days later noticed gear oil leaking and sprayed all over under chassis. Vehicle brought back to dealer on 4/29/25. On 4/30/25 notified needs new transaxle seal on new transmission. Notified on 5/9/25 new transmission will need to be replaced again. They stated there is gouging/nicks where transaxle and transmission connect. Dealer is saying there is no transmission to put in. Toyota has put a stop to all transmissions. So now I have a vehicle with only 82,000 miles and no way to fix it.
Power train, May 5, 2025
Transmission failed while driving down the highway almost causing an incident. These transmissions are very unsafe and should be recalled. Toyota refuses to take responsibility for this year Highlander although it is the same 80ua transmission that was recalled in the 2017 and 2018. While Toyota has said this problem has been remedied in the later years it is very false. Please do an investigation on this before people get hurt from accidents if they haven’t already.
Power train, Apr 29, 2025
The contact owns a 2019 Toyota Highlander. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the contact became aware of an abnormal whining sound coming from the vehicle, and the transmission was shifting hard. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed with transmission failure. The contact was informed that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure, and a case was filed. The contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 95,000.
Power train, Apr 28, 2025
Transmission makes a whine noise and also experiencing some harsh shifting. Dealership confirmed the whine noise is an indication of transmission failure and they recommend replacing the transmission. Toyota needs to do a recall on this transmission!!
Power train, Apr 21, 2025
the transmission completely failed. it is at Spitzer Toyota in Monroville. PA
Power train, Engine, Apr 18, 2025
Needs transmission at 90,000 miles - original owner - well maintained car- manufacture defect according to dealer According to various websites other 2019 Toyota Highlanders have had similar issues Had 2009 Highlander that lasted til almost 200,000 with no Issues
Power train, Apr 11, 2025
We have noticed a whinning noise as we accelerate the vehicle. Doing some investigation online I came across a lot of threads with the same issue. Seems to be the transmission. Reached out to a Toyota tech friend and he mentioned it is the transmission. They have had several Highlanders and Camry with the same issue.
Power train, Apr 4, 2025
The contact owns a 2019 Toyota Highlander. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle made an abnormal whining sound. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed with transmission failure. The contact was informed that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. No further information was available. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 70,000. The VIN was unavailable.
Power train, Mar 27, 2025
The contact owns a 2019 Toyota Highlander. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, there was a whining sound coming from the transmission while accelerating. The contact stated that over time, the whining sound became louder, and the vehicle later had transmission shifting malfunctions. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, who diagnosed that the transmission was faulty and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 64,000.
Power train, Mar 5, 2025
My 2019 Toyota Highlander with 56k miles has a whining noise whenever the accelerator is pressed down. The noise stops when you release the accelerator. This was confirmed by my Toyota dealership service department. They informed me the transmission needed to be replaced. They said this is a common problem with this vehicle but yet there has not been a recall. Cost of replacement is around $8000. Fortunately for me my vehicle is still under warranty. I found many similar complaints about the transmission on the Toyota Highlander Forum. I don't understand why there has not been a recall. Going forward I am concerned that the replacement transmission could very well have the same problem.
Power train, Mar 5, 2025
My 2019 Toyota Highlander with 56K miles has a whining noise whenever the accelerator is pressed. The noise stops when you release the gas pedal. This was confirmed by my Toyota dealership service department. The transmission does need to be replace. They said this is a common problem with this vehicle and yet there has been no recall. Fortunately my vehicle is still under warranty. I found manner similar complaints about this transmission on the Toyota Highlander Forum. I don't understand why there has not been a recall. Going forward I am also concerned that the replacement transmission could very well have the same problem.
Power train, Feb 27, 2025
The CPO vehicle was purchased at 60k miles 11/5/2024. The vehicle started bogging down accelerating from a stop, while pulling into traffic, and decelerating randomly at 62k. The vehicle went in to the dealership at 64.5k on 2/20/2025 where they stated the transmission needed replacing due to a transmission whine and incorrect acceleration/deceleration. Toyota corporate will not acknowledge the dangerous problem with the UA80 transmission that 1000's of customers are having. This transmission is in many models with similar issues from 2017-2019.
Power train, Feb 18, 2025
My Highlander transmission has an internal failure. The Toyota dealership declared “transmission has internal failure quote. I am afraid to drive it due to it breaking down on the highway.
Power train, Vehicle speed control, Engine, Feb 17, 2025
ENGINE CHECK LIGHT coming on constantly Cylinder 3 misfire reported under DIAGNOSTICS of ADVANCE AUTOPARTS 500 Rte 291, Lee's Summit, MO 64063 another workshop said NO MISFIRE however now it says Engine Misfire 1, 3, 5, 6 4 cylinders misfiring as per diagnostic on 02/15/2025
Power train, Feb 3, 2025
The contact owns a 2019 Toyota Highlander. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle started shuddering, prompting the contact to pull over to the shoulder of the roadway where the failure persisted. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed a failure with the transmission. The contact was informed that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 88,000.
Power train, Jan 24, 2025
The contact owns a 2019 Toyota Highlander. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, there was an abnormal burning oil odor coming from the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who informed the contact that the failure was related to the transmission. The mechanic referred the contact to a certified transmission mechanic. The vehicle was taken to Leon's Transmission Services, where diagnostic trouble codes indicating an internal transmission pump failure were retrieved. The vehicle was then taken to Integrity Transmission & Auto Repair, where the same assessment was made, and the mechanic determined that the transmission needed to be replaced with a used, new, or rebuilt factory transmission. The dealer was contacted for parts and informed the contact that parts were not available. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 92,000.
Power train, Jan 23, 2025
Vehicle has 80k miles. When slowing the vehicle down to 10-20 mph and then trying to accelerate again the transmission bangs/clunks into gear and is delayed to get going causing a safety concern. No warning lights on
Power train, Jan 4, 2025
Vehicle started making intermittent whining noise around 75,000 miles but Toyota service advisor at the time told me it was normal and since my transmission had been serviced on schedule, it was nothing to worry about. Around 135,000 miles the vehicle sometimes would operate completely normal, and at other times would suddenly seem to struggle to get up to speed especially on the highway somewhere between 20-60 mph. Also sometimes difficult to go at stoplights; but then would resume completely normal operation. The risk to us was we could have easily been hurt in an accident had the vehicle not been able to operate normally at normal speeds, leading to a collision. There were no warnings nor stored codes; the vehicle had received all routine maintenance on schedule including all major maintenance such as transmission services performed by a Toyota dealership. When taken in for this problem, they claimed that they were not able to replicate the jerky/intermittent issues during their test drive, but the whine was indicative of transmission failure and the transmission would need to be replaced. The remanufactured transmissions were on backorder with no ETA, which I was told could be 6-10 months of a wait due to a parts shortage. My service advisor recommended I trade in the vehicle instead because they could not guarantee the vehicle would be safe to drive and I could not continue to drive fearful of a wreck, so we had to do that, and the vehicle was traded in.