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
483 reports, newest first.
Power train, Sep 13, 2025
Transmission failure. Car will not drive or reverse. Engine turns on. I’m told that transmissions are on back order with no ETA.
Power train, Sep 12, 2025
I have 2019 Toyota Highlander and it has less than 78k miles. A few months ago ago it started barley noticeable wheezing sound and then it got progressively worse. I took it to a the mechanic and he said it was the transmission. It expensive to fix and I saw that a lot if people are complaining about the same problem. I think Toyota should be responsible for replacing the faulty transmissions. My car has been sitting in the driveway because I can’t fix it.
Power train, Sep 10, 2025
Car Manufactured in April 2019. Transmission failure at 113,000 miles. Before failure, the transmission had a whine and lag when accelerating from a full stop, creating an unsafe situation when pulling into traffic. The cost to repair is over $9,000, and the part is on backorder for several months. The NHSTA facilitated a voluntary service bulletin with Toyota that extended the warranty for the Highlander model years 2017 to 2018 for issues related to the UA80F transmission. The service bulletin should extend to the 2019 model year, as the issues are the same and the transmission model is the same, and possibly for models built early in 2019, which likely have transmissions built or component parts from 2018.
Power train, Sep 9, 2025
Erratic shifting, dangerous hesitancy and slow starts when pulling into traffic, whining. Took the car to the Toyota Dealer on 08/19/2025, diagnosed as having a failing transmission (detailed service invoice attached).
Power train, Sep 5, 2025
Transmission went out at 93,000 miles. Toyota dealer confirmed the car needs a new transmission and wants me to pay $7500 for it. This seems ridiculous for these to go out the early. I follow all the regular maintenance schedules
Power train, Sep 5, 2025
The contact owns a 2019 Toyota Highlander. The contact stated that while stopped at a traffic light, the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended while depressing the accelerator pedal. No warning lights were illuminated. A passerby helped push the vehicle to the side of the road. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where the vehicle was inspected, and the contact was informed that the transmission had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 143,335.
Power train, Sep 5, 2025
The transmission has exhibited signs of premature failure due to an internal component defect. The only indication was a whining noise when accelerating. This was first noticed around July 2025 when the car had about 78,000 miles on it. The car was later inspected by the Toyota dealer on 08/20/2025 with 79,253 miles on it. The Toyota dealer determined that "the noise being heard was the transmission becoming faulty" and prescribed replacing the transmission "as soon as possible." This is a safety concern if the transmission suddenly fails while driving, but I am not going to wait for that to happen before replacing it.
Power train, Sep 1, 2025
SUV has a pronounced whine coming from the transmission. This started at approximately 85,000 - 90,000 miles and has progressively gotten louder. The car currently has 96,000 miles on it. As I understand it Toyota has issues multiple technical service bulletin about this exact issue covering the 2017-2018 highlander but my 2019 is not covered even though it has the exact same 8 transmission. I have not taken this to the dealer as I understand it would not be covered under the factory power train warranty which is 5 years or 60,000 miles. I've purchased several Toyota vehicles over multiple decades, but with this issue on a vehicle that is not yet 7 years old I am a bit dissapointed and will not be purchasing any more toyota vehicles. Since this issue is specifically related to the powertrain it is most certainly a SAFETY related issue when this transmission fails.
Other or unspecified, Fuel/propulsion system, Aug 27, 2025
There is a potential of a serious accident concerning this car. The engine shuts down completely when you are emerging into traffic. I consider this a death trap. Out dealer in Lima, Oh does not want to fix it. I don't seem to be able to get this problem fixed. I appreciate hearing from you as the problem is getting worse.
Power train, Aug 27, 2025
Severe whining from drivetrain car had less then 80,000 when problem started. Dealership has no answer. Car has drivetrain transmission UA80F which has numerous documented issues and has been used in many vehicles which all has same drivetrain problems. This is known problem at Toyota Motor Sales. This issue can cause vehicle transmission to just fail and leave car valueless. The whining has been getting worse every time driven.
Power train, Aug 25, 2025
At approximately 64,607 miles, my 2019 Toyota Highlander experienced a complete transmission failure. The vehicle had. been properly maintained. There were no warning lights prior to the failure. The transmission began making a high-pitched whining noise, followed by difficulty shifting. Research shows that many other 2019 Highlander owners have reported the same issue, often described as the "death whine," occurring between 50,000-100,000 miles. These failures appear related to the UA80 8 -speed automatic transmission, which has already been the subject of service programs in earlier 2017-2018 Toyota vehicles. Transmission replacement cost range from $7,000 - $10,000, with parts frequently on backorder. A major drivetrain failure at such low milage, raises significant safety concerns, and appears to be a recurring defect that warrants investigation.
Power train, Aug 22, 2025
Transmission started whining at 90k miles and has failed
Power train, Aug 21, 2025
The contact owns a 2019 Toyota Highlander. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, upon depressing the accelerator pedal, there was an abnormal whining sound coming from the vehicle. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer, where it was diagnosed, and the contact was informed that the transmission was faulty and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 51,000.
Power train, Aug 17, 2025
8/15: I was informed that the had a transmission failure requiring full replacement. The highlander is a 2019 SE with a UA80 transmission which we have now discovered has multiple complaints against it. Our car only has 108,000 miles and has been maintained with all required maintenance a full transmission service.
Other or unspecified, Aug 17, 2025
The AC stopped working on our 2019 Highlander. The vehicle has very little corrosion underneath or in the engine bay, yet the rear AC lines have corroded at a location where two different types of metal contact each other. This has been happening with many highlanders after 5 years, and the cost to replace is expensive.
Power train, Aug 14, 2025
I was nearly in an accident because the vehicle was unable to accelerate quickly due to transmission shift delay.
Power train, Aug 8, 2025
The contact owns a 2019 Toyota Highlander. The contact stated that on several occasions while driving at various speeds, there was an abnormal whining sound emanating from the front of the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed that the transmission needed to be replaced; however, there was a back log on the part. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 70,000.
Vehicle speed control, Service brakes, Fuel/propulsion system, Aug 6, 2025, crash
I had just driven up a steep driveway and made a slightly sharper than 90 degree turn at a very low speed to pull into a home parking spot when the car lunged forward suddenly and slammed into the stone wall of the house at a high speed. The section of this driveway after the turn is only 2.5 car lengths, but the car picked up enough speed to smash the front of the car in. The car was totaled and driver and side curtain airbags all deployed. I do not know why this happened as there is no way I would have hit the gas hard while pulling up to a building to stop. I also would not have slammed on the gas thinking it was the brake since there would have been no reason to slam on the brake when I was only going 5-10 miles per hour max around the tight turn. My shoe was not caught on a pedal, both sandals were still on my feet after the accident. I am not a two footed driver. I feel that it was an accelerator malfunction, as the gas pedal had always been a little strange with a delayed response, but may have also involved the transmission after driving up the steep hill and then returning to a short but flat stretch leading up to the house. I was very bruised up, particularly my shins and ankles. Two months later, I still have some visible bruising. I also had injuries from the seat belt on my chest and what appeared to be a powder burn from the airbags. I was quite traumatized by the sudden acceleration and violence of the crash and not understanding how or why it happened. If someone had been standing in front of the house to greet me on my return, they would have been killed. The car was towed away and totaled by the insurance company, so the problem hasn't been reproduced or confirmed. There were no warning lamps or messages that I'm aware of prior to the incident, except that the gas pedal has always felt inconsistent concerning when it engages. My phone self-dialed 911 and law enforcement came out to do an accident report.
Other or unspecified, Aug 5, 2025
My car only has just over 70,000 miles and my transmission failed. I get regular maintenance services when needed and never had any prior issues with transmission. I was driving when the transmission failed on me leaving me stuck on the road. I took the car to Toyota service center and was told it needs to be replaced and no further details.
Power train, Aug 3, 2025
Car started to make whining noise when accelerating, was taken to a car repair shop & it was found that the transmission will need to be replaced with only around 43k miles on the vehicle. Let it be noted that there are many other people on numerous Toyota forums complaining of the same issues.
Power train, Jul 29, 2025
I’m reporting a drivetrain and engine performance issue affecting my 2019 Toyota Highlander, which I believe is related to Toyota's T-SB-0160-18, T-SB-0008-21, and Customer Support Program ZJC (CSP ZJC). My vehicle is exhibiting the same symptoms like: 1. Intermittent engine misfires (no consistent CEL, but noticeable during driving) 2. Hesitation and shuddering during light or moderate acceleration 3. Unintended surging/lunging — the vehicle will randomly jerk forward without throttle input 4. Whining noise under acceleration, which appears to come from the engine bay These symptoms negatively affect vehicle control and driver confidence, especially when merging, passing, or driving in traffic. The behavior is unpredictable and poses a potential safety hazard. After researching, I found that Toyota issued T-SB-0160-18 and T-SB-0008-21 for this engine, acknowledging similar performance issues due to valve train irregularities and ECM programming. Toyota also released Customer Support Program ZJC, offering limited support to some VINs. However, despite my vehicle showing the same symptoms, it is not included in the CSP, and Toyota has not offered assistance without out-of-pocket costs. This issue appears to be more widespread than Toyota’s internal VIN list suggests. Many Highlander owners have reported the same issues online, and I believe Toyota should take responsibility for correcting these performance defects under a recall, not a limited CSP. I respectfully request that the NHTSA investigate the scope and validity of Toyota's CSP ZJC and TSBs related to the 2GR-FKS engine and push Toyota to expand CSP ZJC or issue a formal recall to cover all affected vehicles based on symptoms, not just VINs
Latches/locks/linkages, Jul 22, 2025
3 of the 4 door lock actuators do not work properly. Some don't lock and some don't unlock. The only door that currently works is the driver's door. If I don't realize that a door did not lock someone can break into my vehicle.
Structure, Jul 16, 2025, crash
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Power train, Jun 23, 2025
Defect with Transmission as hundreds of other people if not, thousands have already stated. Whining noise from Transmission after only 70,000 miles such a big issue that Toyota has a backorder on replacement transmissions.
Fuel/propulsion system, Jun 20, 2025
Check engine light has came on. Code p107b which is what the recall for this vehicle year has but doesnt incude my vin.