2020 Toyota Highlander
Problems, recalls and owner-reported issues
Power train is the leading concern among 317 owner complaints filed for this model year. This is the 5th highest complaint count among 25 Highlander model years with reports.
Of the 2020 reports, 15 involved a crash. 20 people were injured.
What owners report most often
Recalls and investigations
Air bags, sensor, occupant classificationDec 20, 2023
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Avalon, Avalon Hybrid, Corolla, Highlander, Highlander Hybrid, RAV4, RAV4 Hybrid, Lexus ES350, Lexus RX350, Lexus RX450H, 2021 Sienna Hybrid, Lexus ES250, 2020-2022 Camry, Camry Hybrid, and ES300H vehicles. A short circuit may develop in the Occupant Classification System (OCS) sensor, preventing the front passenger air bag from deploying.
An air bag that does not deploy during a crash increases the risk of injury.
Dealers will inspect and replace the sensor as necessary, free of charge. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed in February 2024. Some final remedy owner letters were mailed October 31, 2024. Letters will continue to be mailed in phases through January 2026. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's number for this recall is 23TB15/23TA15 Lexus 23LB03/23LA03.
Campaign 23V865000 on NHTSA.gov
Structure, body, bumpersOct 26, 2023
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2020-2023 Highlander & Highlander Hybrid vehicles. During normal vehicle operation, minor impact to the front lower bumper cover may result in the cover coming loose or detaching.
A detached front bumper cover can become a road hazard, increasing the risk of a crash.
Dealers will repair or replace the upper and lower front bumper covers as necessary, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed April 22, 2024. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's number for this recall is 23TB12/23TA12.
Campaign 23V720000 on NHTSA.gov
Air bagsOct 14, 2020
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2020 Highlander and Highlander hybrid vehicles. Incorrect seat trim covers on one or both of the front seats can prevent the seat-mounted side air bag from deploying properly.
Improper deployment of the seat-mounted side air bag increases the risk of injury in the event of a crash.
Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the front seats and replace the seat trim covers as necessary, free of charge. The recall began December 11, 2020. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's number for this recall is 20TB14 / 20TA14.
Campaign 20V633000 on NHTSA.gov
Fuel system, gasoline, deliveryMar 19, 2020
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2020 Highlander vehicles equipped with a 3.5 L, V6 (2GR-FKS) gasoline engine. Due to an Engine Control Unit (ECU) programming error, fuel may not be correctly supplied to the engine while using the stop and restart feature.
Improper fuel supply programming can result in a vehicle stall, increasing the risk of a crash.
Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the ECU, free of charge. The recall began May 15, 2020. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-888-270-9371. Toyota's number for this recall is 20TA06.
Campaign 20V162000 on NHTSA.gov
Representative owner complaints: power train
125 reports, newest first. Show all
Power train, Jan 20, 2025
Before hitting 100,000 miles the car started making a whirring/whine noise when accelerating. We mentioned it to the service advisor when taking the car in for an oil change. Initially the advisor said the service technicians took it for a drive and didn’t notice any noise; when we picked up the vehicle asked the advisor to sit in with us to point out the noise to him, he heard and acknowledged there in fact was a whining/whirring noise and said he would inquire about it to the shop foreman. The next day the advisor called me and said the shop foreman stated that noise is a transmission issue.
Power train, Jan 6, 2025
The transmission started slipping without any warning and then went into neutral while driving and I am not able to drive it anymore. The dealership said the transmission is bad. I see many complaints online about 2020 Toyota Highlander transmissions going bad for no reason. This is a new car only 4.5 years of normal driving and the transmission goes, this is not normal for such a high rated vehicle.
Power train, Dec 27, 2024
Highlander transmission broke down around 80,000 miles
Power train, Dec 20, 2024
The transmission in my 2020 Highlander XLE needs replacement at 64,000 miles.
Power train, Nov 8, 2024
Transmission whining around 38mph when accelerator is pressed. Goes away when foot is off pedal. No warning lights are on. I test drove 3 other 2020 - 2021 Highlanders in May before I purchased this one. All 3 of those had a very noticable transmission whine over 20mph. I opted for this Highlander because there were no noticeable issues/sounds. Just this month, I am noticing a more pronounced high pitch whine during acceleration. This certainly sounds like a much wider issue, especially calling around to multiple dealerships confirming they have other 2020-2021 Highlanders in getting transmission replacements (on 3+ months wait times for parts) This is absolutely a safety issue if a transmission fails while driving. There was a technical bulletin for this same issue with certain VINs, but I was told that my VIN fell outside of that range. To answer rest of questions: No confirmation from dealer on the whine, they are all charging $180 to diagnose the issue and I am not paying that. No further inspections by the above groups listed.
Power train, Nov 7, 2024
The contact owns a 2020 Toyota Highlander. The contact stated that there was an abnormal winding noise detected while accelerating. The failure increased over time. While the contact’s husband was driving approximately 60 MPH and attempting to accelerate, the vehicle lost motive power. While shifting to park, there was an abnormally loud, high-pitched winding sound detected. The vehicle was slow to shift from first to second gear. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who determined that the CV joint needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure recurred. The vehicle was taken to a transmission center, where the transmission was rebuilt. The contact called the local dealer, but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The approximate failure mileage was 130,000.
Power train, Oct 26, 2024
I own a 2020 Toyota highlander and the car mileage is 68,000 and the dealer told me my transmission is dead and needs to replacement. The cost for replacement is $13,000.00! I’m the first owner of the car and how could a new Toyota car transmission fail at 68,000 miles and the warranty is 5 yrs or 60,000 miles. This issue have to be Toyota manufacture problems and they should have a recall on this and I researched online and a lot of highlander owners have the same problems as me! NHTSA PLEASE RESEARCH AND HELP HIGHLANDER OWNERS! Thank you
Power train, Oct 10, 2024
The contact owns a 2020 Toyota Highlander. The contact stated while driving at approximately 25 MPH, there was an abnormal humming sound from the engine compartment. The contact depressed the accelerator pedal, and the sound got louder. The contact stated there was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 67,000.
Power train, Sep 25, 2024
The contact owns a 2020 Toyota Highlander. The contact stated while driving at various speeds and accelerating, the vehicle made an abnormal buzzing and clunking sound. The vehicle was taken to the dealer several times. The dealer repaired the brake pedal and an axle; however, the failure progressively became worse. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer, where the rear differential was repaired; however, the failure persisted. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the transmission needed to be replaced; however, the part was not available. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and a case was opened. The failure mileage was approximately 59,000.
Power train, Sep 16, 2024
The contact owns a 2020 Toyota Highlander. The contact stated while driving approximately 30 MPH, the accelerator pedal was depressed, and there was an abnormal whining sound underneath the vehicle on the driver's side. The contact stated that the sound was intermittent but was occurring at various speeds. The contact stated that there were no warning lights. The contact had taken the vehicle to a local dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 107,000.
Power train, Sep 13, 2024
Known transmission issue not being addressed. Internal parts issue and must be replaced after only a few years.
Power train, Sep 13, 2024
With 55k miles on a 2020 Toyota Highlander, we began hearing a whine. On various on-line sources it appears that this is not unusual among late teens to early '20s Highlanders. I brought the vehicle to the dealer (with close to 56k miles) and the dealer decided the transmission needs to be replaced. Even though the dealer service center acknowledges this is an ongoing issue w/the Highlander of this (late teens/early '20s) vintage I'm told its a 1-2mo wait for a transmission repair/replacement. Warranty is 60k miles... I was told be safe and don't go over 60k miles or its possible the warranty might not be honored. While currently operable, a quick internet search indicates, transmission failure often occurs unexpectedly, leaving drivers stranded on the side of the road. This situation can be not only inconvenient but also dangerous.
Power train, Sep 4, 2024
My vehicle is started making a loud whining noise at around 78K miles whenever you accelerate between about 25-60mph. The dealer said that a new transmission is the only thing that would fix it. The cost of the transmission is 8K. The dealer said that Toyota ought to cover it, but I called and their initial answer is that they will not. This part should be recalled, there are multiple people online saying they are experiencing the same exact issue. This is a very expensive problem for this car, and not one that consumers should shoulder at low mileages. [XXX] [XXX] [XXX] [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Power train, Aug 22, 2024
The contact owns a 2020 Toyota Highlander. The contact stated while driving at speeds above 20 MPH, there was a loud whining sound coming from the transmission. The vehicle was taken to the local mechanic and the contact was informed that the sound was an indication of transmission failure. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The local dealer and manufacturer were not contacted or notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 73,000.
Power train, Aug 8, 2024
8AT transmission failure. Toyota is telling me that it will take 7 months to obtain a replacement transmission.
Power train, Jul 18, 2024
The transmission has gone out. We noticed a whining noise which prompted getting the vehicle inspected which led to the diagnosis. The vehicle is at the dealership and cannot be driven as driving it will void the warranty. The were no warning messages just the whining noise at about 30-40 mph. We were told it was good that we caught it as the car could have broken down at any time which could have been a safety risk if it had all of a sudden stopped in traffic. We have researched and found that others have had the same issue. The transmission is on back order with no set arrival date.
Power train, Jun 22, 2024
2020 Highlander XLE 8-AT: whining sound when the vehicle is in forward motion; any speed. No sound noticed when in reverse. At this time, there is no condition, noticed, while shifting gears. Sound is constant regardless of speed. Dealer (6/14/2024) has diagnosed the transmission is bad; needs to be replaced. T-SB-0008-21 & T-SB-0160-18 cover same sound condition this vehicle has now.
Power train, May 29, 2024
Loud whining noise after 55000 miles , Toyota saying i need a new transmission in my suv that now has 60785. I had alerted Toyota regarding the noise a month prior and they said it was a normal noise.
Power train, May 14, 2024
Transmission began whining and hesitating around 62K miles. Transmission is the 8AT.
Power train, May 1, 2024
The contact owns a 2020 Toyota Highlander. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle made an abnormal sound while failing to shift gear or accelerate. The vehicle was taken to a dealer and was diagnosed with transmission failure. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 72,000.
Power train, Dec 20, 2023
The contact owns a 2020 Toyota Highlander. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed and attempting to accelerate, he heard an abnormal sound coming from the engine compartment. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, and it was determined that the sound was coming from the transmission however, the dealer was unable to provide a cause for the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but did not assist. The failure mileage was 100,100.
Power train, Nov 29, 2023
The car is barely 3 years old with 74000 miles to it. The is a humming noise coming from the transmission which the dealer said I may want to replace it. It’s not cheap to do so and I don’t expect it to happen to a new car.
Power train, Feb 12, 2023, crash
I pulled my vehicle into the driveway and stopped outside of the garage. I stepped out to fold my mirrors on both sides of the vehicle as the garage is very narrow. I also need to unload my belongings from the rear hatch. I walked around to the Right side mirror, folded it and headed to unload the hatch when the vehicle PULLED ITSELF INTO THE GARAGE; literally! I could not open the doors as they lock and the space is so narrow. The vehicle stopped when it hit the back wall of the garage. I immediately opened the door and turned the vehicle off. The Vehicle sounds an alarm and shows the message "Shift to park" if not in Park. This did not happen. I sat in the car putting my sunglasses away and unplugging my phone before exiting. If I had not put the vehicle in Park, I would have heard and seen the warnings immediately and the car would have moved immediately; not 30-60 seconds after exiting. Note: our driveway is flat
Power train, Nov 17, 2020, crash
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2020 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS TURNED OFF AND IN THE PARK POSITION IN ORDER FOR THEIR MOTHER TO UNLOAD THE TRUNK, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ROLLED AWAY IN REVERSE. THE VEHICLE ROLLED OVER THEIR MOTHER. ONCE THE INCLINE OF THE STREET WAS MORE OF A PLATO THE VEHICLE COASTED TO A STOP. THEY WERE ABLE TO CATCH UP TO THE VEHICLE AND RETURN THE VEHICLE TO THEIR HOME THE CONTACT STATED THAT THEIR MOTHER RECEIVED INJURIES TO HER FACE, RIGHT ARM, RIGHT HAND, LEFT RIB AREA, LEFT LEG, AND FOOT AREAS. MEDICAL ATTENTION WAS NEEDED. THE CONTACT HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THE DEALER (HIGHLAND TOYOTA LOCATED AT 5500 45TH AVENUE DR, MOLINE, IL 61265; (309) 764-2481 ) WHO DIAGNOSED THAT NO DEFECT OR MALFUNCTION COULD BE DETECTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND SENT AN INVESTIGATOR. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 500.
Power train, Jun 12, 2020
THIS VEHICLE WILL LET YOU SHUT THE ENGINE OFF IN DRIVE WITHOUT SHIFTING TO PARK. IF YOU DO THIS AND LEAVE THE VEHICLE ON A SLIGHT INCLINE, IT WILL ROLL AWAY AND YOU MAY NOT BE ABLE TO GET BACK TO IT AND INTO IT IN TIME TO GET YOUR FOOT ON THE BRAKE AND THEN SHIFT IT INTO PARK. THIS SHOULD NOT BE ALLOWED. YOU SHOULD HAVE TO SHIFT TO PARK BEFORE THE ENGINE CAN BE TURNED OFF. *TR