2020 Toyota Highlander power train problems
125 owner complaints filed with NHTSA name the power train on the 2020 Toyota Highlander — 40% of all complaints for this model year.
What owners report
“My Highlander started making a whining noise while accelerating. Took it to my local dealership and was told I need a new transmission. I have 87,000 miles on it! Total cost = $8,000.”
filed Sep 17, 2026
“At 51,000 mile the transmission started making a whining noise. Took it to the dealer and they stated the transmission needs replacement.”
filed Sep 7, 2026
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Power Train problems in other Highlander years
| Year | Reports | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 Highlander | 3 | 7% |
| 2023 Highlander | 20 | 11% |
| 2022 Highlander | 51 | 21% |
| 2021 Highlander | 219 | 43% |
| 2019 Highlander | 194 | 40% |
| 2018 Highlander | 65 | 25% |
| 2017 Highlander | 72 | 27% |
| 2016 Highlander | 1 | 1% |
| 2015 Highlander | 7 | 4% |
| 2014 Highlander | 8 | 6% |
| 2013 Highlander | 11 | 5% |
| 2012 Highlander | 7 | 4% |
Other reported problem areas on the 2020 Toyota Highlander
Counts are unique NHTSA complaints naming this component group. Complaints are unverified owner reports; mileage is computed only from complaints that included a usable odometer reading.