2022 Toyota Highlander power train problems
51 owner complaints filed with NHTSA name the power train on the 2022 Toyota Highlander — 21% of all complaints for this model year.
What owners report
“While accelerating, the vehicle produces a loud whining noise from the transmission area underneath the vehicle. I took the vehicle to Modern Toyota in [XXX] on XXX at 103,287 miles. The dealer diagnosed the condition and their invoice states the vehicle "needs the transmission replaced due to a…”
filed Sep 14, 2026
“Car started to have a whining noise only when accelerating at 122,000 miles took it to the Toyota dealer where I bought it from. They did a diagnostics and told me it was the transmission and that it cost almost 10,000 to fix it. Car did not have no check engine light at all.”
filed Sep 4, 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% |
| 2021 Highlander | 219 | 43% |
| 2020 Highlander | 125 | 40% |
| 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 2022 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.