2022 Toyota Highlander Transmission and drivetrain Problems
- Complaints
- 55about this part
- Share
- 21%of 266 total for the year
- Median mileage
- 105,000miles
- Trend
- RisingComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% higher than in the 3 years before.
NHTSA recorded 55 complaints about the transmission and drivetrain of the 2022 Toyota Highlander, 21% of the 266 complaints for this model year. Where a mileage was given, the median is 105,000 miles. 4 of these say a crash was involved and 1 a fire, according to the filers.
Example complaints
Selected from NHTSA records; personal details are removed. They are consumer reports, not findings.
“I had been driving my 2022 Toyota Highlander XLE with 46k miles that I just got for about two weeks, so about 10 days out of the 14 i actually drove it from home to work and back home. Within those 10 days driving the SUV, 8 mornings and one afternoon the highlander engine had issues accelerating and shifting gears. …”
NHTSA complaint #11709788, filed 2026-01“The transmission on this vehicle has failed - I’ve been told by Toyota Dealer Maintenance that I need the transmission replaced on this vehicle with under 70,000 miles and just over three years old. I began hearing a whining noise while accelerating, and brought it in for service. No system warnings.”
NHTSA complaint #11686665, filed 2025-09“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.”
NHTSA complaint #11762285, filed 2026-09“As my wife had the wheels turned and was pulling up to the curb stop in a parking spot the car suddenly lurched forward without putting the accelerator on and went up and over the curb. Stop and hit a pole. my thoughts are is that the engine possibly changed from hybrid to gas or vice versa and as my wife’s foot was let off on the brake to inch forward to the curb stop it suddenly lunged forward as previously stated.”
NHTSA complaint #11616208, filed 2024-09“When I'm cruising about 35 mph, let off the gas and decelerate, then give a slight bit of gas, I feel a bump in the drive train. It's more like slop in the transmission....sounds like a metal To metal noise...this happens after car is driving more then 30 min or 45 min.”
NHTSA complaint #11486230, filed 2022-09Transmission and drivetrain: other model years
| Year | Complaints | Share of year |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 3 | 7% |
| 2023 | 20 | 11% |
| 2022 | 55 | 21% |
| 2021 | 229 | 43% |
| 2020 | 126 | 39% |
| 2019 | 214 | 42% |
| 2018 | 72 | 26% |
| 2017 | 77 | 28% |
| 2016 | 1 | 1% |
| 2015 | 7 | 4% |
| 2014 | 9 | 7% |
| 2013 | 11 | 5% |
| 2012 | 7 | 4% |
| 2011 | 16 | 9% |
| 2010 | 6 | 3% |
| 2009 | 7 | 5% |
| 2008 | 18 | 4% |
| 2007 | 8 | 6% |
| 2006 | 22 | 8% |
| 2005 | 51 | 23% |
| 2004 | 58 | 20% |
| 2003 | 13 | 5% |
| 2002 | 14 | 5% |
| 2001 | 13 | 9% |
Other parts of the 2022 Toyota Highlander
43 complaintsOther or unknown
42 complaintsBrakes
40 complaintsAir bags
32 complaintsElectrical system
23 complaintsForward collision avoidance
22 complaintsVisibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors)
17 complaintsSeats
14 complaintsExterior lighting
12 complaintsEngine
11 complaintsLane departure
11 complaintsFuel system
10 complaints
← All problems reported for the 2022 Toyota Highlander
About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 31, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.
To check a specific vehicle for open recalls, use its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. Methodology