2019 Toyota Highlander · symptom sheet
Transmission shudders, slips or shifts hard
- 32owner reports
- 79,000median miles
- $9,000median quote
- 0involved a crash
Newest report Sep 29, 2026 · checked Oct 2, 2026
199 of the 486 complaints on this car are about the transmission and drivetrain. 32 of those describe transmission shudder.
Tick what matches of 32 reports
Transmission shudder on other Highlander years
No other Highlander model year has enough reports of transmission shudder for a sheet of its own. See every Highlander year.
What this problem usually is
This is the biggest drivetrain group on the site: a transmission that shudders, slips, hesitates or bangs into gear. It's the everyday version of transmission trouble, where the car still drives but doesn't drive right, and it has three narrower sheets of its own for jerking, hesitation and slipping.
What got replaced
Owners who name the part that was replaced mention the transmission (3 reports) and the torque converter (3 reports).
Recalls and investigations
No recall on the transmission and drivetrain covers the 2019 model year as of Oct 2, 2026.
What owners paid
8 of the 32 reports quote a price. Each dot is one quote. The middle half runs $7,472 to $11,000.
When it happens
The middle half of failures fell between 25,000 and 87,896 miles, from the 18 reports that gave a mileage.
What owners wrote
“Hundreds of thousands of 2017â2022 gas-powered Toyota Highlanders (equipped with UA80E/UA80F 8-speed transmissions) are experiencing high-pitched whining noises, hard or erratic shifting, and sudden hesitation. This is caused by a factory defect where a retaining nut and locking tab in the counter drive gear sub-assembly were improperly installed, causing premature internal wear and gear movement”
Filed Jul 9, 2026
“Transmission began making high pitch whining sound with hard shifting to second gear. Within one year the transmission completely went out and was stuck in third gear.”
Filed Mar 16, 2026
“My car does have a similar transmission as the one that was recall in Siannas, and Camrys. I have experience the same serious transmission issuesâincluding high-pitched whining, erratic shifting, clunks, hesitation, and premature failure. These vehicles are equipped with the UA80F (AWD) and UA80E (FWD) 8-speed automatic transmissions.”
Filed Oct 27, 2025
“A wine and hard shifting, toyota does not agree. I experience this issue several times a day. Taking it into the dealership again to try to diagnose.”
Filed Jun 11, 2025
Should you keep driving it?
This page can't tell you that. 0 of 32 reports involved a crash. Owners who file are the ones who had a bad experience, and nobody checks their reports. If the problem affects steering, braking, power or a fire risk, treat it as a safety fault and have it inspected before a long or high-speed drive.
File your own report with NHTSA. Complaint counts are how a problem gets an investigation. How reports land on this sheet.
Guide Taking it to a shop? How to describe this problem so it gets found
Other problems on this car
- Engine stalls or loses power while driving 83 reports
- Transmission fails or needs replacement 68 reports
- Check engine light or misfire 41 reports
- Fuel pump failure 37 reports