Toyota HIGHLANDER HYBRID transmission problems
14 complaint narratives mention transmission terms.
Key facts
824 owner complaints analyzed
26 distinct recall campaigns
90,000 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2004 to 2025 model years. Data snapshot: . 732 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Transmission and shifting evidence
14 of 824 complaints match this topic (1.7%). The keyword filter can include complaints that mention a transmission without reporting its failure. View matching rules.
Owner report 10313407 · 2010-02-23 (February 23, 2010)
I OWN A 2006 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER HIGHBRID, WHICH I PURCHASED NEW. I HAVE NOT HAD A RUNAWAY SITUATION, BUT HAVE EXPERIENCED POWER SURGES WHILE BRAKING AND ONLY EXPERIENCED THESE DURING THE BRAKING PHASE. THE APPROXIMATE SPEEDS DURING THESE BRAKING EVENTS WERE BETWEEN 20-45 MPH. THE SURGING LASTS FOR APPROXIMATELY 2-3 SECONDS, WITH THE VEHICLE LUNGING FORWARD WHILE MY RIGHT FOOT BEING ON THE BRAKE. I DISCUSSED THE ISSUE WITH HECKER TOYOTA AND SERVICE ADVISOR . I THOUGHT THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE CVT TRANSMISSION AND SERVICE ADVISOR TEST DROVE TH…
Owner-reported narrative. 8,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10313407 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10314436 · 2010-02-25 (February 25, 2010)
DRIVER STARTED TO BACK UP A 2006 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER HYBRID IN A PARKING LOT. IT SHOT BACK AT MAXIMUM ACCELERATION JUMPING A CURB AND STRIKING A PEDESTRIAN. BY THEN, DRIVER HAD BRAKES ON AND SHIFTED INTO NEUTRAL. SHE PUT THE CAR INTO DRIVE AND IT AGAIN ACCELERATED TO THE MAXIMUM STRIKING HER HUSBAND. AT THE TIME, WE COULDN'T FIGURE OUT WHAT WAS WRONG. WE ASSUMED, SOMEHOW THE DRIVER, WHO HAD AN IMPECCABLE RECORD, HAD DONE SOMETHING WRONG. NOW, WITH ALL THE PUBLICITY, WE BELIEVE IT WAS CAUSED BY THE ELECTRONIC CONTROLS. NOTHING ELSE SEEMS AS LIK…
Owner-reported narrative. 27,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10314436 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10368959 · 2010-12-01 (December 1, 2010)
I PULLED OUT FROM A PRIVATE PARKING LOT ONTO A BUSY HIGHWAY. AS I ACCELERATED, THE CAR MAKE A NOISE AND EVERYTHING STOPPED. THERE WERE NO WARNING LIGHTS.-NOTHING. I MANAGED TO GET THE CAR OVER TO THE RIGHT AND TURN IMMEDIATELY WHERE IT INTO A GAS STATION THAT ALLOWED THE CAR TO COAST DOWNHILL TO WHERE IT STOPPED. THE CAR WAS TOWED TO THE TOYOTA DEALERSHIP. ON THE 2ND DAY, WE WERE TOLD THE TRANSMISSION AND THE INVERTER CONVERTER-HYBRID SYSTEM BOTH WENT OUT. ALTHOUGH THEY TOLD US THIS SHOULD NOT HAPPEN - ONE OR THE OTHER CAN GO OUT BUT NOT BO…
Owner-reported narrative. 142,609 miles reported. Look up ODI 10368959 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10393910 · 2011-03-31 (March 31, 2011)
MY 2006 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER HYBRID WAS RUNNING NORMALLY WITH 68,791 MILES ON IT. WHEN I STARTED THE CAR ON 1/19/2011 AND SHIFTED INTO DRIVE, I HEARD A POP, THE DASH LIT UP WITH MANY ERROR MESSAGES, THE CAR RAN ROUGHLY, AND WHEN I PRESS THE GAS PEDAL I BEGAN TO ROLL DOWN THE HILL IS WAS PARKED ON BACKWARDS. THE CAR FELT LIKE IT WAS IN NEUTRAL, BUT THE BRAKES WERE FUNCTIONAL. I PLACED THE CAR INTO PARK AND CALLED THE TOYOTA DEALERSHIP. THE CAR WAS TOWED AT MY EXPENSE TO THE DEALER. TOYOTA INFORMED ME THAT THE INVERTER HAD FAILED, THE AIR BOX W…
Owner-reported narrative. 68,791 miles reported. Look up ODI 10393910 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10593095 · 2014-05-21 (May 21, 2014)
I WAS DRIVING THE VEHICLE AND HEARD A LOUD POPPING NOISE ON THE WAY TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR RECALL WORK. ONCE THE TECHNICIAN OPENED THE INVERTER CASE WE FOUND THE WIRING HARNESS FOR BOTH THE INVERTER AND TRANSMISSION WERE COMPLETELY MELTED AND COOKED DUE TO A FIRE INSIDE THE INVERTER. I AM NOW LOOKING AT A $15000 REPAIR BILL WITH TOYOTA AND LUCKILY MY FAMILY AND I WERE NOT BURNED ALIVE OR IN AN ACCIDENT RESULTING IN FATALITIES. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 107,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10593095 at NHTSA ↗