Autoblog and Yahoo may earn commission from links in this article.What Is Whining Inside Toyota's 8-Speed?Lately, Toyota's once-stellar reputation for reliability has taken a significant hit, and the culprit appears to be its eight-speed automatic transmission. According to a recent teardown and analysis by the YouTube channel The Car Care Nut, the specific transmission in the hot seat is the UA80. It first debuted in 2017 for the Highlander and Sienna, which experienced early teething problems right out of the gate. Fast forward a few years, and the UA80 is showing serious flaws in the 2020 to 2022 Toyota Highlander V6.Owners report a faint whining sound that resembles an airplane taking off. It gets louder as the car warms up and is most noticeable under acceleration. Eventually, this whine morphs into a horrific grinding noise, resulting in harsh shifts and, ultimately, a catastrophic $7,000 transmission failure. Even the four-cylinder Toyota Camry models from 2018 to 2022, which use a different eight-speed variation called the UB80, are experiencing sudden overnight failures if the fluid is not regularly serviced.The Legal BacklashGiven these $7,000 repair bills hitting owners right around the 60,000-mile mark just after the factory warranty expires, it is completely unsurprising that a mounting wave of litigation has targeted the automaker. Last year, Toyota was hit with a massive $5 million lawsuit regarding these defective Toyota automatic transmissions, illustrating just how widespread the financial damage had become for the average consumer.AdvertisementAdvertisementNot long after that initial filing, Toyota was sued again over its faulty automatic gearbox, as more drivers came forward with complaints of hesitation and rough shifts. Most recently, a prominent New Jersey class action lawsuit took aim at the automaker for these very transmission defects, claiming the manufacturer sold vehicles prone to erratic shifting and total failure.The sheer volume of affected models explains this ongoing legal frenzy. Officially, Toyota has acknowledged issues in the 2021 Highlander V6, the 2021 Avalon V6, the 2021 Camry V6, and the 2021 Lexus ES350. Yet, independent mechanics are seeing a massive wave of 2020 to 2022 Highlanders flooding their bays every single week with the dreaded transmission whine.ToyotaView the 1 images of this gallery on the original articleThe LowdownToyota's handling of the eight-speed transmission is deeply frustrating. Consumers expect a certain level of longevity from the brand, and seeing transmissions grenade at 60,000 miles is simply unacceptable. Furthermore, the bizarre shift logic designed to squeeze out better emissions numbers makes the gearbox feel remarkably erratic. First gear is incredibly short, forcing a jarring jump to second, while the transmission constantly hunts between higher gears on the highway.AdvertisementAdvertisementIf you are shopping for a used V6 Highlander from these model years, you absolutely must test drive it until the engine is fully warmed up to listen for that faint whine. If you hear it, walk away immediately. If you already own one of these affected models and it is still running smoothly, purchase an extended warranty as soon as possible. Finally, ignore the manufacturer's claim of "lifetime fluid." Change your transmission fluid every 60,000 miles to give your gearbox a fighting chance at surviving.ToyotaThis story was originally published by Autoblog on Jun 6, 2026, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Autoblog as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
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