VinCanary

Reliability report · 2019 Toyota Highlander · Updated July 2026

The loudest Highlander year in our data — buy the fixed transmission, not the whine.

By 2019 the eight-speed automatic (UA80) is the mechanically revised unit — Toyota's launch fixes were in by mid-2018 — so this is not the trial-year gamble that 2017 is. But the 2019 has the largest federal complaint file in our Highlander data, and it is almost entirely one thing: a high-pitch transmission whine on acceleration that owners' dealers diagnose as internal failure at 55,000–140,000 miles, past the powertrain warranty, quoting $6,000–$11,000 to replace.

The redeeming detail is that Toyota extended the transmission warranty, so a whine caught in time may still be covered — verify the current window by VIN. Pair that with the standard third-gen timing-cover oil-leak check, and 2019 is a good year mechanically; it is 'loud' because of high-mileage transmission complaints, not because it is a bad car. A late-2018 build offers the same drivetrain with a smaller file.

Evidence: 469 NHTSA complaints · 3 recall campaigns · 6 mechanic & forum sources

Canary status

Squawking

What that means: 469 federal complaints — the most of any year in our Highlander set — overwhelmingly the eight-speed automatic's whine as it fails at higher mileage, outside warranty. The 2019 has the revised eight-speed, but the failures now surfacing at 55k–140k miles are the story, alongside the third-gen timing-cover oil leak.

CalmChirpingSquawkingFainted

This status assumes the riskiest common powertrain — see the Highlander engine guide.

469

Federal complaints

3

Recalls

$6,000–$11,000

Out-of-warranty UA80 replacement (owners' dealer quotes)

$0

Replacement under extended coverage

Known issues

Ranked by the cost of ignoring them. Every claim carries its source.

UA80 eight-speed whine — high-mileage failures out of warranty

major

The dominant pattern in the 2019 file: a high-pitch whine on acceleration (often 25–55 mph) that owners take to a dealer and are told is internal transmission failure, with replacement quoted at $6,000–$11,000 out of warranty. Owners cite Toyota service bulletins (T-SB-0008-21 and others) and a warranty extension; a Toyota dealer email covering the UA80 traces the root cause to an assembly defect (an insufficiently bent washer tab letting an internal nut loosen). Failures cluster from ~55k to ~140k miles — past the 5-year/60,000-mile powertrain warranty for many owners. On the test drive, a whine that rises with acceleration and a scan-tool reset can't cure is a walk-away sign; if the car still has transmission coverage, that changes the math entirely — verify it by VIN.

What to check

Pink and cleanServiced. Proceed.

Dark brownDamage underway.

Replacement under extended coverage

$0

Out-of-warranty UA80 replacement (owners' dealer quotes)

$6,000–$11,000

Sources: NHTSA complaint database, 2019 Highlander + Highlander Hybrid · NHTSA manufacturer communications (UA80 dealer email, fuel-pump settlement, recall documents) · Independent mechanic channel transcripts (Car Care Nut 2014–2019 buying guide)

Front timing-cover oil leak (3.5L V6)major

The final third-gen year still carries the notorious front timing-cover oil leak. Because the engine must be dropped to reseal it, the out-of-warranty repair is $2,000–$4,000 (mechanic estimate). Inspect that the engine and timing-cover area are dry before buying — an oil-coated engine is a negotiation or a walk-away. The vacuum pump on this V6 can also knock at idle (a TSB item).

Sources: NHTSA manufacturer communications (UA80 dealer email, fuel-pump settlement, recall documents) · Independent mechanic channel transcripts (Car Care Nut 2014–2019 buying guide)

$2,000–$4,000

Timing-cover reseal, out of warranty (mechanic estimate)

Low-pressure fuel pump recall — and the settlement programmoderate

The 2019 is covered by the Denso low-pressure fuel-pump recall (20V-012 and its expansion 20V-682): the in-tank pump can fail and stall the engine, remedied by a free replacement. The December 2022 court settlement created a Customer Support Program — quiet extended coverage — for certain 2014–2020 vehicles repaired under the recall. Verify the recall shows completed by VIN.

Sources: NHTSA complaint database, 2019 Highlander + Highlander Hybrid · NHTSA manufacturer communications (UA80 dealer email, fuel-pump settlement, recall documents)

$0

Recall pump replacement

Known nuisances: rotors, bulbs, radio, paintminor

Warped front rotors under city braking (recurring), frequent bulb replacements, infotainment reboots and Bluetooth drops, and Blizzard Pearl / Super White factory paint peeling (Toyota program for 2008–2018). Standard third-gen texture — worth knowing, not structural.

Sources: NHTSA manufacturer communications (UA80 dealer email, fuel-pump settlement, recall documents) · Independent mechanic channel transcripts (Car Care Nut 2014–2019 buying guide)

The transmission needs to be changed and it will cost me $11,000. There are many complaints online about these UA80 transmissions.
6 mechanic & owner sources

Shopping this year?

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Open recalls

Free fixes at any Toyota dealer. Run the VIN — “completed” isn’t always completed.

  1. 20V-012Denso low-pressure fuel pump (original campaign) can fail and stall the engine. Free pump replacement.open
  2. 20V-682Expansion of the low-pressure fuel-pump recall covering 2017–2019 Highlander among many models. Free improved-pump replacement.open
  3. 19V-244Gulf States Toyota load-capacity label text may become illegible across many 2019 models. Corrected labels provided free.open

Have a specific one in your sights?

The VIN is on the listing. We’ll check this exact car — build, open recalls, and whether the “completed” repairs stayed fixed.

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