Toyota transmission lawsuit over UA80 defects in Highlander, RAV4, Camry
Toyota UA80 transmission lawsuit details defects and safety risks
Toyota transmission lawsuit over UA80 defects in Highlander, RAV4, Camry
Class-action lawsuit alleges Toyota's UA80 transmission has issues like jerking and power loss, affecting Highlander, RAV4, Camry, and Lexus models. Learn about the legal battle and safety concerns.
2026-02-18T05:25:18+03:00
2026-02-18T05:25:18+03:00
2026-02-18T05:25:18+03:00
Toyota finds itself embroiled in another legal controversy. The eight-speed UA80 automatic transmission, used in models like the Highlander, Camry, RAV4, Grand Highlander, and several Lexus vehicles, is at the heart of a new class-action lawsuit. Documents filed in a New Jersey court echo allegations from a previous Texas case, citing issues like excessive heat buildup, burnt transmission fluid, and premature wear of components. This leads to symptoms such as jerking, missed shifts, and sudden loss of power.Plaintiffs claim Toyota has been aware of the problem since at least 2016, pointing to dozens of service bulletins issued by the company without implementing any permanent fixes. Many owners report failures occurring as early as 50,000 to 70,000 miles, with replacement costs outside of warranty reaching up to $9,000.The potential scope of the lawsuit is vast, covering hundreds of thousands of vehicles. This includes Highlander models from 2017 onward, the RAV4 since 2019, the Camry up to the 2024 model year, and Lexus models like the ES, RX, NX, and the new TX. To illustrate the scale, nearly 280,000 RAV4s equipped with the UA80 transmission were sold in the U.S. in 2025 alone.Drivers describe the defect manifesting as early shifting, delayed engagement, gear slippage, unusual noises, and strange odors. In severe cases, the vehicle can stall completely. The plaintiffs argue this constitutes a safety risk, as a car could lose propulsion unexpectedly at any time.Given the widespread nature of the issue and the accumulating number of reported cases, it appears Toyota is facing the beginning of a prolonged legal battle.
Toyota transmission lawsuit, UA80 transmission defects, class-action lawsuit, Toyota Highlander, Toyota RAV4, Toyota Camry, Lexus transmission issues, automatic transmission problems, vehicle safety risks
2026
Michael Powers
news
Toyota UA80 transmission lawsuit details defects and safety risks
Class-action lawsuit alleges Toyota's UA80 transmission has issues like jerking and power loss, affecting Highlander, RAV4, Camry, and Lexus models. Learn about the legal battle and safety concerns.
Michael Powers, Editor
Toyota finds itself embroiled in another legal controversy. The eight-speed UA80 automatic transmission, used in models like the Highlander, Camry, RAV4, Grand Highlander, and several Lexus vehicles, is at the heart of a new class-action lawsuit. Documents filed in a New Jersey court echo allegations from a previous Texas case, citing issues like excessive heat buildup, burnt transmission fluid, and premature wear of components. This leads to symptoms such as jerking, missed shifts, and sudden loss of power.
Plaintiffs claim Toyota has been aware of the problem since at least 2016, pointing to dozens of service bulletins issued by the company without implementing any permanent fixes. Many owners report failures occurring as early as 50,000 to 70,000 miles, with replacement costs outside of warranty reaching up to $9,000.
The potential scope of the lawsuit is vast, covering hundreds of thousands of vehicles. This includes Highlander models from 2017 onward, the RAV4 since 2019, the Camry up to the 2024 model year, and Lexus models like the ES, RX, NX, and the new TX. To illustrate the scale, nearly 280,000 RAV4s equipped with the UA80 transmission were sold in the U.S. in 2025 alone.
Drivers describe the defect manifesting as early shifting, delayed engagement, gear slippage, unusual noises, and strange odors. In severe cases, the vehicle can stall completely. The plaintiffs argue this constitutes a safety risk, as a car could lose propulsion unexpectedly at any time.
Given the widespread nature of the issue and the accumulating number of reported cases, it appears Toyota is facing the beginning of a prolonged legal battle.
