English
A British Columbia woman is challenging a $13,586.88 transmission repair bill from Toyota Canada after her 2021 Toyota Highlander broke down during a family trip to Calgary — just 600 kilometres past her powertrain warranty limit.
Dona Wilkie drove the Highlander to Calgary in August to drop her son off at university. During the trip, she noticed the vehicle making an unusual sound. “As I was pressing the accelerator, it would whine. At first, quite low. It was like a humming and then it got louder as the trip went on,” she said. After returning home, she contacted her Toyota dealership and learned her transmission needed a full replacement.
Stay connected to every major update — subscribe and follow us on the PhoenixQ website and across our social media platforms.
Wilkie had purchased the vehicle brand new. The repair bill came as a shock. “Where am I going to get that money? I can’t afford that,” she told Consumer Matters.
Warranty Dispute at the Centre of the Complaint
Toyota’s powertrain warranty covers vehicles up to 100,000 kilometres. The dealership told Wilkie her Highlander had exceeded that limit by 600 kilometres. However, Wilkie argues the transmission problem began while her warranty was still active.
“I have the oil change receipt showing 98,278 km before I left for Calgary. The whining with aggressive shifting started at approximately 98,500 km,” she said. Despite this, Toyota Canada denied her goodwill request. The automaker cited her lack of servicing history at any Toyota dealership and no recorded transmission fluid service.
Wilkie says she maintained her vehicle diligently and holds all her independent service records. “It’s absolutely ridiculous. Absolutely ridiculous,” she said.
Consumer Advocacy Group Points to a Wider Problem
The Automobile Protection Association (APA), a non-profit consumer advocacy group, says Toyota’s reasoning does not hold up. George Iny, the APA’s director, dismissed the automaker’s justification entirely.
“That kind of excuse is laughable because you can’t make a connection between oil changes of the engine and transmission failure for a known problem. Literally, dozens of these transmissions are failing in Canada,” Iny said. He added that this type of response is a common tactic. “It’s one of the things carmakers do to blow off their customers,” he said.
In February 2021, Toyota Canada issued a technical service bulletin covering certain 2021 Highlander, Camry, and Avalon vehicles. The bulletin addressed vehicles fitted with UA80E or UA80F transmissions that may produce a loud whining or grinding noise. The APA has since received more than 60 complaints about failures of the 8-speed transmission, primarily affecting the Highlander.
As a result, the APA is preparing a formal letter to Toyota Canada requesting a warranty extension. “We’d like to see an extended warranty for this, really lifetime coverage for a transmission of this nature,” Iny said.
Toyota Canada Agrees to Cover the Cost
After Consumer Matters contacted Toyota Canada directly about Wilkie’s case, the situation changed quickly. Wilkie received a call from the automaker the following day. Toyota Canada confirmed it would cover the full cost of the transmission replacement.
In a statement to Consumer Matters, Toyota Canada said: “This customer’s request for an out-of-warranty repair exception was already under review when you contacted us and, considering the specifics of her individual situation, Toyota Canada has opted to cover the costs of the customer’s repair.”
Global BC also asked Toyota Canada why it initially denied Wilkie’s goodwill request despite her documented service records. The automaker did not respond to that question.
Wilkie said the process before media involvement was slow and frustrating. “I was waiting weeks to get a response. I even went to the extent of filing a small claims notice, and it wasn’t until Consumer Matters reached out that they reached out to me,” she said.
Since then, Toyota Canada provided Wilkie with a loaner vehicle. She expects her Highlander’s transmission replacement to be completed by the end of the week.
