Toyota Faces Growing List of Lawsuits Over Eight-Speed Transmissions

Toyota is now facing multiple class action lawsuits over its eight-speed transmissions, according to Driving.com.

The most recent one, filed in the Eastern District of Texas, alleges the UA80 gearboxes are prone to premature wear, stalling, poor shifting, and even failure. The lawsuit claims that the UA80’s control units force premature upshifts and torque converter clutch engagement, leading to damage.

Vehicle owners have also claimed the vehicle’s counter drive gear sub-assembly, which allegedly contains a main retention nut prone to detaching as a result of a defective backing tab. The electronic control unit will also keep the torque converter locked, according to the lawsuit, even when coasting.

Furthermore, the suit claims that repair costs for these issues can reach thousands of dollars, with one of the impacted parts—a gear drum—costing just under $2,300.

The lawsuit seeks to cover any current or former owner or lessee of the following Toyota or Lexus models: the 2017 to 2020 Sienna; 2017 to 2024 Camry; 2017 to 2026 Highlander; 2019 to 2022 Avalon; 2019 to 2026 RAV4 SUV; 2023 to 2026 Grand Highlander; and newly built Lexus ES 250, ES 350, NX 250, NX 350, RX350, and TX 350 models.

This is the most recent in a growing list of lawsuits surrounding the UA80. Another suit has been filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York, which details virtually the same defects.