AI Damage2018 Toyota Highlander: common problems
Owners of the 2018 Toyota Highlander filed 269 complaints with NHTSA, most often about powertrain and service brakes. The maker issued 141 service bulletins for this year. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 269
- involving a crash
- 23
- Technical service bulletins (TSB)
- 141
What fails most often
- 1 Powertrain 26% of all complaints
- 2 Service brakes 22% of all complaints
- 3 Engine 13% of all complaints
- 4 Electrical system 9% of all complaints
- 5 Fuel/propulsion system 8% of all complaints
- 6 Air bags 7% of all complaints
- 7 Fuel system 5% of all complaints
- 8 Structure 4% of all complaints
- Powertrain: 69 complaints (26% of all); manufacturer bulletins for this component: 3.
- Service brakes: 58 complaints (22% of all), 9 of them with a crash reported by the owner; manufacturer bulletins for this component: 7.
- Engine: 34 complaints (13% of all); manufacturer bulletins for this component: 16.
- Electrical system: 24 complaints (9% of all); manufacturer bulletins for this component: 26.
- Fuel/propulsion system: 22 complaints (8% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Engines and transmissions
US-market versions per EPA. On the right: how many NHTSA complaints name this engine or transmission type.
- 2.7 L · petrol · 4 cyl
- 3.5 L · petrol · 6 cylnamed in 2 complaints
- 3.5 L · hybrid · 6 cylnamed in 2 complaints
- automatic, 6-speed
- automatic, 8-speed
- CVT
Drive: FWD, AWD
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 269 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Powertrain | 69 | 0 | 3 |
| Service brakes | 58 | 9 | 7 |
| Engine | 34 | 0 | 16 |
| Electrical system | 24 | 0 | 26 |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 22 | 1 | 0 |
| Air bags | 19 | 15 | 5 |
| Fuel system | 14 | 0 | 5 |
| Structure | 12 | 3 | 40 |
| Steering | 10 | 0 | 1 |
| Vehicle speed control | 9 | 1 | 2 |
| Forward collision avoidance | 9 | 3 | 0 |
| Visibility | 6 | 0 | 3 |
| Suspension | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| Exterior lighting | 5 | 0 | 0 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
10/10 Tapped pedal into Drive: Toyota Highlander 2018 Car sped off at 50mph with my foot on brake for 3 minutes Holding brake down and down-shifting did nothing Vehicle stopped when it hit a pole destroying passenger-side fender and bumper Airbag did not deploy Unintended acceleration/sticky pedal as reported early…
My relatives remembered the 2002-2011 recall of 80,000 Toyotas, 90 deaths due to unintended acceleration and said that seems exactly what happened to me last month.
Police, fire and first responders and completely shocked that no airbags deployed. Injuries occurred, thank fully no life threatening. However had the airbags deployed as they should have, and why we chose to buy this vehicle in the first place, those injuries could have been minimalized.
The car Low Pressure Break pop up and lock the break because of "Low Pressure Vacuum pump" unable to Break crashing into the curve when back up. after stop the car the car wouldn't start up again.
Before this suv I hadn't even had a speeding ticket in 14 years. Date of accident listed is approximation. Now I have 2 collisions. Wish I had purchased something else.
There were no warning lights illuminated and the air bags failed to deploy. There were 5 injured reported and 3 needed medical treatment. A police report was filed the vehicle was towed to police lot. The manufacturer was not informed of failure. The failure mileage was approximately 33,000.
Driver was wearing seatbelt and no airbag deployed of any kind in any area of the suv. Driver hit the steering wheel and was injured. Vehicle was in forward motion at an unknown rate of speed . Waiting to see if suv will be a total loss via insurance company.
The contact stated that while driving 75 MPH, there was an audible chime followed by the message "Transmission Overheating". The vehicle started jerking and hesitating while depressing the accelerator pedal. Additionally, there was a burning odor coming from the vehicle.
When owners complained
NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.
Comparison
By complaint count this model year ranks 238 of 2,102 model years in the NHTSA data (top 11% most complained about).
On average one model year of the Highlander has 229 complaints (11 years in the data). This year has 269, above average.
What to check before buying
- Powertrain. Shift quality under load, harsh shifts, transmission codes, CV joints.
- Service brakes. Pedal feel, ABS operation, leaks, discs and hoses.
- Engine. Cold start, unusual noises, oil leaks and engine codes.
- Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
Manufacturer service bulletins
Bulletin titles as filed with NHTSA.
- Some 2005 – 2026 Toyota vehicles that have undergone water intrusion may exhibit a condition in which a…
Some 2005 – 2026 Toyota vehicles that have undergone water intrusion may exhibit a condition in which a musty odor is present. Follow the procedures in this bulletin to remediate the odor and address this condition…
- Some customers may experience echoing on the line calling the vehicle when using Bluetooth Hands Free
This is caused by the phone Hands Free volume being too low.
- The air conditioning dye injection tool kit has been developed to aid in identifying the location of air…
The air conditioning dye injection tool kit has been developed to aid in identifying the location of air conditioning refrigerant leaks. The procedures outlined in this Service Bulletin aid in locating, inspecting, and…
- The condition known as acid rain is caused by airborne chemicals or particles in the atmosphere, which mix…
The condition known as acid rain is caused by airborne chemicals or particles in the atmosphere, which mix with rainwater, nighttime dew, or high humidity to form acidic compounds. If these contaminants settle and…
- To prevent brake rotor rust from forming during transportation and storage, wheel film will be used…
To prevent brake rotor rust from forming during transportation and storage, wheel film will be used instead of a cardboard type of anti-rust cover. The purpose of the wheel film is to shield the disc brake rotor from…
- Acid rain results from rainwater or other airborne moisture that become acidic due to industrial chemical…
Acid rain results from rainwater or other airborne moisture that become acidic due to industrial chemical impurities in the atmosphere. If these acidic compounds settle on an exposed vehicle, especially the horizontal…
- Toyota vehicles are currently protected with RapgardTM protective film designed to protect the horizontal…
Toyota vehicles are currently protected with RapgardTM protective film designed to protect the horizontal painted surfaces. This material protects from acid rain, environmental fallout, and rail contamination. Follow…
- Vehicles may occasionally be subjected to contamination by airborne iron particles shed from railroad…
Vehicles may occasionally be subjected to contamination by airborne iron particles shed from railroad tracks, train wheels, exposure to heavy machinery facilities, grinding, welding, etc. This type of contamination can…
- Some 2005 – 2024 Toyota vehicles that have undergone water intrusion may exhibit a condition in which a…
Some 2005 – 2024 Toyota vehicles that have undergone water intrusion may exhibit a condition in which a musty odor is present. Follow the procedures in this bulletin to remediate the odor and address this condition…
- Toyota vehicles are currently protected with RapgardTM protective film designed to protect the horizontal…
Toyota vehicles are currently protected with RapgardTM protective film designed to protect the horizontal painted surfaces. This material protects from acid rain, environmental fallout, and rail contamination.
- This Service Bulletin provides updated non-electric water pump leak inspection and diagnostic tips for…
This Service Bulletin provides updated non-electric water pump leak inspection and diagnostic tips for some 2008 – 2025 model year Toyota vehicles.
- This is to advise of various price adjustments that will affect Toyota Genuine Motor Oil and Long Life…
This is to advise of various price adjustments that will affect Toyota Genuine Motor Oil and Long Life Coolant, effective March 1, 2024. These products are ordered through the Toyota Complete Maintenance Care (TCMC)…
NHTSA lists 141 bulletins for this year; the 12 newest are shown here.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2018 Toyota Highlander?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: powertrain, service brakes, engine. Total complaints: 269. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: warning lights, check engine (16%), knocking, grinding or other noise (14%), stalls while driving (6%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2018 Toyota Highlander?
NHTSA lists 141 manufacturer service bulletins for this year. A bulletin tells dealers how to diagnose or fix a known issue; it is not a recall.
Should I buy a 2018 Toyota Highlander from a US auction?
Owner complaints describe defects, not crash damage. Before bidding, check the components listed above and review the lot photos: VinWind builds a report of visible and hidden damage by VIN.
Other 2018 models
Read also
Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-04.