Complaint volume
250 consumer-submitted complaints are matched to this model year. Treat the count as a research signal, then read the actual summaries for repeated symptoms.
Complaint records
2018 Toyota Highlander Complaints
250 consumer-submitted complaints on record for the 2018 Toyota Highlander, grouped by component category.
250 Total complaints
21 Crash reports
1 Fire reports
14 Injury reports
Complaint data reflects consumer-submitted reports. A complaint is not proof
of a defect, recall, or manufacturer fault. Enriched severity fields come
from official bulk records when the complaint can be matched by ODI number.
Buyer interpretation
How to use these complaints before buying
Complaint records are most useful when they turn into inspection points, seller questions, and comparison checks against nearby model years.
Pattern to inspect
The most common categories are power train, service brakes, unknown or other. Use those categories as a test-drive checklist instead of judging the vehicle from the total count alone.
Severity flags
Enriched records include 21 crash reports, 1 fire report, 14 injury reports, and 0 fatality reports. These fields come from complaint records and should be read in context.
Mileage clue
Mileage is available on 108 complaints, with an average reported failure mileage of 33,340 miles. Compare that with the mileage on the listing.
Questions to ask the seller
- Have you had any problems related to power train, service brakes, unknown or other?
- Can I see recent maintenance and repair records?
- Has the vehicle ever been towed, involved in a crash, or repaired for the same issue twice?
- Can we also check the recall record for this 2018 Toyota Highlander?
Used-car checklist
Use these complaints before the test drive.
Build a buyer checklist to turn these issues into questions and inspection points.
2018 Toyota Highlander
Build buyer checklist Compare with other years Sends year, make, and model to pre-fill your checklist.
How severe are the 2018 Toyota Highlander complaints?
21 Crash
1 Fire
14 Injury
0 Fatality
20 Towed
10 Medical attention
What are the most common 2018 Toyota Highlander complaint categories?
POWER TRAIN 47
SERVICE BRAKES 33
UNKNOWN OR OTHER 22
ENGINE 13
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM 13
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE 11
AIR BAGS 9
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 9
STRUCTURE 6
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC 5
250 total complaints on record
Latest complaints
| Date | Component | Summary | Severity | Mileage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 2024 | POWER TRAIN | The contact owns a 2018 Toyota Highlander. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds and attempting to accelerate, the transmission whined abnormally loud. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the transmission needed to be replaced due to internal failures. The vehicle was not repaired because the warranty had expired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure by the local dealer. The failure mileage was approximately 107,000. | Crash: No Fire: No | 107,000 |
| Dec 2024 | POWER TRAIN | Transmission developed whine at 64,000 miles similar to the whine/issues experienced for customers covered under Toyota's ZJC Customer Support Program. My VIN was not in the range of impacted units, but had the same issue/failure. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Dec 2024 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER,SERVICE BRAKES,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | I own a Toyota Highlander 2018 LE. I have been servicing it regularly at authorized Toyota delaership service centers. I have around 28000 miles on it. While trying to start the car this morning, the car wouldn't start, the brake feels hard and won't depress, and the dashboard displays the message" Braking Power Low STOP in a Safe Place See Owner's Manual" | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Dec 2024 | ENGINE | Wife was driving and out of nowhere axle to the transfer case broke leaving her stranded in the middle of the road. Seems like transmission had been a common issue in these vehicles around the same year | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Nov 2024 | POWER TRAIN | Vehicle started making a whining noise and diagnosed at Lancaster Toyota as needing a new transmission at a cost of $8500. Ended up having transmission replaced at a local transmission repair shop for $7000. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Nov 2024 | POWER TRAIN | I brought my car to the dealership due to a small whining noise when accelerating over 30mph. Technician determined the noise is coming from internal transmission failure and recommended replacement. The small whining noise was the only indication something was wrong. No check engine or warning lights on my dashboard. The car is under 50,000 miles at the time. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Nov 2024 | SERVICE BRAKES,ENGINE | My husband took my car from the carport and parked it in the driveway near the water hose to wash the car. When he finished, it would not start. The message “Braking Power Low” , “STOP in a Safe Place”, “ See Owner’s Manual”showed up. Of course, we could not find anything in the large owner’s manual concerning that! I checked with my VIN to see if mine was included in the recall regarding this same matter, but it was NOT, just as all other Toyota Highlander 2018 owners who complained were told!!! We will find out tomorrow and pray it won’t be a lot of money. We have a Thanksgiving trip planned to see our grandchildren. Today is Sunday and we planned to leave on Tuesday. I shudder to think what could have happened if it suddenly stopped on [XXX] with all the holiday traffic. My husband was looking to buy a car after the first of the year and was going to buy a Toyota. After this, he has reconsidered. Toyota needs to see all these complaints and how many were not included in the recall!!! Something’s not right! INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6) | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Nov 2024 | SERVICE BRAKES | Around 29,000 miles, I noticed a severe brake vibration while slowing down or stopping from speeds above 55 mph. The vehicle is driven very carefully and not harshly. As of today (11/14/2024), the vehicle is 77 months old and only has 49,000 miles on it. I had been told by Toyota that the rotors are not warped, so it must be a defective part in the braking system. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Oct 2024 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE | While driving the car at approximately 40 mphs the car suddenly jolted and stopped moving. Luckily no one was behind and I pulled over also noticing check engine light came on. I immediately called Toyota and was able to drive it to them. I spent $140 diagnosis fees for them to say it was ignition coil B. After replacing the coil the light and same problems continued. We took the car to another mechanic, spent $600 diagnosis fees to find out it is the ECM. We then contacted the Toyota dealer asking about previous recalls that were on the ECM for 2018 Toyota Highlanders which is our car. They stated our car based off the VIN has no recalls. How could this recall be for 2018 Toyota Highlanders but not for our 2018 Toyota Highlander with the same issues? Our car only has 80,000 miles. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Oct 2024 | POWER TRAIN,ENGINE | The 2018 Toyota Highlander has less than 100K miles on it and has been diagnosed with an $11K repair for essentially a new engine! The dealership (Coughlin Toyota, Heath OH) has said it needs cylinder head assembly for $10,684.20. The error message we are getting is a "Check Engine" light "Take Vehicle to Dealership" and the AWD/ Traction Control shuts off. When searching online forums, there are MANY people experiencing the same problem, apparently a well know issue with Toyota (not just Highlanders). We have only owned this vehicle for a few years and believe this is a manufacturer error that desperately needs investigated. Please. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Sep 2024 | SERVICE BRAKES | Out of nowhere, I couldn’t get the car to start. It keeps saying “Low Braking Power”. I had someone checked with Code Scanner and nothing shows up, and it’s not battery issue neither. The car guy said there’s a very high chance the issue is from the brake booster vacuum pump. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Aug 2024 | SERVICE BRAKES | Brake Booster did not work. We were almost in 2 wrecks due to it taking longer to stop the vehicle. The dealer finally fixed it after I paid over $1500. They didn't care about how this was a known defect in 2018 Toyota Highlanders and took forever to identify and fix. No one has looked at it since just got it back today. Once the brake light went on the dash board I brought it in. I did wait one day when it went off, but once it came back on again I was going to, but then was scared when it didn't come on and then I could barely stop. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Aug 2024 | ENGINE | The 2018 engine (3.5L DOHC V6 D-4S Engine with Dual VVT-i Direct Shift) with 52,500 miles has by now (2024) developed a large oil leak coming from the valve cover to cam tower seal, and requires replacement of valve cover assembly and gasket priced at $2173.51 by a local Toyota dealer. I'm the original owner with the car always being garaged and maintained by the book at the dealer. Toyota of America is refusing any assistance with the defective engine component even though it is under the 60,000 miles powertrain warranty, but past the 60 months warranty period. The leak likely developed prior to the first 60 months of use, but was just now noticeable to the technician. Leaking engine oil on hot components of the engine bay may result in smoke, burning odor, and even fires. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Aug 2024 | ENGINE | The contact owns a 2018 Toyota Highlander. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, and it was determined that there was low compression in cylinder #1. The contact was informed that the engine was damaged and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, a case was opened, and the contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 61,000. | Crash: No Fire: No | 61,000 |
| Aug 2024 | SERVICE BRAKES | My vehicle has codes C1253 and C1256. These codes are associated with faulty brake actuators, a well documented issue in Highlanders. Faulty brake actuators can cause problems with braking, which can put my safety and the safety of others at risk. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Aug 2024 | POWER TRAIN | My 2018 Highlander Transmission (8 speed model UA80) began a whine noise characteristic of Customer Support Bulletin POL19-04 when the vehicle hit 101k miles. Toyota performed an inspection on 8/9/2024 and recommends full transmission + transfer case replacement. The dealer confirmed also confirmed the issue is characteristic of POL19-04, but because the vehicle was manufactured 6-months after vehicles bracketed in POL19-04 (based on the transmission serial number) it is not included in the support program therefore not covered. Toyota UA80 transmissions have continued to have this issue (example - T-SB-0008-21 for '21 UA80 transmission). While Toyota acknowledges replacement of transmission is necessary to maintain a safe drivetrain, no customer-facing error messages are evident. Also note - transmission fluid has been maintained only using Toyota's recommended Fluid (Toyota branded WS ATF) at Toyota's specified intervals. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jul 2024 | SERVICE BRAKES,ENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | As I was returning to my house and about to pull into our garage I was driving very slowly, riding the brake in fact. I was going less than 1 mph but as I first entered the garage my car engine suddenly roared very loudly and sped inside. I pressed as hard as I could on the brakes and the car skidded towards the left and slammed into the garage wall. I firmly believe that the only thing that kept my car from traveling farther was the garage door frame. Between my braking and then turning off the engine, I came to a stop. There were skid marks on the pavement at the garage entrance from the hard braking and both the driver's door and the passenger door on that side were severely damaged. The car was now angled to the left and not pointed straight into the garage as it should have been. At no time did I press on the accelerator. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jul 2024 | POWER TRAIN | The contact owns a 2018 Toyota Highlander. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the accelerator pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where it was diagnosed with transmission failure. The contact was informed that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but provided no assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 130,000. | Crash: No Fire: No Towed | 130,000 |
| Jul 2024 | FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE,LANE DEPARTURE | On a trip to NC on June 27 2024, then on to Hilton Head SC on 6/29, multiple system warning lights suddenly appeared on the dash including ABS, Lane Departure Warning, BSM, notifying me that those safety features were not available on the vehicle. Sometimes the the lights would disappear, especially if the vehicle was stopped and the engine was turned off at a rest area. Because the check engine light was not lit, I continued to our NC destination. We continued our trip on 6/29 to Hilton Head, and the lights continued to appear, sometimes staying on for an hour or more. I called my Binghamton NY Toyota dealer who advised me to have the problem looked. I was able to have the car seen at Savannah Toyota (GA) where they diagnosed the problem as an issue with rust and debris on the left front speed sensor. I had the recommended service performed. The service report says that I requested replacing the ABS sensor, which is totally false, because I had no idea what the problem was, I just wanted it fixed. The part was ordered and replaced the next morning. All the lights were back on the next day when I drove back from Savannah to Hilton Head. I did not have time to go back to the dealer, but did notify the service manager of the situation. I drove the vehicle back to NY with the warning lights on (most of the time). I now have a service appt with my local dealer on 7/9/24 to determine the next step. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jul 2024 | FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | My vehicle is stalling when driving and other Toyota Highlanders of same model and year were/are having the same issue and have been recalled for the fuel pump. Having my vehicle stall when driving in the busy highways of Texas are very dangerous especially when some speed limits go up to 80mph. The problem has been reproduced and witnessed by a mechanic. The Toyota dealership stated that my VIN is not included in the recall so they could not fix it. There was no warning before the first time my vehicle stalled while driving in the highway. Unsure of how dealerships only stick to just the specific VINs that are effected when other VINs of the same model and year are having the same issue but are not willing to fix the issue. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jun 2024 | SEAT BELTS | Driver side seat belt is difficult to pull out and often does not retract properly. This is a safety issue for the driver. Issue has been seen by local Toyota dealer who can confirm the problem. Stated that it will require a $500 repair, replacing the entire retractable unit of the driver side seatbelt system. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jun 2024 | POWER TRAIN | Whining noise from transmission on 2018 Toyota Highlander XLE model . Toyota has acknowledged this on large numbers of vehicles manufactured during the same year (TSB-0160-18). They have a voluntary recall for some of these vehicles during this year (2018), but not all of them. The transmission can fail which would cause the vehicle to stop running. On a highway or busy road, this presents a very large danger to both the vehicle occupants and also other people on the road. The vehicle has been inspected by both the dealership an an independent transmission shop and identified as the same transmission issue. Toyota will not correct this issue other than to say the transmission needs to be replaced as it will fail at some point in time. No other warning indicators other than the whining sound from the transmission. The symptoms appeared around 48700 miles on the vehicle. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| May 2024 | POWER TRAIN | Transaxle/Transmission failed at approx 67000 Miles. Emits a whining sound, very similar to symptoms as other transaxle/transmissions from model yr 2017 covered by the manufacturer for replacement of transaxle/transmission. This vehicle, model year 2018, is not covered by the existing transaxle/transmission replacement program, as explained by the dealership. Yet reviewing many forums, it is said that many of the later 2017/2018 Highlanders received the same transaxle/transmissions as the model year 2017 covered for replacement by the manufacturer, hence they exhibit the same symptoms when they fail. Estimated cost to replace the transaxle/transmission by the dealership $ 8000.00. The manufacturer needs to step up. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| May 2024 | POWER TRAIN,ENGINE | Transmission is bad. Toyota dealership says it needs to be replaced. Really? In a 2018 Toyota. I thought these were good cars. Supposed to last a long time. That’s why I paid over $30,000 for it. And this is what I get. There is something wrong with this scenario. I could have bought a much cheaper car and it would still be functioning fine. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Apr 2024 | STEERING,EXTERIOR LIGHTING,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | Driving along [XXX] in Alabama to Mississippi, the Highlander completely shut off - the dash & radio were blank. The steering wheel locked up. Luckily there was no vehicles behind or beside us when this happened. Within seconds, the truck came back on. 15 minutes prior, we were sitting in a parking lot to eat lunch & while in idle, the truck shuddered a few times, like the gas pedal was pressed. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6) | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |