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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 2023 | SUSPENSION | UNKNOWN, squeaking in rear when going over bumps and uneven roads | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| May 2023 | SERVICE BRAKES | Braking to stop at a traffic light then all of the sudden the car stalls with Braking Power Low message. The car won't even start for me to pull aside to a safe place. This is the second time this happened within 2 years so I decided to put a complaint in. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Mar 2023 | POWER TRAIN | The transmission had a growling noise at low speeds. The dealer said that a new transmission is needed. Online complaints show that a badly designed transmission is failing very early in this vehicle and a class action lawsuit was filed because of this transmission. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Oct 2022 | AIR BAGS | UNKNOWN We have had the vehicle for just over 2 years and out of the blue we get a SRS airbag warning indicator that says visit the dealership. The dealership says that it is $2300 to repair a wiring harness that they Are unsure of the location though. The vehicle has 86,000 miles on it which is 26,000 miles over coverage for that part. In my opinion this is the part that should not fill this early and should still be covered. Much less the SRS components should never fail. We are forced to drive with a warning indicator that comes on every five seconds and blocks all the other information. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Oct 2022 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | The windshield in our 2018 Highlander suffered three cracks before we finally had the windshield replaced. According to the company that performed the repair, we are one of many Highlander customers that have had these issues. We know that rocks were the cause, but the number of incidents appear to be higher than normal. To avoid having another problem, we added a protective coating to our windshield at an additional cost of $600. We assume this to be one of many incidents, and want it to be known that this appears to be a defect in glass specification and/or manufacturing. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Oct 2022 | ENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | Engine light came on, took to auto parts store and they checked for the code. Was told it was an issue with the fuel pump/ vacuum. Reset engine light, stopped to fill up with gas and car would not restart. The steering wheel locked and car would not crank. Was jumped off by a bystander, still would not turn over. After sitting for approx 15 minutes, I tried to restart vehicle again and it cranked. One week later, on vacation, car would not start after getting gas. Once again, took it to auto part store and same code and check engine light was on. Reset engine light, drove fine. Once check engine light is on, I am unable to use cruise control, this was very inconvenient since we were traveling! I have had this same issue happen about 5 times now! Making appointment with dealership to see if this weill be covered by my warranty and hopefully it is a simple fix. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Oct 2022 | SERVICE BRAKES,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | About6 months ago I started getting the messege "Breaking power low" when i try to start my vehicle. So I took it to Star Toyota Service paid $175 to diagnose the problem. The found DTC 1241 and told me to change the qhole skid control unit. Eventhough on the paper it said skid control ecu battery. So I took it to another dealer named Penn Toyota and they found the same code but they said the voltage is coming low because I may leave my ignition on before I start my vehicle. That sounds funny because I do not do this and on top if i do this my battery would be dead. As of right now I spoke with toyota and since my extended warrenty has finished so they offered my 25% coupon if i fixe the problem. Now I do not know what is the problem and which dealer to trust. The reason I am reporting to "nhtsa" is because if I die because of this problem with my car which is still undiagnosed so at least they can find out the same reason so there will be no more death after me. Again the messege comes on the crean is " Breaking power low. Stop in a safe place " | Crash: No Fire: No | 76,000 |
| Sep 2022 | AIR BAGS,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | A car hit me on the back passenger door. My car was pushed to the curb where I hit a tree and the air bags didn't go off. My dad was injured bad. | Crash: Yes Fire: No Injuries: 2 Towed Medical attention | Unknown |
| Sep 2022 | AIR BAGS | I was traveling down the road, when a car hit my car in the back passenger door. My car was pushed onto the curb and it hit a tree. My car was totaled and it was a hit and run. The air bags didn't go off and my dad and I were hurt. I reported it to Toyota and the car was put on hold be the insurance company. There were no warning lights and the emergency stop didn't work. the car had 15000 on it and it was inspected in Jan. 2022. | Crash: Yes Fire: No Injuries: 2 Towed Medical attention | Unknown |
| Sep 2022 | SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC | The contact owns a 2018 Toyota Highlander. The contact stated that while his wife was driving at an undisclosed speed, the brake pedal was depressed and she experienced a spongy brake pedal. The brake warning light was illuminated and the Power Failure to Brake System message was displayed. Additionally, the vehicle made an abnormal sound while the brake pedal was depressed. The brakes failed to stop the vehicle immediately which nearly caused a collision. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the brake master cylinder needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 18V211000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic) however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The failure mileage was approximately 27,000. | Crash: No Fire: No Towed | 27,000 |
| Aug 2022 | POWER TRAIN,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,UNKNOWN OR OTHER | I have a power steering warning light. Steering is harder than normal. I believe this vehicle is having the same power steering problem that Toyota Tundra and sequoias are having. I want it to be recalled and paid for by the manafacturer. This is ridiculous a well maintained vehicle. | Crash: No Fire: No | 440,000 |
| Aug 2022 | SERVICE BRAKES | Vehicle will not start. "brake pressure low" message appears on instrument panel. The truck will be sent to the dealer. Brakes worked fine previously and brake fluid is at maximum level. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Aug 2022 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE | The contact owns a 2018 Toyota Highlander. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle lost motive power after coming to a full stop at a traffic light. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic and the dealer; however, the mechanic and the dealer were unable to duplicate the failure. The contact related the failure to a faulty Auto Start/Stop feature. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 50,000. | Crash: No Fire: No | 50,000 |
| Jul 2022 | SERVICE BRAKES,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | I am having an issue with my brake assist in my 2018 Toyota Highlander. This car was purchased new and has had regular service/ maintenance with the dealership since purchased. 1st incident was minor in nature. My brake was gently applied and the ABS feature turned on and brake system engaged without any need. 2nd incident brake was applied and at the halfway point the brake stopped working. It felt like it locked. I could not stop my car as I was approaching another car. Car stopped at the last possible moment before impact. The situation was extremely dangerous for myself, my kids and the other driver. Later on during my drive I gently applied my brake and the brake would not release to it original position until a few seconds later. This time the brake light came on. Once the car came to a stop, I shifted my gear to park and the brake light disappeared. The car was then sent to a service station for analysis. Service Station advised that there was a hissing sound coming from the front of my engine when the brake was applied. They recommended that I send vehicle back to dealership as they concluded that the car has a brake assist issue. The car was towed to the Toyota dealership where they mentioned that there was a recall for this exact issue however, my specific VIN is not included. I travel everyday with my kids and this is a real safety issue that needs to be addressed. No car should be on the road with faulty breaking systems. This can cause unnecessary loss of life. These vehicles should be included in this recall, especially mine. I filed a case with Toyota and am waiting to hear back from them. Please help make the roadways safe. Consumer stated diagnosis was completed and relayed that there was a brake booster failure. The brake master cylinder and brake booster system will need to be replaced. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jun 2022 | SERVICE BRAKES,ENGINE | Low brake fluid pull over immediately warning ?,vehicle engine shut off would not restart was on highway going 55 mph .Had to get vehicle towed . There was a recall on brake booster but my Vin was not included same model year 2018 | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jun 2022 | SERVICE BRAKES | 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. | Crash: Yes Fire: No Towed | Unknown |
| May 2022 | POWER TRAIN | Transmission case is porous. Toyota calls transmission oil moving through housing, weeping, not leaking and is not a warranty. Toyota dealers hide the porous condition with a coating. Regular underbody car wash removes the coating. Catastrophic failure possible. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| May 2022 | SERVICE BRAKES,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | Approaching a stop light brakes didn’t work. The automatic system activated and the car stopped right before I rear-ended the car in front of me. I took it to a Toyota dealership and they diagnosed a faulty brake booster pump with a price of $2500 to replace. I see this isn’t a unique problem for the 2018 Highlander but after talking with Toyota they denied any coverage since my vehicle has 48,000 miles and is out of warranty. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Apr 2022 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,SERVICE BRAKES | Car wouldnt start in garage, it shows error in the dash "Braking Power Low, STOP in a safe place". It looks like several people are having same issue around same time outside of warranty, and on cars not in the original recall. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Apr 2022 | SERVICE BRAKES | MY 2018 Toyota Highlander XLE had a break malfunction April 15, 2022. The Brake light illuminated, "low brake power" flashed briefly and the pedal became stiff and unable to press for braking. I swerved to avoid rear ending the car in front of me. Brought it in to Toyota and they want $2000 to fix the break booster vacuum, and said it is not covered by warranty. My car only has 46k miles! This part is clearly faulty and Toyota should replace it. Accordingly to Toyota vehicle Maintenance Schedule, the vacuum pump for the brake booster needs to be replaced as a regular maintenance or "wear" item every 120,000 miles. This is a very expensive maintenance item (>$600 in parts, ~$2000 including labor and shop materials), that needs to be performed by a Toyota certified technician. In addition to being very expensive, what will discourage many vehicle owners from performing this service, one may expect that many owners who perform their own vehicle maintenance or use independent mechanic shops will simply miss this service altogether. Being a safety critical item, the vacuum pump should be designed to last the entire lifespan of the vehicle (just like other brake system components: ABS pump, vacuum booster, master cylinder, etc.). The short lifespan of the vacuum pump and the requirement to replace it on a regular basis is indicative of a defective or deficient design. Making the replacement of the vacuum pump a scheduled maintenance item is a just way for Toyota to avoid liability due to premature failures of a substandard safety component, especially in light that other brake system components are designed to last for the entire life of the vehicle, and are not considered wear items in the maintenance schedule (except for brake pads, of course). Toyota should redesign the vacuum pump to increase its lifespan in-line with the rest of the brake system components, and perform the replacement under a safety recall or service campaign, at no cost to vehicle owners. | Crash: No Fire: No | 46,000 |
| Mar 2022 | SERVICE BRAKES | Just like the other complaints with the brakes, I also received the error message "“Braking Power Low, stop at a safe place”. Also like the other complaints here, I went to the dealership where I purchased the car and they told me it is not covered and considered as a recall for my vehicle. EVEN though the same problems have been identified for the same make and vehicle under recall #18V211000. I also called the Toyota Corporation and they said since my VIN number wasn't specifically affected, it's not part of the recall. I don’t think it’s right that Toyota can say it is not covered simply because they haven’t identified it with my specific vin and or the manufacturer they used. This is horrible and obviously, there is an issue with the brake system that could lead to collisions. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Mar 2022 | SERVICE BRAKES | My car stopped working and the following error message showed up "Braking Power Low, Stop in a Safe Place." I have a photo of this error message. When researching this error message, it MAY be related to NHTSA Campaign Number 18V-211. The research I've done says on multiple websites this error is related to brake booster pump. The dealership is saying there was no such recall, but I was able to find the recall notice on this issue through the NHTSA website. I would appreciate a phone call at [XXX]. Again, I have a photo of the error message that showed up on my dashboard. INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Mar 2022 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER,VISIBILITY/WIPER | I was driving down the highway at 11:30am MST going between 55-60 mps and my sunroof just popped and broke. Nothing hit us, there were barely even any cars around us at the time. It spontaneously combusted. Providing screenshots of the video I took immediately after it happened. You can even see how the glass is bowed out instead of inward, if it were hit by something. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Mar 2022 | SERVICE BRAKES | Vehicle wouldn't start. Shows low break power stop the vehicle in a safe area. Luckily this happened when I was not driving. Breaks felt stuck. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Feb 2022 | ENGINE,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | The contact owns a 2018 Toyota Highlander. The contact stated while driving 70 MPH, the check engine warning light illuminated informing the driver that the AWD system and stability were disabled. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where they diagnosed the failure of the sub-assembly and the water temperature sensor needed to be replaced. The contact stated that he was informed that the onboard computer disabled the system due to the weather. The dealer informed the contact that the parts were on national backorder. The dealer performed a temporary repair by placing plastic on the grill to keep cold air out; however, the failure reoccurred several times. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the parts were not covered under warranty. The approximate failure mileage was 48,000. | Crash: No Fire: No | 48,000 |