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
250 consumer-submitted complaints on record for the 2018 Toyota Highlander, grouped by component category.
Buyer interpretation
Complaint records are most useful when they turn into inspection points, seller questions, and comparison checks against nearby model years.
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.
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.
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 is available on 108 complaints, with an average reported failure mileage of 33,340 miles. Compare that with the mileage on the listing.
Build a buyer checklist to turn these issues into questions and inspection points.
250 total complaints on record
| Date | Component | Summary | Severity | Mileage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 2019 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 2018 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO VEHICLE COLLISION SAFETY FEATURES FAILURE TO OPERATE. *LD *JS | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Aug 2019 | SERVICE BRAKES | OUR TOYOTA HIGHLANDER STARTED SHOWING SYMPTOMS OF "SOFT BRAKE PEDAL" IN 4.2019 - NOTHING WAS FOUND ON DIAGNOSTIC AT DEALERSHIP. SYMPTOMS OF "SOFT BRAKE PEDAL CONTINUED TO HAPPEN. VEHICLE WENT INTO DEALERSHIP AGAIN IN 7.2019 AND WAS DIAGNOSED W/MASTER CYLINDER BRAKE FITTING LOOSE - FITTING TIGHTENED AND BRAKE SYSTEM FLUSHED. SYMPTOMS RETURNED WITHIN 2 DAYS AND WAS BROUGHT BACK TO DEALERSHIP - CASE OPENED WITH TOYOTA ENGINEERING AND MASTER CYLINDER REPLACED. PICKED UP VEHICLE FOLLOWING DAY BUT SYMPTOMS OF "SOFT BRAKE PEDAL" RETURNED 2 DAYS LATER. REPLICATION OF "SOFT BRAKE PEDAL" UNABLE.TO BE REPLICATED/DIAGNOSED AT DEALERSHIP. VEHICLE STILL "UNSAFE AND HAZARDOUS" TO DRIVE. AWAITING FOLLOW UP WITH TOYOTA. | Crash: No Fire: No | 16,500 |
| Aug 2019 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | THE REAR SUNROOF ON OUR CAR SHATTERED FOR NO APPARENT REASON ON 8/24/19 WHILE WE WERE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY (I-15 IN NORTHERN UTAH, AROUND 8PM). THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE OF AN IMPACT FROM A FOREIGN BODY WHEN WE WERE ABLE TO PULL OFF AND INVESTIGATE. INITIALLY THE GLASS WAS CRACKED BUT INTACT, BUT WHEN WE CONTINUED DOWN THE ROAD, THE PIECES STARTED FALLING INTO THE CLOTH COVER. WE CONTACTED OUR LOCAL TOYOTA DEALER TODAY (8/26/19) AND THE SHOP MANAGER TOLD MY HUSBAND THAT THIS WAS THE SECOND INCIDENT HE'D HEARD OF WITH A 2018 HIGHLANDER THIS MONTH. | Crash: No Fire: No | 13,000 |
| Aug 2019 | SERVICE BRAKES | WHILE DRIVING THE BRAKE ASSIST VACUUM PUMP FAILS TO PROVIDE ADEQUATE VACUUM FOR THE POWER BRAKE VACUUM ASSIST. RESULTING IS A LOSS OF BRAKING POWER. A BRAKE LIGHT ILLUMINATES INTERMITANTLY ON THE DASH PANEL AND POSSIBLY AN AUDIO WARNING AND ERROR MESSAGE. PLUS NO ERROR CODES ARE STORED IN MEMORY FOR FUTURE DIAGNOSIS. THIS HAPPENS WHETHER ON A RURAL ROAD, CITY STREET OR HIGHWAY. A PREVIOUS RECALL WAS ISSUED FOR THE 2018 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER FOR THIS SAME ISSUE BUT NOT FOR THIS SPECIFIC HIGHLANDER. | Crash: No Fire: No | 14,100 |
| Aug 2019 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | WHILE DRIVING INTO GRAND TETON NP OUR HIGHLANDER'S SUNROOF EXPLODED LOUDLY IN WHAT APPEARED TO BE A SPONTANEOUS FASHION. NO SIGN OF A ROCK OR OTHER ROAD DEBRIS WAS SEEN OR FOUND. FORTUNATELY, OUR SUN SHADE WAS CLOSED AND WE WERE NOT SHOWERED WITH GLASS. WE WERE TRAVELING ABOUT 45MPH AND THE WEATHER WAS SUNNY AND MILD AT ABOUT 68 DEGREES. | Crash: No Fire: No | 9,900 |
| Aug 2019 | SERVICE BRAKES | AT TIMES, THE BRAKES SEEM TO RANDOMLY LOCK UP. ALMOST LIKE THE PRESSURE IN THE BRAKE LINE IS AT FULL. | Crash: No Fire: No | 10,000 |
| Aug 2019 | STEERING,POWER TRAIN | STEERING WHEEL LEATHER IS PEELING AND CAUSING ISSUES WITH GRIP. HAVE A 5 YEAR OLD AND FEEL VERY UNSAFE DRIVING OUR HIGHLANDER WITH 20K ON IT THAT TOYOTA CLAIMS IS COSMETIC ISSUE. TRANSMISSION SHUDDERS VERY BADLY GOING UP HILLS AND ALMOST STALLS OUT. | Crash: No Fire: No | 16,000 |
| Jul 2019 | SUSPENSION | LAST YEAR 02/22/2018 /3,168 MILES, I HEAR A BANG/NOISE FROM REAR OF MY HIGHLANDER ROAD ROUGH ONLY THEY FIXED. THIS YEAR 07/102019 /12,780 MILES SAME PROBLEM | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jul 2019 | VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS AND DEPRESSING THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL, THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT IMMEDIATELY RESPOND. APPROXIMATELY TWO SECONDS AFTER DEPRESSING THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL, THE ENGINE REVVED AND THE VEHICLE ABRUPTLY ACCELERATED FORWARD. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO CONICELLI TOYOTA (550 W. RIDGE PIKE, CONSHOHOCKEN, PA) ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, BUT NO FAILURE WAS FOUND. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE CONTINUED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 3,450. *AS THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER 6 TIMES FOR THE SAME DEFECT. *TR | Crash: No Fire: No | 3,450 |
| Jul 2019 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | SPONTANEOUSLY EXPLODING PANORAMIC SUNROOF.I WAS DRIVING ON A TWO-LANE HIGHWAY ALONE ON THE ROAD MAY 31, 2019 AT APPROXIMATELY 4:30PM.I HAD MY SUNROOF COVER CLOSED AND WAS TRAVELING THE POSTED SPEED LIMIT OF 65 MPH WITH CRUISE CONTROL TURNED ON.I HEARD A VERY LOUD AND SHARP NOISE, I THOUGHT IT MIGHT BE A GUNSHOT.IT STARTLED ME QUITE A BIT, I WAS LUCKY TO BE THE ONLY CAR ON THE ROAD BECAUSE IF I HAD BEEN IN TRAFFIC AND HAD SWERVED FROM THE SHOCK OF THE NOISE,I MIGHT HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT.I LOOKED AROUND AND CHECKED ALL OF MY WINDOWS, NONE WERE BROKEN.I THEN THOUGHT A TIRE HAD BLOWN, BUT I HAD NOT LOST ANY HANDLING, SO I CONTINUED ALONG THE HIGHWAY STILL WONDERING WHAT HAD HAPPENED.ABOUT 10 MINUTES LATER I WAS STOPPED AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT, SURROUNDED BY OTHER CARS AND AGAIN HEARD A VERY LOUD AND SHARP GUNSHOT SOUNDING NOISE.I AGAIN LOOKED ALL AROUND MY CAR AND DID NOT SEE ANY DAMAGE.BUT AT THIS POINT I WAS SURE SOMETHING WAS WRONG WITH MY CAR AND DECIDED TO PULL OVER AT THE NEXT SPOT TO GET OUT AND INSPECT MY CAR.WHEN THE LIGHT TURNED GREEN AND I DROVE AWAY FROM THE INTERSECTION, I HEARD A SOUND AKIN TO ICE CUBES IN A GLASS AND KNEW THAT IT WAS BROKEN GLASS.AGAIN, I COULDN'T SEE ANY DAMAGE.I PULLED OVER AND LOOKED AT THE ROOF OF MY CAR, THE REAR SUNROOF WAS SHATTERED INTO TINY PIECES LAYING ON THE SUNROOF COVER.I BELIEVE THE SUNROOF GLASS IS DEFECTIVE OR IMPROPERLY ENGINEERED AND FEEL IT IS A DANGER.THE TOYOTA DEALERSHIP BLAMED IT ON A ROCK, BUT FROM THE ADDITIONAL RESEARCH I HAVE DONE, IT IS NOT AN ISOLATED INCIDENT AND THERE IS GROWING CONCERN SURROUNDING THE SAFETY OF THESE TYPES OF SUNROOFS IN ALL TYPES OF AUTOMOBILES.I FILED AN INSURANCE CLAIM TO COVER THE DAMAGE; BUT FEEL THAT TOYOTA SHOULD TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE DAMAGE AND FEEL VERY ANXIOUS NOW DRIVING MY CAR.I DO NOT FEEL IT IS SAFE AND WORRY CONSTANTLY ABOUT THE GLASS SPONTANEOUSLY BREAKING AGAIN. | Crash: No Fire: No | 6,437 |
| May 2019 | POWER TRAIN,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,ENGINE | APON ACCESLARATION , CAR HESITATE FOR A FEW SECOND, RPM GOES TO 5000 UNTIL VEHICLE SLOWLY START TO MOVE. FEELS LIKEW THER IS NO PROPER SYNCH BETWEEN ENGING AND TRANSMISSION. DANGEROUS WHEN PASSING OR AVOIDING A VEHICLE AHEAD OF YOU. THE SAME ISSUE WHILE USING THE CRUSE CONTROL, IT JUMPS FROM A FEW RPMS TO 5K + THAT ALWAYS I HAVE TO BRAKE TO AVID RAMMING A CAR AHEAD OF ME. BRAKES GET SOF THAT I HAVE TO PUMP IT A FEW TIMES. MILEAGE IS 1780 MILES. | Crash: No Fire: No | 14,800 |
| May 2019 | AIR BAGS | AND LIGHT STAY BLINKING | Crash: No Fire: No | 25 |
| May 2019 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | MUSTY SMELL IN THE VEHICLE SINCE NOVEMBER OF 2018, VEHICLE BROUGHT TO DEALERSHIP EARLY APRIL 2019 WITH NO RESOLUTION. VEHICLE RETURNED TO DEALERSHIP EARLY MAY 2019. WATER FOUND UNDER PASSENGER CARPET ALONG WITH MOLD. ADVISED BY TOYOTA NO DEFECTIVE PARTS AND THERE IS NOTHING THEY CAN DO. | Crash: No Fire: No | 16,500 |
| May 2019 | SERVICE BRAKES | THE PRE-COLLISION SYSTEM FAILED TO ASSIST IN AVOIDING AN ACCIDENT WHEN THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME STOPPED SUDDENLY IN TRAFFIC ON A HIGHWAY. SINCE THE REPAIR, THE BRAKE WARNING INDICATOR LIGHT ON THE SPEEDOMETER SIDE OF THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER INTERMITTENTLY ILLUMINATES AND THE BRAKE PEDAL PULSES AS IF THE ABS SYSTEM IS ENGAGING. ONCE IT STOPPED ME SUDDENLY WHILE DRIVING DOWN A BUSY CITY STREET. WENT FROM 35 TO 0 VERY SUDDENLY. I HAVE TAKEN THIS TO 2 DEALERS AND THEY SAY THERE IS NOTHING WRONG. THE SYSTEM DOES NOT INDICATE AN ERROR EVEN THOUGH THE LIGHT IS ON AND THEY TESTED WHILE IT WAS ON. I CAN RECREATE THE ISSUE BY ACCELERATING QUICKLY WHILE TURNING LEFT. SOMETIMES IT HAPPENS WHEN GOING STRAIGHT, BUT THE ONLY WAY TO GUARANTEE IT WILL HAPPEN IS TO TURN AND ACCELERATE QUICKLY. NEITHER OF THE 2 DEALERS I HAVE TAKEN IT TO HAVE FOUND THE ISSUE AND TOYOTA CUSTOMER CARE STOPPED CALLING ME BACK. | Crash: Yes Fire: No Towed | 16,000 |
| Apr 2019 | STRUCTURE | JANUARY 22, 2019 WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 75 MPH ON THE INTERSTATE THE PANORAMIC SUNROOF GLASS EXPLODED IN MY CAR. SOUNDED LIKE A SHOTGUN WHEN OFF AND THE PRESSURE I FELT IN MY BACK, I THOUGHT I GOT SHOT. GLASS TOTALLY BLEW OUT OF THE CAR WITH ONLY A COUPLE INCHES LEFT AROUND THE SIDES. NO ROCKS OR ANYTHING HIT IT. FILED A POLICE REPORT. | Crash: No Fire: No | 23,161 |
| Apr 2019 | SUSPENSION,POWER TRAIN,STRUCTURE | WHEN HIT BREAKS HARD... I HEAR A BANG/NOISE FROM REAR OF MY HIGHLANGER. ( DEALERSHIP ADMIT THIS IS ABNORMAL SOUND BUT THEY CAN'T DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT). TRANSMISSION SHIFT ROUGHLY, NOT SMOOTH SHIFTING. IF CAR IS IN DRIVE AND IM HOLDING BREAKS CAR REAR STARTS MAKING BANGING NOISE N START SHAKING. SO FAR MY CAR HAS ONLY 20K MILES ON IT . SUSPENSION IS PRETTY STIFF DOESN'T HELP WHILE DRIVING OVER POST HOLES. | Crash: No Fire: No | 15,000 |
| Mar 2019 | ENGINE | I NOTICED A HESITATION WITH THE VEHICLE WHEN I PRESSED THE GAS PEDAL. ON ONE INCIDENT ON I-288 I PRESSED THE GAS TO PASS A CAR AND IT HESITATED AND THE RPM JUMPTED TO 51/2. FINALLY THE CAR ENGAGED SO I COULD PASS. I THOUGHT IT WAS GOING TO BLOW UP. ON THE WAY HOME ON I-295 IT REPEATED AGAIN ONLY THIS TIME THE RPM JUMPED TO 4. THIS WAS ON 3/20 AND THE DEALER STILL HAS THE VEHICLE AND CAN'T FIGURE OUT THE PROBLEM. THE SERVICE MANAGER DID DRIVE IT WITH ME AND FELT THE HESITATION. | Crash: No Fire: No | 10,999 |
| Mar 2019 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,EXTERIOR LIGHTING,UNKNOWN OR OTHER | EARLY TODAY, 3/21/19, WAS ALERTED THAT MY HATCHBACK WAS OPEN. THE CAR HAD BEEN LOCKED FOR SEVERAL HOURS, BUT WHEN I CAME OUTSIDE I WAS TOLD BY A FRIEND THAT THE HATCH HAD JUST OPENED ON IT'S OWN. ABOUT AN HOUR LATER, I WAS DRIVING AFTER DARK AND RECEIVED A BLINDSIDE MIRROR ALERT--THE CLOSEST CAR WAS AT LEAST TWO CAR LENGTHS IMMEDIATELY BEHIND ME IN THE SAME LANE. SHORTLY AFTER, THE CAUTION LIGHT CAME ON, BEEPED, THE ECO LIGHT CAME ON, IT BEEPED AGAIN AND THE ECO LIGHT WENT OFF. ABOUT 40 MINUTES LATER, I HAD THE BRIGHT HEADLIGHTS ON WITH THE AUTO DIM ENACTED. THE HEADLIGHTS WENT OUT, THE DASH LIGHTS WENT OUT, THE RADIO STAYED ON, AND THE NAVIGATION SCREEN GOT VERY BRIGHT. I HAD TO RETURN THE LIGHT CONTROL ON THE SIGNAL SWITCH AWAY FROM THE SETTING AND THEN BACK TO GET THE HEADLIGHTS AND DASH LIGHT TO COME BACK ON. ALL EVENTS EXCEPT HATCH WERE WHEN VEHICLE IN MOTION. HATCH OPENED WHILE PARKED AND EMPTY. ALL EVENTS WERE WITHIN APPROXIMATELY 2 HOURS OF EACH OTHER. 10000 MILE SERVICE HAD JUST BEEN COMPLETED 3/15/19 WITH NO CONCERNS NOTED. | Crash: No Fire: No | 11,500 |
| Mar 2019 | SEATS | THE XLE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT SITS VERY HIGH, CAUSING MY HEAD TO BRUSH UP AGAINST THE CEILING. THIS IS WILL CAUSE HEAD AND POSSIBLY NECK INJURIES IN THE EVENT OF A COLLISION. I'M NOT PARTICULARLY TALL AT 5'10', BUT ANYONE TALLER WILL HAVE A WORSE PROBLEM. THERE IS NO WAY TO LOWER THIS SEAT. I DON'T WANT TO SUFFER A HEAD INJURY JUST BECAUSE THE SEAT IS VERY HIGH. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Mar 2019 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | DEAR SIR. UNIT CAN NOT BE CHANGED. THE UNIT CAN NOT BE CHANGED FROM F TO ℃. I HAVE BEEN LIVING IN CELSIUS TEMPERATURE ENVIRONMENT FOR MORE THAN 50 YEARS AND HAVE RECENTLY EMIGRATED TO THE UNITED STATES. BY THE WAY, MY CAR CAN NOT SEE THE CELSIUS TEMPERATURE. SO, I HAVE TO CALCULATE THE FAHRENHEIT TEMPERATURE IN DEGREES CELSIUS FOR A SHORT TIME EACH TIME TO KNOW THE CURRENT CELSIUS TEMPERATURE. (CALCULATED SIMILARLY TO CELSIUS TEMPERATURE = (FAHRENHEIT - 30) / 2) I CAN NOT CONCENTRATE ON DRIVING WHILE CALCULATING THE CELSIUS TEMPERATURE, AND I HAVE TO CONCENTRATE ON THE CALCULATION. (DURING THE SHORT TIME) I KNOW THAT A CAR ACCIDENT HAPPENS IN A VERY SHORT TIME. I WAS REGULARLY CHECKED AT A TOYOTA DEALERSHIP TODAY. (5,000 MILES FREE SERVICE) I CAN NOT CHANGE THE UNIT TO CELSIUS TEMPERATURE WHEN I START REGULAR INSPECTION. I ASKED YOU TO CHECK. AFTER COMPLETING THE REGULAR CHECK, THE SERVICE CONSULTANT ANSWERED ME "I CAN NOT CHANGE TO CELSIUS." SO, I ASKED AGAIN WHY NOT. A SERVICE CONSULTANT REPLIED, "A CAR PRODUCED IN THE UNITED STATES RECENTLY HAS NO CHANGE IN CELSIUS." SO, I AM WRITING THIS ARTICLE. THE TOYOTA SERVICE CONSULTANT SAYS THAT THE 2018 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER, PRODUCED IN THE UNITED STATES, IS UNCHANGED IN UNITS OF CELSIUS. PLEASE MAKE SURE THAT NEW CARS PRODUCED IN THE FUTURE CAN BE CHANGED IN UNITS OF CELSIUS TEMPERATURE. (FOR REFERENCE, THE UNITS ARE CHANGED FROM 'MILE' TO 'KM'.) I WOULD LIKE TO RECEIVE A REPLY BY EMAIL THANK YOU, SIR. *TR | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Mar 2019 | EXTERIOR LIGHTING | THE HEADLIGHTS ARE REALLY DIM MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO SEE AT NIGHT. WHEN I AM NEXT TO OTHER VEHICLES, THEIR HEADLIGHTS LIGHT UP THE ROAD IN FRONT OF ME AT LEAST 80% MORE THAN MY HEADLIGHTS. PHYSICALLY, THE HOUSING LOOKS DEFECTIVE BECAUSE IT IS CLOUDY. PERHAPS A RECALL SHOULD BE ISSUED. I HAVE HAD THE CAR SINCE MAY 2018 BUT NEVER DROVE DURING NIGHT / DARK HOURS UNTIL MY SHIFT RECENTLY CHANGED. | Crash: No Fire: No | 4,000 |
| Mar 2019 | WHEELS,UNKNOWN OR OTHER,SERVICE BRAKES | CAR VIBRATION AT 40MPH AND UP AND BRAKE VIBRATION TOO . | Crash: No Fire: No | 300 |
| Mar 2019 | WHEELS | MICHELIN TIRES DEFECTIVE TRACTION. TOYOTA AND MICHELIN REFUSES TO HELP WITH DEFECTIVE TIRES. MONRO MUFFLER DEEMED TIRES UNSAFE. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Feb 2019 | SERVICE BRAKES | LOW POWER BRAKING POWER LIGHT COMES ON AND VEHICLE WILL NOT START. OWNED FOR JUST 6 MONTHS WITH JUST OVER 2000 MILES . THIS HAPPENED WHILE PARKED IN MY DRIVEWAY. | Crash: No Fire: No | 2,000 |
| Feb 2019 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | AFTER CAR HAS BEEN DRIVEN, IS OFF AND SITTING IN LOCKED GARAGE AFTER ABOUT 2 HOURS A LOUD BUZZING SOUND CAN BE HEARD WHICH EVENTUALLY CHANGES TO A LOW SEMI BUZZING (ALMOST LIKE A COMPUTER DOWNLOADING AND A FAN TO COOL IT DOWN). I'VE CONTACTED THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT AND LEFT A DETAILED MESSAGE, BUT NO RESPONSE. I'M AWARE OF CYBER SECURITY, AND SINCE MY HUSBAND WORKS FOR DOE (WAPA), IT WORRIES ME. MY HUSBAND ALTERNATES WEEKLY ON DRIVING THE HIGHLANDER OR THE 2000 TACOMA. WHEN HE DOESN'T DRIVE THE HIGHLANDER THERE IS NO NOISE, WHEN HE DOES THE BUZZING SOUND HAPPENS. THIS IS TOO COINCIDENTAL. IS THIS NORMAL? THE SOUND APPEARS LOUDEST BY THE RIGHT REAR WHEEL WELL. IT NORMALLY HAPPENS AFTER 11:00 P.M. AND COMPLETES BEFORE 11:30 P.M., HOWEVER, OVER THE PAST 4 DAYS THE SCHEDULE HAS CHANGED. TONIGHT IT RAN FROM 8:00 P.M. TO 8:35 P.M. WHAT IS GOING ON WITH OUR NEW VEHICLE? IS IT SAFE FOR MY HUSBAND TO DRIVE? | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |