What are the most common problems with the 2018 Toyota Highlander?

Power train complaints lead the NHTSA record, followed by brakes. Owners describe shifting and hesitation issues in one group and brake warnings in the other.

Does the 2018 Toyota Highlander have recalls?

Yes. The record shows 4 recalls for this year. See the Recalls section on this page for the list.

How many complaints does the 2018 Toyota Highlander have?

NHTSA has 274 owner complaints on file. They are unverified reports and are not adjusted for sales.

Is the 2018 Toyota Highlander reliable?

The complaint record is mixed, with groups led by power train and brakes. Read the problems section and the recall list, then judge for yourself.

What is the gas mileage of the 2018 Toyota Highlander?

See the fuel economy section on this page. It is built from EPA data.

2018 Toyota Highlander Problems, Recalls and MPG

NHTSA has 274 owner complaints on file for the 2018 Toyota Highlander^[1]. The power train group is the biggest, with 69 complaints^[2].

274owner complaints^[1]

4recalls^[3]

22–29MPG combined (EPA)^[4]

5★NHTSA overall rating^[5]

Problems
Recalls
Fuel economy
Safety
Engine and size
By year
Verdict
FAQ

Most reported problems

Here are the complaint groups in the NHTSA record, biggest first.

Power Train. 69 complaints^[2]. In the stories we read, owners describe rough shifting, a bang from the rear when braking, hesitation when pulling away, and shuddering on hills.
Brakes. 59 complaints^[6]. Owners describe low brake power warnings, a car that would not start after that warning, and a pre-collision system that did not step in when needed. Some also describe waiting a long time for a recall part.
Unknown Or Other. 46 complaints^[7]. These reports do not fit a single component group.
Engine. 35 complaints^[8]. Owners describe rough idling, hesitation when accelerating, a coolant smell, and a fluid leak that turned out to be a poorly sealed gasket. One report describes a fire in a parked car.
Electrical System. 24 complaints^[9]. Owners describe a radio that shorted out, a phone link that drops, lane departure alerts that work only some of the time, and a hatch that opened on its own.
Fuel/Propulsion System. 23 complaints^[10].
Air Bags. 19 complaints^[11]. This group stands out for crashes and injuries, with 15 crashes and 19 injuries named^[11].
Fuel System, Gasoline. 14 complaints^[12].

These are unverified owner reports, and one complaint can name several components.

Recalls

Newest first. Each recall covers only certain vehicles, so not every 2018 Highlander is necessarily included.

Fuel System, Gasoline › Delivery › Fuel Pump (20V682), November 2020. About 1,525,742 vehicles are potentially affected across every model and year the recall names. The recall names these risks: a crash, stalling. Dealers do the repair free of charge.^[13]
Fuel System, Gasoline › Delivery › Fuel Pump (20V012), January 2020. About 1,830,752 vehicles are potentially affected across every model and year the recall names. The recall names these risks: a crash, stalling. Dealers do the repair free of charge.^[14]
Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Power Assist › Vacuum (18V211), April 2018. About 6,046 vehicles are potentially affected across every model and year the recall names. The recall names these risks: a crash, reduced braking. Dealers do the repair free of charge.^[15]
Equipment › Other › Labels (17V831), December 2017. About 649 vehicles are potentially affected across every model and year the recall names. The recall names these risks: a crash. Dealers do the repair free of charge.^[16]

Fuel economy

EPA ratings depend on the engine and drive. Annual fuel cost uses EPA's current fuel price assumptions, not prices when the car was new.

Version	City / highway / combined MPG	Annual fuel cost
Highlander, 2.7L 4-cyl, Automatic (S6), Regular, Front-Wheel Drive^[17]	20 / 24 / 22	$3,050
Highlander LE/XLE/SE/LTD, 3.5L 6-cyl, Automatic (S8), Regular, Front-Wheel Drive^[18]	21 / 27 / 23	$2,900
Highlander, 3.5L 6-cyl, Automatic (S8), Regular, Front-Wheel Drive^[19]	20 / 27 / 23	$2,900
Highlander AWD, 3.5L 6-cyl, Automatic (S8), Regular, All-Wheel Drive^[20]	19 / 26 / 22	$3,050
Highlander AWD, 3.5L 6-cyl, Automatic (S8), Regular, All-Wheel Drive^[21]	20 / 26 / 22	$3,050
Highlander AWD LE, 3.5L 6-cyl, Automatic (S8), Regular, All-Wheel Drive^[22]	20 / 27 / 23	$2,900
Highlander Hybrid AWD, 3.5L 6-cyl, Automatic (AV-S6), Regular, All-Wheel Drive^[23]	29 / 27 / 28	$2,400
Highlander Hybrid AWD LE Plus, 3.5L 6-cyl, Automatic (AV-S6), Regular, All-Wheel Drive^[4]	30 / 28 / 29	$2,300

Safety ratings

Version	Overall	Frontal	Side	Rollover	Rollover risk
SUV AWD^[5]	5	4	5	4	16.9%
SUV FWD^[24]	5	4	5	4	18.5%
SUV AWD^[25]	5	4	5	4	16.9%

Engine and size

Horsepower is the rating listed for EPA test vehicles.

Engine	Horsepower
2018 Toyota Highlander with 2.7L 4-cylinder^[26]	185 hp
2018 Toyota Highlander with 3.5L 6-cylinder^[27]	256 to 295 hp

How 2018 compares with other years

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA for each Highlander model year. The 2018 is highlighted^[3].

Show the numbers

Model year	Complaints	Recalls
2001	137	3
2002	301	2
2003	258	2
2004	286	5
2005	225	6
2006	648	11
2007	234	6
2008	602	12
2009	174	10
2010	238	11
2011	186	5
2012	191	2
2013	212	3
2014	138	4
2015	196	1
2016	117	2
2017	274	3
2018	274	4
2019	506	3
2020	330	5
2021	546	5
2022	269	6
2023	197	9
2024	43	7
2025	10	4
2026	4	0

NHTSA's counts for the Highlander show 274 complaints and 4 recalls for 2018^[3]. Among the 26 model years listed, 17 have fewer complaints than 2018 and 7 have more^[3]. The fewest complaints are for 2026 (4) and the most are for 2006 (648)^[3]. These counts are not adjusted for sales, so treat them as a rough guide. The chart above shows every year.

Should you buy a used 2018 Highlander?

The 2018 Highlander has 274 complaints on file, and that count is not adjusted for how many were sold^[1]. The power train and brakes groups lead the list^[2]^[6]. The air bag group is smaller, but it is tied to the most crashes and injuries^[11]. The record also shows 4 recalls for this year^[3]. Check the recall section on this page and compare the year with its neighbors before you decide.

Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems with the 2018 Toyota Highlander?: Power train complaints lead the NHTSA record, followed by brakes^[2]^[6]. Owners describe shifting and hesitation issues in one group and brake warnings in the other.
Does the 2018 Toyota Highlander have recalls?: Yes. The record shows 4 recalls for this year^[3]. See the Recalls section on this page for the list.
How many complaints does the 2018 Toyota Highlander have?: NHTSA has 274 owner complaints on file^[1]. They are unverified reports and are not adjusted for sales.
Is the 2018 Toyota Highlander reliable?: The complaint record is mixed, with groups led by power train and brakes^[2]^[6]. Read the problems section and the recall list, then judge for yourself.
What is the gas mileage of the 2018 Toyota Highlander?: See the fuel economy section on this page. It is built from EPA data.

Keep exploring

Other model years of the Toyota Highlander

2006 648 complaints, 11 recalls
2008 602 complaints, 12 recalls
2015 196 complaints, 1 recall
2016 117 complaints, 2 recalls
2017 274 complaints, 3 recalls
2018 this page

Compare all model years of the Toyota Highlander

Other Toyota models from 2018

2018 Toyota Camry 778 complaints, 8 recalls
2018 Toyota Land Cruiser 4 complaints, 2 recalls
2018 Toyota RAV4 348 complaints, 3 recalls

All Toyota models

Similar cars from 2018: small suvs

2018 Land Rover Range Rover 133 complaints, 8 recalls
2018 Mercedes-Benz GLC-Class 87 complaints, 12 recalls
2018 Mitsubishi Outlander 93 complaints, 6 recalls
2018 Nissan Pathfinder 78 complaints, 3 recalls
2018 Nissan Rogue 669 complaints, 4 recalls
2018 Subaru Forester 498 complaints, 3 recalls

All small suvs we cover

Facts and sources

NHTSA has 274 owner complaints on file for the 2018 Toyota Highlander (24 mention a crash, 2 a fire, 25 injuries, 0 deaths reported). NHTSA vehicle records
69 complaints name the power train component group (0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, median mileage at failure 95,170). NHTSA vehicle records
Owner complaints and recalls for every Toyota Highlander model year (chart above). NHTSA recall database
EPA rating for Highlander Hybrid AWD LE Plus, 3.5L 6-cyl, Automatic (AV-S6), Regular, All-Wheel Drive: 30 city / 28 highway / 29 combined MPG; EPA estimated annual fuel cost $2,300. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings, SUV AWD: overall 5 stars, frontal 4 stars, side 5 stars, rollover 4 stars; rollover risk 16.9%. NHTSA vehicle records
59 complaints name the brakes component group (9 crashes, 0 fires, 4 injuries, median mileage at failure 18,750). NHTSA vehicle records
46 complaints name the unknown or other component group (6 crashes, 0 fires, 4 injuries, median mileage at failure 8,950). NHTSA vehicle records
35 complaints name the engine component group (0 crashes, 1 fires, 0 injuries, median mileage at failure 14,400). NHTSA vehicle records
24 complaints name the electrical system component group (0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, median mileage at failure 14,900). NHTSA vehicle records
23 complaints name the fuel/propulsion system component group (1 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, median mileage at failure 14,750). NHTSA vehicle records
19 complaints name the air bags component group (15 crashes, 0 fires, 19 injuries, median mileage at failure 21,000). NHTSA vehicle records
14 complaints name the fuel system, gasoline component group (0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, median mileage at failure 42,500). NHTSA vehicle records
Recall 20V682, filed November 4, 2020: Fuel System, Gasoline › Delivery › Fuel Pump. NHTSA recall database
Recall 20V012, filed January 13, 2020: Fuel System, Gasoline › Delivery › Fuel Pump. NHTSA recall database
Recall 18V211, filed April 3, 2018: Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Power Assist › Vacuum. NHTSA recall database
Recall 17V831, filed December 20, 2017: Equipment › Other › Labels. NHTSA recall database
EPA rating for Highlander, 2.7L 4-cyl, Automatic (S6), Regular, Front-Wheel Drive: 20 city / 24 highway / 22 combined MPG; EPA estimated annual fuel cost $3,050. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov
EPA rating for Highlander LE/XLE/SE/LTD, 3.5L 6-cyl, Automatic (S8), Regular, Front-Wheel Drive: 21 city / 27 highway / 23 combined MPG; EPA estimated annual fuel cost $2,900. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov
EPA rating for Highlander, 3.5L 6-cyl, Automatic (S8), Regular, Front-Wheel Drive: 20 city / 27 highway / 23 combined MPG; EPA estimated annual fuel cost $2,900. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov
EPA rating for Highlander AWD, 3.5L 6-cyl, Automatic (S8), Regular, All-Wheel Drive: 19 city / 26 highway / 22 combined MPG; EPA estimated annual fuel cost $3,050. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov
EPA rating for Highlander AWD, 3.5L 6-cyl, Automatic (S8), Regular, All-Wheel Drive: 20 city / 26 highway / 22 combined MPG; EPA estimated annual fuel cost $3,050. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov
EPA rating for Highlander AWD LE, 3.5L 6-cyl, Automatic (S8), Regular, All-Wheel Drive: 20 city / 27 highway / 23 combined MPG; EPA estimated annual fuel cost $2,900. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov
EPA rating for Highlander Hybrid AWD, 3.5L 6-cyl, Automatic (AV-S6), Regular, All-Wheel Drive: 29 city / 27 highway / 28 combined MPG; EPA estimated annual fuel cost $2,400. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings, SUV FWD: overall 5 stars, frontal 4 stars, side 5 stars, rollover 4 stars; rollover risk 18.5%. NHTSA vehicle records
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings, SUV AWD: overall 5 stars, frontal 4 stars, side 5 stars, rollover 4 stars; rollover risk 16.9%. NHTSA vehicle records
EPA Test Car List, 2018 Toyota Highlander with 2.7L 4-cylinder: rated 185 hp. www.epa.gov
EPA Test Car List, 2018 Toyota Highlander with 3.5L 6-cylinder: rated 256 to 295 hp depending on version. www.epa.gov

Complaints submitted to NHTSA by owners; unverified reports, one complaint can name several components. Complaint counts are not normalized by sales; compare years of the same model, not different models. EPA annual fuel cost uses EPA's current fuel price assumptions, not the price when the car was new. Horsepower is the rating listed for EPA test vehicles. Dimensions are Canadian-market specifications and can differ slightly from US models.

2018 Toyota Highlander: problems, recalls and fuel economy