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2018 Toyota Highlander Reliability & Recall Report

Based on 5 NHTSA recalls and 252 owner complaints. All data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — free, no signup required.

D
42/100

Buyer Beware — 2018 Toyota Highlander

The 2018 Toyota Highlander shows a notably poor reliability profile for this model year. Consider an alternative year or have a thorough pre-purchase inspection done by an independent mechanic.

5
NHTSA Recalls
5 recalls on record
252
Owner Complaints
Filed with NHTSA
21
Crashes + Injuries
1 fire report

Own or buying a 2018 Toyota Highlander?

Check your specific VIN for open recalls, market value, full specs, and a free AI buyer summary.

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NHTSA Recalls — 2018 Toyota Highlander (5)

All recalls listed below must be repaired by an authorized Toyota dealer at no charge to the owner.

🔧 Unknown Component
NHTSA #20V682000
🔧 Unknown Component
NHTSA #20V012000
🔧 Unknown Component
NHTSA #18E107000
🔧 Unknown Component
NHTSA #17V831000
🔧 Unknown Component
NHTSA #18V211000
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Most Common Problems — 2018 Toyota Highlander

Based on 252 owner complaints filed with NHTSA. Bars show relative complaint frequency.

Power Train
55
Service Brakes
45
Unknown Or Other
29
Air Bags
18
Electrical System
18
Engine
16
Fuel System
14
Fuel/propulsion System
13
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Toyota Highlander — Complaints by Year

Spike in a year = known problem year. The 2018 model year is highlighted.

2012 190 complaints 2013 209 complaints 2014 133 complaints 2015 186 complaints 2016 109 complaints 2017 258 complaints 2018 252 complaints 2019 453 complaints 2020 285 complaints 2021 447 complaints 2022 208 complaints

⚠ Years to avoid: 2019, 2021 — These model years show significantly elevated complaint activity.

✅ Best model years: 2016 — Lowest complaint rates for this model.

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Frequently Asked Questions — 2018 Toyota Highlander

Is the 2018 Toyota Highlander reliable?
Based on NHTSA data, the 2018 Toyota Highlander has 5 recalls and 252 owner complaints. This model year shows elevated issues — consider alternatives or a thorough pre-purchase inspection.
How many recalls does the 2018 Toyota Highlander have?
The 2018 Toyota Highlander has 5 NHTSA recalls. Affected systems include: see recall details above. All recalls are repaired free at authorized dealers.
What are the most common problems with the 2018 Toyota Highlander?
The most commonly reported problems for the 2018 Toyota Highlander are: Power Train, Service Brakes, Unknown Or Other, Air Bags. See the complaint breakdown above for full details.
Is the 2018 Toyota Highlander safe to buy?
The 2018 Toyota Highlander has some safety and reliability items to review before buying. Ensure all 5 recalls are completed at a dealer. A pre-purchase inspection by an independent mechanic is strongly recommended.
What year Toyota Highlander should I buy?
Based on NHTSA complaint data, the best years for the Toyota Highlander are: 2016. These show the lowest complaint rates. Years to avoid: 2019, 2021.
Data source: All recall and complaint data is sourced directly from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) public API. Data is cached and refreshed every 7 days. Recall and complaint counts reflect data available at the time of last cache update. For the most current recall status on a specific vehicle, enter the VIN above or visit NHTSA.gov/recalls.