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2018 Toyota Highlander Reliability & Recall Report

Based on 5 NHTSA recalls and 269 owner complaints. All data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — free, no signup required.

D
42/100

High Reported Activity — 2018 Toyota Highlander

The 2018 Toyota Highlander shows high recall and complaint activity in NHTSA data. Review the issues below and have a thorough pre-purchase inspection done by an independent mechanic.

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5
NHTSA Recalls
5 recalls on record
269
Owner Complaints
Filed with NHTSA
23
Crash Reports
1 fire report
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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.

🔧 Fuel System, Gasoline: Delivery: Fuel Pump
If the fuel pump fails, the engine can stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel pump assembly with an improved one, free of charge. Owners of specific models were notified that remedy parts were available…
NHTSA #20V682000
🔧 Fuel System, Gasoline: Delivery: Fuel Pump
If the fuel pump fails, the engine can stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel pump, free of charge. The recall began May 4, 2020. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-888-270-9371 or Lexus…
NHTSA #20V012000
🔧 Electrical System
The ECM damage may result in the engine stalling, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Wanda will notify owners, and service centers will replace the windshields, and inspect the ECM for damage, having it replaced, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began January 29,…
NHTSA #18E107000
🔧 Equipment: Other: Labels
An incorrect load information label can result in the operator overloading the vehicle and increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Toyota will notify owners and provide them with corrected labels, free of charge. The recall began on January 23, 2018. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's numbers…
NHTSA #17V831000
🔧 Service Brakes, Hydraulic: Power Assist: Vacuum
A sudden loss of braking assist can increase the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will replace the brake booster vacuum pump, free of charge. The recall began on May 9, 2018. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at…
NHTSA #18V211000
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Most Common Problems — 2018 Toyota Highlander

Based on 269 owner complaints filed with NHTSA. Bars show relative complaint frequency.

Power Train
67
Service Brakes
45
Unknown Or Other
32
Air Bags
18
Electrical System
18
Engine
16
Fuel System
14
Fuel/propulsion System
13
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Toyota Highlander — Complaints by Year

A spike means more owner complaints were filed for that model year. The 2018 model year is highlighted.

2012 191 complaints 2013 212 complaints 2014 136 complaints 2015 192 complaints 2016 111 complaints 2017 270 complaints 2018 269 complaints 2019 497 complaints 2020 320 complaints 2021 531 complaints 2022 263 complaints

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⚠ Higher-complaint years: 2019, 2021 — These model years have more owner complaints in NHTSA data than the other years compared.

✅ Best model years: 2014, 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 recall campaigns and 269 owner complaints. This model year shows elevated recall or complaint activity — review the details and get 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: 2014, 2016. These show the lowest complaint rates. Years with higher complaint counts: 2019, 2021.
How we score this: The score starts at 100 and subtracts points for the number of NHTSA recall campaigns and owner complaints filed for this model year, and for complaints that report crashes or fires. Newer model years get a small bonus because they have had less time to collect reports. These are raw counts and are not adjusted for how many vehicles were sold, so popular models tend to have more recalls and complaints. Complaints are unverified owner reports. This grade is not a prediction about any individual vehicle and is not an inspection: check a specific car’s VIN for open recalls and get an independent pre-purchase inspection.
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.