2018 Toyota Highlander
Common Problems
Ranked from 95 federal NHTSA complaints and 5 recalls. Every problem links to the complaint IDs behind it.
13 Common Problems
Ordered by how often owners reported each one to NHTSA. The bar shows how common a problem is relative to the most-reported on this vehicle. Expand any problem to see the federal complaint IDs.
- 1
Air Bag Deployment Failure
22complaintsSafety riskElectricalThe air bags fail to deploy during a collision, increasing the risk of injury.
Related recall: 18E107000
- 2
Brake Power Low Warning
17complaintsHigh severityBrakesThe brake system indicates low pressure, causing the vehicle to stall or fail to start.
$150–$1,000est. brake system diagnosis + repair · 1–4 hrs laborGet local quotesRelated recall: 18V211000
- 3
Transmission Shift Lag and Hard Shifting
16complaintsHigh severityTransmissionThe transmission experiences shift lag and hard shifting, leading to difficulty in driving smoothly.
$200–$2,500est. drivetrain diagnosis + repair · 1–8 hrs laborGet local quotes - 4
Whining Transmission Noise
12complaintsHigh severityTransmissionThe transmission produces a whining noise, especially during acceleration, indicating a potential failure.
$200–$2,500est. drivetrain diagnosis + repair · 1–8 hrs laborGet local quotes - 6
Sunroof Shattering
9complaintsHigh severityOtherThe panoramic sunroof shatters spontaneously while driving, posing a risk of glass falling into the cabin.
Related recall: 17V831000
- 7
Brake Booster Vacuum Pump Failure
4complaintsHigh severityBrakesThe brake booster vacuum pump fails, leading to a spongy pedal and potential brake failure.
$500–$1,300est. brake booster replacement · 2–5 hrs laborGet local quotesRelated recall: 18V211000
- 8
Engine Power Loss
4complaintsHigh severityTransmissionThe engine loses power suddenly, causing the vehicle to slow down or stop moving, often without warning.
$150–$1,200est. stalling / shutdown diagnosis + repair · 1–5 hrs laborGet local quotes - 9
Steering Difficulty
4complaintsHigh severitySteeringThe steering wheel becomes difficult to turn, often accompanied by a loss of power and warning lights.
- 10
Sunroof glass explosion
4complaintsHigh severityOtherThe sunroof glass suddenly explodes while driving, posing a risk of injury from flying glass pieces.
Related recall: 17V831000
- 11
Vehicle stalling during acceleration
3complaintsMedium severityEngineThe vehicle stalls during acceleration, often requiring a jump start or waiting before restarting.
$150–$1,200est. stalling / shutdown diagnosis + repair · 1–5 hrs laborGet local quotes - 12
Automatic high beam system malfunction
2complaintsMedium severityElectricalThe automatic high beam system shuts down unexpectedly, leaving the vehicle without high beams.
Related recall: 18E107000
- 13
Towing Issues
2complaintsMedium severityOtherThe vehicle's structure fails when towing, potentially leading to damage or injury.
Related recall: 17V831000
Other years & sources
Data source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) owner complaints and recalls. Problems are clustered and ranked from the complaint record; occurrence counts reflect corroborating complaints, not total incidence. Vehicle image is illustrative. Repair-cost figures are typical U.S. independent-shop ranges (parts + labor) for the class of repair shown — actual quotes vary by region, engine, and diagnosis; always confirm with a local shop.