CarRecallWatchThe 2018 Toyota Highlander has 4 safety recalls on file with NHTSA.
Owners have filed 273 complaints with NHTSA, including 23 crashes, 1 fire, 25 injuries.
The most-reported problem area is Power Train (72 reports).
2018 Toyota Highlander recalls
Fuel pump may fail and stall the engine while driving
The low-pressure fuel pump inside the fuel tank may fail on these vehicles.
Fuel pump may fail, causing engine stall while driving
The low-pressure fuel pump inside the fuel tank may fail.
Brakes May Suddenly Lose Power Assist, Raising Crash Risk
A manufacturing defect in the brake booster vacuum pump assembly may have left an oil passage in the rotor improperly machined.
Wrong load label may lead to overloading and crash risk
Some vehicles may have an incorrect load carrying capacity label, which is the sticker that tells the driver how much weight the vehicle can safely carry, including passengers and cargo.
Most common 2018 Toyota Highlander problems
Problem areas named in the 273 complaints owners filed with NHTSA.
| Problem area | Reports |
|---|---|
| Power Train | 72 |
| Service Brakes | 53 |
| Unknown Or Other | 46 |
| Engine | 36 |
| Electrical System | 24 |
| Fuel/Propulsion System | 22 |
| Air Bags | 19 |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 14 |
| Structure | 12 |
| Forward Collision Avoidance | 12 |
What owners report
UA80 transmission which has known issues failed. Dealer reports that while the transmission has exact symptoms of other UA80 transmission that are covered under recall, our serial number is not covered. Quoted $12454 to replace transmission that has known failure issues
Within 1 mile of the Dealership, the new to us, 2018 Highlander was: -Lunging, not accelerating/Delayed shifting -Unpredictable surging -unintended acceleration -Excessive revving before upshifting I brought it back to the dealership & was given a loaner vehicle Once the transmission line was supposedly fixed, I drove it home. Then discovered it had leaked onto my driveway. They took it back & fixed something in the transmission again. After a few months, we thought it was good to go. In October 2026 it was doing all of the above lunging, lack of response from Transmission Again. I drove it to the dealership. Then told I needed a replacement Transmission. They said line rusted and w
While driving, my vehicle experienced a severe and sudden failure of the Aisin UA80F 8-speed automatic transmission. The transmission exhibits erratic and hard shifting, severe hesitation, and a dangerous delay in acceleration when trying to merge into traffic or accelerate from a complete stop. Frequently, the engine revs high, but the transmission fails to engage the gear promptly, resulting in a sudden, violent lurch forward when it finally catches. Furthermore, the vehicle intermittently loses motive power entirely while in motion, forcing me to coast to the side of the road. A loud, high-pitched whining noise is audible from the transmission assembly, and diagnostic checks indicate inte
The UA80 transmission on my 2018 Toyota Highlander Limited AWD began the "death whine" at 110,000 miles. Brought it directly to a Toyota dealer and was told the transmission needed full replacement. Seems to be very common with these transmissions and there's a service bulletin that's advertised from Toyota (our VIN number was not covered despite the exact same issue described to a T).
My transmission had to be replaced at 30,000 miles and a year and two weeks later it needs replaced again at 42000 miles. Toyota will only cover 1/2 the replacement the second time and nothing the first.
2018 Toyota Highlander questions
Does the 2018 Toyota Highlander have any recalls?
Yes. NHTSA lists 4 safety recalls for the 2018 Toyota Highlander: Fuel pump may fail and stall the engine while driving; Fuel pump may fail, causing engine stall while driving; Brakes May Suddenly Lose Power Assist, Raising Crash Risk; Wrong load label may lead to overloading and crash risk. Recall repairs are normally free at an authorized dealer.
What are the most common problems with the 2018 Toyota Highlander?
Based on 273 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the most-reported problem areas are Power Train (72), Service Brakes (53), Unknown Or Other (46).
How do I check if a recall on my 2018 Toyota Highlander has been fixed?
Enter your 17-character VIN in our VIN recall check. It shows open recalls that have not been repaired on your specific vehicle. Recall repairs are normally free at an authorized dealer.