2018 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER Complaints

The 2018 Toyota Highlander has less than 100K miles on it and has been diagnosed with an $11K repair for essentially a new engine! The dealership (Coughlin Toyota, Heath OH) has said it needs cylinder head assembly for $10,684.20. The error message we are getting is a "Check Engine" light "Take Vehicle to Dealership" and the AWD/ Traction Control shuts off. When searching online forums, there are MANY people experiencing the same problem, apparently a well know issue with Toyota (not just Highlanders). We have only owned this vehicle for a few years and believe this is a manufacturer error that desperately needs investigated. Please.

Out of nowhere, I couldn’t get the car to start. It keeps saying “Low Braking Power”. I had someone checked with Code Scanner and nothing shows up, and it’s not battery issue neither. The car guy said there’s a very high chance the issue is from the brake booster vacuum pump.

Brake Booster did not work. We were almost in 2 wrecks due to it taking longer to stop the vehicle. The dealer finally fixed it after I paid over $1500. They didn't care about how this was a known defect in 2018 Toyota Highlanders and took forever to identify and fix. No one has looked at it since just got it back today. Once the brake light went on the dash board I brought it in. I did wait one day when it went off, but once it came back on again I was going to, but then was scared when it didn't come on and then I could barely stop.

The 2018 engine (3.5L DOHC V6 D-4S Engine with Dual VVT-i Direct Shift) with 52,500 miles has by now (2024) developed a large oil leak coming from the valve cover to cam tower seal, and requires replacement of valve cover assembly and gasket priced at $2173.51 by a local Toyota dealer. I'm the original owner with the car always being garaged and maintained by the book at the dealer. Toyota of America is refusing any assistance with the defective engine component even though it is under the 60,000 miles powertrain warranty, but past the 60 months warranty period. The leak likely developed prior to the first 60 months of use, but was just now noticeable to the technician. Leaking engine oil on hot components of the engine bay may result in smoke, burning odor, and even fires.

The contact owns a 2018 Toyota Highlander. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, and it was determined that there was low compression in cylinder #1. The contact was informed that the engine was damaged and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, a case was opened, and the contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 61,000.

My vehicle has codes C1253 and C1256. These codes are associated with faulty brake actuators, a well documented issue in Highlanders. Faulty brake actuators can cause problems with braking, which can put my safety and the safety of others at risk.

My 2018 Highlander Transmission (8 speed model UA80) began a whine noise characteristic of Customer Support Bulletin POL19-04 when the vehicle hit 101k miles. Toyota performed an inspection on 8/9/2024 and recommends full transmission + transfer case replacement. The dealer confirmed also confirmed the issue is characteristic of POL19-04, but because the vehicle was manufactured 6-months after vehicles bracketed in POL19-04 (based on the transmission serial number) it is not included in the support program therefore not covered. Toyota UA80 transmissions have continued to have this issue (example - T-SB-0008-21 for '21 UA80 transmission). While Toyota acknowledges replacement of transmission is necessary to maintain a safe drivetrain, no customer-facing error messages are evident. Also note - transmission fluid has been maintained only using Toyota's recommended Fluid (Toyota branded WS ATF) at Toyota's specified intervals.

As I was returning to my house and about to pull into our garage I was driving very slowly, riding the brake in fact. I was going less than 1 mph but as I first entered the garage my car engine suddenly roared very loudly and sped inside. I pressed as hard as I could on the brakes and the car skidded towards the left and slammed into the garage wall. I firmly believe that the only thing that kept my car from traveling farther was the garage door frame. Between my braking and then turning off the engine, I came to a stop. There were skid marks on the pavement at the garage entrance from the hard braking and both the driver's door and the passenger door on that side were severely damaged. The car was now angled to the left and not pointed straight into the garage as it should have been. At no time did I press on the accelerator.

The contact owns a 2018 Toyota Highlander. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the accelerator pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where it was diagnosed with transmission failure. The contact was informed that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but provided no assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 130,000.

On a trip to NC on June 27 2024, then on to Hilton Head SC on 6/29, multiple system warning lights suddenly appeared on the dash including ABS, Lane Departure Warning, BSM, notifying me that those safety features were not available on the vehicle. Sometimes the the lights would disappear, especially if the vehicle was stopped and the engine was turned off at a rest area. Because the check engine light was not lit, I continued to our NC destination. We continued our trip on 6/29 to Hilton Head, and the lights continued to appear, sometimes staying on for an hour or more. I called my Binghamton NY Toyota dealer who advised me to have the problem looked. I was able to have the car seen at Savannah Toyota (GA) where they diagnosed the problem as an issue with rust and debris on the left front speed sensor. I had the recommended service performed. The service report says that I requested replacing the ABS sensor, which is totally false, because I had no idea what the problem was, I just wanted it fixed. The part was ordered and replaced the next morning. All the lights were back on the next day when I drove back from Savannah to Hilton Head. I did not have time to go back to the dealer, but did notify the service manager of the situation. I drove the vehicle back to NY with the warning lights on (most of the time). I now have a service appt with my local dealer on 7/9/24 to determine the next step.