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2018 Toyota Highlander

Hybrid Gas Midsize / large SUV

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Specs & fuel economy Recalls Complaints Crash ratings

Safety Signal

73 / 100

CSafety Signal · 73 / 100

4Recalls · NHTSA campaigns

269Complaints · owner reports

5★Crash rating · NHTSA overall

29 mpgFuel economy · best combined

The 2018 Toyota Highlander is sold in the U.S. as a hybrid and gas midsize or large SUV with 8 EPA-rated configurations. The most efficient version, the Highlander Hybrid AWD LE Plus, is EPA-rated at 29 mpg combined. NHTSA lists 4 recall campaigns for this model year, which gives it a Safety Signal grade of C. Owners have filed 269 complaints, most often about power train. NHTSA crash-tested it at 5 stars overall.

Specs & fuel economy (EPA)

Configuration	Powertrain	Drive	Engine / motor	City	Hwy	Comb	Annual fuel*
Highlander Hybrid AWD LE Plus	Hybrid	AWD	3.5L 6-cyl + 288V Ni-MH	30	28	29	$2,150
Highlander Hybrid AWD	Hybrid	AWD	3.5L 6-cyl + 288V Ni-MH	29	27	28	$2,250
Highlander	Gas	FWD	3.5L 6-cyl	20	27	23	$2,700
Highlander AWD LE	Gas	AWD	3.5L 6-cyl	20	27	23	$2,700
Highlander LE/XLE/SE/LTD	Gas	FWD	3.5L 6-cyl	21	27	23	$2,700
Highlander	Gas	FWD	2.7L 4-cyl	20	24	22	$2,850
Highlander AWD	Gas	AWD	3.5L 6-cyl	19	26	22	$2,850
Highlander AWD	Gas	AWD	3.5L 6-cyl	20	26	22	$2,850

*EPA estimate at 15,000 miles/year and EPA reference fuel/electricity prices. Source: fueleconomy.gov vehicle records.

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Recalls (4)

Fuel System, Gasoline

high

1,525,742 vehicles

Problem: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2018-2019 4Runner, 2019-2020 Avalon, 2019 Corolla Hatchback, 2017-2019 Highlander, 2018-2020 Camry, 2020 Corolla, 2018-2019 Land Cruiser, 2017-2020 Tacoma, 2019-2020 RAV4, 2019-2020 Sequoia, 2017-2020 Sienna, 2019-2020 Tundra, 2018-2020 Lexus ES350, 2017 Lexus GS200t, 2017-2019 Lexus GS350, 2019 Lexus GS300, 2018-2020 Lexus LC500h, 2019-2020 Lexus LS500, 2018-2019 Lexus GX460, 2017 Lexus IS200t, 2019 Lexus IS300, 2019 Lexus IS350, 2018-2020 Lexus LC500, 2018 Lexus LS500, 2019 Lexus LS500h, 2018-2019 Lexus LX570, 2017 Lexus RC200t, 2019 Lexus RC300, RC350, 2017 and 2019-2020 Lexus RX350, 2018-2020 RX350L, 2019 Lexus UX200,

Risk: If the fuel pump fails, the engine can stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.

Fix: 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 starting January 21, 2021. Owners of other models will be notified as remedy parts become available. Remedy parts should be available for all affected vehicles by late March 2021. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-888-270-9371 or Lexus customer service at 1-800-255-3987. Note: This recall is an

NHTSA campaign 20V682000 · reported Nov 4, 2020 · Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing

Fuel System, Gasoline

high

1,830,752 vehicles

Problem: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) recalled certain 2018-2019 4Runner, Highlander, Camry, Land Cruiser, Sequoia, Sienna, Tacoma and Tundra, and Lexus RC 300, RC 350, GS 350, GX 460, IS 300, LC 500, LS 500, LX 570, RX 350L, and 2019 Toyota Avalon and Corolla, and certain Lexus NX 300, and ES 350 vehicles on January 13, 2020. On March 4, 2020, Toyota expanded the recall to include certain 2014-2015 Toyota 4Runner and Land Cruiser, 2018 Avalon, Corolla, 2014 FJ Cruiser, 2017 Sienna and Lexus 2018 ES 350, 2018-2019 GS 300, 2013-2014 GS350, 2014-2015 GX 460, IS 350 and LX 570, 2014 IS F, 2018-2019 IS 350, LC 500H and LS 500H, 2013-2015 LS 460, 2015 NX 200T and RC350, 2017 RC 200T

Risk: If the fuel pump fails, the engine can stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.

Fix: 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 customer service at 1-800-255-3987. Toyota's numbers for this recall are 20TB02 and 20TA02 for Toyota vehicles and 20LB01 and 20LA01 for Lexus vehicles.

NHTSA campaign 20V012000 · reported Jan 13, 2020 · Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing

Service Brakes, Hydraulic

high

6,046 vehicles

Problem: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2018 Toyota Camry and Highlander vehicles, 2017 Toyota Sienna and Tacoma vehicles and 2017 Lexus RX350 vehicles. During the manufacturing process, the oil galley in the rotor for the brake booster vacuum pump assembly may have been improperly machined possibly resulting in a sudden loss of brake assist.

Risk: A sudden loss of braking assist can increase the risk of a crash.

Fix: 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 1-888-270-9371, or Lexus customer service at 1-800-255-3987. Toyota's numbers for this recall are J0K/JLD.

NHTSA campaign 18V211000 · reported Apr 3, 2018 · Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing

Equipment

minor

649 vehicles

Problem: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2017-2018 Toyota 4Runner and Tundra, 2018 Toyota Highlander, RAV4 and Lexus GX460 and 2017 Toyota Sienna and Tacoma vehicles. These vehicles may have incorrect load carrying capacity modification labels. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 110, "Tire Selection and Rims."

Risk: An incorrect load information label can result in the operator overloading the vehicle and increasing the risk of a crash.

Fix: 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 for this recall are H0Z for Toyota vehicles, and HLF for Lexus vehicles.

NHTSA campaign 17V831000 · reported Dec 20, 2017 · Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing

NHTSA investigations

Electrical System:Propulsion System — Pedestrian alert sounds (closed)

NHTSA received a petition on or about July 18, 2022, requesting that Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 141 be applied to all electric and hybrid vehicles operating in the United States. The petition can be reviewed at NHTSA.gov under ODI Number 11486072. FMVSS 141 establishes performance requirements for pedestrian alert sounds for motor vehicles. The standard applies to hybrid and electric vehicles that have a gross vehicle weight rating of 4,536 KG or less or are defined as low-speed vehicles. The standard became fully applicable to all such vehicles manufactured on or after March 1, 2021.On January 27, 2023, NHTSA opened Defect Petition (DP) 22-005 to evaluate the subject matt

Opened Jan 27, 2023 · closed Aug 7, 2023 · action DP22005

Owner complaints

269 complaints filed

24 involved a crash, 2 a fire, 25 injuries, 0 deaths reported by owners.

Filed by year — 2018: 25 · 2019: 31 · 2020: 46 · 2021: 26 · 2022: 24 · 2023: 25 · 2024: 28 · 2025: 24 · 2026: 40

Most-cited components

Power Train — 64
Service Brakes — 53
Unknown Or Other — 45
Engine — 34
Electrical System — 24

“The contact owns a 2018 Toyota Highlander Hybrid. The contact stated while coming to a complete stop and depressing the brake pedal, he heard abnormal squeaking and rubbing sounds. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the failure persisted while at a complete stop. The contact stated that upo…”Nov 10, 2022 · Service Brakes, Hydraulic · NHTSA owner report

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER HYBRID. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY AND WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE CHROME TRIM ON THE DASHBOARD SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCED THE DRIVER'S VISIBILITY ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VIEW OF THE FRONT SIDE MIRRORS WERE OBSTRUCTED BY A SHINY GLARE THAT C…”Nov 15, 2018 · Structure · NHTSA owner report

“THE BRAKES FAILED WHEN BACKING UP AT ABOUT 4 MPH. CAR DIDN'T STOP UNTIL IT HIT A TREE. BRAKING ASSIST DIDN'T WORK. TWO FEET ON BRAKES COULD NOT STOP THE CAR.”Sep 30, 2018 · Unknown Or Other · NHTSA owner report

Complaint counts are raw owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects, and scale with how many were sold. Use them to spot patterns, not to rank.

Crash ratings

Configuration	Overall	Frontal	Side	Rollover	Rollover risk
SUV AWD	★★★★★	★★★★☆	★★★★★	★★★★☆	17%
SUV AWD	★★★★★	★★★★☆	★★★★★	★★★★☆	17%
SUV FWD	★★★★★	★★★★☆	★★★★★	★★★★☆	18%

NHTSA New Car Assessment Program. Standard driver-assist: forward collision warning, lane departure warning, automatic emergency braking.

Other Highlander model years

2026 Highlander

0 recalls · 2 complaints

2025 Highlander

3 recalls · 9 complaints

2024 Highlander

7 recalls · 42 complaints

2023 Highlander

9 recalls · 186 complaints

2022 Highlander

6 recalls · 244 complaints

2021 Highlander

5 recalls · 520 complaints

2020 Highlander

5 recalls · 320 complaints

2019 Highlander

3 recalls · 483 complaints

2017 Highlander

3 recalls · 267 complaints

2016 Highlander

2 recalls · 115 complaints

Sources & method

Safety Signal starts every model-year at 100 and subtracts points per open NHTSA recall campaign by severity: critical 15 (fire risk, park-outside or do-not-drive advisories), high 8 (brakes, steering, airbags, loss of drive power, structure, battery), moderate 6, minor 3 (software, labels, lighting fixed by an update). Floor 35. A ≥ 90, B ≥ 80, C ≥ 70, D ≥ 60, otherwise F. Complaint counts and NHTSA crash ratings are shown separately and are not blended into the grade.

EPA figures come from fueleconomy.gov vehicle records (ids 39879, 39878, 39730, 39741, 39729, 39626, 39739, 39740). Recalls, complaints, investigations and crash ratings come from NHTSA's public flat files, refreshed weekly.

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