2018 Toyota Highlander Body & structure Problems

The contact’s daughter owns a 2018 Toyota Highlander. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, there was a clunking sound coming from the front driver’s side of the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, and the owner was informed that the struts needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The vehicle was later driven to a local tire and battery service center who inspected the vehicle and informed the owner that the front control arms were rusted and needed to be replaced, and that the front axle was cracked. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The daughter was informed that the vehicle was unsafe to drive. The manufacturer was not yet contacted. The failure mileage was 101,000.

NHTSA ID

11746490

Incident

Jun 24, 2026

Mileage

101,000 mi

On 11/22/2025, We were done shopping and when we tried to open the trunk it made weird squeaky sounds and we tried to close it but it suddenly self destructed. There was a loud noise and it shattered instantly and there was glass everywhere.

NHTSA ID

11707152

Incident

Nov 22, 2025

10/10 Tapped pedal into Drive: Toyota Highlander 2018 Car sped off at 50mph with my foot on brake for 3 minutes Holding brake down and down-shifting did nothing Vehicle stopped when it hit a pole destroying passenger-side fender and bumper Airbag did not deploy Unintended acceleration/sticky pedal as reported early this century when Toyota recalled 80,000 vehicles. On 11/17/2023 an ER or Black Box four hour test/investigation was performed and I was told I would have results 12/28. Zero! When I telephone to report I was supposed to have EDR test results in 30 days, the operator (not the unreachable quality control personnel) tells me, "Well review of your crash results could take longer than 30 days." need to have a safe car to drive to work but this one has a potentially deadly defect. I have completed the inspection of your vehicle. Inspection report from Bosch to Toyota below: Please find three files attached to this email: 1) EDR FAQ_2.0.PDF "Frequently Asked Questions" related to the information in the Event Data Recorder (the Air Bag Control unit's digital memory). 2) [XXX]_ACM.PDF The Event Data from your vehicle in PDF form, this file will open on your computer. 3) [XXX]_ACM.CDRx This file contains the same information as Item #2, but it is a special format that will not display on your computer. It is sent to you so you will have the raw data for the #2 file above. I am not trained to interpret this data for you. The engineers will interpret this data and respond to you with their findings within 30 business days. 3 Attachments • Scanned by Gmail INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ID

11562600

Incident

Oct 10, 2023

The contact owns a 2018 Toyota Highlander equipped with a tow package. The contact stated that after taking the vehicle in for service, he made the dealer aware that on the passenger’s side rear of the vehicle where the muffler tip came out from underneath the vehicle that the plastic piece above the muffler was melted from exhaust heat coming from the muffler while towing his trailer. The dealer documented the incident and forwarded the findings to the manufacturer. The contact did not receive a callback, so he contacted the dealer and was informed that the vehicle was out of warranty and therefore there was nothing to pursue. The contact was concerned that there would be severe damage done to the bumper and wiring harness from the exhaust heat. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The contact was still awaiting a response from the manufacturer. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 40,000. The VIN was not available.

NHTSA ID

11441052

Incident

Oct 2, 2020

Mileage

40,000 mi

2018 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER VEHICLE WAS SITTING IN PARKING LOT UNTOUCHED ( WARM SUNNY DAY) . VEHICLE WAS PARKED . OWNER USED THE REMOTE HATCH OPENING BUTTON ON THE KEY REMOTE. WHEN THE HATCH/ LIFT GATE STARTED OPENING A LOUD CRACKING / BUSTING SOUND WAS MADE. THE SPOILER WAS SEPARATING ON THE SIDES FROM THE HATCH AS WELL. UPON INSPECTION, THE INSIDE PLASTIC HATCH COMPONENT HOLDING THE GLASS WINDOW WAS CRACKED IN 2 PLACES AND THE METAL PIECE INSIDE HATCH WAS BENT. THERE WAS DAMAGE TO THE TOP OF THE VEHICLE WHERE THE HATCH / LIFT GATE IS SUPPOSE TO SEPARATE HOWEVER HATCH WAS RUBBING UP AGAINST THE TOP OF THE VEHICLE. THE SAFETY RISK , THE SPOILER LOCATED ON THE BACK OF VEHICLE ATTACHED TO THE HATCH , BECAME DETACHED FROM ITS MOUNTED POSITION. THIS CAUSED THE SPOILER TO SEPARATE AND OBSTRUCT THE HATCH LIFT GATE. SPOILER LOCATED ON BACK IS CAUSING THE LIFT GATE TO NOT OPEN AND WHEN OWNER OPENS THE HATCH THE DETACHED SPOILER WILL CAUSE DAMAGE TO HATCH /LIFT GATE.

NHTSA ID

11407315

Incident

Apr 4, 2021

Mileage

36,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER HAULING A 2019 WINNEBAGO TRAVEL TRAILER. THE CONTACT NOTICED A LARGE CRACK ON THE TRAILER HITCH. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO BRENT BROWN TOYOTA (1400 SANDHILL RD, OREM, UT 84058) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED HOWEVER, THE MECHANIC WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE WHAT CAUSED THE CRACK TO THE HITCH ON THE TOYOTA. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 27,000. THE TRAILER MILEAGE WAS 1,000.

NHTSA ID

11355380

Incident

Sep 8, 2020

Mileage

27,000 mi

I WAS INVOLVED IN A MOTOR VEHICLE ACCIDENT ON 1/28/20 WHERE I SUSTAINED A DIRECT, FRONT IMPACT COLLISION, AND THE AIRBAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. I WAS IN MOTION ON A CITY STREET, ACCELERATING FORWARD THROUGH A GREEN-LIT INTERSECTION WHEN A LARGE DODGE RAM TRUCK TURNED IN FRONT OF ME CAUSING OUR VEHICLES TO COLLIDE. THE IMPACT WAS SO HEAVY THAT IT CAUSED MY BODY TO PROJECT FORWARD AND UPWARDS. MY SON'S GLASSES FLEW OFF HIS FACE AND ALL CUPS IN CUP HOLDERS FLEW ACROSS THE CAR. MY SON COMPLAINED OF THE SEATBELT HURTING HIS SHOULDER, AND I SUSTAINED BRUISES ON MY LEGS AND ARMS. UPON THIS IMPACT, NO AIRBAGS WERE DEPLOYED. THIS CAR WAS DETERMINED BY THE ADJUSTER TO BE A TOTAL LOSS. THE INSURANCE INVESTIGATOR STATED HE WAS 'SHOCKED' THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY ON SUCH A 'GNARLY' COLLISION. THE INSURANCE ADJUSTER REPORTED THAT HE WAS 'FLABBERGASTED' THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY DUE TO THE SEVERITY OF THE IMPACT.

NHTSA ID

11302878

Incident

Jan 28, 2020

Mileage

22,000 mi

WHEN PULLING INTO A PARKING PLACE, SLOWLY, WITH RIGHT FOOT ON THE BRAKE, GETTING READY TO STOP BEFORE THE CURB, THE CAR ACCELERATED, JUMPED THE CURB GOING OVER THE SIDEWALK AND HIT THE BUILDING. MY RIGHT FOOT WAS STILL ON THE BRAKE WHEN IT STOPPED. THIS HAPPENED IN A DOCTORS OFFICE PARKING LOT. AIR BAGS DID NOT INFLATE.

NHTSA ID

11267384

Incident

Oct 1, 2019

Mileage

12,300 mi

JANUARY 22, 2019 WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 75 MPH ON THE INTERSTATE THE PANORAMIC SUNROOF GLASS EXPLODED IN MY CAR. SOUNDED LIKE A SHOTGUN WHEN OFF AND THE PRESSURE I FELT IN MY BACK, I THOUGHT I GOT SHOT. GLASS TOTALLY BLEW OUT OF THE CAR WITH ONLY A COUPLE INCHES LEFT AROUND THE SIDES. NO ROCKS OR ANYTHING HIT IT. FILED A POLICE REPORT.

NHTSA ID

11203750

Incident

Jan 22, 2019

Mileage

23,161 mi

WHEN HIT BREAKS HARD... I HEAR A BANG/NOISE FROM REAR OF MY HIGHLANGER. ( DEALERSHIP ADMIT THIS IS ABNORMAL SOUND BUT THEY CAN'T DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT). TRANSMISSION SHIFT ROUGHLY, NOT SMOOTH SHIFTING. IF CAR IS IN DRIVE AND IM HOLDING BREAKS CAR REAR STARTS MAKING BANGING NOISE N START SHAKING. SO FAR MY CAR HAS ONLY 20K MILES ON IT . SUSPENSION IS PRETTY STIFF DOESN'T HELP WHILE DRIVING OVER POST HOLES.

NHTSA ID

11202999

Incident

Feb 8, 2019

Mileage

15,000 mi

I PURCHASED BRAND NEW TOYOTA HIGHLANDER 2018 ON OCT. 20, 2018 BUT THE RATTLE (CLICKING) NOISE FROM PASSENGER DOOR SIDE (B-PILLAR). I CAN HEAR THE NOISE MOSTLY WHILE I AM DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY. I DO NOT HAVE ANY CRASH AND ACCIDENT.

NHTSA ID

11164450

Incident

Oct 22, 2018

Mileage

20 mi

I PURCHASED A NEW TOYOTA HIGHLANDER FROM MASSEY TOYOTA IN KINSTON, NC IN MAY OF 2018. ON AUGUST 11, 2018, THE REAR HATCH GLASS SPONTANEOUSLY EXPLODED AND FELL OUT OF THE CAR WHILE IT WAS SITTING UNTOUCHED IN THE DRIVEWAY OF THE OWNERS HOME. THE WEATHER WAS CLEAR AND WARM. TOYOTA INITIALLY REFUSED TO COVER THIS UNDER THE TOYOTA NEW CAR WARRANTY, HOWEVER FINALLY THEY AGREED TO COVER THE WINDOW. A FEW DAYS LATER MY WIFE STARTED NOTICING A SQUEAK AND RUBBING NOISE COMING FROM THE BACK HATCH WHEN THE CAR WAS WAS WARM FROM THE SUN. AFTER TAKING THE CAR BACK NUMEROUS TIMES TO THE DEALER. THE TOYOTA SERVICE DEPARTMENT DISCOVERED THAT THE BACK HATCH/BACK DOOR WAS RUBBING NEAR THE SPOILER AREA OF THE HING, AT SUCH A FORCE TO CAUSE PAINT TO COME OFF THE AREA. THE SERVICE MANAGER AGREED THAT THIS WAS A MANUFACTURER DEFECT AND THAT TOYOTA WAS REQUIRED TO COVER THIS NEW CAR DEFECT. HOWEVER, AFTER HAVING THE CAR FOR 2 WEEKS TOYOTA REFUSED TO COVER THE MANUFACTURE DEFECT. IN CONCLUSION, THE 2018 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER MODEL HAS A DEFECT THAT RESULTS IN THE BACK REAR DOOR & SPOILER TO RUB AND RESULTS IN THE BACK HATCH GLASS BREAKING AND EVEN FURTHER DAMAGE TO THE PAINT AND BODY OF THE VEHICLE. TOYOTA HAS SHOWN A THEY CAN NOT BE TRUSTED TO FULFILL THEIR OBLIGATION TO NEW CAR CUSTOMERS.

NHTSA ID

11129327

Incident

Aug 11, 2018

Mileage

1,215 mi