2018 Toyota Highlander Driver assistance Problems

While driving my 2018 Toyota Highlander Limited, the check engine light began flashing off and on. I was near an exit and drove off the freeway. I could feel the car (near the gas pedal) start shaking, then the power went down quickly... as I was trying to find a safe place to go. The farther I drove, there was less power until the car was going about 2 miles an hour. The check light continued flashing as I pulled into a parking lot. This was very scary as I'm sure the car would have just stopped on the freeway if I had not been near an exit as it just simply had no power left. (The check engine light has been on over a year and I took it to three different mechanics. Not one could fix it. This car wiped out my savings and now sits at a Toyota dealership)!

NHTSA ID

11750828

Incident

Jul 15, 2026

2018 Toyota Highlander Platinum started with a whine noise, vibration, and went into limp mode. The transmission has been noted to needing to be replaced. I am currently at 75,453 miles and started to hear the whine at around 65,000 miles. This car is not safe to drive.

NHTSA ID

11718672

Incident

Mar 3, 2025

The contact owns a 2018 Toyota Highlander. The contact stated that while attempting to turn left or right, the steering wheel became difficult to turn. The check engine warning light illuminated, and the vehicle lost power. The contact waited for several minutes before being able to restart the vehicle. The check engine warning light remained illuminated. The failure had occurred several times and had become more persistent. The vehicle was taken to a certified mechanic, who diagnosed that the body throttle, air control system, and battery sensor had failed. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failures persisted. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 200,000.

NHTSA ID

11712896

Incident

Aug 23, 2025

Mileage

200,000 mi

1. What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? The issue involves the Dynamic Radar Cruise Control system (vehicle-to-vehicle distance control mode) in my 2018 Toyota Highlander. This system automatically cancels when the vehicle’s speed drops to approximately 25 mph (40 km/h) or below. The system disengages without driver input during normal driving conditions such as heavy traffic or congestion. The component remains functional but poses a safety concern due to its operational design. The vehicle and system are available for inspection upon request. 2. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? This malfunction creates a significant safety risk when driving in stop-and-go or congested traffic. The sudden loss of adaptive speed control forces the driver to quickly resume manual braking and acceleration, which can cause delayed reactions and potential rear-end collisions. The unexpected disengagement may also confuse drivers, especially those relying on the system to maintain safe following distances. This behavior increases cognitive load and the chance of driver error, particularly for elderly or less experienced drivers. 3. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? Yes. The issue has been observed and replicated multiple times during normal driving conditions, such as during city traffic or highway slowdowns. It is also acknowledged in the vehicle owner’s manual, which specifies that the system automatically cancels below approximately 25 mph. However, this design flaw has not been formally addressed or corrected by Toyota dealerships or service centers as a safety concern. 4. Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? The vehicle has not been inspected specifically for this concern by Toyota or other third parties. However, the condition is consistent across the same model and year,

NHTSA ID

11696192

Incident

Oct 15, 2025

At 11:15 AM, June 13, 2025 when I turn right at intersection, my steering wheel suddenly became hard (could not turn). My car nearly hit median in my left hand when the steering wheel back to normal. So I could steer my car avoid accident. This is first time I encountered problem like this. Everything is normal right now. No warning or everything popped up on display.

NHTSA ID

11666872

Incident

Jun 13, 2025

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.

NHTSA ID

11600127

Incident

Jun 27, 2024

The contact owns a 2018 Toyota Highlander. The contact stated while driving at approximately 45 MPH, and later at various speeds, the Forward Collision Avoidance failed to operate properly. The contact was unable to turn off the system. The contact stated that under certain driving conditions, while driving and following a curve in the roadway, the system would activate and start braking the vehicle, even though there was no danger of a frontal collision. The contact stated that the failure was persistent. The contact had not taken the vehicle to a dealer or an independent mechanic. The vehicle had not been repaired. The contact wanted the ability to turn the feature of the Pre-collision System off. The manufacturer was informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 79,000.

NHTSA ID

11575372

Incident

Feb 23, 2024

Mileage

79,000 mi

My relatives remembered the 2002-2011 recall of 80,000 Toyotas, 90 deaths due to unintended acceleration and said that seems exactly what happened to me last month. NEAR FATAL COLLISION DUE TO STICKY PEDAL 2018 Toyota Highlander 10/10 Slowly backed out of parking space in large, empty commercial lot: sunny day, 3pm  Tapped pedal into Drive  Car sped off at 50+mph with my foot off pedal  Sped around lot for approximately 3minutes  Holding brake down and down-shifting did nothing except cause sheer terror with my uncontrollable vehicle  Hit pole and vehicle came to a stop after near-complete destruction of passenger-side bumper  No injury except sheer mental terror  No witnesses DO NOT Blame the victim. Dealer says all-weather floormat could never have been or be involved.

NHTSA ID

11556609

Incident

Oct 10, 2023

About6 months ago I started getting the messege "Breaking power low" when i try to start my vehicle. So I took it to Star Toyota Service paid $175 to diagnose the problem. The found DTC 1241 and told me to change the qhole skid control unit. Eventhough on the paper it said skid control ecu battery. So I took it to another dealer named Penn Toyota and they found the same code but they said the voltage is coming low because I may leave my ignition on before I start my vehicle. That sounds funny because I do not do this and on top if i do this my battery would be dead. As of right now I spoke with toyota and since my extended warrenty has finished so they offered my 25% coupon if i fixe the problem. Now I do not know what is the problem and which dealer to trust. The reason I am reporting to "nhtsa" is because if I die because of this problem with my car which is still undiagnosed so at least they can find out the same reason so there will be no more death after me. Again the messege comes on the crean is " Breaking power low. Stop in a safe place "

NHTSA ID

11487558

Incident

Apr 15, 2022

Mileage

76,000 mi

A car hit me on the back passenger door. My car was pushed to the curb where I hit a tree and the air bags didn't go off. My dad was injured bad.

NHTSA ID

11486625

Incident

Sep 17, 2022

I am having an issue with my brake assist in my 2018 Toyota Highlander. This car was purchased new and has had regular service/ maintenance with the dealership since purchased. 1st incident was minor in nature. My brake was gently applied and the ABS feature turned on and brake system engaged without any need. 2nd incident brake was applied and at the halfway point the brake stopped working. It felt like it locked. I could not stop my car as I was approaching another car. Car stopped at the last possible moment before impact. The situation was extremely dangerous for myself, my kids and the other driver. Later on during my drive I gently applied my brake and the brake would not release to it original position until a few seconds later. This time the brake light came on. Once the car came to a stop, I shifted my gear to park and the brake light disappeared. The car was then sent to a service station for analysis. Service Station advised that there was a hissing sound coming from the front of my engine when the brake was applied. They recommended that I send vehicle back to dealership as they concluded that the car has a brake assist issue. The car was towed to the Toyota dealership where they mentioned that there was a recall for this exact issue however, my specific VIN is not included. I travel everyday with my kids and this is a real safety issue that needs to be addressed. No car should be on the road with faulty breaking systems. This can cause unnecessary loss of life. These vehicles should be included in this recall, especially mine. I filed a case with Toyota and am waiting to hear back from them. Please help make the roadways safe. Consumer stated diagnosis was completed and relayed that there was a brake booster failure. The brake master cylinder and brake booster system will need to be replaced.

NHTSA ID

11472855

Incident

Jul 6, 2022

Approaching a stop light brakes didn’t work. The automatic system activated and the car stopped right before I rear-ended the car in front of me. I took it to a Toyota dealership and they diagnosed a faulty brake booster pump with a price of $2500 to replace. I see this isn’t a unique problem for the 2018 Highlander but after talking with Toyota they denied any coverage since my vehicle has 48,000 miles and is out of warranty.

NHTSA ID

11464075

Incident

May 5, 2022

Where the incident happened? The incident happened at the following google coordinates (39.21707240377137, -77.6491829535095) on an unpaved, but well-maintained road. When this incident took place? 09/11/2021 – around 10.30am Who is travelling with you? I was travelling with my wife (Vijaya) and Pet Dog (Leo). Both my wife and I have the seat belts on. How are the driving conditions? A bright and sunny morning with clear visibility, minimal wind and no rain. The road is totally dry. In a way perfect driving condition. How the incident happened? A white truck came in the opposite direction and since the road is narrow I pulled my highlander to the right, where there is some loose gravel on the side of the road. When I pulled to the side I am almost at a standstill and after the truck had passed started moving the car towards the middle of the road. At this moment the Highlander suddenly started swiveling to the left, and the traction became very wobbly and when tried to apply brakes, brake did not work at all. In stead the car started going out of control on the left side and is about to crash into 2 large trees on the side of the car. At that time without having any control over the brakes, I tried to steer towards right and the car turned sharp towards right, crossed road and fell into a 15 feet ditch on the right side of the car. What is the Car behavior witnessed? Total loss of Breaks, self-acceleration, and unpredictable steering control. The whole incident might’ve happened in about 10-15 seconds. Neither the auto-braking nor the collision control has triggered. Not sure what triggered this behavior of the car. It appeared as if the car tried to auto-correct the traction and something malfunctioned.

NHTSA ID

11433443

Incident

Sep 11, 2021

1) BIGGEST ISSUE: I BOUGHT MY SUV NEW. IT WAS ADVERTISED 30/28 MPG. MY AVERAGE MPG SINCE I BOUGHT IT IS 22-23. 2) IT SLIDES WITH BARELY ANY ICE OR RAIN. IT IS AWFUL. IT SLIDE BACKWARD DOWN A SMALL HILL LAST YEAR & CAUSED ME TO CRASH. POLICE RESPONDED BUT WERE TOO BUSY WITH OTHER INCIDENTS TO WRITE A REPORT. I HAD THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS IN DAMAGES & RENTAL CAR FEES FOR THE 5-6 WEEKS IT TOOK TO HAVE IT REPAIRED. I LIVE IN THE PNW AND HAVE DRIVEN IN SNOW 35 YEARS. I'VE NEVER HAD SUCH BAD PERFORMANCE. I HAD TO BY MICHELIN ICE TIRES THIS YEAR BC OUR SUV IS SO BAD IN SNOW & ICE. 3) I WAS IN A MINOR COLLISION IN A PARKING LOT BC I DIDN'T SEE ANOTHER CAR BACKING OUT AT THE SAME TIME AND THE COLLISION SENSOR DIDN'T GO OFF. MY SENSORS WERE CLEAN 4) WHEN THE SENSORS HAVE EVEN THE SMALLEST LAYER OF SNOW THEY STOP WORKING. THAT MAKES THE CRUISE CONTROL SYSTEM STOP WORKING TOO. VERY FRUSTRATING. THE RESULT OF THESE ISSUES IS AN INCREASE BY $800/MO OF MY AUTO INSURANCE. BEFORE THIS SUV I HADN'T EVEN HAD A SPEEDING TICKET IN 14 YEARS. DATE OF ACCIDENT LISTED IS APPROXIMATION. NOW I HAVE 2 COLLISIONS. WISH I HAD PURCHASED SOMETHING ELSE.

NHTSA ID

11405147

Incident

Jan 10, 2020

Mileage

30,000 mi

VEHICLE WAS IN PARK AND ROLLED. IT PICKED UP SPEED AS IT CONTINUED TO ROLL AND THERE WEREN'T ANY OCCUPANT. THIS TOOK PLACE IN A DRIVEWAY. THE VEHICLE ROLLS WHILE THE EMERGENCY BRAKE IS ON ALLL THE TIME AS WELL.

NHTSA ID

11303022

Incident

Jan 25, 2020

Mileage

25,000 mi

PROBLEMS WITH MY 2018 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER ([XXX]) 1 ) LANE DEPART INDICATOR:SOMETIMES DOESN'T WORK UNTIL I'VE DRIVEN 1 OR 2 OR 4 MILES. SOMETIMES IN EVERY TRIP STOPS WORKING AS WELL AS ACTIVATES WHEN MAYBE A FOOT FROM LANE MARKERS ON BOTH SIDES OF THE CAR 2) CLIMATE CONTROL: USUALLY DOES NOT RETAIN MEMORY OF FAN SPEED, CONTROL OF PASSENGER SIDE TEMP, AND AIR FLOW DIRECTION WHEN RESTARTING THE CAR. WHEN TEMP SET ON, E.G. 69 TEMP IN CAR IS ~76-80. WHEN AIRFLOW SHOWS THE FLOW AIMED AT WINDSHIELD & FEET, MOST OF THE AIR FLOW COMES TO MY TORSO WITH MINIMAL FLOW TO OTHER 2 SITES. 3) NEED COFFEE BREAK MESSAGE: HAS COME ON TWICE WHEN ON A LONG TRIP, DISAPPEARING AFTER ~ A MINUTE, BUT SEVERAL TIMES CAME ON AFTER DRIVING ONLY 2-4 MILES. 4) FAULTY RESUMPTION OF SPEED: WHEN THE SPEED CONTROL WAS SET AT 50 MPH (ONCE) OR 60 MPH (ONCE) AND I TOGGLED THE CONTROL TO RESUME SET SPEED THE CAR SPED UP WELL BEYOND WHAT IT WAS SET AT. I HAD TO DISENGAGE THE SPEED CONTROLLER TO STOP THE ACCELERATION. HAPPENED AGAIN ~3 WEEKS AGO WHEN SPEED SET AT 35, AND WHEN I TOGGLED IT RESUME SPEED IT ROARED AHEAD UNTIL IT REACHED 45 MPH. 5) DOOR HANDLE LOCKING MECHANISM; NOT AS SENSITIVE TO LOCKING WHEN TOUCHED AS IT WAS WHEN CAR WAS NEW. UNLOCKING WHEN TOUCHING HANDLE WORKS FINE. 6) MOTOR TURNOFF WHEN AT STOPLIGHT: SELDOM WORKS. WHEN IT DOES IT TURNS ITSELF OFF AFTER AS LITTLE AS 30 SECONDS EVEN THO PRESSURE ON BRAKE PEDAL IS CONSTANT. 8) (NON-ELECTRONIC PROBLEM) THE TRANSPARENT PLASTIC COVER OVER THE DASH CONTROL SETTINGS IS DETERIORATING - - CAN?T SEE THRU IT VERY WELL IN CERTAIN WAYS THE LIGHT HITS IT 9) SPEEDOMETER READING PROBLEM: WHEN CRUISE CONTROL IS WORKING, THE DIGITAL READOUT FOR THE SPEED IS USUALLY 1-2 MPH LOWER THAN WHAT THE SPEEDOMETER DIAL SAYS IT IS. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

NHTSA ID

11299133

Incident

Jan 13, 2020

Mileage

14,800 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS AND DEPRESSING THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL, THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT IMMEDIATELY RESPOND. APPROXIMATELY TWO SECONDS AFTER DEPRESSING THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL, THE ENGINE REVVED AND THE VEHICLE ABRUPTLY ACCELERATED FORWARD. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO CONICELLI TOYOTA (550 W. RIDGE PIKE, CONSHOHOCKEN, PA) ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, BUT NO FAILURE WAS FOUND. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE CONTINUED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 3,450. *AS THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER 6 TIMES FOR THE SAME DEFECT. *TR

NHTSA ID

11230971

Incident

Mar 13, 2018

Mileage

3,450 mi

APON ACCESLARATION , CAR HESITATE FOR A FEW SECOND, RPM GOES TO 5000 UNTIL VEHICLE SLOWLY START TO MOVE. FEELS LIKEW THER IS NO PROPER SYNCH BETWEEN ENGING AND TRANSMISSION. DANGEROUS WHEN PASSING OR AVOIDING A VEHICLE AHEAD OF YOU. THE SAME ISSUE WHILE USING THE CRUSE CONTROL, IT JUMPS FROM A FEW RPMS TO 5K + THAT ALWAYS I HAVE TO BRAKE TO AVID RAMMING A CAR AHEAD OF ME. BRAKES GET SOF THAT I HAVE TO PUMP IT A FEW TIMES. MILEAGE IS 1780 MILES.

NHTSA ID

11210159

Incident

Mar 18, 2019

Mileage

14,800 mi

WHEN VEHICLE IS IN MOTION BLIND SPOT MONITORING SYSTEM INTERMITTENTLY DETECTS VEHICLES AND HAS CAUSED ME TO CUTOFF VEHICLES THAT ARE ON THE PASSENGER SIDE DUE TO NO DETECTION. DEALER IS UNABLE TO DO ANYTHING SINCE THERE IS NO SYSTEM FAILURE BUT IT IS A SAFETY ISSUE AND WILL CAUSE DRIVERS TO CUTOFF OR TURN INTO VEHICLES THAT ARE IN THERE BLIND SPOTS. THIS HAPPENS ON CITY AND HIGHWAY DRIVING AND CAN FAIL AT ANYTIME WITHOUT NOTICE.

NHTSA ID

11171376

Incident

Oct 1, 2018

Mileage

2,044 mi

RECENTLY INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT WHEN GOING IN REVERSE. THE SRS ALARM MALFUNCTIONED AND THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE REVERSE BRAKING SYSTEM DID NOT INDICATED THAT I WAS CLOSE TO THE OBJECT.

NHTSA ID

11110346

Incident

Jul 7, 2018

Mileage

2,200 mi

TOYOTA SINNE

NHTSA ID

11103870

Incident

Jan 18, 2018

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER. WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, ANOTHER VEHICLE PULLED IN FRONT OF THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE IN INCLEMENT WEATHER AND SPLASHED WATER ONTO THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE. AS A RESULT, THE CRUISE CONTROL MALFUNCTIONED AND THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE EXPERIENCED UNINTENDED ACCELERATION. THE FAILURE OCCURRED WITHOUT WARNING. THE DEALER (PERUZZI TOYOTA, 2601 BETHLEHEM PIKE, HARTFIELD, PA) WAS CALLED AND A DIAGNOSTIC APPOINTMENT WAS SCHEDULED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 12,000.

NHTSA ID

11097295

Incident

May 22, 2018

Mileage

12,000 mi