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10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
3 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
3 / 0
Average Mileage:
15,188 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.

So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.

2018 Toyota Highlander body / paint problems

body / paint problem

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2018 Toyota Highlander Owner Comments

problem #9

Oct 102023

Highlander

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

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)

- Huntington Beach,, CA, USA

problem #8

Apr 042021

Highlander

  • 36,000 miles
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.

- Jonesville, VA, USA

problem #7

Sep 082020

Highlander

  • 27,000 miles
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.

- Orem, UT, USA

problem #6

Jan 282020

Highlander

  • 22,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

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.

- Broken Arrow, OK, USA

problem #5

Oct 012019

Highlander

  • 12,300 miles
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.

- Surprise, AZ, USA

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problem #4

Jan 222019

Highlander

  • 23,161 miles
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.

- Bay St Louis, MS, USA

problem #3

Feb 082019

Highlander

  • 15,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

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.

- Floral Park, NY, USA

problem #2

Oct 222018

Highlander

  • 20 miles
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.

- Auburn, AL, USA

problem #1

Aug 112018

Highlander

  • 1,215 miles
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.

- Dover, NC, USA

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