TOYOTA HIGHLANDER HYBRID · model year

2018 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER HYBRID

7 NHTSA complaints, 1 crash report for this specific cohort.

NHTSA overall rating

5 / 5 ★

New Car Assessment Program

The 2018TOYOTAHIGHLANDER HYBRID carries 7 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 1 crash, 1 fire, 0 injuries, and 0 fatalities. For crash performance, NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program gave this cohort an overall 5/5 rating, with 4/5 front crash, 5/5 side crash, and 4/5 rollover scores derived from standardized barrier and dynamic tests.

Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 2018 HIGHLANDER HYBRID is unknown or other with 2 filings, followed by fuel/propulsion system (1) and wheels (1). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability.

NHTSA currently has 3 investigation files overlapping the 2018 HIGHLANDER HYBRID. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.

7
Complaints
1
Crashes
1
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths
2018 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER HYBRID — NHTSA crash-test profile NHTSA NCAP crash-test star ratings for the 2018 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER HYBRID. Overall composite: 5.0 of 5 stars across 3 safety dimensions. Front CrashSide CrashRollover 5.0 NHTSA NCAP of 5 stars
  • Front Crash 4.0 ★
  • Side Crash 5.0 ★
  • Rollover 4.0 ★
NHTSA overall 5.0/5 stars, with front-crash, side-crash and rollover ratings from standardized NCAP barrier and dynamic tests.

Total Complaints

7 filings

Crashes Reported

1 reports

Source

NHTSA ODI

Federal complaints database

Complaints vs. fleet median (215)

At or below the fleet median complaint volume.

NHTSA NCAP overall: 5/5 — Top NCAP rating · Front: 4/5 · Side: 5/5 · Rollover: 4/5

Complaints by Component

ComponentCount
UNKNOWN OR OTHER2
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM1
WHEELS1
ENGINE1
STRUCTURE:BODY1
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC1

Recent Complaints

20221110SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

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 upon inspecting under the hood of the vehicle while someone depressed the brake pedal, he noticed that the ABS pump was emitting abnormal humming sounds. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the ABS pump was defective with an abnormal humming sound. The ABS also remained running 6 seconds after the brake pedal was released. The local dealer was notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 36,000.

Mileage: 36,000

20181115STRUCTURE:BODY

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 CREATED A BLINDING EFFECT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE LACK OF VISIBILITY BECAME MORE PROMINENT AND PERSISTENT IN THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE MIRROR WHEN THE SUN WAS PRESENT. STEVINSON TOYOTA WEST (780 DENVER WEST COLORADO MILLS BLVD, LAKEWOOD, COLORADO 80401, (720) 259-2544) WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND REFERRED THE CONTACT TO AN INDEPENDENT BODY REPAIR SHOP. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 36.

Mileage: 36

20180930CrashUNKNOWN OR OTHER

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.

Mileage: 850

20180709FireENGINE

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER HYBRID. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN A PARKING LOT, THE CONTACT WAS NOTIFIED BY THE FAIRFAX FIRE MARSHALL THAT THE VEHICLE SPONTANEOUSLY CAUGHT FIRE. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE FIRE STARTED ON THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THERE WERE NO INJURIES AND A FIRE REPORT WAS FILED. THE CONTACT CALLED A LOCAL DEALER (PRIORITY TOYOTA SPRINGFIELD, 7601 LOISDALE RD, SPRINGFIELD, VA 22150 (703) 269-1400) AND WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE, BUT INFORMED THE CONTACT TO CALL THE INSURANCE COMPANY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 6,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

Mileage: 6,000

20180702FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

VEHICLE IS DUE FOR AN INSPECTION AFTER 5000 MILES. A CERTIFIED INSPECTION IS TO BE PERFORMED BY NEW OWNER (XXXX) AT AN APPROVED CA INSPECTION SITE. PARTS OF THIS DOCUMENT HAVE BEEN REDACTED TO PROTECT PERSONALLY IDENTIFIABLE INFORMATION PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

Mileage: 10

20180702WHEELS

VEHICLE IS DUE FOR AN INSPECTION AFTER 5000 MILES. A CERTIFIED INSPECTION IS TO BE PERFORMED BY NEW OWNER (XXXX) AT AN APPROVED CA INSPECTION SITE. PARTS OF THIS DOCUMENT HAVE BEEN REDACTED TO PROTECT PERSONALLY IDENTIFIABLE INFORMATION PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

Mileage: 10

20180702UNKNOWN OR OTHER

VEHICLE IS DUE FOR AN INSPECTION AFTER 5000 MILES. A CERTIFIED INSPECTION IS TO BE PERFORMED BY NEW OWNER (XXXX) AT AN APPROVED CA INSPECTION SITE. PARTS OF THIS DOCUMENT HAVE BEEN REDACTED TO PROTECT PERSONALLY IDENTIFIABLE INFORMATION PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

Mileage: 10

Compare 2018TOYOTAHIGHLANDER HYBRID to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 2018 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER HYBRID have?
The 2018 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER HYBRID has 7 NHTSA complaints, 1 crashes, 1 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What is the safety rating for the 2018 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER HYBRID?
The 2018 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER HYBRID received an overall NHTSA safety rating of 5/5, front crash rating of 4/5, side crash rating of 5/5, and rollover rating of 4/5.
What are the most common problems with the 2018 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER HYBRID?
The most-complained component for the 2018 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER HYBRID is UNKNOWN OR OTHER with 2 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM and WHEELS.
Is the 2018 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER HYBRID safe to buy?
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. The 2018 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER HYBRID has an NHTSA safety rating of 5/5. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.

Vehicle Safety Guides

Data as of 2025. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.