2018 Toyota Highlander Engine Problems
NHTSA lists 40 engine complaints for the 2018 Toyota Highlander, 15% of its 265 total complaints for the year, with a median failure mileage of 14,800. There is no related recall for this engine issue.
- Engine complaints
- 40
- 15% of 265
- Crashes reported
- 1
- Fires reported
- 0
- Injuries reported
- 0
- Median mileage
- 14,800 mi
- Related recalls
- 0
Typical engine symptoms owners report
- Owners describe hesitation on acceleration where the engine RPM spikes toward 5,000 before the vehicle finally moves forward, sometimes while merging or passing.
- Some report engine stalling at low speeds such as 35 mph with the check engine light on, without the dealer diagnosing a cause.
- Owners report rough idling and RPM dropping to near 500 at stops shortly after the engine warms up, sometimes accompanied by attempted stalling.
- Several describe an oil leak from the valve cover to cam tower seal area on the 3.5L V6 engine, appearing after tens of thousands of miles of use.
- One owner reported the check engine light illuminating at highway speed along with AWD and stability system shutdown, traced to a water temperature sensor failure.
When 2018 Toyota Highlander engine complaints were filed
First complaint May 22, 2018, latest Jul 16, 2026.
Engine recalls for the 2018 Toyota Highlander
No safety recalls on record for this model year.
Engine complaints by Highlander model year
Raw complaint counts per model year; newer years have had less time to accumulate complaints.
Frequently asked questions
- How many engine complaints does NHTSA have for the 2018 Toyota Highlander?
- NHTSA lists 40 engine complaints for the 2018 Highlander, which is 15% of the 265 total complaints filed for that model year.
- Is there a recall for the 2018 Toyota Highlander engine?
- No related recall is listed in the data for this engine issue.
- At what mileage do engine problems typically show up?
- The median mileage at failure for engine complaints on the 2018 Highlander is 14,800 miles.
- Did the engine problems cause any crashes or fires?
- Data shows 1 crash and 0 fires associated with the 40 engine complaints for the 2018 Highlander.
- How does the 2018 Highlander compare to other years for engine complaints?
- The 2018 Highlander's engine complaints made up 15% of its total complaints, lower than years like 2013 (28%) and 2017 (22%), but higher than 2014 (6%) and 2022 (7%).