2018 Toyota Highlander Brakes
Owner-reported problems and safety issues filed with NHTSA. Review common failures, severity levels, and complaint trends over time.
Complaint Timeline
Chronological view of owner reports
WHILE DRIVING, THE VEHICLE WAS HAVING ISSUES BRAKING AS IT WOULD NOT WANT TO COME TO A STOP. THE ENGINE LIGHT WOULD TURN ON INDICATING ISSUE BUT WOULD DISAPPEAR FROM DASHBOARD. THERE WAS AT TIMES THAT ACCIDENT WOULD ALMOST OCCUR DUE TO NOT BEING ABLE TO PROPERLY STOP. DURING THE TIME OF DRIVING THIS OCCURRED ON A HIGHWAY WHILE IN MOTION. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALERSHIP AND COMPUTER WOULD NOT REGISTER THE ISSUE AS THE ENGINE LIGHT WAS NO LONGER ACTIVATING. EMPLOYEES TOOK VEHICLE FOR TEST DRIVER AND DETERMINED SOMETHING WAS WRONG AS HE COULD ALSO SENSE AN ISSUE WITH BRAKING. VEHICLE WAS LEFT AT THE DEALERSHIP FOR REPAIRS. *TR
OUR TOYOTA HIGHLANDER STARTED SHOWING SYMPTOMS OF "SOFT BRAKE PEDAL" IN 4.2019 - NOTHING WAS FOUND ON DIAGNOSTIC AT DEALERSHIP. SYMPTOMS OF "SOFT BRAKE PEDAL CONTINUED TO HAPPEN. VEHICLE WENT INTO DEALERSHIP AGAIN IN 7.2019 AND WAS DIAGNOSED W/MASTER CYLINDER BRAKE FITTING LOOSE - FITTING TIGHTENED AND BRAKE SYSTEM FLUSHED. SYMPTOMS RETURNED WITHIN 2 DAYS AND WAS BROUGHT BACK TO DEALERSHIP - CASE OPENED WITH TOYOTA ENGINEERING AND MASTER CYLINDER REPLACED. PICKED UP VEHICLE FOLLOWING DAY BUT SYMPTOMS OF "SOFT BRAKE PEDAL" RETURNED 2 DAYS LATER. REPLICATION OF "SOFT BRAKE PEDAL" UNABLE.TO BE REPLICATED/DIAGNOSED AT DEALERSHIP. VEHICLE STILL "UNSAFE AND HAZARDOUS" TO DRIVE. AWAITING FOLLOW UP WITH TOYOTA.
WHILE DRIVING THE BRAKE ASSIST VACUUM PUMP FAILS TO PROVIDE ADEQUATE VACUUM FOR THE POWER BRAKE VACUUM ASSIST. RESULTING IS A LOSS OF BRAKING POWER. A BRAKE LIGHT ILLUMINATES INTERMITANTLY ON THE DASH PANEL AND POSSIBLY AN AUDIO WARNING AND ERROR MESSAGE. PLUS NO ERROR CODES ARE STORED IN MEMORY FOR FUTURE DIAGNOSIS. THIS HAPPENS WHETHER ON A RURAL ROAD, CITY STREET OR HIGHWAY. A PREVIOUS RECALL WAS ISSUED FOR THE 2018 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER FOR THIS SAME ISSUE BUT NOT FOR THIS SPECIFIC HIGHLANDER.
AT TIMES, THE BRAKES SEEM TO RANDOMLY LOCK UP. ALMOST LIKE THE PRESSURE IN THE BRAKE LINE IS AT FULL.
THE PRE-COLLISION SYSTEM FAILED TO ASSIST IN AVOIDING AN ACCIDENT WHEN THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME STOPPED SUDDENLY IN TRAFFIC ON A HIGHWAY. SINCE THE REPAIR, THE BRAKE WARNING INDICATOR LIGHT ON THE SPEEDOMETER SIDE OF THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER INTERMITTENTLY ILLUMINATES AND THE BRAKE PEDAL PULSES AS IF THE ABS SYSTEM IS ENGAGING. ONCE IT STOPPED ME SUDDENLY WHILE DRIVING DOWN A BUSY CITY STREET. WENT FROM 35 TO 0 VERY SUDDENLY. I HAVE TAKEN THIS TO 2 DEALERS AND THEY SAY THERE IS NOTHING WRONG. THE SYSTEM DOES NOT INDICATE AN ERROR EVEN THOUGH THE LIGHT IS ON AND THEY TESTED WHILE IT WAS ON. I CAN RECREATE THE ISSUE BY ACCELERATING QUICKLY WHILE TURNING LEFT. SOMETIMES IT HAPPENS WHEN GOING STRAIGHT, BUT THE ONLY WAY TO GUARANTEE IT WILL HAPPEN IS TO TURN AND ACCELERATE QUICKLY. NEITHER OF THE 2 DEALERS I HAVE TAKEN IT TO HAVE FOUND THE ISSUE AND TOYOTA CUSTOMER CARE STOPPED CALLING ME BACK.
LOW POWER BRAKING POWER LIGHT COMES ON AND VEHICLE WILL NOT START. OWNED FOR JUST 6 MONTHS WITH JUST OVER 2000 MILES . THIS HAPPENED WHILE PARKED IN MY DRIVEWAY.
RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF OF SAFETY RECALL FOR HIGHLANDER 2018 NHTSA RECALL NO 18V-211 VACUUM PUMP. CAR WAS TESTED AT DEALER ON JUN 13TH, AND IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE VEHICLE NEED THE REPAIR. VACUUM PUMP NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. REPLACEMENT PART WAS ORDERED BUT IT HAS NOT BEEN AVAILABLE, ITS BEEN 10 WEEKS. THE CAR PRESENTED FAILURE FOR THIS PROBLEM 4 WEEKS AGO. IT IS NOT LONGER SAFE TO DRIVE IT. TOYOTA HAS NOT PROVIDED AN ESTIMATE REPAIR DATE, CAR IS AT THE DEALERSHIP SINCE AUGUST 6TH.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 18V211000 (SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC); HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. PRICE TOYOTA (168 N DUPONT HWY, NEW CASTLE, DE 19720, (302) 322-8600) WAS CONTACTED AND CONFIRMED THAT THE PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE FOR THE RECALL REMEDY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT.
Trend Over Time
Complaints by year
Other Issues
Common problems reported
Quick Summary
The 2018 Toyota Highlander has 33 Brakes complaints on file. 2 crashes have been reported. Review the timeline above for detailed owner experiences.