2018 Toyota Highlander power train problems
65 owner complaints filed with NHTSA name the power train on the 2018 Toyota Highlander — 25% of all complaints for this model year.
What owners report
“whining sound in the transmission, including high-pitched whining, erratic shifting, clunks, hesitation, and premature failure. These vehicles are equipped with the UA80F (AWD) and UA80E (FWD) 8-speed automatic transmissions.”
filed Aug 31, 2026
“Transmission failure happened suddenly. I pulled out of a car wash and car would not accelerate. I was in heavy traffic and car wouldn’t move.”
filed Aug 27, 2026
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Power Train problems in other Highlander years
| Year | Reports | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 Highlander | 3 | 7% |
| 2023 Highlander | 20 | 11% |
| 2022 Highlander | 51 | 21% |
| 2021 Highlander | 219 | 43% |
| 2020 Highlander | 125 | 40% |
| 2019 Highlander | 194 | 40% |
| 2017 Highlander | 72 | 27% |
| 2016 Highlander | 1 | 1% |
| 2015 Highlander | 7 | 4% |
| 2014 Highlander | 8 | 6% |
| 2013 Highlander | 11 | 5% |
| 2012 Highlander | 7 | 4% |
Other reported problem areas on the 2018 Toyota Highlander
Counts are unique NHTSA complaints naming this component group. Complaints are unverified owner reports; mileage is computed only from complaints that included a usable odometer reading.