2018 Toyota Highlander transmission and drivetrain problems
66 of the 271 complaints owners filed with NHTSA about the 2018 Toyota Highlander name the transmission and drivetrain (NHTSA’s “Power Train” heading — the transmission, transfer case, driveshafts, axles and differentials — NHTSA files them under one heading). Filed under the same heading: 15 manufacturer bulletins. Every figure below is a document in a federal file, linked; none is a failure rate, and none is a verdict on any one car.
What owners filed about the transmission and drivetrain
Source: NHTSA complaint database0 of the 66 reports a crash · 0 a fire · 0 injuries. Self-reported, unverified.
Filed per year: 2019: 3 · 2020: 2 · 2022: 2 · 2023: 4 · 2024: 10 · 2025: 14 · 2026: 31
Half of the 12 owners who gave an odometer reading reported the transmission and drivetrain problem between 16,000 and 104,000 miles. A median of reports, not the life of a part.
271 complaints in all about the 2018 Toyota Highlander, 31 filed in 2026. The whole picture, every system →
Counts are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects, and scale with how many of these were sold; nothing here is a rate. NHTSA groups complaints coarsely, so “Power Train” means the same area of the vehicle, not one fault.
Across model years: Toyota Highlander transmission and drivetrain problems, every year on file →
In owners’ own words
Source: NHTSA complaint databaseFiled with NHTSA by the people who own these cars, about the transmission and drivetrain. Quoted as written, with anything identifying removed; unverified reports — what was said, not a finding that it was true.
My 2018 Highlander Transmission (8 speed model UA80) began a whine noise characteristic of Customer Support Bulletin POL19-04 when the vehicle hit 101k miles. Toyota performed an inspection on 8/9/2024 and recommends full transmission + transfer case replacement.
The contact owns a 2018 Toyota Highlander. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the accelerator pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where it was diagnosed with transmission failure.
Whining noise from transmission on 2018 Toyota Highlander XLE model . Toyota has acknowledged this on large numbers of vehicles manufactured during the same year (TSB-0160-18). They have a voluntary recall for some of these vehicles during this year (2018), but not all of them.
Transaxle/Transmission failed at approx 67000 Miles. Emits a whining sound, very similar to symptoms as other transaxle/transmissions from model yr 2017 covered by the manufacturer for replacement of transaxle/transmission.
Transmission is bad. Toyota dealership says it needs to be replaced. Really? In a 2018 Toyota. I thought these were good cars. Supposed to last a long time. That’s why I paid over $30,000 for it. And this is what I get. There is something wrong with this scenario.
What is on file about the transmission and drivetrain
Source: NHTSA recalls, investigations and manufacturer communications15 manufacturer bulletins filed under this heading
The 0 newest are listed; every one is on the model year’s page. Quote the document number at a service desk — it is a diagnosis the maker has already written down.
Trouble codes named on this system
Codes a bulletin or an owner’s complaint about the 2018 Toyota Highlander names on this model year; a code with a record of its own links it.
Other systems with a record on the 2018 Toyota Highlander
Source: the same files- brake problems 59 complaints
Common questions
Source: NHTSA complaint database, recalls and manufacturer communicationsAre transmission and drivetrain problems common on the 2018 Toyota Highlander?
They are documented: NHTSA holds 66 owner complaints naming the transmission and drivetrain on this model year (24% of everything owners filed about it), and 15 manufacturer bulletins are filed under the same heading. Whether it is a problem on one particular car is a diagnosis, not a count, and a count says nothing about how many were sold.
Is there a recall for the transmission and drivetrain on the 2018 Toyota Highlander?
No recall campaign is filed under this heading for this model year (there are 4 filed under other headings). A bulletin is not a recall: it carries no federal duty to repair for free.
When do transmission and drivetrain problems show up on the 2018 Toyota Highlander?
Owners who gave an odometer reading reported it at a median of 92,000 miles; half of them between 16,000 and 104,000. That is when reports cluster, not the life of a part.
What does NHTSA's "Power Train" heading cover?
The transmission, transfer case, driveshafts, axles and differentials — NHTSA files them under one heading. Owners choose the heading when they file, so it says which area of the vehicle the complaint is about, not which part failed.