Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2018 Toyota Highlander owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
About6 months ago I started getting the messege "Breaking power low" when i try to start my vehicle. So I took it to Star Toyota Service paid $175 to diagnose the problem. The found DTC 1241 and told me to change the qhole skid control unit. Eventhough on the paper it said skid control ecu battery. So I took it to another dealer named Penn Toyota and they found the same code but they said the voltage is coming low because I may leave my ignition on before I start my vehicle. That sounds funny because I do not do this and on top if i do this my battery would be dead. As of right now I spoke with toyota and since my extended warrenty has finished so they offered my 25% coupon if i fixe the problem. Now I do not know what is the problem and which dealer to trust. …
The contact owns a 2018 Toyota Highlander. The contact stated that while his wife was driving at an undisclosed speed, the brake pedal was depressed and she experienced a spongy brake pedal. The brake warning light was illuminated and the Power Failure to Brake System message was displayed. Additionally, the vehicle made an abnormal sound while the brake pedal was depressed. The brakes failed to stop the vehicle immediately which nearly caused a collision. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the brake master cylinder needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 18V211000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic) however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The failure mileage was approximately 27,000.
The contact owns a 2018 Toyota Highlander. The contact stated that while his wife was driving at various speeds, the brakes failed to operate as needed. The contact stated that "Pull Over Immediately/Vehicle Unsafe to Drive" was displayed on the instrument panel. The contact stated that his wife had to pump the brake pedal for the brakes to operate as needed. His wife took the vehicle to an independent mechanic who inspected the vehicle but found no defects with the braking system. Upon investigation, the contact discovered NHTSA Campaign Number: 18V211000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic) which he linked to the failure. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed him that there were no recalls on the vehicle. The vehicle had yet to be repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 32,000.
My relatives remembered the 2002-2011 recall of 80,000 Toyotas, 90 deaths due to unintended acceleration and said that seems exactly what happened to me last month. NEAR FATAL COLLISION DUE TO STICKY PEDAL 2018 Toyota Highlander 10/10 Slowly backed out of parking space in large, empty commercial lot: sunny day, 3pm Tapped pedal into Drive Car sped off at 50+mph with my foot off pedal Sped around lot for approximately 3minutes Holding brake down and down-shifting did nothing except cause sheer terror with my uncontrollable vehicle Hit pole and vehicle came to a stop after near-complete destruction of passenger-side bumper No injury except sheer mental terror No witnesses DO NOT Blame the victim. Dealer says all-weather floormat could never have been or be involved.
The contact owns a 2018 Toyota Highlander. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the brake warning light illuminated, and a message was displayed alerting the driver to a fault with the braking system. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who determined that the brake pads and rotors needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The vehicle was then taken to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed a failure with the brake assist vacuum pump. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related it to NHTSA Campaign Number: 18V211000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic) however, the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 33,000.
The contact owns a 2018 Toyota Highlander. The contact stated while driving 65 MPH, the "Brake Power Low" message was displayed. The contact stated that the brake pedal was firm before pulling over to the side of the roadway. The contact shut off the vehicle however, the vehicle failed to restart. The contact had the vehicle jumpstarted. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and the contact was informed that the brake booster and the vacuum pump had malfunctioned. The contact was informed that the brake booster, master cylinder, and vacuum pump needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted, and a case was filed. The failure mileage was 29,000.
The contact owns a 2018 Toyota Highlander. The contact stated while driving 60 MPH, the Brake warning light illuminated, the contact observed a beeping noise coming from the instrument panel. Additionally, the messages "Braking Power Low - Stop in a safe place - See Owner's Manual" were displayed. The contact steered to the side of the vehicle where the vehicle was placed in Park (P) and the beeping ceased. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic to check the brake fluid, which was normal. The contact stated that the failure reoccurred approximately three times. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 77,000.
Accordingly to Toyota vehicle Maintenance Schedule, the vacuum pump for the brake booster needs to be replaced as a regular maintenance or "wear" item every 120,000 miles. This is a very expensive maintenance item (>$600 in parts, ~$1000 including labor and shop materials), that needs to be performed by a Toyota certified technician. In addition to being very expensive, what will discourage many vehicle owners from performing this service, one may expect that many owners who perform their own vehicle maintenance or use independent mechanic shops will simply miss this service altogether. Being a safety critical item, the vacuum pump should be designed to last the entire lifespan of the vehicle (just like other brake system components: ABS pump, vacuum booster, master cylinder, etc.). …
Where the incident happened? The incident happened at the following google coordinates (39.21707240377137, -77.6491829535095) on an unpaved, but well-maintained road. When this incident took place? 09/11/2021 - around 10.30am Who is travelling with you? I was travelling with my wife (Vijaya) and Pet Dog (Leo). Both my wife and I have the seat belts on. How are the driving conditions? A bright and sunny morning with clear visibility, minimal wind and no rain. The road is totally dry. In a way perfect driving condition. How the incident happened? A white truck came in the opposite direction and since the road is narrow I pulled my highlander to the right, where there is some loose gravel on the side of the road. When I pulled to the side I am almost at a standstill and after the truck had passed started moving the car towards the middle of the road. …
MY 2018 Toyota Highlander XLE had a break malfunction April 15, 2022. The Brake light illuminated, "low brake power" flashed briefly and the pedal became stiff and unable to press for braking. I swerved to avoid rear ending the car in front of me. Brought it in to Toyota and they want $2000 to fix the break booster vacuum, and said it is not covered by warranty. My car only has 46k miles! This part is clearly faulty and Toyota should replace it. Accordingly to Toyota vehicle Maintenance Schedule, the vacuum pump for the brake booster needs to be replaced as a regular maintenance or "wear" item every 120,000 miles. This is a very expensive maintenance item (>$600 in parts, ~$2000 including labor and shop materials), that needs to be performed by a Toyota certified technician. …
Related recalls
Service brakes, hydraulic › Power assist › Vacuum
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2018 Toyota Camry and Highlander vehicles, 2017 Toyota Sienna and Tacoma vehicles and 2017 Lexus RX350 vehicles.
Remedy: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will replace the brake booster vacuum pump, free of charge. The recall began on May 9, 2018.
Brake complaints in other Highlander years
Frequently asked questions
How common are brake problems on the 2018 Toyota Highlander?
NHTSA has 58 complaints about the brakes of the 2018 Toyota Highlander, 22% of the model year's 269 complaints.
Is there a recall for 2018 Toyota Highlander brake problems?
Yes — NHTSA recall 18V-211 (vacuum, Apr 3, 2018). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
At what mileage do 2018 Toyota Highlander brake problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 17,000 miles, and 61% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 9 crashes, 0 fires and 4 injuries to brakes problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.