Toyota Grand Highlander Complaints

375 consumer complaints on file.

#11769337October 6, 2026
POWER TRAIN
While driving in neighborhood at around 25 mph car started to sputter and lose power. Started flashing on display regarding ADAS which all disengaged then hybrid system failure message displayed. Stopped car, called dealership and asked if safe to drive. They said it was ok and set appointment for next morning, they contacted Toyota and confirmed it needed a new transmission. Gave me a rental and said car was do not drive. Said transmission backordered under warranty.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11768701October 3, 2026
STRUCTURE:BODY
About two months after purchasing my new 2026 Toyota Grand Highlander Hybrid, I noticed the air conditioning had stopped cooling. I did not notice any impact, so I do not know exactly when the damage occurred. I drive normally on public roads and do not go off road. The vehicle had approximately 7000 miles when the problem was found. There were no warning lights or messages. The only symptom was the AC blowing warm air, which I first noticed around September 25, 2026. Tansky Sawmill Toyota in Dublin, Ohio inspected the vehicle on [date] and found the AC condenser had been punctured by a rock or road debris. The dealer classified it as road damage and declined warranty coverage. The repair cost $2005.03. The damaged part is / is not available for inspection. I have the repair order and photos of the damage. The Grand Highlander's grille has large openings with no protective screen in front of the heat exchangers, so ordinary road debris can strike them directly. In my case the condenser was hit, but the radiator and hybrid inverter radiator sit in the same exposed area, and damage to those can cause coolant loss and loss of propulsion while driving. That puts drivers and others on the road at risk. I believe this is a design defect and ask that my complaint be considered as part of Defect Petition DP26006.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11768711October 3, 2026
UNKNOWN OR OTHER, FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
Design flaw of front grille of vehicle causing major damage. Due to the large gaps in front grille, the vehicle is susceptible to rock damage to the coolant system. Under normal highway driving, coolant started to leak and immediate power loss put my wife at risk. She was unable to accelerate to maintain speed while on a busy highway. There are no immediate signs for damage since any small rock can pass through the grille and create multiple punctures. You don't know something is wrong until symptomatic and then your placed at risk and also others around you.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11768726October 3, 2026
SEATS
Design of middle seat backward/forward latch adjustment and, in particular, the rear seat fold down /lean back latch adjustment is of poor engineering integrity. The latches on top of each of these seats are difficult to maneuver, particularly for those with weak hands. And if you overextend the latch, their is risk of bursting the associated cable mechanism. Note that Toyota does not factory warranty such a burst seat cable mechanism. In my case, I was on extended trip where I need to fold down the rear seats for luggage area expansion. I burst the cable mechanism of the left rear seat latch. It is more difficult because it located in far left position. When this happens, the seat can no longer be folded down nor adjusted for seat lean back.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11768580October 2, 2026
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
Has a VERY strong gas smell and fumes near gas tank after car has been idling.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11768196September 30, 2026
STRUCTURE:BODY, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Driving in city traffic during morning rush hour, sitting at traffic light, when display lights up indicating “Hybrid Malfunction” and “take vehicle to dealer”. Leaving traffic light, the vehicle at first does not move after pressing accelerator, then slowly engages and thugs along. Pull over on closest side street and turn off vehicle, hoping just a fluke. Restart vehicle and drive a few yards. Stop and attempt to resume driving. This time the vehicle does not react at all, neither in drive or reverse. I was able to put in neutral and coast to nearby parking spot so not to block traffic. Had vehicle towed to my hometown Toyota dealer. Upon inspection, they notified me that a small object, probably a rock, had punctured the radiator , that it was not covered under the warranty, and would cost $2500 to fix. The suddenness and abrupt fashion this incident occurred could certainly have resulted in an accident or left be stranded in an unsafe area.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11767749September 29, 2026
VISIBILITY/WIPER, SERVICE BRAKES, SEAT BELTS
June, July and August multiple occurrences of Electronic Parking Brake and Drive Engagement Failure intermittently occurring. The Automatic electronic park brake fails to release from Park to Drive or Park to Reverse while drivers seatbelt is fastened, all door closed, vehicle on level ground. Vehicle behaves as if it's still in Park and revs RPM with gas pedal pressed without movement. Vehicle may abruptly lunge once engagement finally occurs after vehicle on/off & multiple Park to Drive manually placed. Seatbelt of driver has stated that the drivers seatbelt is not buckled when it is and all doors are closed. Display on the info display states that driver door is open when it's closed and that seatbelt is unfastened, when it is fastened. Push start button intermittently fails like it has a dead battery. Button is pressed at appropriate length to start but sputters or hesitate before finally starting with sometimes multiple attempts. Excessive wind noise due to roof seal being raised. Roof weather stripping was lifted/separated. There was no full replacement of this issue on September 17th at a local dealer but rather a quick fix of refitting the molding. I stated that is not the appropriate fix due to the actual factory seal stating it cannot be reused once compromised. Today, September 29th, the back panoramic sunroof exploded going down the highway with no other external impact and was stated as a possible occurrence after a seal is not replaced appropriately. It is note in my Toyota case management file as well. Overhead console electrical failure had been fixed may 28, 2026 after purchase in March brand new. The drivers overhead light failed and all cabin lights surged when pressed. Driver door lock and key fob malfunction in June 27. The drivers door locked with the key fob still inside vehicle at center console. Toyota app indicates vehicle was unlocked. Driver door would not unlock by app. Had to crawl through the passenger side to manually unlock.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11767331September 28, 2026
ENGINE
Engine temperature overheated during long idle on an out of town event. The vehicle put in park and engine running in idle with AC running. Vehicle coolant temp reach high mark in the red area. Vehicle temp alarm gave a warning to shutdown. I estimated the car idle time 40 min due to traffic accident ahead. The incident occurred on 9/11/26. The car was taken to dealer 9/17/26 for checkup/diagnose the issue. Dealer stated, they could not duplicate the issue. But they did my find the vehicle computer log, the engine registered high temp.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11767296September 27, 2026
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
Periodically, when you apply the gas, there is no power. The gas pedal is dead. This obviously is a hazard when trying to maneuver through traffic. The problem is random and cannot be reproduced at will. The dealership said they could do nothing about it if they could not reproduce the issue. Vehicle is still under the manufacturer warranty.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11767120September 26, 2026
UNKNOWN OR OTHER, POWER TRAIN
2024 Toyota Grand Highlander Hybrid AWD. Vehicle exhibits a severe metallic "clunk" or "boom" noise and impact from the undercarriage specifically when reversing under moderate to firm acceleration. This is a recurring issue reported by numerous owners of this model, related to harsh powertrain engagement and movement when changing direction under load. This issue is NOT related to wheel rotation, brakes, or CV axles. The vehicle has approximately 70,000 miles, has been driven strictly on paved roads with no towing or off-road use, and has no active warning lights. The sudden mechanical shock while engaging reverse poses a potential safety and reliability concern regarding drivetrain components.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11766783September 24, 2026
ENGINE, STRUCTURE:BODY
The air conditioning system on my 2024 Grand Highlander failed due to a punctured AC condenser caused by road debris passing through the front grille during normal driving. The front fascia has large open apertures with no protective mesh or screening, leaving the condenser, radiator, and other heat exchangers directly exposed to rocks and debris. The condenser face shows multiple debris strikes, with one impact puncturing the core and causing complete refrigerant loss and AC failure at approximately 62,000 miles. The vehicle worked normally when parked and the AC was completely dead one week later due to the slow refrigerant leak from the puncture. Diagnosis was performed by [XXX] Toyota in [XXX], which confirmed the puncture was caused by road debris. The repair is not covered under warranty or my extended service contract because it is classified as outside damage, leaving owners to pay out of pocket for a design vulnerability. This is the same failure mode described in open ODI Defect Petition No. XXX covering 2024-2026 Grand Highlander vehicles. The same unprotected grille openings expose the engine radiator, meaning the identical debris path can puncture the radiator and cause coolant loss, engine overheating, and sudden loss of propulsion in traffic. The grille design leaves critical cooling components unreasonably vulnerable to everyday road debris. Photos of the punctured condenser and the dealer's written diagnosis are available. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11765921September 21, 2026
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:RADIATOR ASSEMBLY
The contact owned a 2025 Toyota Grand Highlander. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed with radiator failure. The contact was informed that there was a hole in the radiator. The contact was informed that the radiator needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was contacted by phone and made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 15,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11765486September 19, 2026
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Windshield has experienced multiple cracks/chips at extremely low mileage. Initial crack occurred before 1,000 miles and originated at the upper edge of the windshield. Crack has propagated from the top to the bottom. Multiple additional star cracks have developed. I am concerned about possible windshield/glass, installation, or structural issue. I previously owned a Highlander for over 10 years and did not have any issues of this and I live in the same area. I had one crack that entire time. I currently have 9000 miles with the long crack +3 additional star shape cracks. One occurred from a very small rock that hit and the other I never even heard one hit it.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11765183September 18, 2026
ENGINE
A piece of road debris/rock struck the radiator/heat exchangers in my 2025 Toyota Grand Highlander Hybrid that immediately damaged the radiator/heat exchangers to result in coolant leakage and sudden loss of propulsion and terminated the engine from moving and required a tow to a Toyota dealer and thus a replacement of the heat exchanger/radiator. It came apparent from their experience that the design of the front-end grill has large, open apertures and no protective screen between the grill and the vehicle’s heat exchangers. Had to file an insurance claim under comprehensive coverage that required me paying a deductible for repairs and NOW stress in future driving experiences.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11764343September 15, 2026
AIR BAGS
The contact owns a 2026 Toyota Grand Highlander. The contact stated that while driving 65 MPH, the vehicle was involved in a head-on collision with a commercial lawnmower that fell from a truck. The driver's seat air bag deployed in a downward position, and the other air bags failed to deploy. The driver and the front passenger sustained cuts on their necks from their seat belts and received medical treatment. The driver also received trigger point injections for pain management. The vehicle was towed to Car Craft, where it was repaired. The vehicle was inspected by the insurance company. A police report was filed. The manufacturer was contacted by phone and a case was opened, and the manufacturer requested an additional 30 days to release Event Data Recorder (EDR) information. The failure mileage was approximately 10,000.
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
2
Deaths:
0
#11764131September 14, 2026
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
The contact owns a 2025 Toyota Grand Highlander. The contact stated that while driving 70 MPH, the air conditioner failed to operate. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the condenser had failed and needed to be replaced. The dealer informed the contact that the front grille had large open apertures and no protective screen between the grille or the heat exchangers. The vehicle was repaired. The contact stated that the failure was associated with NHTSA Investigation: DP26006 (Engine and Engine Cooling). The manufacturer was made aware of the failure by telephone, and a case was opened. The failure mileage was approximately 15,450.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11764228September 14, 2026
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
Our 2025 Toyota Grand Highlander Platinum repeatedly produces a strong gasoline odor and visibly observable vapor under hot-weather/hot-soak conditions. The condition has been observed by dealership personnel. There is footage from us and the dealership. The manufacturer has characterized the condition as normal, but has not provided a technical explanation identifying the source of the vapor or documentation establishing that visible gasoline vapor is within design/safety specifications. I am reporting this because I am concerned that waiting until an injury, fire, or other serious incident occurs before addressing the condition is inappropriate. I am asking NHTSA to determine whether this represents a safety-related defect or a broader safety issue affecting other Toyota vehicles. I am unable to upload the video, but I am willing to provide it by other means.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11764246September 14, 2026
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
My 2026 Toyota Grand Highlander XLE has a recurring gasoline smell near the rear driver’s side after long trips or when parked with the engine idling. The source of the odor and the specific component involved are unknown. I am concerned about a possible fuel or vapor leak and the potential fire risk to myself and my passengers.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11763866September 12, 2026
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
I own a 2024 Toyota Grand Highlander Hybrid MAX Platinum, purchased brand new in February 2024 and now with approximately 30,400 miles. Since the first few weeks, the vehicle has had an ongoing fuel tank/range issue. The fuel tank is rated at approximately 17 gallons, but the gas pump consistently shuts off after only 10–12 gallons, even when the vehicle indicates 0 miles to empty. It accepts approximately the same amount whether I refuel with 80, 20, or 0 miles remaining. After filling, the vehicle reports the tank as full and but generally shows only 270–290 miles of estimated range. The actual miles driven before requiring fill up is 230-250 miles. Toyota issued T-SB-0060-25 (Low Fuel Warning Light Logic Enhancement), which a Toyota dealer reluctantly performed on my vehicle. It initially improved the displayed range by only about 10 miles, but did not resolve the problem, and the condition is now worsening. The dealer solution was to tell me I can drive another 60-100 miles past empty but I do not believe that is a reasonable or safe workaround. This is because the driver cannot reliably determine the remaining usable fuel or how far the vehicle can safely travel. The condition remains unresolved and is a known issue with other Toyota Grand Highlander Hybrid Max owners.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11762946September 9, 2026
WHEELS, POWER TRAIN
2024 Toyota Grand Highlander XLE FWD. At approximately 38,000 miles I began hearing a roaring/humming noise that varied with vehicle speed. The condition initially progressed slowly but then became much worse within several days. At 41,510 miles a Toyota dealer diagnosed and replaced the right rear hub/wheel bearing assembly. I was advised that the failed bearing was nearly seized when removed. After replacement the noise was reduced but remained present. The dealer was uncertain whether another bearing was failing and initially believed the remaining noise could be tire noise, advising me to monitor it. The noise again deteriorated rapidly and became severe enough that I considered the vehicle unsafe to drive. At 42,223 miles the same dealer diagnosed and replaced the left rear hub/wheel bearing assembly. The noise disappeared after replacement. Both rear wheel bearings therefore failed at approximately 40,000–42,000 miles within about 700 miles of each other. The vehicle has no known accident or suspension damage and the dealer identified no other condition causing the failures. I am concerned that rapid deterioration or seizure of a wheel bearing while driving could result in loss of vehicle control.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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