Toyota Grand Highlander Complaints

375 consumer complaints on file.

#11739699May 23, 2026
VISIBILITY/WIPER
On [XXX], while driving my 2024 Toyota Grand Highlander at approximately 45-50 mph on a gusty, high-wind day, the rear panoramic moonroof/sunroof panel blew out and shattered completely without warning. The failure occurred as I rolled up the vehicle windows during the wind gust. Rapid window closure created a sudden spike in cabin air pressure — a documented pressure differential mechanism — that forced the moonroof glass outward until it shattered. There was no external impact of any kind. The glass, which is not laminated safety glass, scattered throughout the interior with occupants present. Component is available for inspection. This failure is consistent with NHTSA Investigation PE13-035 (Kia Sorento panoramic sunroof spontaneous breakage), in which ODI found glass shattering while in motion to be a safety hazard warranting engineering analysis. The same pressure-based failure mechanism applies here. This is a documented pattern on this specific model. Lemberg Law [XXX] ) analysis of NHTSA complaint data confirms spontaneous sunroof shattering among the top defects on both 2024 and 2025 Grand Highlanders, with Toyota denying warranty claims by alleging "outside influence" — disputed by owners and attorneys alike. No recall currently exists for this component. The rear seat directly below this glass is a primary location for child safety seats. Non-laminated glass shattering over rear occupants — including infants — represents an acute and unacceptable injury risk. I request NHTSA open a formal defect investigation into the panoramic moonroof/sunroof glass on 2024-2025 Toyota Grand Highlanders and evaluate whether a safety recall is warranted. I have photographs and have notified Toyota Motor North America in writing. 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
#11739160May 20, 2026
VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM
2nd time ac system stoppped working with 6000. Miles on it after 3rd time same problem it will be under lemon law
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11738854May 19, 2026
SEATS
3rd row seats do not want to lock into position, there is also broken plastic pieces from the locking mechanism area. Seats do not want to engage or disengage when trying to lay them flat. This had been a reported problem on other highlanders. This has been an issue since we purchased the vehicle in 2024. This is a safety issue because I fear they would fail in a crash.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11738734May 19, 2026
ENGINE, FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
On multiple occasions (four) my 2025 Toyota Grand Highlander Hybrid Max has failed to accelerate when I push the gas pedal. Once in traffic, which was extremely scary and a huge hazard. I have contacted the dealership about this issue and have not heard back from them. It has been almost 2 weeks. No warming lamps turned on and this issue lasted about 15 seconds each time. I press the gas, the car does not respond other than an audible RPM raising sound.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11737288May 12, 2026
POWER TRAIN
The electronic parking brake on my 2025 Toyota Grand Highlander intermittently fails to auto-release when shifting from Park to Reverse or Drive. Curiously, the system does respond to the gear shifter when returning to Park, as the brake will then engage or release as expected once cycled. This indicates a failure specifically in the transition out of the Park position. This intermittent delay or refusal to release prevents the vehicle from moving when expected, creating a potential safety hazard in traffic or during time-sensitive maneuvers. No dashboard warnings are present, and the issue occurs even when the driver's seat belt is buckled and the foot brake is fully depressed.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11737282May 12, 2026
STRUCTURE:BODY:HOOD
“The aluminum vehicle hood exhibits severe, abnormal fluttering and vibration across the rear-center section when driving at highway speeds (approx. 55-70+ mph). This movement is constant and highly distracting, creating a safety hazard by drawing the driver's attention away from the road and causing concern about the structural integrity of the hood latch system. Despite having the manufacturer's recommended repair (T-SB-0111-24) performed by an authorized dealership, the condition persists without improvement. I am concerned the hood could eventually unlatch or detach completely at high speeds, posing a danger to myself and other motorists.”
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11736903May 10, 2026
STRUCTURE:BODY
While i was closing the trunk Did press area below my license plate to close the trunk, and got a dent below the license playe. Looks like very poor quality of steel being used
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11736129May 6, 2026
STRUCTURE:BODY
It was noted that the drivers door weather strip deteriorated even though the car is less than 3 years old/ 47,000 miles. The dealer and the Toyota customer care said it is likely related to external factors and not covered under warranty. I keep the car in a garage. We have had other cars that are well over 10 years old but do/did not have this problem. This can potentially lead to damage of other components. I see on the internet that other owners of this car have encountered this same issue . There have been 3 safety recalls on this model, related to air bag, instrument panel and rear view camera. These have been fixed. There have been at least 5 Toyota technical service bulletins ( TSBs) published on this model. These were fixed after I brought it up with the dealer/ manufacturer. I was not contacted by the manufacturer proactively. TSB 0017-24 : hesitation felt while accelerating from stop. A software update was performed. TSB 0060-25 : Fuel level logic enhancement. A software update was made. TSB 0028-25 : Shudder sensation at stop. A software update was performed. T-SB-0082-24: CV axle issue: it was fixed T-SB-0111-24: vibrating hood.I notice the issue but did not fix it since the fix involves placing a foam under the hood, which may not fix the underlying issue and might cause other issues. I believe these issues are related to the manufacturing oversight and especially more frequent because it is a first year model .
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11735710May 5, 2026
STRUCTURE:BODY, ENGINE
I was driving on in the left most lane on a highway at 70 miles speed with multiple trucks speeding from behind. My car suddenly lost acceleration and saw multiple warning messages on my car display. I barely managed to save my car from being hit by the trucks speeding from behind, applying emergency lights and steering my vehicle from the left lane to the right side of the highway. After towing the car to nearest dealer I understood that a stone went through the front grill of the car and it got the radiator converter leaking all the coolant and that created the loss of acceleration. This is a safety issue in the design of the car grill as it has unusually large holes leaving a critical part vulnerable and failure leads to loss of acceleration and a safety hazard. For similar other hybrid models in Lexus or Toyota Sienna the same grill is protected with smaller vents in the grill.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11735572May 4, 2026
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Moon roof exploded while driving on highway. This is most likely due the to temperate glass used for the moon roof. No collision happened, no debris flying from somewhere else hit the glass, there was no cause for it shatter, the glass just exploded almost causing my family to get injured from glass shards falling down. Thankfully the cover was there and the moon roof wasn’t open.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11735436May 4, 2026
SERVICE BRAKES
The rotors started warping around 8K miles
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11734470April 29, 2026
STEERING, ENGINE, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
While traveling at highway speed on I-75 northbound, the vehicle experienced a complete and total loss of electrical power. and propulsion. The following conditions were present simultaneously: - Complete loss of propulsion - Inability to shift transmission to neutral — vehicle could not be moved out of the active traffic lane - Complete loss of hazard lights — no ability to warn approaching traffic - Vehicle remained stranded in active highway traffic for approximately 15 minutes - Electrical power spontaneously restored after approximately 15 minutes - Vehicle was then driven off the interstate under its own power That was a life-threatening event. My wife and I could have been struck from behind by highway traffic with no warning lights, no ability to move the vehicle, and no way to signal distress. DEALER VISIT 1 — SATURDAY, APRIL 26, 2026 Dealer: Sarasota Toyota, Sarasota, Florida Complaint presented: Complete electrical shutdown on I-75 the previous day as described above Action taken by dealer: Performed recall repair for black screen issue Outcome: Vehicle returned to customer same day Post-repair symptom: Low voltage warning appeared on drive home from Sarasota Toyota Saturday afternoon Note: Dealer did not perform full electrical diagnostic. Dealer did not flag battery failure. Dealer did not retain vehicle for further investigation despite being informed of complete highway electrical shutdown the previous day. DEALER VISIT 2 — MONDAY, APRIL 28, 2026 Dealer: Germain Toyota of Naples, Naples, Florida Complaint presented: Complete electrical failure on I-75, low voltage warning after Sarasota repair, battery failure Findings: Battery confirmed dead. Alternator confirmed functioning normally. Dealer assessment: Condition described as unusual. Case escalated to Toyota Field Technical Specialist. Current status: Vehicle retained at Germain Toyota of Naples. Rental vehicle provided to customer.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11734380April 28, 2026
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
There is an ongoing problem with Android connectivity. I have brought this to the dealer’s attention multiple times, but they continue to claim that my phone is not compatible. However, this same phone connects flawlessly and consistently in my other vehicles, so compatibility does not appear to be the issue.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11734376April 28, 2026
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL, POWER TRAIN, ENGINE
The vehicle hesitates and does not accelerate immediately from a complete stop. This occurs more frequently when the car is on a slight incline. The delay in acceleration creates a safety concern, especially when attempting to merge into traffic or pull out onto a roadway. I have reported this issue to the dealership multiple times, but they have not taken action because they have been unable to reproduce the problem.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11734096April 27, 2026
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
The 2025 Grand Highlander XLS front sun roof exploded. Will be taken to dealer upon appointment. Had the interior cover not been closed, we would have been showered with glass particles. According to many articles this is a known defect by Toyota. Lemberg Law phenom. Vehicle will be inspected by Toyoto dealer on Apr 29, 2026. There were no warnings. Outside temp was 64 degrees F. Traveling at 45 mph at 2:30 EDT, Apr 27, 2026. Massive exploding sound, like a gunshot. Pulled over to check vehicle and noticed front sun roof center blown outward and rest of glass fractured.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11733492April 24, 2026
SERVICE BRAKES, STEERING
Front brakes were worn prematurely and rotors had to be resurfaced multiple times under warranty and once more after warranty. Premature wear would cause shaking in the steering wheel when medium to heavy braking force was applied.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11733491April 24, 2026
STEERING, SUSPENSION
When making turns under acceleration at various speeds, there is a noticeable clunk noise from the front section of the vehicle. The sound can be described as a coil that is being compressed/decompressed and creates the noise. The noise is heard when loading and unloading the steering wheel during a turn.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11732822April 21, 2026
STRUCTURE:BODY
While driving at approximately 20-25 mph, the panoramic sunroof glass of my vehicle suddenly shattered without any warning. There was no impact from road debris, no visible chip, and no prior damage to the glass. The glass appeared to explode outward, creating a loud noise and causing shattered glass to fall inside the vehicle. This created a dangerous situation that could have led to driver distraction or injury. Safety Concern: This incident poses a serious safety risk. Sudden shattering of the sunroof while driving can: Distract the driver and lead to loss of control Cause injury from falling or flying glass Create hazardous driving conditions, especially at highway speeds Dealer Response: I reported the issue to a Toyota dealership, but they denied warranty coverage, stating it was not covered without providing evidence of impact damage. Additional Notes: There was no visible point of impact, which suggests a possible stress fracture or manufacturing defect rather than external damage. Request: I request that NHTSA investigate this issue as a potential defect, as spontaneous sunroof glass failure while driving presents a significant safety hazard.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11732819April 21, 2026
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
My 2026 Toyota Grand Highlander Hybrid sunroof shattered spontaneously while driving - no impact, no prior damage. I was driving at 20-25 mph on a feeder way, approaching a signal
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11732329April 20, 2026
WHEELS
Car vibrates at high speeds. Dealers idea of fixing is to "overinflate tires, drive for 45 minutes and then let hang on lift"
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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