2024 Toyota Grand Highlander Fuel system Problems

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.

NHTSA ID

11763866

Incident

Feb 1, 2024

At 5:16 pm, CST. I was stopped at a stop sign headed west on a 25 mph road crossing a 30 mph road (that does not have a stop sign) in Illinois. After waiting for a an appropriate gap in traffic, I attempted to accelerate though the interesting. I released the brake pedal and attempted to accelerate. The vehicle barely accelerated. The engine seemed to minimally climb in RPM and only accelerated minimally out into the cross road. This lasted approximately 1-2 seconds. AT this point I was fully into the first lane of traffic. I then fully depressed the accelerator to try to get the vehicle to respond and after approximately a 0.5 to 1.0 second delay the engine fully responded and I was able to accelerate out of the oncoming cross traffic. This is by no-means the first time this behavior has happened with this vehicle but it is the first time I'm reporting it to the NHTSA.

NHTSA ID

11761276

Incident

Aug 31, 2026

Horrible gas smell on the interior and exterier of vehicle after fueling up.

NHTSA ID

11760569

Incident

Aug 28, 2026

I currently own a 2024 Toyota Grand Highlander with the 2.4L turbo engine, which I purchased in July 2023. I have been experiencing a strong gasoline/fuel smell coming from the vehicle. I took the vehicle to Fox Toyota in El Paso for inspection. According to the dealership, the smell was caused by the gasoline I was using and they stated that the fuel contained too much ethanol. However, the gasoline smell was strong enough to be concerning, and I am not comfortable simply assuming that the fuel is the cause without further inspection. At this time, I have not been given a specific diagnosis identifying a failed component or confirming that a particular fuel-system component is malfunctioning. The vehicle is available for further inspection if requested. The strong gasoline odor raises a safety concern because the presence of fuel vapors could potentially indicate a fuel leak or another problem with the fuel system, creating a possible fire hazard. The problem was reported to and inspected by Fox Toyota in El Paso, but the dealership attributed the odor to the ethanol content of the fuel rather than identifying a defective component. I have not had the vehicle inspected by the manufacturer or any other independent facility at this time. I have not observed any warning lights or warning messages associated with the problem. The primary symptom has been the strong gasoline smell. The vehicle has the 2.4L turbo engine. I would like to know if other 2024 Grand Highlander 2.4L turbo owners have experienced the same issue and, if so, what the actual cause was and how it was resolved.

NHTSA ID

11760346

Incident

Aug 22, 2026

The car stalled on entering secondary roads from my own neighborhood. When it happens, I have pressed the throttle and the car stops moving forward. It takes 5-10 seconds before the engine picks up and the car moves. The first owner found the same thing and now as the second owner, it has done the same thing.

NHTSA ID

11759577

Incident

Jul 7, 2026

While driving on a highway at highway speed of approximately 62 miles per hour, a rock from the highway went through the front grille's hole, and punctured the area of the radiator, resulted in a large loss of coolant, and the vehicle's speed suddenly lost highway speed and lost propulsion on the highway, while driving at a highway speed. Thankfully noone was driving behind me. However, If someone was behind me, they would have hit me from the rear due to my loss of propulsion.

NHTSA ID

11758880

Incident

Mar 17, 2026

During driving on a highway at highway speed (not off-roading), A road debris or rock went through the front grille's hole and damaged the cooling system which leaked coolant and i experienced a loss of power and propulsion while driving on highway, as a result of this issue.

NHTSA ID

11758833

Incident

Mar 11, 2026

The contact owns a 2024 Toyota Grand Highlander. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was an abnormally strong gasoline odor inside the cabin of the vehicle. The contact believed that the odor was caused by a fuel leak. The vehicle was taken to a dealer, where it was diagnosed with an evaporator filter failure, and it was determined that a fuel leak was not the cause of the odor. The dealer stated that the vehicle did not require a repair and could still be driven with the odor inside the vehicle. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 45,000.

NHTSA ID

11756482

Incident

Jul 12, 2026

Mileage

45,000 mi

Vehicle intermittently fails to accelerate when accelerator pedal is depressed after stopping. Vehicle may move extremely slowly for several seconds and then suddenly regain power. This has occurred while entering/intersecting traffic and has resulted in near-collision situations. Dealer cannot duplicate the problem.

NHTSA ID

11756305

Incident

Aug 7, 2026

I've had consistent issues with the vehicle accelerating and shifting. These include sluggish acceleration, loss of power and sputtering when we've come to a complete stop and starting to move again. We've almost been hit by other vehicles at least over 20 times because the vehicle has failed to accelerate when pulling into a roadway. The car hesitates during acceleration regardless of how much I push the gas. Once it starts to go, it feels as though the car can't shift from 1st to 2nd gear, The RPMs get extremely high while the car is going 25-40 mph and remain there for a few seconds up to ~20 seconds. I am fearful of getting t-boned when my car hesitates while turning at an intersection, going through an intersection or pulling out from a parking lot. I have been stuck in several intersections when traffic was coming toward me, but thankfully those cars had patience and avoided us. I've also found that this issue always happens when the hybrid battery shows that it only has a charge of 3 bars. It seems that the engine, transmission and hybrid battery don't know how to communicate when the battery charge gets that low. This has been happening since Dec 2023 when I bought the vehicle and the dealer has never been able to duplicate or find any error code, they are refusing to fix a known issue when many others are experiencing the same issue. There are Toyota Technical Service Bulletins (TSBs) out there regarding this problem but my dealer told me they won't do anything as it could label my vehicle a lemon. This is creating an unnecessary safety risk for me and my family.

NHTSA ID

11750786

Incident

Jul 15, 2026

On a recent road trip I experience loss of acceleration twice. I was at a stop sign making a left hand turn. I step on the accelerator it start forward but then stop suddenly leaving me in the 1st lane of on coming traffic. I smashed on the accelerator several time before the vehicle finally responded. I took the vehicle to the dealer on 6/30 told the dealer what had happen along with my google findings acceleration hesitation and sudden lurching in the Toyota Grand Highlander Hybrid MAX Technical Service Bulletins (TSBs), including T-SB-0017-24. The dealer could not duplicate or find any error code, they are refusing to fix a known issue. They are creating an unnecessary safety risk for me and my family.

NHTSA ID

11747691

Incident

Jun 22, 2026

While driving my 2024 Toyota Grand Highlander Hybrid AWD at highway speed with only 16,755 miles on the vehicle, multiple warning messages suddenly appeared, including warnings related to the engine, hybrid system, AWD system, and other vehicle functions. The vehicle instructed me to pull over immediately and significantly reduced power output, making it difficult to maintain highway speed and safely maneuver through traffic. I was able to reach the shoulder and had the vehicle towed to a Toyota dealership. The dealer diagnosed a punctured radiator caused by a rock or similar road debris that allegedly passed through the front grille and struck the radiator. The dealer confirmed that coolant loss from the puncture triggered the vehicle's protective reduced-power mode. This failure created a significant safety risk. A sudden loss of power while traveling at highway speed increases the risk of rear-end collisions and other accidents, particularly in heavy traffic where drivers may not expect a vehicle to rapidly decelerate. There were no warning lights, messages, leaks, drivability concerns, or other symptoms before the incident. All warnings appeared suddenly at the time of failure. Toyota has declined warranty coverage, classifying the damage as a road hazard. However, I believe this may indicate a design defect. I have identified numerous reports from other GH owners describing nearly identical failures involving rocks penetrating the radiator through the front grille, often at relatively low mileage. These reports suggest the radiator may be inadequately protected from ordinary roadway debris. My concern is not simply radiator damage, but that a small piece of road debris encountered during normal driving can disable a critical component and cause the vehicle to enter a severe reduced-power mode at highway speed. I request that NHTSA investigate whether the front grille and radiator protection design of the Grand Highlander creates an unreasonable safety risk

NHTSA ID

11746510

Incident

Jun 24, 2026

The incidents most often occur when I try to accelerate after vehicle is stopped at an intersection. The car hesitates during acceleration regardless of how much I push the gas. Once it starts to go, it feels as though the car can't shift from 1st to 2nd gear. The RPMs get up 4500 while the car is going 25-40 mph and remain there for a few seconds up to ~20 seconds. I am fearful of getting t-boned when my car hesitates while turning at an intersection, going through an intersection or pulling out from a parking lot. I have been stuck in several intersections when traffic was coming toward me, but thankfully those cars were able to avoid hitting me. I have reported the problem every time I take the car to the dealer for a service. The problem has been happening since I purchased the car in November 2024 and occurs randomly--sometimes every couple of months, sometimes days in a row. The dealer can't reproduce it, but they were able to pull a code from the transmission and found it had an acceleration error. They updated the software from a TSB, but that didn't help.

NHTSA ID

11726187

Incident

Mar 21, 2026

I am submitting this complaint regarding a catalytic converter failure on my vehicle and the manufacturer’s refusal to honor the warranty. My vehicle is a Toyota that is approximately two years old and currently has about 31,000 miles. The catalytic converter has failed well before what would normally be expected for this component. When I brought the vehicle to the dealership for repair under warranty, Toyota declined to cover the repair. They stated the failure was due to “contaminated fuel,” but they did not provide any evidence or test results showing that contaminated fuel was present in the vehicle. I have not been provided with documentation, diagnostic data, or fuel analysis supporting this claim. The denial appears to be based on assumption rather than proof. Because catalytic converters are emissions components that are typically expected to last much longer and are often covered by extended emissions warranties, I am concerned this may represent a broader issue affecting consumers. Vehicle details and service documentation can be provided upon request. I am requesting that this matter be reviewed and that the manufacturer be required to provide evidence supporting their claim or honor the warranty repair. Thank you for your time and consideration.

NHTSA ID

11722536

Incident

Feb 13, 2026

Description of Issue: We have experienced multiple episodes of violent shaking in our 2024 Toyota Grand Highlander while stopped at red lights or in intersections. Both my wife and I have had this happen independently, around two to three times each. Most incidents occurred while our young children were in the vehicle. The most recent incident occurred today, when my wife experienced it twice in a row while stopped at an intersection. Our children were not in the vehicle during today’s event. Component or system involved: UNKNOWN at this time. We suspect a major mechanical or drivetrain-related failure. The entire vehicle shakes violently and feels unstable. We are willing to make the vehicle available for inspection upon request. Safety risk: The severity of the shaking is extreme and it feels as though the car may explode or fall apart. We have had to put the car in park, shut it off immediately, and in some cases, exit the vehicle in the middle of intersections or while stopped at a red light. This places everyone in the vehicle at serious risk, especially our children, and could result in a crash or secondary accident due to the abrupt stop and unexpected behavior in active traffic. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or service center? The issue has not yet been reproduced by the dealership. We brought the vehicle to Toyota of Escondido after a previous incident. They inspected it but stated they could not find anything wrong. Has the vehicle or component been inspected by others? The vehicle was only inspected by the dealership (Toyota of Escondido). It has not been reviewed by any other parties such as law enforcement or insurance representatives. Warning lamps, messages, or other symptoms prior to the issue: There were no warning lights, error messages, or abnormal behavior prior to the onset of the violent shaking. The issue occurred suddenly each time, without warning.

NHTSA ID

11677818

Incident

Aug 1, 2025

Ever since I got my car, sometimes it smells like gas on the right side of the vehicle. By driver side and right passenger side in the back. I assumed it was because I topped my gas off, but even when I stopped doing that, it still has a strong gas smell when the car is running and after turning it off. Not ever day, but ever so often.

NHTSA ID

11674682

Incident

Oct 1, 2023

Numerous times now the vehicle will not accelerate from a stop for about five seconds after the gas is pressed. It always seems to be on hot days with high air conditioner demand.

NHTSA ID

11671112

Incident

Jul 3, 2025

Shortly after starting my vehicle and driving out of my neighborhood, there are a series of stop signs. The roadway is at a slight incline. When attempting to press the gas pedal after stopping at the first stop sign, my vehicle hesitates or does not accelerate. This lasts anywhere from 1-5 seconds. This occasionally also occurs again at the second stop sign a few hundred yards later as well. The best I can describe this is as an unresponsive gas pedal or limp mode. I cannot stress how incredibly dangerous this issue is. Someone is going to get seriously injured or killed if this isn’t acknowledged by Toyota or NHTSA. All it takes is for this to occur when someone is making a right hand turn into a roadway. I am fully aware that this is not an isolated incident with my vehicle and other vehicle owners of Toyota Hybrid Max Platinums report this same issue.

NHTSA ID

11668073

Incident

Jun 19, 2025

Intermittently, my vehicle will hesitate to accelerate or will move only marginally (disproportionately to the depressing of the gas pedal) from a complete stop. When it occurs, it often does so for a number of seconds. This has been incredibly dangerous given I live off a busy street and I cannot trust that when I press the gas pedal to accelerate to turn onto the street, that my vehicle will be caught in oncoming traffic and hit.

NHTSA ID

11655348

Incident

Apr 15, 2025

The contact owns a 2024 Toyota Grand Highlander. The contact was unable to fill the fuel tank completely. The contact stated that the fuel tank had a 17-gallon capacity; however, the contact was only able to get more than 10 gallons into the tank. Additionally, the contact stated that the Auto START/STOP feature was not functioning as needed. The contact had taken the vehicle to a local dealer, who was unable to determine the cause of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was 16,455.

NHTSA ID

11649434

Incident

Dec 20, 2024

Mileage

16,455 mi

After driving over 15k miles in approximately one year, my 2024 Toyota Grand Highlander Hybrid fuel tank has never been filled with more than 12 gallons of gas, even when the Low Fuel light is on and the miles to empty are less than 10. The MPG for individual trips can be as low as 10.3 MPG; the overall average MPG has been 21 MPG or less. The advertised fuel tank size is 17 gallons and the MPG is 26/27. The Toyota dealership said that there are 3-5 gallons remaining in the tank when there are as few as 5 miles to empty. Actual miles to a tank are around 280-300 when driven in Eco mode; advertised is 450 miles when driven normally. Inaccurate fuel level sensing is a safety issue. 10.3 MPG for a Hybrid that is advertised to get 27 MPG is false advertising. This is a known issue since at least November 2023, as evidenced by the Manufacturer Communication Tech Tip T-TT-0742-23 on NHTSA.GOV.

NHTSA ID

11646560

Incident

Feb 27, 2025

Since we purchased the 2024 Grand Highlander Hybrid Limited in April 2024, there has been an issue filling the fuel tank completely when the vehicle is on empty. The stated fuel tank capacity from the owner’s manual is 17.8 gal, however the maximum amount of fuel that can be pumped into the tank using auto fill at the gas station is 12 gal before the pump “kicks off”. After this, the fuel gauge on the dash reads full, however fuel range shown is 330 mi (at 30 mpg average gas mileage) when it should be closer to 500 mi with specified fuel tank capacity of 17 gal and 30 mpg. Shortly after filling the fuel tank, the fuel gauge and range will quickly decrease while driving. From researching and reading dozens of online forums about this issue, I tested filling the tank manually at the pump, extremely slowly, not using the auto fill lever. Two times doing this test, I was able to pump 14.5 gal into the tank before the pump “kicked off”. After these fill ups, the fuel gauge showed full and did not quickly decrease when driving. Also, the range now showed 450+ mi remaining. Both times after what appears to be an actual full tank fill up, the vehicle recorded over 400 miles before the fuel low light turned on, while previous max miles was in 300 range. It seems as if the fuel tank design does not allow the fuel to enter and settle in the tank quickly enough when filling, causing the pump to “kick off” prematurely and not actually fill up the tank. This issue causes the vehicle to not reach the full mileage range with advertised MPG and tank capacity, causing more frequent and inconvenient trips to the gas station. We have taken the vehicle to a Toyota Service center and they documented the issue but were told by Toyota Corporate that they do not have a fix for it at this time. Tech Tip T-TT-0742-23 exists on NHTSA.GOV website related to this issue from November 2023.

NHTSA ID

11640762

Incident

May 2, 2024

This vehicle is supposed to have a 17.8 gallon tank but each time at fill up when the vehicle is on empty you can only put about 13.5 to 14 gallon of gas in the tank. Several owners are experiencing the same issues. Toyota Dealerships are aware and no action is being taken to resolve this issue. The mileage to empty is not aligning with the amount per gallon as advertised per TOYOTA manufacturer.

NHTSA ID

11640465

Incident

Jan 30, 2025

After shutting engine off, there is a gasoline smell coming from the vehicle. This repeatedly happens. I took the vehicle to the dealer who did a variety of tests but could not diagnose or fix the cause. The result is I cannot safely park the vehicle in my garage. I have requested that the complaint be sent to Toyota on January 15. No response or acknowledgment as yet.

NHTSA ID

11637935

Incident

Dec 16, 2024

Vehicle does fill gas tank to capacity of 17.2 gallons. It only fills about 12 gallons. It has a 2.6 gallon reserve so only fills about 14.5-15 gallons. The reserve is not included in range est on dash. Vehicle gets 230-270 miles per tank. You have to pull gas nozzle half way out to even get this 12.9 gallons - gas almost overflows to get this done. If your est millage left is 44 miles you can only get about 10 gallons in. The gas overflowing when trying to get more gas in the car is common. Many complaints online. This is a safety issue and known by Toyota and dealerships.

NHTSA ID

11635616

Incident

Dec 11, 2024