2025 Toyota Grand Highlander Problems

Experienced repeated axle issues, acceleration hesitation, and poor suspension performance. Dealer failed to identify or reproduce the problem despite multiple visits and diagnostic fees. Axles eventually required out-of-pocket replacement due to popping and clicking. Suspected axle defect persists, and the vehicle remains unsafe-feeling and unresolved. Requesting Toyota investigate and provide free repairs.

On 9/26 at about 10:15am, my husband and I were fully stopped at a red light with his foot on the brake. Without him touching the gas pedal, the car suddenly surged forward as if it had been accelerated. It stopped for a moment, then surged forward again. Because he was holding the brake, the car didn’t move much, but each surge caused a hard jolt that felt like being rear-ended. No other vehicle hit us.

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.

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.

I experienced a serious safety incident involving my 2025 Toyota Grand Highlander with approximately 14,000 miles. While driving on a straight interstate highway at approximately 70 mph, surrounded by other vehicles, the steering wheel suddenly made two to three sharp, forceful jerking movements to the left. Afterward, the steering wheel remained approximately 20 degrees off-center to the left. All lane departure assistance sensors were active during the incident. This unexpected steering behavior created a significant safety hazard. At highway speed, I could have lost control of the vehicle, departed my lane, or collided with surrounding traffic. I was able to reach my destination, but the steering wheel remained crooked. Immediately afterward, I took the vehicle to an authorized Toyota dealership for inspection and repair. The technician reported that the left rear wheel was significantly out of alignment and that the left rear alignment eccentric lock nut was loose. According to the technician, this caused excessive wear on the inside tread of the left rear tire. The dealership also performed a vehicle health check to identify any system faults. My vehicle has always been serviced by authorized Toyota dealerships. At the last service appointment, at approximately 10,000 miles, no related problems were identified. The technician confirmed that no alignment-related work had been performed during that visit. The vehicle had no previous similar issues. I am concerned that the loose alignment eccentric lock nut and resulting severe misalignment may indicate a mechanical defect that could compromise vehicle stability and steering safety. The sudden steering movements at highway speed presented a serious risk to me, my passengers, and other motorists. I respectfully request that NHTSA investigate this incident and determine whether a safety defect exists in the 2025 Toyota Grand Highlander involving the rear suspension alignment component, eccentric locking, sensors.

I continuously have issues accelerating from stop in my max hybrid. the issue is particularly worse when it is warm out. I press the gas and the RPMs drop really low and I barely move through the intersection for a few seconds. Once it finally registers after a number of seconds, the RPMs rev up over 4000. It is very dangerous trying to proceed through an intersection and the car basically stalls when I press the gas. It especially concerns me that I have my child in the car with me and I worry when it is going to act up. I know others have experienced this issue and there was a TSB for 2024 models that had this issue. I have a 2025 and experience this issue. I have had toyota look at it and they said they cant do the TSB since it's bot for my VIN. A solution needs to be found for the the safety of myself and others.

The vehicle exhibits abnormal fuel system behavior. When the vehicle reaches a low fuel condition (approximately 40–50 miles to empty), the fuel tank only accepts about 12 gallons, even though the listed tank capacity is 17.2 gallons. After refueling, the fuel gauge displays FULL and the “Distance to Empty” reading jumps to over 360 miles, which is inconsistent with the amount of fuel added. A Toyota dealer documented this behavior on a repair order, stating that the tank accepted only 12 gallons from a low fuel condition and immediately displayed a range of 363 miles. A second repair order states that the fuel system was inspected and that the tank supposedly has a “3–5 gallon reserve,” but no technical documentation was provided to support this claim. Toyota’s customer support later provided a written response stating only that mathematically 3–5 gallons must have been in the tank, without offering any engineering explanation for why the gauge reads FULL or why the vehicle reports an inflated driving range after adding only 12 gallons. The dealer also provided documentation explaining the issue using online forums and social media posts rather than Toyota engineering documentation. Safety concern: Because the gauge displays FULL and the vehicle reports a high range when the tank has not actually been filled to capacity, the vehicle may be operating with significantly less fuel than indicated. This creates a risk of unexpected fuel starvation, hybrid system shutdown, and loss of propulsion if the vehicle runs out of fuel while the driver believes adequate range remains. Supporting documents include dealer repair orders, Toyota’s written response, a dealer explanatory response, and confirmation that the issue was escalated internally.

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.

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.

The contact owns a 2025 Toyota Grand Highlander. The contact stated that while driving 60 MPH on the highway with a three-year-old child in the vehicle, the message "Pull Over Immediately and Shut Off the Vehicle" was displayed. The contact was able to pull over to the side of the road and waited for a tow truck in hot weather. The vehicle was towed to a dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the radiator was punctured by a rock that had gone through the front grille and caused a coolant leak. The dealer determined that the radiator needed to be replaced. The vehicle was scheduled for the repair. The contact informed the dealer that the failure was a common issue associated with NHTSA Action Number: DP26006 (Engine and Engine Cooling); however, the dealer informed the contact that the manufacturer was not aware of the issue. The failure mileage was approximately 12,200.

On 9/26 at about 10:15am, my husband and I were fully stopped at a red light with his foot on the brake. Without him touching the gas pedal, the car suddenly surged forward as if it had been accelerated. It stopped for a moment, then surged forward again. Because he was holding the brake, the car didn’t move much, but each surge caused a hard jolt that felt like being rear-ended. No other vehicle hit us.

Rodent damage to plant based wiring to Engine Harness A and valve vacuum hose. Cost $1700 and 2 repairs.

While driving on the highway, I heard an extremely loud noise followed by rush of wind. I was not under or near an overpass and there was nothing to indicate an impact by a foreign object. I arrived at my house 10 minutes after the incident and inspected my car. I determined the noise I experienced was the panoramic sunroof, of which the front panel spontaneously exploded while operating the vehicle. I could find no other damage to the car. The sunroof and internal shade cover were closed and not in use, nor was I trying to operate them. The sunroof had a large hole in the center directly under a luggage rail, and the glass around the hole was angled upwards. The small shards of tempered glass were contained on top of the sliding sunroof shade. There was no foreign object, damage to the soft interior sliding shade, or any dents/scratches on the roof. Had the sliding shade been open, the shards would have rained down on me and any passengers (none at time of incident). There were no vehicle warnings of any kind. I took it to the Toyota dealer who inspected the damage but refused to cover it under warranty. I filed an insurance claim with photos and it was approved for repair.

The front panel of the sunroof shattered while the vehicle was parked in our garage. Glass shards are inside the car. The dealership submitted a claim to Toyota who denied any material defect and refused to repair under warranty.

Experienced repeated axle issues, acceleration hesitation, and poor suspension performance. Dealer failed to identify or reproduce the problem despite multiple visits and diagnostic fees. Axles eventually required out-of-pocket replacement due to popping and clicking. Suspected axle defect persists, and the vehicle remains unsafe-feeling and unresolved. Requesting Toyota investigate and provide free repairs.

Transmission slipping, holding high RPM, Jerky shifts, back seat not locking at times, infotainment freezing up

On 9/26 at about 10:15am, my husband and I were fully stopped at a red light with his foot on the brake. Without him touching the gas pedal, the car suddenly surged forward as if it had been accelerated. It stopped for a moment, then surged forward again. Because he was holding the brake, the car didn’t move much, but each surge caused a hard jolt that felt like being rear-ended. No other vehicle hit us.

Adaptive cruise control causes quicker wear on rotors. Had to have them replaced at 16,000.

Load cabin wind noise. Service said it was the luggage bars on the roof. I removed the bars and the noise was the same. Came back to the shop on August 22, 2026 they looked and said the panoramic seal was lifting and leaking. Before buying the car we were told the prior issue with panoramic sunroofs leaking had been resolved. In addition the plastic handle that controls the middle seat broke off after using it three times.

Transmission slipping, holding high RPM, Jerky shifts, back seat not locking at times, infotainment freezing up

We have two forward facing car seats in the third row. When buckled according to the car seat user manuals - the seatbelts do not stay buckled. The seatbelts unbuckle while driving, creating an extremely dangerous situation for our toddlers. We take out and redo their car seats daily due to them being unbuckled while the vehicle is in motion. Our toddlers are not able to unbuckle them - so we know it is a vehicle defect. The car has been taken to the dealership where they simply tell us they can’t find an issue. We do not feel safe in this vehicle and do not want our children in there. No safety lights appear on the dash to notify us that the seats have become unbuckled.

The contact owns a 2025 Toyota Grand Highlander with an Evenflo Revolve 360 Slim car seat, Model Number: 36812470A, Manufactured Date: December 12, 2022, installed in the vehicle. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25C010000 (Child Seat). The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed with the child secured in the car seat, the contact became aware that there was an object in the child’s mouth. The contact pulled over to the side of the road and removed a foam piece from the child's mouth. The contact inspected the car seat and became aware that the foam was from the headrest. Medical attention was not needed. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure, but the contact stated that the manufacturer mailed tape to cover the exposed areas of the car seat.

I experienced a serious safety incident involving my 2025 Toyota Grand Highlander with approximately 14,000 miles. While driving on a straight interstate highway at approximately 70 mph, surrounded by other vehicles, the steering wheel suddenly made two to three sharp, forceful jerking movements to the left. Afterward, the steering wheel remained approximately 20 degrees off-center to the left. All lane departure assistance sensors were active during the incident. This unexpected steering behavior created a significant safety hazard. At highway speed, I could have lost control of the vehicle, departed my lane, or collided with surrounding traffic. I was able to reach my destination, but the steering wheel remained crooked. Immediately afterward, I took the vehicle to an authorized Toyota dealership for inspection and repair. The technician reported that the left rear wheel was significantly out of alignment and that the left rear alignment eccentric lock nut was loose. According to the technician, this caused excessive wear on the inside tread of the left rear tire. The dealership also performed a vehicle health check to identify any system faults. My vehicle has always been serviced by authorized Toyota dealerships. At the last service appointment, at approximately 10,000 miles, no related problems were identified. The technician confirmed that no alignment-related work had been performed during that visit. The vehicle had no previous similar issues. I am concerned that the loose alignment eccentric lock nut and resulting severe misalignment may indicate a mechanical defect that could compromise vehicle stability and steering safety. The sudden steering movements at highway speed presented a serious risk to me, my passengers, and other motorists. I respectfully request that NHTSA investigate this incident and determine whether a safety defect exists in the 2025 Toyota Grand Highlander involving the rear suspension alignment component, eccentric locking, sensors.

While driving my new Grand Highlander, I have experienced a serious and recurring safety issue. Even with lane assist turned off, the vehicle automatically steers to the right when I exit a regular highway — apparently misinterpreting the widening road as a lane shift. When this happens, the steering overrides my input and I am forced to pull the wheel hard to regain control and stay in my lane. This loss of steering control is dangerous and frightening, and I am formally reporting it as a significant safety concern that requires immediate attention.

I experienced a serious safety incident involving my 2025 Toyota Grand Highlander with approximately 14,000 miles. While driving on a straight interstate highway at approximately 70 mph, surrounded by other vehicles, the steering wheel suddenly made two to three sharp, forceful jerking movements to the left. Afterward, the steering wheel remained approximately 20 degrees off-center to the left. All lane departure assistance sensors were active during the incident. This unexpected steering behavior created a significant safety hazard. At highway speed, I could have lost control of the vehicle, departed my lane, or collided with surrounding traffic. I was able to reach my destination, but the steering wheel remained crooked. Immediately afterward, I took the vehicle to an authorized Toyota dealership for inspection and repair. The technician reported that the left rear wheel was significantly out of alignment and that the left rear alignment eccentric lock nut was loose. According to the technician, this caused excessive wear on the inside tread of the left rear tire. The dealership also performed a vehicle health check to identify any system faults. My vehicle has always been serviced by authorized Toyota dealerships. At the last service appointment, at approximately 10,000 miles, no related problems were identified. The technician confirmed that no alignment-related work had been performed during that visit. The vehicle had no previous similar issues. I am concerned that the loose alignment eccentric lock nut and resulting severe misalignment may indicate a mechanical defect that could compromise vehicle stability and steering safety. The sudden steering movements at highway speed presented a serious risk to me, my passengers, and other motorists. I respectfully request that NHTSA investigate this incident and determine whether a safety defect exists in the 2025 Toyota Grand Highlander involving the rear suspension alignment component, eccentric locking, sensors.