2026 Toyota Grand Highlander Owner Complaints

A rock or large insect went through the massive openings on the car’s front grille and went through the condenser destroying the air conditioning system in the car. This issue was confirmed by the insurance adjuster and a Toyota dealership and local repair shop. Both confirmed the issue was likely due to the large openings in the grille. The part is not available for inspection, as it has been replaced by a Toyota dealership, however Toyota did not consider this warranty work and I had to pay for the repair out of pocket even though the car was less than a year old.

NHTSA ID

11777399

Incident

Jun 9, 2026

On September 10th 2026 a cracked windshield was replaced by PAULY TOYOTA in Crystal Lake. The re installed windshield is unsafe/defective. I reported the problem to the dealership and TOYOTA corporate. I went back to the dealership 3 times, they cleaned the windshield and stated it was my washer fluid and after refilling with shop washer fluid its all good. Then they said it is the outside influence. It was also inspected by certified, independent glass company that confirmed that the windshield is defective and needs to be replaced because its unsafe. THe corporate officially refused to replace it.

NHTSA ID

11776899

Incident

Sep 11, 2026

I was traveling while on cruise with the max distance set between another vehicle and I. A rock popped up and managed to propel itself through the poorly designed and inadequately designed grill and into my condenser. I am apart of many Highlander support groups and this seems to be an issue with a lot of people. They have to take it upon themselves to install a mesh to prevent road debris entering through their grill. This could have been a significant safety issue had it been my radiator. Now I am out $2,000 due to faulty design on Highlander grill and I haven’t even made my first car payment yet.

NHTSA ID

11776862

Incident

Nov 5, 2026

I am filing a safety complaint for a severe steering/drivetrain defect causing dynamic alignment deflection, unexpected braking feedback, and a vehicle control hazard on my 2026 Toyota Grand Highlander (16k miles). The vehicle has a severe rotational grumbling noise under low acceleration and right after letting off the brake. On braking, a violent mechanical "thunking" noise occurs in the front chassis. The brakes also exhibit a distinct physical grinding sensation through the pedal under normal stops, despite a formal inspection confirming pads, rotors, and calipers are free of defects. The steering geometry is entirely unstable. At 10,144 miles, an alignment sweep showed the settings were within factory specs, yet all four factory tires were completely feathered with severe tread destruction. By 15,000 miles, the front left toe violently drifted out of specification by 0.20° (shifting from a near-perfect 0.04° to a severe 0.24°). This massive structural alignment shift occurred in under 5,000 miles of normal driving without any road impacts. Compounding these issues, a drain/inspection of the front differential housing at 16,000 miles revealed the factory gear fluid is completely black, burnt, and opaque, with a heavy layer of dark metallic sludge coating the magnetic drain plug. This confirms severe friction, binding, and premature mechanical breakdown within the front drivetrain assembly. Both the Toyota dealership network and Toyota corporate customer service have been presented with this mathematical alignment data and degraded fluid evidence. They flatly refuse to diagnose the root cause, inspect the steering knuckles/axles under warranty, or perform repairs, claiming the vehicle's condition is "normal." I am trapped driving an unsafe, unserviced vehicle with active steering geometry collapse.

NHTSA ID

11776839

Incident

Oct 19, 2026

Unprotected Grill A/C system. A rock can go straight through the grille and puncture the condenser.

NHTSA ID

11776744

Incident

Nov 9, 2026

Rear moonroof glass shattered spontaneously, no object impact

NHTSA ID

11776020

Incident

Nov 4, 2026

Experiencing a cabin boom. Low frequency noise and car is changing cabin pressure. Happening when going slower and over bumps or imperfections in the road. Causing severe ear pain to the point the car is not drivable. Toyota saying it is known and normal for the vehicle and will not fix it.

NHTSA ID

11775892

Incident

Oct 16, 2026

Air Conditioner Failed after a small debris hit the condenser. Defrost does not work when AC fails. Dealer confirmed small debris punctured condenser. Claim was filed with insurance for repair and inspection. No warnings AC stopped working and windows fogged.

NHTSA ID

11775189

Incident

Oct 30, 2026

On September 23, while driving 60 mph northbound on Highway 169 in Iowa with my young children in the vehicle, my 3-month-old Toyota Grand Highlander suddenly lost propulsion. The vehicle slowed dramatically, nearly causing a large truck behind me to rear-end us. I initially suspected an adaptive cruise control malfunction, but later connected the incident to condenser damage after discovering my AC no longer worked. The dealership eventually confirmed that a small projectile had damaged the condenser. Before even inspecting my vehicle, the service specialist on the phone correctly predicted the damage, explaining that this is an extremely common issue with Grand Highlanders and something they see frequently. A Toyota mechanic I know in California independently confirmed that this has been a widespread problem since the model's introduction in 2024. I understand NHTSA has already started investigating this issue (perhaps invest.#11754975), but I am reporting my experience to emphasize that the problem may be occurring far more frequently than reported. This issue is frequent enough that service personnel can instantly diagnose the issue based on car model alone. The condenser is dangerously exposed behind the Grand Highlander's large grille openings, allowing even small road debris to enter and damage it. The Lexus equivalent reportedly has protective mesh behind its grille (yet the Grand Highlander lacks similar protection). This is not merely an expensive $2,000 AC repair NOT covered by warranty, but damage that caused my vehicle to lose propulsion at highway speeds, nearly resulting in a serious collision with my children aboard. I am hesitant to repair it without a permanent preventative solution because the same dangerous failure could happen again. I urge NHTSA to investigate the frequency of this issue, because it is definitely underreported. Toyota needs to do a recall or provide a solution before a fatal accident occurs due to their poor vehicle design.

NHTSA ID

11775016

Incident

Sep 23, 2026

A small pebble or rock was thrown from another moving vehicle and it was able to get through the large holes of the grill and punctured the radiator. There isn’t adequate protection for the radiators from such common road debris.

NHTSA ID

11774554

Incident

Oct 25, 2026

The contact owns a 2026 Toyota Grand Highlander. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, the contact received a notification on the Mobile App to check the rear seat. The contact stated that upon inspecting the rear seat, the contact became aware that while adjusting the rear seat, the rear seat failed to adjust as intended. The vehicle was taken to the dealer. The contact was informed that there was no fix for the failure.

NHTSA ID

11773995

Incident

Nov 10, 2025

Summary: While turning into my driveway, the vehicle surged forward unexpectedly as I moved my foot from the accelerator to the brake pedal. The brake pedal felt normal, and none of the vehicle’s safety systems appeared to activate. The vehicle struck my husband’s parked car and then my garage door, damaging both, and I sustained minor injuries. Details: On 10/8/26, at approximately 5:58PM, I was driving home from work and turning into my two-car driveway. I normally park to the left of my husband’s vehicle, which was parked in the driveway. As I turned in, I took my foot off the accelerator and moved it to the brake pedal, as I normally do. The brake pedal felt normal. Instead of slowing, the vehicle surged forward abruptly. No warning lights, alerts, or automatic interventions activated that I noticed. The vehicle struck my husband’s car and then continued to collide into my garage door. During the event, I was gripping the gear shifter. After the car collided into the garage, the vehicle stopped. Outcome: Both my husband’s vehicle and my garage door were damaged. I sustained back pain and a sprained right ring finger, which I believe resulted from bracing against the gear shifter during the impact. Additional information: I believe an electronic malfunction caused the vehicle to accelerate abruptly as I transitioned between pedals.

NHTSA ID

11773404

Incident

Oct 8, 2026

The vehicle’s fuel system is allowing a large amount of gas fumes to escape. The gas fumes are more noticeable on the driver side and in hotter weather. The vehicle has a significantly low MPG than advertised with some trip readings showing 11 MPG. The issue has been reported twice to the dealership and they stated that they cannot duplicate the problem but stated that they have received multiple reports from other vehicle owners of similar issues. The fuel system leak presents a risk of fire or explosion when the vehicle is stored in a confined space such as a garage. We first noticed the issue back in August or early September. I parked the vehicle in the garage and the space quickly filled with gas fumes. When I returned to the garage and the door to the dwelling was left open my home also filled with fumes. My daughter complained of the smell and stated that it was giving her a headache. I no longer park the vehicle in the garage. Since then I have noticed from time to time, the smell of gas fumes in the cabin. The vehicle is available for inspection upon request.

NHTSA ID

11773306

Incident

Aug 20, 2026

The seal around my moon roof keeps coming out & now when it rains, it's coming through my car and ruining my seats. my seats are always soaked when it rains.

NHTSA ID

11773115

Incident

Oct 22, 2026

Back pockets of the driver and passenger seats were torn at all 4 corners. Did not realize this when the car was purchased because I do not sit in the back seat and my kids have never put anything in the pockets. Obviously by just looking at the pockets you can see that it is a manufacturer defect. Toyota is blaming children or putting things to heavy in the pockets. Poor workmanship. Basically, saying that if they were to say this was poor workmanship, they would have to pay to fix. This was a purchased brand-new car. I have seen other complaints about this situation online.

NHTSA ID

11772694

Incident

Feb 27, 2026

I have had my 2026 Grand Highlander Max Hybrid for only 3 months. Shortly after buying it I started noticing issues with how it shifted. It was hard for me to explain at first, but as the issue happened more it became more apparent. Periodically when driving I will be stopped at a red light or stop sign and attempt to accelerate and there is an obvious delay for a couple seconds followed by a surge of acceleration to high RPM. My foot is in a general form for acceleration at about 25 mph. This is concerning because if I pull in front of traffic timing when based on the expected acceleration, you can imagine that this is scary if I have this delay and oncoming traffic hits me. This issue is the most obvious, but there are other issues such as jerking and rough shifting at lower speeds periodically. I have taken in the car 5 times now. The first time they replicated it and said they did an update that fixed it. It did not resolve. The other times they have not been able to replicate it because it happens periodically and I can’t go without my car for several days or weeks for them to drive it to see if it does it. I have filed a issue claim and lemon law with Toyota and they just told me to go back to the dealership and denied my lemon law claim. This is a huge safety concern and Toyota isn’t doing anything about it.

NHTSA ID

11772259

Incident

Aug 24, 2026

I am reporting a serious safety concern involving the right rear passenger door of my 2026 Toyota Grand Highlander Hybrid, which has approximately 11,000 miles. My [XXX] daughter attempted to exit the vehicle from the rear passenger seat but was unable to open the door from inside. I immediately attempted to open the door from outside to assist her, but the exterior handle also failed to release the door. After approximately seven attempts, the door finally opened. This is extremely concerning because my child was effectively trapped inside the vehicle, and I was unable to open the door to assist her. In the event of an accident, vehicle fire, or other emergency, this malfunction could prevent passengers from escaping or delay emergency responders. I have since discovered reports from other Toyota Grand Highlander owners describing similar failures, including the same right rear passenger door refusing to open from either side. My vehicle is nearly new, with only 11,000 miles, and I am concerned that this may indicate a defective door latch, lock actuator, or related mechanism. I am requesting that NHTSA investigate whether this is a broader safety defect affecting Toyota Grand Highlander vehicles. A passenger door should reliably open when properly unlocked, especially when a child is inside. This malfunction presents a serious potential risk to occupant safety. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ID

11772007

Incident

Oct 19, 2026

My Toyota Grand Highlander Hybrid Limited has 16000 miles. Yesterday, 5 vehicle alerts appeared simultaneously: Check Engine, AWD system, Drive-Start control system, Intelligent clearance Sonar, and Hybrid system. The vehicle has reduced power and check engine light is illuminated. I towed the vehicle to dealership. They found damage to inverter radiator causing a leak of coolant. Dealership mentioned that this could be because of flying debris hitting the vent. I am requesting a goodwill technical review and repair of the same. Referencing to the NHTSA defect petition DP26006 where people have encountered similar issues with the grand highlanders from 2024-2026.

NHTSA ID

11770851

Incident

Oct 12, 2026

Vehicle is experiencing hesitation, stuttering, and almost stalling at low speeds when the engine is running (it is a hybrid). Sometimes when pressing the accelerator when the vehicle experiences this hesitation, the vehicle does not move forward and bogs down, almost stalling out. This has happened twice when trying to quickly pull into traffic, and has almost resulted in an accident, since the vehicle failed to move forward when commanded. The dealership was able to reproduce the issue but said there is no fix available. There are no warning lamps or messages associated with this condition.

NHTSA ID

11770122

Incident

Sep 15, 2026

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.

NHTSA ID

11768726

Incident

Sep 29, 2026

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.

NHTSA ID

11768711

Incident

Oct 3, 2026

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.

NHTSA ID

11768701

Incident

Sep 25, 2026

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.

NHTSA ID

11767749

Incident

Sep 29, 2026

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.

NHTSA ID

11767296

Incident

Aug 1, 2026

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.

NHTSA ID

11765486

Incident

Apr 28, 2026