2026 Toyota Highlander

The foam seat cushion has failed on my 2026 Highlander. The seat causes me to sit canted towards the driver's door. The vehicle only has 11,000 mi on it and although Toyota has denied my claim to get it repaired, their service director today acknowledged that there was undue wear and tear on the seat foam. Toyota brand engagement refuses to acknowledge that they are denying my claim in writing despite me asking multiple times. The separation of the foam gives me concern that the airbag deployment will not be successful or will be erratic as well as the fact that I may not be positioned properly as I should be in the event of a collision.

NHTSA ID

11770582

Incident

Oct 5, 2026

The vehicle has a strong gas smell especially after using the car and coming to a complete stop. The gas smell comes from the gas tank. Tried putting less gas and still the problem persists.

NHTSA ID

11770357

Incident

May 5, 2026

I own a 2026 Toyota Highlander Hybrid Platinum purchased new. The vehicle has repeatedly exhibited hesitation, shuddering, jerking, and abnormal vibration during acceleration from a stop and the transition from electric propulsion to the gasoline engine. When accelerating from a stop, there can be a noticeable hesitation after pressing the accelerator before the vehicle responds. As the gasoline engine engages, the vehicle sometimes shudders or jerks before accelerating normally. I have also experienced vibration and lurching when the gasoline engine engages or disengages. At times, the condition appears more noticeable with the air conditioning operating. I am concerned this presents a safety issue because the hesitation occurs when accelerating from a stop, when predictable acceleration may be necessary to enter an intersection, cross traffic, or merge into traffic. I reported this condition to an authorized Toyota dealer, but it has not been corrected and continues to occur. I have also experienced a visibility issue involving the windshield and wipers. When the wipers operate, a hazy or filmy appearance becomes visible across the windshield as the blades pass over the glass, temporarily reducing visibility before dissipating. This continues despite attempts to clean the windshield and may involve the windshield surface, wipers, or their interaction. I am concerned because the wipers can temporarily create haze across my field of vision when clear visibility is especially important, particularly during rain, at night, or with headlight glare. I also reported the windshield/wiper issue to the authorized Toyota dealer. It remains unresolved and continues to occur. Both conditions remain unresolved, and I am concerned about the safety consequences of unpredictable acceleration and temporarily reduced forward visibility.

NHTSA ID

11760578

Incident

Aug 29, 2026

The rear back up camera is grainy the blue lines are digitized and shaky during the day everything is very blurry during the night you cannot see anything really the quality is extremely poor There are also no dynamic turning lines at all and the camera settings buttons are not present

NHTSA ID

11737939

Incident

May 1, 2026

Flash reprogramming allows the Electronic Control Unit (ECU) software to be updated without replacing the ECU. Flash calibration updates for specific vehicle models/ECUs are released as field-fix procedures described in individual Service Bulletins. This bulletin details the Global Techstream+ (GTS+) ECU flash reprogramming procedures and outlines use of the Technical Information System (TIS) and the Calibration Update Wizard+ (CUW+). To ensure the correct ECU software is installed, ECUs will require a Security Signature before the ECU will initialize the flash reprogramming sequence. This bulletin also details the process for acquiring a Security Signature from TIS during the GTS+ ECU flash reprogramming process.

2026 model year Toyota vehicles are equipped with driver side floor mat retainers to secure the floor mat in the correct position. In addition, some models may also utilize retainers for passenger side and rear seat floor mats. During Pre-Delivery Service (PDS), follow the appropriate Installation Procedure to attach the driver side, and if applicable, the passenger side and rear seatfloor mats to the vehicle carpet using the floor mat retainers.

Some 2020 – 2026 model year Highlander and Highlander Hybrid vehicles may exhibit a water leak from the roof rack attachment clips. This may be caused by the sealant in the roof channel obstructing the proper seating position for the clip gasket.

During the manufacturing process, tires are mounted on the vehicle as matched sets to help reduce conditions such as pulling or drifting. If the wheels are replaced or refinished before vehicle delivery, it is important that the tires remain on the vehicle in the same location and in the same direction of rotation.

Long-term or off-site storage requires special care to maintain vehicle condition. The following guidelines should be performed to minimize vehicle component/part degradation due to extendedvehicle storage conditions. Long-term storage can affect a vehicle’s systems and components. Any problems that are found should be corrected immediately.

A battery in a stored vehicle is subject to conditions that can reduce its performance and service life. These conditions include storage period, temperature, parasitic drain, and battery load. Because of these factors, battery inspection and maintenance are required in order to ensure proper operation and optimal battery life.