2024 Toyota Grand Highlander problems

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

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 complaint #11763866 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

POWER TRAIN

2024 Toyota Grand Highlander XLE FWD. At approximately 38,000 miles I began hearing a roaring/humming noise that varied with vehicle speed. The condition initially progressed slowly but then became much worse within several days. At 41,510 miles a Toyota dealer diagnosed and replaced the right rear hub/wheel bearing assembly. I was advised that the failed bearing was nearly seized when removed. After replacement the noise was reduced but remained present. The dealer was uncertain whether another bearing was failing and initially believed the remaining noise could be tire noise, advising me to monitor it. The noise again deteriorated rapidly and became severe enough that I considered the vehicle unsafe to drive. At 42,223 miles the same dealer diagnosed and replaced the left rear hub/wheel bearing assembly. The noise disappeared after replacement. Both rear wheel bearings therefore failed at approximately 40,000–42,000 miles within about 700 miles of each other. The vehicle has no known accident or suspension damage and the dealer identified no other condition causing the failures. I am concerned that rapid deterioration or seizure of a wheel bearing while driving could result in loss of vehicle control.

NHTSA complaint #11762946 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

WHEELS

2024 Toyota Grand Highlander XLE FWD. At approximately 38,000 miles I began hearing a roaring/humming noise that varied with vehicle speed. The condition initially progressed slowly but then became much worse within several days. At 41,510 miles a Toyota dealer diagnosed and replaced the right rear hub/wheel bearing assembly. I was advised that the failed bearing was nearly seized when removed. After replacement the noise was reduced but remained present. The dealer was uncertain whether another bearing was failing and initially believed the remaining noise could be tire noise, advising me to monitor it. The noise again deteriorated rapidly and became severe enough that I considered the vehicle unsafe to drive. At 42,223 miles the same dealer diagnosed and replaced the left rear hub/wheel bearing assembly. The noise disappeared after replacement. Both rear wheel bearings therefore failed at approximately 40,000–42,000 miles within about 700 miles of each other. The vehicle has no known accident or suspension damage and the dealer identified no other condition causing the failures. I am concerned that rapid deterioration or seizure of a wheel bearing while driving could result in loss of vehicle control.

NHTSA complaint #11762946 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

POWER TRAIN

When ambient temperature are over ~90 the vehicle will lose power during acceleration. This happens typically in the speed range of ~20-35mph. The vehicle’s rpm will spike high but lose the ability to increase speed or shift gears. This occurs ~ 40-50% of the time when over 90 degrees. On several occasions we were forced to abandon merging onto the highway because the vehicle wasn’t safely able to accelerate to match the speed of vehicles on the highway. We reported this issue to our local Toyota dealer September 2025. After reviewing the vehicle they said nothing was wrong. We had them drive it longer and they agreed the vehicle had these issues. The dealership spoke with Toyota and they confirmed there was an issue for our vehicle and a lot of others and they had no fix for it. That was September 30, 2025; Toyota Brand Engagement Center Reference # 250923001413. There has been no communication from Toyota or our dealer since then. The safety issue with the vehicle is a major concern in operation of the vehicle and with the hot climate we live in, is putting our occupants and others on the road at risk and we feel Toyota needs to be held accountable for finding the issue(s) and correcting them.

NHTSA complaint #11762145 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

If my car has been sitting for a while, especially in the heat, and occasionally at random times, when you get in the car and press the gas, the car will not move. This happened twice where I was almost put in a very bad accident. There is a very hard intersection near my son’s school. I have to take a left hand turn- and you have to be quick because there is no light. I turned left and my car would not go- I was stuck in oncoming traffic and the car would not move whatsoever. It was very dangerous and very scary. This has happened where it almost caused a very bad accident becuase the gas pedal would not move the car. The dealership couldn’t replicate and said it wasn’t an issue. But it is continuing to happen, and it is very dangerous. Maybe it has something to do with the battery getting hot and somehow power doesn’t get to the gas/engine e

NHTSA complaint #11762268 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

If my car has been sitting for a while, especially in the heat, and occasionally at random times, when you get in the car and press the gas, the car will not move. This happened twice where I was almost put in a very bad accident. There is a very hard intersection near my son’s school. I have to take a left hand turn- and you have to be quick because there is no light. I turned left and my car would not go- I was stuck in oncoming traffic and the car would not move whatsoever. It was very dangerous and very scary. This has happened where it almost caused a very bad accident becuase the gas pedal would not move the car. The dealership couldn’t replicate and said it wasn’t an issue. But it is continuing to happen, and it is very dangerous. Maybe it has something to do with the battery getting hot and somehow power doesn’t get to the gas/engine e

NHTSA complaint #11762268 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

POWER TRAIN

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 complaint #11761276 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE

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 complaint #11761276 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

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 complaint #11761276 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE

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

NHTSA complaint #11760569 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

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

NHTSA complaint #11760569 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

STRUCTURE:BODY

The vehicle’s A/C suddenly began blowing hot air. We took it in for diagnosis. The technician asked if the vehicle had been in an accident, if the front had hit anything, or if we had noticed hitting a rock or other object. We answered no to all questions. The technician stated they have seen this issue numerous times, where road debris passes through the large openings in the factory front grille and damages the A/C condenser. The condenser was found to have localized physical damage of approximately 1 cm in size, consistent with an impact from a rock or other road debris. The impact cracked/punctured the condenser, causing refrigerant to leak from the sealed A/C system and the A/C system to stop functioning. The condenser requires replacement. We researched this issue and found other Toyota owners reporting similar condenser damage from road debris entering through the front grille. We understand that road debris and normal wear can occur, but our concern is that the large factory grille openings allow ordinary roadway debris to directly reach the condenser, with inadequate shielding or protection. A $1,700 repair for a condenser that can be damaged by ordinary road debris entering through the factory grille openings is a significant and potentially recurring expense. Consumers should not reasonably expect to repeatedly incur this level of repair cost because a critical component is inadequately protected from normal roadway conditions, particularly when the vehicle is also covered by an extended warranty that does not cover the repair. This issue also appears relevant to NHTSA Petition DP26006. We ask NHTSA to investigate whether this design leaves the condenser unnecessarily vulnerable to normal roadway debris and whether other vehicles are experiencing the same problem. While the immediate result is loss of A/C, we are concerned about the broader safety implications of critical vehicle components being vulnerable to damage under normal driving conditions.

NHTSA complaint #11760369 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

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 complaint #11760346 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

Multiple times a week in the summer my car will hesitate to go once I have stopped at a stop sign/busy four way intersection. When I push the gas the car doesn’t respond and hesitates for a long while before I can get the car to start moving again. The car will roll into the intersection after I take my foot off the break to go and it won’t do anything. It is terrifying and confuses other drivers around me thinking that I am letting them go. This has happened upwards of 20 times since I have had the car. It happens only on hot days when the external temperature is above 80 or so degrees and happens when car is freshly started. It reliably happens when I go up a pretty small hill by my house about 1 minute after starting the car (even when it is coming from being parked in my garage). Joseph Toyota on Colerain in Cincinnati has not been able to reproduce the issue. I drive with two children in the car and it is so scary when it happens because I have almost been hit with them in the car many times now.

NHTSA complaint #11759636 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

A/C condenser damaged and broken caused by open grill design.

NHTSA complaint #11759777 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

POWER TRAIN

Sometimes, when trying to accelerate in certain situations, the vehicle accelerator pedal will not respond or the engine stutters and won't immediately respond to input and the vehicle seems to stall. This has been scary several times in traffic. The vehicle originally would throw an engine code on the dash about system failure and was taken into the dealer after several of these incidents and a software updates was performed, but it still happens randomly although now with no code.

NHTSA complaint #11759560 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

Sometimes, when trying to accelerate in certain situations, the vehicle accelerator pedal will not respond or the engine stutters and won't immediately respond to input and the vehicle seems to stall. This has been scary several times in traffic. The vehicle originally would throw an engine code on the dash about system failure and was taken into the dealer after several of these incidents and a software updates was performed, but it still happens randomly although now with no code.

NHTSA complaint #11759560 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

Damage occurred to the front air conditioning system because a rock flew through the open grill area. This punctured the system causing a couple thousand dollar repair, not under warranty. The car was nearly brand new at the time. The grill area is a problem, it's a bad design.

NHTSA complaint #11759524 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

My coolant evaporates . I think a tick hit through grill and damaged the heat exchanger. I have to fill the coolant monthly

NHTSA complaint #11759554 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

STRUCTURE:BODY

Damage occurred to the front air conditioning system because a rock flew through the open grill area. This punctured the system causing a couple thousand dollar repair, not under warranty. The car was nearly brand new at the time. The grill area is a problem, it's a bad design.

NHTSA complaint #11759524 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE

The engine would not engage for 4-5 seconds when pulling out of my neighborhood. Gas pedal was all the way down and after a delay, the car rolled forward as if trying to start in 2nd/3rd gear. I am a cautious driver, but this is an unsafe scenario when pulling out into traffic.

NHTSA complaint #11759500 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE

Sometimes, when trying to accelerate in certain situations, the vehicle accelerator pedal will not respond or the engine stutters and won't immediately respond to input and the vehicle seems to stall. This has been scary several times in traffic. The vehicle originally would throw an engine code on the dash about system failure and was taken into the dealer after several of these incidents and a software updates was performed, but it still happens randomly although now with no code.

NHTSA complaint #11759560 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

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 complaint #11759577 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

POWER TRAIN

The contact owns a 2024 Toyota Grand Highlander. The contact stated that while making a right turn from a complete stop to merge into traffic, the vehicle hesitated and failed to exceed 7–10 MPH. The contact released and then depressed the accelerator pedal again, and the vehicle responded as intended. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where software updates were performed on several occasions; however, the failures persisted. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 800.

NHTSA complaint #11759021 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.