2026 Toyota Grand Highlander problems

STRUCTURE:BODY

Front bumper grille too large. I see lots of bugs stuck on top of radiator. Very exposed for rocks to enter and damage cooling systems.

NHTSA complaint #11758691 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

STRUCTURE:BODY

My 2026 Toyota Grand Highlander Platinum has an issue that is commonly referred to as "cabin boom". It occurs at approximately 30mph going over bumps or rough patches in the road. When it occurs it creates a droning noise that amplifies the bump or rough surface you drove over and also creates a cabin pressure similar to flying on an airplane. This issue has caused significant ear pressure and headaches from driving my brand new vehicle. As a chronic migraine sufferer, this is unacceptable when you commute 25 miles to and from work. The issue has been reproduced by the Toyota dealership and they are currently in a waiting phase of next steps from Toyota corporate engineers on how to fix the issue, however there is no timeline on a resolution. Considering this has been an issue for over two years I find it unacceptable. They have added sound proofing materials around the spare tire and that didn't help the issue at all. This has apparently been an issue since the first Grand Highlander model was released, however it seems to not affect all of them but does affect across all trim levels.My dealership just got two brand new Grand Highlanders in this past week, and they make the same exact sound. I'm hoping with more reports of the issue Toyota will actually address it because I know of many other owners who have this problem. Other owners have taken these same steps over the past two years with no results. Please help make Toyota recognize and figure this out.

NHTSA complaint #11758692 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

I was driving down [XXX] at approximately [XXX] this morning and heard a loud bang, then an air sound like window not fully closed, then heard crumbling glass falling into Sunroof shade. Initially I thought I had a tire blowout or someone on the access road fired a pistol. When I stopped and took a picture of the sunroof I saw the front sunroof glass bulging upward and the whole window was cracked with glass lying in the sunroof shade. If I had the sunroof shade open the glass would have been all over my head. I reported the incident to Orr Toyota in Hot Springs, ar. and they informed me that Toyota claims that something impacted the window. There was no impact to the window as it would have caused the window to bulge inward if that occurred. They evidently ignored my original picture so I don't see how they could make a determination of impact after I'd driven the vehicle more than 50 miles to get to their location (The event occurred in Bryant, ar). INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA complaint #11756523 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

STRUCTURE:BODY:HOOD

My 2026 Toyota Grand Highlander exhibits abnormal fluttering/vibration of the hood at speeds above approximately 25 mph. I have identified that this is the same defect documented in Toyota's own Technical Service Bulletin T-SB-0111-24 (issued December 4, 2024), which addresses this condition on 2024 model year Grand Highlander and Grand Highlander Hybrid vehicles, with the same complaint widely reported by 2025 model year owners as well. Despite this being a known, documented Toyota defect for three consecutive model years, I have been unable to get it resolved through Toyota's official channels: I contacted Toyota's PATT Lab (Parts and Technical Assistance) regarding the vibration under Dealership Task Number DC261970283. PATT Lab informed me that other 2026 model year vehicles exhibit the same condition, characterized it as "intended behavior," and closed the task without applying the known TSB remedy. I was directed to Toyota Brand Engagement for further assistance. This was opened as Case Number 260722000822. Toyota Brand Engagement stated they are not mechanics and that the issue must be resolved at the dealership level, but has provided no directive or authorization to the dealership to perform the known TSB repair. As a result, I am caught in a loop between Toyota corporate departments, none of which will authorize or perform the fix that Toyota's own engineering team has already documented and issued a bulletin for. My vehicle has a known manufacturing/design defect that Toyota has acknowledged in writing for prior model years, yet I am being told simultaneously that it is "normal" and that it's a dealership matter — while no dealership has been given authorization to apply the remedy. Requested Action: I am requesting that Toyota Motor Sales, USA be required to apply the existing Technical Service Bulletin remedy (or its 2026 model year equivalent) to my vehicle at no cost, consistent with how this defect has already been addressed for 2024 and 2025 mod

NHTSA complaint #11752112 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

VISIBILITY/WIPER

I haven’t had no accident in my car

NHTSA complaint #11750959 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE

Component: Automatic transmission, 2026 Toyota Grand Highlander Hybrid MAX Platinum AWD. Available for inspection. Purchased new 11/21/2025 at zero miles. Beginning ~2000 miles (est Feb 2026), intermittent transmission malfunction during acceleration: transmission holds gears at elevated RPMs beyond expected shift point, then shifts harshly or shudders violently. Documentation began 6/1/2026; current odometer 8936 miles. Occurs from 22–64 mph, most commonly 30–44 mph, in Normal and Sport modes, after cold starts, extended driving, and brief stops. RPMs typically hang at 3500–4000 before shifting. Documented incidents over the last month: June 1, 2026, 3:20 PM: Approximately 1 min after cold start, turned right at a light to 33 mph. Violent shake and abnormally loud acceleration during gear change. June 2, 2026, 3:00 PM: Turning right and accelerating after driving approximately 1 min, transmission revved high; had to release throttle to force the shift. June 11, 2026, 4:40 PM: After cold start, driving up a small incline about .4 miles away, transmission revved high and delayed shift at 35–45 mph. June 12, 2026, 3:17 PM: After 17 minutes of driving, accelerating from a cloverleaf around 25 mph to 64 mph, revved at 4000 June 19, 2026, 3:00 PM: After 2 hours of driving and a 5 min stop, turning right out of a shopping center, transmission hung up three consecutive times at 35–40 mph, RPMs at 3500–4000. June 20, 2026, 11:17 AM: Accelerating off a cloverleaf at 57 mph. RPMs hung at 4000 before shifting. June 30, 2026, 10:23 AM: Pulling out of neighborhood after backing out of driveway. RPM hang at approximately 22 mph, then again at 43 mph Safety risk: Unexpected RPM surge and violent gear change during acceleration on highway on-ramps, cloverleaf merges, and intersections creates unpredictable vehicle response at speed, presenting collision risk to driver and surrounding vehicles Dealer/service: Not confirmed by dealer. Assessed at ~6000 miles with no issues found

NHTSA complaint #11747505 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

Bought the vehicle in October 2025 everything was going fine. I went away for a few days came back and the A/C was not working. I took it to the dealership where I purchased it and was told outside influence and they refused to repair unless I pay $1900. I have bumper to bumper coverage for 5 years, My point is for a SUV that is costing over $50,000. If the condenser is such a sensitive piece of equipment it shouldn't not be placed in front of the vehicle unprotected. This is a design flaw because the SUV is made to be driven on the highway.

NHTSA complaint #11745755 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE

Failed System: Fuel Injector Failure (?) at high speeds, under load (uphill), causing an immediate and life threatening loss of power. While traveling on the highway, going up mountainous areas, the vehicle loses power and shakes violently. During multiple repairs/visits, the dealerships state that it is the failure of fuel injectors. They are replaced, and it happens again with the same explanation. Safety: Three times my family has lost power at 70mph while traveling uphill surrounded by many cars. The last event ended in a a scary and close interaction with an 18 wheel truck that was unable to stop as we lost power. Dealer Confirmation: The dealer has confirmed, on two separate occasions, that the fuel injectors needed replaced. The vehicle has 3,000 miles on it. At 2,000 miles, damage was found to the fuel injectors. They were replaced and the car was placed back in my possession. At 3,000 miles, the incident occurred for the 3rd time and damage was again found with the fuel injectors. Inspection: Dealerships as well as Toyota's field technician have inspected/repaired the vehicle 2 times and is currently at a dealership for the 3rd time. Warning messages: After the incident occurs, multiple warning lights appear (check engine and hybrid system malfunction).

NHTSA complaint #11740216 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

Failed System: Fuel Injector Failure (?) at high speeds, under load (uphill), causing an immediate and life threatening loss of power. While traveling on the highway, going up mountainous areas, the vehicle loses power and shakes violently. During multiple repairs/visits, the dealerships state that it is the failure of fuel injectors. They are replaced, and it happens again with the same explanation. Safety: Three times my family has lost power at 70mph while traveling uphill surrounded by many cars. The last event ended in a a scary and close interaction with an 18 wheel truck that was unable to stop as we lost power. Dealer Confirmation: The dealer has confirmed, on two separate occasions, that the fuel injectors needed replaced. The vehicle has 3,000 miles on it. At 2,000 miles, damage was found to the fuel injectors. They were replaced and the car was placed back in my possession. At 3,000 miles, the incident occurred for the 3rd time and damage was again found with the fuel injectors. Inspection: Dealerships as well as Toyota's field technician have inspected/repaired the vehicle 2 times and is currently at a dealership for the 3rd time. Warning messages: After the incident occurs, multiple warning lights appear (check engine and hybrid system malfunction).

NHTSA complaint #11740216 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM

2nd time ac system stoppped working with 6000. Miles on it after 3rd time same problem it will be under lemon law

NHTSA complaint #11739160 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

STRUCTURE:BODY

While i was closing the trunk Did press area below my license plate to close the trunk, and got a dent below the license playe. Looks like very poor quality of steel being used

NHTSA complaint #11736903 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

Moon roof exploded while driving on highway. This is most likely due the to temperate glass used for the moon roof. No collision happened, no debris flying from somewhere else hit the glass, there was no cause for it shatter, the glass just exploded almost causing my family to get injured from glass shards falling down. Thankfully the cover was there and the moon roof wasn’t open.

NHTSA complaint #11735572 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

My 2026 Toyota Grand Highlander Hybrid sunroof shattered spontaneously while driving - no impact, no prior damage. I was driving at 20-25 mph on a feeder way, approaching a signal

NHTSA complaint #11732819 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

STRUCTURE:BODY

While driving at approximately 20-25 mph, the panoramic sunroof glass of my vehicle suddenly shattered without any warning. There was no impact from road debris, no visible chip, and no prior damage to the glass. The glass appeared to explode outward, creating a loud noise and causing shattered glass to fall inside the vehicle. This created a dangerous situation that could have led to driver distraction or injury. Safety Concern: This incident poses a serious safety risk. Sudden shattering of the sunroof while driving can: Distract the driver and lead to loss of control Cause injury from falling or flying glass Create hazardous driving conditions, especially at highway speeds Dealer Response: I reported the issue to a Toyota dealership, but they denied warranty coverage, stating it was not covered without providing evidence of impact damage. Additional Notes: There was no visible point of impact, which suggests a possible stress fracture or manufacturing defect rather than external damage. Request: I request that NHTSA investigate this issue as a potential defect, as spontaneous sunroof glass failure while driving presents a significant safety hazard.

NHTSA complaint #11732822 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

WHEELS

Car vibrates at high speeds. Dealers idea of fixing is to "overinflate tires, drive for 45 minutes and then let hang on lift"

NHTSA complaint #11732329 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE

I purchased this vehicle new from Toyota of madison in Indiana on 3/26/2026. It had 300+ miles on it. Had it for just a week before this warning light came on while idling or driving very slowly..… High Coolant Temp. Pull over in a safe area immediately. My temperature gauge was in the red. I pulled over. Called closest dealership who stated closed for Easter. After several hours of personal researching on the internet of a potential cause , I examined the engine only to find that my Radiator Fan had been UNPLUGGED!! No wonder the engine was overheating. I currently own 4 corollas, one 2025 tundra, and one sienna. I have never had this issue with Toyota. Why was the radiator fan unplugging and Who unplugged this radiator fan and forgot to plug it back?????

NHTSA complaint #11729249 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INSTRUMENT CLUSTER/PANEL

When I went to turn the car on last Tuesday (3/24.2026), the entire digital dashboard was black. I tried restarting the car a few times with no resolution. Thankfully, the infotainment screen and heads up display (HUD) were on and working fine. If it was not for the HUD, I would of had no idea what my speed was driving home. However, I was unable to see my gas level or other safety features which is concerning. Once I got the car home about 15 minutes later, we turned the car off and back on and everything was fine. So far, everything has been working normally ever since. I did take a picture of the black screen as you can see for proof. Please reach out if you need more information.

NHTSA complaint #11727530 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

LANE DEPARTURE: ASSIST

When I went to turn the car on last Tuesday (3/24.2026), the entire digital dashboard was black. I tried restarting the car a few times with no resolution. Thankfully, the infotainment screen and heads up display (HUD) were on and working fine. If it was not for the HUD, I would of had no idea what my speed was driving home. However, I was unable to see my gas level or other safety features which is concerning. Once I got the car home about 15 minutes later, we turned the car off and back on and everything was fine. So far, everything has been working normally ever since. I did take a picture of the black screen as you can see for proof. Please reach out if you need more information.

NHTSA complaint #11727530 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

LANE DEPARTURE: WARNING

When I went to turn the car on last Tuesday (3/24.2026), the entire digital dashboard was black. I tried restarting the car a few times with no resolution. Thankfully, the infotainment screen and heads up display (HUD) were on and working fine. If it was not for the HUD, I would of had no idea what my speed was driving home. However, I was unable to see my gas level or other safety features which is concerning. Once I got the car home about 15 minutes later, we turned the car off and back on and everything was fine. So far, everything has been working normally ever since. I did take a picture of the black screen as you can see for proof. Please reach out if you need more information.

NHTSA complaint #11727530 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

Front windshield cracked on its own. Car was parked in driveway and there was nothing affecting the crack. It cracked on its own. This is brand new car Grand Highlander 2026 and owned for only 1 month. The front windshield shod not crack like that on its own out of nowhere. I read many other reviews from other owners facing the same issues. Most of them mentioning that this has happened because of the poor installation and some mentioning that even after replacing the windshield it has cracked again. Toyota should address this as a recall asap. For a car that costs $60,000.00 and not being able to install a proper front windshield is very sad to hear it from Toyota. That was number one reason I went to buy the Grand Highlander Limited 2026 thinking that there wont be any issues but the stress started already to accumulate. What could be next?

NHTSA complaint #11722133 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

STRUCTURE:BODY

We were going down the highway in our brand new Grand Highlander yesterday (3500 miles, 3 months old) and it was like a bomb had gone off. The panoramic sunroof exploded up and out. Glass started falling on my daughter whom was in the middle seat. My husband had to quickly pull off the highway to safety. I have never experienced anything like this and it was extremely scary. Obviously there is a defect that needs to be addressed.

NHTSA complaint #11718364 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

At low speeds under 40 mph, there is a very pronounced and uncomfortable cabin boom noise when going over bumps.

NHTSA complaint #11717218 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

SERVICE BRAKES

The Electronic Park Brake (EPB) fails to release when the car is shifted into gear. The park brake dashboard light remains on, and the brake does not release. The problem is intermittent but has occurred multiple times in the first 2 months and 2,000 miles of owning the newly purchased vehicle. The vehicle was purchased in Nov 2025, and in Jan 2026 it was taken to the authorized Toyota service center at the Toyota dealership where it was purchased to have this issue repaired. But Toyota refused to replace any parts. Multiple photographs of the brake failure were provided to the Toyota service center, but they will not replace any parts or do any repairs related to the issue unless they can replicate the intermittent failure while the car is at the service center garage.

NHTSA complaint #11713179 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING

The Electronic Park Brake (EPB) fails to release when the car is shifted into gear. The park brake dashboard light remains on, and the brake does not release. The problem is intermittent but has occurred multiple times in the first 2 months and 2,000 miles of owning the newly purchased vehicle. The vehicle was purchased in Nov 2025, and in Jan 2026 it was taken to the authorized Toyota service center at the Toyota dealership where it was purchased to have this issue repaired. But Toyota refused to replace any parts. Multiple photographs of the brake failure were provided to the Toyota service center, but they will not replace any parts or do any repairs related to the issue unless they can replicate the intermittent failure while the car is at the service center garage.

NHTSA complaint #11713179 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

I recently purchased a Toyota Grand Highlander just two days ago, and I’m experiencing a serious issue that is affecting my ability to drive the vehicle safely. At speeds between 25–40 mph, there is a significant cabin boom and echo inside the vehicle. This creates a pressure sensation in my ears, causing nausea, disorientation, and physical discomfort. I’ve only driven about 50 miles, and the symptoms are severe enough that I cannot continue driving the vehicle.

NHTSA complaint #11697688 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.