What 197 owners told NHTSA about the 2024 Toyota Grand Highlander

On February 25, 2025, I took my car into Freeman Toyota dealership in Santa Rosa for a recall on the airbags (24TA09 SAFETY (NONCOMPLIANCE) RECALL 24TA09(Remedy Notice) - Certain 2024 Model Year GrandHighlander and Grand Highlander HV - Curtain ShieldAirbags May Not Deploy As Intended). In the labor notes, they claimed to have performed the recall - 1. PERFORMED THE 24TA09 AND REPLACED BOTH LEFT AND RIGHT HAND CSA ASSEMBLIES. OP CODE: 24TA09R1.3.1 HRS. However, on June 24, 2025, the Toyota was involved in a collision with a deer. The autobody shop confirmed that the airbag sensors went off, but the airbags did not deploy. A claim was filed with my insurance company, and the airbags have been replaced by the autobody shop. The vehicle did not get back to the dealership.

NHTSA ODI 11723598

The contact owns a 2024 Toyota Grand Highlander. The contact stated that after driving into the garage and while pressing the brake pedal, the vehicle suddenly experienced unintended acceleration, lurched forward, and crashed into the husband's workbench. During the incident, the brake pedal was forcefully pressed, but the vehicle did not immediately stop. No injuries were reported. The husband's workbench was destroyed. The vehicle was later driven to the local dealer, who was unable to determine the cause of the failure. The manufacturer was notified of the incident, and an investigator was sent to examine the vehicle. The investigator reported that no trouble was found with the vehicle, and the crash was due to driver error. The contact insisted that no driver error had occurred, and the incident occurred while the brake pedal was being forcefully pressed. The failure mileage was 14,000.

NHTSA ODI 11723219

My car suddenly shook violently while at complete stop at a stop light. Also, the brake feels weird at times when slowing down.

NHTSA ODI 11723452

I am submitting this complaint regarding a catalytic converter failure on my vehicle and the manufacturer’s refusal to honor the warranty. My vehicle is a Toyota that is approximately two years old and currently has about 31,000 miles. The catalytic converter has failed well before what would normally be expected for this component. When I brought the vehicle to the dealership for repair under warranty, Toyota declined to cover the repair. They stated the failure was due to “contaminated fuel,” but they did not provide any evidence or test results showing that contaminated fuel was present in the vehicle. I have not been provided with documentation, diagnostic data, or fuel analysis supporting this claim. The denial appears to be based on assumption rather than proof. Because catalytic converters are emissions components that are typically expected to last much longer and are often covered by extended emissions warranties, I am concerned this may represent a broader issue affecting consumers. Vehicle details and service documentation can be provided upon request. I am requesting that this matter be reviewed and that the manufacturer be required to provide evidence supporting their claim or honor the warranty repair. Thank you for your time and consideration.

NHTSA ODI 11722536

The contact owns a 2024 Toyota Grand Highlander. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V595000 (Electrical System), and the vehicle was taken to the dealer on several occasions, but the dealer informed the contact that the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the instrument panel had failed. Additionally, the contact stated that the vehicle was not driving properly, and the vehicle was shuddering while exceeding 70 MPH. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed with an axle leak, and the contact was informed that there was no warning light illuminated for the failure due to the instrument panel failure. The axle leak was repaired; however, the failure persisted. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, and a case was filed; however, no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 9,000.

NHTSA ODI 11719872

I own a 2024 Toyota Grand Highlander Hybrid and am experiencing an intermittent knocking/clicking noise that appears to come from the drivetrain area. The noise occurs most often during low-speed driving and while turning left or right, particularly on the first drive of the day after the vehicle has been sitting overnight, but it has also occurred at other times while driving. The condition is intermittent and does not occur every trip, however it has been heard by multiple drivers. The noise is most noticeable during light acceleration combined with steering input at lower speeds. I have brought the vehicle to the dealership for inspection, but the condition has not yet been duplicated during testing. I am concerned this may indicate a developing drivetrain or axle-related issue that could affect vehicle safety if it worsens while the vehicle is in motion. I am submitting this report so the condition can be documented and evaluated for potential safety concerns affecting this vehicle model.

NHTSA ODI 11718519

I had my front axle assemblies replace under T-SB-0082-24 around 20,000 to 25,000 due to rotational clicking noise per bulletin. The tsb uses the old part number which was the defective original part. The axles are failing agin at 50,000 and the dealer and toyota are refusing to fix it as they can’t replicate in shop. There is a new part number that was updated and supposedly fixed the issue but that is not the part that was installed in my car. They stopped the production line and updated the part at one point supposedly there was not enough grease in the cv joint boots causing premature wear. The old part number is still listed in the tsb even though it is superceded, tsb should be update or recall issued for all affected models to get the new updated part. Old part number 43420-0E340 new part 43420-0E341. Other side old part 43410-0E520 new part 43410-0E521. Toyota installed the old obsolete parts on my car in all paperwork for my work history and is refusing to install a working set of axles.

NHTSA ODI 11717584

2024 toyota grand highlander had TSB 0082-24 repair done around 20,0000 to 25,000 miles due to rotational clicking noise and vibration when turning under power. Both front axles replaced. Car now has 50,000 miles on it and clicking noise is present every day in cold conditions until it warms up. It is at the dealer for the third time and they are unable to replicate the clicking and vibration and will not replace the part. The symptoms are identical to when the first repair was done. Possibility of cv axle failure in the near future if not replaced. A full recall and redesign is needed at this point if I am experiencing 2 failures within 50,0000 miles.

NHTSA ODI 11717059

clicking noises from front of engine area/tire area whenever steeing wheel turned left or right turned out to be cv axels and replaced feb 2. 2026 -so far will monitor for recurrence - grand highlander forum with numerous such complaints

NHTSA ODI 11715972

In the middle where the car chargers are – the one in the center isn’t working but the one to the right is. When doing maps, the visual map disappeared and just showed where to turn – happened about 2-3 time. Today the entire screen went black – no radio, phone, maps, nothing. No way to operate it at all. This is unrelated to the current recall that addresses the speedometer / display right behind the steering wheel.

NHTSA ODI 11714183

UNKNOWN, vehicle dash warnings advising front sensors were not working causing error messages. The vehicle was taken to the dealership for a recall and they advised the Right front Ultra Sonic Sensor also needed to be replaced. They alleged this was potentially caused by an unknown impact such as small rocks or bugs. The faulty sensor causes error messages on the dash and needed to be replaced. They would not cover this under warranty which is a repair cost of $823.81. The only other band aid was to turn of the other sensors to get rid of the dash notifications, not allowing the other sensors to work as designed to monitor items or people in front that may not be seen by the driver. This turns off some of the vehicle's safety features. Toyota was directly notified of this incident but refused to cover the issue under warranty and expects consumers to pay for a new sensor and programing for a part that is faulty or not durable enough to perform under normal driving conditions. I am making this notification to NHTSA so there is a record of the issue with the durability of the Toyota Ultra Sonic Sensor or failing under normal driving conditions in case there are other complaints about the same issue.

NHTSA ODI 11709947

The contact owns a 2024 Toyota Grand Highlander. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V595000 (Electrical System); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the instrument panel failed to show critical information as intended. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the failure was recall-related; however, the parts were not available for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 90,000.

NHTSA ODI 11709659

When I turn to the left or right I hear a clicking/popping noise. Took it to the dealer and they said it was the CV axle. So they replaced the driver side. After the repair, it would make the same sound from time to time so I took it back in to the dealer(Northside Toyota in San Antonio, TX) they couldn't recreate the sound and notated my account. This was all when the car had less than 30k miles. The grand highlander now has 47k miles and it is making the noises alot more. Im on a grand highlander forum and a lot of other owners are having the same issues. Some are already on their 3rd set of cv axles.

NHTSA ODI 11709793

The defroster on the vehicle does not work properly. When starting the car and the window is frosting, the drivers side of the front window defrosts normally but the right side does not defrost properly and it lags by 15-20 minutes. You cannot operate the vehicle safely with your entire passenger side frosted over. I reported this to Toyota as well as dealer and they are advising that it is working normally. I have pictures that show that the passenger side does not defrost properly, it was reproduced by the dealer, and Toyota's thermal imaging scan confirms lack of heat on the far side. However, Toyota is standing by that it is working as designed despite their testing showing it isn't working properly.

NHTSA ODI 11709124

My vehicle has been out of service since October 7, 2025 due to a complete failure of the instrument cluster (combination meter). This issue is related to SAFETY RECALL 25TA08. The instrument panel is fully non-functional, making the vehicle unsafe and inoperable. The vehicle has been at Toyota dealership for approximately three months, with no repair completed and no clear timeline provided. The dealership stated they are awaiting instructions from Toyota Corporate and cannot proceed independently.

NHTSA ODI 11708716

I have taken my vehicle to Wilde Toyota (2 time) for the same issue . The car either moves/slids to the left or right. They adjusted the wheel alignment in November and now again I am having the same issue. Took the car again to Wilde Toyota and they are asking me for 185 USD for the wheel alignment. I told them this looks like a drive train or suspension issue but there were hesitant to check it.

NHTSA ODI 11707549

Third row seating bottom (back side) has loose flap material end the bottom, when closing and opening the seat it’s can get stuck. It’s also possible the seat can probably even collapse while in use or in driving. The dealer tried to help but there doesn’t seem to be any solution for this from Toyota. This seems to be model wide issue as I was told by dealer. They had another one with same issue. The bottom back of the seat is literally loose flap material. The only solution was they replaced the cargo tray which was actually slightly BENT at front possibly due to seat struggling to close and opening due to faulty design. THIS IS A FAULTY DESIGN! ITS LITERALLY A LOSSE FLAP PLASTIC MATERIAL ON A SEAT BACK. The dealer told me to be careful when handling these seats bc the material can break easily and there isn’t solution from Toyota on this unless there is recall or safety notice.

NHTSA ODI 11705448

I am filing a complaint regarding a safety recall on my Toyota vehicle. Toyota issued the recall notice on September 11, 2025, but as of today there is still no available remedy. Due to this recall, my vehicle has been deemed unsafe and undriveable and has been out of service since October 8, 2025. While a rental vehicle has been provided, I have been without my own car for several months with no clear timeline or resolution. I am concerned about the extended delay in providing a recall remedy for a safety-related defect and the lack of transparency regarding next steps. I am requesting that NHTSA review Toyota’s handling of this recall, including the prolonged lack of a remedy and the impact on vehicle owners. I believe this delay is unreasonable and warrants further oversight.

NHTSA ODI 11705092

My Toyota Grand Highlander develops severe interior window fogging and condensation, affecting the windshield, front side windows, and occasionally rear windows. This occurs during normal driving, especially in cool or humid conditions. The fogging appears rapidly, and the HVAC/defrost system often fails to clear the windows effectively, even when set to full defrost with outside air intake. Interior moisture buildup is excessive compared to other vehicles I’ve owned, and the issue repeats regularly. This creates a significant visibility hazard, forcing me to adjust climate controls constantly while driving or pull over to clear the glass manually.

NHTSA ODI 11704630

My car is a 2024 Grand Highlander I bought in May of last year. It currently has 20,000 miles on it. A few weeks ago I started hearing a knocking sound when I turned left or right. I looked at some Toyota forums and found that other people were having this issue and had to have both front axles replaced. I took my car to Toyota and sure enough, they said the parts they used to assemble the car were not machined properly and they replaced both of my front axles. Having said that, I have 2 issues. One, why hasn't a recall been issued on this. It seems as though quite a bit of people have had this problem and this is a big safety issue. There have been 2 other recalls, one about the screen going blank and airbags, but to me, axle is a much bigger safety issue, so why no recall on this? Also, the technician recommends an alignment after chaning the axles which I am expected to pay $150 for but this should be included since my axles should not need changing at 20,000 miles. They consider alignment normal wear and tear and not under warranty which I would normally agree with but I only need an aligmnent because they changed my axles.

NHTSA ODI 11703651

On 11/24/25 I gave permission to my friend to drive my 2024 Toyota Grand Highlander SUV from my house to Newark international airport, while my friend was driving my 2024 Toyota Grand Highlander SUV on a New Jersey Turnpike , the vehicle suddenly dropped the speed and within moments caught fire. I live in Pennsylvania, but the incident occurred on New Jersey Turnpike . The fire started while the car was in motion, creating a serious safety hazard. The vehicle was properly maintained, and no prior warning lights or issues were noted before the incident. I have done vehicle inspections/ service this month, and they told everything is perfect. This poses a severe risk to driver and passenger safety, and I am reporting it for investigation. Whole car got burned out within 5-10 mins only

NHTSA ODI 11702200

The contact owns a 2024 Toyota Grand Highlander. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle and reversing, there was an abnormal banging sound coming from the vehicle. While attempting to reverse, the vehicle failed to move, but the vehicle was restarted and operated as designed. While driving, there was an abnormally loud clanking sound coming from the vehicle with the “WRENCH SYMBOL” displayed. There were other unknown warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, who was unable to duplicate the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact stated that the vehicle would be taken back to the local dealer for additional diagnostic testing. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 18,000.

NHTSA ODI 11699123

All lights and warning system alerts suddenly came on. Hybrid System Malfunction. Once towed to dealership; stone came through large gap in front grill and put a hole in internal radiator. Not covered under warranty. Design flaw appears to be a problem in front grill.

NHTSA ODI 11694480

fuel guage does not accurately indicate the amount of fuel in the tank. when guage showing completely empty the car takes about 12 gallons to fill, tank capacity shown in manual is 17.2 gallons.

NHTSA ODI 11694213

center infoscreen blacked out while driving on 2 occasions weeks apart. screen rebooted after restarting car each time.

NHTSA ODI 11694215