What 16 owners told NHTSA about the 2026 Toyota Grand Highlander Hybrid

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 ODI 11747505

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 ODI 11745755

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 ODI 11740216

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

NHTSA ODI 11739160

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 ODI 11736903

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 ODI 11735572

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 ODI 11732819

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 ODI 11732822

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

NHTSA ODI 11732329

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 ODI 11729249

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 ODI 11727530

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 ODI 11722133

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 ODI 11718364

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

NHTSA ODI 11717218

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 ODI 11713179

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 ODI 11697688