2024 Toyota Grand Highlander

Over 1.5 years of owning my new 2024 grand Highlander platinum hybrid pro max I have had multiple incidents (6 documented now with toyota) where after coming to a complete stop I go to accelerate and the car shutters,sputters,lunges, and even looses power or goes into “limp mode”. I have been almost hit several times now by oncoming traffic because my grand Highlander completely loses power. It will not accelerate. After 5 seconds I typically hear loud groaning noises followed by two loud bangs and two violent lurches forward before my car finally regains power. No warning lights popped up on my dash any of the times my car has lost power. My dealership keeps telling me “no problem found” and that I am the only one with this issue. This is false. There are many complaints online and finally after I did not give up the dealership pulled a comprehensive RoB scan/report on my car and found multiple transmission failure codes on the transmission system/TCM. One “lack of acceleration code” was even dated two weeks before I bought my brand new grand Highlander with toyota. I received my grand Highlander with 6 miles on it. I was the first owner. My PDI “pre-delivery inspection date was one week after this transmission failure code”. When I presented this to toyota reps who finally met with me at the dealership they had nothing to say. Toyota knows about this problem and they do not know how to fix it. It is a serious safety issue and I refuse to allow someone to get hurt because Toyota will not be honest and relay this known issue. After the dealership and toyota reps told me I was the only one with this issue toyota officially released a service bulletin in March 2025 for a TCM flash reset/update to address sluggish acceleration, loss of power, and limp mode with the transmissions TCM when the hybrid systems battery is at 33% or less. My dealership installed the TCM update about 1.5 months ago and unfortunately my car has had two more instances since with loss of power.

I was informed by my Toyota dealership and received a written letter from Toyota dated March 25, 2025, that the curtain airbag recall on my 2024 Toyota Grand Highlander had been completed. However, during a scheduled maintenance visit in June 2025, I was told the airbag recall had never actually been performed and was still open. The recall was only completed at that time. I unknowingly drove the vehicle — often with my infant child — for several months, believing the airbag system was safe, based on incorrect information from Toyota. This represents a serious safety concern and a breakdown in Toyota’s recall management. The issue has now been fixed, but I am reporting this because I was misled into driving an unsafe vehicle, putting my family at risk. Toyota’s failure to properly close and track recall repairs should be investigated.

The vehicle’s design leaves the condenser completely exposed, with no protective barrier in place. As a result, even a small rock can easily pass through the front grille and cause significant damage. That’s exactly what I’m currently experiencing, and unfortunately, Toyota has refused to cover the repair costs. What’s more concerning is that I’m far from the only one — many other owners are dealing with the exact same issue. It’s clear that Toyota needs to take responsibility and implement a proper solution to protect the condenser moving forward.

*Acceleration lag from a stop On June 21, 2025 - 92 degrees outside leaving store, I was making a left turn from a parking lot. I took my foot off the brake to creep forward which the vehicle did, but as I pressed the gas the car would not accelerate. I was stuck in the middle of the lanes with my car coasting. Fortunately it was a quiet street and the car coming from behind me had ample time to stop until i could coast my car to the side of the road which then it revved high and engaged. It felt like the car was in neutral but it was in drive. It lasted about 5 seconds. *It would not accelerate which was scary and very dangerous for obvious reasons. * I took the car to the dealership on the next business day and unfortunately cannot have it inspected until July 15, 2025. *No warning lamps, messages or other symptoms. *My car is available for inspection. That would be great! That’s why I brought it to the dealer but they were booked. *It happened only once, but I haven’t driven it much since the incident. I am now driving my 20 yr old, reliable MDX until I can get it inspected on July 15th

What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? UNKNOWN How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? Vehicle stalling and not accelerating after coming to a complete stop. Vehicle decelerating and hesitating when entering the freeway. Starting 40 mph driving up to 65mph. Vehicle hesitates and decelerates to 30mph and we have to pull over to avoid a collision Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? No Unable to reproduce problem No code is showing on the dealers side. Shop foreman believes it’s a fuel pump issue. Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? No Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? First appeared approximately 8,500 miles. And is consistently doing it when at a stop and when entering freeway.

Shortly after starting my vehicle and driving out of my neighborhood, there are a series of stop signs. The roadway is at a slight incline. When attempting to press the gas pedal after stopping at the first stop sign, my vehicle hesitates or does not accelerate. This lasts anywhere from 1-5 seconds. This occasionally also occurs again at the second stop sign a few hundred yards later as well. The best I can describe this is as an unresponsive gas pedal or limp mode. I cannot stress how incredibly dangerous this issue is. Someone is going to get seriously injured or killed if this isn’t acknowledged by Toyota or NHTSA. All it takes is for this to occur when someone is making a right hand turn into a roadway. I am fully aware that this is not an isolated incident with my vehicle and other vehicle owners of Toyota Hybrid Max Platinums report this same issue.

When making a left or right turn in this vehicle, there is a distinct knocking or clicking sound coming from under the drivers foot area. Dealer reviewed CV axel and suspension and says everything looks fine. However, I have driven enough cars to know that a persistent knocking sound while turning is not normal. This appears to be an issue with multiple 2024 Grand Highlander owners.

I was traveling on HWY 70 in Colorado outside Frisco at 65 mph temp about 35 degrees on 4/4/2025 when I heard a loud explosion. I pulled over and identified that the panoramic sunroof glass had exploded outward. There was no way a projectile could have hit the glass as a cargo carrier was on the roof rack completely covering the glass. The glass had an upward projection as well. I have included photos. The dealer refuses to take responsibility for the poor construction of the sunroof glass.

Intermittently, my vehicle will hesitate to accelerate or will move only marginally (disproportionately to the depressing of the gas pedal) from a complete stop. When it occurs, it often does so for a number of seconds. This has been incredibly dangerous given I live off a busy street and I cannot trust that when I press the gas pedal to accelerate to turn onto the street, that my vehicle will be caught in oncoming traffic and hit.

My car makes a click sound when turning the wheel left or right and gas is applied. This has been happening for around 5 months. It’s not noted all the time but I do hear it occasionally. I have a DashCam video with sound as proof, but this website is not letting me upload the video as its file size is too big. I have taken to the dealership to inspect but they said they were not able to reproduce the sound while inspecting. They also mentioned Grand Highlander have some sort of front axle issue. I looked online and NHTSA website and found that Toyota is aware of this issue and resigned it. But i don’t think the issue is fixed yet, something is still wrong with it. Please look into this matter as it concerns the safety of my family and others who owns the car.