2026 Toyota Grand Highlander: problems, recalls and reliability
4 recalls and 35 owner complaints on record; the weakest area is structure (30% of complaints).
Data updated weekly · 15 new complaints in the last 90 days · latest recall Sep 2026
All counts are reports filed with NHTSA in the United States - US market only, not worldwide totals.
Common problems
Computed from 35 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for this exact model year.
“My 2026 Toyota Grand Highlander XLE has a recurring gasoline smell near the rear driver's side after long trips or when parked with the engine idling. The source of the odor and the specific component involved are unknown. I am concerned about a possible fuel or vapor leak and the potential fire risk to myself and my passengers.”Owner report · Fuel/Propulsion System · Sep 2026
“After starting the vehicle and coming to a conplete stop the vehicle will hesitate upon new acceleration. The hesitation causes a lag in the vehicle and it then will jerk or jolt while shifting. The vehicle will Rev up in a low gear and not shift correctly. This causes a safety issue especially when going into traffic. I have not taken it to the dealer as of yet, but I will be. This is an intermittent issue, so i fear toyota will say they cannot replicate the issue. There were no warning lamps when the event happens.”Owner report · Power Train · Sep 2026
“The weather seal on the moonroof is coming off the moon roof surround and this is causing water and air to leak inside the passenger cabin.”Owner report · Unknown Or Other · Aug 2026
Show 7 more owner reports
“While stopped waiting to takeoff (turn into a road or area), during takeoff acceleration, the car will sometimes have a dead pedal and slow or stop acceleration leaving you a sitting duck in an intersection or road.”Owner report · Vehicle Speed Control · Aug 2026
“For no reason at all windshield has two parallel lines crack in upper right side, no signs of impact and not sure what caused this.”Owner report · Unknown Or Other · Aug 2026
“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.”Owner report · Structure · Aug 2026
“Periodically, when you apply the gas, there is no power. The gas pedal is dead. This obviously is a hazard when trying to maneuver through traffic. The problem is random and cannot be reproduced at will. The dealership said they could do nothing about it if they could not reproduce the issue. Vehicle is still under the manufacturer warranty.”Owner report · Fuel/Propulsion System · Aug 2026
“The front grill by design has bigger holes with potential of rock hitting radiator . I have seen very small damage to radiator more like superficial. A bigger rock could damage the radiator”Owner report · Structure · Jul 2026
“road debris entered into front grill though the holes in grill adn damaged condensor fins causing vehicle to loose propulsion. Vehicle would not travel over 25 mph after the incidnet. This is safety issue as vehicle slowed from 55MPH to 25MPH rather abruptly on highway. Multiple lamps came on dash at time of incident and were reatained untill fixed (non warranty repair)”Owner report · Structure · Jul 2026
“Small object came through the front grill and put a hole in AC condensing unit. Grill does not protect from small road objects.”Owner report · Unknown Or Other · Jun 2026
When filing, owners marked a crash in 1 of these complaints and injuries in 5 - self-reported to NHTSA, not verified accident statistics.
Recalls - 4 campaigns
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2026 Lexus TX350, RX350 Hybrid, RX350, RX500 Hybrid, TX500 Hybrid, Toyota Grand Highlander, and Grand Highlander Hybrid vehicles. Due to a manufacturing error, the front steering knuckles may crack and break, which can result in a loss of vehicle steering control.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and replace the front steering knuckles, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed November 2, 2026. Owners may contact Toyota's customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's numbers for this recall are 26TA19 and 26LA09.
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2022-2026 Toyota, Lexus, and Subaru Solterra vehicles equipped with a Panoramic View Monitor (PVM) system. Please see the recall report for a complete list of models. A software error may cause the rearview camera to freeze or display a blank screen when the vehicle is in reverse. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 111, "Rear Visibility."
Remedy: Dealers will update the parking assist software, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed January 2, 2026. Owners may contact Toyota's customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's numbers for this recall are 25TB13 and 25LB06. Subaru's number for this recall is WRE25.
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2024-2025 Toyota Tundra, Tacoma Hybrid, Tacoma, RAV4 Hybrid, Land Cruiser Hybrid, Lexus GX550, 2024-2026 Tundra Hybrid, 2025 Sequoia Hybrid, Crown Signia, Grand Highlander, Lexus TX500 Hybrid, Lexus NX350 Hybrid, 2025-2026 Grand Highlander Hybrid, and Lexus TX350 vehicles. The load carrying capacity modification label may display inaccurate added weight values. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 110, "Tire Selection and Rims."
Remedy: Dealers will replace the load carrying capacity modification label, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed May 26, 2026. Owners may contact Toyota's customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's numbers for this recall are 26LB04, 26LA04, 26TB07, and 26TA07.
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2026 Lexus TX Plug-In Hybrid, TX Hybrid, TX, Toyota Grand Highlander Hybrid, and Grand Highlander vehicles. The rear axle carriers may have been manufactured with insufficient material strength and could break.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect the rear axle carrier sub-assembly code, and replace the sub-assemblies as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed September 8, 2026. Owners may contact Toyota's customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's numbers for this recall are 26TB13, 26TA13, 26LB08, and 26LA08.
Specifications
Factory options offered for the 2026 model year, decoded from the NHTSA vPIC database. Individual vehicles have one of each.
How other years compare
Counts are not adjusted for time on the road here - see all Grand Highlander years ranked fairly for the age-adjusted comparison.
Check your exact Grand Highlander by VIN
Recalls and equipment differ between individual vehicles. Decode your VIN to see what applies to yours.
Open VIN decoderFrequently asked questions
Is the 2026 Toyota Grand Highlander reliable?
NHTSA has 35 owner complaints and 4 recall campaigns on record for the 2026 Toyota Grand Highlander. The most complained-about area is structure (30% of complaints).
At what mileage do 2026 Toyota Grand Highlander problems usually appear?
Half of the complaints that mention mileage were filed at 10,000 miles or less.
Does the 2026 Toyota Grand Highlander have open recalls?
4 recall campaigns have been issued, the latest concerning steering. Check your specific vehicle by VIN - recall repairs are free at franchised dealers.
Source: NHTSA recall campaigns and owner complaints (public domain). Counts reflect reports on file and are not a defect rate.