2025 Toyota Grand Highlander

We have two forward facing car seats in the third row. When buckled according to the car seat user manuals - the seatbelts do not stay buckled. The seatbelts unbuckle while driving, creating an extremely dangerous situation for our toddlers. We take out and redo their car seats daily due to them being unbuckled while the vehicle is in motion. Our toddlers are not able to unbuckle them - so we know it is a vehicle defect. The car has been taken to the dealership where they simply tell us they can’t find an issue. We do not feel safe in this vehicle and do not want our children in there. No safety lights appear on the dash to notify us that the seats have become unbuckled.

Driving when it sounded like a gunshot went off in the car. I looked to the back of my car to see what was around me (nothing), and saw no damage to any windows. I could hear glass cracking so I went to open my moonroof screen to check the glass and I could hear glass on the screen so I closed it right back. I pulled over and was able to confirm the sunroof had busted across the back of the glass. It did not look like it was hit by anything, but like it blew out then spidered across the remainder of the glass.

Sunroof spontaneously exploded leaving an 8” hole and a completely shattered sunroof. The sunroof is flexed upwards like it was under extreme pressure. The high temperature was 70 degrees in Tuscaloosa today with cloudy skies and misty rain. So there shouldn’t have been any concerns from heat or cold. This left shattered glass every above the sunshade. Fortunately the shade was closed to catch most of the shattered glass.

Transmission slipping, holding high RPM, Jerky shifts, back seat not locking at times, infotainment freezing up

Due to the design of the grill located at the front end of the 2025 toyota grand highlander the vehicle poses vulnerability for multiple debris items to fly up into exposed air conditioning condensor. The damage caused by the debris is not covered by the warranty because it is considered an outside occurrence. However the design creates the vulnerability for the ac to become damaged. It is also sitting below the radiator posing an additonal risk for damage and should have additonal protection to help prevent damage. I am currently having to dispute the refusal to cover the damage to my own ac condensor done by a rock flying into the grill space causing damage and losing freon, because they state it is an outside occurrence regardless of the fact that the design is faulty. There are multiple people who have experienced this happening to their vehicles some not even at the 2000 mile mark and are responsible for the financial cost. Upon doing research the 2026 toyota grand highlander model was created with an even lower setting bumper that provides better coverage and protection for the air conditioning condensor and all other important mechanical components. Suggesting that Toyota is aware of the issue if they created an additonal part to help protect that area from damage. I am literally at risk each time I drive my car just for the fact that rocks are on every road way as well as other debris. I have called the customer relations department with no resolution given only to be told I am responsible for the cost of the repair. I believe this is something that needs to be addressed as well as fixed for the sake of the buyer and the already large cost of owning and maintaining a vehicle. If it happens more than a few times its not bad luck, it's a flaw in the creation of the product and consumers should not have to be held financially responsible for someone else mistake, whether individual or corporate entity. I have previously owned 4 other toyotas with no issues!

The front panel of the sunroof shattered while the vehicle was parked in our garage. Glass shards are inside the car. The dealership submitted a claim to Toyota who denied any material defect and refused to repair under warranty.

outside temperature reading is 2 to 7 degrees high, which is not good when it makes the difference between freezing temps and not freezing temps

At a complete stop my car started shaking violently back and forth. It felt like we were in an earthquake. It has happened before but not as violently and not as long. No warning lights or anything. It has had problems with lurching and stuttering since we bought it. The dealership said they fixed it once (the stuttering) but it’s still happening. They cannot duplicate it and it’s not throwing any codes.

Dear National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, I am submitting this complaint to formally report a serious safety issue involving the left front axle of my Toyota Grand Highlander Hybrid XLE. The vehicle was first diagnosed by my local Toyota dealer on January 14, 2026, at which time the left front axle issue was identified. I contacted **Toyota Motor Corporation**, and I was initially informed that the required replacement part would arrive on February 6, 2026. After that date passed, I was told the part would arrive in early March. I have now been told it will not arrive until late March. Based on these repeated delays, I am concerned that “late March” could easily become late April or even later, with no firm commitment or guaranteed repair date. I have contacted Toyota dealership multiple times and made several phone calls seeking assistance, updates, or a definitive timeline. Unfortunately, no one has been able to provide a clear solution, firm delivery date, or alternative support while the part remains on back order. Due to the axle issue, I do not feel safe operating the vehicle, as I believe it presents a significant safety risk. This vehicle is essential for my work and daily financial responsibilities. Because I do not feel it is safe to drive, I am unable to use the car to earn my day-to-day income and meet my financial obligations. As a result, I am currently losing wages, and the prolonged delay is causing financial hardship and significant inconvenience. Given the safety implications and the ongoing lack of resolution, I respectfully request that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration review this matter. I would appreciate guidance on the appropriate next steps, including whether this issue warrants further investigation, inspection, or potential recall action. I also seek clarification regarding what protections or remedies may be available to consumers when critical safety components are unavailable for extended periods.

The car was running perfect, 9 months after I bought this car, before 20,000 miles Front Left Axle become defective, and therefore, the dealer promised to reemplaced it, but I am still waiting from the dealer. It is a big risk to runs the car like that.

2025 Toyota Grand Highlander Hybrid AWD, with about 16000 miles. While driving, the brakes failed. The brakes would only work if the pedal was pushed all the way to the floor. A "Low Brake Power" warning light came on the dash. The following warnings came on at the same time. Parking Brake System, Advanced Ultrasonic Detection, Vehicle Stability Control, Check Engine, Smart Stop System, Brake System, Electronically controlled Brake, Secondary Collision Brake, Anti-lock Brake System. I was lucky to have been traveling on a road that was not busy and was traveling at less than 30 mph very close to my home. Had I been driving on the interstate, on a busy road, or near pedestrians, the event could have injured or killed myself, my family, or others. The car was towed into the dealership. The dealership said that the issue was not current and the car operated normally when after it was towed in. The following DTC codes where present (P05E000, P05E062). This indicates an issue in wiring or brake pedal stroke sensor. They suspect its an intermittent issue with the sensor. The sensor was replaced (P/N, 89510-0R010 and 62112-0E040-C1). They also said the car battery was low and replaced it (P/N 00544-H5061-540). The dealership said that they would send the affected part to Toyota for inspection, but I have not heard anything back. The dealership experience was poor (Mark Jacobson Toyota, Durham, NC).

While accelerating from low speeds and turning, the car exhibits a rotational clicking noise from one or both front drive shaft assemblies. Seems to be the identical issue noted in the 2024 Grand Highlander that was presumably fixed during later production lots (T-SB-0082-24). That issue was seemingly solved with driveshaft replacement. The dealer said they “could not duplicate” the issue; however, it happens often while I am driving the vehicle and others have reported it to the same dealer as well. It seems to be an existing related safety issue that the dealer, and potentially the manufacturer, are ignoring until we get past the warranty.

The vehicle takes an excessively long time to make heat, I know NHTSA only has requirements related to defrosting the windshield and it's clear Toyota is aware of the heating issue because they added an electronic defrost to be able to pass the defrost test. The vehicle when it is less than 20f outside takes 40+minutes to warm the cabin to a reasonable temperature. The dealership let the vehicle warm up in their 80deg F shop and said it took 20minutes to get heat out of the vents and claimed that this was normal behavior. I have owned several new cars and also work as an engineer in testing so I've driven countless new vehicles to do various tests and have never had it even take 20 minutes to have heat in a vehicle.

While driving under normal conditions, the air conditioning system in my Toyota Grand Highlander suddenly stopped working. The vehicle was inspected by a Toyota dealership, which determined that the AC condenser had a hole/puncture that caused a refrigerant leak and complete AC failure. Toyota denied warranty coverage, classifying the damage as “road hazard,” despite acknowledging that this is a common issue with the Grand Highlander. There was no collision, no unusual road event, and no warning prior to failure. The condenser appears to be positioned in a highly exposed and vulnerable location, allowing small road debris to puncture it easily. Based on discussions with the dealership and reports from other owners, this issue is occurring repeatedly and results in expensive repairs (approximately $1,500–$2,000). This appears to be a design-related vulnerability, not an isolated incident or abnormal use. A failure of the air conditioning system significantly impacts vehicle safety and operability, particularly in extreme heat conditions. I am reporting this issue to document a pattern of premature AC condenser failure in Toyota Grand Highlander vehicles and to request further investigation.

Inconsistently but on numerous occasions, this vehicle has experienced harsh shifting, hesitation, or jerking during low-speed acceleration (e.g., 20-40 mph) or gear engagement. This was a known and reported issue with the 2024 model for which Toyota provided a fix. They have not provided one for the 2025 models. This issue is a safety risk while driving because with the surge you feel you must quickly let off the pedal, and with the hesitation you let off the brake indicating you will move forward yet the vehicle doesn’t accelerate.

On 11/02/2025 with the cruise at 55mph all glass closed. Heater on with no vehicles around, the sunroof exploded. It pushed up from the inside. With less than 9k miles on the vehicle. It took my dealer 8 days to look at it then Toyota denied the warranty. Then Quoted me over $2,100 to replace. This vehicle isn't safe to drive as told to me from the dealer.

While driving at approximately 50 MPH with no other vehicles around, there was a loud bang and then the sound of air. We identified that the panoramic sunroof had exploded. We pulled over immediately and took photos of the sunroof which at that time was shattered but intact. There was a clear bulge upward and no sign of impact from an outside force. We then continued driving to our home approximately another 40 miles, during that drive shards of glass flew onto the roadway leaving a hole in the sunroof of approximately 10-12 inches. We brought the vehicle to Toyota dealership for a warranty repair. Toyota refuses to cover under warranty, stating outside influence. I am confident there was no outside influence causing the glass to explode. The vehicle is a 2025 Grand Toyota Highlander Hybrid Limited with approximately 9000 miles on it, the incident happened on Nov 2nd. 2025 around noon. Weather was mild, 50-60 degrees F, no precipitation or severe winds.

There is a coolant leak in the hybrid radiator caused by a puncture. When taken to the dealer, they said a rock must have punctured it. The dealer currently has the part. Me, my husband, and 2 children were driving on I-5 when the car stopped accelerating and a "hybrid malfucntion" code and "engine malfunction" code started flashing. Prior to this, there were no warnings. I was thankfully able to full over safely, but we were stuck on the side of I-5 for at least an hour waiting for a tow. I am reading online that this is an issue with the car and seems to be a design flaw. The gaps in the grill are too large, and there is no mesh or anything else behind the grill to protect the front end of the car.

The contact owns a 2025 Toyota Grand Highlander with an Evenflo Revolve 360 Slim car seat, Model Number: 36812470A, Manufactured Date: December 12, 2022, installed in the vehicle. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25C010000 (Child Seat). The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed with the child secured in the car seat, the contact became aware that there was an object in the child’s mouth. The contact pulled over to the side of the road and removed a foam piece from the child's mouth. The contact inspected the car seat and became aware that the foam was from the headrest. Medical attention was not needed. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure, but the contact stated that the manufacturer mailed tape to cover the exposed areas of the car seat.

The contact owns a 2025 Toyota Grand Highlander. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V744000 (Back Over Prevention); however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The dealer was contacted and diagnosed the vehicle and determined that the camera had failed, and that the contact would be notified when the remedy was available. The contact stated that after leaving the vehicle with the dealer, the back over camera started to fail. The back over prevention camera no longer switched the screen for the camera while in reverse, but remained on the home screen or radio instead. The contact had not heard from the dealer regarding the parts availability for the repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 29,000.