2024 Toyota Grand Highlander Problems

What owners report

Owners of the 2024 Grand Highlander most often describe hesitation or a brief loss of power when accelerating from a stop, sometimes with the air conditioning running in hot weather, and a related group of complaints about hard or jerky shifting. Many also report that the fuel tank accepts far less fuel than its stated capacity, and roughly a dozen discuss the side curtain airbag recall (24V461000) and waiting for parts. Complaints arrive at low mileage, and many hesitation and shifting reports come in the first few thousand miles.

1. 1
   Vehicle speed control

   Hesitation or loss of power when accelerating from a stop

   • 73 complaints (31%)
   • median 16,000 mi at 1.6 yrs old (8 state mileage, few)
   • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2024–2026

   Owners describe pressing the accelerator from a stop and having the vehicle respond slowly or barely move for several seconds before it picks up speed, sometimes followed by a lurch. Several say it happens most often in hot weather with the air conditioning on, and some say it is intermittent and could not be reproduced at the dealer. Complaints mention dealers performing software updates or replacing powertrain components, with the symptom returning in some cases. Reported from very low mileage up to roughly 40,000 miles, with many at a few thousand miles or less and several tied to hot weather and A/C use.

   What to check: Drive the vehicle from several standing starts, ideally with the A/C on and the engine warm, and ask the dealer whether any powertrain software updates have been applied.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “while the engine has not warmed up, when its hot and air conditioning is on high, vehicle does not respond to the gas pedal while trying to accelerate from a stop. vehicle hesitates on acceleration. i feel this is a safety problem, because i need the car to merge quickly onto the road from a stop. this hesitation could cause a bad accident. i feel like the hesitation, is the car trying to find the gear.”

   NHTSA complaint #11603113, filed 2024-07

   “Multiple times I have pressed the gas pedal and the car has not responded, as in did not accelerate. I was almost T-boned one time because of it since I was turning left and could not accelerate above 5mph. This is a frequent issue among GH Hybrids from talking to others.”

   NHTSA complaint #11603588, filed 2024-07
2. 2
   Fuel system

   Fuel tank fills well short of stated capacity

   • 24 complaints (10%)
   • median 30,727 mi at 2.0 yrs old (2 state mileage, few)
   • filed 2024–2026

   Owners state that the low fuel light comes on and they can add only about 10 to 12 gallons even though the manual lists a larger tank, with some miles-to-empty readings showing a few gallons still remaining. Complaints say dealers were unable to explain or correct it, and one describes being told the fuel odor was traced to an evaporator filter and needed no repair. Reported from a few thousand miles up to about 45,000 miles, often within the first year of ownership.

   What to check: Run the tank low and fill it, then compare the gallons added with the advertised capacity; ask whether the fuel system has been inspected for the odor or fill-volume concern.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Ever since I got my car, sometimes it smells like gas on the right side of the vehicle. By driver side and right passenger side in the back. I assumed it was because I topped my gas off, but even when I stopped doing that, it still has a strong gas smell when the car is running and after turning it off. Not ever day, but ever so often.”

   NHTSA complaint #11674682, filed 2025-07

   “Published 2024 Toyota Hybrid Grand Highlander (TGH) specifications, the TGH owners manual and dealer information provided indicated the vehicle has a 17.2 gallon fuel tank. However, the most fuel I am able to get in the tank is between 11 and 11.5 gallons. I've had the vehicle in to fix the defect on three occasions; 2023-11-27, 2024-3-11, & 2024-8-13 to no avail. On the second service, Toyota's technician said the tank had 16.8 gallons remaining when I picked it up, I had filled it the previous day and driven approximately 15 miles. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11610343, filed 2024-08
3. 3
   Air bags

   Side curtain airbag recall awaiting remedy

   • 25 complaints (10%)
   • median 1,000 mi at 0.1 yrs old (1 states mileage, few)
   • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2024–2026

   Several owners report receiving notice of NHTSA campaign 24V461000 for the side curtain airbags and being told that parts for the repair are not yet available, with no confirmed date. Complaints describe the vehicle sitting unused or owners seeking other arrangements while waiting for the remedy. Reported at very low mileage, typically within the first year of ownership after the recall notice was received.

   Recall 24V461000

   What to check: Ask the dealer to confirm whether recall 24V461000 has been completed on the vehicle and to show the recall status by VIN.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “There has been a recall impacting the safety of driving this vehicle (air bag related) and the dealer and manufacturer have provided no ETA on when there will be a fix for this or when the vehicle will be safe again to transport our children. In our view we should be refunded in full for this vehicle purchase given the ongoing safety issue resulting in us being unable to drive the vehicle.”

   NHTSA complaint #11606764, filed 2024-08

   “My vehicle is part of the recall for the 2024 Toyota Grand Highlander. I have contacted Toyota due to vehicle no longer being considered safe should I be involved in an accident. They advised there is currently no fix for the recall and have no estimated timeframe as to when a fix will become available. I have requested different options to remedy the issue and they are unable to work with me with any reasonable accommodation requests to get me into a safer vehicle until a fix is available. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11614427, filed 2024-09
4. 4
   Transmission and drivetrain

   Jerky or harsh shifting and shuddering at speed

   Mentioned in 4 of 60 sampled complaints

   Complaints describe hard, jerky shifts between low gears and, in some cases, shuddering or vibration at highway speed or while stopped. Owners report that dealers could not always duplicate the symptom or find a stored code, and some say the vehicle was returned without a repair. Mostly reported at low mileage, often within the first few thousand miles, with some at highway speeds above 70 mph.

   3 related service bulletins

   What to check: Test drive at both low speed and highway speed and note any shudder, and ask whether the vehicle shows any record of transmission diagnostics or software updates.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “I have had 2 intermittent issues since I bought this vehicle brand new. 1) Hard, Jerky shifting from 1-2 or 2-3 gear 2) Huge safety issue regarding loss of power and inability to accelerate from a stop even though the car is on and in drive. This has happened to me multiple times and is very intermittent so it is hard to replicate. This has happened when I am attempted to accelerate from a complete stop and the car begins to move but then does not accelerate at all. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11613041, filed 2024-09

   “Description of Issue: We have experienced multiple episodes of violent shaking in our 2024 Toyota Grand Highlander while stopped at red lights or in intersections. Both my wife and I have had this happen independently, around two to three times each. Most incidents occurred while our young children were in the vehicle. The most recent incident occurred today, when my wife experienced it twice in a row while stopped at an intersection. Our children were not in the vehicle during today’s event. Component or system involved: UNKNOWN at this time. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11677818, filed 2025-08

Buying note. Ask for the recall and service-bulletin history by VIN and test drive from several stops with the A/C on before deciding. Because the vehicle is recent, many complaints describe symptoms that are intermittent, so a long test drive and a look at the service record are more useful than a short one.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 60 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.