Toyota

Grand Highlander (1st)

2024-2025 · Midsize SUV · 2 engines
Best Engine ⚠️ Caution (2.1)
226 NHTSA Complaints
0 Recalls
1 Fire Reports
6 Crash Reports
Includes data from: GRAND HIGHLANDERGRAND HIGHLANDER HYBRID
📋 Inspection checklist

NHTSA Safety Ratings About NHTSA ratings

Overall 5/5
Frontal Crash
4/5
Side Crash
5/5
Rollover
4/5 (17.4% risk)
ESC: Standard FCW: Standard LDW: Standard
Overall 5/5
Frontal Crash
4/5
Side Crash
5/5
Rollover
4/5 (17.4% risk)
ESC: Standard FCW: Standard LDW: Standard
Overall 5/5
Frontal Crash
4/5
Side Crash
5/5
Rollover
4/5 (16.9% risk)
ESC: Standard FCW: Standard LDW: Standard
Overall 5/5
Frontal Crash
4/5
Side Crash
5/5
Rollover
4/5 (17.4% risk)
ESC: Standard FCW: No LDW: No
Overall Not Rated
Frontal Crash
Side Crash
Rollover
4/5 (17.4% risk)
ESC: Standard FCW: Standard LDW: Standard
Overall Not Rated
Frontal Crash
Side Crash
Rollover
4/5 (16.9% risk)
ESC: Standard FCW: Standard LDW: Standard
Overall Not Rated
Frontal Crash
Side Crash
Rollover
4/5 (17.4% risk)
ESC: Standard FCW: Standard LDW: Standard
Overall Not Rated
Frontal Crash
Side Crash
Rollover
4/5 (16.9% risk)
ESC: Standard FCW: Standard LDW: Standard

Engine Reliability Ratings

A25A-FXS, 5NM+4NM

2.5L 4-cyl / 187 hp
⚠️ Caution (2.1)
54 complaints 26.0 per year Gasoline
1 fire report
View details

Complaint Breakdown

other
18
transmission
9
fuel system
9
engine
6
electrical
5

Known Issues

Transmission Issues (9 complaints)
Fuel System Issues (9 complaints)
Engine Issues (6 complaints)

T24A-FTS

2.4L 4-cyl / 265 hp
Avoid (1.5)
171 complaints 54.5 per year Gasoline
1 fatality
View details

Complaint Breakdown

other
44
safety systems
39
transmission
39
engine
25
fuel system
21

Known Issues

Safety Systems Issues (39 complaints)
Transmission Issues (39 complaints)
Engine Issues (25 complaints)

Battery & Propulsion Reliability

Hybrid (HEV)

Battery & propulsion complaint analysis for the 2024-2025 Toyota Grand Highlander

Recommended
16 battery-related complaints 7.5 per year 0 battery-related recalls

That's near the typical rate for hybrids in this dataset (median 7.5 per year). Within the normal range for the category.

1 fire report

What kind of battery complaint?

Among the 16 battery-related complaints, here's the type mix. These percentages describe what the complaints are about — not how reliable the vehicle is overall.

Electric Propulsion 9 (56%)

Loss of power, drive unit, inverter, traction motor, DC-DC converter.

Hybrid Drivetrain 5 (31%)

Hybrid system warnings, eCVT, motor-generator, hybrid transaxle.

Thermal Events 1 (6%)

Battery fires, smoke, thermal runaway. Includes any complaint with fire reported.

High-Voltage Battery 1 (6%)

Propulsion battery defects, capacity loss, BMS faults, replacement claims.

Sample complaint excerpts
Electric Propulsion
  • [2024] I've had consistent issues with the vehicle accelerating and shifting. These include sluggish acceleration, loss of power, sputtering, and limp mode. We've almost been hit by other vehicles almost 10 times because the vehicle has failed to accelerate when pulling into a roadway. The vehicle will start to accelerate slowly, then stop, then 5-10 seconds later will surge forward will the engine re
  • [2024] 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 wi
  • [2024] 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.
Hybrid Drivetrain
  • [2024] All lights and warning system alerts suddenly came on. Hybrid System Malfunction. Once towed to dealership; stone came through large gap in front grill and put a hole in internal radiator. Not covered under warranty. Design flaw appears to be a problem in front grill.
  • [2024] Our vehicle loses power after initial startup when you first accelerate. We have had three incidents where we were pulling out from a stop sign or stoplight on a major road and you press the gas and the car shutters and doesn’t move at all. All three times a car accident almost occurred. This has been reported to the dealer and they replaced the entire hybrid powertrain. The issue persists at rand
  • [2025] The vehicle suddenly gave several warnings of “check engine visit your dealer”, “Hybrid system malfunction”, “AWD system malfunction 2WD activated” and “System malfunction visit your dealer.” The vehicle was bought new 4 weeks prior. Took it to the dealership and the technician said there was coolant all over the engine compartment and there was a leak somewhere. After inspection he told us that a
Thermal Events
  • [2024] On 11/24/25 I gave permission to my friend to drive my 2024 Toyota Grand Highlander SUV from my house to Newark international airport, while my friend was driving my 2024 Toyota Grand Highlander SUV on a New Jersey Turnpike , the vehicle suddenly dropped the speed and within moments caught fire. I live in Pennsylvania, but the incident occurred on New Jersey Turnpike . The fire started while the c
High-Voltage Battery
  • [2025] Shortly after powering on the GHHM vehicle, driving a short distance, coming to a stop and depressing the accelerator the vehicle does not accelerate as though no power is getting to the drive train. This does not often happen but has always happened when the EV battery level is 3 bars or less and the vehicle is in its Normal mode (as opposed to Sport or ECO). This acceleration failure event last

Source: classified from NHTSA complaint and recall data. "Battery-related" includes high-voltage propulsion battery, charging system, hybrid drivetrain, electric propulsion, regenerative braking, 12V auxiliary battery, and thermal-event complaints. Other complaints (suspension, steering, brakes, infotainment) appear in the engine and vehicle-level sections. Rates are absolute counts, not normalized per-VIN — high-volume models naturally produce more raw complaints than low-volume ones. Self-reported death and injury counts are capped per complaint to limit form abuse.

Vehicle-Level Issues

These issues affect the Toyota Grand Highlander regardless of engine variant.

Transmission Issues (48 complaints)
transmission serious
Safety Systems Issues (39 complaints)
safety_systems serious
Engine Issues (31 complaints)
engine serious
Fuel System Issues (30 complaints)
fuel_system serious
Electrical System Issues (18 complaints)
electrical critical

Alternatives in Midsize SUV

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the most common 2024-2025 Toyota Grand Highlander problems?

The 2024-2025 Toyota Grand Highlander has accumulated 226 NHTSA complaints. The most frequently reported problem areas are Transmission, Safety Systems, Engine. As with any used vehicle, a pre-purchase inspection and vehicle history report are recommended.

Which Toyota Grand Highlander engine is most reliable?

The 2024-2025 Toyota Grand Highlander was offered with 2 engine options. Based on NHTSA complaint data, the 2.4L 4-cyl has the lowest complaint density and is considered the most reliable choice for buyers.

Is the 2024-2025 Toyota Grand Highlander a good used car?

The 2024-2025 Toyota Grand Highlander can be a solid used car purchase depending on trim, mileage, and maintenance history. With 226 total NHTSA complaints on record, prospective buyers should review the known problem areas and check for open recalls before buying.

How many NHTSA complaints does the 2024-2025 Toyota Grand Highlander have?

The 2024-2025 Toyota Grand Highlander has 226 complaints filed with NHTSA as of our latest data pull. Complaint counts reflect owner-reported issues and do not necessarily indicate defects or safety risks on their own.

What recalls affect the 2024-2025 Toyota Grand Highlander?

There are 0 NHTSA recalls affecting some 2024-2025 Toyota Grand Highlander vehicles. Recall status varies by VIN — check the NHTSA recall database at recalls.nhtsa.dot.gov with your specific VIN to confirm which campaigns apply.

What should I check before buying a used Toyota Grand Highlander?

Before buying a used Toyota Grand Highlander, verify all open recalls are completed via the NHTSA VIN lookup tool. Pay particular attention to Transmission, Safety Systems, Engine, which are the most commonly reported problem areas. Request maintenance records, have an independent mechanic inspect the vehicle, and run a vehicle history report to check for prior accidents or title issues.

What are the NHTSA crash test ratings for the Grand Highlander?

The 2025 Toyota Grand Highlander received an overall 5-star safety rating from NHTSA. Frontal crash: 4 stars. Side crash: 5 stars. Rollover: 4 stars (17.4% rollover probability). Electronic Stability Control: Standard. Forward Collision Warning: Standard. Lane Departure Warning: Standard. These ratings are based on standardized crash tests conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Data from NHTSA federal complaints database. 226 complaints analyzed. Data confidence: high. Last updated: 2026-04-07.

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