TOYOTA GRAND HIGHLANDER · model year

2026 TOYOTA GRAND HIGHLANDER

5 NHTSA complaints, and 1 active recall for this specific cohort.

NHTSA overall rating

5 / 5 ★

New Car Assessment Program

The 2026TOYOTAGRAND HIGHLANDER carries 5 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 fatalities. For crash performance, NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program gave this cohort an overall 5/5 rating, with 4/5 front crash, 5/5 side crash, and 4/5 rollover scores derived from standardized barrier and dynamic tests.

Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 2026 GRAND HIGHLANDER is unknown or other with 2 filings, followed by forward collision avoidance: automatic emergency braking (1) and service brakes (1). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability. This model year has 1 active recall campaign, which means the manufacturer is obligated to remedy the covered defect at no charge for the life of the vehicle — the full NHTSA campaign numbers are listed below.

NHTSA currently has 51 investigation files overlapping the 2026 GRAND HIGHLANDER, and 1 remain open. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.

5
Complaints
0
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths
2026 TOYOTA GRAND HIGHLANDER — NHTSA crash-test profile NHTSA NCAP crash-test star ratings for the 2026 TOYOTA GRAND HIGHLANDER. Overall composite: 5.0 of 5 stars across 3 safety dimensions. Front CrashSide CrashRollover 5.0 NHTSA NCAP of 5 stars
  • Front Crash 4.0 ★
  • Side Crash 5.0 ★
  • Rollover 4.0 ★
NHTSA overall 5.0/5 stars, with front-crash, side-crash and rollover ratings from standardized NCAP barrier and dynamic tests.

Total Complaints

5 filings

Crashes Reported

0 reports

Source

NHTSA ODI

Federal complaints database

Complaints vs. fleet median (215)

At or below the fleet median complaint volume.

NHTSA NCAP overall: 5/5 — Top NCAP rating · Front: 4/5 · Side: 5/5 · Rollover: 4/5

Complaints by Component

ComponentCount
UNKNOWN OR OTHER2
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING1
SERVICE BRAKES1
STRUCTURE:BODY1

Recalls (1)

25V74400030/10/2025

BACK OVER PREVENTION:DISPLAY FUNCTION

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 di

Recent Complaints

20260216STRUCTURE:BODY

We were going down the highway in our brand new Grand Highlander yesterday (3500 miles, 3 months old) and it was like a bomb had gone off. The panoramic sunroof exploded up and out. Glass started falling on my daughter whom was in the middle seat. My husband had to quickly pull off the highway to safety. I have never experienced anything like this and it was extremely scary. Obviously there is a defect that needs to be addressed.

20260211UNKNOWN OR OTHER

At low speeds under 40 mph, there is a very pronounced and uncomfortable cabin boom noise when going over bumps.

20260125FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING

The Electronic Park Brake (EPB) fails to release when the car is shifted into gear. The park brake dashboard light remains on, and the brake does not release. The problem is intermittent but has occurred multiple times in the first 2 months and 2,000 miles of owning the newly purchased vehicle. The vehicle was purchased in Nov 2025, and in Jan 2026 it was taken to the authorized Toyota service center at the Toyota dealership where it was purchased to have this issue repaired. But Toyota refused to replace any parts. Multiple photographs of the brake failure were provided to the Toyota service center, but they will not replace any parts or do any repairs related to the issue unless they can replicate the intermittent failure while the car is at the service center garage.

20260125SERVICE BRAKES

The Electronic Park Brake (EPB) fails to release when the car is shifted into gear. The park brake dashboard light remains on, and the brake does not release. The problem is intermittent but has occurred multiple times in the first 2 months and 2,000 miles of owning the newly purchased vehicle. The vehicle was purchased in Nov 2025, and in Jan 2026 it was taken to the authorized Toyota service center at the Toyota dealership where it was purchased to have this issue repaired. But Toyota refused to replace any parts. Multiple photographs of the brake failure were provided to the Toyota service center, but they will not replace any parts or do any repairs related to the issue unless they can replicate the intermittent failure while the car is at the service center garage.

20251105UNKNOWN OR OTHER

I recently purchased a Toyota Grand Highlander just two days ago, and I’m experiencing a serious issue that is affecting my ability to drive the vehicle safely. At speeds between 25–40 mph, there is a significant cabin boom and echo inside the vehicle. This creates a pressure sensation in my ears, causing nausea, disorientation, and physical discomfort. I’ve only driven about 50 miles, and the symptoms are severe enough that I cannot continue driving the vehicle.

Compare 2026TOYOTAGRAND HIGHLANDER to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations 1 Open

View all investigations

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 2026 TOYOTA GRAND HIGHLANDER have?
The 2026 TOYOTA GRAND HIGHLANDER has 5 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What is the safety rating for the 2026 TOYOTA GRAND HIGHLANDER?
The 2026 TOYOTA GRAND HIGHLANDER received an overall NHTSA safety rating of 5/5, front crash rating of 4/5, side crash rating of 5/5, and rollover rating of 4/5.
Are there any recalls for the 2026 TOYOTA GRAND HIGHLANDER?
Yes, the 2026 TOYOTA GRAND HIGHLANDER has 1 recall(s). The most common affected component is BACK OVER PREVENTION:DISPLAY FUNCTION. Recalls are issued by NHTSA and manufacturers must provide a free remedy.
What are the most common problems with the 2026 TOYOTA GRAND HIGHLANDER?
The most-complained component for the 2026 TOYOTA GRAND HIGHLANDER is UNKNOWN OR OTHER with 2 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING and SERVICE BRAKES.
Is the 2026 TOYOTA GRAND HIGHLANDER safe to buy?
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. The 2026 TOYOTA GRAND HIGHLANDER has an NHTSA safety rating of 5/5. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.

Vehicle Safety Guides

Data as of 2025. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.