2024 Toyota Grand Highlander: hesitation when accelerating

Filed Aug 26, 2026 · OH

Multiple times a week in the summer my car will hesitate to go once I have stopped at a stop sign/busy four way intersection. When I push the gas the car doesn’t respond and hesitates for a long while before I can get the car to start moving again. The car will roll into the intersection after I take my foot off the break to go and it won’t do anything. It is terrifying and confuses other drivers around me thinking that I am letting them go. This has happened upwards of 20 times since I have had the car. It happens only on hot days when the external temperature is above 80 or so degrees and happens when car is freshly started. It reliably happens when I go up a pretty small hill by my house about 1 minute after starting the car (even when it is coming from being parked in my garage). Joseph Toyota on Colerain in Cincinnati has not been able to reproduce the issue. I drive with two children in the car and it is so scary when it happens because I have almost been hit with them in the car many times now.

Filed Aug 24, 2026 · Acceleration, Transmission · 800 miles · TX

The contact owns a 2024 Toyota Grand Highlander. The contact stated that while making a right turn from a complete stop to merge into traffic, the vehicle hesitated and failed to exceed 7–10 MPH. The contact released and then depressed the accelerator pedal again, and the vehicle responded as intended. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where software updates were performed on several occasions; however, the failures persisted. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 800.

Filed Jul 22, 2026 · Transmission · LA

I own a 2024 Toyota Grand Highlander Platinum Hybrid MAX with approximately 34,000 miles. The vehicle has experienced repeated delayed or absent acceleration from a complete stop, creating a serious risk when entering traffic. Before the most recent repair, I reported intermittent hesitation to the Toyota dealer. On Sunday, July 12, 2026, shortly after startup, the vehicle hesitated twice within the first half mile. At the second stop sign, I attempted a left turn into traffic and applied approximately 30% accelerator pedal. The engine was running, but the vehicle only crept forward at idle-level power for approximately three seconds. There was no noticeable increase in engine RPM and no warning lights. Normal power then returned. On July 15, 2026, the Toyota dealer performed TSB T-SB-0017-24 and updated the engine-control software for hesitation during acceleration. After that repair, the same loss-of-acceleration condition happened again while my wife was leaving a parking lot. She was stopped at a stop sign, making a right turn into traffic on a slight uphill grade, when the vehicle failed to provide normal acceleration. This was substantially similar to the earlier incident and occurred after the software update intended to correct the problem. The repeated failure to respond to accelerator input from a stop creates a collision risk because the vehicle can begin entering traffic without providing the expected power. I am requesting that the federal safety agency investigate whether this is a broader safety defect affecting the Grand Highlander Hybrid MAX and whether the existing software repair is effective.

Filed Jul 16, 2026 · Engine, Fuel system · IL

I've had consistent issues with the vehicle accelerating and shifting. These include sluggish acceleration, loss of power and sputtering when we've come to a complete stop and starting to move again. We've almost been hit by other vehicles at least over 20 times because the vehicle has failed to accelerate when pulling into a roadway. The car hesitates during acceleration regardless of how much I push the gas. Once it starts to go, it feels as though the car can't shift from 1st to 2nd gear, The RPMs get extremely high while the car is going 25-40 mph and remain there for a few seconds up to ~20 seconds. I am fearful of getting t-boned when my car hesitates while turning at an intersection, going through an intersection or pulling out from a parking lot. I have been stuck in several intersections when traffic was coming toward me, but thankfully those cars had patience and avoided us. I've also found that this issue always happens when the hybrid battery shows that it only has a charge of 3 bars. It seems that the engine, transmission and hybrid battery don't know how to communicate when the battery charge gets that low. This has been happening since Dec 2023 when I bought the vehicle and the dealer has never been able to duplicate or find any error code, they are refusing to fix a known issue when many others are experiencing the same issue. There are Toyota Technical Service Bulletins (TSBs) out there regarding this problem but my dealer told me they won't do anything as it could label my vehicle a lemon. This is creating an unnecessary safety risk for me and my family.

Filed Jul 1, 2026 · Acceleration, Fuel system · CA

On a recent road trip I experience loss of acceleration twice. I was at a stop sign making a left hand turn. I step on the accelerator it start forward but then stop suddenly leaving me in the 1st lane of on coming traffic. I smashed on the accelerator several time before the vehicle finally responded. I took the vehicle to the dealer on 6/30 told the dealer what had happen along with my google findings acceleration hesitation and sudden lurching in the Toyota Grand Highlander Hybrid MAX Technical Service Bulletins (TSBs), including T-SB-0017-24. The dealer could not duplicate or find any error code, they are refusing to fix a known issue. They are creating an unnecessary safety risk for me and my family.

Filed Jun 23, 2026 · Engine, Transmission · IL

Vehicle: 2024 Toyota Grand Highlander Hybrid Max The vehicle intermittently experiences a severe hesitation and shudder during acceleration from approximately 0-40 mph. The condition occurs only under specific circumstances: -The vehicle has been parked long enough for the engine, transmission, and related systems to cool to ambient air temperature. -The vehicle is started and driven shortly thereafter. -Engine oil and transmission temperatures are below approximately 160°F. -The air conditioning system is operating at maximum cooling with Eco Air Mode enabled. -The hybrid battery indicator displays approximately three bars of charge. When these precise conditions are present, the vehicle may hesitate, shudder, and fail to respond normally to accelerator pedal input during acceleration. Even with the accelerator pedal fully depressed, repeatedly, there is a noticeable delay in power delivery and vehicle acceleration. This creates a situation where the vehicle does not accelerate as expected when entering traffic or attempting to increase speed. The vehicle has previously received Toyota Technical Service Bulletin T-SB-0017-24; however, the condition continues to occur intermittently. No warning lights, diagnostic messages, or system faults are displayed when the event occurs. The condition typically occurs only once during the initial drive cycle after a cold start and has not been observed after the vehicle reaches normal operating temperature. The issue is most common in the warmer months and has never been encountered at freezing or below temperatures.

Filed May 27, 2026 · CA

My 2024 Used Toyota Grand Highlander Hybrid Platinum Max was at a slight decline stopped at a stop sign in Echo mode. The whole car began to violently shake and lurching forward. No one was in front of me and my foot was on the brake or I probably would have run into a car in front of me. The dashboard then flashed a warning about the hybrid system overheating. The only way to stop it was to turn off the engine, then turn it back on. The car then began driving normally. I have also had an issue with hesitation felt while accelerating 0-40 mph with study throttle. Upon researching both issues, they should be resolved with TSB calibrations to my car of T-SB-0028-25 and T-SB-0017-24. This is not an error that would come up when doing a diagnostic check on my car's computer per research I have done. I took my car to get the updates at Toyota of Redlands, CA, and they refused to do them unless they could recreate them themselves. I called Toyota to report this, and they said that each Toyota dealership/service is privately owned at their own discretion. I was basically told to return if I experience it again. I do not want to experience this again and they wouldn't take my word on it anyways. I feel like next time I could injure myself or someone else if this glitch happened again. I therefore would like to implore to make this a mandatory preventative TSB calibration for cars that have had this reported/models/year which mine has. This goes for any TSB calibrations should be done preventatively, but especially ones that can cause a potential accident like T-SB-0028-25 and T-SB-0017-24. Here is information on why this would not show up on a diagnostic test: Your Toyota didn't generate an error code because the shudder is a software calibration issue rather than a component failure. The onboard computer (ECU) only triggers a check engine light or throws a Diagnostic Trouble Code (DTC) when sensors detect a hard mechanical or electrical failure.

Filed May 6, 2026 · Body · MD

It was noted that the drivers door weather strip deteriorated even though the car is less than 3 years old/ 47,000 miles. The dealer and the Toyota customer care said it is likely related to external factors and not covered under warranty. I keep the car in a garage. We have had other cars that are well over 10 years old but do/did not have this problem. This can potentially lead to damage of other components. I see on the internet that other owners of this car have encountered this same issue . There have been 3 safety recalls on this model, related to air bag, instrument panel and rear view camera. These have been fixed. There have been at least 5 Toyota technical service bulletins ( TSBs) published on this model. These were fixed after I brought it up with the dealer/ manufacturer. I was not contacted by the manufacturer proactively. TSB 0017-24 : hesitation felt while accelerating from stop. A software update was performed. TSB 0060-25 : Fuel level logic enhancement. A software update was made. TSB 0028-25 : Shudder sensation at stop. A software update was performed. ​T-SB-0082-24: CV axle issue: it was fixed T-SB-0111-24: vibrating hood.I notice the issue but did not fix it since the fix involves placing a foam under the hood, which may not fix the underlying issue and might cause other issues. I believe these issues are related to the manufacturing oversight and especially more frequent because it is a first year model .

Filed Apr 28, 2026 · Acceleration, Engine · TX

The vehicle hesitates and does not accelerate immediately from a complete stop. This occurs more frequently when the car is on a slight incline. The delay in acceleration creates a safety concern, especially when attempting to merge into traffic or pull out onto a roadway. I have reported this issue to the dealership multiple times, but they have not taken action because they have been unable to reproduce the problem.

Filed Mar 22, 2026 · Fuel system, Transmission · CO

The incidents most often occur when I try to accelerate after vehicle is stopped at an intersection. The car hesitates during acceleration regardless of how much I push the gas. Once it starts to go, it feels as though the car can't shift from 1st to 2nd gear. The RPMs get up 4500 while the car is going 25-40 mph and remain there for a few seconds up to ~20 seconds. I am fearful of getting t-boned when my car hesitates while turning at an intersection, going through an intersection or pulling out from a parking lot. I have been stuck in several intersections when traffic was coming toward me, but thankfully those cars were able to avoid hitting me. I have reported the problem every time I take the car to the dealer for a service. The problem has been happening since I purchased the car in November 2024 and occurs randomly--sometimes every couple of months, sometimes days in a row. The dealer can't reproduce it, but they were able to pull a code from the transmission and found it had an acceleration error. They updated the software from a TSB, but that didn't help.

Filed Oct 9, 2025 · Transmission · CO

When accelerating from a complete stop, the vehicle intermittently fails to respond when pressing the gas pedal. It feels similar to when a bicycle chain slips—you press the pedal, but the vehicle doesn’t move forward—then suddenly it catches, causing a noticeable lurch. The duration of this lag varies, and it has been increasing over time. Most recently, the hesitation lasted long enough that I was nearly involved in a collision. I pulled out from a stop sign to make a right-hand turn, but the vehicle failed to accelerate as expected. The car behind me nearly rear-ended me due to my sudden lack of movement in the lane. No warning lights, error messages, or other indicators appear before or during the event. I have been reporting this issue to my dealership for over a year during regular service appointments. The dealership has been unable to reproduce the problem and has attempted a software update, which did not resolve it. The malfunction has not been inspected by the manufacturer, police, or insurance representatives. The issue has occurred multiple times, including but not limited to the following dates: -March 12, 2025 -March 24, 2025 -July 21, 2025 -September 18, 2025 -October 1, 2025 These dates reflect times when I documented the issue via text messages to my husband; it has also occurred on many additional occasions not recorded above. Online owner forums and the federal safety agency complaints indicate that other Toyota Grand Highlander owners are experiencing the same issue, suggesting it may be a widespread defect affecting vehicle safety.

Filed Sep 3, 2025 · Acceleration, Engine · CA

Description of Issue: I have experienced repeated incidents where the accelerator pedal becomes unresponsive (“dead pedal”) after coming to a stop. When pressing the pedal to accelerate, the vehicle does not respond at all for several seconds. Then, without warning, it suddenly surges forward with excessive acceleration once the power engages. This problem happens intermittently throughout a drive each day, often enough to be concerning. It occurs after being stopped at an intersection or in traffic. No warning lights or error messages appear before or during the issue. The delay followed by a sudden surge is dangerous, as I expect the car to move when I press the pedal, but it hesitates instead. When the vehicle finally responds, it accelerates quickly, which could cause me to lose control or collide with another vehicle. Safety Concern: This malfunction creates a significant safety risk. It puts myself, passengers, and other drivers in danger when the vehicle fails to accelerate as expected in high-risk scenarios such as crossing intersections, merging into traffic, or making left turns. The hesitation can leave the vehicle exposed in traffic, and the sudden lurch forward can cause unintended movement or rear-end collisions. Status: The problem has occurred multiple times under similar conditions and is ongoing. It has not yet been inspected or confirmed by a dealer or service center, but I have an apt Aug 24th. However, the malfunction is real, reproducible, and presents a serious hazard that could lead to an accident if not corrected. Many others with the same vehicle have expressed the same concern as well on forums and reported no fix after dealership appointments.