Toyota Grand Highlander harsh shifting problems

Filed Oct 20, 2026 · Driver assistance, Transmission · WA

Incident occurred on XXX at 9:46AM PST, [XXX]. When applying brakes normally to come to a gradual stop behind another vehicle stopped at a stop sign on a slight decline, PCS collision warning lights enabled and vehicle lurched forward while my foot was on brake. This is not to be confused with automatic braking behavior as front collision warning lights in driver information center flashed red. Rather, vehicle lurched forward as if accelerating once within feet of vehicle in front. Then, vehicle rocked front to back multiple times with my foot still on the brake, as if Drive and Reverse was being quickly and intermittently engaged back and forth about 1 second apart. Had my foot not been firmly on the brake, the vehicle felt like it would travel forward and then back (colliding with vehicle in front and in back) without driver inputs.  While car continued to lurch forward and then back, I shifted transmission into Park then back in Drive, and behavior stopped. There was a loud clunk as the car engaged in Drive. This has occurred 3 times over the past 2.5 years. What is even more curious, is that this occurred all 3 times at the same stop sign, which is at a slight decline. This leads me to deduce that somehow the angle of decline or other specific condition at this stop sign is somehow contributing or confusing vehicle systems, as bizarre as this sounds. AC was on during at least one preceding event but not during yesterday's event. Others have observed similar events on on-line forums, but I don't know if they have reported this given how infrequently it occurs. Vehicle has 28000+ miles, and I stop at this exact location at least 3 times per week, with behavior observed only 3 times. Statistically, it seems probable that there must be some element (angle of decline?) at this location that somehow confuses vehicle systems, triggering this dangerous unintended acceleration and reversing behavior. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Filed Oct 19, 2026 · Transmission · UT

I have had my 2026 Grand Highlander Max Hybrid for only 3 months. Shortly after buying it I started noticing issues with how it shifted. It was hard for me to explain at first, but as the issue happened more it became more apparent. Periodically when driving I will be stopped at a red light or stop sign and attempt to accelerate and there is an obvious delay for a couple seconds followed by a surge of acceleration to high RPM. My foot is in a general form for acceleration at about 25 mph. This is concerning because if I pull in front of traffic timing when based on the expected acceleration, you can imagine that this is scary if I have this delay and oncoming traffic hits me. This issue is the most obvious, but there are other issues such as jerking and rough shifting at lower speeds periodically. I have taken in the car 5 times now. The first time they replicated it and said they did an update that fixed it. It did not resolve. The other times they have not been able to replicate it because it happens periodically and I can’t go without my car for several days or weeks for them to drive it to see if it does it. I have filed a issue claim and lemon law with Toyota and they just told me to go back to the dealership and denied my lemon law claim. This is a huge safety concern and Toyota isn’t doing anything about it.

Filed Sep 26, 2026 · Transmission · CA

2024 Toyota Grand Highlander Hybrid AWD. Vehicle exhibits a severe metallic "clunk" or "boom" noise and impact from the undercarriage specifically when reversing under moderate to firm acceleration. This is a recurring issue reported by numerous owners of this model, related to harsh powertrain engagement and movement when changing direction under load. This issue is NOT related to wheel rotation, brakes, or CV axles. The vehicle has approximately 70,000 miles, has been driven strictly on paved roads with no towing or off-road use, and has no active warning lights. The sudden mechanical shock while engaging reverse poses a potential safety and reliability concern regarding drivetrain components.

Filed Jun 30, 2026 · Engine · NC

Component: Automatic transmission, 2026 Toyota Grand Highlander Hybrid MAX Platinum AWD. Available for inspection. Purchased new 11/21/2025 at zero miles. Beginning ~2000 miles (est Feb 2026), intermittent transmission malfunction during acceleration: transmission holds gears at elevated RPMs beyond expected shift point, then shifts harshly or shudders violently. Documentation began 6/1/2026; current odometer 8936 miles. Occurs from 22–64 mph, most commonly 30–44 mph, in Normal and Sport modes, after cold starts, extended driving, and brief stops. RPMs typically hang at 3500–4000 before shifting. Documented incidents over the last month: June 1, 2026, 3:20 PM: Approximately 1 min after cold start, turned right at a light to 33 mph. Violent shake and abnormally loud acceleration during gear change. June 2, 2026, 3:00 PM: Turning right and accelerating after driving approximately 1 min, transmission revved high; had to release throttle to force the shift. June 11, 2026, 4:40 PM: After cold start, driving up a small incline about .4 miles away, transmission revved high and delayed shift at 35–45 mph. June 12, 2026, 3:17 PM: After 17 minutes of driving, accelerating from a cloverleaf around 25 mph to 64 mph, revved at 4000 June 19, 2026, 3:00 PM: After 2 hours of driving and a 5 min stop, turning right out of a shopping center, transmission hung up three consecutive times at 35–40 mph, RPMs at 3500–4000. June 20, 2026, 11:17 AM: Accelerating off a cloverleaf at 57 mph. RPMs hung at 4000 before shifting. June 30, 2026, 10:23 AM: Pulling out of neighborhood after backing out of driveway. RPM hang at approximately 22 mph, then again at 43 mph Safety risk: Unexpected RPM surge and violent gear change during acceleration on highway on-ramps, cloverleaf merges, and intersections creates unpredictable vehicle response at speed, presenting collision risk to driver and surrounding vehicles Dealer/service: Not confirmed by dealer. Assessed at ~6000 miles with no issues found

Filed Apr 24, 2026 · Steering, Suspension · NJ

When making turns under acceleration at various speeds, there is a noticeable clunk noise from the front section of the vehicle. The sound can be described as a coil that is being compressed/decompressed and creates the noise. The noise is heard when loading and unloading the steering wheel during a turn.

Filed Mar 19, 2026 · Engine, Transmission · SC

Reported issues of lag in acceleration and harsh shifting into reverse, the vehicle has been brought to the dealership multiple times stemming from shortly after previous, there are no warnings lights on. I requested the dealership provide in writing if the deemed the vehicle safe for operation. They would not do so. I requested a loaner while my vehicle is being reviewed for repurchase and was denied. When my repurchase claim was denied, I requested a reconsideration and again a loaner.

Filed Nov 14, 2025 · Acceleration · SC

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.

Filed Aug 25, 2025 · Transmission · UT

I have experienced intermittent transmission issues. Specifically, the car often fails to shift gracefully from first gear, resulting in rough or hard shifts that are jarring and unsafe, particularly during acceleration or in stop-and-go traffic. On multiple occasions, the vehicle has refused to shift correctly, requiring me to pull over, turn the car completely off, and restart it to restore proper shifting functionality. This issue is not only inconvenient but also poses a significant safety risk, especially when merging into traffic or navigating busy roads. For a vehicle marketed as a reliable and family-friendly SUV, these transmission problems are unacceptable. The transmission issues have significantly undermined my confidence in the vehicle’s safety and reliability, particularly as I rely on it for family transportation. The need to pull over and restart the car to address shifting problems is not only inconvenient but also dangerous in certain driving conditions. Furthermore, the reports of similar issues among other owners indicate that these problems may persist without proper intervention from Toyota.

Filed Aug 20, 2025 · Acceleration, Engine · IL

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 revs very high and is delayed shifting into 2nd gear. I've told my Toyota dealership about this numerous times but they keep telling me that there's no issue but there clearly is being that many others are experiencing the same exact problems. There's never been a warning lamp or message when this happens. This is a huge safety issue and my family is extremely lucky that we haven't been involved in a serious accident.

Filed Jan 28, 2024 · Transmission · WV

Bought in September 2023, within the first month, it started making a clunking noise when the wheel was turned to the left. The noise continued to get louder and started to make the same noise when turning right. In November, I got in my vehicle and it wouldn’t start. The dash and everything was flashing and making a cranking noise. I took it to the nearest dealership. They “charged” my battery and said it was fine. Also stated the noise was a heat shield issue and they fixed it. As soon as I pulled out of dealership, it still made the noise. The next morning went to start car, battery was dead. Had it towed to dealership for them to replace the battery. I filed complaint with Toyota, a field tech guy looked at it and said it had a bad left CV axel. No warning lamps/icons. But…Dealership's said it was safe to drive. However, If it fails, it can cause the vehicle to stop or tires to lock up. Causing an accident! It can also cause more damage to vehicle parts/ transmission. Furthering decreasing the value of the vehicle.