2026 Toyota Grand Highlander

The 2024 Grand Highlander advertises a 5,000 lbs towing capacity on Toyota's website and window stickers, but owners report undisclosed restrictions for continuous long-distance towing that are not cl...

The owner's manual fails to clearly or prominently indicate the location of the auto start/stop disable button.

Salesman assured owner that Toyota navigation would remain available after the one-year connected services trial expires, but it does not.

The remote start feature using the key fob is not mentioned anywhere in the owner's manual.

Toyota provides numerous complicated privacy policies, notices, and statements across cars, apps, connected services, and cameras, making it difficult to locate and comprehend them.

Connected services and privacy notices state that using or activating services implies acceptance of the agreement, with the DCM (data communication module) active by default unless manually deactivat...

The power door locking system operates too quietly without an audible click or feedback. Owners second-guess if doors are locked and must manually check handles each time.

Dynamic Radar Cruise Control (DRCC), part of the vehicle's driver assistance system, displays a shutdown warning during long interstate drives but continues operating normally. This creates unnecessar...

The automatic emergency braking system unexpectedly and violently slams on the brakes while reversing at night in rain, even with no obstructions or obstacles detected. Multiple owners report this sta...

A 'System malfunction' warning pops up on the dashboard while driving the gas model, which can be temporarily dismissed but reappears repeatedly. The cause is unclear and distracts from normal driving...

The fuel low warning light activates too early, well before the tank is empty, limiting refills to about 12-14 gallons instead of the full 17.2-gallon capacity. This misleads owners about remaining ra...

The auto start-stop feature, which shuts off the engine at stops to save fuel, cannot be permanently disabled and requires manual deactivation every drive cycle. Owners find this repetitive process an...

The Toyota mobile app allows remote features like start but requires constant logins, verifications, password resets, and glitches, frustrating even tech-savvy users.

The vehicle's Bluetooth pairing with phones fails to stay connected or auto-connect reliably, requiring resets and disrupting use.

Wireless connections for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto frequently drop or fail to launch automatically despite pairing, interrupting trips.

Even when wireless Android Auto connects on startup, the screen often defaults to the native Toyota infotainment instead of full-screen AA.

The premium JBL sound system is overly bass-heavy and poorly balanced out of the box, needing manual EQ tweaks for better sound.

Power tailgate close-and-lock buttons only function from one side of the vehicle, not the other, creating inconsistency.

The in-console wireless charging pad lets phones slide during drives, interrupting charging about 40% of the time.

Drive mode selector buttons are positioned where drivers accidentally hit them or the nearby drink holder switches modes while grabbing drinks.

The prominent drive mode selector wastes console space on a feature most owners never use.

High-trim models have unused blank switch panels in the interior, suggesting incomplete feature integration.

Key climate controls like Hill-start Assist Control (HAC) lack physical buttons, forcing touchscreen use.

Steering wheel controls require glancing at the heads-up display to identify functions, turning simple tasks like volume adjustment into multi-press operations.

The built-in GPS navigation reverts from north-up map orientation after maneuvers, failing to retain user settings.

The digital instrument cluster does not save preferred displays like tire pressure, resetting selections each time.

The Grand Highlander's Data Communication Module (DCM) is active by default upon delivery, collecting location, health, and driving data via wireless/GPS until manually deactivated by contacting Toyot...

Toyota collects extensive personal data like geolocation and driving behavior, then shares or sells it to third parties for targeted advertising and marketing. This enables ads based on driving patter...

Interior cameras in the Advance Drive System capture facial geometric features, posture, and activity for driver monitoring and store facial scans linked to driver profiles. This enables biometric sur...

Toyota stores driving data for up to 15 years and location data for up to 10 years in identifiable format. Deletion rights are not guaranteed for all users regardless of location.

Toyota exposed location data of over 2 million users for 10 years and had other security incidents risking personal data.

Toyota shares personal data with affiliates, dealers, distributors, Toyota Connected Europe, service providers, and third parties like wireless carriers for business purposes. Location data may be sha...

Owners report the vehicle spies on them through built-in surveillance features.

The Toyota Grand Highlander uses a Data Communication Module (DCM) to enable remote control capabilities like starting the vehicle or checking its status via app. Owners complain that Toyota reserves ...

The Toyota app allows remote start and control of the vehicle via the vehicle's Data Communication Module (DCM). Owners report persistent 'remote command interrupted' errors preventing remote start, w...

The infotainment system is the central touchscreen for radio, navigation, and vehicle controls. Owners report the screen randomly going black, turning white, or glitching, disrupting use.

The instrument panel is the driver's display cluster showing speed, warnings, and critical info. A recall addresses failures where it stops displaying information, increasing crash risk.

Software updates for the rear camera are pushed to the vehicle's Electronic Control Unit (ECU). Improper updates have damaged ECUs in Grand Highlanders, requiring replacement with parts on backorder.

The vehicle has auto-start features like remote start or auto-stop, but with related switches disabled. Owners report it starting itself while parked in Park, posing safety concerns.

The Grand Highlander's remote start feature, which allows starting the engine from the key fob or app to precondition the cabin, stops working after the free trial unless you pay a $15/month Remote Co...

Built-in navigation on the Grand Highlander requires an active Connected Services subscription after the one-year trial, rendering it unusable without payment. Even on top-trim models, owners lose acc...

After Connected Services expire, the Grand Highlander's infotainment screen shows an error blocking access to navigation and radio info unless a phone is connected via CarPlay or Android Auto.

Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADS) and facial recognition in the Grand Highlander require ongoing subscriptions to receive full benefits after any trial period.