2024 Toyota Grand Highlander transmission and drivetrain problems
52 of the 240 complaints owners filed with NHTSA about the 2024 Toyota Grand Highlander name the transmission and drivetrain (NHTSA’s “Power Train” heading — the transmission, transfer case, driveshafts, axles and differentials — NHTSA files them under one heading). Filed under the same heading: 12 manufacturer bulletins. Every figure below is a document in a federal file, linked; none is a failure rate, and none is a verdict on any one car.
What owners filed about the transmission and drivetrain
Source: NHTSA complaint database1 of the 52 reports a crash · 0 a fire · 1 injury. Self-reported, unverified.
Filed per year: 2024: 20 · 2025: 10 · 2026: 22
Too few of these complaints carry an odometer reading to say when the problem shows up.
240 complaints in all about the 2024 Toyota Grand Highlander, 22 filed in 2026. The whole picture, every system →
Counts are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects, and scale with how many of these were sold; nothing here is a rate. NHTSA groups complaints coarsely, so “Power Train” means the same area of the vehicle, not one fault.
Across model years: Toyota Grand Highlander transmission and drivetrain problems, every year on file →
In owners’ own words
Source: NHTSA complaint databaseFiled with NHTSA by the people who own these cars, about the transmission and drivetrain. Quoted as written, with anything identifying removed; unverified reports — what was said, not a finding that it was true.
Specifically the model: 2024 Grand Highlander Hybrid Max. immediately new off the dealer lot when driving between 0-40mph, there is a transmission issue. In real life situation of stop and go, and needing to accelerate after making a right turn out of a driveway or stop sign on to flowing traffic, often times it feels as if the gear is…
I have had 2 intermittent issues since I bought this vehicle brand new. 1) Hard, Jerky shifting from 1-2 or 2-3 gear 2) Huge safety issue regarding loss of power and inability to accelerate from a stop even though the car is on and in drive. This has happened to me multiple times and is very intermittent so it is hard to replicate.
The car stalls or fails to accelerate from a complete stop despite adequately stepping on the gas pedal. This has left me in dangerous situations with oncoming cars as my car fails to move as expected. This issue occurs sporadically
when moving from a full stop, the car sometimes has hesitation to move to a full speed
The vehicle randomly won’t go when starting out from a complete stop. You can push the gas pedal to the floor and it will barely move. Almost got hit in an intersection trying to make a left turn. Toyota is aware of the problem and has a TSB and did an ECM update but the problem persists. It’s scary when it happens.
What is on file about the transmission and drivetrain
Source: NHTSA recalls, investigations and manufacturer communications12 manufacturer bulletins filed under this heading
- T-SB-0082-24 Rev2 Service bulletinApr 17, 2026
- OBSOLETE NOTICE April 17, 2026: This bulletin is now obsolete. Please see T-SB-0028-26
- T-SB-0028-26 Service bulletinApr 16, 2026
- Some 2024 Grand Highlander and Grand Highlander Hybrid vehicles may exhibit a rotational clicking noise from one or both front drive shaft assemblies when accelerating while making turns. This condition may occur without a grease leak present on the front drive shaft assemblies. An updated front drive shaft assembly is available to resolve this condition.
The 2 newest are listed; every one is on the model year’s page. Quote the document number at a service desk — it is a diagnosis the maker has already written down.
Common questions
Source: NHTSA complaint database, recalls and manufacturer communicationsAre transmission and drivetrain problems common on the 2024 Toyota Grand Highlander?
They are documented: NHTSA holds 52 owner complaints naming the transmission and drivetrain on this model year (22% of everything owners filed about it), and 12 manufacturer bulletins are filed under the same heading. Whether it is a problem on one particular car is a diagnosis, not a count, and a count says nothing about how many were sold.
Is there a recall for the transmission and drivetrain on the 2024 Toyota Grand Highlander?
No recall campaign is filed under this heading for this model year (there are 4 filed under other headings). A bulletin is not a recall: it carries no federal duty to repair for free.
When do transmission and drivetrain problems show up on the 2024 Toyota Grand Highlander?
Too few of the complaints carry an odometer reading to say. The model year's page shows the mileage curve across every system where it can.
What does NHTSA's "Power Train" heading cover?
The transmission, transfer case, driveshafts, axles and differentials — NHTSA files them under one heading. Owners choose the heading when they file, so it says which area of the vehicle the complaint is about, not which part failed.