Migliaccio & Rathod LLP is investigating reports that certain 2024–2026 Toyota Grand Highlander and Grand Highlander Hybrid vehicles may have insufficient protection for important cooling components located behind the vehicle’s front grille.
In August 2026, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) opened Defect Petition DP26006 concerning allegations that large openings in the Grand Highlander’s front grille may allow ordinary rocks and road debris to strike the vehicle’s heat exchangers, including radiators and related cooling components.
The petition alleges that road debris can puncture these components during normal driving, potentially causing coolant leaks and sudden loss of propulsion. NHTSA opened the review after the petitioner identified 13 additional consumer complaints, bringing the initial total under consideration to 14. NHTSA has not determined that the Grand Highlander contains a safety defect and is currently evaluating whether a formal defect investigation is warranted.
Consumer complaints describe vehicles experiencing coolant leaks, warning messages, reduced power, and becoming disabled after rocks allegedly passed through the front grille and damaged cooling components. In one NHTSA complaint, a Grand Highlander traveling approximately 60 mph displayed an instruction to pull over and shut off the vehicle. The dealer reportedly determined that a rock had passed through the grille and punctured the radiator.
Other owners report paying approximately $1,000 or more to repair damaged radiators, heat exchangers, or A/C condensers, and some owners have installed aftermarket grille screens or mesh in an attempt to protect these components.
Migliaccio & Rathod LLP is investigating whether the Grand Highlander’s front grille provides adequate protection against ordinary road debris and whether consumers have been required to pay for repairs arising from an allegedly inadequate grille design.
Owners May Have Experienced:
- Rocks or other road debris passing through the vehicle’s front grille;
- A punctured radiator, hybrid inverter radiator, heat exchanger, or A/C condenser;
- Coolant or refrigerant leaking from the vehicle;
- A “Hybrid System Malfunction” or other warning message;
- The vehicle unexpectedly entering reduced-power or limp mode;
- Sudden loss of propulsion or the vehicle becoming undrivable;
- The vehicle requiring towing after a cooling-system failure;
- Toyota or a dealership attributing the damage to an outside object or road debris;
- Warranty coverage being denied because the damage was considered an external occurrence; or
- Paying approximately $1,000 or more to repair damaged cooling components.
Potential Claims May Include:
- Defective or inadequate front-grille protection;
- Failure to adequately protect critical cooling components from foreseeable road debris;
- Breach of express or implied warranties;
- Failure to adequately disclose an alleged design vulnerability;
- Out-of-pocket radiator, condenser, or cooling-system repair costs;
- Towing, rental, or other loss-of-use expenses;
- Diminished vehicle value; and
- Violations of applicable consumer-protection laws.
Signs You May Be Affected:
- You own or lease a 2024–2026 Toyota Grand Highlander or Grand Highlander Hybrid;
- A rock or other road debris passed through your vehicle’s front grille;
- Your radiator, hybrid cooling radiator, heat exchanger, or A/C condenser was punctured or damaged;
- Your vehicle experienced a coolant leak, reduced power, or loss of propulsion;
- Your Grand Highlander became disabled and required towing;
- Toyota or your dealership denied warranty coverage because the damage was attributed to road debris;
- You paid out of pocket to repair a radiator, condenser, or other cooling component; or
- You installed an aftermarket grille screen or other protective material because of concerns about road-debris damage.
If you have encountered these issues, Migliaccio & Rathod LLP would like to hear from you. Please complete the contact form on this page, send us an email at [email protected], or give us a call.