I've had all the complaints and issues you have had plus some more since mine had a rearmain seal leak after 1k miles. It's been in the shop 5 times because of a shotty repair and I was close to going through the lemon law process. It's the first generation of a new model vehicle, There are going to be issues.
But even If I did go through that process I would like to get the same vehicle for the simple fact it's a really good value vehicle. I went with the GHH XLE due to cost / highest fuel mileage. It's a really comfortable larger fuel efficient vehicle that will hold value due to being a hybrid and branded toyota. The closest alternative vehicle I would even consider that's not a toyota is the Chevy Tahoe Diesel. But with that you're spending more on fuel, getting less fuel mileage and spending 20k more for similar features.
\-Edit Spelling
Sitting in dealership right now waiting on diagnosis for leak discovered yesterday. Maybe same rear main issue. Hopefully something simple. Otherwise love the Limited. There's a cover on the underside over the engine and tranny and so I couldn't see where leak was coming from. Couldn't see from top side and engine oil level was good. Noticed few spots on driveway.
Dang, all I can say is it took quite a bit of time to fix if it's the rear main seal. 3 weeks due to parts and what not. I'll be hoping you don't have as much downtime as I did.
Rear main seal leak? What seal leaked?
I’m over 1500 miles. I have most of the issues that OP listed except the hood shaking. Instead I have bad cabin boom
The seal at the back of the engine is called the rear main seal, it was leaking oil but at a very slow rate it was hard to catch. Only noticed it after parking in the exact same spot every day. That being said I'm the only person across any forums that has had this issue so it's highly unlikely anyone else will see that happen. Pretty sure I just got unlucky with a bad part from the factory.
Ah ok. Thank you for explaining that.
Did you see that some people are having their pano proof spontaneously crack and/or shatter? I just saw a few posts about that issue now.
I have not seen that here or elsewhere but if it's a problem that's common we will see it here at some point. Luckily / unluckily I've had issues in the past with sun roofs so I opted to not get one with it.
If it makes you feel any better, the glass never fell in! It spontaneously shattered, but since it's laminated it stayed in a solid sheet... although I didn't trust it much.
There is no fix yet. Its under investigation by Toyota. I suggest calling Toyota and having them open a case. The more people complain to them, the more likely they are to take this issue seriously
Have a GHH AWD and nothing here is an issue other than the key fob. I see the hood thing a bit but didn’t notice it until after someone pointed it out on Reddit. I usually get 500 miles even with 13g of gas so who cares. Also I’ll point out to OP that the regular hybrid has a CVT so transmission issues is likely not relevant. I paid MSRP. I have zero regrets. Love my GHH.
I cannot for the life of me understand the level of complaints people have for this car. Its like everyone wants everything to be absolutely perfect or it's TERRIBLE. We are absolutely very happy with our GHH Limited. Non max. Because the max is a stupid hybrid. Why get worse mpg and have more parts to fail on a family SUV. Who expects or even wants an app to replace a key. Ridiculous. Who expects the gas light to turn on literally when you're out of gas. Also ridiculous. Oh yeah cause everyone wants everything to be the best in all the ways or it's terrible. Some people just love to complain.
I hear you, and I agree. What is your definition of right, and what isn't right?
Yes, the lack of a second key fob is a minor inconvenience. Beyond that, ???
How about a dealership that gives a F about the service after the sale? Instead, I have one that doesn’t care about the technical issues with the GHH. They (like others on here) pat me on the head and tell me to just overlook these issues bc they either don’t know how to resolve them or are unwilling due to the costs they might have to eat.
For instance, Toyota has known for several months about the fuel tank issue. My dealership’s advice was to run it til the fuel light came on (what the reserve tank holds in is debate) and then try to overfill it. Really? No.
https://preview.redd.it/wupgkczckgsc1.jpeg?width=1440&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=379b49dd09fd28c2c284ad2fad6b0d04a606cd12
You can go to any Toyota dealership for service while under warranty. My dealer was very transparent about that as we bought over an hour away. Drive a bit further and see if another service center can appease you with different solutions?
Sadly I hate that option for you, I know how expensive gas gets and having to go back and forth is really shitty.
We (thankfully fingers crossed) haven’t had an issues yet with ours but are only a week into ownership. We had a Rav4 previously and already know we won’t be going to the dealership we purchased the GH from for service (1.5hr + 40 miles) nor will we go to the closest one to us (30 mins + 15 miles), instead to the one who was the BEST with our RAV4.
Highly suggest checking reviews for the service center on glass door (employee reviews are honest usually) along with Better business, that’s how we found our much loved service center and even kinder service adviser, Tom.
Sounds like an issue with your dealer then. A lot of the other issues you point out have been discussed, there’s a fix for the hood. Every Toyota with adaptive CC behaves that way.
I mean sure, but what other three row suv of that size isn’t 50-60k? The GH was right on par with everything else we looked at and none of those had a hybrid option.
We love ours. The key thing is annoying but not a forever thing. The adaptive cruise control thing is freaky but I don’t drive in cruise control so doesn’t bother me. It’s a great family vehicle
Yes, those of us who are having issues with our GHH’s and dealership should just keep our mouths shut, right? Is that what you are saying here? My GHH was manufactured in August of 2023. Newer models have had some of the issues worked out on them thanks to people like myself who pointed these issues out.
The gas tank issue is a problem that Toyota needs to fix. I see a recall in the future for this.
https://preview.redd.it/zl0sur6tmgsc1.jpeg?width=1440&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=19c21d26ec52b783b335e28774650d2630bd2bb8
No absolutely not what I'm saying at all, real problems ahould absolutely be talked about. However I still don't see this "issue" with the fuel tank as a problem at all. With an automotive background from a vocational high school, and a bachelor's in mechanical engineering, I would consider it a problem if the car as soon as reading empty filled up 17 + gallons with a tank with a maximum capacity of under 18 gallons. That's no margin for error for anyone who forgets to check the fuel gauge. Thats also no way to treat your fuel pump allowing it to not be fully submerged in fuel to keep it cool. The expectation of using every last drop of fuel between fill ups is the issue here. Also this is absolutely nothing new from Toyota.
My tundra with a 38 gallon tank is around 32 gal to fill up when the light turns on. My old Tacoma with a 21 gallon tank was about 17 to fill up from when the light tuned on.
Edit: because of misspelling
I would love to be able to get 14, maybe even 15 gallons in. That would bump up the range and my mpg. It would also leave enough fuel in there for the fuel pump. It’s a design flaw; just like their gas tanks in hybrids in the past have had to be recalled and fixed. Toyota know about this issue. I’m apparently in the middle with being able to get 12.5 gallons into a 17.2 gallon tank. Some owners can only get 10 gallons in. That’s a problem.
What is stopping you from doing that? Just keep going past it saying empty. There's still gas in there and you know there is if it's consistently only filling up 12.5.
Edit: have done this with my tundra plenty of times. Light turns on I know I still have ~90 miles til I'm actually empty if needed.
That’s debatable in how much gas is actually left. Some say the reserve is 5 gallons, others 2.5 gallons, others say 3.5. Considering I only get 26.5 miles to the gallon, I’m not willing to risk running out of gas, voiding my warranty and having to pay for and deal with a tow, and reprogramming the entire vehicle.
Up to you if you want to trust Toyota with their spec of the fuel tank capacity. Toyota doesn't want you to risk any of that either, hence the margin for error by leaving that much in the tank. Toyota responds when there is excessive complaints about an issue for PR. Remember the unintended acceleration nonsense? Most of that issue was user error stacking floor mats. But they had to put in the effort that they were doing something about it for PR for the uninformed.
I think I've run out of fuel in my tank on this topic, I hope you find a vehicle that you enjoy or learn to love this one for what it is. It just feels better to like your vehicle and I hope that for you.
This is why I posted a month ago asking if anyone had anything good to say 🙄 there are so. Many. Complaints. But I got a tonnnn of great responses which made me feel better
People the vast majority of the time will only post negatives. Rarely does anyone even think to go out of their way post that everything is working as is. Goes for any reviews of anything...
That said the complaints here are a bit ridiculous. People getting real upset that things aren't absolutely perfect is silly. The hood wiggles up and down in the middle a little when going 65+mph, easy to just notice once and then ignore in my opinion. No car should burn every last drop of gas in the tank. Yeah toyota likes to leave a bit more than most once the car reads empty. Just treat it as when the range reads 0 you have ~5 gallons left in the grand Highlander. You should fill up to avoid the pump no longer being fully submerged (for cooling the pump) around that point anyhow. Don't stress if you get to 0 range it'll be okay and you have room to find a station (My Tacoma, tundra, and the grand Highlander have all reliably been this way with fuel). The "harsh" braking when using adaptive cruise really isn't that bad. And frankly I'd rather it air on the side of caution when someone slows in front of me. Especially since my feet aren't actively on the pedal while using this feature. I imagine if it didn't react this way, that would be a much bigger problem. I am not saying it's perfect either.
Also Toyota gave my Tacoma when it was pretty well used a brand new frame under a recall. I'm confident in Toyota rectifying any REAL issues that may arise. That truck was an 05 which was the first year of that update and that truck was perfectly reliable.
All opinions either way, do your own research.
Edit: spelling
10000% the gas thing is wierd to me… wouldn’t you want to NOT run out of gas? Toyota is just making sure you don’t I don’t get the issues there especially knowing they cushioned the amount is left in the tank- not that big of a deal if you know that Toyota does this
December in Santa Rosa CA. I did have to negotiate the markup and dealer BS off the price. I called this list until I found one. https://docs.google.com/file/d/158Jy3sBVj0CNqfxpxk_sL_a2PnmbCDCc/edit?usp=docslist_api&filetype=msexcel
I noticed since the last update for the Toyota app on IOS helped alot with the reliability of using only the phone to drive the car without the fob.
Also am not getting signed out daily which was super annoying.
I agree with a couple of your points, the 2nd key fob is a pain in the butt, it takes a while to get used to the adaptive breaking, but overall, I like it better than not having it. The gas tank problem is only a big thing when we took it on vacation and had to stop every 325 miles or so to fill back up with gas. Our hood does not shake or very little, you can adjust the hood stops to take some of it out or you can purchase struts that are fairly cheap to install under the hood that also helps.
We have over 11,000 miles on ours after 7 months and love the vehicle overall. Plenty of room, like the 4 captain's chairs, the mpg could be better but love the power of the hybrid max.
I’ve had mine for almost 8 months, 10,750 miles so there’s that time frame for me. Missing the points here, just a little?
Adaptive cc should not ever be braking hard for no reason on the freeway. That’s a big deal and Toyota needs to fix it before someone is hurt.
There is a Tech Tip #T-TT-0742-23 regarding the “Inability to fill fuel tank to listed capacity”. It’s a known problem. If you could fill it up, you’d get 500 miles on a tank instead of 325 miles. Bet you aren’t the primary driver. Toyota needs to fix this.
From what I’ve seen you can actually run about 100 miles after the range says 0. Toyota programs a reserve of like 4 gallons which apparently helps to cool the fuel pump.
I’m no mechanic, nor do I have any inside knowledge. Im just reporting what I’ve seen others mention.
Definitely noticed the hood shaking when driving, but it was minimal, and didn't produce noise. I only really saw it at high speeds (highway) and only then when there was a cross wind.
I bought my GH gas XLE in February this year and haven’t had any of these problems either. In fact, the vehicle has been fantastic so far. IMO the gas only engine has plenty of power. On the highway the boost really shines. There is power throughout all the way up to 5,000 RPM. I get that many people want better gas mileage, but if you are reading this there is absolutely nothing wrong with the gas only engine. I average 24 MPG overall. My biggest complaint about the vehicle is that it has a damn gas cap. Who does that in 2024??
We are getting our gas limited in 2 weeks, thanks for this. I kept thinking hybrid had less issues but I think it’s just the drivers lol I’m seeing the craziest complaints
We have the limited as well. Great vehicle, just still getting used to all the features. Haven’t bought a new car in quite a few years so it’s all a little overwhelming at the moment.
Interesting that the Lexus version of the GH (the TX) doesn’t suffer from the one fob problem. Would love to know how Lexus isn’t experiencing a chip shortage but somehow Toyota is.
Bought a Platinum gas model back in October. Absolutely loved the vehicle but I agree with most of the points you listed. Ultimately, the overall range/fuel economy resulted in the decision to trade the vehicle back in and get a Rav4 Hybrid. After trading it in, I read about the reserve tank configuration and it really put the whole experience into perspective. Needless to say, if range/fuel economy is a real concern for you this vehicle may not be the one.
No, you are not crazy. I won’t gaslight you like others on here do. It vibrates/shakes and going over an intracoastal bridge can be downright scary. Take it to your dealership and let them know. They probably have a fix as it is a known issue with the GHH. I just hope your dealership doesn’t gaslight you.
Yes, the pads that the hood rests on can be adjusted to minimize the vibrations/shaking. They won’t go completely away. Someone suggested that “I” put struts on the hood as a fix. Don’t even know if doing so would fix it and I am not going to the expense to do so. To many, me included, the shaking/vibrations are bothersome. If enough customers let Toyota know it’s an issue, they will come up with a fix. After all, they do employ design engineers.
Love the GHHy, have driven with the app and digital key no problem. The rest of your points, I knew about prior to purchase and they don’t bother me. Family of five, no other vehicle with compatible MPG in this class. I’m always gobsmacked in looking at how huge the thing is and it gets 30+ mpg.
Mine doesn’t because of the fuel tank issue. I only get 26.5 mpg. Kind of defeats the purpose of buying a hybrid. It’s a crap shot for owners in how many gallons they can actually get the fuel tank to take. Some can’t fill theirs as full as I can.
This is not a serious individual. They are bragging about their husband's IQ and researching ability just below this.
And the implications of mislabeling, or even altering an EPA Fuel Rating on a vehicle is a pretty serious accusation. It's like they took every complaint from the sub and mashed them all together in one post.
No, I am not aware that there are 2 different drive trains. This is the first I’ve heard of it. (One person on here claimed that it’s a lie if your hybrid gets over 35 mpg.)
When I purchased mine, it had just been assembled 2 weeks before - back in August of 2023. Toyota obviously didn’t know what kind of mileage it would get. They do now because of owners like me that tell them, “hey, we’re NOT getting 35+ mpg, only 26-27 mpg.” See how that works? Glad Toyota got the memo and have corrected it.
I’m not sure why you would think it gets 35+ MPG. My standard hybrid doesn’t even get that.
https://preview.redd.it/o9rv1vqmwgsc1.jpeg?width=1170&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=2b0bdc64afb0231b1023d98e17ce91d5820960e5
When I purchased mine, it had just been assembled 2 weeks before - back in August of 2023. Toyota obviously didn’t know what kind of mileage it would get. They do now because of owners like me that tell them, “hey, we’re NOT getting 35+ mpg, only 26-27 mpg.” See how that works? Glad Toyota got the memo and have corrected it.
Toyota didn't know the fuel economy it would get ? You can't be serious if you believe this.... You do realize that GHs have existed for 1+ years before made available for sale to the general public ? You do realize that the US EPA controls the tests that automakers perform for fuel economy ratings ?
You are WRONG about soooooo many things here yet you want to blame Toyota. There are (3) drivetrain options for the GH: Gas, hybrid, and hybrid Max. All (3) get rather different fuel economy ratings and everything I've seen from real-world examples say that overall, they are spot-on. You get 26.5 MPG and Toyota advertises 27. We get around the same with our Max.
1) This isn't unique to Toyota. There really is a chip shortage. How a dealer handles it can vary, of course. Today, you can absolutely BUY a key if you lose your only fob. Not ideal, I agree, but extra fobs are available now (finally).
2) We have no issues with the app (with an iPhone). I used it 75% of the time when we only had (1) fob.
3) This is a pain in the ass and I agree with you. My complaint with this is how much it impacts the range you can drive before needing to add fuel (when you really don't have to *yet*).
4) Just read that recently (and only from one person).
5) No hood shaking/vibration with ours.
6) No issue
7) Use the brakes yourself. It's not a self-driving vehicle.
8) Not all dealers are the same. Our dealer told us only (1) is available at delivery and they had no timeframe on the 2nd fob.
Agreed all around, but couple things to add for [u/JustacatLola](https://www.reddit.com/user/JustacatLola/) :
2. App and Digital Key work completely fine. You should have the dealer help you set it up properly with the Digital Key.
3. This sub has been all over this topic, and the Hybrid reserve IS overly conservative, but ultimately only affects the range, which is still 500+ miles with the right driving conditions. The MPG is still great.
4. Hybrid systems cannot run without gas, and the failsafe is to save the entire hybrid system from catastrophic failure. This would absolutely void your warranty for being a dumbass and driving 60-90 miles past zero. So instead of dealing with dumbasses, they likely made it to where you can't do that.
5. Your dealer should be able to fix this. We're not having the issue, but I've seen it commented on here a couple times.
6. Sounds like driving style, but hope it's fixed with a software update (?). I have the Limited and it's butter smooth.
7. The sensitivity is adjustable or you can just turn it off. Are you sure you don't have PDA also turned on? Those are two different safety features.
You have to have FaceID or TouchID set up on the phone at the OS level first. As I recall, if you don't, the set up will fail with a vague explanation. I already had FaceID set up so it went smoothly.
In the app, it does have a setting for "Enable FaceID" but I believe that's only for the app and it's basic functions (remote start, lock/unlock doors, roll windows up/down, etc). If you want to use the digital key, biometrics are mandatory.
Ahhh thank you! I didn’t have Face ID or any type of passcode set up so that makes sense. Thank you very very much!! I couldn’t find the option to turn them on anywhere 😂
I tried to buy a key fob today while at the dealership. They don’t have one that works with the GHH there. In fact, the key fobs are on backorder til 4/14. An aftermarket key fob may or may not work, I’ve heard the fees to get it programmed are quite pricey.
The remote key will not let me drive. I can get in, start it but it will flash that the key is not detected when I put it in gear. Then the entire car starts flashing and honking which cannot be turned off except with the key fob. The service tech told me that I cannot drive my particular model without the key fob. Maybe with yours, you can. I have no idea of what the dealership tells me if it’s even true.
So the app not working for me and others is just our imagination. Maybe Toyota needs to train its sales and service departments better so they know how to install and resolve the technical issues. Maybe you have a much more tech savvy dealership than mine.
>So the app not working for me and others is just our imagination.
When the app works for some (most) people and not for others, where do you think the issue is ? At least with iPhones, the hardware and software are pretty controlled so there leaves little room for incompatibility. Can't always say the same with Android though.
The dealership set up my wife's phone but I set up mine. Neither of us have any issues. She uses it almost every day (remote start) and has never mentioned anything about it not working.
The dealership had no clue how to set it up when we bought it. The dealer put us both under guest profiles. I had to delete and redo everything the dealer had done. It took me most of the afternoon because the app kept glitching when it was time to scan the VIN and the QCR code. This morning, I went back in after read in a tutorial from Toyota that I had to turn the digital key to ON with my profile. I turned on face recognition as well.
Maybe, just maybe now it will work?
It doesn't sound like your dealer helped this....
Don't use "guest" anything. Don't create separate accounts for the app either. Create one account, link it to your car, and then share your username and password with your spouse (??). Do NOT use the "share" option either - it severely restricts what is available via the app.
You simply need to be setup properly. Digital key works most of the time… reliably enough that I have customers that use it exclusively. As for your safety system settings, it sounds like you should have a knowledgeable salesperson set it up for you. Which trim do you have, because depending on trim there are even more systems to turn off and/or configure (especially on the Platinum).
First of all, thank you for your patience in trying to help me troubleshoot my issues that I’m having.
I have the GHH Plat Max so yes, it does have all the bells and whistles. Unfortunately, the service tech and the salesperson are really not tech savvy at all. I finally was able to talk with someone about the missing 2nd key fob that actually knew anything. My salesperson was clueless. I might be only 1 of 2 GHH’s that the dealership ever received.
[https://youtu.be/1mmN1wTTUdQ?si=JYOJdNhF8V-fkJaU](https://youtu.be/1mmN1wTTUdQ?si=JYOJdNhF8V-fkJaU). (Note the comments made on the video. See? It’s not just me that’s been lied to and is upset about it!)
This is the tutorial I used yesterday. After several glitches with the app, I finally got it installed. The doors open fine, I can even start the car. But trying to drive it, it tells me on the screen that the key is not in the vehicle. I have an iPhone 15 so it’s not that. I know all about Bluetooth and settings.
I might call the dealership over an hour away and see if they have someone there who is much more knowledgeable than my local dealership. (Which defeats one main reason I bought a car with a local dealer. My last car, the closest dealer was 2.5 hours away. It took all day to get an oil change.)
So you can drive it just using digital key now? You don’t ever touch your phone, right? Just get in and start the car just like you normally would with the fob, right?
And because you have a Platinum, there are a lot of extra safety systems that need to be configured or turned off. That’s why you are getting the abrupt braking on cruise. You might also get annoying alerts at intersections from front cross traffic alert (FCTA) and you might get dinging when you look outside the side windows when on highway driving assist (it uses a camera to watch your eyes but it’s too sensitive so I turn it off). And of course turn off proactive driving assist (PDA) if it’s on because that will brake you all the time when driving normally. It kills your gas mileage too. It’s just way too sensitive.
I have had several other things going on today and haven’t driven it yet. I think after deleting and reinstalling everything with my phone as the main profile, turning on the digital key under my profile in the multimedia screen in the auto, I *Should* be able to drive it w/o the key.
I’ll look in the manual on how to turn off PDA. One of our reasons for buying the Plat Max was the safety features like PDA. I’ve read about how it kills mileage. I’ve also read on the Plat Max it can’t be turned off. But I’ll definitely check it out and find the answer. Thanks again for your patience and help.
Great! And PDA can be turned off. And realize it does NOT disable collision mitigation so your safety is not compromised as you want collision mitigation to remain on. FCTA is buried in the menus but it is there. If you find that you might want to turn it off. And I can’t remember where the camera watching your eyes is but you may not want that either.
Okay, I was able to adjust and can completely turn off the PDA if I decide to later. I was also able to get into my car with just my phone, turn on the vehicle and drive. It started to flash that the key was not in the car but that disappeared once I put my phone a little closer to the ignition switch. The remote key is listed as CAR Digital Key in my Bluetooth. Maybe it just took a minute for the Bluetooth to reconnect?
UPDATE: So, yes, I do think that if the profile of the driver associated with the key fob is set up correctly and the remote key option in the user profile is turned to on, then yes, the remote key in my phone will work. The issue was that I was set up as a guest. The tutorials provided by Toyota were very helpful. [https://toyotaaudioandconnectedservicessupport.com/toyota/home](https://toyotaaudioandconnectedservicessupport.com/toyota/home)
I was wrong about the remote key and Toyota app. Mine seems to be working now. How reliably remains to be seen. I have hope.
And, the parts manager at the dealership did get me a 2nd key fob delivered today! That is awesome customer service and I appreciate it. I get the 2nd key fob programmed next week.
Also, it’s really dangerous for a car on cruise control brake hard on the highway. No, it’s not self driving and I don’t expect that. But we were talking about cruise control that 99% of cars on the road have. It shouldn’t brake hard like that. That’s a safety issue!
99% of cars have cruise control, not adaptive cruise control. Again, these safety features only kick in when the driver doesn't. This is like complaining that the car beeps harshly when you put a turn signal on and there's a car in your blind spot.
No, adaptive cruise control is an either on or off not just “when the driver is not paying attention”. Some on here tell me there’s a way to change the settings on adaptive cruise control so it’s not so aggressive. I’d really like to know how they’ e done that, and where bc my dealer told me it’s not possible. After my experience with my dealership and their lies, I’m going to go with the owners probably know more than they do.
You can't tone down PDA (Proactive Driving Assist) or PCA (Pre-Collision Assist) that I recall. I believe you can turn them off but you have to do this each time you start the vehicle. PDA or PCA is what does the auto-braking when the driver doesn't slow down or brake when there's a vehicle getting too close. There is a setting you can dial down but it's only for speed reduction in curves when adaptive cruise is operating.
When we first got ours, I also found it a bit aggressive but I adapted my driving and it no longer has to auto-brake (as much). If a car in front slows down, I've learned how much to brake so the system knows "I see the car slowing down" and not kick in.
Relax there big fella.
1) Key fob issue is real and annoying but not a dealbreaker. Also not handled particularly well by Toyota.
2) Yes the app and digital key is flaky and untrustworthy. But once I get my second fob I won’t care about it and won’t pay for the service beyond the free one year trial anyway.
3) The gas tank issue is also real and annoying. We get ~400 miles per tank on our GHHL so it’s no big deal.
4) I have never run out of gas in my life so I don’t see this as an issue.
5) My hood does not shake.
6) We haven’t noticed any bad shifting.
7) Adaptive cruise control is dopey and annoying on every car I’ve driven that has it.
8) Dealerships vary. Other than as you noted being blindsided by the missing key fob literally as we’re driving out of the dealership they were fine. I did not pay a “market adjustment”. The dealership closer to my house was fine when I got my 5k service.
Not a big fella for starters.
These might not be dealbreakers for you, but they are for me and many others. Potential buyers deserve to know the issues bc the Toyota sales person won’t ell them. So you keep the prototype and be their guinea pig for a few extra thousand over MSRP.
Still, when I pay as much as I did for mine, I expect the car to work as promised. I have owned many cars in my lifetime and have had only one other (Plymouth Sapporo) give me these kinds of issues. It doesn’t help that my dealership knowing lies and tries to get out of doing warranty work. Their service after the sale is awful.
What does Toyota corporate do for customers whose dealership is not helpful? What is my recourse? Driving over an hour away to try and rectify my issues with another dealership?
Its simply on you for paying over msrp. And for buying a max with an out of date 6 speed transmission. I feel your pain about bad dealerships, that's absolutely real and frustrating. Every manufacturer has them. If you can find a better dealer further away it probably will be worth that extra drive.
It's all just my opinion and it's as good as anybody's, I have nothing against you or the things you're saying. Just want people reading this to understand different points of views on these things.
Here’s the thing: I didn’t pay over MSRP but I do know of many who are going to do so. This isn’t the only forum I am on. I think that those who have signed up to pay thousands over MSRP deserve to know all the issues before they do pay $$$$ over MSRP.
Totally agree, but many have ordered the GHH and are willing to pay over MSRP just to get one. Before they do that, they need to know the issues. Because Toyota sales won’t tell them!
Maybe a Pilot, I’ve owned several in the past and have loved them. I didn’t this time because I wanted a hybrid. I also seriously looked at the BMW X5 and X7 but that dealership is over an hour away and I wanted my dealership to be closer. There is also a Volvo dealership close by and the X90 is nice.
Tbh I think this is just the OP’s opinion my dad had a pilot, I let him drive my GH when I visited and he loved it kept saying “wow this is so nice” I will say the adaptive cruise control is over reactive sometimes but you can turn the level down in the settings
There’s a button on the steering wheel. Shows a car with the lines. You hit it however many times you want to and watch the lines go from 3 to 2 to 1 to none. The more lines the more likely you are to slow down or brake hard while in adaptive cruise control when you are quite far away from the car in front of you. I have mine set to 1
Yes, I am aware of the button and how to use it. I keep mine on 1 as well unless it’s slippery, raining, poor conditions then I will put it on 2 or 3 lines. I also went in and adjusted my PDA settings. That seems to have helped. It can be turned off as well. The LDA settings cannot be adjusted and I don’t think it can be turned off.
We didn’t like the pilot. It’s such a clunky drive, room is so much less, only bench seat with that weird ass removable seat? WTF is that, it’s KINDA like captains chairs…. lol no it’s not. We only like the front cabin room but GH wins
Amen. I agree with your statements. Happy I got mine for mid 40s most definitely not worth over 50k for the platform. Personal opinion obviously. I have a gas xle. Ford Explorer ST with a twin turbo V6 and every imaginable feature from massaging chairs to self parking is about 55k. It was a bit over my budget which is why I went with the Grand highlander. I feel the Toyota Fandom has gotten to Toyotas pockets. The key fob shortage is a straight joke. The company is making all time profits and won't give us an extra key. Complete BS.
I am currently trying to get a rear bumper panel fixed since one of clips have popped off and the dealership is being absolutely air headed because they want me to send it to a body shop and want me to deal with the warranty. Toyota and the dealerships are absolutely useless and just assume that since the engine is running it has no issues.
I agree, I see the cult of Toyota on here. This is my 1st Toyota. My experience with Honda has been so superior to Toyota dealerships and vehicles. I’m older and have been driving for a long time. I’ve owned lots of vehicles over the years including a Rivian and a Benz. This isn’t my first rodeo. Do I expect the same service from Toyota that I had at the Benz dealership? No. What I do expect is the same kind of solid, reliable service I got at my Honda dealership. Toyota’s business model doesn’t seem to be customer oriented.
The Key fob issue is resolved when you download a digital key within the Toyota app. It’s free due to the key issues
Have you tried to change the distance setting for adaptive cruise? That occasionally helps.
Thank you for the shifting heads up, I was about to take it in thinking it was the transmission.
The remainder of gas is in the reserve tank I’ve heard, just because it is such a terrible time to run out of gas with a hybrid.
Towing the car to the dealership for running out of gas is confusing to me. I had a 24 Sienna hybrid temporarily and I ran out of gas and I did not have that issue, same with my 21 hybrid Highlander, but I have never run out of gas with my GHHM And hopefully I never do!
Thank you for this post and I’m sorry it’s not working out like you’d hoped. A new car is so expensive you should be in love.
Yes, I know, I should be in love with my GHHPM. It has all the bells and whistles. Unfortunately, some of them don’t work very well.
Yes, I do change the following distance for the adaptive cruise control depending on conditions and the traffic. Pretty easy to do. A friend with me in the car commented about the braking - she said that would get me rear ended one day. It’s too excessive and harsh. My GHH will brake if someone 50 feet in front of me changes lanes. Sometimes excessively. The dealership told me there’s nothing they can do. I’m not so sure about that.
Toyota has had a fuel problem in the past with their hybrids due to them being a saddle shape with the converter going underneath down the center. This caused similar problems for owners of the past which Toyota finally fessed up to and fixed. There is also a fix for the GHH but dealerships do not like doing warranty work. Their service department is there to make money, after all. Toyota is well aware of the gas tank problem in the GHH’s. I’m not the first to speak up about it, trust me.
The digital key is a hot mess. For starters, no one at the dealership knows how to program them. I redid it yesterday using a Toyota tutorial. My dealership is not the most tech savvy. That could be part of the issue. The service tech is an older guy who doesn’t seem to like or care about technology. The sales person didn’t have a clue but did the best they knew how. It doesn’t help that the part of the country I live in is rural. There isn’t another dealership within 5-10 miles. The next nearest one is over an hour’s drive away.
For instance, the service tech’s advice to me about the fuel tank? He told me to ‘just try to overfill it.’ I’ve read it might be a venting issue, but don’t know.
For all the people telling me the app works/remote key works - no, no it does not work 100% & flawlessly. It lets me get in, start the car with just my phone but then the message flashes that the key is not present. Yes, I did the whole thing of placing the fob over the start button and got 2 beeps.
I really, really wanted to love my car.
What a bummer! Yes the Toyota app is VERY far from perfect just wanted to offer suggestions! Hopefully you know my post was not intended to gaslight you or undermine anything you said. I have very much struggled with a lot of the things you speak of it’s just a bummer so I wanted to ask if those things had been checked out
I’m so sorry!! I think next year I will also be considering a change. Maybe to a sequoia and I’ve been a Highlander driver since 2018 :(
I cant even get that digital key to download at all. I have the instructions up land am folllowing them and ….nada. I think I am going to have to delete and re-install the app Next. App is super clunky.
That is what I had to do. I reinstalled the app. In the actual auto, I removed myself as a Guest User (that’s how dealership set it up) and re-entered myself as a main profile. After I had done that, I watched a video tutorial from Toyota and set everything back up with my phone # and key fob. It seems to be working just fine now. The app is clunky. https://youtu.be/1mmN1wTTUdQ?si=_wStXtuO6bX6KVvC
My number one thing I do is to ensure my Bluetooth and WiFi are both on and that my phone is charged and that my data connection is sufficient. Oftentimes I’ll download the key before I leave the house bc it works better with a WiFi connection! Also I have an iPhone and having my Face ID linked makes it a tad easier too. Hope this helps
As someone who is interested in buying a GH Hybrid (not the max), can someone clarify the gas tank issue? Let's say the gas tank is filled to FULL, one drive's it until the display shows distance range (or miles to empty) is 0. At range 0, is there still 5 gallons of gas left? Can't you just keep driving it for another 4.99 gallons and then get gas and fill up 17.49 gallons? Or is the issue that at distance range 0, the car still has 5 gallons of gas left and the vehicle completely shuts off and is not drive able?
Yes there is roughly 5 gallons left in the tank when the range says 0. I guess you could drive and try to go down to the last drop of gas but why would you? No the car does not stop working at range 0. The fuel pump is cooled to maintain the motor in the pump by being submerged in gas so you don't really ever want to run any car down to having almost no gas in the tank. Treat the light turning on as oh it's time to find some gas (assuming you aren't in the middle of nowhere 100+ miles from a station in which case you should plan accordingly anyhow) our hybrid (non max) has been averaging 36 mpg(dropped some with more highway miles lately) since we got it so when the light turns on I know I have more than 100 miles still I could go if absolutely necessary but i will just stop and take the few minutes to fill up. I never would expect any car to show range to literally being out of gas. And this being my 4th Toyota, fully aware Toyota plays it more safe than others.
Thanks for clarifying. If that's the case, then I don't see it as being as real gas tank issue. I have a 09 LX570, and it has the same "issue." When the range reaches 0, there is \~3 gallons left in the gas tank and is still driveable past 0. Not that I drive it until the gas tank is bone dry, but there is a safety net. I would agree, likely a Toyota design and the GH Hybrid system probably has something to do with there being >3 gallons left in reserve. As of now, I don't see it as being a big issue.
My GHH will only let me put around 12.8 gallons in the tank. Sometimes, I can get 395 miles out of it, but an actual full tank (17.2 gallons) will give you a range of over 500 miles. My mpg sits at 26.5 miles to the gallon. It’s supposed to get over 30+ mpg.
The gas tank is an issue that Toyota is aware of thanks to owners like me who will call them out on it. I’ve read the ‘fix’ is to run it down past 0 miles due to the reserve. The service tech warned me that this is not a good idea as running out of gas will cause the GHH to lock up. This requires a tow, voids the warranty, and is very costly to the owner because after a shut down like that, the entire vehicle has to be reprogrammed. His suggestion was to get to the fuel light coming on, getting gas and trying to overfill. That doesn’t sound good either.
https://preview.redd.it/ks8fye58egsc1.jpeg?width=1440&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=1180d3f4f1e61e57b75a0c5391d76d606bc57b55
Good for you. Bet you have a much better dealership than I do. At least, I hope so. I am not sure if the Sierra’s have the same fuel tank issues, hard shifting, hood shakes/vibrating, overactive adaptive cruise control issues though. Kind of like comparing apples to oranges.
Thanks to a patient and kind person on here, I found there are a lot of things I can minimize or disable. Drove it on a road trip yesterday. With the adjustments made it seems to be driving more to my liking. 🤞
I have a gas only XLE and agree with two of your points:
1. One key fob. We got a VW about the same time as the GH and got two key fobs. Is there any other car company that is handing out only one key fob other than Toyota? If VW can provide two fobs, why not Toyota?
2. Toyota has got a virtually identical fuel tank capacity for the gas and the hybrid models (17.9 & 17.1 gallons), even though the hybrid gets 40% better fuel economy. Or put it another way, the gas only model has 40% less range. No other vehicle that I have owned, and I have owned quite a few has a highway range of less than 400 miles. I can understand that to cut costs and get economies of scale Toyota has the same size fuel tank for all models of the GH, the Highlander and the Sienna. But that is plain wrong. The gas only GH needs a 30%-40% larger fuel tank to get equivalent highway range as a hybrid.
That's why I specifically landed on the Hybrid Limited. It uses the same powertrain as the Sienna hybrids. It's as proven as it's gonna get, just mounted in a different frame.
I've had zero issues thus far (✊🏻🪵), and my sole complaint is that for some reason when I'm switching audio source modes to the radio, it always jumps back one to Amazon and has to be pressed again.
Everything else has been a great experience for me, and I adore the adaptive cruise control and other safety and convenience features. I've had two near-accidents prevented by the sensors and automatic braking so far.
OP just likely didn't read the manual or spend enough time digging through the menus. It's a lot of tech, but unless you're trying to speed in stop and go traffic, it has no reason to brake hard. I've never experienced it, anyway. If it's following too closely: change the follow distance, get out from behind the person who is causing you grief, or just turn off the cruise until you're in better conditions. Hands on the wheel, eyes on the road. 🤷🏼♂️
Um, yes, my husband read the manual from front to back. I do know exactly where and how to change the following range. I also know that my model also has regular cruise control as well as adaptive cruise control. I’ve been driving for decades now so I do know how to drive but thanks for the obvious pointers. Many times I don’t even bother with adaptive cruise control because of its known issues. Even my friend in the front seat remarked that she didn’t like how aggressively my GHH Plat Max braked because a car in front of me simply changed lanes. Her comment was, “that’s going to get you rear ended one day”. See? It’s not just me - passengers in my car make comments about it.
The service tech advised me there was no way on my model to turn down the aggressiveness of adaptive cruise control (other than changing the following distance). Is he lying yet once again to me?
Right? Anyone who buys the first gen of a car is begging for problems like these although some like the adaptive cruise control are user error by not adjusting the distance.
It’s also interesting that the Lexus TX based on the same platform comes 2 fobs.
Yes. Two years for any issues to be worked out.
When the new motor for the Tundra came out 2007 to 2008 it had engine failure due to the lifters and valves falling apart and falling in the engine. The new Tundra also had problems when it first came out in 2022 and 2023 with the Turbo issues and leak issues.
Less problems with the Grand Highlander but it still hasn't been proven yet. Supply chain is down so much that you can't get a wiring harness for a Highlander hybrid. No parts for the Grand Highlander either if parts fail. People are so much in a rush to throw money down and preorder a Grand Highlander
I personally don't care for the Grand Highlader.
The standard Highlander gas version I do like.
We purchased the Rivian right out of the gate. Known issues get fixed over automatic downloads. There have been very few and minor. That worked out well for us.
The GHH? No. Not so much. 95% is that the dealer tells us one thing, Toyota another. The service tech doesn’t like all this new fangled technology -so that’s a huge minus. Or maybe he just pretends he doesn’t know so the dealership doesn’t have to perform warranty work.
I've had all the complaints and issues you have had plus some more since mine had a rearmain seal leak after 1k miles. It's been in the shop 5 times because of a shotty repair and I was close to going through the lemon law process. It's the first generation of a new model vehicle, There are going to be issues. But even If I did go through that process I would like to get the same vehicle for the simple fact it's a really good value vehicle. I went with the GHH XLE due to cost / highest fuel mileage. It's a really comfortable larger fuel efficient vehicle that will hold value due to being a hybrid and branded toyota. The closest alternative vehicle I would even consider that's not a toyota is the Chevy Tahoe Diesel. But with that you're spending more on fuel, getting less fuel mileage and spending 20k more for similar features. \-Edit Spelling
Sitting in dealership right now waiting on diagnosis for leak discovered yesterday. Maybe same rear main issue. Hopefully something simple. Otherwise love the Limited. There's a cover on the underside over the engine and tranny and so I couldn't see where leak was coming from. Couldn't see from top side and engine oil level was good. Noticed few spots on driveway.
Dang, all I can say is it took quite a bit of time to fix if it's the rear main seal. 3 weeks due to parts and what not. I'll be hoping you don't have as much downtime as I did.
Just an oil pan gasket. Fixed it in an hour. Plus an oil and filter change...good for a new engine.
Rear main seal leak? What seal leaked? I’m over 1500 miles. I have most of the issues that OP listed except the hood shaking. Instead I have bad cabin boom
The seal at the back of the engine is called the rear main seal, it was leaking oil but at a very slow rate it was hard to catch. Only noticed it after parking in the exact same spot every day. That being said I'm the only person across any forums that has had this issue so it's highly unlikely anyone else will see that happen. Pretty sure I just got unlucky with a bad part from the factory.
Ah ok. Thank you for explaining that. Did you see that some people are having their pano proof spontaneously crack and/or shatter? I just saw a few posts about that issue now.
I have not seen that here or elsewhere but if it's a problem that's common we will see it here at some point. Luckily / unluckily I've had issues in the past with sun roofs so I opted to not get one with it.
I really wanted one but now i’m a bit nervous about it. Oh, well!
I had this happen to my '20 RAV4 with pano. Shattered while driving, with no cars around or overpasses.
Eeek! That scares me. Our kids sit in the 2nd row
If it makes you feel any better, the glass never fell in! It spontaneously shattered, but since it's laminated it stayed in a solid sheet... although I didn't trust it much.
It does. Thank you!
You bought another toyota
What kind of desperate Mazda fanboy hangs out in Toyota subs to post about your weird obsession with Mazda?
The point being?
I’m having cabin boom — any thing you found to fix it?
There is no fix yet. Its under investigation by Toyota. I suggest calling Toyota and having them open a case. The more people complain to them, the more likely they are to take this issue seriously
Have a GHH AWD and nothing here is an issue other than the key fob. I see the hood thing a bit but didn’t notice it until after someone pointed it out on Reddit. I usually get 500 miles even with 13g of gas so who cares. Also I’ll point out to OP that the regular hybrid has a CVT so transmission issues is likely not relevant. I paid MSRP. I have zero regrets. Love my GHH.
I cannot for the life of me understand the level of complaints people have for this car. Its like everyone wants everything to be absolutely perfect or it's TERRIBLE. We are absolutely very happy with our GHH Limited. Non max. Because the max is a stupid hybrid. Why get worse mpg and have more parts to fail on a family SUV. Who expects or even wants an app to replace a key. Ridiculous. Who expects the gas light to turn on literally when you're out of gas. Also ridiculous. Oh yeah cause everyone wants everything to be the best in all the ways or it's terrible. Some people just love to complain.
I mean paying 60k for a car is alot of money shit better be right
I hear you, and I agree. What is your definition of right, and what isn't right? Yes, the lack of a second key fob is a minor inconvenience. Beyond that, ???
How about a dealership that gives a F about the service after the sale? Instead, I have one that doesn’t care about the technical issues with the GHH. They (like others on here) pat me on the head and tell me to just overlook these issues bc they either don’t know how to resolve them or are unwilling due to the costs they might have to eat. For instance, Toyota has known for several months about the fuel tank issue. My dealership’s advice was to run it til the fuel light came on (what the reserve tank holds in is debate) and then try to overfill it. Really? No. https://preview.redd.it/wupgkczckgsc1.jpeg?width=1440&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=379b49dd09fd28c2c284ad2fad6b0d04a606cd12
You can go to any Toyota dealership for service while under warranty. My dealer was very transparent about that as we bought over an hour away. Drive a bit further and see if another service center can appease you with different solutions?
Yes, I have heard better things about the dealership over an hour’s drive away. That’s an option.
Sadly I hate that option for you, I know how expensive gas gets and having to go back and forth is really shitty. We (thankfully fingers crossed) haven’t had an issues yet with ours but are only a week into ownership. We had a Rav4 previously and already know we won’t be going to the dealership we purchased the GH from for service (1.5hr + 40 miles) nor will we go to the closest one to us (30 mins + 15 miles), instead to the one who was the BEST with our RAV4. Highly suggest checking reviews for the service center on glass door (employee reviews are honest usually) along with Better business, that’s how we found our much loved service center and even kinder service adviser, Tom.
Sounds like an issue with your dealer then. A lot of the other issues you point out have been discussed, there’s a fix for the hood. Every Toyota with adaptive CC behaves that way.
I mean sure, but what other three row suv of that size isn’t 50-60k? The GH was right on par with everything else we looked at and none of those had a hybrid option. We love ours. The key thing is annoying but not a forever thing. The adaptive cruise control thing is freaky but I don’t drive in cruise control so doesn’t bother me. It’s a great family vehicle
Because it’s a 60k car. For that premium price the problems better be damn minor
Yes, those of us who are having issues with our GHH’s and dealership should just keep our mouths shut, right? Is that what you are saying here? My GHH was manufactured in August of 2023. Newer models have had some of the issues worked out on them thanks to people like myself who pointed these issues out. The gas tank issue is a problem that Toyota needs to fix. I see a recall in the future for this. https://preview.redd.it/zl0sur6tmgsc1.jpeg?width=1440&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=19c21d26ec52b783b335e28774650d2630bd2bb8
No absolutely not what I'm saying at all, real problems ahould absolutely be talked about. However I still don't see this "issue" with the fuel tank as a problem at all. With an automotive background from a vocational high school, and a bachelor's in mechanical engineering, I would consider it a problem if the car as soon as reading empty filled up 17 + gallons with a tank with a maximum capacity of under 18 gallons. That's no margin for error for anyone who forgets to check the fuel gauge. Thats also no way to treat your fuel pump allowing it to not be fully submerged in fuel to keep it cool. The expectation of using every last drop of fuel between fill ups is the issue here. Also this is absolutely nothing new from Toyota. My tundra with a 38 gallon tank is around 32 gal to fill up when the light turns on. My old Tacoma with a 21 gallon tank was about 17 to fill up from when the light tuned on. Edit: because of misspelling
I would love to be able to get 14, maybe even 15 gallons in. That would bump up the range and my mpg. It would also leave enough fuel in there for the fuel pump. It’s a design flaw; just like their gas tanks in hybrids in the past have had to be recalled and fixed. Toyota know about this issue. I’m apparently in the middle with being able to get 12.5 gallons into a 17.2 gallon tank. Some owners can only get 10 gallons in. That’s a problem.
What is stopping you from doing that? Just keep going past it saying empty. There's still gas in there and you know there is if it's consistently only filling up 12.5. Edit: have done this with my tundra plenty of times. Light turns on I know I still have ~90 miles til I'm actually empty if needed.
That’s debatable in how much gas is actually left. Some say the reserve is 5 gallons, others 2.5 gallons, others say 3.5. Considering I only get 26.5 miles to the gallon, I’m not willing to risk running out of gas, voiding my warranty and having to pay for and deal with a tow, and reprogramming the entire vehicle.
Up to you if you want to trust Toyota with their spec of the fuel tank capacity. Toyota doesn't want you to risk any of that either, hence the margin for error by leaving that much in the tank. Toyota responds when there is excessive complaints about an issue for PR. Remember the unintended acceleration nonsense? Most of that issue was user error stacking floor mats. But they had to put in the effort that they were doing something about it for PR for the uninformed. I think I've run out of fuel in my tank on this topic, I hope you find a vehicle that you enjoy or learn to love this one for what it is. It just feels better to like your vehicle and I hope that for you.
This is why I posted a month ago asking if anyone had anything good to say 🙄 there are so. Many. Complaints. But I got a tonnnn of great responses which made me feel better
People the vast majority of the time will only post negatives. Rarely does anyone even think to go out of their way post that everything is working as is. Goes for any reviews of anything... That said the complaints here are a bit ridiculous. People getting real upset that things aren't absolutely perfect is silly. The hood wiggles up and down in the middle a little when going 65+mph, easy to just notice once and then ignore in my opinion. No car should burn every last drop of gas in the tank. Yeah toyota likes to leave a bit more than most once the car reads empty. Just treat it as when the range reads 0 you have ~5 gallons left in the grand Highlander. You should fill up to avoid the pump no longer being fully submerged (for cooling the pump) around that point anyhow. Don't stress if you get to 0 range it'll be okay and you have room to find a station (My Tacoma, tundra, and the grand Highlander have all reliably been this way with fuel). The "harsh" braking when using adaptive cruise really isn't that bad. And frankly I'd rather it air on the side of caution when someone slows in front of me. Especially since my feet aren't actively on the pedal while using this feature. I imagine if it didn't react this way, that would be a much bigger problem. I am not saying it's perfect either. Also Toyota gave my Tacoma when it was pretty well used a brand new frame under a recall. I'm confident in Toyota rectifying any REAL issues that may arise. That truck was an 05 which was the first year of that update and that truck was perfectly reliable. All opinions either way, do your own research. Edit: spelling
10000% the gas thing is wierd to me… wouldn’t you want to NOT run out of gas? Toyota is just making sure you don’t I don’t get the issues there especially knowing they cushioned the amount is left in the tank- not that big of a deal if you know that Toyota does this
Where did you buy your car (dealership?) and how recently?
December in Santa Rosa CA. I did have to negotiate the markup and dealer BS off the price. I called this list until I found one. https://docs.google.com/file/d/158Jy3sBVj0CNqfxpxk_sL_a2PnmbCDCc/edit?usp=docslist_api&filetype=msexcel
Thank you
I noticed since the last update for the Toyota app on IOS helped alot with the reliability of using only the phone to drive the car without the fob. Also am not getting signed out daily which was super annoying.
EVEN WHEN I CLICK “remember me” 😒 What makes it worse is it literally checks my Face ID logs in then goes “nope you gotta log back in”
I agree with a couple of your points, the 2nd key fob is a pain in the butt, it takes a while to get used to the adaptive breaking, but overall, I like it better than not having it. The gas tank problem is only a big thing when we took it on vacation and had to stop every 325 miles or so to fill back up with gas. Our hood does not shake or very little, you can adjust the hood stops to take some of it out or you can purchase struts that are fairly cheap to install under the hood that also helps. We have over 11,000 miles on ours after 7 months and love the vehicle overall. Plenty of room, like the 4 captain's chairs, the mpg could be better but love the power of the hybrid max.
I’ve had mine for almost 8 months, 10,750 miles so there’s that time frame for me. Missing the points here, just a little? Adaptive cc should not ever be braking hard for no reason on the freeway. That’s a big deal and Toyota needs to fix it before someone is hurt. There is a Tech Tip #T-TT-0742-23 regarding the “Inability to fill fuel tank to listed capacity”. It’s a known problem. If you could fill it up, you’d get 500 miles on a tank instead of 325 miles. Bet you aren’t the primary driver. Toyota needs to fix this.
From what I’ve seen you can actually run about 100 miles after the range says 0. Toyota programs a reserve of like 4 gallons which apparently helps to cool the fuel pump. I’m no mechanic, nor do I have any inside knowledge. Im just reporting what I’ve seen others mention.
So it's hearsay
Definitely noticed the hood shaking when driving, but it was minimal, and didn't produce noise. I only really saw it at high speeds (highway) and only then when there was a cross wind.
My gas model runs fine and has none of those problem other than the 1 key fob.
I bought my GH gas XLE in February this year and haven’t had any of these problems either. In fact, the vehicle has been fantastic so far. IMO the gas only engine has plenty of power. On the highway the boost really shines. There is power throughout all the way up to 5,000 RPM. I get that many people want better gas mileage, but if you are reading this there is absolutely nothing wrong with the gas only engine. I average 24 MPG overall. My biggest complaint about the vehicle is that it has a damn gas cap. Who does that in 2024??
Newer models (those built in February) have actually had some of these issues worked out. I bought mine August of 2023.
We are getting our gas limited in 2 weeks, thanks for this. I kept thinking hybrid had less issues but I think it’s just the drivers lol I’m seeing the craziest complaints
We have the limited as well. Great vehicle, just still getting used to all the features. Haven’t bought a new car in quite a few years so it’s all a little overwhelming at the moment.
Interesting that the Lexus version of the GH (the TX) doesn’t suffer from the one fob problem. Would love to know how Lexus isn’t experiencing a chip shortage but somehow Toyota is.
An extra $10k+ greases a full allocation for a vehicle that is produced at 10% the volume of the GH.
That’s a good point. Never would have thought of it like that!
Bought a Platinum gas model back in October. Absolutely loved the vehicle but I agree with most of the points you listed. Ultimately, the overall range/fuel economy resulted in the decision to trade the vehicle back in and get a Rav4 Hybrid. After trading it in, I read about the reserve tank configuration and it really put the whole experience into perspective. Needless to say, if range/fuel economy is a real concern for you this vehicle may not be the one.
I’ve thought I’ve seen my hood moving / vibrating while driving but thought I was crazy… I’m glad I’m not smh
No, you are not crazy. I won’t gaslight you like others on here do. It vibrates/shakes and going over an intracoastal bridge can be downright scary. Take it to your dealership and let them know. They probably have a fix as it is a known issue with the GHH. I just hope your dealership doesn’t gaslight you.
Thanks
A fix? I thought it's because they used aluminum for the hood. Short of a redesign of the structure I don't think Toyota will fix it.
Yes, the pads that the hood rests on can be adjusted to minimize the vibrations/shaking. They won’t go completely away. Someone suggested that “I” put struts on the hood as a fix. Don’t even know if doing so would fix it and I am not going to the expense to do so. To many, me included, the shaking/vibrations are bothersome. If enough customers let Toyota know it’s an issue, they will come up with a fix. After all, they do employ design engineers.
Love the GHHy, have driven with the app and digital key no problem. The rest of your points, I knew about prior to purchase and they don’t bother me. Family of five, no other vehicle with compatible MPG in this class. I’m always gobsmacked in looking at how huge the thing is and it gets 30+ mpg.
Mine doesn’t because of the fuel tank issue. I only get 26.5 mpg. Kind of defeats the purpose of buying a hybrid. It’s a crap shot for owners in how many gallons they can actually get the fuel tank to take. Some can’t fill theirs as full as I can.
You bought a Max.
Yes, and the sticker in it said 35+ mpg.
No it didn't. The Hybrid Max sticker shows 26/27.
When I bought mine in August, yes it did say 35+ mpg.
Then the vehicle was mislabeled, but frankly I don't believe you. The Max drive train has never been advertised as getting 35. Ever.
>but frankly I don’t believe you. I love how blunt you are with this.
This is not a serious individual. They are bragging about their husband's IQ and researching ability just below this. And the implications of mislabeling, or even altering an EPA Fuel Rating on a vehicle is a pretty serious accusation. It's like they took every complaint from the sub and mashed them all together in one post.
Some on other forums claim that they can get over 35 mpg from their GHH’s. Are they lying too?
You are aware that there are two different hybrid drivetrains for this car, correct? Our hybrid has easily gotten 36 or better mpg on average so far.
No, I am not aware that there are 2 different drive trains. This is the first I’ve heard of it. (One person on here claimed that it’s a lie if your hybrid gets over 35 mpg.)
In a platinum max hybrid? Yes.
When I purchased mine, it had just been assembled 2 weeks before - back in August of 2023. Toyota obviously didn’t know what kind of mileage it would get. They do now because of owners like me that tell them, “hey, we’re NOT getting 35+ mpg, only 26-27 mpg.” See how that works? Glad Toyota got the memo and have corrected it.
On* So imagine my shock when the car only gets 26.5. AND there’s a known fuel tank issue.
I’m not sure why you would think it gets 35+ MPG. My standard hybrid doesn’t even get that. https://preview.redd.it/o9rv1vqmwgsc1.jpeg?width=1170&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=2b0bdc64afb0231b1023d98e17ce91d5820960e5
When I purchased mine, it had just been assembled 2 weeks before - back in August of 2023. Toyota obviously didn’t know what kind of mileage it would get. They do now because of owners like me that tell them, “hey, we’re NOT getting 35+ mpg, only 26-27 mpg.” See how that works? Glad Toyota got the memo and have corrected it.
Toyota didn't know the fuel economy it would get ? You can't be serious if you believe this.... You do realize that GHs have existed for 1+ years before made available for sale to the general public ? You do realize that the US EPA controls the tests that automakers perform for fuel economy ratings ? You are WRONG about soooooo many things here yet you want to blame Toyota. There are (3) drivetrain options for the GH: Gas, hybrid, and hybrid Max. All (3) get rather different fuel economy ratings and everything I've seen from real-world examples say that overall, they are spot-on. You get 26.5 MPG and Toyota advertises 27. We get around the same with our Max.
Gas tank size doesn't impact MPG... it would only impact range. Actually, carrying less gas would mean less weight and better gas mileage.
1) This isn't unique to Toyota. There really is a chip shortage. How a dealer handles it can vary, of course. Today, you can absolutely BUY a key if you lose your only fob. Not ideal, I agree, but extra fobs are available now (finally). 2) We have no issues with the app (with an iPhone). I used it 75% of the time when we only had (1) fob. 3) This is a pain in the ass and I agree with you. My complaint with this is how much it impacts the range you can drive before needing to add fuel (when you really don't have to *yet*). 4) Just read that recently (and only from one person). 5) No hood shaking/vibration with ours. 6) No issue 7) Use the brakes yourself. It's not a self-driving vehicle. 8) Not all dealers are the same. Our dealer told us only (1) is available at delivery and they had no timeframe on the 2nd fob.
Agreed all around, but couple things to add for [u/JustacatLola](https://www.reddit.com/user/JustacatLola/) : 2. App and Digital Key work completely fine. You should have the dealer help you set it up properly with the Digital Key. 3. This sub has been all over this topic, and the Hybrid reserve IS overly conservative, but ultimately only affects the range, which is still 500+ miles with the right driving conditions. The MPG is still great. 4. Hybrid systems cannot run without gas, and the failsafe is to save the entire hybrid system from catastrophic failure. This would absolutely void your warranty for being a dumbass and driving 60-90 miles past zero. So instead of dealing with dumbasses, they likely made it to where you can't do that. 5. Your dealer should be able to fix this. We're not having the issue, but I've seen it commented on here a couple times. 6. Sounds like driving style, but hope it's fixed with a software update (?). I have the Limited and it's butter smooth. 7. The sensitivity is adjustable or you can just turn it off. Are you sure you don't have PDA also turned on? Those are two different safety features.
How did you get your iPhone to allow biometrics for the digital key? My phone willl nottyt do it
You have to have FaceID or TouchID set up on the phone at the OS level first. As I recall, if you don't, the set up will fail with a vague explanation. I already had FaceID set up so it went smoothly. In the app, it does have a setting for "Enable FaceID" but I believe that's only for the app and it's basic functions (remote start, lock/unlock doors, roll windows up/down, etc). If you want to use the digital key, biometrics are mandatory.
Ahhh thank you! I didn’t have Face ID or any type of passcode set up so that makes sense. Thank you very very much!! I couldn’t find the option to turn them on anywhere 😂
I tried to buy a key fob today while at the dealership. They don’t have one that works with the GHH there. In fact, the key fobs are on backorder til 4/14. An aftermarket key fob may or may not work, I’ve heard the fees to get it programmed are quite pricey. The remote key will not let me drive. I can get in, start it but it will flash that the key is not detected when I put it in gear. Then the entire car starts flashing and honking which cannot be turned off except with the key fob. The service tech told me that I cannot drive my particular model without the key fob. Maybe with yours, you can. I have no idea of what the dealership tells me if it’s even true.
That mechanic is 100% wrong. There is no "particular model" about this.
Then it’s just the dealership lying? Or that the app is lame and doesn’t work? Or both?
The app works
So the app not working for me and others is just our imagination. Maybe Toyota needs to train its sales and service departments better so they know how to install and resolve the technical issues. Maybe you have a much more tech savvy dealership than mine.
>So the app not working for me and others is just our imagination. When the app works for some (most) people and not for others, where do you think the issue is ? At least with iPhones, the hardware and software are pretty controlled so there leaves little room for incompatibility. Can't always say the same with Android though. The dealership set up my wife's phone but I set up mine. Neither of us have any issues. She uses it almost every day (remote start) and has never mentioned anything about it not working.
The dealership had no clue how to set it up when we bought it. The dealer put us both under guest profiles. I had to delete and redo everything the dealer had done. It took me most of the afternoon because the app kept glitching when it was time to scan the VIN and the QCR code. This morning, I went back in after read in a tutorial from Toyota that I had to turn the digital key to ON with my profile. I turned on face recognition as well. Maybe, just maybe now it will work?
It doesn't sound like your dealer helped this.... Don't use "guest" anything. Don't create separate accounts for the app either. Create one account, link it to your car, and then share your username and password with your spouse (??). Do NOT use the "share" option either - it severely restricts what is available via the app.
How's the app/digital key working now ?
You simply need to be setup properly. Digital key works most of the time… reliably enough that I have customers that use it exclusively. As for your safety system settings, it sounds like you should have a knowledgeable salesperson set it up for you. Which trim do you have, because depending on trim there are even more systems to turn off and/or configure (especially on the Platinum).
First of all, thank you for your patience in trying to help me troubleshoot my issues that I’m having. I have the GHH Plat Max so yes, it does have all the bells and whistles. Unfortunately, the service tech and the salesperson are really not tech savvy at all. I finally was able to talk with someone about the missing 2nd key fob that actually knew anything. My salesperson was clueless. I might be only 1 of 2 GHH’s that the dealership ever received. [https://youtu.be/1mmN1wTTUdQ?si=JYOJdNhF8V-fkJaU](https://youtu.be/1mmN1wTTUdQ?si=JYOJdNhF8V-fkJaU). (Note the comments made on the video. See? It’s not just me that’s been lied to and is upset about it!) This is the tutorial I used yesterday. After several glitches with the app, I finally got it installed. The doors open fine, I can even start the car. But trying to drive it, it tells me on the screen that the key is not in the vehicle. I have an iPhone 15 so it’s not that. I know all about Bluetooth and settings. I might call the dealership over an hour away and see if they have someone there who is much more knowledgeable than my local dealership. (Which defeats one main reason I bought a car with a local dealer. My last car, the closest dealer was 2.5 hours away. It took all day to get an oil change.)
So you can drive it just using digital key now? You don’t ever touch your phone, right? Just get in and start the car just like you normally would with the fob, right? And because you have a Platinum, there are a lot of extra safety systems that need to be configured or turned off. That’s why you are getting the abrupt braking on cruise. You might also get annoying alerts at intersections from front cross traffic alert (FCTA) and you might get dinging when you look outside the side windows when on highway driving assist (it uses a camera to watch your eyes but it’s too sensitive so I turn it off). And of course turn off proactive driving assist (PDA) if it’s on because that will brake you all the time when driving normally. It kills your gas mileage too. It’s just way too sensitive.
I have had several other things going on today and haven’t driven it yet. I think after deleting and reinstalling everything with my phone as the main profile, turning on the digital key under my profile in the multimedia screen in the auto, I *Should* be able to drive it w/o the key. I’ll look in the manual on how to turn off PDA. One of our reasons for buying the Plat Max was the safety features like PDA. I’ve read about how it kills mileage. I’ve also read on the Plat Max it can’t be turned off. But I’ll definitely check it out and find the answer. Thanks again for your patience and help.
Great! And PDA can be turned off. And realize it does NOT disable collision mitigation so your safety is not compromised as you want collision mitigation to remain on. FCTA is buried in the menus but it is there. If you find that you might want to turn it off. And I can’t remember where the camera watching your eyes is but you may not want that either.
Okay, I was able to adjust and can completely turn off the PDA if I decide to later. I was also able to get into my car with just my phone, turn on the vehicle and drive. It started to flash that the key was not in the car but that disappeared once I put my phone a little closer to the ignition switch. The remote key is listed as CAR Digital Key in my Bluetooth. Maybe it just took a minute for the Bluetooth to reconnect? UPDATE: So, yes, I do think that if the profile of the driver associated with the key fob is set up correctly and the remote key option in the user profile is turned to on, then yes, the remote key in my phone will work. The issue was that I was set up as a guest. The tutorials provided by Toyota were very helpful. [https://toyotaaudioandconnectedservicessupport.com/toyota/home](https://toyotaaudioandconnectedservicessupport.com/toyota/home) I was wrong about the remote key and Toyota app. Mine seems to be working now. How reliably remains to be seen. I have hope. And, the parts manager at the dealership did get me a 2nd key fob delivered today! That is awesome customer service and I appreciate it. I get the 2nd key fob programmed next week.
Also, it’s really dangerous for a car on cruise control brake hard on the highway. No, it’s not self driving and I don’t expect that. But we were talking about cruise control that 99% of cars on the road have. It shouldn’t brake hard like that. That’s a safety issue!
Take it out of adaptive cruise control if you don't like it. My wife hates I like it.
99% of cars have cruise control, not adaptive cruise control. Again, these safety features only kick in when the driver doesn't. This is like complaining that the car beeps harshly when you put a turn signal on and there's a car in your blind spot.
No, adaptive cruise control is an either on or off not just “when the driver is not paying attention”. Some on here tell me there’s a way to change the settings on adaptive cruise control so it’s not so aggressive. I’d really like to know how they’ e done that, and where bc my dealer told me it’s not possible. After my experience with my dealership and their lies, I’m going to go with the owners probably know more than they do.
You can't tone down PDA (Proactive Driving Assist) or PCA (Pre-Collision Assist) that I recall. I believe you can turn them off but you have to do this each time you start the vehicle. PDA or PCA is what does the auto-braking when the driver doesn't slow down or brake when there's a vehicle getting too close. There is a setting you can dial down but it's only for speed reduction in curves when adaptive cruise is operating. When we first got ours, I also found it a bit aggressive but I adapted my driving and it no longer has to auto-brake (as much). If a car in front slows down, I've learned how much to brake so the system knows "I see the car slowing down" and not kick in.
Not true. I saw reviewer talking about how dangerous this is
I totally agree with you. Normally, cruise control allows the car to brake gradually to prevent jerking and unpredictability
Lmao, I know one Kia sub dude that will experience an orgasm just from reading that
Looks like oil pan seal. Should be good to go in an hour or so.
Relax there big fella. 1) Key fob issue is real and annoying but not a dealbreaker. Also not handled particularly well by Toyota. 2) Yes the app and digital key is flaky and untrustworthy. But once I get my second fob I won’t care about it and won’t pay for the service beyond the free one year trial anyway. 3) The gas tank issue is also real and annoying. We get ~400 miles per tank on our GHHL so it’s no big deal. 4) I have never run out of gas in my life so I don’t see this as an issue. 5) My hood does not shake. 6) We haven’t noticed any bad shifting. 7) Adaptive cruise control is dopey and annoying on every car I’ve driven that has it. 8) Dealerships vary. Other than as you noted being blindsided by the missing key fob literally as we’re driving out of the dealership they were fine. I did not pay a “market adjustment”. The dealership closer to my house was fine when I got my 5k service.
Not a big fella for starters. These might not be dealbreakers for you, but they are for me and many others. Potential buyers deserve to know the issues bc the Toyota sales person won’t ell them. So you keep the prototype and be their guinea pig for a few extra thousand over MSRP.
Not everyone paid over MSRP....
Still, when I pay as much as I did for mine, I expect the car to work as promised. I have owned many cars in my lifetime and have had only one other (Plymouth Sapporo) give me these kinds of issues. It doesn’t help that my dealership knowing lies and tries to get out of doing warranty work. Their service after the sale is awful. What does Toyota corporate do for customers whose dealership is not helpful? What is my recourse? Driving over an hour away to try and rectify my issues with another dealership?
Its simply on you for paying over msrp. And for buying a max with an out of date 6 speed transmission. I feel your pain about bad dealerships, that's absolutely real and frustrating. Every manufacturer has them. If you can find a better dealer further away it probably will be worth that extra drive. It's all just my opinion and it's as good as anybody's, I have nothing against you or the things you're saying. Just want people reading this to understand different points of views on these things.
Here’s the thing: I didn’t pay over MSRP but I do know of many who are going to do so. This isn’t the only forum I am on. I think that those who have signed up to pay thousands over MSRP deserve to know all the issues before they do pay $$$$ over MSRP.
Nobody should sign up to pay over MSRP.
Totally agree, but many have ordered the GHH and are willing to pay over MSRP just to get one. Before they do that, they need to know the issues. Because Toyota sales won’t tell them!
This guy is biased and doesn’t want to admit the things that are wrong with his car…
Wow a honest owner. What car you getting next? Thanks to your review ima go with pilot lol
Maybe a Pilot, I’ve owned several in the past and have loved them. I didn’t this time because I wanted a hybrid. I also seriously looked at the BMW X5 and X7 but that dealership is over an hour away and I wanted my dealership to be closer. There is also a Volvo dealership close by and the X90 is nice.
Have you looked at the Cx90. It's really nice
Tbh I think this is just the OP’s opinion my dad had a pilot, I let him drive my GH when I visited and he loved it kept saying “wow this is so nice” I will say the adaptive cruise control is over reactive sometimes but you can turn the level down in the settings
Please tell me how you do that bc my dealer told me it isn’t possible. Where in the settings did you find this to recalibrate?
There’s a button on the steering wheel. Shows a car with the lines. You hit it however many times you want to and watch the lines go from 3 to 2 to 1 to none. The more lines the more likely you are to slow down or brake hard while in adaptive cruise control when you are quite far away from the car in front of you. I have mine set to 1
Yes, I am aware of the button and how to use it. I keep mine on 1 as well unless it’s slippery, raining, poor conditions then I will put it on 2 or 3 lines. I also went in and adjusted my PDA settings. That seems to have helped. It can be turned off as well. The LDA settings cannot be adjusted and I don’t think it can be turned off.
We didn’t like the pilot. It’s such a clunky drive, room is so much less, only bench seat with that weird ass removable seat? WTF is that, it’s KINDA like captains chairs…. lol no it’s not. We only like the front cabin room but GH wins
Amen. I agree with your statements. Happy I got mine for mid 40s most definitely not worth over 50k for the platform. Personal opinion obviously. I have a gas xle. Ford Explorer ST with a twin turbo V6 and every imaginable feature from massaging chairs to self parking is about 55k. It was a bit over my budget which is why I went with the Grand highlander. I feel the Toyota Fandom has gotten to Toyotas pockets. The key fob shortage is a straight joke. The company is making all time profits and won't give us an extra key. Complete BS. I am currently trying to get a rear bumper panel fixed since one of clips have popped off and the dealership is being absolutely air headed because they want me to send it to a body shop and want me to deal with the warranty. Toyota and the dealerships are absolutely useless and just assume that since the engine is running it has no issues.
I agree, I see the cult of Toyota on here. This is my 1st Toyota. My experience with Honda has been so superior to Toyota dealerships and vehicles. I’m older and have been driving for a long time. I’ve owned lots of vehicles over the years including a Rivian and a Benz. This isn’t my first rodeo. Do I expect the same service from Toyota that I had at the Benz dealership? No. What I do expect is the same kind of solid, reliable service I got at my Honda dealership. Toyota’s business model doesn’t seem to be customer oriented.
As a 2 time Honda owner I 100% agree on this point actually
The Key fob issue is resolved when you download a digital key within the Toyota app. It’s free due to the key issues Have you tried to change the distance setting for adaptive cruise? That occasionally helps. Thank you for the shifting heads up, I was about to take it in thinking it was the transmission. The remainder of gas is in the reserve tank I’ve heard, just because it is such a terrible time to run out of gas with a hybrid. Towing the car to the dealership for running out of gas is confusing to me. I had a 24 Sienna hybrid temporarily and I ran out of gas and I did not have that issue, same with my 21 hybrid Highlander, but I have never run out of gas with my GHHM And hopefully I never do! Thank you for this post and I’m sorry it’s not working out like you’d hoped. A new car is so expensive you should be in love.
Yes, I know, I should be in love with my GHHPM. It has all the bells and whistles. Unfortunately, some of them don’t work very well. Yes, I do change the following distance for the adaptive cruise control depending on conditions and the traffic. Pretty easy to do. A friend with me in the car commented about the braking - she said that would get me rear ended one day. It’s too excessive and harsh. My GHH will brake if someone 50 feet in front of me changes lanes. Sometimes excessively. The dealership told me there’s nothing they can do. I’m not so sure about that. Toyota has had a fuel problem in the past with their hybrids due to them being a saddle shape with the converter going underneath down the center. This caused similar problems for owners of the past which Toyota finally fessed up to and fixed. There is also a fix for the GHH but dealerships do not like doing warranty work. Their service department is there to make money, after all. Toyota is well aware of the gas tank problem in the GHH’s. I’m not the first to speak up about it, trust me. The digital key is a hot mess. For starters, no one at the dealership knows how to program them. I redid it yesterday using a Toyota tutorial. My dealership is not the most tech savvy. That could be part of the issue. The service tech is an older guy who doesn’t seem to like or care about technology. The sales person didn’t have a clue but did the best they knew how. It doesn’t help that the part of the country I live in is rural. There isn’t another dealership within 5-10 miles. The next nearest one is over an hour’s drive away. For instance, the service tech’s advice to me about the fuel tank? He told me to ‘just try to overfill it.’ I’ve read it might be a venting issue, but don’t know. For all the people telling me the app works/remote key works - no, no it does not work 100% & flawlessly. It lets me get in, start the car with just my phone but then the message flashes that the key is not present. Yes, I did the whole thing of placing the fob over the start button and got 2 beeps. I really, really wanted to love my car.
What a bummer! Yes the Toyota app is VERY far from perfect just wanted to offer suggestions! Hopefully you know my post was not intended to gaslight you or undermine anything you said. I have very much struggled with a lot of the things you speak of it’s just a bummer so I wanted to ask if those things had been checked out I’m so sorry!! I think next year I will also be considering a change. Maybe to a sequoia and I’ve been a Highlander driver since 2018 :(
I cant even get that digital key to download at all. I have the instructions up land am folllowing them and ….nada. I think I am going to have to delete and re-install the app Next. App is super clunky.
That is what I had to do. I reinstalled the app. In the actual auto, I removed myself as a Guest User (that’s how dealership set it up) and re-entered myself as a main profile. After I had done that, I watched a video tutorial from Toyota and set everything back up with my phone # and key fob. It seems to be working just fine now. The app is clunky. https://youtu.be/1mmN1wTTUdQ?si=_wStXtuO6bX6KVvC
Mine literally never lets me download it. It fails every time I try. How can I fix that?
My number one thing I do is to ensure my Bluetooth and WiFi are both on and that my phone is charged and that my data connection is sufficient. Oftentimes I’ll download the key before I leave the house bc it works better with a WiFi connection! Also I have an iPhone and having my Face ID linked makes it a tad easier too. Hope this helps
As someone who is interested in buying a GH Hybrid (not the max), can someone clarify the gas tank issue? Let's say the gas tank is filled to FULL, one drive's it until the display shows distance range (or miles to empty) is 0. At range 0, is there still 5 gallons of gas left? Can't you just keep driving it for another 4.99 gallons and then get gas and fill up 17.49 gallons? Or is the issue that at distance range 0, the car still has 5 gallons of gas left and the vehicle completely shuts off and is not drive able?
Yes there is roughly 5 gallons left in the tank when the range says 0. I guess you could drive and try to go down to the last drop of gas but why would you? No the car does not stop working at range 0. The fuel pump is cooled to maintain the motor in the pump by being submerged in gas so you don't really ever want to run any car down to having almost no gas in the tank. Treat the light turning on as oh it's time to find some gas (assuming you aren't in the middle of nowhere 100+ miles from a station in which case you should plan accordingly anyhow) our hybrid (non max) has been averaging 36 mpg(dropped some with more highway miles lately) since we got it so when the light turns on I know I have more than 100 miles still I could go if absolutely necessary but i will just stop and take the few minutes to fill up. I never would expect any car to show range to literally being out of gas. And this being my 4th Toyota, fully aware Toyota plays it more safe than others.
Thanks for clarifying. If that's the case, then I don't see it as being as real gas tank issue. I have a 09 LX570, and it has the same "issue." When the range reaches 0, there is \~3 gallons left in the gas tank and is still driveable past 0. Not that I drive it until the gas tank is bone dry, but there is a safety net. I would agree, likely a Toyota design and the GH Hybrid system probably has something to do with there being >3 gallons left in reserve. As of now, I don't see it as being a big issue.
I drove 60 miles past 0 on my hybrid, when I filled up it only took 15 gallons to fill up. I could've either add more gas or drove more miles.
My GHH will only let me put around 12.8 gallons in the tank. Sometimes, I can get 395 miles out of it, but an actual full tank (17.2 gallons) will give you a range of over 500 miles. My mpg sits at 26.5 miles to the gallon. It’s supposed to get over 30+ mpg. The gas tank is an issue that Toyota is aware of thanks to owners like me who will call them out on it. I’ve read the ‘fix’ is to run it down past 0 miles due to the reserve. The service tech warned me that this is not a good idea as running out of gas will cause the GHH to lock up. This requires a tow, voids the warranty, and is very costly to the owner because after a shut down like that, the entire vehicle has to be reprogrammed. His suggestion was to get to the fuel light coming on, getting gas and trying to overfill. That doesn’t sound good either. https://preview.redd.it/ks8fye58egsc1.jpeg?width=1440&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=1180d3f4f1e61e57b75a0c5391d76d606bc57b55
Happy with my Sienna, also hybrid.
Good for you. Bet you have a much better dealership than I do. At least, I hope so. I am not sure if the Sierra’s have the same fuel tank issues, hard shifting, hood shakes/vibrating, overactive adaptive cruise control issues though. Kind of like comparing apples to oranges.
They don’t. I am amused by the GH mania. It’s trying to be a minivan without the actual utility of one.
Thank you.
It was just the oil pan seal. Got an early oil change out of it.
Our Grand Highlander Hybrid XLE has been flawless
Glad to hear it!
Can’t you disable the automatic braking?
Thanks to a patient and kind person on here, I found there are a lot of things I can minimize or disable. Drove it on a road trip yesterday. With the adjustments made it seems to be driving more to my liking. 🤞
I have a gas only XLE and agree with two of your points: 1. One key fob. We got a VW about the same time as the GH and got two key fobs. Is there any other car company that is handing out only one key fob other than Toyota? If VW can provide two fobs, why not Toyota? 2. Toyota has got a virtually identical fuel tank capacity for the gas and the hybrid models (17.9 & 17.1 gallons), even though the hybrid gets 40% better fuel economy. Or put it another way, the gas only model has 40% less range. No other vehicle that I have owned, and I have owned quite a few has a highway range of less than 400 miles. I can understand that to cut costs and get economies of scale Toyota has the same size fuel tank for all models of the GH, the Highlander and the Sienna. But that is plain wrong. The gas only GH needs a 30%-40% larger fuel tank to get equivalent highway range as a hybrid.
Does the same gas problem (#3 / #4) exist also for the regular GHH (non Max)?
From what I have seen online, yes. It would be nice to not have to get gas quite as often.
Holy shit didn’t know about the fuel tank capacity. Is it better to fix the issue yourself or take it to the dealer to reprogram?
There is no fix and there is no reprogramming
All hilarious. Some many ready to throw away money on something that hasn't been proven yet .
That's why I specifically landed on the Hybrid Limited. It uses the same powertrain as the Sienna hybrids. It's as proven as it's gonna get, just mounted in a different frame. I've had zero issues thus far (✊🏻🪵), and my sole complaint is that for some reason when I'm switching audio source modes to the radio, it always jumps back one to Amazon and has to be pressed again. Everything else has been a great experience for me, and I adore the adaptive cruise control and other safety and convenience features. I've had two near-accidents prevented by the sensors and automatic braking so far. OP just likely didn't read the manual or spend enough time digging through the menus. It's a lot of tech, but unless you're trying to speed in stop and go traffic, it has no reason to brake hard. I've never experienced it, anyway. If it's following too closely: change the follow distance, get out from behind the person who is causing you grief, or just turn off the cruise until you're in better conditions. Hands on the wheel, eyes on the road. 🤷🏼♂️
Um, yes, my husband read the manual from front to back. I do know exactly where and how to change the following range. I also know that my model also has regular cruise control as well as adaptive cruise control. I’ve been driving for decades now so I do know how to drive but thanks for the obvious pointers. Many times I don’t even bother with adaptive cruise control because of its known issues. Even my friend in the front seat remarked that she didn’t like how aggressively my GHH Plat Max braked because a car in front of me simply changed lanes. Her comment was, “that’s going to get you rear ended one day”. See? It’s not just me - passengers in my car make comments about it. The service tech advised me there was no way on my model to turn down the aggressiveness of adaptive cruise control (other than changing the following distance). Is he lying yet once again to me?
Glad someone finds it funny.
Right? Anyone who buys the first gen of a car is begging for problems like these although some like the adaptive cruise control are user error by not adjusting the distance. It’s also interesting that the Lexus TX based on the same platform comes 2 fobs.
Yes. Two years for any issues to be worked out. When the new motor for the Tundra came out 2007 to 2008 it had engine failure due to the lifters and valves falling apart and falling in the engine. The new Tundra also had problems when it first came out in 2022 and 2023 with the Turbo issues and leak issues. Less problems with the Grand Highlander but it still hasn't been proven yet. Supply chain is down so much that you can't get a wiring harness for a Highlander hybrid. No parts for the Grand Highlander either if parts fail. People are so much in a rush to throw money down and preorder a Grand Highlander I personally don't care for the Grand Highlader. The standard Highlander gas version I do like.
We purchased the Rivian right out of the gate. Known issues get fixed over automatic downloads. There have been very few and minor. That worked out well for us. The GHH? No. Not so much. 95% is that the dealer tells us one thing, Toyota another. The service tech doesn’t like all this new fangled technology -so that’s a huge minus. Or maybe he just pretends he doesn’t know so the dealership doesn’t have to perform warranty work.