TOYOTA HIGHLANDER 2021 Owners Manual (in English)

4016-1. Maintenance and care
6
Maintenance and care
HIGHLANDER_U
Remove dirt and dust using a
vacuum cleaner.
 Wipe it off with a soft cloth
dampened with neutral deter-
gent diluted to approximately
1%.
 Wring out any excess water
from the cloth and thoroughly
wipe off remaining traces of
detergent and water.
Cleaning the synthetic
leather areas

4026-2. Maintenance
HIGHLANDER_U
6-2.Maintenance
■Repair and replacement
It is recommended that genuine
Toyota parts be used for repairs to
ensure performance of each sys-
tem. If non-Toyota parts are used in
replacement or if a repair shop other
than a Toyota dealer performs
repairs, confirm the warranty cover-
age.
■Allow inspection and repairs to
be performed by a Toyota
dealer
●Toyota technicians are
well-trained specialists and are
kept up to date with the latest ser-
vice information. They are well
informed about the operation of all
systems on your vehicle.
●Keep a copy of the repair order. It
proves that the maintenance that
has been performed is under war-
ranty coverage. If any problem
should arise while your vehicle is
under warranty, your Toyota
dealer will promptly take care of it.
General maintenance should be
performed on a daily basis. This
can be done by yourself or by a
Toyota dealer.
Scheduled maintenance should
be performed at specified inter-
vals according to the mainte-
nance schedule.
For details about maintenance
items and schedules, refer to the
“Scheduled Maintenance Guide” or
“Owner’s Manual Supplement”.
Maintenance require-
ments
To ensure safe and econom-
ical driving, day-to-day care
and regular maintenance
are essential. It is the
owner’s responsibility to
perform regular checks.
Toyota recommends the fol-
lowing maintenance:
WARNING
■If your vehicle is not properly
maintained
Improper maintenance could
result in serious damage to the
vehicle and possible death or seri-
ous injury.
■Handling of the battery
●Engine exhaust, some of its
constituents, and a wide variety
of automobile components con-
tain or emit chemicals known to
the State of California to cause
cancer and birth defects and
other reproductive harm. Work
in a well ventilated area.
●Oils, fuels and fluids contained
in vehicles as well as waste pro-
duced by component wear con-
tain or emit chemicals known to
the State of California to cause
cancer and birth defects or
other reproductive harm. Avoid
exposure and wash any
affected area immediately.
●Battery posts, terminals and
related accessories contain lead
and lead compounds which are
known to cause brain damage.
Wash your hands after han-
dling. ( P.416)
General maintenance
Scheduled maintenance

4036-2. Maintenance
6
Maintenance and care
HIGHLANDER_U
■Resetting the message indicat-
ing maintenance is required
After the required maintenance is
preformed according to the mainte-
nance schedule, please reset the
message.To reset the message, fol-
low the procedures described
below:
4.2-inch display
1 Press or of the meter
control switch to select .
2 Press or of the meter
control switch, select and
then press and hold .
3 Press or of the meter
control switch, select “Scheduled
Maintenance” and then press
.
4 Select “Yes” and press .
5 A message will be displayed on
the multi-information display
when the reset procedure has
been completed.
7-inch display
1 Press or of the meter
control switch to select .
2 Press or of the meter
control switch, select and
then press and hold .
3 Press or of the meter
control switch, select “Scheduled
Maintenance” and then press
.
4 Select “Yes” and press .
5 A message will be displayed on
the multi-information display
when the reset procedure has
been completed.
You can perform some mainte-
nance procedures by yourself.
Please be aware that do-it-your-
self maintenance may affect
warranty coverage.
The use of Toyota Repair Manuals
is recommended.
For details about warranty cover-
age, refer to the separate “Owner’s
Warranty Informat ion Booklet” or
“Owner’s Manual Supplement”.
Do-it-yourself mainte-
nance

4046-2. Maintenance
HIGHLANDER_U
General maintenance
Listed below are the general
maintenance items that
should be performed at the
intervals specified in the
“Owner’s Warranty Informa-
tion Booklet” or “Owner’s
Manual Supplement/Sched-
uled Maintenance Guide”. It
is recommended that any
problem you notice should
be brought to the attention
of your Toyota dealer or
qualified service shop for
advice.
WARNING
■If the engine is running
Turn the engine off and ensure
that there is adequate ventilation
before performing maintenance
checks.
Engine compartment
ItemsCheck points
BatteryCheck the connec-
tions. ( P.416)
Brake fluid
Is the brake fluid at
the correct level?
( P.416)
Engine coolant
Is the engine cool-
ant at the correct
level? ( P.415)
Engine oil
Is the engine oil at
the correct level?
( P.412)
Exhaust sys-
temThere should not
be any fumes or
strange sounds.
Radiator/con-
denser
The radiator and
condenser should
be free from for-
eign objects.
( P.416)
Washer fluid
Is there sufficient
washer fluid?
( P.418)
Vehicle interior
ItemsCheck points
Accelerator
pedal
• The accelerator
pedal should
move smoothly
(without uneven
pedal effort or
catching).
Automatic
transmission
“Park” mecha-
nism
• When parked on a slope and the
shift lever is in P,
is the vehicle
securely
stopped?
ItemsCheck points

4056-2. Maintenance
6
Maintenance and care
HIGHLANDER_U
Brake pedal
• Does the brake pedal move
smoothly?
• Does the brake pedal have
appropriate
clearance from
the floor?
( P.504)
• Does the brake pedal have the
correct amount
of free play?
( P.504)
Brakes
• The vehicle
should not pull to
one side when
the brakes are
applied.
• The brakes should work
effectively.
• The brake pedal should not feel
spongy.
• The brake pedal should not get
too close to the
floor when the
brakes are
applied.
Head
restraints
• Do the head restraints move
smoothly and
lock securely?
Horn• Works properly?
Indica-
tors/buzzers
• Do the indica-tors and buzzers
function prop-
erly?
ItemsCheck points
Lights
• Do all the lights come on?
• Are the head- lights aimed cor-
rectly? ( P.440)
Parking brake
• Does the park-
ing brake switch
operate nor-
mally?
• When parked on a slope and the
parking brake is
on, is the vehicle
securely
stopped?
Seat belts
• Do the seat belts operate
smoothly?
• The seat belts should not be
damaged.
Seats
• Do the seat con-trols operate
properly?
Steering wheel
• Does the steer-ing wheel rotate
smoothly?
• Does the steer- ing wheel have
the correct
amount of free
play?
• There should not be any strange
sounds coming
from the steer-
ing wheel.
ItemsCheck points

4066-2. Maintenance
HIGHLANDER_U
The OBD system determines
that a problem exists some-
where in the emission control
system. Your vehicle may not
pass the I/M test and may need
to be repaired. Contact your
Toyota dealer to service the
vehicle.
When the battery is discon-
nected or discharged
Readiness codes that are set
during ordinary driving are erased.
Also, depending on your driving
habits, the readiness codes may
not be completely set.
When the fuel tank cap is
loose
Vehicle exterior
ItemsCheck points
Doors
• Do the doors
operate
smoothly?
Engine hood
• Does the engine hood lock system
work properly?
Fluid leaks
• There should not be any signs of
fluid leakage
after the vehicle
has been parked.
Tires
• Is the tire infla-tion pressure
correct?
• The tires should not be damaged
or excessively
worn.
• Have the tires been rotated
according to the
maintenance
schedule?
• The wheel nuts should not be
loose.
Windshield
wipers/rear
window wiper
• The wiper blades should not show
any signs of
cracking, split-
ting, wear, con-
tamination or
deformation.
• The wiper blades should clear the
windshield/rear
window without
streaking or skip-
ping.
Emission inspection
and maintenance (I/M)
programs
Some states have vehicle
emission inspection pro-
grams which include OBD
(On Board Diagnostics)
checks. The OBD system
monitors the operation of
the emission control sys-
tem.
If the malfunction indica-
tor lamp comes on
Your vehicle may not pass
the I/M test in the follow-
ing situations:

4076-2. Maintenance
6
Maintenance and care
HIGHLANDER_UThe malfunction indicator lamp
comes on indicating a temporary
malfunction and your vehicle may
not pass the I/M test.
The error code in the OBD sys-
tem will not be cleared unless
the vehicle is driven 40 or more
times.
Contact your Toyota dealer to
prepare the vehicle for re-test-
ing.
When the malfunction
indicator lamp still
remains on after several
driving trips
If your vehicle does not
pass the I/M test

4086-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
HIGHLANDER_U
6-3.Do-it-yourself maintenance
Do-it-yourself ser vice
precautions
If you perform maintenance
by yourself, be sure to fol-
low the correct procedure
as given in these sections.
Maintenance
ItemsParts and tools
Battery condi-
tion (P.416)
• Warm water
• Baking soda
•Grease
• Conventional
wrench (for ter-
minal clamp
bolts)
Brake fluid
level ( P.416)
• FMVSS No.116
DOT 3 or SAE
J1703 brake fluid
• Rag or paper towel
• Funnel (used only for adding
brake fluid)
Engine cool-
ant level
( P.415)
• “Toyota Super
Long Life Cool-
ant” or a similar
high quality eth-
ylene gly-
col-based
non-silicate,
non-amine,
non-nitrite and
non-borate cool-
ant with long-life
hybrid organic
acid technology
For the U.S.A.:
“Toyota Super
Long Life Cool-
ant” is pre-mixed
with 50% cool-
ant and 50%
deionized water.
For Canada:
“Toyota Super
Long Life Cool-
ant” is pre-mixed
with 55% cool-
ant and 45%
deionized water.
• Funnel (used only for adding
coolant)
Engine oil level
( P.412)
• “Toyota Genuine
Motor Oil” or
equivalent
• Rag or paper towel
• Funnel (used only for adding
engine oil)
Fuses
( P.438)• Fuse with same
amperage rating
as original
ItemsParts and tools

4096-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
6
Maintenance and care
HIGHLANDER_U
Headlight aim
( P.440)• Phillips-head
screwdriver
Light bulbs
( P.441)
• Bulb with same
number and
wattage rating as
original
• Phillips-head screwdriver
• Flathead screw- driver
• Wrench
Radiator and
condenser
(  P.416)

Tire inflation
pressure
( P.431)• Tire pressure
gauge
• Compressed air source
Washer fluid
( P.418)
• Water or washer
fluid containing
antifreeze (for
winter use)
• Funnel (used only for adding
water or washer
fluid)
WARNING
The engine compartment contains
many mechanisms and fluids that
may move suddenly, become hot,
or become electrically energized.
To avoid death or serious injury,
observe the following precautions.
■When working on the engine
compartment
●Keep hands, clothing and tools
away from the moving fan and
engine drive belt.
ItemsParts and tools●Be careful not to touch the
engine, radiator, exhaust mani-
fold, etc. right after driving as
they may be hot. Oil and other
fluids may also be hot.
●Do not leave anything that may
burn easily, such as paper and
rags, in the engine compart-
ment.
●Do not smoke, cause sparks or
expose an open flame to fuel or
the battery. Fuel and battery
fumes are flammable.
●Be extremely cautious when
working on the battery. It con-
tains poisonous and corrosive
sulfuric acid.
■When working near the elec-
tric cooling fan or radiator
grille
Be sure the engine switch is off.
With the engine switch in ON, the
electric cooling fan may automati-
cally start to run if the air condi-
tioning is on and/or the coolant
temperature is high. ( P.416)
■Safety glasses
Wear safety glasses to prevent
flying or falling material, fluid
spray, etc. from getting in your
eyes.
NOTICE
■If you remove the air cleaner
filter
Driving with the air cleaner filter
removed may cause excessive
engine wear due to dirt in the air.

4106-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
HIGHLANDER_U
1Pull the hood lock release
lever.
The hood will pop up slightly.
2Pull up the auxiliary catch
lever and lift the hood.
3 Hold the hood open by insert-
ing the support rod into the
slot.
Hood
Opening the hood
WARNING
■Pre-driving check
Check that the hood is fully closed
and locked.
If the hood is not locked properly,
it may open while the vehicle is in
motion and cause an accident,
which may result in death or seri-
ous injury.
■After installing the support
rod into the slot
Make sure the rod supports the
hood securely preventing it from
falling down onto your head or
body.
NOTICE
■When closing the hood
Be sure to return the support rod
to its clip before closing the hood.
Closing the hood with the support
rod not clipped could cause the
hood to bend.