snow TOYOTA HIGHLANDER 2018 (in English) Owner's Guide

3354-5. Using the driving support systems
4
Driving
HIGHLANDER_U (OM0E031U)■
EPS operation sound
When the steering wheel is operated, a motor sound (whirring so und) may be
heard. This does not indicate a malfunction.
■ Automatic reactivation of TRAC and VSC systems
After turning the TRAC and VSC systems off, the systems will be automati-
cally re-enabled in the following situations:
● Vehicles without a smart key system: When the engine switch is turned to
the “LOCK” position
Vehicles with a smart key system: When the engine switch is tur ned off
● If only the TRAC system is turned off, the TRAC will turn on wh en vehicle
speed increases
If both the TRAC and VSC systems are turned off, automatic re-e nabling will
not occur when vehicle speed increases.
■ Reduced effectiveness of the EPS system
The effectiveness of the EPS system is reduced to prevent the s ystem from
overheating when there is frequent steering input over an exten ded period of
time. The steering wheel may feel heavy as a result. Should thi s occur, refrain
from excessive steering input or stop the vehicle and turn the engine off. The
EPS system should return to normal within 10 minutes.
WARNING
■ The ABS does not operate effectively when
● The limits of tire gripping performance have been exceeded (suc h as
excessively worn tires on a snow covered road).
● The vehicle hydroplanes while driving at high speed on wet or s lick roads.
■ Stopping distance when the ABS is operating may exceed that of nor-
mal conditions
The ABS is not designed to shorten the vehicle’s stopping distance. Always
maintain a safe distance from the vehicle in front of you, espe cially in the
following situations:
● When driving on dirt, gravel or snow-covered roads
● When driving with tire chains
● When driving over bumps on the road
● When driving over roads with potholes or uneven surfaces

339
4
Driving
HIGHLANDER_U (OM0E031U)
4-6. Driving tips
●Use fluids that are appropriate t o the prevailing outside tempera-
tures. • Engine oil
• Engine coolant
• Washer fluid
● Have a service technician inspec t the condition of the battery.
● Have the vehicle fitted with four snow tires or purchase a set of tire
chains for the front tires.
Ensure that all tires are the same size and brand, and that chains match
the size of the tires.
Winter driving tips
Carry out the necessary preparations and inspections before
driving the vehicle in winter. Always drive the vehicle in a ma n-
ner appropriate to the prevailing weather conditions.
Preparation for winter

3404-6. Driving tips
HIGHLANDER_U (OM0E031U)
Perform the following according to the driving conditions:
● Do not try to forcibly open a window or move a wiper that is fr ozen.
Pour warm water over the frozen area to melt the ice. Wipe away
the water immediately to p revent it from freezing.
● To ensure proper operation of the climate control system fan,
remove any snow that has accumulated on the air inlet vents in
front of the windshield.
● Check for and remove any excess ic e or snow that may have accu-
mulated on the exterior lights, vehicle’s roof, chassis, around the
tires or on the brakes.
● Remove any snow or mud from the bottom of your shoes before
getting in the vehicle.
Accelerate the vehicle slowly, keep a safe distance between you and
the vehicle ahead, and drive at a reduced speed suitable to roa d con-
ditions.
● Park the vehicle and move the shift lever to P without setting the
parking brake. The parking brake may freeze up, preventing it from
being released. If the vehicle is parked without setting the pa rking
brake, make sure t o block the wheels.
Failure to do so may be dangerou s because it may cause the vehi-
cle to move unexpectedly, pos sibly leading to an accident.
● If the vehicle is parked without setting the parking brake, confirm
that the shift lever c annot be moved out of P
*.
*: The shift lever will be locked if it is attempted to be shift ed from P to any
other position without depressing the brake pedal. If the shift lever can be
shifted from P, there may be a problem with the shift lock syst em. Have the
vehicle inspected by your Toyota dealer immediately.
Before driving the vehicle
When driving the vehicle
When parking the vehicle

3414-6. Driving tips
4
Driving
HIGHLANDER_U (OM0E031U)
Use the correct tire chain size when mounting the snow chains.
Chain size is regulate d for each tire size.
Side chain: 0.12 in. (3 mm) in diameter
0.39 in. (10 mm) in width
1.18 in. (30 mm) in length
Cross chain: 0.16 in. (4 mm) in diameter
0.55 in. (14 mm) in width
0.98 in. (25 mm) in length
Regulations regarding the use of tire chains vary depending on loca-
tion and type of road. Always chec k local regulations before installing
chains.
■ Tire chain installation
Observe the following precautions when installing and removing chains:
● Install and remove tire chains in a safe location.
● Install tire chains on the front tires. Do not install tire chains on the rear tires.
● Install tire chains on front tires as tightly as possible. Reti ghten chains after
driving 1/4  1/2 mile (0.5  1.0 km).
● Install tire chains following the instructions provided with th e tire chains.
Selecting tire chains
1
2
3
4
5
6
Regulations on the use of tire chains

3424-6. Driving tips
HIGHLANDER_U (OM0E031U)
WARNING
■Driving with snow tires
Observe the following precautions to reduce the risk of acciden ts.
Failure to do so may result in a loss of vehicle control and ca use death or
serious injury.
● Use tires of the size specified.
● Maintain the recommended level of air pressure.
● Do not drive in excess of 75 mph (120 km/h), regardless of the type of
snow tires being used.
● Use snow tires on all, not just some wheels.
■ Driving with tire chains
Observe the following precautions to reduce the risk of acciden ts.
Failure to do so may result in the vehicle being unable to be d riven safely,
and may cause death or serious injury.
● Do not drive in excess of the speed limit specified for the tir e chains being
used, or 30 mph (50 km/h), whichever is lower.
● Avoid driving on bumpy road surfaces or over potholes.
● Avoid sudden acceleration, abrupt steering, sudden braking and shifting
operations that cause sudden engine braking.
● Slow down sufficiently before entering a curve to ensure that v ehicle con-
trol is maintained.
● Do not use LDA (Lane Departure Alert with steering control) sys tem.
NOTICE
■Repairing or replacing snow tires
Request repairs or replacement of snow tires from Toyota dealer s or legiti-
mate tire retailers.
This is because the removal and attachment of snow tires affect s the opera-
tion of the tire pressure warning valves and transmitters.
■ Fitting tire chains
The tire pressure warning valves and transmitters may not funct ion correctly
when tire chains are fitted.

3454-6. Driving tips
4
Driving
HIGHLANDER_U (OM0E031U)
WARNING
■Off-road driving precautions
Always observe the following precautions to minimize the risk o f death, seri-
ous injury or damage to your vehicle:
● Drive carefully when off the road. Do not take unnecessary risk s by driving
in dangerous places.
● Do not grip the steering wheel spokes when driving off-road. A bad bump
could jerk the wheel and injure your hands. Keep both hands and espe-
cially your thumbs on the outside of the rim.
● Always check your brakes for effectiveness immediately after driving in
sand, mud, water or snow.
● After driving through tall grass, mud, rock, sand, rivers, etc. , check that
there is no grass, bush, paper, rags, stone, sand, etc. adherin g or trapped
on the underbody. Clear off any such matter from the underbody. If the
vehicle is used with these materials trapped or adhering to the underbody,
a breakdown or fire could occur.
● When driving off-road or in rugged terrain, do not drive at excessive
speeds, jump, make sharp turns, strike objects, etc. This may c ause loss
of control or vehicle rollover causing death or serious injury. You are also
risking expensive damage to your vehicle’s suspension and chass is.

5367-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
HIGHLANDER_U (OM0E031U)■
Routine tire inflation pressure checks
The tire pressure warning system does not replace routine tire
inflation
pressure checks. Make sure to chec k tire inflation pressure as part of
your routine of daily vehicle checks.
■Maximum load of tire
Check that the number given by dividing the maximum load by 1.1 0 of the
replacement tire is greater than 1/2 of the Gross Axle Weight R atings
(GAWR) of either the front axle or the rear axle, whichever is greater.
■Tire types
●Summer tires
Summer tires are high-speed performance tires best suited to hi ghway
driving under dry conditions. Si nce summer tires do not have th e same
traction performance as snow tires, summer tires are inadequate for
driving on snow-covered or icy ro ads. For driving on snow-covered
roads or icy roads, the use of snow tires is recommended. When install-
ing snow tires, be sure to replace all four tires.
●All season tires
All season tires are designed to provide better traction in sno w and to
be adequate for driving in most winter conditions as well as fo r use
year-round. All season tires, however, do not have adequate tra ction
performance compared with snow tires in heavy or loose snow. Al so, all
season tires fall short in acceleration and handling performanc e com-
pared with summer tires in highway driving.
●Snow tires
For driving on snow-covered roads or icy roads, we recommend us ing
snow tires. If you need snow tires, select tires of the same si ze, con-
struction and load capacity as t he originally installed tires. Since your
vehicle has radial tires as original equipment, make sure your snow
tires also have radial construct ion. Do not install studded tires without
first checking local regulations for possible restrictions. Sno w tires
should be install ed on all wheels. ( P. 339)
■If the tread on snow tires wea rs down below 0.16 in. (4 mm)
The effectiveness of the tires as snow tires is lost. For the GAWR, see the Certification
Label. For the maximum load of the tire,
see the load limit at maximum cold tire
inflation pressure mentioned on the
sidewall of the tire. ( P. 6 6 7 )

5377-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
7
Maintenance and care
HIGHLANDER_U (OM0E031U)■
Situations in which the tire pressure warning system may not op
er-
ate properly
●In the following cases, the tire pressure warning system may no t operate
properly.
• If non-genuine Toyota wheels are used.
• A tire has been replaced with a tire that is not an OE (Original Equip-
ment) tire.
• A tire has been replac ed with a tire that is not of the specif ied size.
• Tire chains, etc. are equipped.
• An auxiliary-supported ru n-flat tire is equipped.
• If a window tint that affects the radio wave signals is instal led.
• If there is a lot of snow or ice on the vehicle, particularly around the
wheels or wheel housings.
• If the tire inflation pressure is extremely higher than the sp ecified
level.
• If the spare tire is in a location subject to poor radio wave signal
reception.
*
• If a large metallic object whic h can interfere with signal reception is
put in the luggage compartment.
*
*
: Vehicles with a full- size spare tire only
●Performance may be affected in the following situations.
• Near a TV tower, electric power plant, gas station, radio stat ion, large
display, airport or other facilit y that generates strong radio waves or
electrical noise
• When carrying a portable radio, cellular phone, cordless phone or
other wireless communication device
●When the vehicle is parked, the time taken for the warning to s tart or go
off could be extended.
●When tire inflation pressure declines rapidly for example when a tire has
burst, the warning may not function.

5407-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
HIGHLANDER_U (OM0E031U)
NOTE:
Operation is subject to the following two conditions: (1) this device may
not cause interference, and (2) this device must accept any int erference,
including interference that may cause undesired operation of th e device.
NOTE:
L’utilisation de ce dispositif es t autorisée seulement aux deux conditions
suivantes : (1) il ne doit pas produire de brouillage, et (2) l’utilisateur du
dispositif doit être prêt à a ccepter tout brouillage radioélect rique reçu,
même si ce brouillage est sus ceptible de compromettre le
fonctionnement du dispositif.
WARNING
■When inspecting or replacing tires
Observe the following precaut ions to prevent accidents.
Failure to do so may cause damage to parts of the drive train as well as
dangerous handling characteristics, which may lead to an accide nt
resulting in death o r serious injury.
●Do not mix tires of different ma kes, models or tread patterns.
Also, do not mix tires of re markably different treadwear.
●Do not use tire sizes other th an those recommended by Toyota.
●Do not mix differently constructed tires (radial, bias-belted o r bias-ply
tires).
●Do not mix summer, all season and snow tires.
●Vehicles with a compact spare tire: Do not tow if your vehicle has a
compact spare tire installed.
■When initializing the tire pressure warning system
Do not operate the tire pressure warning reset switch without first
adjusting the tire inflation pressure to the specified level. O therwise, the
tire pressure warning light may not come on even if the tire in flation
pressure is low, or it may come on when the tire inflation pres sure is
actually normal.

5968-2. Steps to take in an emergency
HIGHLANDER_U (OM0E031U)
Indicates that the system is temporarily unavail-
able due to a malfunction in a sensor other than
the camera sensorA buzzer also sounds.
 Turn the LDA (Lane Departure Alert with
steering control) system off, wait for a little
while, and then turn the LDA (Lane Depar-
ture Alert with steer ing control) system
back on.
(If equipped)
Indicates that a Blind Spot Monitor sensor or the
surrounding area on the rear bumper is dirty or
covered with snow, ice, etc. or that a sensor is
misaligned A buzzer also sounds.
 Clean off the dirt, snow, ice, etc. and drive
the vehicle with the operation conditions of
the BSM function ( P. 321) satisfied for
approximately 10 minutes. If the warning
message does not disappear, the sensor
may be misaligned. Have the vehicle
inspected by your Toyota dealer.
Indicates a malfunction in the dynamic radar
cruise control system. • Press the “ON-OFF” button once to deacti-vate the system, and then press the button
again to reactivate the system.
• A buzzer also sounds.
 Have the vehicle inspected by your Toyota
dealer.
Indicates a malfunction in the LDA (Lane Depar-
ture Alert with steering control) system A buzzer also sounds.
 Have the vehicle inspected by your Toyota
dealer.
Warning messageDetails/Actions
(Amber)
(Amber)