TOYOTA HIGHLANDER 2019 Owners Manual (in English)

3414-5. Using the driving support systems
4
Driving
HIGHLANDER_U
■Turning off both TRAC and VSC systems
To turn the TRAC and VSC systems off, press and hold for more than 3
seconds while the vehicle is stopped.
The VSC OFF indicator light will come on and “Traction Control Turned Off”
will be shown on the multi-information display.
*
Press again to turn the systems back on.
*: Pre-collision brake assist and pre-collision braking will also be disabled.
(  P. 280)
■ When the message is displayed on the multi-information display show-
ing that TRAC has been disabled even if switch has not been
pressed
TRAC cannot be operated. Contact your Toyota dealer.
■ Operating conditions of hill-start assist control
When the following four conditions are met, the hill-start assi st control will
operate:
● The shift lever is in a position other than P or N (when starting off forward/
backward on an upward incline).
● The vehicle is stopped.
● The accelerator pedal is not depressed.
● The parking brake is not engaged.
■ Automatic system cancelation of hill-start assist control
The hill-start assist control will turn off in any of the following situations:
● The shift lever is moved to P or N.
● The accelerator pedal is depressed.
● The parking brake is engaged.
● Approximately 2 seconds elapse after the brake pedal is release d.
■ Sounds and vibrations caused by the ABS, brake assist, VSC, TRAC and
hill-start assist control systems
●A sound may be heard from the engine compartment when the brake pedal
is depressed repeatedly, when the engine is started or just aft er the vehicle
begins to move. This sound does not indicate that a malfunction has
occurred in any of these systems.
● Any of the following conditions may occur when the above system s are
operating. None of these indicates that a malfunction has occur red.
• Vibrations may be felt through the vehicle body and steering.
• A motor sound may be heard also after the vehicle comes to a s top.
• The brake pedal may pulsate slightly after the ABS is activate d.
• The brake pedal may move down sli ghtly after the ABS is activated.

3424-5. Using the driving support systems
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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

3434-5. Using the driving support systems
4
Driving
HIGHLANDER_U
WARNING
■TRAC/VSC may not operate effectively when
Directional control and power may not be achievable while driving on slip-
pery road surfaces, even if the TRAC/VSC system is operating.
Drive the vehicle carefully in conditions where stability and p ower may be
lost.
■ Hill- start assist control does not operate effectively when
● Do not overly rely on hill-start assist control. Hill-start ass ist control may
not operate effectively on steep inclines and roads covered wit h ice.
● Unlike the parking brake, hill-start assist control is not inte nded to hold the
vehicle stationary for an extended period of time. Do not attempt to use
hill-start assist control to hold the vehicle on an incline, as doing so may
lead to an accident.
■ When the VSC is activated
The slip indicator light flashes. Always drive carefully. Reckless driving may
cause an accident. Exercise particular care when the indicator light flashes.
■ When the TRAC/VSC systems are turned off
Be especially careful and drive at a speed appropriate to the r oad condi-
tions. As these are the systems to help ensure vehicle stabilit y and driving
force, do not turn the TRAC/VSC systems off unless necessary.
Trailer Sway Control is part of the VSC system and will not ope rate if VSC
turned off or experiences a malfunction.
■ Replacing tires
Make sure that all tires are of the specified size, brand, trea d pattern and
total load capacity. In addition, make sure that the tires are inflated to the
recommended tire inflation pressure level.
The ABS, TRAC and VSC systems will not function correctly if di fferent tires
are installed on the vehicle.
Contact your Toyota dealer for further information when replaci ng tires or
wheels.
■ Handling of tires and the suspension
Using tires with any kind of problem or modifying the suspensio n will affect
the driving assist systems, and may cause a system to malfuncti on.

3444-5. Using the driving support systems
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Activating the downhill a
ssist control system
Press the “DAC” switch.
The downhill assist control sys-
tem indicator will come on to
indicate that the downhill assist
control system is activated.
Pressing the switch again turns
the system off.
The slip indicator will flash to indi-
cate that the downhill assist con-
trol system is operating, and the
stop lights and high mounted
stoplight will turn on.
■ If the downhill assist control system indicator flashes
●
In the following situations, the indicator flashes and the system will not operate:
• The shift lever is in P.
• The accelerator or brake pedal is depressed.
• The vehicle speed exceeds approximately 18 mph (30 km/h).
• The brake system overheats.
The system will cease operation. At this time, a buzzer sounds, the down-
hill assist control system indicator flashes and “Traction Cont rol Turned
Off” is shown on the multi-information display. Refrain from using the sys-
tem until the downhill assist control system indicator stays on and “Trac-
tion Control Turned Off” displayed on the multi-information display goes
out. (The vehicle can be driven normally during this time.)
Downhill assist control system (AWD mod-
els)
The downhill assist control system helps to prevent excessive
speed on steep downhill slopes.
The system will operate when th e vehicle is traveling under
18 mph (30 km/h).
While the downhill assist c ontrol system is operating

3454-5. Using the driving support systems
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Driving
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In the following situations, the indicator flashes to alert the driver, but the
system will operate:
• The shift lever is in N.
• The “DAC” switch is turned off while the system is operating. The system will gradually ceases operation. The indicator will flash during
operation, and then go off when the system is fully off.
■ Downhill assist control system operation sound
●A sound may be heard from the engine compartment when the engin e is
started or just after the vehicle begins to move. This sound do es not indicate
that a malfunction has occurred in downhill assist control syst em.
● Either of the following conditions may occur when the downhill assist control
system is operating. None of these are indicators that a malfun ction has
occurred.
• Vibrations may be felt through the vehicle body and steering.
• A motor sound may be heard after the vehicle comes to a stop.
■ If the slip indicator comes on
It may indicate a malfunction in the system. Contact your Toyota dealer.
WARNING
■When using downhill assist control system
Do not rely overmuch on the downhill assist control system. Thi s function
does not extend the vehicle’s performance limitations. Always t horoughly
check the road conditions, and drive safely.
■ The system may not operate on the following surfaces, which may lead
to an accident causing death or serious injury
● Slippery surfaces such as wet or muddy roads
● Icy surface
● Unpaved roads
■ Do not shift the shift lever to R while driving forward, or to D while driv-
ing backward.
Doing so may cause the wheels to lock up, leading to an acciden t causing
death or serious injury.
In addition, excessive stress will be applied to the automatic transmission,
possibly resulting in damage.

346
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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

3474-6. Driving tips
4
Driving
HIGHLANDER_U
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 shifte d 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

3484-6. Driving tips
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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

3494-6. Driving tips
4
Driving
HIGHLANDER_U
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.

3504-6. Driving tips
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●Specific design charac teristics give it a higher center of grav ity than
ordinary passenger cars. This vehi cle design feature causes this
type of vehicle to be more likel y to rollover. And, utility vehicles
have a significantly higher rollover rate than other types of v ehicles.
● An advantage of the higher ground clearance is a better view of the
road allowing you to anticipate problems.
● It is not designed for cornering at the same speeds as ordinary pas-
senger cars any more than low-s lung sports cars are designed to
perform satisfactorily under o ff-road conditions. Therefore, sh arp
turns at excessive speeds may c ause the vehicle to rollover.
Utility vehicle precautions
This vehicle belongs to the utility vehicle class, which has
higher ground clearance and narrower tread in relation to the
height of its center of gravity.
Utility vehicle feature
WARNING
■Utility vehicle precautions
Always observe the following precautions to minimize the risk o f death, seri-
ous injury or damage to your vehicle:
● In a rollover crash, an unbelted person is significantly more l ikely to die
than a person wearing a seat belt. Therefore, the driver and al l passengers
should always fasten their seat belts.
● Avoid sharp turns or abrupt maneuvers, if at all possible.
Failure to operate this vehicle correctly may result in loss of control or
vehicle rollover causing death or serious injury.
● Loading cargo on the roof luggage carrier (if equipped) will make the cen-
ter of the vehicle gravity higher. Avoid high speeds, sudden starts, sharp
turns, sudden braking or abrupt maneuvers, otherwise it may res ult in loss
of control or vehicle rollover due to failure to operate this vehicle correctly.
● Always slow down in gusty crosswinds. Because of its profile and higher
center of gravity, your vehicle is more sensitive to side winds than an ordi-
nary passenger car. Slowing down will allow you to have better control.
● Do not drive horizontally across steep slopes. Driving straight up or
straight down is preferred. Your vehicle (or any similar off-ro ad vehicle)
can tip over sideways much more easily than forward or backward .