oil pressure TOYOTA HIGHLANDER 2021 Owners Manual (in English)

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HIGHLANDER_U
Pictorial indexSearch by illustration
For safety
and securityMake sure to read through them
(Main topics: Child seat, theft deterrent system)
Vehicle status
information and
indicatorsReading driving-related information
(Main topics: Meters, multi-information display)
Before driving
Opening and closing the doors and windows,
adjustment before driving
(Main topics: Keys, doors, seats)
Driving
Operations and advice which are necessary for
driving
(Main topics: Starting engine, refueling)
Interior featuresUsage of the interior features
(Main topics: Air conditioner, storage features)
Maintenance
and careCaring for your vehicle and maintenance
procedures
(Main topics: Interior and exterior, light bulbs)
When trouble
arisesWhat to do in case of malfunction and emergency
(Main topics: Battery discharge, flat tire)
Vehicle
specificationsVehicle specifications, customizable features
(Main topics: Fuel, oil, tire inflation pressure)
For ownersReporting safety defects for U.S. owners, and seat
belt, SRS airbag and headlight aim instructions for
Canadian owners
IndexSearch by symptom
Search alphabetically

4TABLE OF CONTENTS
HIGHLANDER_U
Emission inspection and mainte-nance (I/M) programs....... 406
6-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance Do-it-yourself service precau-tions ................................. 408
Hood .................................. 410
Positioning a floor jack ....... 411
Engine compartment .......... 412
Tires ................................... 419
Tire inflation pressure......... 431
Wheels ............................... 433
Air conditioning filter ........... 434
Electronic key battery ......... 436
Checking and replacing fuses ......................................... 438
Headlight aim ..................... 440
Light bulbs .......................... 441
7-1. Essential information Emergency flashers ........... 450
If your vehicle has to be stopped in an emergency .............. 450
If the vehicle is trapped in rising water ................................ 451
7-2. Steps to take in an emergency If your vehicle needs to be towed......................................... 453
If you think something is wrong ......................................... 456
Fuel pump shut off system ......................................... 457
If a warning light turns on or a warning buzzer sounds .... 458
If a warning message is dis- played .............................. 468
If you have a flat tire ........... 472
If the engine will not start ... 486
If you lose your keys .......... 487If the fuel filler door cannot be
opened ............................. 488
If the electronic key does not operate properly............... 489
If the vehicle battery is dis- charged ............................ 491
If your vehicle overheats .... 495
If the vehicle becomes stuck ......................................... 497
8-1. Specifications Maintenance data (fuel, oil level, etc.) .................................. 500
Fuel information ................. 509
Tire information .................. 511
8-2. Customization Customizable features ....... 521
8-3. Initialization Items to initialize ................ 533
9-1. For owners Reporting safety defects for U.S. owners ............................. 536
Seat belt instructions for Cana- dian owners (in French) ... 536
SRS airbag instructions for Canadian owners (in French)......................................... 538
Headlight aim instructions for Canadian owners (in French)
........ ................................. 545
What

to do if... (Troubleshooting)
......................................... 548
Alphabetical Index.............. 551
7When trouble arises
8Vehicle specifications
9For owners
Index

14Pictorial index
HIGHLANDER_UPrecautions for winter seas
on.............................................. P.327
To prevent freezing (windshiel d wiper de-icer) ............. P.338, 343
Precautions for car wash
*.................................................... P.397
Fuel filler door ............................................... ..................... P.227
Refueling method ............................................... .................. P.227
Fuel type/fuel tan k capacity ................................... .............. P.501
Tires.......................................................... ........................... P.419
Tire size/inflation pressure ................................... ........ P.419, 505
Winter tires/tire chains ....................................... .................. P.327
Checking/rotation/tire pressur e warning system ..................P.419
Coping with flat tires......................................... .................... P.472
Hood ........................................................... ......................... P.410
Opening ............................................................................... P.410
Engine oil ..................................................... ........................ P.502
Coping with overheating ...................................................... P.495
Warning messages ............................................... ............... P.468
Front turn signal lights/parking lights
*................... P.210P.216
Parking lights
*............................................................... ..... P.216
Headlights/daytime running lights
*.................................. P.216
Headlights..................................................... ...................... P.216
Daytime running lights .. .................................................... P.216
Front side marker lights ....................................... ............. P.216
Parking lights
*/daytime running lights*........................... P.216
Front fog lights
*............................................................... ... P.222
Stop/tail lights ............................................... ..................... P.216
Tail lights.................................................... ......................... P.216
Back-up lights
Shifting the shift lever to R ................................................... P.206
Light bulbs of the exterior lights for driving
(Replacing method: P.441, Watts: P.507)

772-1. Instrument cluster
2
Vehicle status information and indicators
HIGHLANDER_U
7-inch display
The units used on the meters and some indicators may differ
depending on the target region.
Warning lights inform the driver
of malfunctions in the indicated
vehicle’s systems.
Warning lights
(U.S.A.)
Brake system warning
light
*1 (  P.458)
(red)
(Canada)
Brake system warning
light
*1 (  P.458)
(yellow)
Brake system warning
light
*1 ( P.458)
High coolant temperature
warning light
*2 (  P.458)
Charging system warning
light
*1 (  P.459)
Low engine oil pressure
warning light
*2 (  P.459)
(U.S.A.)
Malfunction indicator
lamp
*1 ( P.459)
(Canada)
Malfunction indicator
lamp
*1 ( P.459)
SRS warning light
*1
(  P.459)
(U.S.A.)
ABS warning light*1
(  P.460)
(Canada)
ABS warning light*1
(  P.460)
Brake Overri de System
warning light/Drive-Start
Control warning light
*2
(  P.460)
(red/yel-
low)
Electric power steering
system warning light
( P.460)
Low fuel leve l warning
light
*1(  P.461)
Driver’s and front passen-
ger’s seat belt reminder
light ( P.461)

912-1. Instrument cluster
2
Vehicle status information and indicators
HIGHLANDER_Upower back door system operates.

(Stop & Start) (if
equipped) ( P.272)
Select to set the length of time the
Stop & Start system will operate
when the “A/C” switch of the air
conditioning system is on.
 “TPWS” (Tire Pressure Warn-
ing System) ( P.422)
• “Set Pressure” (tire pressure
warning system initialization)
Select to initialize the tire pressure
warning system.
• “Change Wheel” (register tire pressure warning system sensor
ID codes)
Select to register the ID codes of
the tire pressure s ensors to the tire
pressure warning system.
 “Rear Seat Reminder”
( P. 1 1 9 )
Select to enable/disable the rear
seat reminder.
“Scheduled Maintenance”
( P.403)
Select to reset the scheduled main-
tenance information (maintenance
required message and distance
until maintenance necessary) after
all maintenance is performed.
“Oil Maintenance” ( P.412)
Select to reset the oil maintenance
information (maintenance required
message and distance until mainte-
nance necessary) after an oil
change is performed.
■ Meter settings
Press and hold to change the settings of the following
items:

Language
Select to change the language dis-
played.
Units
Select to change the units of mea-
sure displayed.
 Eco Driving Indicator Light
( P.86)
Select to enable/disable the Eco
Driving Indi cator Light.

Fuel economy display
Select to change the average fuel
consumption display between after
start/after reset. ( P. 8 6 )

Select to displa y/not display the
audio system linked display.

Select to change the displayed con-
tent of the following:
• Display contents
Select to displa y/not display the
AWD control (if equipped). ( P.88)
• Drive information type
Select to change the drive informa-
tion type display between after
start/after reset.
• Drive information items
Select to set the first and second
items of the drive information dis-
play to any of the following: aver-
age vehicle
speed/distance/elapsed time.

1012-1. Instrument cluster
2
Vehicle status information and indicators
HIGHLANDER_USelect to register
the ID codes of
the tire pressure s ensors to the tire
pressure warning system.
 “Rear Seat Reminder”
( P. 1 1 9 )
Select to enable/disable the rear
seat reminder.
“Scheduled Maintenance”
( P.403)
Select to reset the scheduled main-
tenance information (maintenance
required message and distance
until maintenance necessary) after
all maintenance is performed.
“Oil Maintenance” ( P.412)
Select to reset the oil maintenance
information (maintenance required
message and distance until mainte-
nance necessary) after an oil
change is performed.
■ Meter settings
Press and hold to change
the settings of the following
items:
 Language
Select to change the language dis-
played.
 Units
Select to change t he units of mea-
sure displayed.
 Eco Driving Indicator Light
( P. 9 5 )
Select to enable/disable the Eco
Driving Indicator Light.
Speedometer display (digital
speed)
Select to enable/disable the speed- ometer display.

Gadget content
Select to turn the display of a gad-
get.
Fuel economy type
Select to change the average fuel
consumption display and an item to
be displayed as gadget.
Pop-up display
Select to enable/disable pop-up
displays for each relevant system.
Multi-information display off
Displays a blank screen.
Default setting
Select to reset the meter display
settings to the default setting.
■Vehicle functions and set-
tings that can be changed
 P.521
■Background color of the indica-
tor/shift position display area
The background color of the indica-
tor/shift position display area is
changed accordi ng to the driving
mode as follows ( P.314):
●Eco drive mode: Blue
●Sport mode: Red
■Suspension of the settings dis-
play
●Some settings cannot be changed
while driving. When changing set-
tings, park the vehicle in a safe
place.
●If a warning message is displayed,
operation of the settings display
will be suspended.
■Pop-up displays
Depending on the pop-up display,
the currently displayed item in the

3274-6. Driving tips
4
Driving
HIGHLANDER_U
4-6.Driving tips
Use fluids that are appropriate
to the prevailing outside tem-
peratures.
• Engine oil
• Engine coolant
• Washer fluid
Have a service technician
inspect 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.
Perform the following according
to the driving conditions:
Winter driving tips
Carry out the necessary
preparations and inspec-
tions before driving the
vehicle in winter. Always
drive the vehicle in a man-
ner appropriate to the pre-
vailing weather conditions.
Pre-winter preparations
WARNING
■Driving with snow tires
Observe the following precautions
to reduce the risk of accidents.
Failure to do so m ay result in a
loss of vehicle control and cause
death or serious injury.
●Use tires of the specified size.
●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 accidents.
Failure to do so may result in the
vehicle being unable to be driven
safely, and may cause death or
serious injury.
●Do not drive in excess of the
speed limit specifi ed for the tire
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 brak-
ing and shifting operations that
cause sudden engine braking.
●Slow down sufficiently before
entering a curve to ensure that
vehicle control is maintained.
●Do not use the LTA (Lane Trac-
ing Assist) system.
NOTICE
■Repairing or replacing snow
tires
Request repairs or replacement of
snow tires from Toyota dealers or
legitimate tire retailers.
This is because the removal and
attachment of snow tires affects
the operation of the tire pressure
warning valves and transmitters.
Before driving the vehicle

3966-1. Maintenance and care
HIGHLANDER_U
6-1.Maintenance and care
Working from top to bottom,
liberally apply water to the
vehicle body, wheel wells and
underside of the vehicle to
remove any dirt and dust.
 Wash the vehicle body using
a sponge or soft cloth, such
as a chamois.
 For hard-to-remove marks,
use car wash soap and rinse
thoroughly with water.
 Wipe away any water.
 Wax the vehicle when the
waterproof coating deterio-
rates.
If water does not bead on a clean
surface, apply wax when the vehi-
cle body is cool.
■Automatic car washes
●Before washing the vehicle:
• Fold the mirrors
• Turn off the power back door (if equipped)
Start washing from the front of the
vehicle. Extend the mirrors before
driving.
●Brushes used in automatic car
washes may scratch the vehicle
surface, parts (wheel, etc.) and harm your vehicle’s paint.
●Rear spoiler may not be washable
in some automatic car washes.
There may also be an increased
risk of damage to vehicle.
■High pressure car washes
As water may enter the cabin, do
not bring the nozzle tip near the
gaps around the doors or perimeter
of the windows, or spray these
areas continuously.
■When using a car wash
If the door handle becomes wet
while the electronic key is within the
effective range, the door may lock
and unlock repeatedly. In that case,
follow the following correction pro-
cedures to wash the vehicle:
●Place the key in a position 6 ft. (2
m) or more separate from the
vehicle while the vehicle is being
washed. (Take care to ensure that
the key is not stolen.)
●Set the electronic key to bat-
tery-saving mode to disable the
smart key system. ( P.134)
■Wheels and wheel ornaments
●Remove any dirt immediately by
using a neutral detergent.
●Wash detergent off with water
immediately after use.
●To protect the paint from damage,
make sure to obs erve the follow-
ing precautions.
• Do not use acidic, alkaline or abrasive detergent
• Do not use hard brushes
• Do not use detergent on the
wheels when they are hot, such
as after driving or parking in hot
weather
■Bumpers
Do not scrub with abrasive cleaners.
■Plated portions
If dirt cannot be re moved, clean the
parts as follows:
●Use a soft cloth dampened with an
Cleaning and protect-
ing the vehicle exte-
rior
Perform cleaning in a man-
ner appropriate to each
component and its material.
Cleaning instructions

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 a fter 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 fa n 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.

4156-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
6
Maintenance and care
HIGHLANDER_U
The coolant level is satisfactory
if it is between the “FULL” and
“LOW” lines on the reservoir
when the engine is cold.Reservoir cap
“FULL” line
“LOW” line
If the level is on or below the “LOW”
line, add coolant up to the “FULL”
line. ( P.495)
■Coolant selection
Only use “Toyota Super Long Life
Coolant” or a similar high quality
ethylene glycol based non-silicate,
non-amine, non-nitrite, and
non-borate coolant with long-life
hybrid organic acid technology. U.S.A.:
“Toyota Super Long Life Coolant” is
a mixture of 50% c
oolant and 50%
deionized water. (Minimum tem-
perature: -31°F [-35°C])
Canada:
“Toyota Super Long Life Coolant” is
a mixture of 55% c oolant and 45%
deionized water. (Minimum tem-
perature: -44°F [-42°C])
For more details about coolant, con-
tact your Toyota dealer.
■If the coolant level drops within
a short time of replenishing
Visually check the radiator, hoses,
engine coolant reservoir cap, drain
cock and water pump.
If you cannot find a leak, have your
Toyota dealer test the cap and
check for leaks in the cooling sys-
tem.
NOTICE
■When replacing the engine oil
●Be careful not to spill engine oil
on the vehicle components.
●Avoid overfilling, or the engine
could be damaged.
●Check the oil le vel on the dip-
stick every time you refill the
vehicle.
●Be sure the engine oil filler cap
is properly tightened.
Checking the coolant
WARNING
■When the engine is hot
Do not remove the engine coolant
reservoir cap and radiator cap.
The cooling system may be under
pressure and may spray hot cool-
ant if the cap is removed, causing
serious injuries, such as burns.
NOTICE
■When adding coolant
Coolant is neither plain water nor
straight antifreeze. The correct
mixture of water and antifreeze
must be used to provide proper
lubrication, corrosion protection
and cooling. Be sure to read the
antifreeze or coolant label.
■If you spill coolant
Be sure to wash it off with water to
prevent it from damaging parts or
paint.