TOYOTA HIGHLANDER 2021 Owners Manual (in English)

1313-2. Opening, closing and locking the doors
3
Before driving
HIGHLANDER_U
WARNING
●Do not operate the Hands Free
Power Back Door if there is little
space under the rear bumper.
NOTICE
■Back door spindles
The back door is equipped with
spindles that hold the back door in
place.
Observe the following precau-
tions. Failure to do so may cause
damage to the back door spindle,
resulting in malfunction.
●Do not attach any foreign
objects, such as stickers, plastic
sheets, or adhesives to the
spindle rod.
●Do not attach any accessories
other than genuine Toyota parts
to the back door.
●Do not place your hand on the
spindle or apply lateral forces to
it.
■To prevent back door closer
malfunction
Do not apply excessive force to
the back door while the back door
closer is operating. Applying
excessive force may cause the
back door closer to malfunction.
■To prevent malfunction of the
power back door
●Make sure that there is no ice
between the back door and
frame that would prevent move-
ment of the back door. Operat-
ing the power back door when
excessive load is present on the
back door may cause a mal-
function.
●Do not apply excessive force to
the power back door while the
back door is operating.
●Take care not to damage the
sensors (installed on the right
and left edges of the power
back door) with a knife or other
sharp object. If a sensor is dis-
connected, the power back door
will not close automatically.
■Hands Free Power Back Door
precautions (if equipped)
The kick sensor is located behind
lower center part of the rear
bumper. Observe the following to
ensure that the Hands Free
Power Back Door function oper-
ates properly:
●Keep the lower center part of
the rear bumper clean at all
times.
If the lower center part of the rear
bumper is dirty or covered with
snow, the kick sensor may not
operate. In this situation, clean off
the dirt or snow, move the vehicle
from the current position and then
check if the kick sensor operates.
If it does not operate, have the
vehicle inspected by your Toyota
dealer.
●Do not apply coatings that have
a rain clearing (hydrophilic)
effect, or other coatings, to the
lower center part of the rear
bumper.

1323-2. Opening, closing and locking the doors
HIGHLANDER_U
The open position of the power
back door can be adjusted.
1Stop the power back door at
the desired position.
( P.124)
2 Press and hold the power
back door switch on the back
door for approximately 2 sec-
onds.
• When setting is complete, a buzzer will sound 4 times.
• The next time the power back door is opened, it will stop at
that position.
■Returning the power back door
opening position to the default
setting
Press and hold the power back door
switch on the back door for approxi-
mately 7 seconds.
A buzzer will sound 4 times, pause,
and then sound 2 more times. The
next time the power back door is
opened, it will stop at the default
position.
NOTICE
●Do not park the vehicle near
objects that may move and con-
tact the lower center part of the
rear bumper, such as grass or
trees.
If the vehicle has been parked for
a while near objects that may
move and contact the lower cen-
ter part of the rear bumper, such
as grass or trees, the kick sensor
may not operate. In this situation,
move the vehicle from the current
position and then check if the kick
sensor operates. If it does not
operate, have the vehicle
inspected by your Toyota dealer.
●Do not subject the kick sensor
or its surrounding area to a
strong impact.
If the kick sensor or its surround-
ing area has been subjected to a
strong impact, the kick sensor
may not operate properly.
If the kick sensor does not oper-
ate in the following situations,
have the vehicle inspected by
your Toyota dealer.
• The kick sensor or its surround- ing area has been subjected to
a strong impact.
• The lower center part of the rear bumper is scratched or dam-
aged.
●Do not disassemble the rear
bumper.
●Do not attach stickers to the
rear bumper.
●Do not paint the rear bumper.
●If a heavy object is attached to
the power back door, disable
the kick sensor.
Adjusting the open posi-
tion of the back door
(vehicles with a power
back door)

1333-2. Opening, closing and locking the doors
3
Before driving
HIGHLANDER_U
■When setting the open position
of the back door by the
multi-information display
The open position of the power back
door can be adjusted using the
multi-information display. ( P.521)
When opened, the power back door
will open to the last position set
using the power back door switch on
the back door or on the multi-infor-
mation display.
■Antenna location
Antennas outside the cabin
Antennas inside the cabin
Antenna outside the luggage
compartment
Smart key system
The following operations
can be performed simply by
carrying the electronic key
on your person, for example
in your pocket. The driver
should always carry the
electronic key.
 Locks and unlocks the
doors ( P.117)
 Locks and unlocks the back
door ( P.123)
 Starts and stops the engine
( P.202)

1343-2. Opening, closing and locking the doors
HIGHLANDER_U
■Effective range (areas within
which the electronic key is
detected)When locking or unlocking the
doors
The system can be operated when
the electronic key is within about 2.3
ft. (0.7 m) of an outside front door
handle and back door. (Only the
doors detecting the key can be
operated.)
When starting the engine or
changing engine switch modes
The system can be operated when
the electronic key is inside the vehi-
cle.
■Alarms and warning messages
A combination of exterior and inte-
rior alarms as well as warning mes-
sages shown on the
multi-information di splay are used to
prevent theft of the vehicle and acci-
dents resulting from erroneous
operation. Take appropriate mea-
sures in response to any warning
message on the multi-information
display. ( P.468)
When only an alarm sounds, cir-
cumstances and correction proce-
dures are as follows.
●When an exterior alarm sounds
once for 5 seconds
●When an interior alarm sounds
continuously
■Battery-saving function
The battery-saving function will be
activated in order to prevent the
electronic key battery and the vehi-
cle battery from being discharged
while the vehicle is not operated for
a long time.
●In the following situations, the
smart key system may take some
time to unlock the doors.
• The electronic key has been left in
an area of approximately 6 ft. (2
m) of the outside of the vehicle for
10 minutes or longer.
• The smart key system has not been used for 5 days or longer.
●If the smart key system has not
been used for 14 days or longer,
the doors cannot be unlocked at
any doors except the driver’s door.
In this case, take hold of the
driver’s door handle, or use the
SituationCorrection
procedure
An attempt was
made to lock the
vehicle while a door
was open.Close all of
the doors
and lock the
doors again.
SituationCorrection procedure
The engine switch
was turned to ACC
while the driver’s
door was open (or
the driver’s door was
opened while the
engine switch was in
ACC).
Turn the
engine
switch off
and close
the driver’s
door.
The engine switch
was turned off while
the driver’s door was
open.Close the
driver’s
door.

1353-2. Opening, closing and locking the doors
3
Before driving
HIGHLANDER_Uwireless remote control or the
mechanical key, to unlock the
doors.
■Turning an electronic key to
battery-saving mode
When battery-saving mode is set,
battery depletion is minimized by
stopping the electronic key from
receiving radio waves.
Press twice while pressing and
holding . Confirm that the elec-
tronic key indicator flashes 4 times.
While the battery-saving mode is
set, the smart key system cannot be
used. To cancel t he function, press
any of the electronic key buttons.
■Conditions affecting operation
The smart key system uses weak
radio waves. In the following situa-
tions, the communication between
the electronic key and the vehicle
may be affected, preventing the
smart key system, wireless remote
control and engine immobilizer sys-
tem from operating properly. (Ways
of coping: P.489)
●When the electronic key battery is
depleted
●Near a TV tower, electric power
plant, gas station, radio station,
large display, airport or other facil-
ity that generates strong radio
waves or electrical noise
●When the electronic key is in con-
tact with, or is covered by the fol-
lowing metallic objects
• Cards to which aluminum foil is attached
• Cigarette boxes that have alumi- num foil inside • Metallic wallets or bags
•Coins
• Hand warmers made of metal
• Media such as CDs and DVDs
●When other wireless keys (that
emit radio waves) are being used
nearby
●When carrying the electronic key
together with the following devices
that emit radio waves
• Portable radio, cellular phone, cordless phone or other wireless
communication devices
• Another electronic key or a wire- less key that emits radio waves
• Personal computers or personal
digital assistants (PDAs)
• Digital audio players
• Portable game systems
●If window tint with a metallic con-
tent or metallic objects are
attached to the rear window
●When the electronic key is placed
near a battery charger or elec-
tronic devices
●When the vehicle is parked in a
pay parking spot where radio
waves are emitted
■Note for the entry function
●Even when the electronic key is
within the effective range (detec-
tion areas), the system may not
operate properly in the following
cases:
• The electronic key is too close to the window or outside door han-
dle, near the ground, or in a high
place when the doors are locked
or unlocked.
• The electronic key is on the instru-
ment panel, luggage compart-
ment, floor, or in the door pockets
or glove box when the engine is
started or engine switch modes
are changed.
●Do not leave the electronic key on
top of the instrument panel or near
the door pockets when exiting the
vehicle. Depending on the radio
wave reception conditions, it may
be detected by the antenna out-

1363-2. Opening, closing and locking the doors
HIGHLANDER_Uside the cabin and the door will
become lockable from the outside,
possibly trapping the electronic
key inside the vehicle.
●As long as the electronic key is
within the effective range, the
doors may be locked or unlocked
by anyone. However, only the
doors detecting the electronic key
can be used to unlock the vehicle.
●Even if the electronic key is not
inside the vehicle, it may be possi-
ble to start the engine if the elec-
tronic key is near the window.
●The doors may unlock or lock if a
large amount of water splashes on
the door handle, such as in the
rain or in a car wash when the
electronic key is within the effec-
tive range. (The doors will auto-
matically be locked after
approximately 60 seconds if the
doors are not opened and closed.)
●If the wireless remote control is
used to lock the doors when the
electronic key is near the vehicle,
there is a possibility that the door
may not be unlocked by the entry
function. (Use the wireless remote
control to unlock the doors.)
●Touching the door lock or unlock
sensor while wearing gloves may
prevent lock or unlock operation.
●When the lock operation is per-
formed using the lock sensor, rec-
ognition signals will be shown up
to two consecutive times. After
this, no recognition signals will be
given.
●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 fo
llowing correc-
tion procedures to wash the vehi-
cle:
• Place the electronic key in a loca- tion 6 ft. (2 m) or more away from
the vehicle. (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.135)
●If the electronic key is inside the
vehicle and a door handle
becomes wet during a car wash, a
message may be shown on the
multi-information display and a
buzzer will sound outside the vehi-
cle. To turn off the alarm, lock all
the doors.
●The lock sensor may not work
properly if it co mes into contact
with ice, snow, mud, etc. Clean
the lock sensor and attempt to
operate it again, or use the lock
sensor on the lower part of the
door handle.
●A sudden handle operation or a
handle operation immediately
after entering the effective range
may prevent the doors from being
unlocked. Touch the door unlock
sensor and check that the doors
are unlocked before pulling the
door handle again.
●If there is another electronic key in
the detection area, it may take
slightly longer to unlock the doors
after the door handle is gripped.
■When the vehicle is not driven
for extended periods
●To prevent theft of the vehicle, do
not leave the electronic key within
6 ft. (2 m) of the vehicle.
●The smart key system can be
deactivated in advance. ( P.521)
●Setting the electronic key to bat-
tery-saving mode helps to reduce
key battery depletion. ( P.135)
■To operate the system properly
Make sure to carry the electronic
key when operating the system. Do
not get the electronic key too close
to the vehicle when operating the
system from the outside of the vehi-
cle.
Depending on the position and hold-
ing condition of the electronic key,
the key may not be detected cor-

1373-2. Opening, closing and locking the doors
3
Before driving
HIGHLANDER_Urectly and the system may not oper-
ate properly. (The alarm may go off
accidentally, or the door lock pre-
vention may not operate.)
■If the smart key system does
not operate properly
If the doors cannot be
locked/unlocked using the smart key
system, lock/unlock the doors by
performing any of the following:
●Bring the electronic key close to
either front door handle and oper-
ate the entry function.
●Operate the wireless remote con-
trol.
If the doors cannot be
locked/unlocked using the above
methods, use the mechanical key. (
 P.489)
If the engine cannot be started using
the smart key system, refer to
P.490.
■Customization
Some functions can be customized.
(  P.521)
■If the smart key system has
been deactivated in a custom-
ized setting
●Locking and unlocking the doors:
Use the wireless remote control or
mechanical key. ( P.117, 489)
●Starting the engine and changing
engine switch modes: P. 4 9 0
●Stopping the engine: P. 2 0 3
■Certification for the smart key system
For vehicles sold in the U.S.A.

1383-2. Opening, closing and locking the doors
HIGHLANDER_U
For vehicles sold in Canada

1393-2. Opening, closing and locking the doors
3
Before driving
HIGHLANDER_U

1403-2. Opening, closing and locking the doors
HIGHLANDER_U
WARNING
■Caution regarding interfer-
ence with electronic devices
●People with implantable car-
diac pacemakers, cardiac
resynchronization ther-
apy-pacemakers or implantable
cardioverter defibrillators should
keep away from the smart key
system antennas. ( P.133) The
radio waves may affect the
operation of such devices. If
necessary, the entry function
can be disabled. Ask your Toy-
ota dealer for details, such as
the frequency of radio waves
and timing of the emitted radio
waves. Then, consult your doc-
tor to see if you should disable
the entry function.
●Users of any electrical medical
device other than implantable
cardiac pacemakers, cardiac
resynchronization ther-
apy-pacemakers or implantable
cardioverter defib rillators should
consult the manufacturer of the
device for information about its
operation under the influence of
radio waves. Radio waves could
have unexpected effects on the
operation of such medical
devices.
Ask your Toyota dealer for details
on disabling the entry function.