maintenance 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

3TABLE OF CONTENTS
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Brake Hold ......................... 214
4-3. Operating the lights and wip- ers
Headlight switch ................. 216
Automatic High Beam ........ 219
Fog light switch .................. 222
Windshield wipers and washer ......................................... 222
Rear windshield wiper and washer ............................. 225
4-4. Refueling Opening the fuel tank cap .. 227
4-5. Using the driving support sys- tems
Toyota Safety Sense 2.5 +......................................... 229
PCS (Pre-Collision System) ......................................... 235
LTA (Lane Tracing Assist)... 246
Dynamic radar cruise control with full-speed range ........ 257
RSA (Road Sign Assist) ..... 269
Stop & Start system ........... 272
BSM (Blind Spot Monitor)... 278
Intuitive parking assist ........ 284
RCTA (Rear Cross Traffic Alert) function ............................ 292
PKSB (Parking Support Brake) ......................................... 297
Parking Support Brake function (static objects) .................. 304
Parking Support Brake function (rear-crossing vehicles).... 310
Driving mode select switch ......................................... 314
Multi-terrain Select ............. 315
Snow mode switch ............. 318
Downhill assist control system ......................................... 319
Driving assist systems........ 321
4-6. Driving tips Winter driving tips............... 327Utility vehicle precautions ..
330
5-1. Toyota multi-operation touch Toyota multi-operation touch......................................... 334
5-2. Using the air conditioning system and defogger
Front manual air conditioning system ............................. 336
Front automatic air conditioning system ............................. 341
Rear manual air conditioning system ............................. 354
Rear automatic air conditioning system ............................. 356
Heated steering wheel/seat heaters/seat ventilators.... 360
5-3. Using the interior lights Interior lights list ................. 363
5-4. Using the storage features List of storage features ...... 366
Luggage compartment features ......................................... 371
5-5. Using the other interior fea- tures
Other interior features ........ 37
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Garage door opener........... 387
6-1. Maintenance and care Cleaning and protecting the vehicle exterior................. 396
Cleaning and protecting the vehicle interior.................. 399
6-2. Maintenance Maintenance requirements......................................... 402
General maintenance......... 404
5Interior features
6Maintenance and care

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)
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................................. 545
What to do if... (Troubleshooting) ......................................... 548
Alphabetical Index.............. 551
7When trouble arises
8Vehicle specifications
9For owners
Index

711-4. Theft deterrent system
1
For safety and security
HIGHLANDER_U
1-4.Theft deterrent system
The indicator light flashes after
the engine switch has been
turned off to indicate that the
system is operating.
The indicator light stops flashing
after the engine switch has been
turned to ACC or ON to indicate
that the system has been can-
celed.
■System maintenance
The vehicle has a mainte-
nance-free type e ngine immobilizer
system.
■Conditions that may cause the
system to malfunction
●If the grip portion of the key is in
contact with a metallic object
●If the key is in close proximity to or
touching a key registered to the
security system (key with a built-in
transponder chip) of another vehi-
cle
Engine immobilizer
system
The vehicle’s keys have
built-in transponder chips
that prevent the engine from
starting if a key has not
been previously registered
in the vehicle’s on-board
computer.
Never leave the keys inside
the vehicle when you leave
the vehicle.
This system is designed to
help prevent vehicle theft
but does not guarantee
absolute security against all
vehicle thefts.
Operating the system

731-4. Theft deterrent system
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For safety and security
HIGHLANDER_U
*: If equipped
■Items to check before lock-
ing the vehicle
To prevent unexpected trigger-
ing of the alarm and vehicle
theft, make sure of the following:
 Nobody is in the vehicle.
 The windows, moon roof (if
equipped) and panoramic
moon roof (if equipped) are
closed before the alarm is set.
 No valuables or other per-
sonal items are left in the
vehicle.
■Setting
Close the doors and hood, and
lock all the doors. The system will be set automatically after 30
seconds.
The security indicator changes from
being on to flashing when the sys-
tem is set.
■Canceling or stopping
Do one of the following to deac-
tivate or stop the alarms:
 Unlock the doors.
 Turn the engine switch to
ACC or ON, or start the
engine. (The alarm will be
deactivated or stopped after a
few seconds.)
■System maintenance
The vehicle has a mainte-
nance-free type alarm system.
■Triggering of the alarm
The alarm may be triggered in the
following situations:
(Stopping the alarm deactivates the
alarm system.)
●A person inside the vehicle opens
a door or hood, or unlocks the
vehicle.
Alarm*
The alarm uses light and
sound to give an alert when
an intrusion is detected.
The alarm is triggered in the
following situations when
the alarm is set:
 A locked door is unlocked or
opened in any way other
than using the entry func-
tion, wireless remote control
or mechanical key. (The
doors will lock again auto-
matically.)
 The hood is opened.
Setting/canceling/stop-
ping the alarm system

912-1. Instrument cluster
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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 sensors 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 Indicator Light.

Fuel economy display
Select to change the average fuel
consumption display between after
start/after reset. ( P. 8 6 )

Select to display/not display the
audio system linked display.

Select to change the displayed con-
tent of the following:
• Display contents
Select to display/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
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Vehicle status information and indicators
HIGHLANDER_USelect to register the ID codes of
the tire pressure sensors 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. 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 according 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

1914-1. Before driving
4
Driving
HIGHLANDER_U
●All trailer lights work as required
by law.
●All lights work each time you con-
nect them.
●The trailer ball is set at the proper
height for the coupler on the
trailer.
●The trailer is level when it is
hitched.
Do not drive if the trailer is not
level, and check for improper
tongue weight, overloading, worn
suspension, or other possible
causes.
●The trailer cargo is securely
loaded.
●The rear view mirrors conform to
all applicable federal, state/provin-
cial or local regulations. If they do
not, install rear view mirrors
appropriate for towing purposes.
■Break-in schedule
If your vehicle is new or equipped
with any new power train compo-
nents (such as an engine, transaxle,
transfer [AWD models], rear differ-
ential [AWD models] or wheel bear-
ing), Toyota recommends that you
do not tow a trailer until the vehicle
has been driven for over 500 miles
(800 km).
After the vehicle has been driven for
over 500 miles (800 km), you can
start towing. However, for the next
500 miles (800 km), drive the vehi-
cle at a speed of less than 50 mph
(80 km/h) when towing a trailer, and
avoid full throttle acceleration.
■Maintenance
●If you tow a trailer, your vehicle
will require more fr equent mainte-
nance due to the additional load.
(See “Scheduled Maintenance
Guide” or “Owner’s Manual Sup-
plement”.)
●Retighten the fixing bolts of the
towing ball and bracket after
approximately 600 miles (1000
km) of trailer towing.
■If trailer sway occurs
One or more factors (crosswinds,
passing vehicles, rough roads, etc.)
can adversely affect handling of
your vehicle and trailer, causing
instability.
●If trailer swaying occurs:
• Firmly grip the steering wheel. Steer straight ahead.
Do not try to control trailer sway-
ing by turning the steering wheel.
• Begin releasing the accelerator pedal immediately but very gradu-
ally to reduce speed.
Do not increase speed. Do not
apply vehicle brakes.
If you make no extreme correction
with the steering or brakes, your
vehicle and trailer should stabilize.
(if enabled, Trailer Sway Control can
also help to stabilize the vehicle and
trailer.)
●After the trailer swaying has
stopped:
• Stop in a safe pl ace. Get all occu-
pants out of the vehicle.
• Check the tires of the vehicle and the trailer.
• Check the load in the trailer.
Make sure the load has not
shifted.
Make sure the tongue weight is
appropriate, if possible.
• Check the load in the vehicle. Make sure the vehicle is not over-
loaded after occupants get in.
If you cannot find any problems, the
speed at which trailer swaying
occurred is beyond the limit of your
particular vehicle-trailer combina-
tion. Drive at a lower speed to pre-
vent instability. Remember that
swaying of the towing vehicle-trailer
increases as speed increases.

3324-6. Driving tips
HIGHLANDER_U
NOTICE
■To prevent water damage
Take all necessary safety mea-
sures to ensure that water dam-
age to the engine or other
components does not occur.
●Water entering the engine air
intake will cause severe engine
damage.
●Water entering the automatic
transmission will cause deterio-
ration in shift quality, locking up
of your transm ission accompa-
nied by vibration, and ultimately
damage.
●Water can wash the grease
from wheel bearings, causing
rusting and premature failure,
and may also enter the differen-
tial, transmission and transfer
case, reducing t he gear oil’s
lubricating qualities.
■When you drive through
water
If driving through water, such as
when crossing shallow streams,
first check the depth of the water
and the bottom of the riverbed for
firmness. Drive slowly and avoid
deep water.
■Inspection after off-road driv-
ing
●Sand and mud that has accu-
mulated in brake drums and
around brake discs may affect
braking efficiency and may
damage brake system compo-
nents.
●Always perform a maintenance
inspection after each day of
off-road driving that has taken
you through rough terrain, sand,
mud, or water. For scheduled
maintenance information, refer
to the “Scheduled Maintenance
Guide” or “Owner’s Manual
Supplement”.

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6
Maintenance and care
HIGHLANDER_U
Maintenance and care
.6-1. Maintenance and careCleaning and protecting the vehicle exterior .......... 396
Cleaning and protecting the vehicle interior ........... 399
6-2. Maintenance Maintenance requirements.................................. 402
General maintenance.. 404
Emission inspection and maintenance (I/M) pro-
grams ........................ 406
6-3. Do-it-yourself mainte- nance
Do-it-yourself service pre- cautions ..................... 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