heating TOYOTA HIGHLANDER HYBRID 2007 XU40 / 2.G Owners Manual

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Hybrid battery air vents
Air vents are located in the lower part
of the rear seats to cool the hybrid
battery. If the vents are covered, the
battery will overheat resulting in re-
duced output performance of the hybrid
system.
You may hear a noise of the cooling fans
from the air vents.For vehicle repairs or maintenance, be
sure to consult your Toyota dealer.
If your vehicle is beyond repair, contact
your Toyota dealer for assistance. Do
not attempt to dispose of your vehicle
by yourself.
CAUTION
Your vehicle contains a sealed Nick-
elMetal hydride battery. If disposed
of improperly, it is hazardous to the
environment and there is a risk of
severe burns and electrical shock that
may result in death or serious injury.
NOTICE

Do not put foreign objects over the
air vent. The hybrid battery may be
overheated and damaged.
 Do not load a large amount of wa-
ter such as an aquarium into the
vehicle. If water spills over the hy-
brid battery, the battery may be
damaged.
 Do not wet the air vent. This may
adversely affect or damage the hy-
brid battery.
 Clean the air vent regularly to pre-
vent the hybrid battery from over-
heating.

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To turn on the seat heater, push the
switches (“L” switch for the left front
seat and “R” switch for the right front
seat). At this time, the indicator light
will illuminate to indicate the seat heat-
er is operating.
To turn off the seat heater, push the
switch once again.
The key must be in the “ON” position to
operate seat heaters.
CAUTION
Occupants must use caution when op-
erating the seat heater because it
may make them feel too hot or cause
burns at low temperatures (erythema,
varicella). Use extra caution for;
Babies, small children, elderly per-
sons, sick persons or persons with
physical disabilities
Persons who have sensitive skin
Persons who are exhausted
Persons who have taken alcohol or
drugs which induce sleep (sleeping
drug, cold remedy, etc.)
To prevent the seat overheating, do
not use the seat heater with a blan-
ket, cushion, or other insulating ob-
jects which cover the seat.
NOTICE
 Do not put unevenly weighed ob-
jects on the seat and do not stick
sharp objects (needles, nails, etc.)
into the seat.
 When cleaning the seats, do not
use organic substances (paint thin-
ner, benzine, alcohol, gasoline,
etc.). They may damage the heater
and seat surface.
 To prevent the battery from being
discharged, turn the switch off
when the hybrid system is off.
Seat heaters

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If the message appears, stop the ve-
hicle as soon as possible and check
the engine compartment. For detailed
instructions, see “If your vehicle over-
heats” on page 341.
Your vehicle may overheat during severe
operating conditions, such as:
Driving up a long hill on a hot day.
Reducing speed or stopping after high
speed driving.
NOTICE
Do not remove the thermostat in
the cooling system as this may
cause the hybrid system to over-
heat. The thermostat is designed to
control the flow of coolant to keep
the temperature of the engine with-
in the specified operating range.
 Continued driving with the message
displayed could result in the over-
heating of the hybrid system.
(i)
This message is to warn the driver that
the hybrid system is malfunctioning.
If a malfunction of the hybrid system is
detected, the message appears with the
master warning light and warning tone
when the ignition is on.
If the message appears, stop the ve-
hicle as soon as possible and contact
a Toyota dealer.
(j)

(All wheel drive models only)
This message is to warn the driver that
the all wheel drive system is malfunc-
tioning.
If a malfunction of all wheel drive system
is detected, the message appears with the
master warning light and warning tone
when the ignition is on.
If the message appears, have the ve-
hicle checked by a Toyota dealer as
soon as possible. (k)
This message is to remind the driver
that the moonroof is open.
If the moonroof is open with the ignition
off, the message appears with the master
warning light and warning tone when the
driver opens the door.
If the message appears, close the
moonroof.
(l)
This message is to warn the driver that
the transmission is not in the “P” posi-
tion when leaving the vehicle.
If the transmission is not in the “P” posi-
tion with the ignition on, the message ap-
pears with the master warning light and
warning tone when the driver ’s door is
opened.
If the message appears, put the trans-
mission in the “P” position.

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If following another vehicle on a dusty
road, or driving in windy and dusty
conditions, it is recommended that the
air intake selector be temporarily set to
RECIRCULATE, which will close off the
outside passage and prevent outside
air and dust from entering the vehicle
interior.Heating
For best results, set controls to:
Fan speed— Any setting except “OFF”
Temperature— To w a r d s WARM
(red zone)
Air intake—FRESH (outside air)
Air flow—FLOOR
Air conditioning—OFF
For quick heating, select recirculated
air for a few minutes. To keep the
windows from fogging, select fresh af-
ter the vehicle interior has been
warmed.
Press the “A/C” button on for dehumidi-
fied heating.
Choose floor/windshield air flow to heat
the vehicle interior while defrosting or
defogging the windshield. Air conditioning
For best results, set controls to:
Fan speed— Any setting except “OFF”
Temperature— To w a r d s COLD
(blue zone)
Air intake—FRESH (outside air)
Air flow—PANEL
Air conditioning—ON
For quick cooling, select recirculated
air for a few minutes.
Ventilation
For best results, set controls to:
Fan speed— Any setting except “OFF”
Temperature— To w a r d s COLD
(blue zone)
Air intake—FRESH (outside air)
Air flow—PANEL
Air conditioning—OFF

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If following another vehicle on a dusty
road, or driving in windy and dusty
conditions, it is recommended that the
air intake selector be temporarily set to
RECIRCULATE, which will close off the
outside passage and prevent outside
air and dust from entering the vehicle
interior.Heating
For best results, set controls to:
For automatic operation—
Press in the “AUTO” button.
Temperature— To the desired
temperature
Air intake—FRESH (outside air)
Air conditioning—OFF
For manual operation—
Fan speed— To the desired fan speed
Temperature— To w a r d s WARM
(to the right)
Air intake—FRESH (outside air)
Air flow—FLOOR
Air conditioning—OFF
For quick heating, select recirculated
air for a few minutes. To keep the
windows from fogging, select fresh af-
ter the vehicle interior has been
warmed.
Press the “A/C” button on for dehumidi-
fied heating.
Choose floor/windshield air flow to heat
the vehicle interior while defrosting or
defogging the windshield. Air conditioning
For best results, set controls to:
For automatic operation—
Press in the “AUTO” button.
Temperature— To the desired
temperature
Air intake—FRESH (outside air)
Air conditioning—ON
For manual operation—
Fan speed— To the desired fan speed
Temperature— To w a r d s COLD
(to the left)
Air intake—FRESH (outside air)
Air flow—PANEL
Air conditioning—ON
For quick cooling, turn the temperature
selector knob fully towards COLD and
change the air intake selector mode to
RECIRCULATE.

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CAUTION
Avoid inhaling the engine exhaust.
It contains carbon monoxide, which
is a colorless and odorless gas. It
can cause unconsciousness or even
death.
Make sure the exhaust system has
no holes or loose connections. The
system should be checked from
time to time. If you hit something,
or notice a change in the sound of
the exhaust, have the system
checked immediately.
Do not run the hybrid system in a
garage or other enclosed areas ex-
cept to drive the vehicle in or out.
In enclosed areas, exhaust gases
cannot escape, making this a partic-
ularly dangerous situation.
Do not remain for a long time in a
parked vehicle with the hybrid sys-
tem on. If it is unavoidable, howev-
er, make sure to park the vehicle in
an unclosed area and adjust the
heating or cooling system to force
outside air into the vehicle.
Keep the back door closed while
driving. An open or unsealed back
door may cause exhaust gases to
be drawn into the vehicle.
To allow proper operation of your
vehicle’s ventilation system, keep
the inlet grilles in front of the wind-
shield clear of snow, leaves, or oth-
er obstructions.
If you smell exhaust fumes in the
vehicle, open the windows and
close the back door to ensure
plenty of fresh air enters the ve-
hicle. If you can smell exhaust
fumes even though there are no
other vehicles in the surrounding
area, have your vehicle checked by
your Toyota dealer. Continued in-
halation of exhaust fumes can lead
to death by gas poisoning.
FUNCTIONS OF ENGINE OIL
Engine oil has the primary functions of
lubricating and cooling the inside of the
engine, and plays a major role in main-
taining the engine in proper working order.
ENGINE OIL CONSUMPTION
It is normal that an engine should con-
sume some engine oil during normal
engine operation. The causes of oil
consumption in a normal engine are as
follows.
Oil is used to lubricate pistons, piston
rings and cylinders. A thin film of oil
is left on the cylinder wall when a pis-
ton moves downwards in the cylinder.
High negative pressure generated when
the vehicle is decelerating sucks some
of this oil into the combustion chamber.
This oil as well as some part of the oil
film left on the cylinder wall is burned
by the high temperature combustion
gases during the combustion process.
Oil is also used to lubricate the stems
of the intake valves. Some of this oil
is sucked into the combustion chamber
together with the intake air and is
burned along with the fuel. High tem-
perature exhaust gases also burn the
oil used to lubricate the exhaust valve
stems.
Engine exhaust cautionsFacts about engine oil
consumption

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DRUMINDISC TYPE PARKING BRAKE
SYSTEM
Your vehicle has a drum−in −disc type
parking brake system. This type of brake
system n eeds bedding −down of the brake
shoes periodically or whenever the parking
brake shoes and/or drums are replaced.
Have your Toyota dealer perform the bed-
ding− down.
The brake pad wear limit indicators on
your disc brakes give a warning noise
when the brake pads are worn to where
replacement is required.
If you hear a squealing or scraping noise
while driving, have the brake pads
checked and replaced by your Toyota
dealer as soon as possible. Expensive ro-
tor damage can result if the pads are not
replaced when necessary. Driving conditions where the steering
wheel must be turned frequently may
cause an overload to the electric power
steering system. The system will reduce
assistance for sometime to prevent the
power steering from overheating. In this
case, you may feel some resistance when
turning the steering wheel though it is not
a malfunction.
CAUTION
If the “P/S” warning light comes on,
take your vehicle to the Toyota dealer
as soon as possible. In this case, you
may feel the heavy steering wheel
maneuvering. Drive your vehicle while
gripping the steering wheel firmly.
Brake pad wear limit
indicators
Electric power steering system

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CAUTION
Before driving off, make sure that
the parking brake is fully released
and the parking brake reminder
light is off.
Do not leave your vehicle unat-
tended while the hybrid system is
on.
Do not rest your foot on the brake
pedal while driving. It can cause
dangerous overheating, needless
wear, and poor fuel economy.
To drive down a long or steep hill,
reduce your speed and downshift.
Remember, if you ride the brakes
excessively, they may overheat and
not work properly.
Be careful when accelerating, down-
shifting or braking on a slippery
surface. Sudden acceleration or en-
gine braking, could cause the ve-
hicle to skid or spin.
Do not drive in excess of the speed
limit. Even if the legal speed limit
permits it, do not drive over 140
km/h (85 mph) unless your vehicle
has highspeed capability tires.
Driving over 140 km/h (85 mph) may
result in tire failure, loss of control
and possible injury. Be sure to con-
sult a tire dealer to determine
whether the tires on your vehicle
are highspeed capability tires or
not before driving at such speeds.
Do not continue normal driving
when the brakes are wet. If they are
wet, your vehicle will require a
longer stopping distance, and it
may pull to one side when the
brakes are applied. Also, the park-
ing brake will not hold the vehicle
securely.
Your vehicle is not designed to be driv-
en offroad
However, in the event that off−road driving
cannot be avoided, please observe the
following precautions to help avoid the
areas prohibited to vehicles.
a. Drive your vehicle only in areas where off−road vehicles are permitted to trav-
el.
b. Respect private property. Get owner ’s permission before entering private prop-
erty.
c. Do not enter areas that are closed. Honor gates, barriers and signs that re-
strict travel.
d. Stay on established roads. When condi- tions are wet, driving techniques should
be changed or travel delayed to pre-
vent damage to roads.
Offroad driving precautions

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Remember that when making a turn,
the trailer wheels will be closer than
the vehicle wheels to the inside of the
turn. Therefore, compensate for this by
making a larger than normal turning
radius with your vehicle.
Crosswinds and rough roads will ad-
versely affect handling of your vehicle
and trailer, causing sway. Pay attention
to the rear from time to time to pre-
pare yourself for being passed by large
trucks or buses, which may cause your
vehicle and trailer to sway. If swaying
happens, firmly grip the steering wheel
and reduce speed immediately but
gradually. Never increase speed. Steer
straight ahead. If you make no extreme
correction with the steering or brakes,
the vehicle and trailer will stabilize.
Be careful when passing other ve-
hicles. Passing requires considerable
distance. After passing a vehicle, do
not forget the length of your trailer and
be sure you have plenty of room be-
fore changing lanes.
Because of the added load of the trail-
er, your vehicle’s engine may overheat
on hot days (at temperatures over
30C [85 F]) when going up a long or
steep grade with a trailer. If the engine
coolant temperature gauge indicates
overheating, immediately turn off the air
conditioning (if in use), pull off the road
and stop in a safe spot. Refer to “If
your vehicle overheats” on page 341 in
Section 4.
Always place wheel blocks under both
the vehicle and trailer wheels when
parking. Apply the parking brake firmly.
Put the transmission in “P”. Avoid park-
ing on a slope with a trailer, but if it
cannot be avoided, do so only after
performing the following:
1. Apply the brakes and hold.
2. Have someone place wheel blocks un- der both the vehicle and trailer wheels.
3. When the wheel blocks are in place, release your brakes slowly until the
blocks absorb the load.
4. Apply the parking brake firmly.
5. Shift into “P” and turn off the hybrid system. When restarting out after parking on a
slope:
1. With the transmission in the “P” posi- tion, start the hybrid system. Be sure
to keep the brake pedal depressed.
2. Shift into gear.
3. Release the parking brake and brake pedal and slowly pull or back away
from the wheel blo cks. Stop and apply
your brakes.
4. Have someone retrieve the blo cks.

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CAUTION
Do not exceed 72 km/h (45 mph) or
the posted towing speed limit,
whichever is lower. Because insta-
bility (swaying) of a towing vehicle
trailer combination usually in-
creases as the speed increases, ex-
ceeding 72 km/h (45 mph) may
cause loss of control.
Slow down and downshift before
descending steep or long downhill
grades. Do not make sudden down-
shifts.
Avoid holding the brake pedal down
too long or too frequently. This
could cause the brakes to overheat
and result in reduced braking effi-
ciency.
Improving fuel economy is easy—just take
it easy. It will help make your vehicle last
longer, too. Here are some specific tips
on how to save money on both fuel and
repairs:
Keep your tires inflated at the cor-
rect pressure. Underinflation causes
tire wear and wastes fuel. See page
390 in Section 7 −2 for instructions.
Do not carry unnecessary weight in
your vehicle. Excess weight puts a
heavier load on the hybrid system,
causing greater fuel consumption.
Accelerate slowly and smoothly.
Avoid jackrabbit starts.
Avoid continuous changes of speed.
Stop −and− go driving wastes electric
power and fuel.
Avoid unnecessary stopping and
braking. Maintain a steady pace. Try
to time the traffic signals so you only
need to stop as little as possible or
take advantage of through streets to
avoid traffic lights. Keep a proper dis-
tance from other vehicles to avoid sud-
den braking. This will also reduce wear
on your brakes.
When parking, be sure to put the
transmission into the “P” position. In
the “N” position, the gasoline engine
operates but electricity cannot be gen-
erated. The hybrid battery will be dis-
charged requiring unnecessary engine
power to recharge.
Avoid heavy traffic or traffic jams
whenever possible.
Do not rest your foot on the brake
pedal. This causes premature wear,
overheating and poor fuel economy.
Maintain a moderate speed on high-
ways. The faster you drive, the greater
the fuel consumption. By reducing your
speed, you will cut down on fuel con-
sumption.
Keep the front wheels in proper
alignment. Avoid hitting curbs and
slow down on rough roads. Improper
alignment not only causes faster tire
wear but also puts an extra load on
the hybrid system, which, in turn,
wastes fuel.
Keep the bottom of your vehicle free
from mud, etc. This not only lessens
weight but also helps prevent corro-
sion.
How to save fuel and make
your vehicle last longer