TOYOTA HIGHLANDER HYBRID 2021 (in English) Manual PDF

711-4. Hybrid system
1
For safety and security
HIGHLANDER HV_U
1-4.Hybrid system
■System components
The illustration is an example for explanation and may differ from the actual
item.
Gasoline engine
Front electric motor (traction motor)
Rear electric motor (traction motor)
*
*: AWD models only
■When stopped/during start
off
The gasoline engine stops
*
when the vehicle is stopped. During start off, the electric
motor (traction motor) drives the
vehicle. At slow speeds or when
traveling down a gentle slope,
the engine is stopped
* and the
Hybrid system features
Your vehicle is a hybrid vehicle. It has characteristics different
from conventional vehicles. Be sure you are closely familiar
with the characteristics of your vehicle, and operate it with
care.
The hybrid system combines the use of a gasoline engine and
an electric motor (traction motor) according to driving condi-
tions, improving fuel efficiency and reducing exhaust emis-
sions.
System components

721-4. Hybrid system
HIGHLANDER HV_U
electric motor (traction motor) is
used.
When the shift lever is in N, the
hybrid battery (traction battery)
is not being charged.
*: When the hybrid battery (traction battery) requires charging or the
engine is warming up, etc., the
gasoline engine will not automati-
cally stop. ( P. 7 2 )
■During normal driving
The gasoline engine is predomi-
nantly used. The electric motor
(traction motor) charges the
hybrid battery (traction battery)
as necessary.
■When accelerating sharply
When the accelerator pedal is
depressed heavily, the power of
the hybrid battery (traction bat-
tery) is added to that of the gas-
oline engine via the electric
motor (traction motor).
■When braking (regenera-
tive braking)
The wheels operate the electric
motor (traction motor) as a
power generator, and the hybrid
battery (traction battery) is
charged.
■Regenerative braking
In the following situations, kinetic
energy is converted to electric
energy and deceleration force can
be obtained in conjunction with the
recharging of the hybrid battery
(traction battery).
●The accelerator pedal is released
while driving with the shift lever in D or S.
●The brake pedal is depressed
while driving with the shift lever in
D or S.
■EV indicator
The EV indicator comes on when
the vehicle is driven using only the
electric motor (traction motor) or the
gasoline engine is stopped.
■Conditions in which the gaso-
line engine may not stop
The gasoline engine starts and
stops automatically. However, it may
not stop automatically in the follow-
ing conditions:
●During gasoline engine warm-up
●During hybrid battery (traction bat-
tery) charging
●When the temperature of the
hybrid battery (traction battery) is
high or low
●When the heater is switched on
Depending on the circumstances,
the gasoline engine may also not
stop automatically in other situa-
tions.
■Charging the hybrid battery
(traction battery)
As the gasoline engine charges the
hybrid battery (traction battery), the
battery does not need to be charged
from an outside source. However, if
the vehicle is left parked for a long
time the hybrid battery (traction bat-
tery) will slowly discharge. For this
reason, be sure to drive the vehicle
at least once every few months for
at least 30 minutes or 10 miles (16
km). If the hybrid battery (traction
battery) becomes fully discharged

731-4. Hybrid system
1
For safety and security
HIGHLANDER HV_Uand you are unable to start the
hybrid system, contact your Toyota
dealer.
■Charging the 12-volt battery
 P. 4 9 8
■After the 12-volt battery has dis-
charged or when the terminal
has been removed and installed
during exchange, etc.
The gasoline engine may not stop
even if the vehicle is being driven by
the hybrid battery (traction battery).
If this continues for a few days, con-
tact your Toyota dealer.
■Sounds and vibrations specific
to a hybrid vehicle
There may be no engine sound or
vibration even though the vehicle is
able to move with the “READY” indi-
cator is illuminated. For safety, apply
the parking brake and make sure to
shift the shift lever to P when
parked.
The following sounds or vibrations
may occur when the hybrid system
is operating and are not a malfunc-
tion:
●Motor sounds may be heard from
the engine compartment.
●Sounds may be heard from the
hybrid battery (traction battery)
under the rear seats when the
hybrid system starts or stops.
●Relay operating sounds such as a
snap or soft cl ank will be emitted
from the hybrid battery (traction
battery), under the rear seats,
when the hybrid system is started
or stopped.
●Sounds from the hybrid system
may be heard when the back door
is open.
●Sounds may be heard from the
transmission when the gasoline
engine starts or stops, when driv-
ing at low speeds, or during idling.
●Engine sounds may be heard
when accelerating sharply.
●Sounds may be heard due to
regenerative braking when the
brake pedal is depressed or as
the accelerator pedal is released.
●Vibration may be felt when the
gasoline engine starts or stops.
●Cooling fan sounds may be heard
from the air intake vents under the
rear seats.
■Maintenance, repair, recycling,
and disposal
Contact your Toyota dealer regard-
ing maintenance, repair, recycling
and disposal. Do not dispose of the
vehicle yourself.
When driving with the gasoline
engine stopped, a sound, which
changes in accordance with the
driving speed, will be played in
order to warn people nearby of
the vehicle’s approach. The
sound will stop when the vehicle
speed exceeds approximately
22 mph (35 km/h).
■Acoustic vehicle alerting sys-
tem
In the following cases, the acoustic
vehicle alerting system may be diffi-
cult for surrounding people to hear.
●In very noisy areas
●In the wind or the rain
Also, as the acoustic vehicle alerting
system is installed on the front of the
vehicle, it may be more difficult to
hear from the rear of the vehicle
compared to the front.
Acoustic vehicle alerting
system

741-4. Hybrid system
HIGHLANDER HV_U
■If “Proximity Notification Sys-
tem Malfunction Visit Your
Dealer” is displayed on the
multi-information display
The system may be malfunctioning.
Have the vehicle inspected by your
Toyota dealer.
*: This function can only be used in
the mainland U.S.A. It cannot be
used in other states and territo-
ries, including Alaska and Hawaii.
This system operates based on
the driving situation and traffic
information to enhance fuel
economy.
For details about Predictive effi-
cient drive, refer to “NAVIGA-
TION AND MULTIMEDIA
SYSTEM OWNER’S MANUAL”.
■Predictive deceleration support
●When the vehicle approaches to
predictive deceleration support
points registered in the navigation
system, the zone of Eco accelera-
tion ( ) of the ECO Accelerator
Guidance ( P.103) on the
multi-information display will be
turned off to encourage the driver
to reduce excessive acceleration.
Example: 7-inch display
●The engine braking force will be
increased according to the driving
conditions to mo re efficiently
charge the hybrid battery (traction
battery) after the accelerator pedal
is released.
■Predictive SOC control
The following types of control are
performed based on data such as
road and traffic information during
route guidance by the navigation
system to help ensure that the vehi-
cle efficiently uses electricity.
●When there is a long downhill
slope along the r oute, the system
reduces the hybrid battery (trac-
tion battery) level before reaching
the slope to help ensure charging
capacity for regenerative braking
while traveling downhill.
●When traffic congestion is pre-
dicted along the route, the system
helps ensure a certain battery
level before reaching congested
roads to reduce the frequency of
starting the engine to charge the
hybrid battery (traction battery)
due to low battery levels.
Predictive efficient drive
(vehicles with a naviga-
tion system)
*

751-4. Hybrid system
1
For safety and security
HIGHLANDER HV_UThe illustration is an example for explan
ation and may differ from the actual
item.
Warning label
Service plug
High voltage cables (orange)
Power control unit
Hybrid battery (traction battery)
Rear electric motor (traction motor)
*
Front electric motor (traction motor)
Air conditioning compressor
*: AWD models only
■Running out of fuel
When the vehicle has run out of fuel
and the hybrid system cannot be
started, refuel th e vehicle with at least enough gasoline to make the
low fuel level warning light (
P.469)
go off. If there is only a small
amount of fuel, the hybrid system
may not be able to start. (The stan-
dard amount of fuel is about 2.9 gal.
Hybrid system precautions
Take care when handling the hybrid system, as it is a high
voltage system (about 650 V at maximum) as well as contains
parts that become extremely hot when the hybrid system is
operating. Obey the warning labels attached to the vehicle.
System components

761-4. Hybrid system
HIGHLANDER HV_U[11.05 L, 2.4 Imp. gal.], when the
vehicle is on a level surface. This
value may vary when the vehicle is
on a slope. Add extra fuel when the
vehicle is inclined.)
■Electromagnetic waves
●High voltage parts and cables on
hybrid vehicles incorporate elec-
tromagnetic shielding, and there-
fore emit approximately the same
amount of electromagnetic waves
as conventional gasoline pow-
ered vehicles or home electronic
appliances.
●Your vehicle may cause sound
interference in
some third
party-produced radio parts.
■Hybrid battery (traction battery)
The hybrid battery (traction battery)
has a limited service life. The lifes-
pan of the hybrid battery (traction
battery) can change in accordance
with driving style and driving condi-
tions.
WARNING
■High voltage precautions
This vehicle has high voltage DC
and AC systems as well as a
12-volt system. DC and AC high
voltage is very dangerous and
can cause severe burns and elec-
tric shock that may result in death
or serious injury.
●Never touch, disassemble,
remove or replace the high volt-
age parts, cables or their con-
nectors.
●The hybrid system will become
hot after starting as the system
uses high voltage. Be careful of
both the high voltage and the
high temperature, and always
obey the warning labels
attached to the vehicle.
●Never try to open the service
plug access hole located under
the rear seat. The service plug
is used only when the vehicle is
serviced and is subject to high
voltage.
■Road accident cautions
Observe the following precautions
to reduce the risk of death or seri-
ous injury:
●Pull your vehicle off the road,
shift the shift lever to P, apply
the parking brake, and turn the
hybrid system off.
●Do not touch the high voltage
parts, cables and connectors.
●If electric wires are exposed
inside or outside your vehicle,
an electric shock may occur.
Never touch exposed electric
wires.
●If a fluid leak occurs, do not
touch the fluid as it may be
strong alkaline electrolyte from
the hybrid battery (traction bat-
tery). If it comes into contact
with your skin or eyes, wash it
off immediately with a large
amount of water or, if possible,
boric acid solution. Seek imme-
diate medical attention.
●If a fire occurs in the hybrid
vehicle, leave the vehicle as
soon as possible. Never use a
fire extinguisher that is not
meant for electric fires. Using
even a small amount of water
may be dangerous.

771-4. Hybrid system
1
For safety and security
HIGHLANDER HV_U
There are air intake vents under
each side of the rear seatback
for the purpose of cooling the
hybrid battery (traction battery).
If the vent is blocked,
charging/discharging of the
hybrid battery (traction battery)
may become limited.
WARNING
●If your vehicle needs to be
towed, do so with all four
wheels raised. If the wheels
connected to the electric motor
(traction motor) are on the
ground when towing, the motor
may continue to generate elec-
tricity. This may cause a fire.
( P.461)
●Carefully inspect the ground
under the vehicle. If you find
that liquid has leaked onto the
ground, the fuel system may
have been damaged. Leave the
vehicle as soon as possible.
■Hybrid battery (traction bat-
tery)
●Never resell, hand over or mod-
ify the hybrid battery. To prevent
accidents, hybrid batteries that
have been removed from a dis-
posed vehicle are collected
through your Toyota dealer. Do
not dispose of the battery your-
self.
Unless the battery is properly col-
lected, the following may occur,
resulting in death or serious
injury:
• The hybrid battery may be ille- gally disposed of or dumped,
and it is hazardous to the envi-
ronment or someone may touch
a high voltage part, resulting in
an electric shock.
• The hybrid battery is intended to be used exclusively with your
hybrid vehicle. If the hybrid bat-
tery is used outside of your
vehicle or modified in any way,
accidents such as electric
shock, heat generation, smoke
generation, an explosion and
electrolyte leakage may occur.
When reselling or handing over
your vehicle, the possibility of an
accident is extremely high
because the person receiving the
vehicle may not be aware of these
dangers.
●If your vehicle is disposed of
without the hybrid battery hav-
ing been removed, there is a
danger of serious electric shock
if high voltage parts, cables and
their connectors are touched. In
the event that your vehicle must
be disposed of, the hybrid bat-
tery must be disposed of by
your Toyota dealer or a qualified
service shop. If the hybrid bat-
tery is not disposed of properly,
it may cause electric shock that
can result in death or serious
injury.
NOTICE
■Hybrid battery (traction bat-
tery) air intake vents
Do not carry large amounts of
water such as water cooler bottles
in the vehicle. If water spills onto
the hybrid battery (traction bat-
tery), the battery may be dam-
aged. Have the vehicle inspected
by your Toyota dealer.
Hybrid battery (traction
battery) air intake vent

781-4. Hybrid system
HIGHLANDER HV_U
When a certain level of impact is
detected by the impact sensor,
the emergency shut off system
blocks the high voltage current
and stops the fuel pump to mini-
mize the risk of electrocution
and fuel leakage. If the emer-
gency shut off system activates, your vehicle will not restart. To
restart the hybrid system, con-
tact your Toyota dealer.
A message is automatically dis-
played when a malfunction
occurs in the hybrid system or
an improper operation is
attempted.
If a warning message is shown
on the multi-information display,
read the message and follow the
instructions. (
P.476)
■If a warning light comes on, a
warning message is displayed,
or the 12-volt battery is discon-
nected
The hybrid system may not start. In
this case, try to start the system
again. If the “READY” indicator does
not come on, contact your Toyota
dealer.
NOTICE
■Hybrid battery (traction bat-
tery) air intake vent
●Do not place objects that will
block the air intake vents. The
hybrid battery (traction battery)
may become limited and be
damaged.
●Clean the air intake/discharge
vents regularly to prevent the
hybrid battery (traction battery)
to be limited.
●Do not allow liquid or foreign
material to enter the air intake
vent as this may cause a short
circuit and damage the hybrid
battery (traction battery).
●A filter is installed to the air
intake vent. When the filter
remains noticeably dirty even
after cleaning the air intake
vent, filter cleaning or replace-
ment is recommended. Refer to
P.441for details on how to clean
the filters.
Emergency shut off sys-
tem
Hybrid warning message

791-5. Theft deterrent system
1
For safety and security
HIGHLANDER HV_U
1-5.Theft deterrent system
The indicator light flashes after
the power switch has been
turned off to indicate that the
system is operating.
The indicator light stops flashing
after the power 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 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
Immobilizer system
The vehicle’s keys have
built-in transponder chips
that prevent the hybrid sys-
tem 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

801-5. Theft deterrent system
HIGHLANDER HV_U
■Certification for the immobilizer system
Except for vehicles sold in Canada
For vehicles sold in Canada
NOTICE
■To ensure the system oper-
ates correctly
Do not modify or remove the sys-
tem. If modified or removed, the
proper operation of the system
cannot be guaranteed.