maintenance TOYOTA HIGHLANDER HYBRID 2021 Owners Manual (in English)

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HIGHLANDER HV_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 hybrid system, 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: 12-volt 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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HIGHLANDER HV_U
Parking brake ..................... 224
Brake Hold ......................... 227
4-3. Operating the lights and wip- ers
Headlight switch ................. 229
Automatic High Beam ........ 232
Fog light switch .................. 235
Windshield wipers and washer ......................................... 235
Rear windshield wiper and washer ............................. 238
4-4. Refueling Opening the fuel tank cap .. 240
4-5. Using the driving support sys- tems
Toyota Safety Sense 2.5 +......................................... 243
PCS (Pre-Collision System) ......................................... 249
LTA (Lane Tracing Assist)... 260
Dynamic radar cruise control with full-speed range ........ 271
RSA (Road Sign Assist) ..... 283
BSM (Blind Spot Monitor)... 286
Intuitive parking assist ........ 292
RCTA (Rear Cross Traffic Alert) function ............................ 300
PKSB (Parking Support Brake) ......................................... 305
Parking Support Brake function (static objects) .................. 312
Parking Support Brake function (rear-crossing vehicles).... 318
Driving mode select switch ......................................... 322
Trail Mode .......................... 323
Driving assist systems........ 325
4-6. Driving tips Hybrid vehicle driving tips .. 331
Winter driving tips............... 333
Utility vehicle precautions... 3365-1. Toyota multi-operation touch
Toyota multi-operation touch......................................... 340
5-2. Using the air conditioning system and defogger
Front automatic air conditioning
system ............................. 342
Rear automatic air conditioning system ............................. 354
Heated steering wheel/seat heaters/seat ventilators.... 358
5-3. Using the interior lights Interior lights list ................. 362
5-4. Using the storage features List of storage features ...... 365
Luggage compartment features ......................................... 370
5-5. Using the other interior fea- tures
Other interior features ........ 374
Garage door opener........... 390
6-1. Maintenance and care Cleaning and protecting the vehicle exterior................. 400
Cleaning and protecting the vehicle interior.................. 40
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6-2. Maintenance Maintenance requirements......................................... 406
General maintenance......... 408
Emission inspection and mainte- nance (I/M) programs ...... 410
6-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance Do-it-yourself service precau-tions ................................. 412
5Interior features
6Maintenance and care

4TABLE OF CONTENTS
HIGHLANDER HV_U
Hood ..................................414
Positioning a floor jack ....... 415
Engine compartment .......... 416
12-volt battery .................... 421
Tires ................................... 424
Tire inflation pressure......... 436
Wheels ............................... 438
Air conditioning filter ........... 439
Cleaning the hybrid battery (trac- tion battery) air intake vents
and filter ........................... 441
Electronic key battery ......... 444
Checking and replacing fuses ......................................... 446
Headlight aim ..................... 448
Light bulbs .......................... 449
7-1. Essential information Emergency flashers ........... 458
If your vehicle has to be stopped in an emergency .............. 458
If the vehicle is trapped in rising water ................................ 459
7-2. Steps to take in an emergency If your vehicle needs to be towed......................................... 461
If you think something is wrong ......................................... 464
If a warning light turns on or a warning buzzer sounds .... 466
If a warning message is dis- played .............................. 476
If you have a flat tire ........... 481
If the hybrid system will not start ......................................... 493
If you lose your keys .......... 495
If the fuel filler door cannot be opened ............................. 495
If the electronic key does not operate properly ............... 496If the 12-volt battery is dis-
charged ............................ 498
If your vehicle overheats .... 504
If the vehicle becomes stuck ......................................... 507
8-1. Specifications Maintenance data (fuel, oil level, etc.) .................................. 510
Fuel information ................. 518
Tire information .................. 520
8-2. Customization Customizable features ....... 530
8-3. Initialization Items to initialize ................ 542
9-1. For owners Reporting safety defects for U.S. owners ............................. 544
Seat belt instructions for Cana- dian owners (in French) ... 544
SRS airbag instructions for Canadian owners (in French)......................................... 546
Headlight aim instructions for Canadian owners (in French)......................................... 553
What to do if... (Troubleshooting) ......................................... 55
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Alphabetical Index.............. 559
7When trouble arises
8Vehicle specifications
9For owners
Index

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

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

811-5. Theft deterrent system
1
For safety and security
HIGHLANDER HV_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 power switch to ACC
or ON, or start the hybrid sys-
tem. (The alarm will be deacti-
vated 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

992-1. Instrument cluster
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Vehicle status information and indicators
HIGHLANDER HV_U
 RSA (Road Sign Assist) (if
equipped) ( P.283)
Press to enable/disable the
Road Sign Assist.
• RSA (Road Sign Assist) on/off
Select to enable/disable the Road
Sign Assist.
Press and hold to change the
settings of the following items:
• “Notification Method”
Select to change each notification
method used to notify the driver
when the system recognizes
excess speed and no-entry sign.
• “Notification Level”
Select to change each notification
level used to notify the driver when
the system recognizes a speed limit
sign.
■ Vehicle settings
Press and hold to change
the settings of the following
items:
 PBD (Power Back Door)
( P.135)
• “System Settings”
Select to enable/disable the power
back door system.
• “Opening Adjustment”
Select the open position when
power back door is fully open.
•“Volume”
Select to set the volume of the
buzzer which sounds when the
power back door system operates.
“TPWS” (Tire Pressure Warn- ing System) (
P.426)
• “Set Pressure” (tire pressure
warning system initialization)
Select to initialize the tire pressure
warning system.
• “Change Wheel” (register tire pressure warnin g 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.133)
Select to enable/disable the rear
seat reminder.
“Scheduled Maintenance”
( P.407)
Select to reset the scheduled main-
tenance information (maintenance
required message and distance
until maintenance necessary) after
all maintenance 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.
 EV indicator ( P.218)
Select to enable/disable the EV
indicator.


1092-1. Instrument cluster
2
Vehicle status information and indicators
HIGHLANDER HV_U
the settings of the following
items:
 PBD (Power Back Door)
( P.135)
• “System Settings”
Select to enable/disable the power
back door system.
• “Kick Sensor”
*
Select to enable/disable the kick
sensor.
• “Opening Adjustment”
Select the open position when
power back door is fully open.
•“Volume”
Select to set the volume of the
buzzer which sounds when the
power back door system operates.
*: Vehicles with a hands free power
back door
 “TPWS” (Tire Pressure Warn-
ing System) ( P.426)
• “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.133)
Select to enable/disable the rear
seat reminder.
“Scheduled Maintenance”
( P.407)
Select to reset the scheduled main-
tenance information (maintenance
required message and distance
until maintenance necessary) after
all maintenance 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.
 EV indicator ( P.218)
Select to enable/disable the EV
indicator.
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

2024-1. Before driving
HIGHLANDER HV_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, hybrid
transmission, rear differential or
wheel bearing), 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.

3384-6. Driving tips
HIGHLANDER HV_U
NOTICE
■To prevent water damage
Take all necessary safety mea-
sures to ensure that water dam-
age to the hybrid battery (traction
battery), hybrid system or other
components does not occur.
●Water entering the engine com-
partment may cause severe
damage to the hybrid system.
Water entering the interior may
cause the hybrid battery (trac-
tion battery) stowed under the
rear seats to short circuit.
●Water entering the hybrid trans-
mission will cause deterioration
in transmission quality. The mal-
function indicator may come on,
and the vehicle may not be driv-
able.
●Water can wash the grease
from wheel bearings, causing
rusting and premature failure,
and may also enter the hybrid
transmission case, reducing the
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”.