stop start TOYOTA HIGHLANDER HYBRID 2021 Owners Manual (in English)

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
6
Alphabetical Index.............. 559
7When trouble arises
8Vehicle specifications
9For owners
Index

15Pictorial index
HIGHLANDER HV_U
■Instrument panel
Power switch ...................................................................... P.213
Starting the hybrid system/changi ng the modes .................. P.213
Emergency stop of the hybrid system .................................. P.458
When the hybrid system will not start .................................. P.493
Warning messages .............................................................. P.476
Shift lever............................................................................ P.220
Changing the shift position................................................... P.220
Precautions for towing . ........................................................ P.461
When the shift lever does not move..................................... P.221
Meters ................................................................................... P.89
Reading the meters/adjusting the instrument panel light . P.89, 92
Warning lights/indicator lights ................................................ P.84
When a warning light turns on ............................................. P.466
Multi-information display ............................................ P.92, 101
Display ........................................................................... P.92, 101
Energy monitor..................................................................... P.117

241-1. For safe use
HIGHLANDER HV_U
1-1.For safe use
Use only floor mats designed
specifically for vehicles of the
same model and model year as
your vehicle. Fix them securely
in place onto the carpet.
1Insert the retaining hooks
(clips) into the floor mat eye-
lets.
2 Turn the upper knob of each
retaining hook (clip) to secure
the floor mats in place.
Always align the marks . The shape of the retaining hooks
(clips) may differ from that shown in
the illustration.
Before driving
Observe the following
before starting off in the
vehicle to ensure safety of
driving.
Installing floor mats
WARNING
Observe the following precau-
tions.
Failure to do so may cause the
driver’s floor mat to slip, possibly
interfering with the pedals while
driving. An unexpectedly high
speed may result or it may
become difficult to stop the vehi-
cle. This could lead to an acci-
dent, resulting in death or serious
injury.
■When installing the driver’s
floor mat
●Do not use floor mats designed
for other models or different
model year vehicles, even if
they are Toyota Genuine floor
mats.
●Only use floor mats designed
for the driver’s seat.
●Always install the floor mat
securely using the retaining
hooks (clips) provided.
●Do not use two or more floor
mats on top of each other.
●Do not place the floor mat bot-
tom-side up or upside-down.

261-1. For safe use
HIGHLANDER HV_U
Make sure that all occupants are
wearing their seat belts before
driving the vehicle. (P.27)
Use a child restraint system
appropriate for the child until the
child becomes large enough to properly wear the vehicle’s seat
belt. (
P.50)
Make sure that you can see
backward clearly by adjusting
the inside and outside rear view
mirrors properly. ( P.166, 167,
177)
WARNING
■For safe driving
Observe the following precau-
tions. Failure to do so may result
in death or serious injury.
●Do not adjust the position of the
driver’s seat while driving.
Doing so could cause the driver
to lose control of the vehicle.
●Do not place a cushion between
the driver or passenger and the
seatback. A cushion may pre-
vent correct posture from being
achieved, and reduce the effec-
tiveness of the seat belt and
head restraint.
●Do not place anything under the
front seats. Objects placed
under the front seats may
become jammed in the seat
tracks and stop the seat from
locking in place. This may lead
to an accident and the adjust-
ment mechanism may also be
damaged.
●Always observe the legal speed
limit when driving on public
roads.
●When driving over long dis-
tances, take regular breaks
before you start to feel tired.
Also, if you feel tired or sleepy
while driving, do not force your-
self to continue driving and take
a break immediately.
Correct use of the seat
belts
Adjusting the mirrors

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

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

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