engine TOYOTA HIGHLANDER HYBRID 2023 Owner's Manual

1864-1. Before driving
Avoid sudden stops.
●For the first 500 miles (800 km):
Do not tow a trailer.
●For the first 600 miles (1000 km):
• Do not drive at extremely high
speeds.
• Avoid sudden acceleration.
• Do not drive continuously in low gears.
• Do not drive at a constant speed for extended periods.
■Operating your vehicle in a for-
eign country
Comply with the relevant vehicle
registration laws and confirm the
availability of the correct fuel.
(  P.491)
■Eco-friendly driving
 P.88, 94
WARNING
Observe the following precau-
tions.
Failure to do so m ay result in
death or serious injury.
■When starting the vehicle
Always keep your foot on the
brake pedal while stopped with
the “READY” indicator is illumi-
nated. This prevents the vehicle
from creeping.
■When driving the vehicle
●Do not drive if y ou are unfamil-
iar with the location of the brake
and accelerator pedals to avoid
depressing the wrong pedal.
• Accidentally depressing the accelerator pedal instead of the
brake pedal will result in sudden
acceleration that may lead to an
accident.
• When backing up, you may twist your body around, leading to a
difficulty in operating the pedals.
Make sure to operate the pedals
properly.
• Make sure to keep a correct driving posture even when mov-
ing the vehicle only slightly. This
allows you to depress the brake
and accelerator pedals properly.
• Depress the brake pedal using your right foot. Depressing the
brake pedal using your left foot
may delay response in an emer-
gency, resulting in an accident.
●The driver should pay extra
attention to pedestrians when
the vehicle is powered only by
the electric motor (traction
motor). As there is no engine
noise, the pedestrians may mis-
judge the vehicle’s movement.
Even though the vehicle is
equipped with the acoustic vehi-
cle alerting system, drive with
care as pedestrians in the vicin-
ity may still not n otice the vehi-
cle if the surrounding area is
noisy.
●Do not drive the vehicle over or
stop the vehicle near flammable
materials.
The exhaust system and
exhaust gases can be
extremely hot. These hot parts
may cause a fire i f there is any
flammable material nearby.

1874-1. Before driving
4
Driving
WARNING
●During normal driving, do not
turn off the hybrid system. Turn-
ing the hybrid system off while
driving will not cause loss of
steering or braking control, how-
ever, power assist to the steer-
ing will be lost. This will make it
more difficult to steer smoothly,
so you should pull over and stop
the vehicle as soon as it is safe
to do so.In the event of an
emergency, such as if it
becomes impossible to stop the
vehicle in the normal way:
P. 4 3 8
●Use engine braking (downshift)
to maintain a safe speed when
driving down a steep hill.Using
the brakes con tinuously may
cause the brakes to overheat
and lose effectiveness.
(
P.213)
●Do not adjust the positions of
the steering wheel, the seat, or
the inside or ou tside rear view
mirrors while driving.Doing so
may result in a loss of vehicle
control.
●Always check that all passen-
gers’ arms, heads or other parts
of their body are not outside the
vehicle.
●AWD models: Do not drive the
vehicle off-road. This is not an
AWD vehicle designed for
off-road driving.Drive with due
care if it becomes unavoidable
to drive off-road.
●Do not drive across a river or
through other bodies of
water.This may cause elec-
tric/electronic components to
short circuit, damage the hybrid
system or cause other serious
damage to the vehicle.
●Do not drive in excess of the
speed limit. Even if the legal
speed limit permits it, do not
drive over 85 mph (140 km/h)
unless your vehicle has
high-speed capability tires. Driv-
ing over 85 mph (140 km/h)
may result in tire failure, loss of
control and possible injury. Be
sure to consult a tire dealer to
determine whether the tires on
your vehicle are high-speed
capability tires or not before
driving at such speeds.
■When driving on slippery
road surfaces
●Sudden braking, acceleration
and steering may cause tire
slippage and reduce your ability
to control the vehicle.
●Sudden acceleration, engine
braking due to shifting, or
changes in engine speed could
cause the vehicle to skid.
●After driving through a puddle,
lightly depress the brake pedal
to make sure that the brakes
are functioning properly. Wet
brake pads may prevent the
brakes from functioning prop-
erly. If the brakes on only one
side are wet and not functioning
properly, steering control may
be affected.
■When shifting the shift lever
●Do not let the vehicle roll back-
ward while a fo rward driving
position is selected, or roll for-
ward while the shift lever is in
R.Doing so may result in an
accident or damage to the vehi-
cle.
●Do not shift the sh ift lever to P
while the vehicle is mov-
ing.Doing so can damage the
transmission and may result in a
loss of vehicle control.

1884-1. Before driving
WARNING
●Do not shift the shift lever to R
while the vehicle is moving for-
ward.Doing so can damage the
transmission and may result in a
loss of vehicle control.
●Do not shift the shift lever to a
driving position while the vehicle
is moving backward.Doing so
can damage the transmission
and may result in a loss of vehi-
cle control.
●Shifting the shift lever to N while
the vehicle is moving will disen-
gage the hybrid system. Engine
braking is not available when N
is selected.
●Be careful not to shift the shift
lever with the accelerator pedal
depressed. Shifting the shift
lever to any position other than
P or N may lead to unexpected
rapid acceleration of the vehicle
that may cause an accident and
result in death or serious injury.
■If you hear a squealing or
scraping noise (brake pad
wear limit indicators)
Have the brake pads checked and
replaced by your Toyota dealer as
soon as possible.Rotor damage
may result if th e pads are not
replaced when needed.
It is dangerous to drive the vehicle
when the wear limits of the brake
pads and/or those of the brake
discs are exceeded.
■When the vehicle is stopped
●Do not depress t he accelerator
pedal unnecessarily.If the shift
lever is in any position other
than P or N, the vehicle may
accelerate suddenly and unex-
pectedly, causing an accident.
●In order to prevent accidents
due to the vehic le rolling away,
always keep depressing the
brake pedal while stopped with
the “READY” indicator is illumi-
nated, and apply the parking
brake as necessary.
●If the vehicle is stopped on an
incline, in order to prevent acci-
dents caused by the vehicle roll-
ing forward or backward, always
depress the brake pedal and
securely apply the parking
brake as needed.
●Avoid revving or racing the
engine.Running the engine at
high speed while the vehicle is
stopped may cause the exhaust
system to overheat, which could
result in a fire if combustible
material is nearby.
■When the vehicle is parked
●Do not leave glasses, cigarette
lighters, spray cans, or soft
drink cans in the vehicle when it
is in the sun.Doing so may
result in the following:
• Gas may leak from a cigarette lighter or spray can, and may
lead to a fire.
• The temperature inside the vehicle may cause the plastic
lenses and plastic material of
glasses to deform or crack.
• Soft drink cans may fracture, causing the contents to spray
over the interior of the vehicle,
and may also cause a short cir-
cuit in the vehicle’s electrical
components.
●Do not leave cigarette lighters in
the vehicle. If a cigarette lighter
is in a place such as the glove
box or on the floor, it may be lit
accidentally when luggage is
loaded or the se at is adjusted,
causing a fire.

1904-1. Before driving
NOTICE
●Do not use the accelerator
pedal or depress the accelera-
tor and brake pedals at the
same time to hold the vehicle on
a hill.
■When parking the vehicle
Always set the parking brake and
shift the shift lever to P. Failure to
do so may cause the vehicle to
move or the vehi cle may acceler-
ate suddenly if the accelerator
pedal is accidentally depressed.
■Avoiding damage to vehicle
parts
●Do not turn the steering wheel
fully in either direction and hold
it there for an extended period
of time.Doing so may damage
the power steering.
●When driving over bumps on
the road, drive as slowly as pos-
sible to avoid damaging the
wheels, underside of the vehi-
cle, etc.
■If you get a flat tire while driv-
ing
A flat or damaged tire may cause
the following situations. Hold the
steering wheel firmly and gradu-
ally depress the brake pedal to
slow down the vehicle.
●It may be difficult to control your
vehicle.
●The vehicle will make abnormal
sounds or vibrations.
●The vehicle will lean abnor-
mally.
Information on what to do in case
of a flat tire (
P.461)
■When encountering flooded
roads
Do not drive on a road that has
flooded after h eavy rain etc.
Doing so may cause the following
serious damage to the vehicle:
●Engine stalling
●Short in electrical components
●Engine damage caused by
water immersion
In the event that you drive on a
flooded road and the vehicle is
flooded, be sure to have your Toy-
ota dealer check the following:
●Brake function
●Changes in quantity and quality
of oil and fluid used for the
engine, hybrid transaxle (front
and rear [AWD models]), etc.
●Lubricant condition for bearings
and suspension joints (where
possible), and the function of all
joints, bearings, etc.

1964-1. Before driving
●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 regu lations. 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 f requent 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 contr ol 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 place. 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.

2004-1. Before driving
The gross trailer weight must
never exceed the TWR
described in the table.
( P.200)
 The gross combination weight
must never exceed the
GCWR described in the table.
( P.200)
 The gross vehicle weight
must never exceed the
GVWR indicated on the Certi-
fication Label. ( P.490) 
The gross axle weight on
each axle must never exceed
the GAWR indicated on the
Certification Label. ( P.490)
 If the gross trailer weight is
over the unbraked TWR,
trailer service brakes are
required.
 If the gross trailer weight is
over 2000 lb. (900 kg), a sway
control device with sufficient
capacity is required.
Confirm that the gross trailer we ight, gross combination weight,
gross vehicle weight, gross axle weight and tongue weight are all
within the limits.
■GCWR*1 and TWR*1
■Unbraked TWR*1
1000 lb. (450 kg)
*1: These models meet the tow-vehicle trailering requirement of SA E Inter-
national per SAE J2807.
*2: The model code is indicated o n the Certification Label. (P.490)
A recommended tongue
weight varies in accordance
Weight limits
GCWR, TWR and Unbraked TWR
Model code*2EngineDriving
systemGCWRTWR
 AXUH70L-ARXNHA
 AXUH70L-ARXMHA
 AXUH70L-ARXGHA
2.5L
4-cylinder
(A25A-FXS)2WD9460 lb.
(4290 kg)
3500 lb.
(1590 kg)
 AXUH78L-ARXNHA
 AXUH78L-ARXMHA
 AXUH78L-ARXGHA
AWD9500 lb.
(4310 kg)
Trailer Tongue Weight

2044-1. Before driving
Practice turning, stopping and
reversing with the trailer
attached in an area away
from traffic until you become
accustomed to the feel of the
vehicle-trailer combination.
 Reversing with a trailer
attached is difficult and
requires practice. Grip the
bottom of the steering wheel
and move your hand to the
left to move the trailer to the
left. Move your hand to the
right to move the trailer to
right. (This is generally oppo-
site to reversing without a
trailer attached.) Avoid sharp
or prolonged turning. Have
someone guide you when
reversing to reduce the risk of
an accident.
 As stopping distance is
increased when towing a
trailer, vehicle-to vehicle dis-
tance should be increased.
For each 10 mph (16 km/h) of
speed, allow at least one
vehicle and trailer length.
 Avoid sudden braking as you
may skid, resulting in the
trailer jackknifing and a loss of
vehicle control. This is espe-
cially true on wet or slippery
surfaces.
 Avoid jerky starts or sudden
acceleration.
 Avoid jerky steering and
sharp turns, and slow down
before making turn. 
Note that when making a turn,
the trailer wheels will be
closer than the vehicle wheels
to the inside of the turn. Com-
pensate by making a wider
than normal turning radius.
 Slow down before making a
turn, in cross winds, on wet or
slippery surfaces, etc.
Increasing vehicle speed can
destabilize the trailer.
 Take care when passing other
vehicles. Passing requires
considerable distance. After
passing a vehicle, do not for-
get the length of your trailer,
and be sure you have plenty
of room before changing
lanes.
 To maintain engine braking
efficiency and charging sys-
tem performance when using
engine braking, do not put the
transmission in D. If in the S
mode, the hybrid transmission
shift range position must be in
5 or lower. ( P.213)
 Instability happens more fre-
quently when descending
steep or long downhill grades.
Before descending, slow
down and downshift. Do not
make sudden downshifts
while descending steep or
long downhill grades.
 Avoid holding the brake pedal
down too long or applying the
brakes too frequently. This
could cause the brakes to

2054-1. Before driving
4
Driving
overheat and result in
reduced braking efficiency.
 Due to the added load of the
trailer, your vehicle’s engine
may overheat on hot days (at
temperatures over 85°F
[30°C]) when driving up a long
or steep grade. If the engine
coolant temperature gauge
indicates overheating, imme-
diately turn off the air condi-
tioning (if in use), pull your
vehicle off the road and stop
in a safe spot. ( P.484)
 Always place wheel blocks
under both the vehicle’s and
the trailer’s wheels when
parking. Put the transmission
in P and apply the parking
brake. Avoid parking on a
slope, but if unavoidable, do
so only after performing the
following:
1 Apply the brakes and keep
them applied.
2 Have someone place wheel
blocks under both the vehi-
cle’s and trailer’s wheels.
3 When the wheel blocks are in
place, release the brakes
slowly until the blocks absorb
the load.
4 Shift into P and apply the
parking brake.
5 Turn off the hybrid system.
 When restarting after parking
on a slope: 1
With the transmission in P,
start the hybrid system. Be
sure to keep the brake pedal
depressed.
2 Shift into a forward gear. If
reversing, shift into R.
3 If the parking brake is in man-
ual mode, release the park-
ing brake. ( P.217)
4 Release the brake pedal, and
slowly pull or back away from
the wheel blocks. Stop and
apply the brakes.
5 Have someone retrieve the
blocks.

2114-2. Driving procedures
4
Driving
Turns EV drive mode on/off
When EV drive mode is turned on,
the EV drive mode indicator will
come on. Pressing the switch when
in EV drive mode will return the
vehicle to normal driving (using the
gasoline engine and electric motor
[traction motor]).
NOTICE
■To prevent 12-volt battery dis-
charge
Do not stop the hybrid system
when the shift lever is in a position
other than P. If the hybrid system
is stopped in another shift lever
position, the powe r switch will not
be turned off but instead be
turned to ACC. If the vehicle is left
in ACC, 12-volt b attery discharge
may occur.
EV drive mode
In EV drive mode, electric
power is supplied by the
hybrid battery (traction bat-
tery), and only the electric
motor (traction motor) is
used to drive the vehicle.
This mode allows you to
drive in residential areas
early in the morning and
late at night, or in indoor
parking lots, etc., without
concern for noises and gas
emissions.
However, when the Acoustic
Vehicle Alerting System is
active, the vehicle may pro-
duce sound.
Operating instructions

2124-2. Driving procedures
■Situations in which EV drive
mode cannot be turned on
It may not be po ssible to turn EV
drive mode on in t he following situa-
tions. If it cannot be turned on, a
buzzer will sound and a message
will be shown on the multi-informa-
tion display.
●The temperature of the hybrid sys-
tem is high.
The vehicle has been left in the
sun, driven on a hill, driven at high
speeds, etc.
●The temperature of the hybrid sys-
tem is low.
The vehicle has been left in tem-
peratures lower than about 68°F
(20°C) for a long period of time,
etc.
●The gasoline engine is warming
up.
●The hybrid battery (traction bat-
tery) is low.
The remaining batt ery level indi-
cated in the energy monitor dis-
play is low. ( P. 1 1 9 )
●Vehicle speed is high.
●The accelerator pedal is
depressed firmly or the vehicle is
on a hill, etc.
●The windshield defogger is in use.
■Switching to EV drive mode
when the gasoline engine is
cold
If the hybrid system is started while
the gasoline engine is cold, the gas-
oline engine will star t automatically
after a short peri od of time in order
to warm up. In this case, you will
become unable to switch to EV drive
mode.
After the hybrid system has started
and the “READY” indicator has illu-
minated, press the EV drive mode
switch before the gasoline engine
starts to switch to EV drive mode.
■Automatic cancelation of EV
drive mode
When driving in EV drive mode, the
gasoline engine may automatically
restart in the follo wing situations.
When EV drive mode is canceled, a
buzzer will sound, the EV drive
mode indicator will go off after flash-
ing, and a message is displayed on
the multi-information display.
●The hybrid battery (traction bat-
tery) becomes low.
The remaining batt ery level indi-
cated in the energy monitor dis-
play is low. ( P. 1 1 9 )
●Vehicle speed is high.
●The accelerator pedal is
depressed firmly or the vehicle is
on a hill, etc.
■Possible driving distance when
driving in EV drive mode
EV drive mode’s possible driving
distance ranges from a few hundred
meters to approximately 0.6 mile (1
km). However, depending on vehicle
conditions, there are situations
when EV drive mode cannot be
used.
(The distance tha t is possible
depends on the hybrid battery [trac-
tion battery] level a nd driving condi-
tions.)
■Fuel economy
The hybrid system is designed to
achieve the best possible fuel econ-
omy during normal driving (using
the gasoline engine and electric
motor [traction motor]). Driving in
EV drive mode more than neces-
sary may lower fuel economy.
■If “EV Mode Unavailable” is
shown on the multi-information
display
The EV drive mode is not available.
The reason the EV drive mode is
not available (the vehicle is idling,
battery charge is low, vehicle speed
is higher than the EV drive mode
operating speed r ange or accelera-
tor pedal is depressed too much)