2003 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER oil temperature

’03 HIGHLANDER_U (L/O 0208)
92003 HIGHLANDER from Aug. ’02 Prod. (OM48441U)
Brake system warning light∗
1
Discharge warning light∗1
Low engine oil pressure warning light∗1
Malfunction indicator lamp∗1
SRS warning light∗1
Driver ’s seat belt reminder light∗1Open door warning light∗1
Automatic transmission fluid temperature warning
light∗1
or
Low windshield washer fluid level warning light∗1
or
Vehicle skid control system warning light∗1
Traction control system off indicator light Antilock brake system warning light
∗1or
Front passenger ’s seat belt reminder light∗1
Indicator symbols on the instrument panel

’03 HIGHLANDER_U (L/O 0208)
1902003 HIGHLANDER from Aug. ’02 Prod. (OM48441U)
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.
Keep the back door closed while
driving. An open or unsealed back
door may cause exhaust gases to
be drawn into the vehicle.
If you smell exhaust fumes in the
vehicle, drive with the windows
open and the back door closed.
Have the cause immediately located
and corrected.
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.
The amount of engine oil consumed de-
pends on the viscosity of the oil, the
quality of the oil and the conditions the
vehicle is driven under.
More oil is consumed by highspeed driv-
ing and frequent acceleration and decel-
eration.
A new engine consumes more oil, since
its pistons, piston rings and cylinder walls
have not become conditioned.
When judging the amount of oil con-
sumption, note that the oil may become
diluted and make it difficult to judge
the true level accurately.
As an example, if a vehicle is used for
repeated short trips, and consumes a nor-
mal amount of oil, the dipstick may not
show any drop in the oil level at all, even
after 1000 km (600 miles) or more. This
is because the oil is gradually becoming
diluted with fuel or moisture, making it
appear that the oil level has not changed.
Facts about engine oil
consumption

’03 HIGHLANDER_U (L/O 0208)
2052003 HIGHLANDER from Aug. ’02 Prod. (OM48441U)
In a rollover crash, an unbelted per-
son is significantly more likely to
die than a person wearing a seat
belt. Therefore, the driver and all
passengers should fasten their seat
belts whenever the vehicle is mo-
ving.
When driving offroad or in rugged
terrain, do not drive at excessive
speeds, jump, make sharp turns,
strike objects, etc. This may cause
loss of control or vehicle rollover
causing death or serious injury. You
are also risking expensive damage
to your vehicle’s suspension and
chassis.
NOTICE
If driving through water, such as
when crossing shallow streams,
first check the depth of the water
and the bottom of the river bed for
firmness. Drive slowly and avoid
deep water.
Take all necessary safety measures
to ensure that water damage to the
engine or other components does
not occur.
Water entering the engine air intake
will cause severe engine damage.
Water can wash the grease from
wheel bearings, causing rusting and
premature failure, and may also en-
ter the differentials, transmission
and transfer case, reducing the gear
oil’s lubricating qualities.
 Sand and mud that has accumulated
in brake drums and around brake
discs may affect braking efficiency
and may damage brake system com-
ponents.
 Always perform a maintenance in-
spection after each day of offroad
driving that has taken you through
rough terrain, sand, mud, or water.
For scheduled maintenance informa-
tion, refer to the “Scheduled Main-
tenance Guide” or “Owner’s Manual
Supplement”.Make sure you have a proper freeze
protection of engine coolant.
Your coolant must contain ethyleneglycol
type coolant for a proper corrosion
protection of aluminum components. Use
“Toyota Genuine Long Life Coolant” or
equivalent.
See page 263 in Section 72 for details
about coolant type selection.
NOTICE
Do not use alcohol type antifreeze or
plain water alone.
When it is extremely cold, we recommend
to use 60% solution for your Toyota, to
provide protection down to about 50 C
(58 F). Do not use more than 70% solu-
tion for better coolant performance.
Check the condition of the battery and
cables.
Cold temperatures reduce the capacity of
any battery, so it must be in top shape
to provide enough power for winter start-
ing. Section 73 tells you how to visually
inspect the battery. Your Toyota dealer
and most service stations will be pleased
to check the level of charge.
Winter driving tips

’03 HIGHLANDER_U (L/O 0208)
2192003 HIGHLANDER from Aug. ’02 Prod. (OM48441U)
Do not connect it to or near any part
that moves when the engine is
cranked.
CAUTION
When making the connections, to
avoid serious injury, do not lean over
the battery or accidentally let the
jumper cables or clamps touch any-
thing except the correct battery termi-
nals or the ground.
5. Start your engine in the normal way.
After starting, run it at about 2000 rpm
for several minutes with the accelerator
pedal lightly depressed.
6. Carefully disconnect the cables in the exact reverse order: the negative cable
and then the positive cable.
7. Carefully dispose of the battery cover cloths—they may now contain sulfuric
acid.
8. If removed, replace all the battery vent plugs.
If the cause of your battery discharging is
not apparent (for example, lights left on),
you should have it checked at your Toyota
dealer. If your engine stalls while driving...
1. Reduce your speed gradually, keeping a straight line. Move cautiously off the
road to a safe place.
2. Turn on your emergency flashers.
3. Turn the ignition key to “ACC” or “LOCK”, and try starting the engine
again.
If the engine will not start, see “If your
vehicle will not start” on page 216.
CAUTION
If the engine is not running, the pow-
er assist for the brakes and steering
will not work so steering and braking
will be much harder than usual.
If your engine coolant temperature
gauge indicates overheating, if you ex-
perience a loss of power, or if you hear
a loud knocking or pinging noise, the
engine has probably overheated. You
should follow this procedure... 1. Pull safely off the road, stop the ve- hicle and turn on your emergency
flashers. Put the transmission in “P”
and apply the parking brake. Turn off
the air conditioning if it is being used.
2. If coolant or steam is boiling out of the radiator or reservoir, stop the engine.
Wait until the steam subsides before
opening the hood. If there is no coolant
boiling over or steam, leave the engine
running and make sure the electric
cooling fan is operating. If it is not,
turn the ignition off.
CAUTION
To help avoid personal injury, keep
the hood closed until there is no
steam. Escaping steam or coolant is
a sign of very high pressure.
If your engine stalls while
driving If your vehicle overheats

’03 HIGHLANDER_U (L/O 0208)
2492003 HIGHLANDER from Aug. ’02 Prod. (OM48441U)
Battery electrolyte level
Your Toyota has a maintenance free bat-
tery. You do not have to add distilled wa-
ter. For longer life of the battery, however,
see page 276 for additional information.
Brake fluid level
Make sure the brake fluid level is correct.
See page 264 in Section 72 for addition-
al information.
Engine oil level
Check the level on the dipstick with the
engine turned off and the vehicle parked
on a level spot. See page 260 in Section
72 for additional information.
Power steering fluid level
Check the level through the reservoir. The
level should be in the “HOT” or “COLD”
range depending on the fluid temperature.
See page 265 in Section 72 for addition-
al information.
Exhaust system
If you notice any change in the sound of
the exhaust or smell exhaust fumes, have
the cause located and corrected immedi-
ately. (See “Engine exhaust cautions” on
page 189 in Section 2.) Be on the alert for changes in perfor-
mance, sounds, and visual tipoffs that
indicate service is needed. Some impor-
tant clues are as follows:
Engine missing, stumbling, or pinging
Appreciable loss of power
Strange engine noises
A leak under the vehicle (however, wa-
ter dripping from the air conditioning
after use is normal.)
Change in exhaust sound (This may
indicate a dangerous carbon monoxide
leak. Drive with the windows open and
have the exhaust system checked im-
mediately.)
Flatlooking tire; excessive tire squeal
when cornering; uneven tire wear
Vehicle pulls to one side when driving
straight on a level road
Strange noises related to suspension
movement
Loss of brake effectiveness; spongy
feeling brake pedal; pedal almost
touches floor; vehicle pulls to one side
when braking
Engine coolant temperature continually
higher than normalIf you notice any of these clues, take your
vehicle to your Toyota dealer as soon as
possible. It probably needs adjustment or
repair.
CAUTION
Do not continue driving with the ve-
hicle unchecked. It could result in se-
rious vehicle damage and possibly
personal injury.
Does your vehicle need
repairing?

’03 HIGHLANDER_U (L/O 0208)
2552003 HIGHLANDER from Aug. ’02 Prod. (OM48441U)
If you perform maintenance by yourself,
be sure to follow the correct procedure
given in this section.
You should be aware that improper or in-
complete servicing may result in operating
problems.
Performing doityourself maintenance
during the warranty period may affect your
warranty coverage. Read the separate
Toyota Warranty statement for details and
suggestions.
This section gives instructions only for
those items that are relatively easy for an
owner to perform. As explained in Section
6, there are still a number of items that
must be done by a qualified technician
with special tools.
For information on tools and parts for do
ityourself maintenance, see “Parts and
tools” on page 257 in this section.
Utmost care should be taken when work-
ing on your vehicle to prevent accidental
injury. Here are a few precautions that
you should be especially careful to ob-
serve:CAUTION
When the engine is running, keep
hands, clothing, and tools away
from the moving fan and engine
drive belts. (Removing rings,
watches, and ties is advisable.)
Right after driving, the engine
compartment—the engine, radiator,
exhaust manifold, power steering
fluid reservoir and spark plug
boots, etc.—will be hot. So be care-
ful not to touch them. Oil, fluids
and spark plugs may also be hot.
If the engine is hot, do not remove
the radiator cap or loosen the drain
plugs to prevent burning yourself.
Do not smoke, cause sparks or al-
low open flames around fuel or the
battery. Their fumes are flammable.
Do not get under your vehicle with
just the body jack supporting it. Al-
ways use automotive jack stands or
other solid supports.
Be sure that the ignition is off if
you work near the electric cooling
fans or radiator grille. With the
ignition on, the electric cooling fans
will automatically start to run if the
engine coolant temperature is high
and/or the air conditioning is on.
Use eye protection whenever you
work on or under your vehicle
where you may be exposed to flying
or falling material, fluid spray, etc.
Used engine oil contains potentially
harmful contaminants which may
cause skin disorders such as in-
flammation or skin cancer, so care
should be taken to avoid prolonged
and repeated contact with it. To re-
move used engine oil from your
skin, wash thoroughly with soap
and water.
Do not leave used oil within the
reach of children.
Dispose of used oil and filter only
in a safe and acceptable manner.
Do not dispose of used oil and fil-
ter in household trash, in sewers or
onto the ground. Call your dealer or
a service station for information
concerning recycling or disposal.
Doityourself service
precautions

’03 HIGHLANDER_U (L/O 0208)
2612003 HIGHLANDER from Aug. ’02 Prod. (OM48441U)
NOTICE
Be careful not to spill the engine
oil on the vehicle components.
 Avoid overfilling, or the engine
could be damaged.
 Check the oil level on the dipstick
once again after adding the oil.
ENGINE OIL SELECTION
“Toyota Genuine Motor Oil” is f illed in
your Toyota vehicle. Use Toyota approved
“Toyota Genuine Motor Oil” or equivalent
to satisfy the following grade and
viscosity.
Oil grade: API grade SL “EnergyConserving” or
ILSAC multigrade engine oil
Recommended viscosity: SAE 5W30
Outside temperature
SAE 5W30 is the best choice for good
fuel economy and good starting in cold
weather.
If SAE 5W30 is not available, SAE
10W30 may be used. However, it
should be replaced with SAE 5W30 at
the next oil change.

’03 HIGHLANDER_U (L/O 0208)
2882003 HIGHLANDER from Aug. ’02 Prod. (OM48441U)
Recommended oil viscosity:
SAE 5W30
Outside temperature
Please contact your Toyota dealer for fur-
ther details. COOLING SYSTEM
Total capacity, L (qt., Imp. qt.):
2AZFE engine 6.4 (6.8, 5.6)
1MZFE engine 9.4 (9.9, 8.2)
Coolant type:
“Toyota Genuine Long Life Coolant” is
filled in your Toyota vehicle. In order to
avoid technical problems, we strongly
recommend using “Toyota Genuine Long
Life Coolant” or equivalent.
With ethyleneglycol type coolant for a
proper corrosion protection of aluminum
components
Do not use alcohol type antifreeze or
plain water alone.
Please contact your Toyota dealer for
further details.
BATTERY
Open voltage
∗ at 20 C (68 F):
12.6—12.8V Fully charged
12.2—12.4V Half charged
11.8—12.0V Discharged
∗: Voltage that is checked 20 minutes af-
ter the key is removed with all the lights
turned off
Charging rates: 5 A max. AUTOMATIC TRANSAXLE
Fluid capacity (drain and ref
ill), L (qt.,
Imp. qt.):
Up to 3.5 (3.7, 3.1)
Fluid type: Toyota Genuine ATF Type TIV
Change automatic transmission fluid only
as necessary.
Generally, it is necessary to change
automatic transmission fluid only if your
vehicle is driven under one of the Special
Operating Conditions listed in your
“Scheduled Maintenance Guide” or
“Owner ’s Manual Supplement”. When
changing the automatic transmission fluid,
use only “Toyota Genuine ATF Type TIV”
(ATF JWS3309 or NWS6500) to aid in
assuring optimum transaxle performance.
Notice: Using automatic transmission
fluid other than “Toyota Genuine ATF
Type TIV” may cause deterioration in
shift quality, locking up of your trans-
mission accompanied by vibration, and
ultimately damage the automatic trans-
mission of your vehicle.
Please contact your Toyota dealer for fur-
ther details.