2004 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER air condition

156 If manual fan speed control is desired —
1Fan speed at low
2Fan speed at high
The fan speed can be set to your desired
speed by touching the appropriate air flow
control switch. The higher the fan speed is,
the more air is delivered. Pushing the “OFF”
button turns off the fan.
To remove the exterior windshield frost and in-
terior windshield fog, use the high speed set-
ting.
The selected mode is highlighted in green.If manual switching of air intake is
desired —
Each time you push the air intake control but-
ton, the mode changes in order from the RE-
CIRCULATED AIR mode to FRESH mode,
then back to the RECIRCULATED AIR mode.
Each indicator light shows which mode is now
selected.
1RECIRCULATED — Recirculates the
air inside the vehicle.
2FRESH — Draws outside air into the
system.
If quick circulation of cooled air is desired,
push the air intake selector button for RECIR-
CULATED mode.For normal use, it is best to keep the air intake
selector button set to the FRESH mode. If re-
circulated air is used during heating, the win-
dows will fog up more easily.
To prevent fogging up of the windshield, the
air intake mode may change automatically to
the FRESH mode depending on the condition
of the air conditioning system.
For example, when the ambient temperature
is low, the air intake mode may change auto-
matically to the FRESH mode. This is not a
malfunction.
When the air conditioning is ON, if the engine
coolant temperature becomes extremely
high, the RECIRCULATED mode is automati-
cally selected. This is not a malfunction.
When the engine coolant temperature is low-
ered, the previous mode resumes.
If manual onoff of the air conditioning is
desired —
Touch the “A/C” switch to turn the air condi-
tioning on and touch it again to turn the air
conditioning off.
The air conditioning does not work if the out-
side temperature is lowered down to around
0
C (32
F).

157 If the system is used for ventilation, heating in
dry weather or removing frost or exterior fog
on the windshield, turn the air conditioning off
once it is no longer required. This will improve
fuel economy. The air conditioning can be
used for year−round automatic temperature
control including cooling and dehumidifying
operation.
If the air conditioning compressor does not
operate, the display light of the “A/C” switch
will blink. If the display light of the “A/C” switch
blinks even when the “A/C” switch is touched
again, have the compressor checked by your
nearest dealer.
If the engine coolant temperature becomes
extremely high, the air conditioning may shut
off automatically to resolve emergency situa-
tion for engine cooling. This is not a malfunc-
tion. When the engine coolant temperature is
lowered, the air conditioning comes on auto-
matically.
(b) Windshield defogging
and defrosting
To remove interior fog on the
windshield —
Push the windshield air flow button.
To remove frost or exterior fog on the
windshield —
1. Push the “TEMP” button to set the maxi-
mum temperature.
2. Push the windshield air flow button.
3. Touch the fan speed control switch on the
right side to obtain a maximum air flow.
4. Leave the “A/C” switch off.When the windshield air flow button is
pushed, air flows mainly from the windshield
vents and turns on the defogging function with
the purpose of clearing the front view.
Pushing this button once again returns the air
flow mode to the last one used.
This button allows the air intake to select the
FRESH mode automatically. This is to clean
up the front view more quickly. If you want to
return the setting to the RECIRCULATED
mode, push the air intake control button once
again.
Touch the “A/C” switch for dehumidified heat-
ing or cooling. This setting clears the front
view more quickly.CAUTION
Do not use the windshield air flow but-
ton during cooled air operation in ex-
tremely humid weather. The difference
between the temperature of the outside
air and that of the windshield could
cause the outer surface of the wind-
shield to fog up blocking your vision.

158
(c) Outside temperature
display
Outside temperature is displayed on the
screen.
The displayed temperature ranges from
−30
C (−22
F) up to 50
C (122
F). If the
temperature does not appear on the display
or it shows “− − −”, take your vehicle to your
dealer.
(d) Operating tips
To cool off your vehicle after it has been
parked in the hot sun, drive with the win-
dows open for a few minutes. After the ex-
cess heat has blown away, close the win-
dows. This vents the hot air, allowing the
air conditioning to cool the interior more
quickly.
Make sure the air intake grilles in front of
the windshield are not blocked (by leaves
or snow, for example).
If air flow control is not satisfactory, check
the side vents. (See “(e) Side vents”.)
On humid days, do not blow cold air on the
windshield. The windshield could fog up
because of the difference in air tempera-
ture on the inside and outside of the wind-
shield.
Keep the area under the front seats clear
to allow air to circulate throughout the ve-
hicle.
On cold days, set the fan speed to high for
a minute to help clear the intake ducts of
snow or moisture. This can reduce the
amount of fogging on the windows.
When driving on dusty roads, close all win-
dows. If dust thrown up by the vehicle is
still drawn into the vehicle after closing the
windows, it is recommended that the air in-
take control button be set to the FRESH
mode to take in the fresh air and the fan
speed selector to any setting except OFF.
If following another vehicle on a dusty
road, or driving in windy and dusty condi-
tions, it is recommended that the air intake
be temporarily set to the RECIRCULATED
mode, which will close off the outside pas-
sage and prevent outside air and dust
from entering the vehicle interior.

159 Heating
For best results, set controls to:
For automatic operation —
Push in the “AUTO” button.
Temperature —To the desired tempera-
ture
Air intake — FRESH (outside air)
Air conditioning — OFF
For manual operation —
Fan speed — To the desired fan speed
Temperature —Towards high tempera-
ture
Air intake — FRESH (outside air)
Air flow — FLOOR
Air conditioning — OFF
For quick heating, select RECIRCU-
LATED mode for a few minutes. To keep
the windows from fogging, select FRESH
mode after the vehicle interior has been
warmed.
Touch the “A/C” switch on for dehumidified
heating.
Choose floor/windshield air flow to heat
the vehicle interior while defrosting or de-
fogging the windshield.Air conditioning
For best results, set controls to:
For automatic operation —
Push in the “AUTO” button.
Temperature — To the desired tempera-
ture
Air intake — FRESH (outside air)
Air conditioning — ON
For manual operation —
Fan speed — To the desired fan speed
Temperature — Towards low temperature
Air intake — FRESH (outside air)
Air flow — PANEL
Air conditioning —ON
For quick cooling, select RECIRCU-
LATED mode for a few minutes.Ventilation
For best results, set controls to:
For automatic operation —
Push in the “AUTO” button.
Temperature — Towards low temperature
Air intake — FRESH (outside air)
Air conditioning — OFF
For manual operation —
Fan speed — To the desired fan speed
Temperature — Towards low temperature
Air intake — FRESH (outside air)
Air flow — PANEL
Air conditioning — OFF
Defogging and defrosting
— The inside of the windshield
For best results, set controls to:
For automatic operation —
Temperature — Towards high temperature
to heat;
low temperature to cool
Air intake — FRESH (outside air)
Air flow — WINDSHIELD

161
(f) Checking and replacing
the air conditioning filter
The air conditioning filter information label
is placed in the glove box as shown and in-
dicates that a filter has been installed.
The air conditioning filter prevents dust from
entering the vehicle through the air condition-
ing vent.
The air conditioning filter is behind the
glove box.
The air conditioning filter may clog after long
use. The filter may need to be replaced if the
air flow of the air conditioner and heater expe-
riences extreme reductions in operating effi-
ciency, or if the windows become to fog up
easily.
If the symptoms of air conditioning efficiency
problems occur, contact your nearest dealer
to have the filter checked and replaced.To maintain the air conditioning efficiency, in-
spect and replace the air conditioning filter ac-
cording to the maintenance schedule. In
dusty areas or areas with heavy traffic flow,
such as inner city or desert areas, early re-
placement may be required. (For scheduled
maintenance information, please refer to the
“Scheduled Maintenance Guide” or “Owner’s
Manual Supplement”.)

163
5. Remove the filter from the filter case.
6. Inspect the filter on the surface.
If it is dirty, it should be replaced.
INFORMATION
The air filter should be installed properly
in position. The use of air conditioning
with the air filter removed may cause de-
teriorated dustproof performance and
then affect air conditioning perfor-
mance.