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2004 HIGHLANDER from Aug. ’03 Prod. (OM48478U)
While the vehicle is being driven, all ve-
hicle occupants should have the seatback
upright, sit well back in the seat and prop-
erly wear the seat belts provided.
CAUTION
Do not drive the vehicle unless the
occupants are properly seated. Do
not allow any passengers to sit on
top of a folded down seatback, or
in the luggage compartment or car-
go area. Persons not properly
seated and/or not properly re-
strained by seat belts can be se-
verely injured in the event of emer-
gency braking or a collision.
During driving, do not allow any
passengers to stand up or move
around between seats. Otherwise,
severe injuries can occur in the
event of emergency braking or a
collision.
Driver seat
CAUTION
The SRS driver airbag deploys with
considerable force, and can cause
death or serious injury especially if
the driver is very close to the airbag.
The National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration (“NHTSA”) advises:
Since the risk zone for driver airbag
is the first 50—75 mm (2—3 in.) of
inflation, placing yourself 250 mm (10
in.) from your driver airbag provides
you with a clear margin of safety.
This distance is measured from the
center of the steering wheel to your
breastbone. If you sit less than 250
mm (10 in.) away now, you can
change your driving position in sever-
al ways:
Move your seat to the rear as far
as you can while still reaching the
pedals comfortably.
Slightly recline the back of the
seat. Although vehicle designs vary,
many drivers can achieve the 250
mm (10 in.) distance, even with the
driver seat all the way forward, sim-
ply by reclining the back of the
seat somewhat. If reclining the back
of your seat makes it hard to see
the road, raise yourself by using a
firm, non slippery cushion, or raise
the seat if your vehicle has that
feature.
If your steering wheel is adjustable,
tilt it downward. This points the air-
bag toward your chest instead of
your head and neck.
The seat should be adjusted as rec-
ommended by NHTSA above, while
still maintaining control of the foot
pedals, steering wheel, and your view
of the instrument panel controls.
Seats Front seats—
—Front seat precautions
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2004 HIGHLANDER from Aug. ’03 Prod. (OM48478U)
CAUTION
To reduce the risk of sliding under
the lap belt during a collision, avoid
reclining the seatback any more than
needed. The seat belts provide maxi-
mum protection in a frontal or rear
collision when the driver and the
front passenger are sitting up straight
and well back in the seats. If you are
reclined, the lap belt may slide past
your hips and apply restraint forces
directly to the abdomen. In the event
of a frontal collision, the more the
seat is reclined, the greater the risk
of personal injury.
1. SEAT POSITION, SEAT CUSHION
ANGLE AND SEAT HEIGHT
ADJUSTING SWITCH
Move the adjusting switch in the de-
sired direction.
Releasing the switch will stop the seat at
that position.
Do not place anything under the front
seats, as this might interfere with the seat
movement. 2. SEATBACK ANGLE ADJUSTING SWITCH
Move the adjusting switch in the de-
sired direction.
Releasing the switch will stop the seat-
back at that position.
—Adjusting front seats (power
seat)
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2004 HIGHLANDER from Aug. ’03 Prod. (OM48478U)
CAUTION
To reduce the risk of sliding under
the lap belt during a collision, avoid
reclining the seatback any more than
needed. The seat belts provide maxi-
mum protection in a frontal or rear
collision when the driver and the
front passenger are sitting up straight
and well back in the seats. If you are
reclined, the lap belt may slide past
your hips and apply restraint forces
directly to the abdomen. In the event
of a frontal collision, the more the
seat is reclined, the greater the risk
of personal injury.
3. SEAT LUMBAR SUPPORT
ADJUSTING SWITCH
Press either side of the switch.
The amount of lumber support will change
while the switch is pressed.
CAUTION
Do not adjust the seat while the
vehicle is moving.
Be careful that the seat does not
hit a passenger or luggage.
Be careful not to get your hands or
feet pinched in the seat.
After adjusting the seat position, re-
lease the lever and try sliding the
seat forward and backward to make
sure it is locked in position.
After adjusting the seatback, push
your body back against the seat to
make sure the seat is locked in
position.
When returning the seatback to the
upright position, observe the follow-
ing precautions in order to prevent
personal injury in a collision or
sudden stop:
Make sure the seatback is securely
locked by pushing forward and rear-
ward on the top of the seatback.
Failure to do so will prevent the
seat belt from operating properly.
Make sure the seat belts are not
twisted or caught in the seatback
and are arranged in their proper
position and are ready to use.
Folding down the rear seatbacks will en-
large the luggage compartment. See
“—Stowage precautions” on page 305 in
Section 2 for precautions when loading
luggage.
Rear seats—
—Rear seat precautions
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2004 HIGHLANDER from Aug. ’03 Prod. (OM48478U)
To reduce the risk of sliding under
the lap belt during a collision,
avoid reclining the seatback any
more than needed. The seat belts
provide maximum protection in a
frontal or rear collision when the
passengers are sitting up straight
and well back in the seats. If you
are reclined, the lap belt may slide
past your hips and apply restraint
forces directly to the abdomen. In
the event of a frontal collision, the
more the seat is reclined, the great-
er the risk of personal injury.
After adjusting the seat position, re-
lease the lever and try sliding the
seat forward and backward to make
sure it is locked in position.
After adjusting the seatback, push
your body back against the seat to
make sure the seat is locked in
position.
NOTICE
Do not fold the second seat seatback
forward with the luggage cover hooks
attached.
For easy access to the third seat, do
this.
1. Lift the lever on the side of the seat- back and fold the seatback.
The seat will slide forward.
2. Move the seat to the front −most posi-
tion.
After passengers are in, lift up the seat-
back and return the seat until it locks.
CAUTION
After putting back the seat, try push-
ing the seat forward and rearward to
make sure it is secured in place.
To fold down the second seat after it has
been moved to access the third seat,
push the seatback up slightly and then
pull the seatback adjusting lever before
folding the seatback down. (See “—Fold-
ing down second seats” described below
for instructions about folding down the
second seat.)
—Moving second seat for
third seat access
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2004 HIGHLANDER from Aug. ’03 Prod. (OM48478U)
Vehicles with third seat
Vehicles without third seat
BEFORE FOLDING DOWN SECOND
SEATS
1. Stow the center seat belt buckle of the second seat as shown in the il-
lustration.
NOTICE
The seat belt buckle must be stowed
before you fold the second seat.
2. Make sure the outer seat beltspasses through the hangers when
folding the second seat.
This prevents the shoulder belt from being
damaged.
CAUTION
The seat belt must be removed from
the hangers when they are in use.
—Folding down second seats
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2004 HIGHLANDER from Aug. ’03 Prod. (OM48478U)
FOLDING DOWN SECOND SEATS
(vehicles without third seat)
Pull the seatback angle adjusting lever
to unlock the seatback and fold the
seatback down until it locks.
The seat position returns to the rear −most
position when the seatback is folded
down.
CAUTION
Be careful that the seat does not hit
a passenger or luggage.
NOTICE
Do not fold the second seat seatback
forward with the luggage cover hooks
attached.
Folding down the second seats will en-
large the luggage compartment. See
“—Stowage precautions” on page 305 in
Section 2 for precautions when loading
luggage.
CAUTION
When returning the seatback to the
upright position, observe the follow-
ing precautions in order to prevent
personal injury in a collision or sud-
den stop:
Make sure the seatback is securely
locked by pushing forward and rear-
ward on the top of the seatback.
Failure to do so will prevent the
seat belt from operating properly.
Make sure the seat belts are not
twisted or caught in the seatback
and are arranged in their proper
position and are ready to use.
FOLDING DOWN SECOND SEATS
(vehicles with third seat)
Pull the seatback angle adjusting lever
to unlock the seatback and fold the
seatback down until it locks.
Right side seat: The seat remains in posi-
tion when pushing the seat cushion back-
wards while folding down the seatback.
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2004 HIGHLANDER from Aug. ’03 Prod. (OM48478U)
CAUTION
Be careful that the seat does not
hit a passenger or luggage.
After folding down the right side
seat, try pushing the seat forward
and rearward to make sure it is se-
cured in place.
NOTICE
Do not fold the second seat seatback
forward with the luggage cover hooks
attached.
Folding down the second seats will en-
large the luggage compartment.
If there is space between the second seat
and the folded third seat seatback, slide
the folded second seat to the rear −most
position.
CAUTION
After sliding the seat, try pushing the
seat forward and rearward to make
sure it is secured in place.
See “—Stowage precautions” on page 305
in Section 2 for precautions when loading
luggage.
CAUTION
When returning the seatback to the
upright position, observe the follow-
ing precautions in order to prevent
personal injury in a collision or sud-
den stop:
Make sure the seatback is securely
locked by pushing forward and rear-
ward on the top of the seatback.
Failure to do so will prevent the
seat belt from operating properly.
Make sure the seat belts are not
twisted or caught in the seatback
and are arranged in their proper
position and are ready to use.
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2004 HIGHLANDER from Aug. ’03 Prod. (OM48478U)
From front
From rear1. SEATBACK ANGLE ADJUSTING
STRAP
Lean forward and pull the strap toward
you. Then lean back to the desired
angle and release the strap.
2. SEATBACK ANGLE ADJUSTING LEVER
Pull down the lever, then adjust the
seatback to the desired angle and re-
lease the lever.
CAUTION
Do not adjust the seat while the
vehicle is moving.
Be careful that the seat does not
hit a passenger or luggage.
To reduce the risk of sliding under
the lap belt during a collision,
avoid reclining the seatback any
more than needed. The seat belts
provide maximum protection in a
frontal or rear collision when the
passengers are sitting up straight
and well back in the seats. If you
are reclined, the lap belt may slide
past your hips and apply restraint
forces directly to the abdomen. In
the event of a frontal collision, the
more the seat is reclined, the great-
er the risk of personal injury.
After adjusting the seatback, push
your body back against the seat to
make sure the seat is locked in
position.
—Adjusting third seat