2004 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER engine oil

’04 HIGHLANDER_U (L/O 0308)
288
2004 HIGHLANDER from Aug. ’03 Prod. (OM48478U)
Keep the back door closed while
driving. An open or unsealed back
door may cause exhaust gases to
be drawn into the vehicle.
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.
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 high
−speed 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.
Oil consumption: Max. 1.0 L per 1000
km (1.1 qt./600 miles, 0.9 lmp. qt./600
miles)
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.
The diluting ingredients evaporate out
when the vehicle is then driven at high
speeds, as on an expressway, making it
appear that oil is excessively consumed
after driving at high speeds.
Facts about engine oil
consumption

’04 HIGHLANDER_U (L/O 0308)
289
2004 HIGHLANDER from Aug. ’03 Prod. (OM48478U)
IMPORTANCE OF ENGINE OIL LEVEL
CHECK
One of the most important points in prop-
er vehicle maintenance is to keep the en-
gine oil at the optimum level so that oil
function will not be impaired. Therefore, it
is essential that the oil level be checked
regularly. Toyota recommends that the oil
level be checked every time you refuel
the vehicle.
NOTICE
Failure to check the oil level regularly
could lead to serious engine trouble
due to insufficient oil.
For detailed information on oil level check,
see “Checking the engine oil level” on
page 372 in Section 7−2.
Your engine is fitted with iridiumtipped
spark plugs.
NOTICE
Use only iridiumtipped spark plugs
and do not adjust gaps for your en-
gine performance and smooth drive-
ability.
The tandem master cylinder brake system
is a hydraulic system with two separate
sub −systems. If either sub −system s hould
fail, the other will still work. However, the
pedal will be harder to press, and your
stopping distance will increase. Also, the
brake system warning light may come on.
CAUTION
Do not drive your vehicle with only a
single brake system. Have your
brakes fixed immediately.
BRAKE BOOSTER
The brake booster uses engine vacuum to
power −assist the brakes. If the engine
should quit while you are driving, you can
bring the vehicle to a stop with normal
pedal pressure. There is enough reserved
vacuum for one or two stops—but no
more!
Iridiumtipped spark plugs Brake system

’04 HIGHLANDER_U (L/O 0308)
301
2004 HIGHLANDER from Aug. ’03 Prod. (OM48478U)
Cold tire inflation pressure
Tire inflation pressure when the vehicle has been parked at least 3 hours
or more, or it has not been driven more than 1.5 km or 1 mile under that
condition
Maximum inflation pressureThe maximum cold inflation pressure to which a tire may be inflated and
shown on the sidewall of the tire
Recommended inflation pressureCold tire inflation pressure recommended by a manufacturer
Accessory weight
The combined weight (in excess of those standard items which may be
replaced) of automatic transmission, power steering, power brakes, power
windows, power seats, radio, and heater, to the extent that these items
are available as factory −installed equipment (whether installed or not)
Curb weight
The weight of a motor vehicle wi th standard equipment including the
maximum capacity of fuel, oil, and coolant, and, if so equipped, air
conditioning and additional weight optional engine
Maximum loaded vehicle weight
T he sum of —
(a) Curb weight;
(b) Accessory weight;
(c) Vehicle capacity weight; and
(d) Production options weight
Normal occupant weight68 kg (150 lb.) times the number of occupants specified in the second
column of Table 1 that follows
— Tire relat ed terms

’04 HIGHLANDER_U (L/O 0308)
313
2004 HIGHLANDER from Aug. ’03 Prod. (OM48478U)
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 your coolant is properly pro-
tected against freezing.
Only use “Toyota Super Long Life Coolant”
or similar high quality ethylene glycol
based non −silicate, non −amine, non− nitrite,
and non −borate coolant with long −life hy-
brid organic acid technology.
See “Checking the engine coolant level”
on page 375 in Section 7 −2 for details of
coolant type selection.
“Toyota Super Long Life Coolant” is pre −
mixed with 50% coolant and 50% deion-
ized water. This coolant provides protec-
tion down to about −35 C ( −31 F).
NOTICE
Do not use plain water alone.
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 7− 3 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

’04 HIGHLANDER_U (L/O 0308)
314
2004 HIGHLANDER from Aug. ’03 Prod. (OM48478U)
Make sure the engine oil viscosity is
suitable for the cold weather.
See page 372 in Section 7 −2 for recom-
mended viscosity. Leaving a heavy sum-
mer oil in your vehicle during winter
months may cause harder starting. If you
are not sure about which oil to use, call
your Toyota dealer–he will be pleased to
help.
Keep the door locks from freezing.
Squirt lock de −icer or glycerine into the
locks to keep them from freezing.
Use a washer fluid containing an anti-
freeze solution.
This product is available at your Toyota
dealer and most auto parts stores. Follow
the manufacturer ’s directions for how
much to mix with water.
NOTICE
Do not use engine antifreeze or any
other substitute because it may dam-
age your vehicle’s paint.
Do not use your parking brake when
there is a possibility it could freeze.
When parking, put the transmission into
“P” and block the rear wheels. Do not use
the parking brake, or snow or water accu-
mulated in and around the parking brake
mechanism may freeze, making it hard to
release.
Keep ice and snow from accumulating
under the fenders.
Ice and snow built up under your fenders
can make steering difficult. During bad
winter driving, stop and check under the
fenders occasionally.
Depending on where you are driving,
we recommend you carry some emer-
gency equipment.
Some of the things you might put in the
vehicle are tire chains, window scraper,
bag of sand or salt, flares, small shovel,
jumper cables, etc.
Your vehicle is not designed to be
dinghy towed (with four wheels on the
ground) behind a motorhome.
NOTICE
Do not tow your vehicle with four
wheels on the ground. This may
cause serious damage to your vehicle.
Dinghy towing

Finish
’04 HIGHLANDER_U (L/O 0308)
321
2004 HIGHLANDER from Aug. ’03 Prod. (OM48478U)
Keep the front wheels in proper
alignment. Avoid hitting the curb and
slow down on rough roads. Improper
alignment not only causes faster tire
wear but also puts an extra load on
the engine, which, in turn, wastes fuel.
Keep the bottom of your vehicle free
from mud, etc. This not only lessens
weight but also helps prevent corro-
sion.
Keep your vehicle tunedup and in
top shape. A dirty air cleaner, improp-
er valve clearance, dirty plugs, dirty oil
and grease,brakes not adjusted, etc. all
lower engine performance and contrib-
ute to poor fuel economy. For longer
life of all parts and lower operating
costs, keep all maintenance work on
schedule, and if you often drive under
severe conditions, see that your vehicle
receives more frequent maintenance.
(For scheduled maintenance informa-
tion, please refer to the “Scheduled
Maintenance Guide” or “Owner ’s Manu-
al Supplement”.)
CAUTION
Never turn off the engine to coast
down hills. Your power steering and
brake booster will not function with-
out the engine running. Also, the
emission control system operates
properly only when the engine is run-
ning.

’04 HIGHLANDER_U (L/O 0308)
328
2004 HIGHLANDER from Aug. ’03 Prod. (OM48478U)
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.
3. Look for obvious coolant leaks from theradiator, hoses, and under the vehicle.
However, note that water draining from
the air conditioning is normal if it has
been used.
CAUTION
When the engine is running, keep
hands and clothing away from the
moving fan and engine drive belts.
4. If the coolant is leaking, stop the en-gine immediately. Call a Toyota dealer
for assistance.
5. If there are no obvious leaks, check the coolant reservoir. If it is dry, add
coolant to the reservoir while the en-
gine is running. Fill it about half full.
CAUTION
Do not attempt to remove the radiator
cap when the engine and radiator are
hot. Serious injury could result from
scalding hot fluid and steam blown
out under pressure.
6. After the engine coolant temperaturehas cooled to normal, again check the
coolant level in the reservoir. If neces-
sary, bring it up to half full again. Seri-
ous coolant loss indicates a leak in the
system. You s hould have it checked as
soon as possible at your Toyota dealer.
If your vehicle overheats

’04 HIGHLANDER_U (L/O 0308)
359
2004 HIGHLANDER from Aug. ’03 Prod. (OM48478U)
If you are a skilled do−it−yourself mechan-
ic, the Toyota service manuals are recom-
mended. Please be aware that do −it−your-
self maintenance can affect your warranty
coverage. See “Owner ’s Warranty Informa-
tion Booklet” or “Owner ’s Manual Supple-
ment” for the details. Listed below are the general maintenance
items that should be performed as fre-
quently as specified. In addition to check-
ing the items listed, if you notice any
unusual noise, smell or vibration, you
should investigate the cause or take your
vehicle to your Toyota dealer or a quali-
fied service shop immediately. It is recom-
mended that any problem you notice be
brought to the attention of your dealer or
the qualified service shop for their advice.
CAUTION
Make these checks only with ade-
quate ventilation if you run the en-
gine.
IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT
Items listed below should be checked
from time to time, e.g. each time when
refueling.
Washer fluid
Make sure there is sufficient fluid in the
tank. See page 391 in Section 7
−3 for
additional information. Engine coolant level
Make sure the coolant level is between
the “F” and “L” lines on the see
−through
reservoir when the engine is cold. See
page 375 in Section 7 −2 for additional
information.
Radiator, condenser and hoses
Check that the front of the radiator and
condenser are clean and not blocked with
leaves, dirt or insects. See page 376 in
Section 7 −2 for additional information.
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 388 for additional information.
Brake fluid level
Make sure the brake fluid level is correct.
See page 376 in Section 7 −2 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 372 in Section
7 −2 for additional information.
General maintenance