2004 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER flat tire

’04 HIGHLANDER_U (L/O 0308)
334
2004 HIGHLANDER from Aug. ’03 Prod. (OM48478U)
8. Remove the holding bracket.
Vehicles with aluminium wheels—
Remove the spare tire cover.2. Block the wheel diagonally op-posite the flat tire to keep the
vehicle from rolling when it is
jacked up.
When blocking the wheel, place a
wheel block in front of one of the front
wheels or behind one of the rear
wheels.Ty p e A
Ty p e B
—Blocking the wheel —Removing wheel ornament

’04 HIGHLANDER_U (L/O 0308)
336
2004 HIGHLANDER from Aug. ’03 Prod. (OM48478U)
5. Position the jack at the correct
jack point as shown.
Make sure the jack is positioned on
a level and solid place.6. After making sure that no one is in the vehicle, raise it high
enough so that the spare tire
can be installed.
Remember you will need more ground
clearance when putting on the spare
tire than when removing the flat tire.
To raise the vehicl e, insert the jack
handle into the jack (it is a loose fit)
and turn it clockwise. As the jack
touches the vehicle and begins to lift,
double −check that it is properly posi-
tioned.
CAUTION
Never get under the vehicle when
the vehicle is supported by the
jack alone.
—Positioning the jack —Raising your vehicle

’04 HIGHLANDER_U (L/O 0308)
337
2004 HIGHLANDER from Aug. ’03 Prod. (OM48478U)
7. Remove the wheel nuts and
change tires.
Lift the flat tire straight off and put it
aside.
Roll the spare wheel into position and
align the holes in the wheel with the
bolts. Then lift up the wheel and get
at least the top bolt started through
its hole. Wiggle the tire and press it
back over the other bolts.Before putting on wheels, remove any
corrosion on the mounting surfaces
with a wire brush or such. Installation
of wheels without good metal− to−met-
al contact at the mounting surface can
cause wheel nuts to loosen and
eventually cause a wheel to come off
while driving.8. Reinstall all the wheel nuts fin- ger tight.
Reinstall the wheel nuts (tapered end
inward) and tighten them as much as
you can by hand. Press back on the
tire back and see if you can tighten
them more.
—Changing wheels —Reinstalling wheel nuts

’04 HIGHLANDER_U (L/O 0308)
339
2004 HIGHLANDER from Aug. ’03 Prod. (OM48478U)
Ty p e A
Ty p e B 10.Reinstall the wheel ornament.
1. Put the wheel ornament into posi- tion.
2. Then tap it firmly with the side or heel of your hand to snap it into
place.
CAUTION
Take due care in handling the or-
nament to avoid unexpected per-
sonal injury.
11. Check the air pressure of the re- placed tire.
Adjust the air pressu re to the specifi-
cation designated on page 402 in
Section 8. If the pressure is lower,
drive slowly to the nearest service
station and fill to the correct pressure.
Do not forget to reinstall the tire infla-
tion valve cap as dirt and moisture
could get into th e valve core and
possibly cause air leakage. If the cap
is missing, have a new one put on as
soon as possible.
12.Restow all the tools, jack and flat tire securely.
As soon after changing wheels as
possible, tighten the wheel nuts to the
torque specified on page 402 in Sec-
tion 8 with a torque wrench. Have a
technician repair the flat tire and re-
place the spare tire with it.
Initial adjustment of the tire pres-
sure warning system is necessary
after you have replaced your tires
or wheels. See “Tire pressure
warning system” on page 155 in
Section 17.
—Reinstalling wheel ornament —After changing wheels

’04 HIGHLANDER_U (L/O 0308)
340
2004 HIGHLANDER from Aug. ’03 Prod. (OM48478U)
CAUTION
Before driving, make sure all the
tools, jack and flat tire are se-
curely in place in their storage
location to reduce the possibility
of personal injury during a colli-
sion or sudden braking.
If your vehicle becomes stuck in snow,
mud, sand, etc., then you may attempt
to rock the vehicle free by moving it
forward and backward.
Twowheel drive models—
Turn off the traction control system to
become unstuck to allow the tires to
spin enough to remove the vehicle from
the obstruction. (For details, see “Trac-
tion control system (twowheel drive
models)” on page 150 in Section 17.)
CAUTION
Do not attempt to rock the vehicle
free by moving it forward and back-
ward if people or objects are any-
where near the vehicle. During the
rocking operation the vehicle may
suddenly move forward or backward
as it becomes unstuck, causing injury
or damage to nearby people or ob-
jects.
NOTICE
If you rock your vehicle, observe the
following precautions to prevent dam-
age to the transmission and other
parts.
Do not depress the accelerator ped-
al while shifting the selector lever
or before the transmission is com-
pletely shifted to forward or reverse
gear.
 Do not race the engine and avoid
spinning the wheels.
 If your vehicle remains stuck after
rocking the vehicle several times,
consider other ways such as tow-
ing.
If your vehicle becomes stuck

’04 HIGHLANDER_U (L/O 0308)
361
2004 HIGHLANDER from Aug. ’03 Prod. (OM48478U)
Tire inflation pressure
Check the pressure with a gauge ev-
ery two weeks, or at least once a
month. See page 377 in Section 7 −2
for additional information.
Tire surface and wheel nuts
Check the tires carefully for cuts,
damage or excessive wear. See page
380 in Section 7− 2 for additional in-
formation. When checking the tires,
make sure no nuts are missing, and
check the nuts for looseness. Tighten
them if necessary.
Tire rotation
Rotate the tires according to the
maintenance schedule. (For sched-
uled maintenance information, please
refer to the “Scheduled Maintenance
Guide” or “Owner ’s Manual Supple-
ment”.) See page 382 in Section 7 −2
for additional information.Be on the alert for changes in perfor-
mance, sounds, and visual tip −offs 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.)
Flat −looking 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 normal If 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?

’04 HIGHLANDER_U (L/O 0308)
371
2004 HIGHLANDER from Aug. ’03 Prod. (OM48478U)
DOITYOURSELF MAINTENANCE
Engine and Chassis
Checking the engine oil level 372
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Checking the engine coolant level 375
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Checking the radiator and condenser 376
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Checking brake fluid 376
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . \
. . . .
Checking power steering fluid 377
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Checking tire inflation pressure 377
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Checking and replacing tires 380
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Rotating tires 382
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . \
. . . . . . . . . . .
Installing snow tires and chains 382
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Replacing wheels 384
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . \
. . . . . . .
Aluminum wheel precautions 385
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
SECTION 7 2

’04 HIGHLANDER_U (L/O 0308)
377
2004 HIGHLANDER from Aug. ’03 Prod. (OM48478U)
OpenIf hot O.K.
If hot add
If cold add If cold O.K.
Close
Check the fluid level through the reser-
voir. If necessary, add automatic trans-
mission fluid DEXRON II or III.
If the vehicle has been driven around 80
km/h (50 mph) for 20 minutes (a little
more in frigid temperatures), the fluid is
hot (80 C or 175 F). You may also check
the level when the fluid is cold (about
room temperature, 10 C—30 C or
50 F—85 F) if the engine has not been
run for about five hours. Clean all dirt from outside of the reservoir
tank and look at the fluid level. If the fluid
is cold, the level should be in the “COLD”
range. Similarly, if it is hot, the fluid level
should be in the “HOT” range. If the level
is at the low side of either range, add
automatic transmission fluid DEXRON
II or
III to bring the level within the range.
To remove the reservoir cap, turn it coun-
terclockwise and lift up. To reinstall it,
turn it clockwise. After replacing the reser-
voir cap, visually check the steering box
case, vane pump and hose connections
for leaks or damage.
CAUTION
The reservoir tank may be hot so be
careful not to burn yourself.
NOTICE
Avoid overfilling, or the power steer-
ing could be damaged.
Checking power steering fluid Checking tire inflation
pressure