2004 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER Owners Manual

’04 HIGHLANDER_U (L/O 0308)
41
2004 HIGHLANDER from Aug. ’03 Prod. (OM48478U)
Vehicles with third seatVehicles without third seat
1. SEAT POSITION ADJUSTING LEVER
Hold the center of the lever and pull it
up. Then slide the seat to the desired
position with slight body pressure and
release the lever.
2. SEATBACK ANGLE ADJUSTING LEVER
Pull the lever up. Then lean back to the
desired angle and release 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.
—Adjusting second seats

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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

’04 HIGHLANDER_U (L/O 0308)
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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.

’04 HIGHLANDER_U (L/O 0308)
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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

’04 HIGHLANDER_U (L/O 0308)
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2004 HIGHLANDER from Aug. ’03 Prod. (OM48478U)
BEFORE FOLDING DOWN THIRD SEAT
Make sure that the seat is clear of
people and luggage.
1. Stow the third seat seat belt buckles as shown in the illustration.
NOTICE
The seat belt buckles must be stowed
before you fold the third seat.
2. To stow the seat belt, insert the tabsinto the slot as shown above. Make
sure the tabs are securely locked in
the slot.
NOTICE
The seat belt must be stowed before
you fold the seatback.
—Folding down third seat

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2004 HIGHLANDER from Aug. ’03 Prod. (OM48478U)
From front
From rearFOLDING DOWN THIRD SEAT
Lower the head restraints to the lowest
position. Pull the seatback angle adjust-
ing strap toward you or pull down the
seatback angle adjusting lever to un-
lock the seatback and fold the seatback
down until it locks.
CAUTION
Be careful that the seat does not hit
a passenger or luggage.
Folding down the third seat will enlarge
the luggage compartment. See “—Stowage
precautions” on page 305 in Section 2 for
precautions when loading luggage.RETURNING THIRD SEAT
Pull the seatback adjusting lever to un-
lock the seatback and fold up the seat-
back to its upright lock position.