2008 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER parking brake

418 4-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
CAUTION
■When raising your vehicle
Make sure to observe the following to reduce the possibility of death or\
seri-
ous injury.
●Do not use the jack that was supplied with your vehicle.
● Do not put any part of your body or get underneath the vehicle supported
only by a floor jack.
Always use automotive jack stands on a solid, level surface.
● Do not start the engine while the vehicle is supported by the jack.
● Stop the vehicle on level firm ground, firmly set the parking brake and shift
the shift lever in P.
● Make sure to set the floor jack properly at the jack point.
Raising the vehicle with an improperly positioned floor jack will damage
the vehicle and may cause the vehicle to fall off the floor jack.
● Do not raise the vehicle while someone is in the vehicle.
● When raising the vehicle, do not place any objects on top of or underneath
the floor jack.
NOTICE
■Front jack point cover
●After installing the front jack point cover, make sure it is securely in its orig-
inal position.
● Before jacking up your vehicles, remove the front jack point cover. Other-
wise, the cover may be damaged.
●Lift up the vehicle using a floor jack
such as the one shown in the illustra-
tion.

5
When trouble arises
479
5-1. Essential information
Emergency towing
If a tow truck is not available, in an emergency your vehicle may be
temporarily towed using a cable or chain secured to the emergency
towing eyelet(s). This should only be attempted on hard surfaced
roads for short distances at low speeds.
A driver must be in the vehicle to steer and operate the brakes. The
vehicle’s wheels, drive train, axles, steering and brakes must be in
good condition.
Towing eyelet
■Emergency towin g procedure
Release the parking brake.
Shift the shift lever to N.
Turn the “ENGINE START STOP” switch or the engine switch to
ACC (engine off) or ON (engine running).
CAUTION
■ Caution while towing
●Use extreme caution when towing the vehicle.
Avoid sudden starts or erratic driving maneuvers which place excessive
stress on the emergency towing eyelets and the cables or chains.
● If the engine is not running, the power assist for the brakes and steering
will not function, making steering and braking more difficult.
STEP1
STEP2
STEP3

482 5-1. Essential information
Towing with a sling-type truck
Towing with a wheel lift-type truckFrom the front (2WD models) Release the parking brake.
NOTICE
■To prevent body damage
Do not tow with a sling-type truck, either from the front or rear.

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When trouble arises
489
5-2. Steps to take in an emergency
If a war ning light turns on or a war ning buzzer sounds...
Stop the vehicle immediately. Continuing to drive the vehicle may be dangerous.
The following warning indicates a possible problem in the brake sys-
tem. Immediately stop the vehicle in a safe place and contact your
Toyota dealer.
*: Parking brake engaged warning buzzer:
A buzzer sounds to indicate that the parking brake is still engaged (with the
vehicle having reached a speed of 3 mph [5 km/h]).
Warning lightWarning light/Details
(U.S.A.)
(Canada) Brake system warning light (warning buzzer)*
• Low brake fluid
• Malfunction in the brake system This light also comes on when the parking brake is not
released. If the light turns off after the parking brake is
fully released, the system is operating normally.
Calmly perform the following actions if any of the warning lights turn
on or flash. If a light turns on or flashes, but then turns off, this does
not necessarily indicate a malfunction in the system.

5
When trouble arises
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5-2. Steps to take in an emergency
If you have a flat tire
Remove the flat tire and replace it with the spare provided.
■Before jacking up the vehicle
●Stop the vehicle on a hard, flat surface.
● Set the parking brake.
● Shift the shift lever to P.
● Stop the engine.
● Turn on the emergency flashers.
■ Location of the spare tire, jack and tools
Jack handle
Adapter
socket Towing eyelet
Jack handle
Wrench
Spare tire
Jack

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When trouble arises
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5-2. Steps to take in an emergency
Emergency start function (vehicles with smart key system)
When the engine does not start, the following steps can be used as
an interim measure to start the engine if the “ENGINE START STOP”
switch is functioning normally. Set the parking brake.
Shift the shift lever to P.
Set the “ENGINE START STOP” switch to the ACC mode.
Push and hold the “ENGINE START STOP” switch about 15
seconds while depressing the brake pedal firmly.
Even if the engine can be start ed using the above steps, the system
may be malfunctioning. Have the vehicle checked by your Toyota
dealer.
■ The starter motor does not turn over, the interior lights and
headlights do not turn on, or the horn does not sound.
One of the following may be the cause of the problem.
● One or both of the battery terminals may be disconnected.
● The battery may be discharged. ( P. 516)
● There may be a malfunction in the steering lock system (vehi-
cles with smart key system).
Contact your Toyota dealer if the problem cannot be repaired, or if
repair procedures are unknown.
STEP1
STEP2
STEP3
STEP4

512
5-2. Steps to take in an emergency
If the shift lever cannot be shifted from P
If the shift lever cannot be shifted with your foot on the brake, there
may be a problem with the shift lock system (a system to prevent
accidental operation of the shift lever). Have the vehicle inspected by
your Toyota dealer immediately.
The following steps may be used as an emergency measure to
ensure that the shift lever can be shifted.
Set the parking brake.
Turn the “ENGINE START STOP” switch or the engine
switch to the ACC.
Depress the brake pedal.
Pry the cover up with a flat-
head screwdriver or equiva-
lent.
Press the shift lock override
button.
The shift lever can be shifted
while the button is pressed.
STEP1
STEP2
STEP3
STEP4
STEP5

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When trouble arises
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5-2. Steps to take in an emergency
If the vehicle becomes stuck
■Emergency hooks
Carry out the following procedures if the tires spin or the vehicle
becomes stuck in mud, dirt, or snow.
Stop the engine. Set the parking brake and put the shift
lever in P.
Remove the mud, snow, or sand from around the stuck tire.
Place wood, stones or some other material to help provide
traction under the tires.
Restart the engine.
Shift the shift lever to the D or R position and carefully apply
the accelerator to free the vehicle.
Turn off TRAC and/or VSC if these functions are hampering your
attempts to free the vehicle. ( P. 210)
STEP1
STEP2
STEP3
STEP4
STEP5
If your vehicle becomes stuck and cannot
move, the emergency hooks are used for
another vehicle to pull your vehicle out in
an emergency.
Your vehicle is not designed to tow
another vehicle.