2009 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER spare tire

250 2-5. Driving information
CAUTION
■Trailer towing precautions
●Follow all the instructions described in this section. Failure to do so could
cause an accident resulting in death or serious injury.
● Exceeding the towing capacity, GVWR or GAWR can cause an accident
resulting in death or serious personal injuries.
■ To avoid accident or injury
●Do not exceed 45 mph (72 km/h) or the posted towing speed limit, which-
ever is lower. As instability (swaying) of the towing vehicle-trailer combina-
tion increases as speed increases, exceeding 45 mph (72 km/h) may
cause loss of control.
● Do not exceed the trailer hitch assembly weight, gross vehicle weight,
gross axle weight and trailer tongue load capacities.
● Never load more weight in the back than in the front of the trailer. About
60% of the load should be in the front half of the trailer, and the remaining
40% in the rear.
● Do not use cruise control when you are towing.
● Slow down and downshift before descending steep or long downhill
grades. Do not make sudden downshifts.
● Avoid holding the brake pedal down too long or applying the brakes too
frequently. This could cause the brakes to overheat and result in reduced
braking efficiency.
● Do not tow the vehicle with the compact spare tire installed.
■ Hitches
●If you wish to install a trailer hitch, contact your Toyota dealer.
● Use only a hitch that conforms to the gross trailer weight requirement.
● 2.7 L 4-cylinder (1AR-FE) engine: The towing capacity of 3500 lb. (1500
kg) can only be guaranteed when using a genuine Toyota hitch assembly
or equivalent.
● 3.5 L V6 (2GR-FE) engine: The towing capacity of 5000 lb. (2000 kg) can
only be guaranteed when using a genuine Toyota hitch assembly or equiv-
alent.
● Follow the directions supplied by the hitch manufacturer.

453
4-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
4
Maintenance and care
Tires
Replace or rotate tires in accordance with maintenance sched-
ules and treadwear.
■Checking tires
New tread
Treadwear indicator
Worn tread
The location of treadwear
indicators is shown by the
“TWI” or “ ” marks, etc.,
molded on the sidewall of
each tire.
Check spare tire condition
and inflation pressure if not
rotated.
■Tire rotation
Vehicles without compact spare tire
Rotate the tires in the order
shown.
To equalize tire wear and
extend tire life, Toyota recom-
mends that tire rotation is
carried out at the same inter-
val as tire inspection.
Front

454 4-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
Vehicles with compact spare tireRotate the tires in the order
shown.
To equalize tire wear and
extend tire life, Toyota recom-
mends that tire rotation is
carried out at the same inter-
val as tire inspection.
■The tire pressure warning system
Your Toyota is equipped with a ti re pressure warning system that
uses tire pressure warning valves and transmitters to detect low
tire inflation pressure before serious problems arise. ( →P. 513,
521)
Vehicles with compact spare tire: The compact spare tire is not
equipped with the tire pressure warning valve and transmitters.
Front

461
4-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
4
Maintenance and care
CAUTION
■When inspecting or replacing tires
Observe the following precautions to prevent accidents. Failure to do so
may cause damage to parts of the drive train, as well as dangerous han-
dling characteristics, which may lead
to an accident resulting in death or
serious injury.
●Do not mix tires of different makes, models, tread patterns or tread-
wear.
●Do not use tire sizes other than those recommended by Toyota.
●Do not mix radial, bias-belted, or bias-ply tires.
●Do not mix summer, all season and winter tires.
●Do not tow the vehicle with the spare tire installed.
■When initializing the tire pressure warning system
Do not push the tire pressure warnin g reset switch without first adjusting
the tire inflation pressure to the spec ified level. Otherwise, the tire pres-
sure warning light may not come on even if the tire inflation pressure is
low, or it may come on when the tire inflation pressure is actually normal.

464 4-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
■Tire inflation pressure check interval
You should check tire inflation pressure every two weeks, or at least
once a month.
Do not forget to check the spare.
■Inspection and adjustment procedure
Tire valve
Tire pressure gauge
Remove the tire valve cap.
Press the tip of the tire pressure gauge onto the tire valve.
Read the pressure using the graduations of the gauge.
If the tire inflation pressure is not within the recommended
levels, adjust the pressure.
If you add too much air, pres s the center of the valve to
lower.
After completing the tire inflation pressure measurement
and adjustment, apply soapy water to the valve and check
for leakage.
Reinstall the tire valve cap.
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516 5-2. Steps to take in an emergency
■When the tire pressure warning light comes on
Check the tire inflation pressure and adjust to the appropriate level.
Pushing the tire pressure warning reset switch does not turn off the tire
pressure warning light.
■The tire pressure warning light may turn on due to natural causes
The tire pressure warning light may turn on due to natural causes such
as natural air leaks or tire inflat ion pressure changes caused by tem-
perature. In this case, adjusting the tire inflation pressure will turn off the
warning light (after a few minutes).
■When a tire is replaced with a spare tire
Without compact spare tire
The spare tire is also equipped with the tire pressure warning valve and
transmitter. The tire pressure warning light will turn on if the tire inflation
pressure of the spare tire is low. If a tire goes flat, even though the flat
tire is replaced with the spare tire, the tire pressure warning light does
not turn off. Replace the spare tire with the repaired tire and adjust the
proper tire inflation pressure. The tire pressure warning light will turn off
after a few minutes.
With compact spare tire
The compact spare tire is not equipped with the tire pressure warning
valve and transmitter. If a tire goes flat, the tire pressure warning light will
not turn off even though the flat tire is replaced with the spare tire.
Replace the spare tire with the repaired tire and adjust the proper tire
inflation pressure. The tire pressure warning light will turn off after a few
minutes.

5
When trouble arises
517
5-2. Steps to take in an emergency
■If the tire pressure warning system is inoperative
The tire pressure warning system will be disabled in the following condi-
tions:
(When the condition be
comes normal, the system will work properly.)
●If tires not equipped with tire pressure warning valves and transmit-
ters are used.
●If the ID code on the tire pressure warning valves and transmitters is
not registered in the tire pressure warning computer.
●If the tire inflation pressure is 73 psi (500 kPa, 5.1 kgf/cm2 or bar) or
higher.
The tire pressure warning system may be disabled in the following condi-
tions:
(When the condition be comes normal, the system will work properly.)
●If electronic devices or facilities using similar radio wave frequencies
are nearby.
●If a radio set at similar frequencies is in use in the vehicle.
●If a window tint that affects the radio wave signals is installed.
●If there is a lot of snow or ice on the vehicle, in particular around the
wheels or wheel housings.
●If non-genuine Toyota wheels are used. (Even if you use Toyota
wheels, the tire pressure warning system may not work properly with
some types of tires.)
●If tire chains are used.
Vehicles without compact spare tire
●If the spare tire is in a location subject to poor radio wave signal
reception.
●If a large metallic object which can interfer e with signal reception is
put in the luggage room.

5
When trouble arises
519
5-2. Steps to take in an emergency
CAUTION
■If the tire pressure warning light comes on
Be sure to observe the following precautions. Failure to do so could
cause loss of vehicle control and result in death or serious injury.
●Stop your vehicle in a safe place
as soon as possible. Adjust the tire
inflation pressure immediately.
●If the tire pressure warning light comes on even after tire inflation pres-
sure adjustment, it is pr obable that you have a flat tire. Check the tires.
If the tire is flat, change to the spar e tire and have the flat tire repaired
by the nearest Toyota dealer.
●Avoid abrupt maneuvering and braking. If the vehicle tires deteriorate,
you could lose control of the steering wheel or the brakes.
■If a blowout or sudden air leakage should occur
The tire pressure warning syste m may not activate immediately.
■Maintenance of the tires
Each tire, including the spare (if provided), should be checked monthly
when cold and inflated to the inflation pressure recommended by the
vehicle manufacturer on the vehicle placard or tire inflation pressure
label (tire and load information label). (If your vehicle has tires of a differ-
ent size than the size indicated on the vehicle placard or tire inflation
pressure label [tire and load information label], you should determine the
proper tire inflation pr essure for those tires.)
As an added safety feature, your vehicle has been equipped with a tire
pressure monitoring system (TPMS-ti re pressure warning system) that
illuminates a low tire pressure telltal e (tire pressure warning light) when
one or more of your tires is sign ificantly under-inflated. Accordingly,
when the low tire pressu re telltale (tire pressure warning light) illumi-
nates, you should stop and check your tires as soon as possible, and
inflate them to the proper pressure. Driving on a significantly under-
inflated tire causes the tire to overheat and can lead to tire failure.
Under-inflation also reduces fuel effi ciency and tire tread life, and may
affect the vehicle's handling and stopping ability.