2012 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER HYBRID wheel

265
2-5. Driving information
2
When driving
Trailer towing tips
Your vehicle will handle differently when towing a trailer. Help to avoid
an accident, death or serious injury, keep the following in mind when
towing:
● Speed limits for towing a trailer vary by state or province. Do not
exceed the posted towing speed limit.
● Toyota recommends that the vehicle-trailer speed limit is 65 mph
(104 km/h) on a flat, straight, dry road. Do not exceed this limit, the
posted towing speed limit or the speed limit for your trailer as set
forth in your trailer owner’s man ual, whichever is lowest. Instability
of the towing vehicle-trailer combin ation (trailer sway) increases as
speed increases. Exceeding speed limits may cause loss of con-
trol.
● Before starting out, check the trailer lights, tires and the vehicle-
trailer connections. Recheck after driving a short distance.
● Practice turning, stopping and reve rsing with the trailer attached in
an area away from traffic until you become accustomed to the feel
of the vehicle-trailer combination.
● Reversing with a trailer attached is difficult and requires practice.
Grip the bottom of the steering wheel and move your hand to the
left to move the trailer to the left. Move your hand to the right to
move the trailer to the right. (Thi s is generally opposite to reversing
without a trailer attached.) Avoid sharp or prolonged turning. Have
someone guide you when reversing to reduce the risk of an acci-
dent.
● As stopping distance is increased when towing a trailer, vehicle-to-
vehicle distance should be increased. For each 10 mph (16 km/h)
of speed, allow at least o ne vehicle and trailer length.
● Avoid sudden braking as you may skid, resulting in the trailer jack-
knifing and a loss of vehicle control. This is especially true on wet
or slippery surfaces.

266 2-5. Driving information
●Avoid jerky starts or sudden acceleration.
● Avoid jerky steering and sharp turns, and slow down before mak-
ing a turn.
● Note that when making a turn, th e trailer wheels will be closer than
the vehicle wheels to the inside of the turn. Compensate by making
a wider than normal turning radius.
● Slow down before making a turn, in cross winds, on wet or slippery
surfaces, etc.
Increasing vehicle speed c an destabilize the trailer.
● Take care when passing other v ehicles. Passing requires consider-
able distance. After passing a vehi cle, do not forget the length of
your trailer, and be sure you hav e plenty of room before changing
lanes.
● To maintain engine braking efficiency and charging system perfor-
mance when using engine braking, do not put the transmission in
D.
● Instability happens more frequently when descending steep or long
downhill grades. Before descending, slow down and downshift. Do
not make sudden downshifts while descending steep or long down-
hill grades.
● 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.
● Due to the added load of the trailer, your vehicle’s engine may
overheat on hot days (at temper atures over 85°F [30°C]) when
driving up a long or steep grade. If the engine coolant temperature
gauge indicates overheating, immediately turn off the air condition-
ing (if in use), pull your vehicle off the road and stop in a safe spot.
(  P. 562)

267
2-5. Driving information
2
When driving
●
Always place wheel blocks under both the vehicle’s and the
trailer’s wheels when parking. Ap ply the parking brake firmly, and
put the transmission in P. Avoid pa rking on a slope, but if unavoid-
able, do so only after performing the following:
Apply the brakes and keep them applied.
Have someone place wheel blo cks under both the vehicle’s
and trailer’s wheels.
When the wheel blocks are in pl ace, release the brakes slowly
until the blocks absorb the load.
Apply the parking brake firmly.
Shift into P and turn off the hybrid system.
● When restarting after parking on a slope:
With the transmission in P, start the hybrid system. Be sure to
keep the brake pedal depressed.
Shift into a forward gear. If reversing, shift into R.
Release the parking brake and also the brake pedal, and
slowly pull or back away from the wheel blocks. Stop and
apply the brakes.
Have someone retrieve the blocks.
STEP1
STEP2
STEP3
STEP4
STEP5
STEP1
STEP2
STEP3
STEP4

269
2-5. Driving information
2
When driving
■
Break-in schedule
If your vehicle is new or equipped with any new power train components
(such as an engine, transmission, differential or wheel bearing), Toyota rec-
ommends that you do not tow a trailer until the vehicle has been driven \
for
over 500 miles (800 km).
After the vehicle has been driven for over 500 miles (800 km), you can s\
tart
towing. However, for the next 500 miles (800 km), drive the vehicle at a
speed of less than 50 mph (80 km/h) when towing a trailer, and avoid full
throttle acceleration.
■ Maintenance
●If you tow a trailer, your vehicle will require more frequent maintenance
due to the additional load. (See “Scheduled Maintenance Guide” or
“Owner’s Manual Supplement”.)
● Retighten the fixing bolts of the towing ball and bracket after approxi-
mately 600 miles (1000 km) of trailer towing.
■ If trailer sway occurs
One or more factors (crosswinds, passing vehicles, rough roads, etc.) can
adversely affect handling of your vehicle and trailer, causing instability.
●If trailer swaying occurs:
• Firmly grip the steering wheel. Steer straight ahead.
Do not try to control trailer swaying by turning the steering wheel.
• Begin releasing the accelerator pedal immediately but very gradually to reduce speed.
Do not increase speed. Do not apply vehicle brakes.
If you make no extreme correction with the steering or brakes, your vehicle
and trailer should stabilize.

274
2-5. Driving information
Dinghy towing
NOTICE
■To avoid serious damage to your vehicle
Do not tow your vehicle with 4 wheels on the ground.
Your vehicle is not designed to be dinghy towed (with 4 wheels on
the ground) behind a motor home.

276
3-1. Using the air conditioning system
and defogger
Front manual air conditioning system ....... 278
Front automatic air conditioning system ....... 284
Rear manual air conditioning system ....... 293
Rear automatic air conditioning system ....... 296
Rear window and outside rear view mirror
defoggers ....................... 300
Windshield wiper de-icer ............................ 302
Using the steering wheel climate remote control
switches ......................... 303
3-2. Using the audio system Audio system types .......... 304
Using the radio ................. 308
Using the CD player ......... 315 Playing back MP3 and
WMA discs ..................... 322
Operating an iPod ............ 329
Operating a USB memory .......................... 336
Optimal use of the audio system ........................... 344
Using the AUX port .......... 347
Using the steering wheel audio switches ............... 349
3-3. Using the Bluetooth
®
audio system
Bluetooth
® audio
system ........................... 352
Using the Bluetooth
®
audio system.................. 355
Operating a Bluetooth
®
enabled portable
player ............................. 360
Setting up a Bluetooth
®
enabled portable
player ............................. 362
Bluetooth
® audio system
setup .............................. 367
Interior features3

303
3-1. Using the air conditioning system and defogger
3
Interior features
Using the steering wheel climate remote control switches
Using the automatic modePress .The air conditioning system will operate, and air outlets
and fan speed will be set automatically.
“AUTO” will be displayed on the multi-information display.
Press “ ” on to increase the temperature and “ ” to
decrease the temperature.
Adjusting the temperature setting
Press “ ” on to increase the temperature and “ ” to decrease
the temperature.
Turning off the fan
Press .
Some air conditioning features can be controlled using the switches
on the steering wheel.
Temperature control
Off
Automatic mode
STEP1
STEP2
: If equipped

305
3-2. Using the audio system
3
Interior features
Type B: CD player with changer and AM/FM radio
TitlePage
Using the radioP. 308
Using the CD playerP. 315
Playing back MP3 and WMA discsP. 322
Operating an iPodP. 329
Operating a USB memoryP. 336
Optimal use of the audio systemP. 344
Using the AUX portP. 347
Using the steering wheel audio switchesP. 349