2012 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER light

145
1-7. Safety information
1
Before driving
CAUTION
■
Child restraint precautions
●A forward-facing child restraint system may be allowed to be installed on
the front passenger seat only when it is unavoidable. A child restraint sys-
tem that requires a top tether strap should not be used in the front passen-
ger seat since there is no top tether strap anchor for the front passenger
seat. Adjust the seatback as uprights as possible and always move the
seat as far back as possible even if the “AIR BAG OFF” indicator light is
illuminated, because the front passenger airbag could inflate with consid-
erable speed and force. Otherwise, the child may be killed or seriously
injured.
● Do not use the seat belt extender when installing a child restraint system
on the front or rear passenger seat. If installing a child restraint system
with the seat belt extender connected to the seat belt, the seat belt will not
securely hold the child restraint system, which could cause death or seri-
ous injury to the child or other passengers in the event of a sudden stop,
sudden swerve or accident.
● Do not allow the child to lean his/her head or any part of his/her body
against the door or the area of the seat , front and rear pillars or roof side
rail from which the side airbags or curtain shield airbags deploy even if the
child is seated in the child restraint system. It is dangerous if the side air-
bags and curtain shield airbags inflate, and the impact could cause death
or serious injury to the child.
● Make sure you have complied with all installation instructions provided by
the child restraint manufacturer and that the system is properly secured. If
it is not secured properly, it may cause death or serious injury to the child
in the event of a sudden stop, sudden swerve or accident.
■ When children are in the vehicle
Do not allow children to play with the seat belt. If the seat belt becomes
twisted around a child’s neck, it may lead to choking or other serious injuries
that could result in death.
If this occurs and the buckle cannot be unfastened, scissors should be used
to cut the belt.

151
1-7. Safety information
1
Before driving
Installing child restraints using a seat belt (child restraint lock function belt)
■
Rear facing Infant seat/convertible seat
Place the child seat on the rear
seat facing the rear of the vehi-
cle.
Run the seat belt through the
child seat and insert the plate
into the buckle. Make sure that
the belt is not twisted.
Fully extend the shoulder belt
and then allow it to retract
slightly in order to activate the
ALR lock mode.
Lock mode allows the seat belt to
retract only.
STEP1
STEP2
STEP3

152 1-7. Safety information
While pushing the child seat
down into the rear seat, allow the
shoulder belt to retract until the
child seat is securely in place.
After the shoulder belt has
retracted to a point where there is
no slack in the belt, pull the belt to
check that it cannot be extended.
■Forward facing Convertible seat
Place the child seat on the seat
facing the front of the vehicle.
Run the seat belt through the
child seat and insert the plate
into the buckle. Make sure that
the belt is not twisted.
Fully extend the shoulder strap
and then allow it to retract
slightly into the ALR lock mode.
Lock mode allows the seat belt to
retract only.
STEP4
STEP1
STEP2
STEP3

156 1-7. Safety information
CAUTION
■When installing a booster seat
Do not fully extend the shoulder belt to prevent the belt from going to ALR
lock mode. ( P. 89)
ALR mode causes the belt to tighten only which could cause injury or dis-
comfort to the child.
■ When installing a child restraint system
Follow the directions given in the child restraint system installation manual
and fix the child restraint system securely in place.
If the child restraint system is not correctly fixed in place, the child or other
passengers may be seriously injured or even killed in the event of sudden
braking, sudden swerving or an accident.
●If the driver's seat interferes with the
child restraint system and prevents it
from being attached correctly, attach
the child restraint system to the right-
hand rear seat.
● Adjust the front passenger seat or sec-
ond seats so that it does not interfere
with the child restraint system.
● Only put a forward-facing or booster
child seat on the front seat when
unavoidable. When installing a forward-
facing or booster child seat on the front
passenger seat, move the seat as far
back as possible even if “AIR BAG
OFF” indicator light is illuminated. Fail-
ing to do so may result in death or seri-
ous injury if the airbags deploy (inflate).

When driving2
159
2-1. Driving proceduresDriving the vehicle............ 160
Engine (ignition) switch (vehicles with smart
key system).................... 170
Engine (ignition) switch (vehicles without smart
key system).................... 174
Automatic transmission...... 177
Turn signal lever .............. 182
Parking brake ................... 183
Horn ................................. 184
2-2. Instrument cluster Gauges and meters ......... 185
Indicators and warning lights .............................. 187
Multi-information display............................ 191 2-3.
Operating the lights and
wipers
Headlight sw itch ............... 200
Fog light switch ................ 206
Windshield wipers and washer ........................... 208
Rear window wiper and washer ........................... 212
2-4. Using other drivin g
s ystems
Cruise control ................... 215
Rear view monitor system ........................... 219
Driving assist systems ..... 223
Hill-start assist control ...... 228
Downhill assist control system (4WD models) ... 230
2-5. Driving information Off-road precautions ........ 233
Cargo and luggage .......... 238
Vehicle load limits ............ 242
Winter driving tips ............ 243
Trailer towing ................... 247
Dinghy towing .................. 265

162 2-1. Driving procedures
■Operating your vehicle in a foreign country
Comply with the relevant vehicle registration laws and confirm the availability
of the correct fuel. ( P. 575)
CAUTION
■When starting the vehicle
Always keep your foot on the brake pedal while stopped with the engine run-
ning. This prevents the vehicle from creeping.
■ When driving the vehicle
●Do not drive if you are unfamiliar with the location of the brake and accel-
erator pedals to avoid depressing the wrong pedal.
• Accidentally depressing the accelerator pedal instead of the brake
pedal will result in sudden acceleration that may lead to an accident
that could result in death or serious injury.
• When backing up, you may twist your body around, leading to a diffi- culty in operating the pedals. Make sure to operate the pedals properly.
• Make sure to keep a correct driving posture even when moving the vehicle only slightly, allowing you to depress the brake and accelerator
pedals properly.
• Depress the brake pedal using your right foot. Depressing the brake pedal using your left foot may delay response in an emergency, result-
ing in an accident.
● Do not drive the vehicle over or st op the vehicle near flammable materials.
The exhaust system and exhaust gases can be extremely hot. This may
cause a fire if there is any flammable material nearby.
● Do not let the vehicle roll backwards while the shift lever is in a driving
position, or roll forward while the shift lever is in R.
Doing so may cause the engine to stall or lead to poor brake and steering
performance, resulting in an accident or damage to the vehicle.
● If the smell of exhaust is noticed inside the vehicle, open the windows and
check that the back door is closed. Large amounts of exhaust in the vehi-
cle can cause driver drowsiness and an accident, resulting in death or a
serious health hazard. Have the vehicle inspected by your Toyota dealer
immediately.

164 2-1. Driving procedures
CAUTION
●4WD models: Do not drive across a river or through other bodies of water.
This may cause electric/electronic components to short circuit, damage
the engine or cause other serious damage to the vehicle.
● Do not drive in excess of the speed limit. Even if the legal speed limit per-
mits it, do not drive over 85 mph (140 km/h) unless your vehicle has high-
speed capability tires. Driving over 85 mph (140 km/h) may result in tire
failure, loss of control and possible injury. Be sure to consult a tire dealer
to determine whether the tires on your vehicle are high-speed capability
tires or not before driving at such speeds.
■ When driving on slippery road surfaces
●Sudden braking, acceleration and steering may cause tire slippage and
reduce your ability to control the vehicle, resulting in an accident.
● Sudden changes in engine speed, such as engine braking caused by up-
shifting or down-shifting, may cause the vehicle to skid, resulting in an
accident.
● After driving through a puddle, lightly depress the brake pedal to make
sure that the brakes are functioning properly. Wet brake pads may prevent
the brakes from functioning properly. If the brakes on only one side are wet
and not functioning properly, steering control may be affected, resulting in
an accident.
■ When shifting the shift lever
Be careful not to shift the shift lever with the accelerator pedal depressed.
This may lead to unexpected rapid acceleration of the vehicle that may
cause an accident and result in death or serious injury.
■ When the vehicle is stopped
●Do not race the engine.
If the vehicle is in any gear other than P or N, the vehicle may accelerate
suddenly and unexpectedly, and may cause an accident.
● Do not leave the vehicle with the engine running for a long time.
If such a situation cannot be avoided, park the vehicle in an open space
and check that exhaust fumes do not enter the vehicle interior.

165
2-1. Driving procedures
2
When driving
CAUTION
●
In order to prevent accidents due to the vehicle rolling away, always keep
depressing the brake pedal while the engine is running, and apply the
parking brake as necessary.
● If the vehicle is stopped on an incline, in order to prevent accidents caused
by the vehicle rolling forward or ba ckward, always depress the brake pedal
and securely apply the parking brake as needed.
● Avoid revving or racing the engine.
Running the engine at high speed while the vehicle is stopped may cause
the exhaust system to overheat, which could result in a fire if combustible
material is nearby.
■ When the vehicle is parked
●Do not leave glasses, cigarette lighters, spray cans, or soft drink cans in
the vehicle when it is in the sun.
Doing so may result in the following.
• Gas may leak from a cigarette lighter or spray can, and may lead to a
fire.
• The temperature inside the vehicle may cause the plastic lenses and plastic material of eye glasses to deform or crack.
• Soft drink cans may fracture, causing the contents to spray over the interior of the vehicle, and may also cause a short circuit in the vehi-
cle's electrical components.
● Do not leave cigarette lighters in the vehicle. If a cigarette lighter is in a
place such as the glove box or on the floor, it may be lit accidentally when
luggage is loaded or the seat is adjusted, causing a fire.
● Do not attach adhesive discs to the windshield or windows. Do not place
containers such as air fresheners on the instrument panel or dashboard.
Adhesive discs or containers may act as lenses, causing a fire in the vehi-
cle.
● Do not leave a door or window open if the curved glass is coated with a
metallized film such as a silver-colored one. Reflected sunlight may cause
the glass to act as a lens, causing a fire.