Page 222 of 712

2224-1. Before driving
HIGHLANDER_U (OM48E98U)
WARNING
■Trailer towing precautions
To tow a trailer safely, use extreme care and drive the vehicle in accordance
with the trailer’s characteristics and operating conditions. Failure to do so
could cause an accident resulting in death or serious injury. Vehicle stability
and braking performance are affected by trailer stability, brake setting and
performance, and the hitch. Your vehi cle will handle differently when towing
a trailer.
■ To avoid accident or injury
● Do not exceed the TWR, unbraked TWR, GCWR, GVWR or GAWR.
● If the gross trailer weight is over 2000 lb. (907 kg), a sway control device
with sufficient capacity is required.
● If the gross trailer weight is over 5000 lb. (2268 kg), a weight distributing
hitch with sufficient capacity is required.
● Adjust the tongue weight within the appropriate range. Place heavier loads
as close to the trailer axle as possible.
● Do not exceed 65 mph (104 km/h), the posted towing speed limit or the
speed limit for your trailer as set forth in your trailer owner’s manual,
whichever is lowest. Slow down sufficiently before making a turn, in cross
winds, on wet or slippery surface, etc. to help avoid an accident. If you
experience a vehicle-trailer instability from reducing a certain speed, slow
down and make sure you keep your vehicle speed under the speed of
which you experience the instability.
● Do not make jerky, abrupt or sharp turns.
● Do not apply the brakes suddenly as you may skid, resulting in jackknifing
and loss of vehicle control. This is especially true on wet or slippery sur-
faces.
● Do not exceed the trailer hitch assembly weight, gross vehicle weight,
gross axle weight and trailer tongue weight capacities.
● Do not use cruise control when towing.
● Slow down and downshift before descending steep or long downhill
grades. Do not make sudden downshifts while descending steep or long
downhill grades.
Page 237 of 712

2374-2. Driving procedures
4
Driving
HIGHLANDER_U (OM48E98U)
■Message displays
Message illustrations used in this section are intended as examples, and may
differ from the image that is actually displayed on the multi-information dis-
play.
■ S mode
●When the shift range is 5 or lower, holding the shift lever toward “+” sets the
shift range to 6.
● To prevent excessive engine speed, a function was adopted that automati-
cally selects a higher shift range before engine speed becomes too high.
● To protect the automatic transmission, a function is adopted that automati-
cally selects a higher shift range when the fluid temperature is high.
■ Downshifting restrictions warning buzzer
To help ensure safety and driving performance, downshifting operation may
sometimes be restricted. In some circumstances, downshifting may not be
possible even when the shift lever is operated. (A buzzer will sound twice.)
■ Snow mode automatic deactivation
Snow mode is automatically deactivated if the engine is turned off after driv-
ing in snow mode.
■ When driving with cruise control or dynamic radar cruise control acti-
vated
Even when performing the following actions with the intent of enabling engine
braking, engine braking will not activate while driving in S mode and down-
shifting to 5 or 4 because cruise control or dynamic radar cruise control will
not be canceled. ( P. 261, 266)
■ If the shift lever cannot be shifted from P
P. 617
■ If the S indicator does not come on or the D indicator is displayed even
after shifting the shift lever to S
This may indicate a malfunction in the automatic transmission system. Have
the vehicle inspected by your Toyota dealer immediately.
(In this situation, the transmission will operate in the same manner as when
the shift lever is in D.)
Page 261 of 712
261
4
Driving
HIGHLANDER_U (OM48E98U)
4-5. Using the driving support systems
Use the cruise control to maintain a set speed without depressing the
accelerator pedal. Indicators
Cruise control switch
*1: Vehicles with monochrome display
*2: Vehicles with color display
Cruise control
: If equipped
Summary of functions
*1
*2
1
2
Page 262 of 712
2624-5. Using the driving support systems
HIGHLANDER_U (OM48E98U)
Press the “ON-OFF” button to
activate the cruise control.
Cruise control indicator will come
on
*1 or will be displayed on the
multi-information display
*2.
Press the button again to deacti-
vate the cruise control.
Accelerate or decelerate the
vehicle to the desired speed,
and push the lever down to set
the speed.
“SET” indicator will come on*1 or
will be displayed on the multi-infor-
mation display
*2.
The vehicle speed at the moment
the lever is released becomes the
set speed.
*1: Vehicles with monochrome display
*2: Vehicles with color display
Setting the vehicle speed
*1*2
1
*1*2
2
Page 264 of 712

2644-5. Using the driving support systems
HIGHLANDER_U (OM48E98U)
■Cruise control can be set when
●The shift lever is in the D or range 4 or higher of S has been selected.
● Vehicle speed is above approximately 25 mph (40 km/h).
■ Accelerating after setting the vehicle speed
●The vehicle can be accelerated normally. After acceleration, the set speed
resumes.
● Even without canceling the cruise control, the set speed can be increased
by first accelerating the vehicle to the desired speed and then pushing the
lever down to set the new speed.
■ Automatic cruise co ntrol cancelation
Cruise control will stop maintaining the vehicle speed in any of the following
situations.
● Actual vehicle speed falls more than approximately 10 mph (16 km/h) below
the preset vehicle speed.
At this time, the memorized set speed is not retained.
● Actual vehicle speed is below approximately 25 mph (40 km/h).
● Enhanced VSC is activated.
● VSC is activated.
■ If the warning message for the crui se control is shown on the multi-
information display
Press the “ON-OFF” button once to deactivate the system, and then press
the button again to reactivate the system.
If the cruise control speed cannot be set or if the cruise control cancels imme-
diately after being activated, there may be a malfunction in the cruise control
system. Have the vehicle inspected by your Toyota dealer.
Page 265 of 712
2654-5. Using the driving support systems
4
Driving
HIGHLANDER_U (OM48E98U)
WARNING
■To avoid operating the cruise control by mistake
Switch the cruise control off using the “ON-OFF” button when not in use.
■ Situations unsuitable for cruise control
Do not use cruise control in any of the following situations.
Doing so may result in loss of control and could cause an accident resulting
in death or serious injury.
● In heavy traffic
● On roads with sharp bends
● On winding roads
● On slippery roads, such as those covered with rain, ice or snow
● On steep hills
Vehicle speed may exceed the set speed when driving down a steep hill.
● When your vehicle is towing a trailer or during emergency towing
Page 266 of 712
2664-5. Using the driving support systems
HIGHLANDER_U (OM48E98U)
Dynamic radar cruise control supple ments conventional cruise control
with a vehicle-to-vehicle distance control. In vehicle-to-vehicle dis-
tance control mode, the vehicle automatically accelerates or deceler-
ates in order to maintain a set fo llowing distance from vehicles ahead.
Vehicle-to-vehicle distance but-
ton
Display
Set speed
Indicators
Cruise control switch
Dynamic radar cruise control
: If equipped
Summary of functions
1
2
3
4
5
Page 267 of 712
2674-5. Using the driving support systems
4
Driving
HIGHLANDER_U (OM48E98U)
Press the “ON-OFF” button to
activate the cruise control.
Radar cruise control indicator will
be displayed.
Press the button again to deacti-
vate the cruise control.
Accelerate or decelerate the
vehicle to the desired speed,
and push the lever down to set
the speed.
“SET” indicator will be displayed.
The vehicle speed at the moment
the lever is released becomes the
set speed.
Setting the vehicle speed (vehicle-to-vehicle distance control
mode)
1
2