
5047-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
HIGHLANDER_U (OM48F09U)
WARNING
The engine compartment contains many mechanisms and fluids that may
move suddenly, become hot, or become electrically energized. To avoid death
or serious injury, observe the following precautions.
■When working on the engine compartment
●Keep hands, clothing and tools away from the moving fan and engine
drive belt.
● Be careful not to touch the engine, radiator, exhaust manifold, etc. right
after driving as they may be hot. Oil and other fluids may also be hot.
● Do not leave anything that may burn easily, such as paper and rags, in the
engine compartment.
● Do not smoke, cause sparks or expose an open flame to fuel or the bat-
tery. Fuel and battery fumes are flammable.
● Be extremely cautious when working on the battery. It contains poisonous
and corrosive sulfuric acid.
■ When working near the electric  cooling fans or radiator grille
Vehicles without a smart key system: 
Be sure the engine switch is off. 
With the engine switch in the “ON” position, the electric cooling fans may
automatically start to run if the air conditioning is on and/or the coolant tem-
perature is high. ( P. 514)
Vehicles with a smart key system: 
Be sure the engine switch is off. 
With the engine switch in IGNITION ON mode, the electric cooling fans may
automatically start to run if the air conditioning is on and/or the coolant tem-
perature is high. ( P. 514)
■ Safety glasses
Wear safety glasses to prevent flying or falling material, fluid spray, etc.
from getting in your eyes.
NOTICE
■If you remove the air cleaner filter
Driving with the air cleaner filter removed may cause excessive engine wear
due to dirt in the air. 

5177-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
7
Maintenance and care
HIGHLANDER_U (OM48F09U)■
After recharging/reconnecting the ba ttery (vehicles with a smart key sys-
tem)
The engine may not start. Follow the procedure below to initialize the system.
Shift the shift lever to P.
Open and close any of the doors.
Restart the engine.
● Unlocking the doors using the smart key system may not be possible imme-
diately after reconnecting the battery. If this happens, use the wireless
remote control or the mechanical key to lock/unlock the doors.
● Start the engine with the engine switch in ACCESSORY mode. The engine
may not start with the engine switch turned off. However, the engine will
operate normally from the second attempt.
● The engine switch mode is recorded by the vehicle. If the battery is discon-
nected and reconnected, the vehicle will return the engine switch mode to
the status it was in before the battery was disconnected. Make sure to turn
off the engine before disconnecting the battery. Take extra care when con-
necting the battery if the engine switch mode prior to the battery being dis-
connected is unknown.
If the system will not start even after multiple attempts, contact your Toyota
dealer.
WARNING
■ Chemicals in the battery
Batteries contain poisonous and corrosive sulfuric acid and may produce
hydrogen gas which is flammable and explosive. To reduce the risk of death
or serious injury, take the following precautions while working on or near the
battery:
●Do not cause sparks by touching the battery terminals with tools.
● Do not smoke or light a match near the battery.
● Avoid contact with eyes, skin and clothes.
● Never inhale or swallow electrolyte.
● Wear protective safety glasses when working near the battery.
● Keep children away from the battery.
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5277-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
7
Maintenance and care
HIGHLANDER_U (OM48F09U)■
The initialization operation
●Make sure to carry out in
itialization after adjusting  the tire inflation pres-
sure.
Also, make sure the tires are cold be fore carrying out initialization or tire
inflation pressure adjustment.
●If you have accidentally turned the engine switch to the “LOCK” position
(vehicles without a smart key system) or off (vehicles with a smart key
system) during initialization, it is no t necessary to press the reset switch
again as initialization will restart aut omatically when the engine switch
has been turned to the “ON” position (vehicles without a smart key sys-
tem) or IGNITION ON mode (vehic les with a smart key system) for the
next time.
●If you accidentally press the reset s witch when initialization is not neces-
sary, adjust the tire inflation pressu re to the specified level when the
tires are cold, and conduct initialization again.
■When initialization of the tire pr essure warning system has failed
Initialization can be completed in a few minutes.  However, in the following
cases, the settings have not been  recorded and the system will not oper-
ate properly. If repeated attempts to record tire inflation pressure settings
are unsuccessful, have the vehicle  inspected by your Toyota dealer.
●When operating the tire pressure wa rning reset switch, the tire pressure
warning light does not blink 3 times.
●After carrying out the initialization procedure, the tire pressure warning
light blinks for 1 minute then stays on after driving for 20 minutes. 

5297-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
7
Maintenance and care
HIGHLANDER_U (OM48F09U)
NOTE:
Operation is subject to the following two conditions: (1) this device may
not cause interference, and (2) this device must accept any interference,
including interference that may cause undesired operation of the device.
NOTE:
L’utilisation de ce dispositif est autorisée seulement aux deux conditions
suivantes : (1) il ne doit pas produire  de brouillage, et (2) l’utilisateur du
dispositif doit être pr êt à accepter tout brouillage radioé lectrique reçu,
même si ce brouillage est su sceptible de compromettre le
fonctionnement du dispositif.
WARNING
■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 handling characteristics, which may lead to an accident
resulting in death or serious injury.
●Do not mix tires of different ma kes, models or tread patterns.
Also, do not mix tires of remarkably different treadwear.
●Do not use tire sizes other than those recommended by Toyota.
●Do not mix differently constructed ti res (radial, bias-belted or bias-ply
tires).
●Do not mix summer, all season and snow tires.
●Vehicles with a compact spare tire: Do not tow if your vehicle has a
compact spare tire installed.
■When initializing the tire pressure warning system
Do not operate the tire pressure  warning reset switch without first
adjusting the tire inflation pressure to the specified level. Otherwise, the
tire pressure 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. 

5728-2. Steps to take in an emergency
HIGHLANDER_U (OM48F09U)
*1: Parking brake engaged warning buzzer: P. 583
*2: Vehicles with monochrome display
*3: Vehicles with color display
*4: If equipped
*5: Open door warning buzzer:P. 580
*6: Driver’s seat belt buzzer:
Vehicles without a smart key system:  The driver’s seat belt buzzer sounds
to alert the driver that his or her seat belt is not fastened. Once the engine
switch is turned to the “ON” position, the buzzer sounds for 6 seconds. If
the vehicle reaches a speed of 12 mph (20 km/h), the buzzer sounds once.
If the seat belt is still unfastened after 25 seconds, the buzzer will sound
intermittently for 10 seconds. Then, if the seat belt is still unfastened, the
buzzer will sound in a different tone for 20 more seconds.
Vehicles with a smart key system: The driver’s seat belt buzzer sounds to
alert the driver that his or her seat belt is not fastened. Once the engine
switch is turned to IGNITION ON mode, the buzzer sounds for 6 seconds.
If the vehicle reaches a speed of 12 mph (20 km/h), the buzzer sounds
once. If the seat belt is still unfastened after 25 seconds, the buzzer will
sound intermittently for 10 seconds. Then, if the seat belt is still unfas-
tened, the buzzer will sound in a different tone for 20 more seconds.
Front passenger’s seat belt buzzer:
The front passenger’s seat belt buzzer sounds to alert the front passenger
that his or her seat belt is not fastened. The buzzer sounds once if the\
vehicle reaches a speed of 12 mph (20 km/h). If the seat belt is still unfas-
tened after 25 seconds, the buzzer will sound intermittently for 10 seconds.
Then, if the seat belt is still unfastened, the buzzer will sound in a different
tone for 20 more seconds. 

5908-2. Steps to take in an emergency
HIGHLANDER_U (OM48F09U)
■Messages displays
The message illustrations used are intended as examples, and may differ
from the image that is actually displayed on the multi-information display.
■ Warning message in dynamic radar cr uise control mode (if equipped)
In the following situations, the warning message may not be displayed even if
vehicle-to-vehicle distance decreases:
● When your vehicle and the vehicle ahead are traveling at the same speed or
the vehicle ahead is traveling more quickly than your vehicle
● When the vehicle ahead is traveling at a very low speed
● Immediately after cruise control speed is set
● At the instant the accelerator pedal is depressed
■ The LDA (Lane Departure Alert) lane  departure warning function (if
equipped)
In the following situations, a warning message will not be displayed even if a
lane line is crossed.
● When the vehicle speed deviates from the operating range of the LDA sys-
tem functions
● When the lane lines cannot be recognized
■ Conditions that the tire pressure  warning system may not function prop-
erly
 P. 496
■ Warning buzzer
 P. 574 

5948-2. Steps to take in an emergency
HIGHLANDER_U (OM48F09U)
Once
• When the doors wereunlocked with the mechanical
key and then the engine
switch was pressed, the elec-
tronic key could not be
detected in the vehicle.
• The electronic key could not be detected in the vehicle
even after the engine switch
was pressed two consecu-
tive times.
 Touch the electronic key to
the engine switch while
depressing the brake
pedal.
Once
Monochrome display
Color display
During a engine starting proce-
dure in the event that the elec-
tronic key was not functioning
properly ( P. 624), the engine
switch was touched with the
electronic key.
 Press the engine switch
within 10 seconds of the
buzzer sounding.
Monochrome display
Color display
Indicates that:
• With the engine switch off,
the doors were unlocked and
then the driver’s door was
opened and closed
• The engine switch was turned to ACCESSORY mode with-
out starting the engine
• The shift lever was shifted to P from another position with
the engine switch in ON
mode.
 Press the engine switch
while depressing the brake
pedal.
Interior
buzzerExterior buzzerWarning messageDetails/Actions
(Flashes) 

6228-2. Steps to take in an emergency
HIGHLANDER_U (OM48F09U)
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. 627)
● There may be a malfunction in  the steering lock system.
Contact your Toyota dealer if the problem cannot be repaired, or if repair
procedures are unknown.
When the engine does not start, the following steps can be used as an
interim measure to start the engine if the engine switch is functioning
normally:
Set the parking brake.
Shift the shift lever to P.
Turn the engine switch to ACCESSORY mode.
Press and hold the engine switch for about 15 seconds while
depressing the brake pedal firmly.
Even if the engine can be started using the above steps, the system
may be malfunctioning. Have the v ehicle inspected by your Toyota
dealer.
The starter motor does not turn ov er, the interior lights and head-
lights do not turn on, or the horn does not sound.
Emergency start function (vehicles with a smart key system)
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