
591-1. For safe use
1
For safety and security
HIGHLANDER_U
WARNING
■Front passenger occupant classification system precautions
● Do  not  recline  the  front  passenger  seatback  so  far  that  it  touc hes  a  rear
seat. This may cause the “AIR BAG OFF” indicator light to be il luminated,
which indicates  that the  SRS  airbags  for  the  front  passenger  wi ll  not  acti-
vate  in  the  event  of  a  severe  accident.  If  the  seatback  touches  the  rear
seat,  return  the  seatback  to  a  position  where  it  does  not  touch   the  rear
seat. Keep the front passenger seatback as upright as possible when the
vehicle  is  moving.  Reclining  the  seatback  excessively  may  lesse n  the
effectiveness of the seat belt system.
● If  an  adult  sits  in  the  front  passenger  seat,  the  “AIR  BAG  ON”  indicator
light  is  illuminated.  If  the  “AIR  BAG  OFF”  indicator  is  illuminated,  ask  the
passenger  to  sit  up  straight,  well  back  in  the  seat,  feet  on  the  floor,  and
with  the  seat  belt  worn  correctly.  If  the  “AIR  BAG  OFF”  indicat or  still
remains illuminated, either ask the passenger to move to the re ar seat, or
if that is not possible, move the front passenger seat fully re arward.
● When it is unavoidable to install a forward-facing child restra int system on
the front passenger seat, install the child restraint system on  the front pas-
senger seat in the proper order. ( P. 65)
● Do not modify or remove the front seats.
● Do not kick the front passenger seat or subject it to severe im pact. Other-
wise, the SRS warning light may come on to indicate a malfuncti on of the
front passenger  occupant classification  system. In  this  case, contact  your
Toyota dealer immediately.
● Child  restraint  systems  installed  on  the  rear  seat  should  not  c ontact  the
front seatbacks.
● Do not use a seat accessory, such as a cushion and seat cover, that cov-
ers the seat cushion surface.
● Do not modify or replace the upholstery of the front seat. 

631-1. For safe use
1
For safety and security
HIGHLANDER_U
WARNING
■Child restraint precautions
● For effective protection in automobile accidents and sudden sto ps, a child
must  be  properly  restrained,  using  a  seat  belt  or  child  restrai nt  system
depending on the age and size of the child. Holding a child in  your arms is
not a substitute for a child restraint system. In an accident,  the child can be
crushed against the windshield, or between you and the vehicle’ s interior.
● Toyota  strongly  urges  the  use  of  a  proper  child  restraint  syste m  that  con-
forms to the size of the child, installed on the rear seat. According to acci-
dent  statistics,  the  child  is  safer  when  properly  restrained  in  the  rear  seat
than in the front seat.
● Never  install  a  rear-facing  child  restraint  system  on  the  front   passenger
seat even if the “AIR BAG OFF” i ndicator light is illuminated. 
In the event of an accident, the force of the rapid inflation o f the front pas-
senger airbag can cause death or serious injury to the child if the rear-fac-
ing child restraint system is installed on the front passenger seat.
● A  forward-facing  child  restraint  system  may  be  installed  on  the   front  pas-
senger  seat  only  when  it  is  unavoidable.  A  child  restraint  system  that
requires a top tether strap should not be used in the front passenger seat
since  there  is  no  top  tether  strap  anchor  for  the  front  passenger  seat.
Adjust  the  seatback  as  upright  as  possible  and  always  move  the  seat  as
far  back  as  possible  even  if  the  “AIR  BAG  OFF”  indicator  light  is  illumi-
nated, because the front passenger airbag could inflate with considerable
speed and force. Otherwise, the child may be killed or seriously injured.
● Do  not  use  the  seat  belt  extender  when  installing  a  child  restr aint  system
on  the  front  or  rear  passenger  seat.  If  installing  a  child  rest raint  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  dea th  or  seri-
ous injury to the child or other passengers in the event of an accident. 

761-1. For safe use
HIGHLANDER_U
WARNING
■When installing a booster seat 
To  prevent  the  belt  from  going  into ALR  lock  mode,  do  not  fully   extend  the
shoulder  belt. ALR  mode  causes  the  belt  to  tighten  only.  This  c ould  cause
injury or discomfort to the child. ( P. 35)
■ When installing a child restraint system
Follow  the  directions  given  in  the  child  restraint  system  insta llation  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 a 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
second seat.
● Adjust  the  front  passenger  seat  so  that
it  does  not  interfere  with  the  child
restraint system.
● Only  put  a forward-facing child restraint
system on the front seat when unavoid-
able.  When  installing  a  forward-facing
child  restraint  system  on  the  front  pas-
senger  seat,  move  the  seat  as  far  back
as  possible  even  if  the  “AIR  BAG  OFF”
indicator  light  is  illuminated.  Failure  to
do  so  may  result  in  death  or  serious
injury if the airbags deploy (inflate). 

831-2. Emergency assistance
1
For safety and security
HIGHLANDER_U
When the engine switch is turned to IGNITION ON mode, the red indi-
cator light comes on for 2 seconds then turns off. Afterward, t he green
indicator light comes on, indicat ing that the service is active.
The  following  indicator  light  patterns  indicate  specific  system  usage
conditions:
● Green indicator light on = Active service
● Green indicator light flashing =  Safety Connect call in process
● Red indicator light (except at vehicle start-up) = System malfunction
(contact your Toyota dealer)
● No indicator light (off) = Saf ety Connect service not active
■Automatic Collision Notification
In case of either airbag deployme nt or severe rear-end collision, the
system  is  designed  to  automatically  call  the  response  center.  T he
responding  agent  receives  the  v ehicle’s  location  and  attempts  to
speak with the vehicl e occupants to assess  the level of emergency.
If  the  occupants  are  unable  to  communicate,  the  agent  automati-
cally  treats  the  call  as  an  emergency,  contacts  the  nearest  eme r-
gency services provider to descr ibe the situation, and requests that
assistance be sent to the location.
■Stolen Vehicle Location
If your vehicle is stolen, Safety  Connect can work with local author-
ities to assist them in locating  and recovering the vehicle. Af ter filing
a  police  report,  call  the  Safety  Connect  response  center  at  1-8 55-
405-6500 in the Unites States, 1-877-855-8377 in Puerto Rico or  1-
888-869-6828  in  Canada,  and  follow  the  prompts  for  Safety  Con-
nect to initiate this service.
In  addition  to  assisting  law  enforcement  with  recovery  of  a  sto len
vehicle, Safety-Connect-equipped vehicle location data may, und er
certain  circumstances,  be  shared  with  third  parties  to  locate  y our
vehicle. Further information is a vailable at Toyota.com in the United
States, Toyotapr.com in Puerto  Rico and Toyota.ca in Canada.
Safety Connect LED light Indicators
Safety Connect services 

5077-1. Maintenance and care
7
Maintenance and care
HIGHLANDER_U
■Caring for leather areas
Toyota recommends cleaning the interior of the vehicle at least  twice a year to
maintain the quality of the vehicle’s interior.
■ Shampooing the carpets
There are several commercial foaming-type cleaners available. U se a sponge
or  brush  to  apply  the  foam.  Rub  in  overlapping  circles.  Do  not  use  water.
Wipe dirty surfaces and let them dry. Excellent results are obt ained by keep-
ing the carpet as dry as possible.
■ Seat belts
Clean  with  mild  soap  and  lukewarm  water  using  a  cloth  or  sponge .  Also
check the belts periodically for excessive wear, fraying or cut s.
WARNING
■Water in the vehicle
● Do not splash or spill liquid in the vehicle.
Doing  so  may  cause  electrical  components,  etc.  to  malfunction  o r  catch
fire.
● Do not get any of the SRS components or wiring in the vehicle i nterior wet. 
( P. 42)
An  electrical  malfunction  may  cause  the  airbags  to  deploy  or  no t  function
properly, resulting in death or serious injury.
■ Cleaning the interior (esp ecially instrument panel)
Do  not  use  polish  wax  or  polish  cleaner.  The  instrument  panel  m ay  reflect
off the windshield, obstructing the driver’s view and leading t o an accident,
resulting in death or serious injury. 

5828-2. Steps to take in an emergency
HIGHLANDER_U
Follow  the  procedure  below  to  restart  the  engine  after  the  system  is
activated.
Vehicles without a smart key system
Turn the engine switch to the “ACC” or “LOCK” position.
Restart the engine.
Vehicles with a smart key system
Turn the engine switch to ACCESSORY mode or turn it off.
Restart the engine.
Fuel pump shut off  system
To minimize the risk of fuel leakage when the engine stalls or
when  an  airbag  inflates  upon  collision,  the  fuel  pump  shut  off
system stops the supply of fuel to the engine.
NOTICE
■ Before starting the engine
Inspect the ground under the vehicle.
If  you  find  that  fuel  has  leaked  onto  the  ground,  the  fuel  system  has  been
damaged and is in need of repair. Do not restart the engine.
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5838-2. Steps to take in an emergency
8
When trouble arises
HIGHLANDER_U
If  a warning light turns on or a war ning 
buzzer sounds
Calmly perform the following actions if any of the warning ligh ts
comes  on  or  flashes.  If  a  light  comes  on  or  flashes,  but  then
goes off, this does not necessarily indicate a malfunction in the
system.  However,  if  this  continues  to  occur,  have  the  vehicle
inspected by your Toyota dealer.
Warning light and w arning buzzer list
Warning lightWarning light/Details/Actions
(U.S.A.)
(Canada)
Brake system warning li ght (warning buzzer)*1
Indicates that:
• The brake fluid level is low; or
• The brake system is malfunctioning
 Immediately stop the vehicle in a safe place and con-
tact  your  Toyota  dealer.  Continuing to  drive  the  vehi-
cle may be dangerous.
(U.S.A.)
(Canada)
Malfunction indicator lamp Indicates a malfunction in:
• The electronic engine control system;
• The electronic throttle control system; or
• The electronic automatic transmission control system.
 Have  the  vehicle  inspected  by  your  Toyota  dealer
immediately.
SRS warning light
Indicates a malfunction in:
• The SRS airbag system;
• The front passenger occupant classification system; or
• The seat belt pretensioner system
 Have  the  vehicle  inspected  by  your  Toyota  dealer
immediately.
(U.S.A.)
(Canada)
ABS warning light Indicates a malfunction in:
• The ABS; or
• The brake assist system
 Have  the  vehicle  inspected  by  your  Toyota  dealer
immediately. 

5888-2. Steps to take in an emergency
HIGHLANDER_U
■SRS warning light
This  warning  light  system monitors  the  airbag  sensor  assembly,  front  impact
sensors, side impact sensors (front door), side impact sensors  (rear), driver’s
seat  position  sensor,  driver’s  seat  belt  buckle  switch,  front  passenger  occu-
pant classification system (ECU and sensors), “AIR BAG ON” indi cator light,
“AIR  BAG  OFF”  indicator  light,  front  passenger’s  seat  belt  buck le  switch,
driver’s  seat  belt  pretensioner,  front  passenger’s  seat  belt  pr etensioner  and
force limiter, airbags, interconnecting wiring and power source s. (P. 42) 
■ Front  passenger  detection  sensor,  seat  belt  reminder  and  warnin g
buzzer
If  luggage  is  placed  on  the  front  passenger  seat,  the  front  passenger  detec-
tion  sensor  may  cause  the  warning  light  to  flash  and  the  warnin g  buzzer  to
sound even if a passenger is not sitting in the seat.
■ If the malfunction indicator lamp comes on while driving
First check the following:
●Is the fuel tank empty?
If it is, fill the fuel tank immediately.
● Is the fuel tank cap loose?
If it is, tighten it securely.
The light will go off after several driving trips.
If the light does not go off even after several trips, contact  your Toyota dealer
as soon as possible.
■ Electric power steering system wa rning light (warning buzzer)
When  the  battery  charge  becomes  insufficient  or  the  voltage  tem porarily
drops, the electric power steering system warning light may com e on and the
warning buzzer may sound.
■
When the tire pressure warning light comes on
Check the tire inflation pressure and adjust to the appropriate  level. Push-
ing the tire pressur e warning reset switch  will not turn off the tire pressure
warning light.
■The tire pressure warning light may come on due to natural caus es
The tire pressure warning light may come on due to natural caus es such
as  natural  air  leaks  and  tire  inflation  pressure  changes  caused  by tem-
perature. In this case, adjusting the tire inflation pressure w ill turn off the
warning light (afte r a few minutes).