
TABLE OF CONTENTS2
HIGHLANDER_UFor your information....................... 8
Reading this manual .................... 12
How to search .............................. 13
Pictorial index .............................. 14
1-1.  For safe use
Before driving ...................... 26
For safe driving ................... 28
Seat belts ............................ 30
SRS airbags ........................ 40
Front passenger occupant classification system ......... 53
Safety information  for children ........................ 60
Child restraint systems ........ 61
Installing child restraints ...... 65
Exhaust gas precautions ..... 79
1-2.  Emergency assistance Safety Connect.................... 80
1-3.  Theft deterrent system Engine immobilizer system............................... 86
Alarm ................................... 88
2.  Instrument cluster Warning lights and indicators........................... 92
Gauge and meters .............. 98
Multi-information  display ............................. 101
Eco Driving Indicator ......... 108
Fuel consumption  information ...................... 109 3-1.  Key information
Keys................................... 114
3-2.  Opening, closing and  locking the doors
Side doors ......................... 121
Back door .......................... 129
Glass hatch........................ 142
Smart key system .............. 147
3-3.  Adjusting the seats Front seats......................... 155
Rear seats ......................... 157
Driving position memory ........................... 164
Head restraints .................. 168
3-4.  Adjusting the steering  wheel and mirrors
Steering wheel ................... 172
Inside rear view mirror ....... 174
Outside rear view  mirrors ............................. 176
3-5.  Opening and closing  the windows
Power windows.................. 178
Moon roof .......................... 182
Panoramic moon roof ........ 186
1For safety and security
2Instrument cluster
3Operation of each 
component 

3
1
8 7
6
5
4
3
2
9
HIGHLANDER_U
10
4-1.  Before drivingDriving the vehicle ............. 192
Cargo and luggage............ 201
Vehicle load limits ............. 206
Trailer towing..................... 207
Dinghy towing.................... 223
4-2.  Driving procedures Engine (ignition) switch (vehicles without a 
smart key system) ........... 224
Engine (ignition) switch  (vehicles with a 
smart key system) ........... 227
Automatic transmission ..... 233
Turn signal lever................ 239
Parking brake .................... 240
4-3.  Operating the lights  and wipers
Headlight switch ................ 241
Automatic High Beam ....... 245
Fog light switch ................. 249
Windshield wipers and  washer ............................ 250
Rear window wiper and  washer ............................ 254 4-4.  Refueling
Opening the fuel tank cap ........................... 256
4-5.  Using the driving  support systems
Toyota Safety Sense P ...... 260
PCS  (Pre-Collision System)..... 267
LDA (Lane Departure  Alert with steering 
control) ............................ 281
Dynamic radar  cruise control ................... 291
Stop & Start system ........... 304
Rear view monitor  system ............................. 314
BSM  (Blind Spot Monitor)......... 323
• BSM function ................. 328
• RCTA function ............... 331
All-wheel drive lock  switch .............................. 337
Driving assist systems ....... 338
Downhill assist  control system ................. 344
4-6.  Driving tips Winter driving tips .............. 346
Utility vehicle precautions ...................... 350
4Driving 

TABLE OF CONTENTS4
HIGHLANDER_U5-1.  Basic Operations
Audio system types ........... 356
Entune Audio..................... 357
Steering wheel audio switches ................ 360
AUX Port/USB Port ........... 361
Basic audio operations ...... 362
5-2.  Setup Setup menu ....................... 364
General settings ................ 365
Audio settings.................... 366
Display settings ................. 367
Voice settings .................... 368
5-3.  Using Entune Audio Selecting the audio source ................... 369
List screen operation ......... 370
Optimal use of  Entune Audio .................. 372
5-4.  Using the radio Radio operation ................. 373
5-5.  Playing an audio CD and  MP3/WMA/AAC discs
CD player operation .......... 375
5-6.  Using an external  device
Listening to an iPod........... 381
Listening to a USB  memory device................ 385
Using the AUX port ........... 389 5-7.  Connecting Bluetooth
®
Preparations to use 
wireless 
communication ................ 390
Registering a Bluetooth
® 
audio player for the 
first time ........................... 394
Registering a Bluetooth
® 
phone for the first time..... 395
Registering a Bluetooth
® 
device .............................. 396
Connecting a Bluetooth
® 
device .............................. 398
Displaying a Bluetooth
® 
device details................... 400
Detailed Bluetooth
® 
system settings................ 401
5-8.  Bluetooth
® Audio
Listening to Bluetooth® 
Audio ............................... 402
5-9.  Bluetooth
® phone
Using a Bluetooth® 
Phone .............................. 403
Making a call...................... 405
Receiving a call ................. 408
Speaking on the phone...... 409
Bluetooth
® phone 
message function ............ 412
Using the steering  wheel switches ................ 416
Bluetooth
® phone 
settings ............................ 417
Contact/Call History  Settings ........................... 418
What to do if...  (Troubleshooting) ............ 427
5Audio system 

5
1
8 7
6
5
4
3
2
9
HIGHLANDER_U
10
5-10. Bluetooth®
Bluetooth®......................... 431
5-11. Using the voice  command system
Voice command  system............................. 435
6-1.  Using the air  conditioning system 
and defogger
Front manual air  conditioning system ........ 442
Front automatic air  conditioning system ........ 448
Rear manual air  conditioning system ........ 455
Rear automatic air  conditioning system ........ 458
Heated steering wheel/ seat heaters/
seat ventilators ................ 461
6-2.  Using the interior lights Interior lights list ................ 464
• Interior lights ................. 464
• Personal lights .............. 465 6-3.  Using the storage 
features
List of storage features ...... 466
• Glove box ...................... 467
• Console box .................. 467
• Bottle holders ................ 468
• Cup holders ................... 469
• Auxiliary boxes .............. 471
• Open tray ...................... 472
Luggage compartment  features ........................... 473
6-4.  Using the other  interior features
Other interior features........ 478
• Sun visors ..................... 478
• Vanity mirrors ................ 478
• Conversation mirror ....... 479
• Clock ............................. 479
• Outside temperature display ........................... 480
• Power outlets ................ 481
• USB charging ports ....... 483
• Rear sunshades ............ 485
• Armrest.......................... 486
• Coat hooks .................... 487
• Assist grips .................... 487
• Side table ...................... 488
Garage door opener .......... 489
Compass ........................... 496
6Interior features 

18Pictorial index
HIGHLANDER_U
■Switches
Automatic High Beam switch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  P. 245
Stop & Start cancel switch
*1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  P. 305
Camera switch
*1, 2
Power back door switch*1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  P. 129
Windshield wiper de-icer switch  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  P. 444, 451
Heated steering wheel switch
*1. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  P. 462
Intuitive parking assist switch
*1, 2
1
2
3
4
5
6
7 

281-1. For safe use
HIGHLANDER_U
Adjust  the  angle  of  the  seat-
back  so  that  you  are  sitting
straight  up  and  so  that  you  do
not  have  to  lean  forward  to
steer. (P.   1 5 5 )
Adjust  the  seat  so  that  you  can
depress the  pedals  fully  and so
that  your  arms  bend  slightly  at
the  elbow  when  gripping  the
steering wheel. ( P. 155)
Lock the head restraint in place with the center of the head restraint
closest to the top of your ears. ( P.   1 6 8 )
Wear the seat belt correctly. ( P.   3 0 )
Make sure that all occupants are  wearing their seat belts before driv-
ing the vehicle. ( P.   3 0 )
Use  a  child  restraint  system  appropriate  for  the  child  until  th e  child
becomes large enough to properly  wear the vehicle’s seat belt. 
(  P. 61)
For safe driving
For  safe  driving,  adjust  the  seat  and  mirror  to  an  appropriate
position before driving.
Correct driving posture
1
2
Correct use of the seat belts
3
4 

431-1. For safe use
1
For safety and security
HIGHLANDER_U
Your vehicle is equipped with ADVANCED AIRBAGS designed based
on  the  US  motor  vehicle  safety  standards  (FMVSS208).  The  airbag
sensor  assembly  (ECU)  controls  airbag  deployment  based  on  infor-
mation  obtained  from  the  sensors  etc.  shown  in  the  system  compo -
nents  diagram  above.  This  informat ion  includes  crash  severity  and
occupant  information.  As  the  airbags  deploy,  a  chemical  reactio n  in
the inflators quickly fills the  airbags with non-toxic gas to h elp restrain
the motion of t he occupants.
WARNING
■SRS airbag precautions
Observe the following precautions regarding the SRS airbags. 
Failure to do so may cause death or serious injury.
● The  driver  and  all  passengers  in  the  vehicle  must  wear  their  se at  belts
properly.
The SRS airbags are supplemental devices to be used with the se at belts.
● The  SRS  driver  airbag  deploys  with  considerable  force,  and  can  cause
death  or  serious  injury  especially  if  the  driver  is  very  close  to  the  airbag.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) advi ses:
Since the risk zone for the driver’s airbag is the first 2 - 3  in. (50 - 75 mm)
of  inflation,  placing  yourself  10  in.  (250  mm)  from  your  driver   airbag  pro-
vides  you  with  a  clear  margin  of  safety.  This  distance  is  measured  from
the center of the steering wheel to your breastbone. If you sit  less than 10
in.  (250  mm)  away  now,  you  can  change  your  driving  position  in  several
ways:
• Move your seat to the rear as far as you can while still reach ing the ped-
als comfortably.
• Slightly recline the back of the seat. 
Although vehicle designs vary, many drivers can achieve the 10  in. (250
mm)  distance,  even  with  the  driver  seat  all  the  way  forward,  si mply  by
reclining  the  back  of  the  seat  somewhat.  If  reclining  the  back  of  your
seat makes it hard to see the road, raise yourself by using a f irm, non-
slippery cushion, or raise the seat if your vehicle has that feature.
• If your steering wheel is adjustable, tilt it downward. This points the air-
bag toward your chest instead of your head and neck.
The  seat  should  be  adjusted  as  recommended  by  NHTSA  above,  whil e
still  maintaining  control  of  the  foot  pedals,  steering  wheel,  and  your  view
of the instrument panel controls. 

451-1. For safe use
1
For safety and security
HIGHLANDER_U
WARNING
■SRS airbag precautions
● Do  not  allow  a  child  to  stand  in  front  of
the  SRS  front  passenger  airbag  unit  or
sit on the knees of a front passenger.
● Do not allow the front seat occupants to
hold items on their knees.
● Do  not  lean  against  the  door,  the  roof
side  rail  or  the  front,  side  and  rear  pil-
lars.
● Do  not  allow  anyone  to  kneel  on  the
passenger  seat  toward  the  door  or  put
their head or hands outside the vehicle.
● Do  not  attach  anything  to  or  lean  any-
thing  against  areas  such  as  the  dash-
board,  steering  wheel  pad  and  lower
portion of the instrument panel.
These  items  can  become  projectiles
when  the  SRS  driver,  front  passenger
and driver’s knee airbags deploy.