
471-1. For safe use
1
For safety and security
HIGHLANDER_U
WARNING
■SRS airbag precautions
● If the areas where the SRS airbags are stored, such as the steering wheel
pad  and  front  and  rear  pillar  garnishes,  are  damaged  or  cracked ,  have
them replaced by your Toyota dealer.
● Do  not  place  anything,  such  as  a  cushion,  on  the  front  passenger’s  seat.
Doing so will disperse the passenger’s weight, which prevents t he sensor
from detecting the passenger’s weight properly. As a result, th e SRS front
airbags for the front passenger may not deploy in the event of  a collision.
■ Modification and disposal of  SRS airbag system components
Do not dispose of your vehicle or perform any of the following modifications
without consulting your Toyota dealer. The SRS airbags may malfunction or
deploy (inflate) accidentally, causing death or serious injury.
● Installation, removal, disassembly and repair of the SRS airbag s
● Repairs,  modifications,  removal  or  replacement  of  the  steering  wheel,
instrument panel, dashboard, seats or seat upholstery, front, s ide and rear
pillars or roof side rails
● Repairs  or  modifications  of  the  front  fender,  front  bumper  or  s ide  of  the
occupant compartment
● Installation  of  a  grille  guard  (bull  bars,  kangaroo  bar,  etc.),   snow  plows,
winches or roof luggage carrier
● Modifications to the vehicle’s suspension system
● Installation  of  electronic  devices  such  as  mobile  two-way  radio s  and  CD
players
● Modifications to your vehicle for a person with a physical disa bility 

581-1. For safe use
HIGHLANDER_U
WARNING
■Front passenger occupant classification system precautions
Observe  the  following  precautions  regarding  the  front  passenger  occupant
classification system. 
Failure to do so may cause death or serious injury.
● Wear the seat belt properly.
● Make sure the front passenger’s seat belt plate has not been le ft inserted
into the buckle before someone sits in the front passenger seat .
● Make sure the “AIR BAG OFF” indicator light is not illuminated when using
the seat belt extender for the front passenger seat. If the “AI R BAG OFF”
indicator light is illuminated, disconnect the extender tongue  from the seat
belt buckle, and reconnect the seat belt. Reconnect the seat be lt extender
after  making  sure  the  “AIR  BAG  ON”  indicator  light  is  illuminat ed.  If  you
use the seat belt extender while the “AIR BAG OFF” indicator li ght is illumi-
nated,  the  SRS  airbags  for  the  front  passenger  will  not  activate,  which
could cause death or serious injury in the event of a collision .
● Do  not apply a heavy  load to the front passenger seat or equipm ent (e.g.
seatback pockets).
● Do  not  put  weight  on  the  front  passenger  seat  by  putting  your  hands  or
feet on the front passenger seat seatback from the rear passeng er seat.
● Do  not  let  a  rear  passenger  lift  the  front  passenger  seat  with  their  feet  or
press on the seatback with their legs.
● Do not put objects under the front passenger seat. 

1453-2. Opening, closing and locking the doors
3
Operation of each component
HIGHLANDER_U
WARNING
●Do  not  pull  on  the  glass  hatch  damper  stay  to  close  the  glass  h atch,  and
do not hang on the glass hatch damper stay.
Doing so may cause hands to be caught or the glass hatch damper stay to
break, causing an accident.
● Do  not  attach  any  accessories  other  than  genuine  Toyota  parts  t o  the
glass  hatch.  Such  additional  weight  on  the  glass  hatch  may  caus e  the
glass hatch to suddenly shut again after it is opened, resultin g in death or
serious injury.
● Do not open the glass hatch while the rear wiper is switched on . (If the rear
wiper  is  switched  on  while  the  glass  hatch  is  open,  the  wiper  m otor  drive
disc will be rotating on the door panel.)
● The  glass  hatch  may  suddenly  shut  if  it
is  not  opened  fully.  It  is  more  difficult  to
open  or  close  the  glass  hatch  on  an
incline  than  on  a  level  surface,  so
beware of the glass hatch unexpectedly
open  or  close  by  itself.  Make  sure  that
the glass hatch is fully open and secure
before  using  the  luggage  compartment.
Also  pay  attention  to  your  personal
belongings such as bags and ties.
● When  closing  the  glass  hatch,  take
extra  care  to  prevent  your  fingers  etc.
from being caught. Also pay attention to
your  personal  belongings  such  as  bags
and ties.
● When  closing  the  glass  hatch,  make
sure  to  press  it  lightly  on  its  outer  sur-
face. 

2014-1. Before driving
4
Driving
HIGHLANDER_U
Cargo capacity depends on the total weight of the occupants. 
(Cargo capacity) = (Total load capacity) — (Total weight of occ upants)
Steps for Determining  Correct Load Limit —
(1) Locate  the  statement  “The  co mbined  weight  of  occupants  and
cargo  should  never  exceed  XXX  kg  or  XXX  lbs.”  on  your  vehicle’s
placard. 
(2) Determine  the  combined  weight  of  the  driver  and  passengers  t hat
will be riding in your vehicle. 
(3) Subtract  the  combined  weight  of  the  driver  and  passengers  fr om
XXX kg or XXX lbs.
(4) The  resulting  figure  equals  the  available  amount  of  cargo  an d  lug-
gage load capacity. 
For example, if the “XXX” amount equals 1400 lbs. and there wil l be
five  150  lb  passengers  in  your  vehicle,  the  amount  of  available
cargo and luggage load capacity is 650 lbs. (1400   750 (5150) =
650 lbs.) 
(5) Determine the combined weight of luggage and cargo being loa ded
on  the  vehicle.  That  weight  may  n ot  safely  exceed the  available
cargo and luggage load capac ity calculated in Step 4. 
(6) If your vehicle will be towing a trailer, load from your tra iler  will  be
transferred  to  your  vehicle.  Consult  this  manual  to  determine  h ow
this reduces the available cargo and luggage load capacity of y our
vehicle.
(  P. 206)
Cargo and luggage
Take  notice  of  the  following  information  about  storage  precau-
tions, cargo capacity and load:
Capacity and distribution 

2024-1. Before driving
HIGHLANDER_U
Cargo capacity
Total  load  capacity  (vehicle
capacity weight) (P. 652)
When  2  people  with  the  combined  weight  of  A  lb.  (kg)  are  riding  in
your vehicle, which has a total load capacity (vehicle capacity weight)
of B lb. (kg), the available amount of cargo and luggage load c apacity
will be C lb. (kg) as follows: 
B
*2 lb. (kg) - A*1 lb. (kg) = C*3 lb. (kg)
*1: A =Weight of people 
*2: B =Total load capacity 
*3: C =Available cargo and luggage load
In  this  condition,  if  3  more  passengers  with  the  combined  weigh t  of  D
lb. (kg) get on, the available  cargo and luggage load will be r educed E
lb. (kg) as follows:
C lb. (kg) - D*4 lb. (kg) = E*5 lb. (kg)
*4: D =Additional we ight of people 
*5: E =Available cargo and luggage load
As  shown  in  the  example  above,  if  the  number  of  occupants
increases, the cargo and luggage load will be reduced  by an  amo unt
that  equals  the  increased  weight  due  to  the  additional  occupant s.  In
other  words,  if  an  increase  in  the  number  of  occupants  causes  a n
excess of the total load capacity  (combined weight of  occupants plus
cargo and luggage load), you must reduce the cargo and luggage  on
your vehicle. 
Calculation formul a for your vehicle
1
2 

2044-1. Before driving
HIGHLANDER_U
WARNING
■Capacity and distribution
●Do  not  exceed  the  maximum  axle  weight  rating  or  the  total  vehicle
weight rating. 
●Even  if  the  total  load  of  occupant’s  weight  and  the  cargo  load  is  less
than  the  total  load  capacity,  d o  not  apply  the  load  unevenly.  I mproper
loading  may  cause  deterioration  of  steering  or  braking  control  which
may cause death or  serious injury.
■Roof luggage carrier precautions  (vehicles with roof rails)
To use the roof rails as a roof luggage carrier, you must fit t he roof rails
with two or more genuine Toyota  cross rails or their equivalent.
When you load cargo on the roof luggage carrier, observe the fo llowing:
●Loading  cargo  on  the  roof  luggage  carrier  will  make  the  center  of  the
vehicle  gravity  higher. Avoid  hi gh  speeds,  sudden  starts,  sharp  turns,
sudden braking or abrupt maneuvers, otherwise it may result in  loss of
control or vehicle rollover due to failure to operate this vehi cle correctly
and result in death  or serious injury.
●If  driving  for  a  long  distance,  on  rough  roads,  or  at  high  spee ds,  stop
the  vehicle  now  and  then  during  the  trip  to  make  sure  the  cargo
remains in its place.
●Do not exceed 165 lb. (75 kg) cargo weight on the roof luggage  carrier.
●Place  the  cargo  so  that  its  weight  is
distributed  evenly  between  the  front
and rear axles.
●If  loading  long  or  wide  cargo,  never
exceed  the  vehicle  overall  length  or
width. (P. 652)
●Before driving, make sure the cargo is
securely fastened on  the roof luggage
carrier.
Cross rails
Roof rails 

2064-1. Before driving
HIGHLANDER_U
◆Total load capacity (vehicle capacity weight): P. 652
Total load capacity means the co mbined weight of occupants, cargo
and luggage. 
◆Seating capacity: 7 or 8 occ upants (Front 2, Rear 5 or 6)
Seating capacity means the max imum number of occupants whose
estimated average weight is 1 50 lb. (68 kg) per person. 
◆TWR (Trailer Weight Rating):  P. 212, 652
TWR  means  the  maximum  gross  trai ler  weight  (trailer  weight  plus
its cargo weight)  that your vehicle is able to tow.
◆Cargo capacity
Cargo capacity may increase or decrease depending on the weight
and the number o f occupants. 
■Total load capacity and seating capacity
These details are also described on the tire and loading inform ation label. 
(  P. 544)
Vehicle load limits
Vehicle  load  limits  include  total  load  capacity,  seating  capaci ty,
TWR (Trailer Weight Rati ng) and cargo capacity. 
WARNING
■Overloading the vehicle
Do not overload the vehicle.
It  may  not  only  cause  damage  to  the  tires,  but  also  degrade  steering
and braking ability, res ulting in an accident.  

2084-1. Before driving
HIGHLANDER_U■
GCWR (Gross Combination Weight Rating)
The  maximum  allowable  gross
combination  weight.  The  gross
combination  weight  is  the  sum
of  the  total  vehicle  weight
(including  the  occupants,  cargo
and  any  optional  equipment
installed on the vehicle) and the
weight of the trailer being towed
(including  the  cargo  in  the
trailer).
■GVWR (Gross Vehicle Weight Rating)
The  maximum  allowable  gross
vehicle  weight.  The  gross  vehi-
cle  weight  is  the  total  weight  of
the  vehicle.  When  towing  a
trailer,  it  is  the  sum  of  the  vehi-
cle  weight  (including  the  occu-
pants,  cargo  and  any  optional
equipment installed on the vehi-
cle) and the tongue weight.
Towing related terms