Page 329 of 572
![TOYOTA HIGHLANDER HYBRID 2020  Owners Manual (in English) 3294-6. Driving tips
HIGHLANDER HV_U
4
Driving
Side chain (0.12 in. [3 mm] in 
diameter)
Side chain (0.39 in. [10 mm] 
in width)
Side chain (1.18 in. [30 mm] 
in length)
Cross chain (0.16 in. [4 mm] 
 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER HYBRID 2020  Owners Manual (in English) 3294-6. Driving tips
HIGHLANDER HV_U
4
Driving
Side chain (0.12 in. [3 mm] in 
diameter)
Side chain (0.39 in. [10 mm] 
in width)
Side chain (1.18 in. [30 mm] 
in length)
Cross chain (0.16 in. [4 mm]](/manual-img/14/42576/w960_42576-328.png)
3294-6. Driving tips
HIGHLANDER HV_U
4
Driving
Side chain (0.12 in. [3 mm] in 
diameter)
Side chain (0.39 in. [10 mm] 
in width)
Side chain (1.18 in. [30 mm] 
in length)
Cross chain (0.16 in. [4 mm] 
in diameter)
Cross chain (0.55 in. [14 mm] 
in width)
Cross chain (0.98 in. [25 mm] 
in length)
Regulations regarding the use 
of tire chains vary depending on 
location and type of road. 
Always check local regulations 
before installing chains.
■Tire chain installation
Observe the following precautions 
when installing and removing 
chains:
●Install and remove tire chains in a 
safe location.
●Install tire chains on the front tires 
only. Do not install tire chains on 
the rear tires.
●Install tire chains on front tires as 
tightly as possible. Retighten 
chains after driving 1/4 1/2 mile 
(0.5 1.0 km).
●Install tire chains following the 
instructions provi ded with the tire 
chains.
Regulations on the use of 
tire chains
NOTICE
■Fitting tire chains
The tire pressure warning valves 
and transmitters may not function 
correctly when tire chains are fit-
ted. 
     
        
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393
HIGHLANDER HV_U
6
6
Maintenance and care
Maintenance and care
.6-1. Maintenance and careCleaning and protecting the vehicle exterior .......... 394
Cleaning and protecting the  vehicle interior ........... 397
6-2. Maintenance Maintenance requirements.................................. 400
General maintenance.. 402
Emission inspection and  maintenance (I/M) pro-
grams ........................ 404
6-3. Do-it-yourself mainte- nance
Do-it-yourself service pre- cautions ..................... 406
Hood ........................... 408
Positioning a floor jack .................................. 409
Engine compartment ... 410
12-volt battery ............. 416
Tires ............................ 418
Tire inflation pressure.. 430
Wheels ......... ...............432
Air conditioning filter .... 433
Cleaning the hybrid battery  (traction battery) air intake 
vents and filter ........... 435
Electronic key battery.. 438
Checking and replacing  fuses.......................... 439
Headlight aim .............. 442Light bulbs ...................
443 
     
        
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4046-2. Maintenance
HIGHLANDER HV_U
The OBD system determines 
that a problem exists some-
where in the emission control 
system. Your vehicle may not 
pass the I/M test and may need 
to be repaired. Contact your 
Toyota dealer to service the 
vehicle.
When the 12-volt battery is 
disconnected or discharged
Readiness codes that are set 
during ordinary driving are erased.
Also, depending on your driving 
habits, the readiness codes may 
not be completely set.
When the fuel tank cap is 
loose
Vehicle exterior
ItemsCheck points
Doors
• Do the doors 
operate 
smoothly?
Engine hood
• Does the engine hood lock system 
work properly?
Fluid leaks
• There should not be any signs of 
fluid leakage 
after the vehicle 
has been parked.
Tires
• Is the tire infla-tion pressure 
correct?
• The tires should  not be damaged 
or excessively 
worn.
• Have the tires  been rotated 
according to the 
maintenance 
schedule?
• The wheel nuts  should not be 
loose.
Windshield 
wipers/rear 
window wiper
• The wiper blades should not show 
any signs of 
cracking, split-
ting, wear, con-
tamination or 
deformation.
• The wiper blades  should clear the 
windshield/rear 
window without 
streaking or skip-
ping.
Emission inspection 
and maintenance (I/M) 
programs
Some states have vehicle 
emission inspection pro-
grams which include OBD 
(On Board Diagnostics) 
checks. The OBD system 
monitors the operation of 
the emission control sys-
tem.
If the malfunction indica-
tor lamp comes on
Your vehicle may not pass 
the I/M test in the follow-
ing situations: 
     
        
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4186-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
HIGHLANDER HV_U
Check if the treadwear indica-
tors are showing on the tires. 
Also check the tires for uneven 
wear, such as excessive wear 
on one side of the tread.
Check the spare tire condition 
and pressure if not rotated.
New tread
Worn tread
Treadwear indicator
The location of treadwear indicators 
is shown by a “TWI” or “ ” mark, 
WA R N I N G
●If electrolyte gets on your 
clothes
It can soak through clothing on 
to your skin. Immediately take 
off the clothing and follow the 
procedure above if necessary.
●If you accidentally swallow elec-
trolyte
Drink a large quantity of water 
or milk. Get emergency medical 
attention immediately.
■When replacing the 12-volt 
battery
Use a 12-volt battery designed for 
this vehicle. Failure to do so may 
cause gas (hydrogen) to enter the 
passenger compartment, causing 
a fire or explosion.
For replacement of the 12-volt 
battery, contact your Toyota 
dealer.
■When handling the 12-volt 
battery
P. 4 9 5
NOTICE
■When recharging the 12-volt 
battery
Never recharge the 12-volt bat-
tery while the hybrid system is 
operating. Also, b e sure all acces-
sories are turned off.
Tires
Replace or rotate tires in 
accordance with mainte-
nance schedules and tread-
wear.
Checking tires 
     
        
        Page 419 of 572

4196-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
HIGHLANDER HV_U
6
Maintenance and care
etc., molded into the sidewall of 
each tire.
Replace the tires if the treadwear 
indicators are showing on a tire.
■When to replace your vehicle’s 
tires
Tires should be replaced if:
●The treadwear indicators are 
showing on a tire.
●You have tire damage such as 
cuts, splits, cracks deep enough 
to expose the fabric, and bulges 
indicating internal damage.
●A tire goes flat r epeatedly or can-
not be properly repaired due to the 
size or location of a cut or other 
damage.
If you are not sure, consult with your 
Toyota dealer.
■Tire life
Any tire over 6 years old must be 
checked by a qualified technician 
even if it has seldom or never been 
used or damage i s not obvious.
■Proper storage of the spare tire
As an improperly stored spare tire 
may cause damage to the wire 
cable that holds it, check that the 
spare tire is stored properly on a 
daily basis.
●If the stored spare tire appears to 
be slanted or rattl es while driving, 
the spare tire may not be properly 
stored. Store the spare tire again 
by performing the following tire 
change procedure correctly: 1
If the spare tire is slanted, the 
hoist assembly may be stuck in 
the wheel opening. If the spare 
tire rattles while driving, it may 
not be fully raised. Lower the 
spare tire to the ground and 
make sure that the hoist assem-
bly is perpendicular to the wheel 
opening.
2 Raise the tire slowly and steadily 
until a click is heard and the jack 
handle skips.
If the spare tire cannot be lowered, 
the wire cable may be severed. 
Have the vehicle inspected at your 
Toyota dealer.
■Maximum load of tire
Check that the n umber given by 
dividing the maximum load by 1.10 
of the replacement tire is greater 
than 1/2 of the Gross Axle Weight 
Ratings (GAWR) of either the front 
axle or the rear axle, whichever is 
greater.
For the GAWR, see the Certification 
Label.
For the maximum load of the tire, 
see the load limit at maximum cold 
tire inflation pressure mentioned on 
the sidewall of the tire. ( P.516)
■Tire types
●Summer tires
Summer tires are high-speed perfor-
mance tires best suited to highway 
driving under dry conditions. Since 
summer tires do not have the same 
traction performance as snow tires, 
summer tires are inadequate for  
     
        
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4206-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
HIGHLANDER HV_Udriving on snow-covered or icy 
roads. For driving on snow-covered 
roads or icy roads, the use of snow 
tires is recommended. When install-
ing snow tires, be sure to replace all 
four tires.
●All season tires
All season tires are designed to pro-
vide better traction in snow and to 
be adequate for driving in most win-
ter conditions a s well as for use 
year-round. All season tires, how-
ever, do not have  adequate traction 
performance compared with snow 
tires in heavy or loose snow. Also, 
all season tires fall short in accelera-
tion and handling performance com-
pared with summer tires in highway 
driving.
●Snow tires
For driving on snow-covered roads 
or icy roads, we recommend using 
snow tires. If you need snow tires, 
select tires of the same size, con-
struction and load  capacity as the 
originally installed tires. Since your 
vehicle has radial t ires as original 
equipment, make sure your snow 
tires also have radial construction. 
Do not install stud ded tires without 
first checking local regulations for 
possible restrictions. Snow tires 
should be installed on all wheels. 
(  P.327)
■If the tread on snow tires wears 
down below 0.16 in. (4 mm)
The effectiveness of the tires as 
snow tires is lost.
WA R N I N G
■When inspecting or replacing 
tires
Observe the following precautions 
to prevent accidents.
Failure to do so may cause dam-
age to parts of the drive train as 
well as dangerous handling char-
acteristics, which may lead to an 
accident resulting in death or seri-
ous injury.
●Do not mix tires of different 
makes, models or tread pat-
terns.
Also, do not mix tires of remark-
ably different treadwear.
●Do not use tire sizes other than 
those recommended by Toyota.
●Do not mix differently con-
structed tires (rad ial, bias-belted 
or bias-ply tires).
●Do not mix summer, all season 
and snow tires.
●Do not use tires  that have been 
used on another vehicle.
Do not use tires if you do not 
know how they were used previ-
ously.
●Do not tow if your vehicle has a 
compact spare tire installed.
NOTICE
■Driving on rough roads
Take particular care when driving 
on roads with loose surfaces or 
potholes.
These conditions may cause 
losses in tire inflation pressure, 
reducing the cush ioning ability of 
the tires. In addition, driving on 
rough roads may cause damage 
to the tires themselves, as well as 
the vehicle’s wheels and body. 
     
        
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4216-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
HIGHLANDER HV_U
6
Maintenance and care
Rotate the tires in the order 
shown. Front
To equalize tire wear and extend 
tire life, Toyota recommends that 
tire rotation is c arried out at the 
same interval as tire inspection.
Do not fail to initialize the tire pres-
sure warning system after tire rota-
tion.
Your vehicle is equipped with a 
tire pressure warning system 
that uses tire pressure warning 
valves and transmitters to detect 
low tire inflation pressure before 
serious problems arise.
 The tire pressure detected by  the tire pressure warning sys-
tem can be displayed on the 
multi-information display. 
(
P.92, 102)
The illustration used is intended as 
an example, and may differ from 
the image that is actually displayed 
on the multi-information display.
4.2-inch display
7-inch display
If the tire pressure drops 
below a predetermined level, 
the driver is warned by a 
screen display and a warning 
light. ( P.464)
The illustration used is intended as 
an example, and may differ from 
the image that is actually displayed 
on the multi-information display.
4.2-inch display
NOTICE
■If tire inflation pressure of 
each tire becomes low while 
driving
Do not continue driving, or your 
tires and/or wheels may be 
ruined.
Tire rotation
Tire pressure warning 
system 
     
        
        Page 423 of 572
4236-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
HIGHLANDER HV_U
6
Maintenance and care
■Tire pressure warning  system certification
When replacing tires or wheels, 
tire pressure warning valves and 
transmitters must also be 
installed.Installing tire pressure 
warning valves and trans-
mitters