
3114-5. Using the driving support systems
HIGHLANDER HV_U
4
Driving
ate properly.
●Weather
• When a sensor or the area around  a sensor is extremely hot or cold
• When strong winds are blowing
• If a sensor is covered with ice,  snow, dirt, etc. (when cleared, the 
system will return to normal)
• If heavy rain or water strikes a 
sensor
• When driving in inclement weather  such as fog, snow or a sandstorm
• When the sensor is frozen (Once  the sensor thaws, the system will 
return to normal)
●Vehicle surroundings
• When an object that cannot be 
detected is betw een the vehicle 
and a detected object
• If an object such as a vehicle, 
motorcycle, bicycle or pedestrian 
cuts in front of the  vehicle or runs 
out from the side of the vehicle
• The vehicle is approaching a tall  or curved curb.
• On an extremely bumpy road, on 
an incline, on gravel, or on grass.
• If objects draw too close to the  sensor.
●Other ultrasonic waves sources
• When vehicle horns, vehicle  detectors, motorcycle engines, air 
brakes of large vehicles, the clear-
ance sonar of other vehicles or  other devices which produce ultra-
sonic waves are near the vehicle
• If a sticker or an electronic compo-
nent, such as a backlit license 
plate (especially fluorescent type), 
fog lights, fender pole or wireless 
antenna is installed near a sensor
●Changes in the v ehicle posture
• If the vehicle is significantly tilted
• If the front of the v ehicle is raised 
or lowered due to the carried load
• If the orientation of a sensor has  been changed due to  a collision or 
other impact
• When equipment that may  obstruct a sensor is installed, such 
as a bumper protector (an addi-
tional trim strip, etc.), bicycle car-
rier, or snow plow
• If the suspension has been modi-
fied or tires of a  size other than 
specified are installed
• If a sensor has been painted or 
covered with a sticker, etc. 

3184-5. Using the driving support systems
HIGHLANDER HV_U
■Trail Mode
●Trail Mode is intended for use 
when driving on bumpy roads. Do 
not turn the switch on in other situ-
ations.
●Trail Mode controls the vehicle so 
that it can use the maximum 
amount of drive force when driving 
on bumpy roads. As a result, fuel 
efficiency may diminish when 
compared to driving with Trail 
Mode off.
●If Trail Mode is continuously used 
for a long period of time, the load 
on related parts increases and the 
system may be un able to operate 
effectively.
■When Trail Mode is canceled
In the following situations, Trail 
Mode is automatically canceled 
even if it is  turned on.
●When the driving mode is 
changed (P.316)
●When the power switch is turned 
off
■During Trail Mode operation
The following types of situations 
may occur, but they are not malfunc-
tions.
●Vibrations may be felt throughout 
the vehicle or steering wheel
●Operating noise may be heard 
from the engine compartment
■When an inspection at your 
Toyota dealer is necessary
In the following si tuations, the sys- tem may be malf
unctioning. Have 
the vehicle inspected by your Toyota 
dealer immediately.
●When the slip indicator illuminates 
while Trail Mode is on
●When the Trail Mode indicator 
does not illuminat e even though 
the Trail Mode switch is pressed 

3214-5. Using the driving support systems
HIGHLANDER HV_U
4
Driving
■Turning off both TRAC, VSC 
and Trailer Sway Control sys-
tems
To turn the TRAC, VSC and Trailer 
Sway Control systems off, press 
and hold the   switch for more 
than 3 seconds while the vehicle is 
stopped.
The VSC OFF indicator light will 
come on and the “Traction Control 
Turned OFF” will be shown on the 
multi-information display.
*
Press the   switch again to turn 
the system back on.
*: On vehicles with PCS (Pre-Colli- sion System), PCS will also be 
disabled (only Pre-Collision warn-
ing is available). The PCS warning 
light will come on  and a message 
will be display ed on the 
multi-informat ion display. 
(  P.249)
■When the message is dis-
played on the multi-information 
display showing that TRAC has 
been disabled even if the   
switch has not been pressed
TRAC is temporary deactivated. If 
the information continues to show, 
contact your Toyota dealer.
■Operating conditions of 
hill-start assist control
When the following four conditions 
are met, the hill-start assist control 
will operate:
●The shift lever is in a position 
other than P or N (when starting 
off forward/backward on an 
upward incline)
●The vehicle is stopped
●The accelerator pedal is not 
depressed
●The parking brake is not engaged
■Automatic system cancelation 
of hill-start assist control
The hill-start assist  control will turn 
off in any of the fo llowing situations:
●The shift lever is shifted to P or N
●The accelerator pedal is 
depressed
●The parking brake is engaged
●2 seconds at maximum elapsed 
after the brake pedal is released
■Sounds and vibrations caused 
by the ABS, brake assist, VSC, 
Trailer Sway Control, TRAC and 
hill-start assist control systems
●A sound may be heard from the 
engine compartment when the 
brake pedal is depressed repeat-
edly, when the hybrid system is 
started or just after the vehicle 
begins to move. This sound does 
not indicate that a malfunction has 
occurred in any of these systems.
●Any of the following conditions 
may occur when the above sys-
tems are operating. None of these 
indicates that a malfunction has 
occurred.
• Vibrations may be  felt through the 
vehicle body and steering.
• A motor sound may be heard also 
after the vehicle comes to a stop.
■ECB operating sound
ECB operating sound may be heard 
in the following cases, but it does 
not indicate that a  malfunction has 
occurred.
●Operating sound heard from the 
engine compartment when the 
brake pedal is operated.
●Motor sound of the brake system 
heard from the f ront part of the 
vehicle when the driver’s door is 
opened.
●Operating sound heard from the 
engine compartment when one or 
two minutes passed after the stop 
of the hybrid system. 

3254-6. Driving tips
HIGHLANDER HV_U
4
Driving
4-6.Driving tips
When using Eco drive mode, the 
torque corresponding to the 
accelerator pedal depression 
amount can be generated more 
smoothly than it is in normal 
conditions. In addition, the oper-
ation of the air conditioning sys-
tem (heating/cooling) will be 
minimized, improving the fuel 
economy. ( P.316)
Eco-friendly driving is possible 
by keeping the Hybrid System 
Indicator within the Eco area. 
( P. 9 0 )
Shift the shift lever to D when 
stopped at a traffic light, or driv-
ing in heavy traffic, etc. Shift the 
shift lever to P when parking. 
When using N, there is no posi-
tive effect on fuel consumption. 
In N, the gasoline engine oper-
ates but electricity cannot be 
generated. Also, when using the 
air conditioning system, etc., the  hybrid battery (traction battery) 
power is consumed.
Drive your vehicle smoothly. 
Avoid abrupt acceleration and 
deceleration. Gradual accel-
eration and deceleration will 
make more effective use of 
the electric motor (traction 
motor) without having to use 
gasoline engine power.
 Avoid repeated acceleration. 
Repeated acceleration con-
sumes hybrid battery (trac-
tion battery) power, resulting 
in poor fuel consumption. Bat-
tery power can be restored by 
driving with the accelerator 
pedal slightly released.
Make sure to operate the brakes 
gently and in a timely manner. A 
greater amount of electrical 
energy can be regenerated 
when slowing down.
Repeated acceleration and 
deceleration, as well as long 
waits at traffic lights, will lead to 
bad fuel economy. Check traffic 
reports before leaving and avoid 
delays as much as possible. 
When driving in a traffic jam, 
Hybrid vehicle driving 
tips
For economical and ecolog-
ical driving, pay attention to 
the following points:
Using Eco drive mode
Use of Hybrid System 
Indicator
Shift lever operation
Accelerator pedal/brake 
pedal operation
When braking
Delays 

3264-6. Driving tips
HIGHLANDER HV_U
gently release the brake pedal 
to allow the vehicle to move for-
ward slightly while avoiding 
overuse of the accelerator 
pedal. Doing so can help control 
excessive gasoline consump-
tion.
Control and maintain the vehicle 
at a constant speed. Before 
stopping at a toll booth or simi-
lar, allow plenty of time to 
release the accelerator and gen-
tly apply the brakes. A greater 
amount of electrical energy can 
be regenerated when slowing 
down.
Use the air conditioning only 
when necessary. Doing so can 
help reduce excessive gasoline 
consumption.
In summer: When the ambient 
temperature is high, use the 
recirculated air mode. Doing so 
will help to reduce the burden on 
the air conditioning system and 
reduce fuel consumption as 
well.
In winter: Because the gasoline 
engine will not automatically cut 
out until it and the interior of the 
vehicle are warm, it will con-
sume fuel. Also, fuel consump-
tion can be improved by 
avoiding overuse of the heater.Make sure to check the tire infla-
tion pressure frequently. 
Improper tire inflation pressure 
can cause poor fuel economy.
Also, as snow tires can cause 
large amounts of friction, their 
use on dry roads can lead to 
poor fuel economy. Use tires 
that are appropriate for the sea-
son.
Carrying heavy luggage will lead 
to poor fuel economy. Avoid car-
rying unnecessary luggage. 
Installing a large roof rack will 
also cause poor fuel economy.
Since the gasoline engine starts 
up and cuts out automatically 
when cold, warming up the 
engine is unnecessary. More-
over, frequently driving short 
distances will cause the engine 
to repeatedly warm up, which 
can lead to excess fuel con-
sumption.
Highway driving
Air conditioning
Checking tire inflation 
pressure
Luggage
Warming up before driv-
ing 

3274-6. Driving tips
HIGHLANDER HV_U
4
Driving
 Use fluids that are appropriate 
to the prevailing outside tem-
peratures.
• Engine oil
• Engine/power control unit coolant
• Washer fluid
Have a service technician 
inspect the condition of the 
12-volt battery.
 Have the vehicle fitted with 
four snow tires or purchase a 
set of tire chains for the front 
tires.
Ensure that all tires are the same 
size and brand,  and that chains 
match the size of the tires.
Perform the following according 
to the driving conditions:
Winter driving tips
Carry out the necessary 
preparations and inspec-
tions before driving the 
vehicle in winter. Always 
drive the vehicle in a man-
ner appropriate to the pre-
vailing weather conditions.
Pre-winter preparations
WA R N I N G
■Driving with snow tires
Observe the following precautions 
to reduce the risk of accidents.
Failure to do so m ay result in a 
loss of vehicle control and cause 
death or serious injury.
●Use tires of the specified size.
●Maintain the recommended 
level of air pressure.
●Do not drive in excess of 75 
mph (120 km/h), regardless of 
the type of snow tires being 
used.
●Use snow tires on all, not just 
some wheels.
■Driving with tire chains
Observe the following precautions 
to reduce the risk of accidents.
Failure to do so may result in the 
vehicle being unable to be driven 
safely, and may cause death or 
serious injury.
●Do not drive in excess of the 
speed limit specifi ed for the tire 
chains being used, or 30 mph 
(50 km/h), whichever is lower.
●Avoid driving  on bumpy road 
surfaces or over potholes.
●Avoid sudden acceleration, 
abrupt steering, sudden brak-
ing and shifting operations that 
cause sudden engine braking.
●Slow down sufficiently before 
entering a curve to ensure that 
vehicle control is maintained.
●Do not use the LTA (Lane Trac-
ing Assist) system.
NOTICE
■Repairing or replacing snow 
tires
Request repairs or replacement of 
snow tires from Toyota dealers or 
legitimate tire retailers.
This is because the removal and 
attachment of snow tires affects 
the operation of the tire pressure 
warning valves and transmitters.
Before driving the vehicle 

3324-6. Driving tips
HIGHLANDER HV_U
NOTICE
■To prevent water damage
Take all necessary safety mea-
sures to ensure that water dam-
age to the hybrid battery (traction 
battery), hybrid s ystem or other 
components does not occur.
●Water entering the engine com-
partment may cause severe 
damage to the hybrid system. 
Water entering the interior may 
cause the hybrid battery (trac-
tion battery) stowed under the 
rear seats to short circuit.
●Water entering the hybrid trans-
mission will cause deterioration 
in transmission quality. The mal-
function indicator may come on, 
and the vehicle may not be driv-
able.
●Water can wash the grease 
from wheel bearings, causing 
rusting and premature failure, 
and may also enter the hybrid 
transmission case, reducing the 
gear oil’s lubricating qualities.
■When you drive through 
water
If driving through water, such as 
when crossing shallow streams, 
first check the depth of the water 
and the bottom of  the riverbed for 
firmness. Drive slowly and avoid 
deep water.
■Inspection after off-road driv-
ing
●Sand and mud that has accu-
mulated in bra ke drums and 
around brake di scs may affect 
braking efficiency and may 
damage brake system compo-
nents.
●Always perform a maintenance 
inspection aft er each day of 
off-road driving  that has taken 
you through rough terrain, sand, 
mud, or water. For scheduled 
maintenance information, refer 
to the “Scheduled Maintenance 
Guide” or “Owner’s Manual 
Supplement”. 

3395-2. Using the air conditioning system and defogger
HIGHLANDER HV_U
5
Interior features
●The windows may fog up if the 
recirculated air mode is used.
■When driving on dusty roads
Close all windows. If dust thrown up 
by the vehicle is still drawn into the 
vehicle after closing the windows, it 
is recommended that the air intake 
mode be set to outside air mode and 
the fan speed to any setting except 
off.
■Outside/recirculated air mode
●Setting to the r ecirculated air 
mode temporarily is recom-
mended in preventing dirty air 
from entering the vehicle interior 
and helping to c ool the vehicle 
when the outside  air temperature 
is high.
●Outside/recirculated air mode may 
automatically switch depending on 
the temperature setting or the 
inside temperature.
■Operation of the air condition-
ing system in Eco drive mode
●In Eco drive mode, the air condi-
tioning system is controlled as fol-
lows to prioritize fuel efficiency:
• Engine speed and compressor  operation controlled to restrict 
heating/cooling capacity
• Fan speed restr icted when auto-
matic mode is selected
●To improve air co nditioning perfor-
mance, perform the following 
operations:
• Adjust the fan speed
• Turn off Eco drive mode ( P.316)
■When the outside temperature 
is low
The dehumidification function may 
not operate even when the “A/C” 
switch is pressed.
■Ventilation and air conditioning 
odors
●To let fresh air in, set the air condi-
tioning system to the outside air 
mode.
●During use, various odors from  inside and outside the vehicle may 
enter into and accumulate in the 
air conditioning system. This may 
then cause odor 
to be emitted 
from the vents.
●To reduce potential odors from 
occurring:
• It is recommended that the air 
conditioning system be set to out-
side air mode prior to turning the 
vehicle off.
• The start timing of the blower may  be delayed for a short period of 
time immediately after the air con-
ditioning system is started in auto-
matic mode.
●When parking, the system auto-
matically switches to outside air 
mode to encourage better air cir-
culation throughout the vehicle, 
helping to reduce odors that occur 
when starting the vehicle.
■Air conditioning filter
 P.433
■Air conditioning system refrig-
erant
●A label regarding the refrigerant of 
the air conditioning system is 
attached to the h ood at the loca-
tion shown in the  following illustra-
tion.
●The meaning of each symbol on 
the label are as follows:
Caution
Air conditioning sys-
tem