
4TABLE OF CONTENTS
HIGHLANDER HV_U
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 (trac- tion battery) air intake vents 
and filter ........................... 435
Electronic key battery ......... 438
Checking and replacing fuses ......................................... 439
Headlight aim ..................... 442
Light bulbs .......................... 443
7-1. Essential information Emergency flashers ........... 452
If your vehicle has to be stopped  in an emergency .............. 452
If the vehicle is trapped in rising  water ................................ 453
7-2. Steps to take in an emergency If your vehicle needs to be towed......................................... 455
If you think something is wrong ......................................... 458
If a warning light turns on or a  warning buzzer sounds .... 460
If a warning message is dis- played .............................. 470
If you have a flat tire ........... 474
If the hybrid system will not start ......................................... 486
If you lose your keys .......... 488
If the fuel filler door cannot be  opened ............................. 488
If the electronic key does not  operate properly ............... 489If the 12-volt battery is dis-
charged ............................ 491
If your vehicle overheats .... 497
If the vehicle becomes stuck ......................................... 500
8-1. Specifications Maintenance data (fuel, oil level, etc.) .................................. 504
Fuel information ................. 514
Tire information .................. 516
8-2. Customization Customizable features ....... 526
8-3. Initialization Items to initialize ................ 538
9-1. For owners Reporting safety defects for U.S. owners ............................. 540
Seat belt instructions for Cana- dian owners (in French) ... 540
SRS airbag instructions for  Canadian owners (in French)......................................... 542
Headlight aim instructions for  Canadian owners (in French)......................................... 549
What to do if... (Troubleshooting)  ......................................... 55
2
Alphab
 etical Index.............. 555
7When trouble arises
8Vehicle specifications
9For owners
Index 

6
HIGHLANDER HV_U
Toyota Safety Sense 2.0
 Anti-lock brake system
 SRS airbag system
 Seat belt pretensioner system
Be sure to check with your Toy-
ota dealer for precautionary 
measures or special instructions 
regarding installation of a mobile 
two-way radio system.
High voltage parts and cables 
on the hybrid vehicles emit 
approximately the same amount 
of electromagnetic waves as the 
conventional gasoline powered 
vehicles or home electronic 
appliances despite of their elec-
tromagnetic shielding.
Unwanted noise may occur in 
the reception of the mobile 
two-way radio.
The vehicle is equipped with 
sophisticated computers that will 
record certain data, such as:
• Engine speed/Electric motor  speed (traction motor speed)
• Accelerator status
• Brake status
• Vehicle speed
• Operation status of the driving  assist systems
• Images from the cameras
Your vehicle is equipped with cam-
eras. Contact your Toyota dealer for 
the location of re cording cameras.
The recorded data varies  according to the vehicle grade 
level and options with which it is 
equipped.
These computers do not record 
conversations or sounds, and 
only record images outside of 
the vehicle in certain situations.
Data Transmission
Your vehicle may transmit the data 
recorded in these computers to 
Toyota without notification to you.
Data usage
Toyota may use the data recorded 
in this computer to diagnose mal-
functions, conduct research and 
development, and improve quality.
Toyota will not  disclose the 
recorded data to a third party 
except:
• With the consen t of the vehicle 
owner or with the consent of the 
lessee if the vehicle is leased
• In response to an official request  by the police, a court of law or a 
government agency
• For use by Toyota in a lawsuit
• For research purposes where the  data is not tied to a specific vehi-
cle or vehicle owner
 Recorded image information 
can be erased by your Toyota 
dealer.
The image recording function can 
be disabled. However, if the func-
tion is disabled, data from when the 
system operates will not be avail-
able.
To learn more about the vehi-
cle data collected, used and 
Vehicle data recording 

13Pictorial index
HIGHLANDER HV_U
Precautions for winter seas on.............................................. P.327
To prevent freezing (windshiel d wiper de-icer) ..................... P.338
Precautions for car wash
*.................................................... P.395
Fuel filler door ............................................... ..................... P.240
Refueling method ............................................... .................. P.240
Fuel type/fuel tan k capacity ................................... .............. P.507
Tires.......................................................... ........................... P.418
Tire size/inflation pressure ................................... ........ P.418, 511
Winter tires/tire chains ....................................... .................. P.327
Checking/rotation/tire pressur e warning system ..................P.418
Coping with flat tires......................................... .................... P.474
Hood ........................................................... ......................... P.408
Opening ............................................................................... P.408
Engine oil ..................................................... ........................ P.508
Coping with overheating ...................................................... P.497
Warning messages ............................................... ............... P.470
Headlights..................................................... ...................... P.229
Parking lights ................................................. .................... P.229
Front turn signal lights ....................................... ............... P.223
Parking lights
*/daytime running lights............................. P.229
Front side marker lights ....................................... ............. P.229
Front fog lights ............................................... .................... P.235
Stop/tail lights ............................................... ..................... P.229
Tail lights.................................................... ......................... P.229
Back-up lights
Shifting the shift lever to  R ................................................... P.220
License plate lights........................................... ................. P.229
Rear turn signal lights ........................................ ............... P.223
Light bulbs of the exterior lights for driving
(Replacing method: P.443, Watts: P.512) 

361-1. For safe use
HIGHLANDER HV_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 
information obtained from the sensors etc. shown in the system 
components diagram above. This in formation includes crash sever-
ity and occupant information. As the airbags deploy, a chemical  
reaction in the inflators quickly  fills the airbags with non-toxic gas to 
help restrain the motion of the occupants.
■If the SRS airbags deploy 
(inflate)
●Slight abrasions,  burns, bruising 
etc., may be sustained from SRS 
airbags, due to the extremely high 
speed deployment (inflation) by 
hot gases.
●A loud noise and white powder will 
be emitted.
●Parts of the airbag module (steer-
ing wheel hub, airbag cover and 
inflator) as well as the front seats, 
parts of the front  and rear pillars, 
and roof side rails, may be hot for 
several minutes. T he airbag itself 
may also be hot.
●The windshield may crack.
●The hybrid system will be stopped 
and fuel supply to the engine will 
be stopped. ( P. 7 8 )
●All of the doors will be unlocked. 
( P.132)
●The brakes and st op lights will be 
controlled automatically. ( P.320)
●The interior lights will turn on auto-
matically. ( P.358)
●The emergency flashers will turn 
on automatically. ( P.452)
●For Safety Connect subscribers, if 
any of the following situations 
occur, the system is designed to 
send an emergency call to the 
response center, notifying them of 
the vehicle’s location (without 
needing to push the “SOS” button) 
and an agent will attempt to speak 
with the occupants to ascertain 
the level of emergency and assis- tance required. If the occupants 
are unable to communicate, the 
agent automatically treats the call 
as an emergency and helps to dis-
patch the necessary emergency 
services. (
P. 6 5 )
• An SRS airbag is deployed.
• A seat belt pretensioner is acti-
vated.
• The vehicle is involved in a severe 
rear-end collision.
■SRS airbag deployment condi-
tions (SRS front airbags)
●The SRS front airbags will deploy 
in the event of an impact that 
exceeds the set  threshold level 
(the level of forc e corresponding 
to an approximately 12 - 18 mph 
[20 - 30 km/h] frontal collision with 
a fixed wall that does not move or 
deform).
However, this threshold velocity will 
be considerably higher in the follow-
ing situations:
• If the vehicle strikes an object,  such as a parked vehicle or sign 
pole, which can move or deform 
on impact
• If the vehicle is involved in an  underride collision, such as a colli-
sion in which the front of the vehi-
cle “underrides”, or goes under, 
the bed of a truck
●Depending on the type of collision, 
it is possible that only the seat belt 
pretensioners will activate.
●The SRS front airbags for the front 
passenger will not activate if there 
is no passenger sitting in the front 
passenger seat. However, the  

691-3. Emergency assistance
HIGHLANDER HV_U
1
For safety and security
■Emergency Assistance But-
ton (“SOS”)
In the event of an emergency on 
the road, push the “SOS” button 
to reach the Safety Connect 
response center. The answer-
ing agent will determine your 
vehicle’s location, assess the 
emergency, and dispatch the 
necessary assistance required.
If you accidentally press the “SOS” 
button, tell the response-center 
agent that you are not experiencing 
an emergency.
■Enhanced Roadside Assis-
tance
Enhanced Roadside Assistance 
adds GPS data to the already 
included warranty-based Toyota 
roadside service.
Subscribers can press the 
“SOS” button to reach a Safety 
Connect response-center agent, 
who can help with a wide range 
of needs, such as: towing, flat 
tire, fuel delivery, etc. For a 
description of the Enhanced 
Roadside Assistance services 
and their limitations, please see 
the Safety Connect Terms and 
Conditions, which are available 
at Toyota.com in the United 
States, Toyotapr.com in Puerto 
Rico and Toyota.ca in Canada.
Important! Read this informa- tion before using Safety Con-
nect.
■Exposure to radio fre-
quency signals
The Safety Connect system 
installed in your vehicle is a 
low-power radio transmitter and 
receiver. It receives and also 
sends out radio frequency (RF) 
signals.
In August 1996, the Federal 
Communications Commission 
(FCC) adopted RF exposure 
guidelines with safety levels for 
mobile wireless phones. Those 
guidelines are consistent with 
the safety standards previously 
set by the following U.S. and 
international standards bodies.
 ANSI (American National 
Standards Institute) C95.1 
[1992]
 NCRP (National Council on 
Radiation Protection and 
Measurement) Report 86 
[1986]
 ICNIRP (International Com-
mission on Non-Ionizing Radi-
ation Protection) [1996]
Those standards were based on 
comprehensive and periodic 
evaluations of the relevant sci-
entific literature. Over 120 scien-
tists, engineers, and physicians 
from universities, and govern-
ment health agencies and 
industries reviewed the avail-
able body of research to 
Safety information for 
Safety Connect 

711-4. Hybrid system
HIGHLANDER HV_U
1
For safety and security
1-4.Hybrid system
■System components
The illustration is an example for  explanation and may differ from the actual 
item.
Gasoline engine
Front electric motor (traction motor)
Rear electric motor (traction motor)
*
*: AWD models only
■When stopped/during start 
off
The gasoline engine stops
* 
when the vehicle is stopped.  During start off, the electric 
motor (traction motor) drives the 
vehicle. At slow speeds or when 
traveling down a gentle slope, 
the engine is stopped
* and the 
Hybrid system features
Your vehicle is a hybrid vehicle. It has characteristics differ
ent 
from conventional vehicles. Be sure you are closely familiar 
with the characteristics of your vehicle, and operate it with 
care.
The hybrid system combines the use of a gasoline engine and 
an electric motor (traction motor) according to driving condi-
tions, improving fuel efficiency and reducing exhaust emis-
sions.
System components 

721-4. Hybrid system
HIGHLANDER HV_U
electric motor (traction motor) is 
used.
When the shift lever is in N, the 
hybrid battery (traction battery) 
is not being charged.
*: When the hybrid battery (traction battery) requires charging or the 
engine is warming up, etc., the 
gasoline engine will not automati-
cally stop. ( P. 7 2 )
■During normal driving
The gasoline engine is predomi-
nantly used. The electric motor 
(traction motor) charges the 
hybrid battery (traction battery) 
as necessary.
■When accelerating sharply
When the accelerator pedal is 
depressed heavily, the power of 
the hybrid battery (traction bat-
tery) is added to that of the gas-
oline engine via the electric 
motor (traction motor).
■When braking (regenera-
tive braking)
The wheels operate the electric 
motor (traction motor) as a 
power generator, and the hybrid 
battery (traction battery) is 
charged.
■Regenerative braking
In the following si tuations, kinetic 
energy is converted to electric 
energy and deceleration force can 
be obtained in conjunction with the 
recharging of the hybrid battery 
(traction battery).
●The accelerator pedal is released 
while driving with the shift lever in  D or S.
●The brake pedal
 is depressed 
while driving with t he shift lever in 
D or S.
■EV indicator
The EV indicator  comes on when 
the vehicle is driven using only the 
electric motor (traction motor) or the 
gasoline engine is stopped.
■Conditions in which the gaso-
line engine may not stop
The gasoline engine starts and 
stops automatically. However, it may 
not stop automatic ally in the follow-
ing conditions:
●During gasoline engine warm-up
●During hybrid battery (traction bat-
tery) charging
●When the temperature of the 
hybrid battery (traction battery) is 
high or low
●When the heater is switched on
Depending on the circumstances, 
the gasoline engine may also not 
stop automatically in other situa-
tions.
■Charging the hybrid battery 
(traction battery)
As the gasoline engine charges the 
hybrid battery (trac tion battery), the 
battery does not need to be charged 
from an outside source. However, if 
the vehicle is left  parked for a long 
time the hybrid battery (traction bat-
tery) will slowly dis charge. For this 
reason, be sure to drive the vehicle 
at least once every  few months for 
at least 30 minutes or 10 miles (16 
km). If the hybrid battery (traction 
battery) becomes fully discharged  

731-4. Hybrid system
HIGHLANDER HV_U
1
For safety and security
and you are unable to start the 
hybrid system, contact your Toyota 
dealer.
■Charging the 1 2-volt battery
 P. 4 9 1
■After the 12-volt battery has dis-
charged or when the terminal 
has been removed and installed 
during exchange, etc.
The gasoline engine may not stop 
even if the vehicle is being driven by 
the hybrid battery (traction battery). 
If this continues for a few days, con-
tact your Toyota dealer.
■Sounds and vibrations specific 
to a hybrid vehicle
There may be no engine sound or 
vibration even though the vehicle is 
able to move with the “READY” indi-
cator is illuminated. For safety, apply 
the parking brake and make sure to 
shift the shift lever to P when 
parked.
The following sounds or vibrations 
may occur when the hybrid system 
is operating and are not a malfunc-
tion:
●Motor sounds may be heard from 
the engine compartment.
●Sounds may be heard from the 
hybrid battery (traction battery) 
under the rear seats when the 
hybrid system starts or stops.
●Relay operating sounds such as a 
snap or soft clank will be emitted 
from the hybrid battery (traction 
battery), under the rear seats, 
when the hybrid system is started 
or stopped.
●Sounds from the hybrid system 
may be heard when the back door 
is open.
●Sounds may be heard from the 
transmission when the gasoline 
engine starts or stops, when driv-
ing at low speeds, or during idling.
●Engine sounds may be heard 
when accelerating sharply.
●Sounds may be heard due to 
regenerative braking when the 
brake pedal is depressed or as 
the accelerator pedal is released.
●Vibration may be felt when the 
gasoline engine starts or stops.
●Cooling fan sounds may be heard 
from the air intake vents under the 
rear seats.
■Maintenance, repair, recycling, 
and disposal
Contact your Toyota dealer regard-
ing maintenance, repair, recycling 
and disposal. Do n ot dispose of the 
vehicle yourself.
When driving with the gasoline 
engine stopped, a sound, which 
changes in accordance with the 
driving speed, will be played in 
order to warn people nearby of 
the vehicle’s approach. The 
sound will stop when the vehicle 
speed exceeds approximately 
22 mph (35 km/h).
■Acoustic vehicle alerting sys-
tem
In the following cases, the acoustic 
vehicle alerting system may be diffi-
cult for surrounding people to hear.
●In very noisy areas
●In the wind or the rain
Also, as the acoustic vehicle alerting 
system is installed on the front of the 
vehicle, it may be more difficult to 
hear from the rear of the vehicle 
compared to the front.
Acoustic vehicle alerting 
system