
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 

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) 

852-1. Instrument cluster
HIGHLANDER HV_U
2
Vehicle status information and indicators
7-inch display
The units used on the meters and some indicators may differ 
depending on the target region.
Warning lights inform the driver 
of malfunctions in the indicated 
vehicle’s systems.
Warning lights
(U.S.A.)
Brake system warning 
light
*1 (  P.460)
(red)
(Canada)
Brake system warning 
light
*1 (  P.460)
(yellow)
Brake system warning 
light
*1 ( P.460)
High coolant temperature 
warning light
*2 (  P.460)
Hybrid system overheat 
warning light
*2 (  P.461)
Charging system warning 
light
*2 (  P.461)
Low engine oil pressure 
warning light
*2 (  P.461)
(U.S.A.)
Malfunction indicator 
lamp
*1 ( P.461)
(Canada)
Malfunction indicator 
lamp
*1 ( P.461)
SRS warning light
*1 
(  P.462)
(U.S.A.)
ABS warning light*1 
(  P.462)
(Canada)
ABS warning light*1 
(  P.462)
Brake Overri de System 
warning light/Drive-Start 
Control warning light
*2 
(  P.462)
(red/yel-
low)
Electric power steering 
system warning light 
( P.463)
Low fuel leve l warning 
light
*1(  P.463) 

1964-1. Before driving
HIGHLANDER HV_U
NOTICE
■When parking the vehicle
Always set the parking brake and 
shift the shift lever to P. Failure to 
do so may cause the vehicle to 
move or the vehi cle may acceler-
ate suddenly if the accelerator 
pedal is accidentally depressed.
■Avoiding damage to vehicle 
parts
●Do not turn the steering wheel 
fully in either direction and hold 
it there for an extended period 
of time.
Doing so may damage the 
power steering motor.
●When driving over bumps on 
the road, drive as slowly as pos-
sible to avoid damaging the 
wheels, underside of the vehi-
cle, etc.
■If you get a flat tire while driv-
ing
A flat or damaged tire may cause 
the following situations. Hold the 
steering wheel firmly and gradu-
ally depress the brake pedal to 
slow down the vehicle.
●It may be difficult to control your 
vehicle.
●The vehicle will make abnormal 
sounds or vibrations.
●The vehicle will lean abnor-
mally.
Information on what to do in case 
of a flat tire (
P.474)
■When encountering flooded 
roads
Do not drive on a road that has 
flooded after heavy rain etc. 
Doing so may cause the following 
serious damage to the vehicle:
●Engine stalling
●Short in electrical components
●Engine damage caused by 
water immersion
In the event that you drive on a 
flooded road and the vehicle is 
flooded, be sure to have your Toy-
ota dealer check the following:
●Brake function
●Changes in quantity and quality 
of oil and fluid used for the 
engine, hybrid transaxle (front 
and rear [AWD models]), etc.
●Lubricant condition for bearings 
and suspension joints (where 
possible), and the function of all 
joints, bearings, etc. 

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”. 

3956-1. Maintenance and care
HIGHLANDER HV_U
6
Maintenance and care
tral detergent and water to clean 
the dirt off.
●Wipe the surface with a dry, soft 
cloth to remove any remaining 
moisture.
●To remove oily deposits, use alco-
hol wet wipes or a similar product.
WA R N I N G
■When washing the vehicle
Do not apply water to the inside of 
the engine compartment. Doing 
so may cause the electrical com-
ponents, etc. to catch fire.
■When cleaning the windshield 
(vehicles with rain-sensing 
windshield wipers)
Set the wiper switch to off.
If the switch is in “AUTO”, the wip-
ers may operate unexpectedly in 
the following situations, and may 
result in hands being caught or 
other serious injuries and cause 
damage to the wiper blades.
AUTO
●When the upper part of the 
windshield where the raindrop 
sensor is located is touched by 
hand
●When a wet rag o r similar is 
held close to the raindrop sen-
sor
●If something bumps against the 
windshield
●If you directly touch the raindrop 
sensor body or if something 
bumps into the raindrop sensor
■Precautions regarding the 
exhaust pipe
Exhaust gasses cause the 
exhaust pipe to become quite hot.
When washing the vehicle, be 
careful not to touch the pipe until it 
has cooled sufficiently, as touch-
ing a hot exhaust pipe can cause 
burns.
■Precaution regarding the rear 
bumper with Blind Spot Moni-
tor
If the paint of th e rear bumper is 
chipped or scratched, the system 
may malfunction.If this occurs, 
consult your Toyota dealer.
NOTICE
■To prevent paint deteriora-
tion and corrosion on the 
body and components (alumi-
num wheels, etc.)
●Wash the vehicle  immediately in 
the following cases:
• After driving nea r the sea coast
• After driving on salted roads
• If coal tar or tree sap is present  on the paint surface
• If dead insects, insect droppings  or bird droppings are present on 
the paint surface
• After driving in an area contami- nated with soot, oily smoke, 
mine dust, iron powder or chem-
ical substances
• If the vehicle becomes heavily  soiled with d ust or mud
• If liquids such as benzene and  gasoline are spilled on the paint 
surface
●If the paint is chipped or 
scratched, have it repaired 
immediately. 

4006-2. Maintenance
HIGHLANDER HV_U
6-2.Maintenance
■Repair and replacement
It is recommended that genuine 
Toyota parts be used for repairs to 
ensure performanc e of each sys-
tem. If non-Toyota parts are used in 
replacement or if a repair shop other 
than a Toyota dealer performs 
repairs, confirm the warranty cover-
age.
■Allow inspection and repairs to 
be performed by a Toyota 
dealer
●Toyota technicians are 
well-trained specialists and are 
kept up to date with the latest ser-
vice information. They are well 
informed about the operation of all 
systems on your vehicle.
●Keep a copy of the repair order. It 
proves that the maintenance that 
has been performed is under war-
ranty coverage. If any problem 
should arise while your vehicle is 
under warranty, your Toyota 
dealer will promptly  take care of it.
General maintenance should be 
performed on a daily basis. This 
can be done by yourself or by a 
Toyota dealer.
Scheduled maintenance should 
be performed at specified inter-
vals according to the mainte-
nance schedule.
For details about maintenance 
items and schedules, refer to the 
“Scheduled Maintenance Guide” or 
“Owner’s Manual Supplement”.
Maintenance require-
ments
To ensure safe and econom-
ical driving, day-to-day care 
and regular maintenance 
are essential. It is the 
owner’s responsibility to 
perform regular checks. 
Toyota recommends the fol-
lowing maintenance:
WA R N I N G
■If your vehicle is not properly 
maintained
Improper maintenance could 
result in serious damage to the 
vehicle and possible death or seri-
ous injury.
■Handling of the 12-volt bat-
tery
●Engine exhaust, some of its 
constituents, and a wide variety 
of automobile components con-
tain or emit chemicals known to 
the State of California to cause 
cancer and birth defects and 
other reproductive harm. Work 
in a well ventilated area.
●Oils, fuels and fluids contained 
in vehicles as well as waste pro-
duced by component wear con-
tain or emit chemicals known to 
the State of California to cause 
cancer and birth defects or 
other reproductive harm. Avoid 
exposure and wash any 
affected area immediately.
●12-volt battery posts, terminals 
and related accessories con-
tain lead and lead compounds 
which are known to cause brain 
damage. Wash your hands after 
handling. ( P.416)
General maintenance
Scheduled maintenance