
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  

2404-4. Refueling
HIGHLANDER HV_U
4-4.Refueling
Close all the doors and win-
dows, and turn the power 
switch off.
 Confirm the type of fuel.
■Fuel types
 P. 5 1 4
■Fuel tank opening for unleaded 
gasoline
To help prevent incorrect fueling, 
your vehicle has a fuel tank opening 
that only acco mmodates the spe-
cial nozzle on unleaded fuel pumps.
Opening the fuel tank 
cap
The fuel tank of your vehicle 
has a special structure, 
which requires a reduction 
in fuel tank pressure before 
refueling. After the opener 
switch has been pressed, it 
will take several seconds 
until the vehicle is ready for 
refueling.
Before refueling the vehi-
cle
WA R N I N G
■When refueling the vehicle
Observe the following precautions 
while refueling the vehicle. Failure 
to do so may result in death or 
serious injury.
●After exiting the vehicle and 
before opening the fuel door, 
touch an unpainted metal sur-
face to discharge any static 
electricity. It is important to dis-
charge static electricity before 
refueling because sparks result-
ing from static electricity can 
cause fuel vapors to ignite while 
refueling.
●Always hold the grips on the 
fuel tank cap and turn it slowly 
to remove it.
A whooshing sound may be 
heard when the f uel tank cap is 
loosened. Wait until the sound 
cannot be heard before fully 
removing the cap. In hot 
weather, pressurized fuel may 
spray out of the  filler neck and 
cause injury.
●Do not allow anyone that has 
not discharged static electricity 
from their body to come close to 
an open fuel tank.
●Do not inhale vaporized fuel.
Fuel contains substances that 
are harmful if inhaled.
●Do not smoke while refueling 
the vehicle.
Doing so may cause the fuel to 
ignite and cause a fire.
●Do not return to the vehicle or 
touch any person or object that 
is statically charged.
This may cause static electricity 
to build up, resulting in a possi-
ble ignition hazard.
■When refueling
Observe the following precautions 
to prevent fuel overflowing from 
the fuel tank:
●Securely insert the fuel nozzle 
into the fuel filler neck.
●Stop filling the tank after the fuel 
nozzle automatically clicks off. 

3976-1. Maintenance and care
HIGHLANDER HV_U
6
Maintenance and care
 Remove dirt and dust using a 
vacuum cleaner. Wipe dirty 
surfaces with a cloth damp-
ened with lukewarm water.
 If dirt cannot be removed, 
wipe it off with a soft cloth 
dampened with neutral deter-
gent diluted to approximately 
1%.
Wring out any excess water 
from the cloth and thoroughly 
wipe off remaining traces of 
detergent and water.
■Shampooing the carpets
There are several commercial foam-
ing-type cleaners available. Use a 
sponge or brush to apply the foam. 
Rub in overlapping  circles. Do not 
use water. Wipe di rty surfaces and 
let them dry. Exce llent results are 
obtained by keeping the carpet as 
dry as possible.
■Handling the seat belts
Clean with mild soap and lukewarm 
water using a cloth or sponge. Also 
check the belts periodically for 
excessive wear, fraying or cuts.
Cleaning and protect-
ing the vehicle interior
Perform cleaning in a man-
ner appropriate to each 
component and its material.
Protecting the vehicle 
interior
WA R N I N G
■Water in the vehicle
●Do not splash or spill liquid in 
the vehicle, such as on the floor, 
in the hybrid battery (traction 
battery) air vents, and in the lug-
gage compartment.
Doing so may cause the hybrid 
battery, electrical components, 
etc. to malfunction or catch fire.
●Do not get any of the SRS com-
ponents or wiring in the vehicle 
interior wet.
(  P. 3 4 )
An electrical ma lfunction may 
cause the airbags to deploy or 
not function properly, resulting 
in death or se rious injury.
●Vehicles with wireless charger: 
Do not let the wireless charger 
( P.369) get wet. Failure to do 
so may cause t he charger to 
become hot and cause burns or 
could cause electric shock 
resulting in death or serious 
injury.
■Cleaning the interior (espe-
cially instrument panel)
Do not use polish wax or polish 
cleaner. The instrument panel 
may reflect off the windshield, 
obstructing the driver’s view and 
leading to an accident, resulting in 
death or serious injury.
NOTICE
■Cleaning detergents
●Do not use the  following types 
of detergent, as  they may dis-
color the vehicle interior or 
cause streaks  or damage to 
painted surfaces:
• Non-seat portions: Organic sub- stances such as benzene or 
gasoline, alkaline  or acidic solu-
tions, dye, and bleach 

4947-2. Steps to take in an emergency
HIGHLANDER HV_U
■Starting the hybrid system 
when the 12-volt battery is dis-
charged
The hybrid system cannot be started 
by push-starting.
■To prevent 12-volt battery dis-
charge
●Turn off the headlights and the 
audio system while the hybrid sys-
tem is off.
●Turn off any unnecessary electri-
cal components when the vehicle 
is running at a low speed for an 
extended period, such as in heavy 
traffic.
■When the 12-volt battery is 
removed or discharged
●Information stor ed in the ECU is 
cleared. When the 12-volt battery 
is depleted, have the vehicle 
inspected at you r Toyota dealer.
●Some systems may  require initial-
ization. ( P.538)
■When removing the 12-volt bat-
tery terminals
When the 12-volt battery terminals 
are removed, the information stored 
in the ECU is cleared. Before 
removing the 12-volt battery termi-
nals, contact your Toyota dealer.
■Charging the 1 2-volt battery
The electricity stor ed in the 12-volt 
battery will discharge gradually even 
when the vehicle is not in use, due 
to natural discharge and the drain-
ing effects of certain electrical appli-
ances. If the vehicle is left for a long 
time, the 12-volt battery may dis-
charge, and the hybrid system may 
be unable to start. (The 12-volt bat-
tery recharges aut omatically while 
the hybrid system is operating.)
■When recharging or replacing 
the 12-volt battery
●In some cases, i t may not be pos-
sible to unlock the doors using the 
smart key system when the  12-volt battery is
 discharged. Use 
the wireless remote  control or the 
mechanical key to lock or unlock 
the doors.
●The hybrid syste m may not start 
on the first attempt after the 
12-volt battery has recharged but 
will start normally after the second 
attempt. This is not a malfunction.
●The power switch mode is memo-
rized by the vehicle. When the 
12-volt battery is reconnected, the 
system will return to the mode it 
was in before the 12-volt battery 
was discharged. Before discon-
necting the 12-volt battery, turn 
the power switch off.
If you are unsure what mode the 
power switch was in before the 
12-volt battery discharged, be 
especially careful when recon-
necting the 12-volt battery.
●The power back door must be ini-
tialized. ( P.141)
■When replacing t he 12-volt bat-
tery
●Use a Central  Degassing type 
12-volt battery (European Regula-
tions).
●Use a 12-volt battery that the case 
size is same as the previous one 
(LN2), 20 hour rate capacity 
(20HR) is equivalent (55Ah) or 
greater, and per formance rating 
(CCA) is equivalent (345A) or 
greater.
• If the sizes differ, the 12-volt bat- tery cannot be properly secured.
• If the 20 hour rate  capacity is low, 
even if the time p eriod where the 
vehicle is not used is a short time, 
the 12-volt battery may discharge 
and the hybrid system may not be 
able to start.
●Use a 12-volt battery with a han-
dle. If a 12-volt battery without a 
handle is used, removal is more 
difficult.
●After replacing, firmly attach the 
following items to the exhaust hole 
of the 12-volt battery. 

5078-1. Specifications
HIGHLANDER HV_U
8
Vehicle specifications
Front
Engine
ModelA25A-FXS
Ty p e4-cylinder in line , 4-cycle, gasoline
Bore and stroke3.44  4.07 in. (87.5   103.4 mm)
Displacement151.8 cu. in. (2487 cm3)
Valve clearance (engine cold)Automatic adjustment
Fuel
Fuel typeUnleaded gasoline only
Octane Rating87 (Research Octane Number 91) or 
higher
Fuel tank capacity
(Reference)17.1 gal. (65 L, 14.2 Imp. gal.)
Electric motor (traction motor)
Ty p ePermanent magnet synchronous 
motor
Maximum output134 kW
Maximum torque199 ft•lbf (270 N•m, 27.5 kgf•m) 

5098-1. Specifications
HIGHLANDER HV_U
8
Vehicle specifications
with SAE 0W-16 at the next oil 
change.
Oil viscosity (0W-16 is explained 
here as an example):
• The 0W in 0W-16 indicates  the characteristic of the oil 
which allows cold startability. 
Oils with a lower value before 
the W allow for easier starting 
of the engine in cold weather.
• The 16 in 0W-16 indicates the  viscosity characteristic of the 
oil when the oil is at high tem-
perature. An oil with a higher 
viscosity (one with a higher 
value) may be better suited if  the vehicle is operated at high 
speeds, or under extreme 
load conditions.
How to read oil container label:
API registered marks is added 
to some oil containers to help 
you select the oil you should 
use.
Cooling system
Capacity
Gasoline 
engine10.5 qt. (9.9 L , 8.7 Imp. qt.)
Power con-
trol unit2.0 qt. (1.9 L, 1.7 Imp. qt.)
Coolant type
Use either of the following:
 “Toyota Super Long Life Coolant”
 Similar high-quality et hylene glycol-based 
non-silicate, non -amine, non-nitrite, and 
non-borate coolant with long-life hybrid organic 
acid technology
Do not use pla in water alone.
Ignition system (spark plug)
MakeDENSO FC16HR-Q8
Gap0.031 in. (0.8 mm) 

5158-1. Specifications
HIGHLANDER HV_U
8
Vehicle specifications
adversely affected.
The malfunction indicator lamp on 
the instrument cluster may come on. 
If this happens, contact your Toyota 
dealer for service.
■If your engine knocks
●Consult your Toyota dealer.
●You may occasionally notice light 
knocking for a short time while 
accelerating or dr iving uphill. This 
is normal and there is no need for 
concern.
NOTICE
■Notice on fuel quality
●Do not use impro per fuels. If 
improper fuels are used, the 
engine will be damaged.
●Do not use leaded gasoline.
Leaded gasoline can cause 
damage to your vehicle’s 
three-way catalytic converters 
causing the emission control 
system to malfunction.
●Do not use gasohol other than 
the type previously stated.
Other gasohol may cause fuel 
system damage or vehicle per-
formance problems.
●Using unleaded gasoline with 
an octane number or rating 
lower than the l evel previously 
stated may cause persistent 
heavy knocking.
At worst, this may lead to 
engine damage an d will void the 
vehicle warranty.
■When refueling with gasohol
Take care not to spill gasohol. It 
can damage your vehicle’s paint.
■Fuel-related p oor driveability
If poor driveability (poor hot start-
ing, vaporization, engine knock-
ing, etc.) is encountered after 
using a different type of fuel, dis-
continue the use  of that type of 
fuel. 

572
HIGHLANDER HV_U
GAS STATION INFORMATION
Auxiliary catch lever (P.408)
Fuel filler door ( P.241)
Hood lock release lever ( P.408)
Fuel filler door opener ( P.241)
Power back door switch ( P.137)
Tire inflation pressure ( P.511)
Fuel tank capacity 
(Reference)17.1 gal. (65 L, 14.2 Imp. gal.)
Fuel typeUnleaded gasoline onlyP.507
Cold tire inflation 
pressureP. 5 1 1
Engine oil capacity 
(Drain and refill  
reference)
P.508
Engine oil typeP.508