2021 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER HYBRID brake

3314-6. Driving tips
4
Driving
HIGHLANDER HV_U
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.322)
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

3324-6. 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

3344-6. Driving tips
HIGHLANDER HV_U
Do not try to forcibly open a
window or move a wiper that
is frozen. Pour warm water
over the frozen area to melt
the ice. Wipe away the water
immediately to prevent it from
freezing.
 To ensure proper operation of
the climate control system
fan, remove any snow that
has accumulated on the air
inlet vents in front of the wind-
shield.
 Check for and remove any
excess ice or snow that may
have accumulated on the
exterior lights, vehicle’s roof,
chassis, around the tires or on
the brakes.
 Remove any snow or mud
from the bottom of your shoes
before getting in the vehicle.
Accelerate the vehicle slowly,
keep a safe distance between
you and the vehicle ahead, and
drive at a reduced speed suit-
able to road conditions.
 Park the vehicle and move
the shift lever to P without set-
ting the parking brake. The
parking brake may freeze up,
preventing it from being
released. If the vehicle is parked without setting the
parking brake, make sure to
block the wheels. Failure to
do so may be dangerous
because it may cause the
vehicle to move unexpectedly,
possibly leading to an acci-
dent.
When the parking
brake is in auto-
matic mode, release the parking
brake after shifting the shift lever to
P. ( P.224)
 If the vehicle is parked without
setting the parking brake,
confirm that the shift lever
cannot be moved out of P
*.
*: The shift lever will be locked if it is
attempted to be sh ifted from P to
any other position without
depressing the brake pedal. If the
shift lever can be shifted from P,
there may be a problem with the
shift lock system. Have the vehi-
cle inspected by your Toyota
dealer immediately.
Use the correct tire chain size
when mounting the tire chains.
Chain size is regulated for each
tire size.
When driving the vehicle
When parking the vehicle
Selecting tire chains

3374-6. Driving tips
4
Driving
HIGHLANDER HV_U
Your vehicle is not designed to
be driven off-road. However, in
the event that off-road driving
cannot be avoided, please
observe the following precau-
tions to help avoid the areas
prohibited to vehicles.
Drive your vehicle only in
areas where off-road vehicles
are permitted to travel.
 Respect private property. Get
owner’s permission before
entering private property.
 Do not enter areas that are
closed. Honor gates, barriers
and signs that restrict travel.
 Stay on established roads.
When conditions are wet,
driving techniques should be
changed or travel delayed to
prevent damage to roads.
■Additional information for
off-road driving
For owners in U.S. mainland,
Hawaii and Puerto Rico:
To obtain additional information per-
taining to driving your vehicle
off-road, consult the following orga-
nizations.
●State and Local Parks and Recre-
ation Departments
●State Motor Vehicle Bureau
●Recreational Vehicle Clubs
●U.S. Forest Service and Bureau of
Land Management
Off-road drivingWARNING
■Off-road driving precautions
Always observe t he following pre-
cautions to minim ize the risk of
death, serious injury or damage to
your vehicle:
●Drive carefully when off the
road. Do not take unnecessary
risks by driving in dangerous
places.
●Do not grip the steering wheel
spokes when driving off-road. A
bad bump could jerk the wheel
and injure your hands. Keep
both hands and especially your
thumbs on the ou tside of the
rim.
●Always check your brakes for
effectiveness immediately after
driving in sand, mud, water or
snow.
●After driving through tall grass,
mud, rock, sand, rivers, etc.,
check that there is no grass,
bush, paper, rags, stone, sand,
etc. adhering or trapped on the
underbody. Clear off any such
matter from the underbody. If
the vehicle is used with these
materials trapped or adhering to
the underbody, a breakdown or
fire could occur.
●When driving off-road or in rug-
ged terrain, do not drive at
excessive speeds, jump, make
sharp turns, strike objects, etc.
This may cause loss of control
or vehicle rollover causing
death or serious injury. You are
also risking expensive damage
to your vehicle’s suspension
and chassis.

3384-6. 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”.

3845-5. Using the other interior features
HIGHLANDER HV_U
Please use as a power supply
for electronic devices that use
less than 120 VAC (power con-
sumption of 1500 W).
■Using the power outlets
On the console box
Open the lid.
In the luggage compartment
Open the lid.
■When turning the power
outlets on
1 Check that the parking brake
is engaged, securely depress
the brake pedal and press
the power switch.
2 Check that the READY indi-
cator is illuminated, and
press the AC120V switch.
The power outlets can be used
when the indicator on the AC120V
switch is illuminated.
The power outlets are turned off/on
each time the AC120V switch is
pressed.
■When connecting a device
Open the lid, and fully and
securely insert the plug of the
device into the power outlet.
Rear of console box
NOTICE
■To prevent 12-volt battery dis-
charge
Do not use the power outlet lon-
ger than necessary when the
hybrid system is not running.
Power outlets (120 VAC)
(if equipped)

3865-5. Using the other interior features
HIGHLANDER HV_U
●Disconnect the plug of each
device from the power outlets,
check that the total power con-
sumption of all devices to be con-
nected to the power outlets is less
than 1500 W, reconnect the
devices and then press the
AC120V switch again.
●Disconnect the plug of each
device from the p ower outlets,
check that the devices are not
malfunctioning, reconnect the
devices and then press the
AC120V switch again.
●Check the charge of the hybrid
battery (traction battery) ( P.117).
If the charge is low, shift the shift
lever to P, allow the engine to run
to charge the hybrid battery (trac-
tion battery), and then press the
AC120V switch again.
●If the temperature inside the vehi-
cle is high, such as after the vehi-
cle has been park ed in the sun,
use the air conditioning system to
sufficiently ventilate or cool the
interior, and then press the
AC120V switch again.
●If the vehicle has been stopped in
a cold area, to pro tect the hybrid
battery (traction battery), the
power outlets may not be able to
be used. In this case, drive the
vehicle for a while to warm up the
hybrid battery (traction battery),
and then press the AC120V
switch again.
If the power outlets cannot be used
even after performing the appropri-
ate procedures above, have the
vehicle inspected by your Toyota
dealer.
WARNING
■For safe use
Observe the following precau-
tions.
Failure to do so may lead to an
accident, resulting in death or
serious injury.
●Do not use devices such as the
following when driving:
• Devices which cannot be prop- erly secured within the vehicle.
• Devices which may distract the driver and be a hindrance to
safe driving, such as a TV, DVD
player, etc.
• Unsecured devices which gen- erate heat, such as a toaster,
microwave, electric heater, elec-
tric kettle, coffee maker, etc., as
they may cause burns or a fire
in the case of sudden braking or
an accident.
• Devices which may fall under the pedals and prevent the
brake pedal from being
depressed.
●Do not use devices which pro-
duce steam while the windows
are closed. Doing so may cause
the windows to fog up, reducing
visibility and making it difficult to
drive safely. Also, the steam
may damage or negatively
affect other devices.
●Do not connect a malfunctioning
device to a power outlet, as
doing so may cause the power
outlets to become inoperable.
●Do not disconnect the plug of a
device while your hands are wet
or insert a pin or other object
into the power ou tlet. Also, if a
liquid or snow is on the power
outlet, dry the outlet before
using it.
●Do not attempt to modify, disas-
semble or repair a power outlet.
Also, do not replace the 120
VAC inverter with a commer-
cially available one. For infor-
mation on repairs, contact your
Toyota dealer.

3875-5. Using the other interior features
5
Interior features
HIGHLANDER HV_U
WARNING
●Do not let children touch the
power outlets.
●Keep the power outlets free of
dust and foreign matter.
●If the plug of a device fits
loosely in a pow er outlet, even
though it is fully inserted,
replace the power outlet. For
information on replacement,
contact your Toyota dealer.
■Using the power outlets while
parked or stopped
Observe the following precau-
tions.
Failure to do so may lead to an
accident, possibly resulting in
death or serious injury.
●Make sure to engage the park-
ing brake and shift the shift lever
to P.
●Do not leave the vehicle unat-
tended while the READY indica-
tor is illuminated and a device is
connected to a power outlet.
●Make sure that the hood is
closed. As the engine will start
automatically depending on the
condition of the vehicle, make
sure that nothing is left near or
contacting the ex haust pipes.
Also, do not put your head or
hands anywhere inside the
engine compartment, as the
cooling fan may operate sud-
denly. Keep hands and clothing
(especially a tie, scarf, etc.)
away from the fan as they may
get caught in a fan.
●Do not use the power outlets in
an area with poor ventilation or
an enclosed area, such as a
garage without a ventilation or
exhaust system, o r in an area
where the vehicle may become
surrounded by snow, as the
exhaust gasses may accumu-
late, causing a lack of oxygen.
●Do not use the power outlets if
the vehicle has a vehicle cover
installed.
●Do not sleep in the vehicle while
using devices such as an elec-
tric heater.
■Devices to be connected
Make sure to read a ny instruction
manual which came with a device
and observe any w arnings on the
device. Do not connect a device
to a power outlet if the device is
malfunctioning or its plug is dam-
aged.
Do not use power outlets for med-
ical devices, as the output of the
power outlet may be cut, depend-
ing on the condition of the vehicle.
NOTICE
Observe the following precau-
tions.
Failure to do so may lead to the
power outlets no t operating cor-
rectly or damage to the vehicle or
a connected device.
■To avoid short circuit or mal-
function
●Do not set a dev ice which gen-
erates heat near the interior
components or on a seat. Heat
may cause these parts to melt
or burn.