Page 410 of 576

4106-2. Maintenance
HIGHLANDER HV_U
The OBD system determines
that a problem exists some-
where in the emission control
system. Your vehicle may not
pass the I/M test and may need
to be repaired. Contact your
Toyota dealer to service the
vehicle.
When the 12-volt battery is
disconnected or discharged
Readiness codes that are set
during ordinary driving are erased.
Also, depending on your driving
habits, the readiness codes may
not be completely set.
When the fuel tank cap is
loose
Vehicle exterior
ItemsCheck points
Doors
• Do the doors
operate
smoothly?
Engine hood
• Does the engine hood lock system
work properly?
Fluid leaks
• There should not be any signs of
fluid leakage
after the vehicle
has been parked.
Tires
• Is the tire infla-tion pressure
correct?
• The tires should not be damaged
or excessively
worn.
• Have the tires been rotated
according to the
maintenance
schedule?
• The wheel nuts should not be
loose.
Windshield
wipers/rear
window wiper
• The wiper blades should not show
any signs of
cracking, split-
ting, wear, con-
tamination or
deformation.
• The wiper blades should clear the
windshield/rear
window without
streaking or skip-
ping.
Emission inspection
and maintenance (I/M)
programs
Some states have vehicle
emission inspection pro-
grams which include OBD
(On Board Diagnostics)
checks. The OBD system
monitors the operation of
the emission control sys-
tem.
If the malfunction indica-
tor lamp comes on
Your vehicle may not pass
the I/M test in the follow-
ing situations:
Page 414 of 576
4146-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
HIGHLANDER HV_U
1Pull the hood lock release
lever.
The hood will pop up slightly.
2Pull up the auxiliary catch
lever and lift the hood.
3 Hold the hood open by insert-
ing the support rod into the
slot.
Hood
Opening the hood
WARNING
■Pre-driving check
Check that the hood is fully closed
and locked.
If the hood is not locked properly,
it may open while the vehicle is in
motion and cause an accident,
which may result i n death or seri-
ous injury.
■After installing the support
rod into the slot
Make sure the rod supports the
hood securely preventing it from
falling down onto your head or
body.
NOTICE
■When closing the hood
Be sure to return the support rod
to its clip before closing the hood.
Closing the hood with the support
rod not clipped could cause the
hood to bend.
Page 417 of 576

4176-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
6
Maintenance and care
HIGHLANDER HV_U
stick.
■Checking the engine oil
1 Park the vehicle on level
ground. After warming up the
engine and turning off the
hybrid system, wait more
than 5 minutes for the oil to
drain back into the bottom of
the engine.
2 Holding a rag under the end,
pull the dipstick out.
3 Wipe the dipstick clean.
4 Reinsert the dipstick fully.
5 Holding a rag under the end,
pull the dipstick out and
check the oil level.
Low
Normal
Excessive
The shape of the dipstick may differ depending on the type of vehicle or
engine.
6
Wipe the dipstick and reinsert
it fully.
■Checking the oil type and
preparing the item needed
Make sure to check the oil type
and prepare the items needed
before adding oil.
Engine oil selection
P.512
Oil quantity (Low Full)
1.6 qt. (1.5 L, 1.3 Imp. qt.)
Item
Clean funnel
■Adding engine oil
If the oil level is below or near
the low level mark, add engine
oil of the same type as that
already in the engine.
1 Remove the oil filler cap by
turning it counterclockwise.
2 Add engine oil slowly, check-
ing the dipstick.
3 Install the oil filler cap by
turning it clockwise.
■Engine oil consumption
A certain amount of engine oil will
Page 422 of 576

4226-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
HIGHLANDER HV_U
Make sure that the 12-volt bat-
tery terminals are not corroded
and that there are no loose con-
nections, cracks, or loose
clamps.
Terminals
Hold-down clamp
■Before recharging
When recharging, the 12-volt bat-
tery produces hydrogen gas which
is flammable and explosive. There-
fore, observe the following precau-
tions before recharging:
●If recharging with the 12-volt bat-
tery installed on the vehicle, be
sure to disconnect the ground
cable.
●Make sure the power switch on
the charger is off when connecting
and disconnecting the charger
cables to the 12-volt battery.
■After recharging/reconnecting
the 12-volt battery
The hybrid system may not start.
Follow the procedure below to ini-
tialize the system.
1 Shift the shift lever to P.
2 Open and close any of the doors.
3 Restart the hybrid system.
●Unlocking the doors using the
smart key system may not be pos-
sible immediately after reconnect-
ing the 12-volt battery. If this
happens, use the wireless remote
control or the mechanical key to
lock/unlock the doors.
●Start the hybrid system with the
power switch in ACC. The hybrid
system may not start with the
power switch turned off. However,
the hybrid system will operate nor-
mally from the second attempt.
●The power switch mode is
recorded by the vehicle. If the
12-volt battery is reconnected, the
vehicle will return the power
switch mode to the status it was in
before the 1 2-volt battery was dis-
connected. Make sure to turn off
the power before disconnect the
12-volt battery. Take extra care
when connecting the 12-volt bat-
tery if the power switch mode prior
to discharge is unknown.
If the system will not start even after
multiple attempts at all the methods
above, contact you r Toyota dealer.
Exterior
WARNING
■Chemicals in the 12-volt bat-
tery
The 12-volt battery contains poi-
sonous and corrosive sulfuric acid
and may produce hydrogen gas
which is flammable and explosive.
To reduce the risk of death or seri-
ous injury, take the following pre-
cautions while working on or near
the 12-volt battery:
Page 439 of 576

4396-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
6
Maintenance and care
HIGHLANDER HV_U
Use only Toyota wheel nuts
and wrenches designed for
use with your aluminum
wheels.
When rotating, repairing or
changing your tires, check
that the wheel nuts are still
tight after driving 1000 miles
(1600 km).
Be careful not to damage the
aluminum wheels when using
tire chains.
Use only Toyota genuine bal-
ance weights or equivalent
and a plastic or rubber ham-
mer when balancing your
wheels. 1
Turn the power switch off.
2 Open the glove box. Slide off
the damper.
3 Push in the glove box on the
vehicle’s outer side to discon-
nect the claws. Then pull out
the glove box and disconnect
the lower claws.
4 Unlock the filter cover ( ),
pull the filter cover out of the
NOTICE
●Ensure that only genuine Toyota
wheels are used on your vehi-
cle.
Tire pressure warning valves
and transmitters may not work
properly with non-genuine
wheels.
Aluminum wheel precau-
tions
Air conditioning filter
The air conditioning filter
must be changed regularly
to maintain air conditioning
efficiency.
Removing the air condi-
tioning filter
Page 444 of 576

4446-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
HIGHLANDER HV_U
■If the electronic key battery is
depleted
The following symptoms may occur:
●The smart key system and wire-
less remote contr ol will not func-
tion properly.
●The operational range will be
reduced.
Flathead screwdriver
Small flathead screwdriver
Lithium battery CR2032
■Use a CR2032 lithium battery
●Batteries can be purchased at
your Toyota dealer, local electrical
appliance shops or camera stores.
●Replace only with the same or
equivalent type recommended by
the manufacturer.
●Dispose of used ba tteries accord-
ing to the local laws.
1 Release the lock and remove
the mechanical key.
2 Remove the key cover.
To prevent damage to the key,
cover the tip of the flathead screw-
driver with a rag.
3Remove the depleted battery.
When removing the cover, the elec-
tronic key module may stick to the
cover and the batt ery may not be
visible. In this case, remove the
electronic key module in order to
remove the battery.
When removing the battery, use a
screwdriver of an appropriate size.
Insert a new battery with the “+” ter-
Electronic key batter y
Replace the battery with a
new one if it is depleted.
You will need the follow-
ing items:
Replacing the battery
Page 451 of 576

4516-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
6
Maintenance and care
HIGHLANDER HV_Uon the inside of the lens.
●Water has built up inside the light.
■When replacing light bulbs
P. 4 4 7
■Front turn signal
lights/parking lights (types
A and C) and front turn sig-
nal lights (type B)
1 Turn the bulb base counter-
clockwise and remove it.
2 Remove the light bulb.
3 Install a new light bulb, and
then install the bulb base to
the light unit by inserting it
and turning the bulb base
clockwise.
After installing th e bulb base, wig-
gle it lightly to make sure it is
securely installed and turn the lights
and turn signal li ghts on to visually check that there is no light leaking
from between the bulb base and
light unit.
■Front side marker lights
1 Turn the bulb base counter-
clockwise and remove it.
2 Remove the light bulb.
3 Install a new light bulb, and
then install the bulb base to
the light unit by inserting it
and turning the bulb base
clockwise.
After installing the bulb base, wig-
gle it lightly to make sure it is
securely installed a nd turn the lights
Replacing light bulbs
Page 452 of 576
4526-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
HIGHLANDER HV_Uon to visually check that there is no
light leaking from between the bulb
base and light unit.
■Rear turn signal lights
1 Open the back door and
using a flathead screwdriver,
remove the cover.
To prevent damage to the vehicle,
wrap the tip of the flathead screw-
driver with tape, etc.
2Remove the securing 2
screws and light unit.
Remove the light u nit by pulling it
straight back from the rear of the
vehicle.
3 Disconnect the wire harness.
4 Turn the bulb base counter-
clockwise and remove it.
5 Remove the light bulb.
6 Install a new light bulb, and
then install the bulb base to
the light unit by inserting it
and turning it clockwise.
After installing the bulb base, wig-
gle it lightly to make sure it is
securely installed and turn on the
turn signal lights to visually check
that there is no light leaking from
between the bulb base and light