Page 329 of 576

3294-5. Using the driving support systems
4
Driving
HIGHLANDER HV_U
WARNING
●When driving on dirt, gravel or
snow-covered roads
●When driving with tire chains
●When driving over bumps in the
road
●When driving over roads with
potholes or uneven surfaces
■TRAC/VSC may not operate
effectively when
Directional control and power may
not be achievable while driving on
slippery road surfaces, even if the
TRAC/VSC system is operating.
Drive the vehicle carefully in con-
ditions where stability and power
may be lost.
■Active Cornering Assist does
not operate effectively when
●Do not overly rely on Active
Cornering Assist. Active Corner-
ing Assist may not operate
effectively when accelerating
down slopes or driving on slip-
pery road surfaces.
●When Active Cornering Assist
frequently operates, Active Cor-
nering Assist may temporarily
stop operating to ensure proper
operation of the brakes, TRAC
and VSC.
■Hill-start assist control does
not operate effectively when
●Do not overly rely on hill-start
assist control. Hill-start assist
control may not operate effec-
tively on steep inclines and
roads covered with ice.
●Unlike the parking brake,
hill-start assist control is not
intended to hold the vehicle sta-
tionary for an extended period
of time. Do not attempt to use
hill-start assist control to hold
the vehicle on an incline, as
doing so may lead to an acci-
dent.
■When the
TRAC/ABS/VSC/Trailer Sway
Control is activated
The slip indicator light flashes.
Always drive carefully. Reckless
driving may cause an accident.
Exercise particula r care when the
indicator light flashes.
■When the TRAC/VSC/Trailer
Sway Control systems are
turned off
●Be especially careful and drive
at a speed appropriate to the
road conditions. As these are
the systems to help ensure
vehicle stability and driving
force, do not turn the
TRAC/VSC/Trailer Sway Con-
trol systems off unless neces-
sary.
●Trailer Sway Control is part of
the VSC system and will not
operate if VSC is turned off or
experiences a malfunction.
■Replacing tires
Make sure that all tires are of the
specified size, brand, tread pat-
tern and total load capacity. In
addition, make sure that the tires
are inflated to the recommended
tire inflation p ressure level.
The ABS, TRAC, Trailer Sway
Control and VSC systems will not
function correctly if different tires
are installed on the vehicle.
Contact your Toyota dealer for fur-
ther information when replacing
tires or wheels.
Page 331 of 576

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
Page 332 of 576

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
Page 334 of 576

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
Page 339 of 576
339
5
5
Interior features
HIGHLANDER HV_U
Interior features
.5-1. Toyota multi-operation touch
Toyota multi-operation touch .................................. 340
5-2. Using the air conditioning system and defogger
Front automatic air condi- tioning system ........... 342
Rear automatic air condi- tioning system ........... 354
Heated steering wheel/seat heaters/seat ventilators.................................. 358
5-3. Using the interior lights Interior lights list .......... 362
5-4. Using the storage features List of storage features.................................. 365
Luggage compartment fea- tures .......................... 370
5-5. Using the other interior features
Other interior features . 374
Garage door opener.... 390
Page 359 of 576

3595-2. Using the air conditioning system and defogger
5
Interior features
HIGHLANDER HV_U
Turns the heated steering wheel
on/off
The indicator light comes on when
the heated steering wheel is oper-
ating.
■Operation condition
The power swit ch is in ON.
■Timer function
The heated steering wheel will auto-
matically turn off after a period of
time.
■Front (Front air condition-
ing control panel)
Each time the switch is pressed,
the operation condition changes
as follows.
Hi (3 segments lit) Mid (2 seg-
ments lit) Lo (1 segment
lit) Off
The level indicator (amber)
lights up during operation.
Vehicle with a 12.3-inch dis-
play
Vehicle with a 8-inch display
■Front (Toyota multi-opera-
tion touch: Vehicle with a
12.3-inch display)
Select to display the seats
climate screen.
Each time the switch is selected,
the operation condition changes
as follows.
Hi (3 segments lit) Mid (2 seg-
ments lit) Lo (1 segment
lit) Off
The level indicator (red) lights
up during operation.
NOTICE
■To prevent 12-volt battery dis-
charge
Do not use the functions when the
hybrid system is off.
Heated steering wheel
Seat heaters
Page 360 of 576
3605-2. Using the air conditioning system and defogger
HIGHLANDER HV_U
■Rear
Each time the switch is pressed,
the operation condition changes
as follows.
Hi (3 segments lit) Mid (2 seg-
ments lit) Lo (1 segment
lit) Off
The level indica tor (amber)
lights up during operation.
■Operation condition
The power swit ch is in ON.
■Front air condioning con-
trol panel
Each time the switch is pressed,
the operation condition changes
as follows.
Hi (3 segments lit) Mid (2 seg-
ments lit) Lo (1 segment
lit) Off
The level indicato r (green) lights
up during operation.
Vehicle with a 12.3-inch dis-
play
Vehicle with a 8-inch display
WARNING
■To prevent overheating and
minor burn injuries
Observe the following precautions
when using the seat heaters.
●Do not cover the seat with a
blanket or cushion when using
the seat heater.
●Do not use seat heater more
than necessary.
Seat ventilators
Page 361 of 576
3615-2. Using the air conditioning system and defogger
5
Interior features
HIGHLANDER HV_U
■Toyota multi-operation
touch (Vehicle with a
12.3-inch display)
Select to display the seat cli-
mate screen.
Each time the switch is selected,
the operation condition changes
as follows.
Hi (3 segments lit) Mid (2 seg-
ments lit) Lo (1 segment
lit) Off
The level indicator (blue) lights
up during operation.
■Operation condition
The power swit ch is in ON.