2021 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER HYBRID Owners Manual (in English)

1934-1. Before driving
4
Driving
HIGHLANDER HV_U
WARNING
●Always check that all passen-
gers’ arms, heads or other parts
of their body are not outside the
vehicle.
●AWD models: Do not drive the
vehicle off-road.
This is not an AWD vehicle
designed for off-road driving.
Proceed with all due caution if it
becomes unavoidable to drive
off-road.
●Do not drive across a river or
through other bodies of water.
This may cause electric/elec-
tronic components to short cir-
cuit, damage the hybrid system
or cause other serious damage
to the vehicle.
●Do not drive in excess of the
speed limit. Even if the legal
speed limit permits it, do not
drive over 85 mph (140 km/h)
unless your vehicle has
high-speed capability tires. Driv-
ing over 85 mp h (140 km/h)
may result in tire failure, loss of
control and possible injury. Be
sure to consult a tire dealer to
determine whether the tires on
your vehicle are high-speed
capability tires or not before
driving at such speeds.
■When driving on slippery
road surfaces
●Sudden braking, acceleration
and steering may cause tire
slippage and reduce your ability
to control the vehicle.
●Sudden acceleration, engine
braking due to shifting, or
changes in engine speed could
cause the vehicle to skid.
●After driving through a puddle,
lightly depress the brake pedal
to make sure that the brakes
are functioning properly. Wet
brake pads may prevent the
brakes from functioning prop-
erly. If the brakes on only one
side are wet and not functioning
properly, steering control may
be affected.
■When shifting the shift lever
●Do not let the vehicle roll back-
ward while a fo rward driving
position is selected, or roll for-
ward while the shift lever is in R.
Doing so may result in an acci-
dent or damage to the vehicle.
●Do not shift the sh ift lever to P
while the vehicle is moving.
Doing so can damage the trans-
mission and may result in a loss
of vehicle control.
●Do not shift the sh ift lever to R
while the vehicle is moving for-
ward.
Doing so can damage the trans-
mission and may result in a loss
of vehicle control.
●Do not shift the shift lever to a
driving position while the vehicle
is moving backward.
Doing so can damage the trans-
mission and may result in a loss
of vehicle control.
●Shifting the shift lever to N while
the vehicle is moving will disen-
gage the hybrid system. Engine
braking is not a vailable when N
is selected.
●Be careful not to shift the shift
lever with the accelerator pedal
depressed. Shifting the shift
lever to any position other than
P or N may lead to unexpected
rapid acceleration of the vehicle
that may cause an accident and
result in death or serious injury.

1944-1. Before driving
HIGHLANDER HV_U
WARNING
■If you hear a squealing or
scraping noise (brake pad
wear limit indicators)
Have the brake pads checked and
replaced by your Toyota dealer as
soon as possible.
Rotor damage may result if the
pads are not replaced when
needed.
It is dangerous to drive the vehicle
when the wear limits of the brake
pads and/or those of the brake
discs are exceeded.
■When the vehicle is stopped
●Do not depress t he accelerator
pedal unnecessarily.
If the shift lever is in any posi-
tion other than P or N, the vehi-
cle may accelerate suddenly
and unexpectedly, causing an
accident.
●In order to prev ent accidents
due to the vehicle rolling away,
always keep depressing the
brake pedal while stopped with
the “READY” indicator is illumi-
nated, and apply the parking
brake as necessary.
●If the vehicle is stopped on an
incline, in order to prevent acci-
dents caused by the vehicle roll-
ing forward or backward, always
depress the brake pedal and
securely apply the parking
brake as needed.
●Avoid revving or racing the
engine.
Running the engine at high
speed while the vehicle is
stopped may cause the exhaust
system to overheat, which could
result in a fire if combustible
material is nearby.
■When the vehicle is parked
●Do not leave glasses, cigarette
lighters, spray cans, or soft
drink cans in the vehicle when it
is in the sun.
Doing so may result in the fol-
lowing:
• Gas may leak from a cigarette lighter or spray can, and may
lead to a fire.
• The temperature inside the vehicle may cause the plastic
lenses and plastic material of
glasses to deform or crack.
• Soft drink cans may fracture, causing the contents to spray
over the interior of the vehicle,
and may also cause a short cir-
cuit in the vehicle’s electrical
components.
●Do not leave cigarette lighters in
the vehicle. If a cigarette lighter
is in a place such as the glove
box or on the floor, it may be lit
accidentally when luggage is
loaded or the se at is adjusted,
causing a fire.
●Do not attach adhesive discs to
the windshield or windows. Do
not place containers such as air
fresheners on the instrument
panel or dashboard. Adhesive
discs or containers may act as
lenses, causing a fire in the
vehicle.
●Do not leave a door or window
open if the curved glass is
coated with a metallized film
such as a silver-colored one.
Reflected sunlight may cause
the glass to act a s a lens, caus-
ing a fire.

1954-1. Before driving
4
Driving
HIGHLANDER HV_U
WARNING
●Always apply the parking brake,
shift the shift lever to P, stop the
hybrid system and lock the vehi-
cle.
Do not leave the vehicle unat-
tended while the “READY” indi-
cator is illuminated.
If the vehicle is parked with the
shift lever in P but the parking
brake is not set, the vehicle may
start to move, possibly leading
to an accident.
●Do not touch the exhaust pipes
while the “READY” indicator is
illuminated or immediately after
turning the hybrid system off.
Doing so may cause burns.
■When taking a nap in the vehi-
cle
Always turn the hybrid system off.
Otherwise, if you accidentally
move the shift lever or depress
the accelerator pedal, this could
cause an accident or fire due to
hybrid system overheating. Addi-
tionally, if the vehicle is parked in
a poorly ventilated area, exhaust
gases may collect and enter the
vehicle, leading to death or a seri-
ous health hazard.
■When braking
●When the brakes a re wet, drive
more cautiously.
Braking distance increases
when the brakes are wet, and
this may cause one side of the
vehicle to brake differently than
the other side. Also, the parking
brake may not securely hold the
vehicle.
●If the electronically controlled
brake system does not operate,
do not follow other vehicles
closely and avoid hills or sharp
turns that require braking. In this
case, braking is still possible,
but the brake pedal should be
depressed more firmly than
usual. Also, the braking dis-
tance will increase. Have your
brakes fixed immediately.
●The brake system consists of 2
or more individual hydraulic sys-
tems; if one of the systems fails,
the other(s) will still operate. In
this case, the brake pedal
should be depressed more
firmly than usual and the brak-
ing distance will increase. Have
your brakes fixed immediately.
■If the vehicle becomes stuck
(AWD models)
Do not spin the wheels exces-
sively when any of the tires is up
in the air, or the vehicle is stuck in
sand, mud, etc. This may damage
the driveline components or pro-
pel the vehicle forward or back-
ward, causing an accident.
NOTICE
■When driving the vehicle
●Do not depress the accelerator
and brake pedals at the same
time while driving, as this may
restrain the hybrid system out-
put.
●Do not use the accelerator
pedal or depress the accelera-
tor and brake pedals at the
same time to hold the vehicle on
a hill.

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.481)
■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.

1974-1. Before driving
4
Driving
HIGHLANDER HV_U
Cargo capacity depends on the
total weight of the occupants.
(Cargo capacity) = (Total load
capacity) — (Total weight of
occupants)
Steps for Determining Correct
Load Limit —
(1) Locate the statement “The
combined weight of occupants
and cargo should never exceed
XXX kg or XXX lbs.” on your
vehicle’s placard.
(2) Determine the combined
weight of the driver and passen-
gers that will be riding in your
vehicle.
(3) Subtract the combined
weight of the driver and passen-
gers from XXX kg or XXX lbs.
(4) The resulting figure equals
the available amount of cargo
and luggage load capacity.
For example, if the “XXX”
amount equals 1400 lbs. and
there will be five 150 lb passen-
gers in your vehicle, the amount
of available cargo and luggage
load capacity is 650 lbs. (1400 − 750 (5 
150) = 650 lbs.)
(5) Determine the combined
weight of luggage and cargo
being loaded on the vehicle.
That weight may not safely
exceed the available cargo and
luggage load capacity calcu-
lated in Step 4.
(6) If your vehicle will be towing
a trailer, load from your trailer
will be transferred to your vehi-
cle. Consult this manual to
determine how this reduces the
available cargo and luggage
load capacity of your vehicle.
( P.200)
Cargo capacity
Total load capacity (vehicle
capacity weight) ( P.510)
When 2 people with the com-
bined weight of A lb. (kg) are rid-
ing in your vehicle, which has a
total load capacity (vehicle
capacity weight) of B lb. (kg),
the available amount of cargo
and luggage load capacity will
Cargo and luggage
Take notice of the following
information about storage
precautions, cargo capacity
and load.
Capacity and distribution
Calculation formula for
your vehicle

1984-1. Before driving
HIGHLANDER HV_U
be C lb. (kg) as follows:
B
*2 lb. (kg) - A*1 lb. (kg) = C*3 lb.
(kg)
*1: A =Weight of people
*2: B =Total load capacity
*3: C =Available cargo and luggage load
In this condition, if 3 more passen-
gers with the combined weight of D
lb. (kg) get on, the available cargo
and luggage load will be reduced E
lb. (kg) as follows:
C lb. (kg) - D*4 lb. (kg) = E*5 lb.
(kg)
*4: D =Additional weight of people
*5: E =Available cargo and luggage load
As shown in the example above,
if the number of occupants
increases, the cargo and lug-
gage load will be reduced by an
amount that equals the
increased weight due to the
additional occupants. In other
words, if an increase in the num-
ber of occupants causes an
excess of the total load capacity
(combined weight of occupants
plus cargo and luggage load),
you must reduce the cargo and
luggage on your vehicle.
WARNING
■Things that must not be car-
ried in the luggage compart-
ment
The following things may cause a
fire if loaded in the luggage com-
partment:
●Receptacles containing gaso-
line
●Aerosol cans
■Storage precautions
Observe the following precau-
tions.
Failure to do so may prevent the
pedals from being depressed
properly, may block the driver’s
vision, or may res ult in items hit-
ting the driver or passengers, pos-
sibly causing an accident.
●Stow cargo and luggage in the
luggage compartment when-
ever possible.
●Do not stack cargo and luggage
in the luggage compartment
higher than the seatbacks.
●When you fold down the rear
seats, long items should not be
placed directly behind the front
seats.
●Never allow anyon e to ride in
the luggage compartment. It is
not designed for passengers.
They should ride in their seats
with their seat belts properly
fastened.
●Do not place cargo or luggage
in or on the follo wing locations.
• At the feet of the driver
• On the front passenger or rear seats (when stacking items)
• On the luggage cover
• On the instrument panel
• On the dashboard
●Secure all items in the occupant
compartment.
■Capacity and distribution
●Do not exceed the maximum
axle weight rating or the total
vehicle weight rating.

1994-1. Before driving
4
Driving
HIGHLANDER HV_U
WARNING
●Even if the total load of occu-
pant’s weight and the cargo
load is less than the total load
capacity, do not apply the load
unevenly. Improper loading may
cause deteriorat ion of steering
or braking control which may
cause death or serious injury.
■When using a roof luggage
carrier (vehicles with roof
rails)
Observe the following precau-
tions:
●Place the cargo so that its
weight is distributed evenly
between the front and rear
axles.
●If loading long or wide cargo,
never exceed the vehicle overall
length or width. (
P.510)
●Before driving, make sure the
cargo is securel y fastened on
the roof luggage carrier.
●Loading cargo on the roof lug-
gage carrier will make the cen-
ter of gravity of the vehicle
higher. Avoid high speeds, sud-
den starts, sharp turns, sudden
braking or abrupt maneuvers,
otherwise it may result in loss of
control or vehicle rollover due to
failure to operate this vehicle
correctly and resu lt in death or
serious injury.
●If driving for a long distance, on
rough roads, or at high speeds,
stop the vehicle now and then
during the trip to make sure the
cargo remains in its place.
●Do not exceed 165 lb. (75 kg)
cargo weight on the roof lug-
gage carrier.
NOTICE
■When loading cargo
Be careful not to scratch the sur-
face of the moon roof or pan-
oramic moon roof.

2004-1. Before driving
HIGHLANDER HV_U
■Total load capacity and seating
capacity
These details are also described on
the tire and loading information
label. ( P.436)
Vehicle load limits
Vehicle load limits include
total load capacity, seating
capacity, trailer weight rat-
ing and cargo capacity.
 Total load capacity (vehicle
capacity weight): P.510
Total load capacity means the
combined weight of occupants,
cargo and luggage.
 Seating capacity:  P.510
Seating capacity means the max-
imum number of occupants
whose estimated average weight
is 150 lb. (68 kg) per person.
TWR (Trailer Weight Rat-
ing):  P.206, 510
TWR means the maximum gross
trailer weight (trailer weight plus
its cargo weight) that your vehicle
is able to tow.
Cargo capacity
Cargo capacity may increase or
decrease depending on the
weight and the number of occu-
pants.
WARNING
■Overloading the vehicle
Do not overload the vehicle.
It may not only cause damage to
the tires, but also degrade steer-
ing and braking ability, resulting in
an accident.