
1333-2. Opening, closing and locking the doors
3
Before driving
HIGHLANDER HV_U
■Conditions affecting the opera-
tion of the smart key system or 
wireless remote control
 P. 1 4 7
■If the smart key system or the 
wireless remote  control does 
not operate properly
Use the mechanical key to lock and 
unlock the doors. ( P.496)
Replace the key battery with a new 
one if it is depleted. ( P.444)
■If the 12-volt battery is dis-
charged
The doors cannot be locked and 
unlocked using the smart key sys-
tem or wireless remote control. Lock 
or unlock the doors using the 
mechanical key. ( P.496)
■Rear seat reminder function
In order to remind you not to forget 
luggage, etc. in the rear seat, when 
the power switch is turned off after 
any of the following conditions are 
met, a buzzer will  sound and a mes-
sage will be displayed on the 
multi-information di splay for approx-
imately 6 seconds.
●The hybrid system is started 
within 10 minutes  after opening 
and closing a rear door.
●A rear door has been opened and 
closed after the hybrid system 
was started.
However, if a rear door is opened 
and then closed  within approxi-
mately 2 seconds , the rear seat 
reminder function may not operate.
The rear seat rem inder function 
determines that luggage, etc. has 
been placed in a rear seat based on 
opening and closing of a rear door. 
Therefore, depending on the situa-
tion, the rear seat  reminder function 
may not operate and you may still 
forget luggage, etc. in the rear seat, 
or it may operate unnecessarily.
The rear seat reminder function can 
be enabled/disabled. ( P.530)
■Customization
Some functions can be customized. 
(  P.530)
WARNING
■To prevent an accident
Observe the following precautions 
while driving the vehicle. Failure 
to do so may result in a door 
opening and an occupant falling 
out, resulting in death or serious 
injury.
●Ensure that all doors are prop-
erly closed and locked.
●Do not pull the  inside handle of 
the doors while driving.
Be especially careful for the front 
doors, as the doors may be 
opened even if the inside lock but-
tons are in locked position.
●Set the rear door child-protector 
locks when children are seated 
in the rear seats.
■When opening or closing a 
door
Check the surroundings of the 
vehicle such as wh ether the vehi-
cle is on an incline, whether there 
is enough space for a door to 
open and whether a strong wind 
is blowing. When opening or clos-
ing the door, hold the door handle 
tightly to prepare for any unpre-
dictable movement. 

1343-2. Opening, closing and locking the doors
HIGHLANDER HV_U
■Door lock switches
1 Locks all the doors
2 Unlocks all the doors
■Inside lock buttons
1 Locks the door
2 Unlocks the door
The front doors can be opened by 
pulling the inside ha ndle even if the 
lock buttons are in the lock position.
■Locking the front doors from 
the outside without a key
1 Move the inside  lock button to 
the lock position.
2 Close the door.
The door cannot be locked if the 
power switch is in ACC or ON, or 
the electronic key is left inside the 
vehicle.
The key may not b e detected cor-
rectly and the door may be locked.
■Open door warning buzzer
If a door or the hood is not fully 
closed, a buzzer will sound when 
the vehicle speed reaches 3 mph (5 
km/h).
The open door(s) or hood is dis-
played on the multi-information dis-
play.
The door cannot be opened 
from inside the vehicle when the 
lock is set.
1 Unlock
2 Lock
These locks can be set to prevent 
children from opening the rear 
doors. Push down on each rear 
door switch to lock both rear doors.
The following functions can be 
set or canceled:
For instructions on customizing, 
refer to P.530.
Unlocking and locking the 
doors from the inside
Rear door child-protector 
lock
Automatic door locking 
and unlocking systems 

1363-2. Opening, closing and locking the doors
HIGHLANDER HV_U
■Smart key system
Carry the electronic key to 
enable this function.
WARNING
●Do not allow a child to open or 
close the back door.
Doing so may cause the back 
door to move unexpectedly, or 
cause the child’s hands, arms, 
head, or neck to be caught by the 
closing back door.
■Operating the back door
Observe the following precau-
tions. Failure to do so may cause 
parts of the body to be caught, 
resulting in death or serious injury.
●Remove any heavy loads, such 
as snow and ice, from the back 
door before opening it. Failure 
to do so may cause the back 
door to suddenly shut again 
after it is opened.
●When opening or closing the 
back door, thoroughly check to 
make sure the surrounding area 
is safe.
●If anyone is in the vicinity, make 
sure they are safe and let them 
know that the back door is 
about to open or close.
●Use caution when opening or 
closing the back  door in windy 
weather as it may move 
abruptly in strong wind.
●The back door may suddenly 
shut if it is not opened fully while 
on a steep incline. Make sure 
that the back door is secured 
before using the luggage com-
partment.
●When closing the back door, 
take extra care to prevent your 
fingers, etc., from being caught.
●When closing the back door, 
make sure to press it lightly on 
its outer surface. If the back 
door handle is used to fully 
close the back door, it may 
result in hands or arms being 
caught.
●Do not pull on the back door 
spindle (
P.143) to close the 
power back door, and do not 
hang on the back door spindle.
Doing so may cause hands to be 
caught or the back door spindle to 
break, causing an accident.
●If a heavy objec t is attached to 
the back door, it may suddenly 
shut again after being opened, 
causing someone’s hands, 
arms, head or neck to be caught 
and injured. Do not attach any 
accessories other than genuine 
Toyota parts to  the back door.
Unlocking and locking the 
back door from the out-
side 

1373-2. Opening, closing and locking the doors
3
Before driving
HIGHLANDER HV_U
1Unlocks all the doors
The doors cannot be unlocked for 3 
seconds after the doors are locked.
2Locks all the doors
Check that the door is securely 
locked.
■Wireless remote control
 P. 1 3 1
■Operation signals
 P. 1 3 2
■Door lock switches
 P. 1 3 4
■Opening/closing the back 
door using the wireless 
remote control
Press and hold the switch.
Pressing the switch while the back 
door is opening/closing will stop the 
operation. Pressing and holding the 
switch again will operate the back 
door in the opposite direction.
■Opening/closing the back 
door using the power back 
door switch on the instru-
ment panel
Press and hold the switch.
Unlock the back door before oper-
ating.
Pressing the switch while the back 
door is opening/cl osing will stop the 
operation. Pressing and holding the 
switch again will operate the back 
door in the opposite direction.
■Opening the back door 
using the back door opener 
switch
When the back door is 
unlocked: Press the back door 
opener switch.
When the back door is locked: 
While carrying the electronic key 
on your person, press the back 
door opener switch.
Unlocking and locking the 
back door from the inside
Opening/closing the back 
door 

1383-2. Opening, closing and locking the doors
HIGHLANDER HV_UPressing the switch while the back 
door is opening/closing will stop the 
operation. Pressing the switch 
again will open the back door.
■Opening/closing the back 
door using the power back 
door switch on the back 
door
Press the switch.
Pressing the switch while the back 
door is opening/closing will stop the 
operation. Pressing the switch 
again will operate th e back door in 
the opposite direction.
■Closing the back door 
using the back door handle
Lower the back door using the 
back door handle, then a buzzer 
sounds and the back door auto-
matically closes.
■Opening/closing the back 
door using the kick sensor 
(vehicles with a Hands Free 
Power Back Door)
Vehicles without tow hitch
The Hands Free Power Back 
Door enables automatic opening 
and closing of the power back 
door by putting your foot near 
the lower center part of the rear 
bumper and moving it away 
from the rear bumper.
Vehicles with tow hitch
The Hands Free Power Back 
Door enables automatic opening 
and closing of the power back 
door by putting your foot near 
the lower left side of the rear 
bumper and moving it away 
from the rear bumper.
The center of the Hands Free 
Power Back Door sensor is indi-
cated by the   mark.
1 While carrying an electronic 
key, stand within the smart 
key system operation range, 
approximately 13.8 to 21.7 in. 
(35 to 55 cm) from the rear 
bumper. 

1393-2. Opening, closing and locking the doors
3
Before driving
HIGHLANDER HV_U
Vehicles without tow hitch
Kick sensor
Hands Free Power Back 
Door operation detection 
area
Smart key system operation 
detection area ( P.146)
Vehicles with tow hitch
Kick sensor
Hands Free Power Back 
Door operation detection 
area
Smart key system operation 
detection area ( P.146)
2 Perform a kick operation by 
moving your foot to within 
approximately 3.9 in. (10 cm) 
of the rear bumper and then 
pulling it back.
• Perform the entire kick opera- tion within 1 second. • The back door will not start 
operating while a foot is 
detected under the rear 
bumper.
• Operate the Hands Free  Power Back Door without 
contacting the rear bumper 
with your foot.
• If another electronic key is in  the cabin or luggage compart-
ment, it may take slightly lon-
ger than normal for the 
operation to occur.
Kick sensor
Hands Free Power Back 
Door operation detection 
area
3 When the kick sensor detects 
that your foot is pulled back, 
a buzzer will sound and the 
back door will automatically 
fully open/close.
If kick operation is performed while 
the back door is opening/closing, 
the back door will  stop the opera-
tion. Perform a kick operation again 
will operate  the back door in the 
opposite direction.
■Back door closer
In the event that the back door is left 
slightly open, the back door closer  

1403-2. Opening, closing and locking the doors
HIGHLANDER HV_Uwill automatically close it to the fully 
closed position.
●The back door closer can function 
when the power switch is in any 
mode.
●The back door can be opened 
using the back door opener switch 
even if the back door closer is 
operating.
■Power back door operating con-
ditions
If the following conditions are met, 
the power back door can be opened 
and closed automatically.
●When the power back door sys-
tem is enabled. ( P.530)
●When the power switch is in ON, 
one of the following conditions 
must be met in a ddition to the 
above conditions:
• The parking brake is engaged.
• The brake pedal is depressed.
• The shift lever is in P.
■Operation of the power back 
door
●When the power back door begins 
to operate, the emergency flash-
ers will flash twice and a buzzer 
will sound.
●When the power back door is dis-
abled, the power back door will 
not operate but  can be opened 
and closed manually.
●When the power back door is 
opening/closing, if the power back 
door becomes obstructed, opera-
tion will stop.
■Jam protection function
Sensors are installed on the right 
and left sides of the power back 
door. When the door is automati-
cally closing and the sensors are 
pushed due to an object being 
clamped, etc., the jam protection 
function operates.
From that position the door auto-
matically moves a little in the oppo-
site direction and then the function  stops.
■Back door reserve lock function
This function reserves the locking of 
the power back door when the 
power back door is open. If the fol-
lowing operations are performed, all 
of the doors except the power back 
door will lock and  then the power 
back door will lock when it is com-
pletely closed.
1 Close all of the doors, except the 
back door.
2 Perform an automatic closing 
operation of the power back door 
and lock the doors using the 
wireless remote control 
( P.131) or smart key system 
(  P.131) while the power back 
door is closing.
A buzzer sounds and the emer-
gency flashers flash to indicate that 
all the doors have been closed and 
locked.
●If the electronic key is placed 
inside the vehicle after starting a 
close operation via the door 
reserve lock function, the elec-
tronic key may become locked 
inside the vehicle.
●If the back door does not fully 
close due to the o peration of the 
jam protection function, etc., while 
the back door is automatically 
closing after a do or reserve lock 
operation is performed, the door 
reserve lock function is canceled 
and all the doors will unlock.
●Before leaving the vehicle, make 
sure that all the doors are closed 
and locked. 

1413-2. Opening, closing and locking the doors
3
Before driving
HIGHLANDER HV_U
■Kick sensor operating condi-
tions (vehicles with a Hands 
Free Power Back Door)
●When the kick sensor operation 
setting is turned on ( P.530) and 
the power switch is turned off.
●When an electronic key is carried 
within the operation detection 
area.
■Situations in which the Hands 
Free Power Back Door may not 
operate properly (if equipped)
In the following  situations, the 
Hands Free Power Back Door may 
not operate properly:
●When a foot remains under the 
rear bumper.
●If the rear bumper is strongly hit 
with a foot or is touched for a 
while.
If the rear bumper has been touched 
for a while, wait for a short time 
before attempting to operate the 
Hands Free Power Back Door 
again.
●When standing excessively close 
to the rear bumper.
●When an external radio wave 
source interferes with the commu-
nication between the electronic 
key and the vehicle. ( P.147)
●When the vehicle is parked near 
an electrical noise source which 
affects the sensitivity of the Hands 
Free Power Back Door, such as a 
pay parking spot , gas station, 
electrically heated road, or fluo-
rescent light.
●When the vehicle is near a TV 
tower, electric po wer plant, radio 
station, large display, airport or 
other facility that  generates strong 
radio waves or electrical noise.
●When a large amount of water is 
applied to the rear bumper, such 
as when the vehicle is being 
washed or in heavy rain.
●When mud, snow, ice, etc. is 
attached to the rear bumper.
●When the vehicle has been 
parked for a while near objects 
that may move and contact the 
rear bumper, such as plants.
●When an accessory i s installed to 
the rear bumper.
If an accessory has been installed, 
turn the kick sensor operation set-
ting off. ( P.530)
■Preventing unintentional opera-
tion of the Hands Free Power 
Back Door (if equipped)
When an electronic key is in the 
operation detection area, the Hands 
Free Power Back Door may operate 
unintentionally, so be careful in the 
following situations:
●When a large amount of water is 
applied to the rea r bumper, such 
as when the vehicle is being 
washed or in heavy rain.
●When dirt is wip ed off the rear 
bumper.
●When a small animal or small 
object, such as a ball, moves 
under the rear bumper.
●When an object is moved from 
under the rear bumper.
●If someone is swinging their legs 
while sitting on the rear bumper.
●If the legs or another part of some-
one’s body contacts the rear 
bumper while passing by the vehi-
cle.
●When the vehicle is parked near 
an electrical noise source which 
affects the sensitivity of the Hands 
Free Power Back Door, such as a 
pay parking spot, gas station, 
electrically heated road, or fluo-
rescent light.
●When the vehicle is near a TV 
tower, electric pow er plant, radio 
station, large display, airport or 
other facility that generates strong 
radio waves or electrical noise.
●When the vehicle is parked in a 
place where objects such as 
plants are near the rear bumper.