2023 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER brakes

361-1. For safe use
Airbag sensor assembly
Your vehicle is equipped with ADVANCED AIRBAGS designed
based on the US motor vehicle safety standards (FMVSS208). The
airbag sensor assembly (ECU) cont rols airbag deployment based on
information obtained from the sensors etc. shown in the system
components diagram above. This in formation includes crash sever-
ity and occupant information. As the airbags deploy, a chemical
reaction in the inflators quickly fills the airbags with non-toxic gas to
help restrain the motion of the occupants.
■If the SRS airbags deploy
(inflate)
●Slight abrasions, burns, bruising
etc., may be sustained from SRS
airbags, due to the extremely high
speed deployment (inflation) by
hot gases.
●A loud noise and white powder will
be emitted.
●Parts of the airbag module (steer-
ing wheel hub, airbag cover and
inflator) as well as the front seats,
parts of the front and rear pillars,
and roof side rails, may be hot for
several minutes. T he airbag itself
may also be hot.
●The windshield may crack.
●All of the doors will be unlocked.
(  P.116)
●The brakes and st op lights will be
controlled automatically. ( P.308)
●The interior lights will turn on auto-
matically. ( P.339)
●The emergency flashers will turn
on automatically. ( P.424)
●Fuel supply to the engine will be
stopped. (P.430)
●For Safety Connect subscribers, if
any of the followin g situations
occur, the system is designed to
send an emergency call to the
response center, notifying them of
the vehicle’s location (without
needing to push the “SOS” button)
and an agent will attempt to speak
with the occupants to ascertain the level of emergency and assis-
tance required. If the occupants
are unable to communicate, the
agent automatically treats the call
as an emergency and helps to dis-
patch the necessary emergency
services. (
P. 6 5 )
• An SRS airbag is deployed.
• A seat belt pretensioner is acti-
vated.
• The vehicle is involved in a severe
rear-end collision.
■SRS airbag deployment condi-
tions (SRS front airbags)
●The SRS front airbags will deploy
in the event of an impact that
exceeds the set threshold level
(the level of forc e corresponding
to an approximately 12 - 18 mph
[20 - 30 km/h] frontal collision with
a fixed wall that does not move or
deform).
However, this threshold velocity will
be considerably higher in the follow-
ing situations:
• If the vehicle strikes an object, such as a parked vehicle or sign
pole, which can move or deform
on impact
• If the vehicle is involved in an underride collision, such as a colli-
sion in which the front of the vehi-
cle “underrides”, or goes under,
the bed of a truck
●Depending on the type of collision,
it is possible that only the seat belt
pretensioners and SRS seat cush-
ion airbag will activate.

1754-1. Before driving
4
Driving
When the shift lever is shifted
to R
*.
 When the shift lever is shifted
from P or R to forward drive
shift position such as D
*.
When the system operates, a
message appears on the
multi-information display. Read
the message and follow the
instruction.
*: Depending on the situation, the shift position may not be
changed.
■When starting off on a uphill
The hill-start assis t control will acti-
vate. ( P.307)
■Driving in the rain
●Drive carefully whe n it is raining,
because visibility will be reduced,
the windows may become
fogged-up, and the road will be
slippery.
●Drive carefully whe n it starts to
rain, because the road surface will
be especially slippery.
●Refrain from high speeds when
driving on an expressway in the
rain, because there may be a
layer of water between the tires
and the road surface, preventing
the steering and brakes from
operating properly.
■Engine speed while driving
In the following conditions, the
engine speed may become high
while driving. This is due to auto-
matic up-shifting control or
down-shifting implementation to
meet driving conditions. It does not
indicate sudden acceleration.
●The vehicle is judged to be driving
uphill or downhill
●When the accelerator pedal is released
●When the bra
ke pedal is
depressed
■Restraining the engine output
(Brake Override System)
●When the accelera tor and brake
pedals are depressed at the same
time, the engine output may be
restrained.
●A warning message is displayed
on the multi-information display
while the system is operating.
■Drive-Start Control (DSC)
When the TRAC is turned off
(  P.308), sudden start restraint
control also does not operate. If
your vehicle have trouble escaping
from the mud or fr esh snow due to
sudden start restraint control opera-
tion, deactivate TRAC ( P.308) so
that the vehicle may become able to
escape from the mud or fresh snow.
Also, sudden start restraint control
will not operate in the following con-
ditions:
●When Multi-terrain Select is
selected (AWD models)
■Breaking in your new Toyota
To extend the life of the vehicle,
observing the following precautions
is recommended:
●For the first 200 miles (300 km):
Avoid sudden stops.
●For the first 500 miles (800 km):
Do not tow a trailer.
●For the first 600 miles (1000 km):
• Do not drive at extremely high speeds.
• Avoid sudden acceleration.
• Do not drive continuously in low gears.
• Do not drive at a constant speed
for extended periods.
■Operating your v ehicle in a for-
eign country
Comply with the relevant vehicle

1764-1. Before driving
registration laws and confirm the
availability of the correct fuel.
( P.475)
■Eco-friendly driving
 P.89, 100
WARNING
Observe the following precau-
tions.
Failure to do so m ay result in
death or serious injury.
■When starting the vehicle
Always keep your foot on the
brake pedal while stopped with
the engine running. This prevents
the vehicle from creeping.
■When driving the vehicle
●Do not drive if y ou are unfamil-
iar with the location of the brake
and accelerator pedals to avoid
depressing the wrong pedal.
• Accidentally depressing the accelerator pedal instead of the
brake pedal will result in sudden
acceleration that may lead to an
accident.
• When backing up, you may twist your body around, leading to a
difficulty in operating the pedals.
Make sure to operate the pedals
properly.
• Make sure to keep a correct driving posture even when mov-
ing the vehicle only slightly. This
allows you to depress the brake
and accelerator pedals properly.
• Depress the brake pedal using your right foot. Depressing the
brake pedal using your left foot
may delay respon se in an emer-
gency, resulting in an accident.
●Do not drive the vehicle over or
stop the vehicle near flammable
materials.
The exhaust system and
exhaust gases can be
extremely hot. These hot parts
may cause a fire i f there is any
flammable material nearby.
●During normal driving, do not
turn off the engine. Turning the
engine off while driving will not
cause loss of steering or brak-
ing control, but the power assist
to these systems will be lost.
This will make it more difficult to
steer and brake, so you should
pull over and stop the vehicle as
soon as it is safe to do so.How-
ever, in the event of an emer-
gency, such as if it becomes
impossible to stop the vehicle in
the normal way:
P.424
●Use engine braking (downshift)
to maintain a safe speed when
driving down a steep hill.Using
the brakes continuously may
cause the brakes to overheat
and lose effectiveness.
(
P.201)
●Do not adjust the positions of
the steering wheel, the seat, or
the inside or outside rear view
mirrors while driving.Doing so
may result in a loss of vehicle
control.
●Always check that all passen-
gers’ arms, heads or other parts
of their body are not outside the
vehicle.
●AWD models: This is not an
AWD vehicle designed for
off-road driving. Drive with due
care if it becomes unavoidable
to drive off-road.

1774-1. Before driving
4
Driving
WARNING
●Do not drive across a river or
through other bodies of
water.This may cause elec-
tric/electronic components to
short circuit, damage the engine
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 the shift lever is in a
driving position, or roll forward
while the shift lever is in
R.Doing so may cause the
engine to stall or lead to poor
brake and steering perfor-
mance, resulting in an accident
or damage to the vehicle.
●Do not shift the sh ift lever to P
while the vehicle is mov-
ing.Doing so can damage the
transmission 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
transmission 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 transmission
and may result in a loss of vehi-
cle control.
●Shifting the shift lever to N while
the vehicle is moving will disen-
gage the engine. Engine brak-
ing is not availa ble 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.

1794-1. Before driving
4
Driving
WARNING
●Always apply the parking brake,
shift the shift lever to P, stop the
engine and lock the vehicle.Do
not leave the vehicle unat-
tended while the engine is run-
ning.If the vehicle is parked with
the shift lever in P but the park-
ing brake is not set, the vehicle
may start to move, possibly
leading to an accident.
●Do not touch the exhaust pipes
while the engine is running or
immediately after turning the
engine off.Doing so may cause
burns.
■When taking a nap in the vehi-
cle
Always turn the engine off. Other-
wise, if you accidentally move the
shift lever or dep ress the acceler-
ator pedal, this could cause an
accident or fire due to engine
overheating. Additionally, if the
vehicle is parked in a poorly venti-
lated area, exhaust gases may
collect and enter the vehicle, lead-
ing to death or a serious health
hazard.
■When braking
●When the brakes a re wet, drive
more cautiously.Braking dis-
tance 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 vehi-
cle.
●If the brake booster device does
not operate, do not follow other
vehicles closely and avoid hills
or sharp turns t hat require brak-
ing.In this case, braking is still
possible, but the brake pedal
should be depressed more
firmly than usual. Also, the brak-
ing distance will increase. Have
your brakes fixed immediately.
●Do not pump the brake pedal if
the engine stalls.Each push on
the brake pedal uses up the
reserve for the power-assisted
brakes.
●The brake system consists of 2
individual hydraulic systems; if
one of the systems fails, the
other will still operate. In this
case, the brake pedal should be
depressed more firmly than
usual and the braking 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 during driving, as this may
restrain the engine output.
●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.

1854-1. Before driving
4
Driving
■Matching trailer ball height to
trailer coupler height
No matter wh ich class of tow hitch
applies, for a m ore safe trailer
hookup, the trailer ball setup must
be the proper height for the coupler
on the trailer.
Coupler
Trailer ball
■Before towing
Check that the fo llowing conditions
are met:
●Ensure that your vehicle’s tires
are properly inflated. ( P.479)
●Trailer tires are inflated according
to the trailer manufacturer’s rec-
ommendation.
Trailer towing
Your vehicle is designed pri-
marily as a passen-
ger-and-load-carrying
vehicle. Towing a trailer can
have an adverse impact on
handling, performance,
braking, durability, and fuel
consumption. For your
safety and the safety of oth-
ers, you must not overload
your vehicle or trailer. You
must also ensure that you
are using appropriate tow-
ing equipment, that the tow-
ing equipment has been
installed correctly and used
properly, and that you
employ the requisite driv-
ing habits.
Vehicle-trailer stability and
braking performance are
affected by trailer stability,
brake performance and set-
ting, trailer brakes, the hitch
and hitch systems (if
equipped).
To tow a trailer safely, use
extreme care and drive the
vehicle in accordance with
your trailer’s characteris-
tics and operating condi-
tions.
Toyota warranties do not
apply to damage or mal-
function caused by towing a
trailer for commercial pur-
poses.
Contact your Toyota dealer
for further information
about additional require-
ments such as a towing kit,
etc.

1864-1. Before driving
●All trailer lights work as required
by law.
●All lights work each time you con-
nect them.
●The trailer ball is set at the proper
height for the coupler on the
trailer.
●The trailer is level when it is
hitched.
Do not drive if the trailer is not
level, and check for improper
tongue weight, overloading, worn
suspension, or other possible
causes.
●The trailer cargo is securely
loaded.
●The rear view mirrors conform to
all applicable federal, state/provin-
cial or local regu lations. If they do
not, install rear view mirrors
appropriate for towing purposes.
■Break-in schedule
If your vehicle is new or equipped
with any new power train compo-
nents (such as an engine, transaxle,
transfer [AWD models], rear differ-
ential [AWD models] or wheel bear-
ing), Toyota recommends that you
do not tow a trailer until the vehicle
has been driven for over 500 miles
(800 km).
After the vehicle has been driven for
over 500 miles (800 km), you can
start towing. However, for the next
500 miles (800 km), drive the vehi-
cle at a speed of less than 50 mph
(80 km/h) when towing a trailer, and
avoid full throttle acceleration.
■Maintenance
●Retighten the fixing bolts of the
towing ball and bracket after
approximately 600 miles (1000
km) of trailer towing.
■If trailer sway occurs
One or more factors (crosswinds,
passing vehicles, rough roads, etc.)
can adversely affect handling of
your vehicle and trailer, causing
instability.
●If trailer swaying occurs:
• Firmly grip the steering wheel. Steer straight ahead.
Do not try to contr ol trailer sway-
ing by turning the steering wheel.
• Begin releasing the accelerator
pedal immediately but very gradu-
ally to reduce speed.
Do not increase speed. Do not
apply vehicle brakes.
If you make no extreme correction
with the steering or brakes, your
vehicle and trailer should stabilize.
(if enabled, Trailer Sway Control can
also help to stabilize the vehicle and
trailer.)
●After the trailer swaying has
stopped:
• Stop in a safe place. Get all occu-
pants out of the vehicle.
• Check the tires of the vehicle and the trailer.
• Check the load in the trailer. Make sure the load has not
shifted.
Make sure the tongue weight is
appropriate, if possible.
• Check the load in the vehicle.
Make sure the vehicle is not over-
loaded after occupants get in.
If you cannot find any problems, the
speed at which trailer swaying
occurred is beyond the limit of your
particular vehicle-trailer combina-
tion. Drive at a lower speed to pre-
vent instability. Remember that
swaying of the towing vehicle-trailer
increases as speed increases.

1874-1. Before driving
4
Driving
WARNING
■Trailer towing precautions
To tow a trailer safely, use
extreme care and drive the vehi-
cle in accordance with the trailer’s
characteristics and operating con-
ditions. Failure to do so could
cause an accident resulting in
death or serious injury. Vehicle
stability and braking performance
are affected by trailer stability,
brake setting and performance,
and the hitch. Your vehicle will
handle different ly when towing a
trailer.
■To avoid accident or injury
●Do not exceed the TWR,
unbraked TWR, GCWR, GVWR
or GAWR.
●If the gross trailer weight is over
2000 lb. (900 kg), a sway con-
trol device with sufficient capac-
ity is required.
●If the gross trailer weight is over
5000 lb. (2200 kg), a weight dis-
tributing hitch with sufficient
capacity is required.
●Adjust the tongue weight within
the appropriate range. Place
heavier loads as close to the
trailer axle as possible.
●Do not exceed 65 mph (104
km/h), the posted towing speed
limit or the speed limit for your
trailer as set fort h in your trailer
owner’s manual, whichever is
lowest. Slow down sufficiently
before making a turn, in cross
winds, on wet or slippery sur-
face, etc. to help avoid an acci-
dent. If you experience a
vehicle-trailer instability from
reducing a certain speed, slow
down and make sure you keep
your vehicle speed under the
speed of which you experience
the instability.
●Do not make jerky, abrupt or
sharp turns.
●Do not apply the brakes sud-
denly as you may skid, resulting
in jackknifing and loss of vehicle
control. This is especially true
on wet or slippery surfaces.
●Do not exceed the trailer hitch
assembly weight, gross vehicle
weight, gross axle weight and
trailer tongue w eight capacities.
●Do not use the following sys-
tems when trailer towing.
• Dynamic radar cruise control with full-speed range
• LTA (Lane Tracing Assist)
• PCS (Pre-Collision System)
• BSM (Blind Spot Monitor) (if equipped)
• PKSB (Parking Support Brake) (if equipped)
• RCTA (Rear Cross Traffic Alert) function (if equipped)
• Intuitive parking assist (if equipped)
●Slow down and downshift
before descending steep or long
downhill grades. Do not make
sudden downshifts while
descending steep or long down-
hill grades.
●Vehicle-trailer instability is more
likely on steep long downhills.
Before descending steep or
long downhill grades, slow
down and downshift. Do not
make sudden downshifts when
descending steep or long down-
hill grades. Avoid holding the
brake pedal down too long or
applying the brakes too fre-
quently. This could cause the
brakes to overheat and result in
reduced braking efficiency.