Toyota Highlander (2018 year). Manual - part 12

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1-1. For safe use

● It is recommended that children sit in the rear seats to avoid acci-

dental contact with the shift lever, wiper switch etc.

● Use the rear door child-protector lock or the window lock switch to

avoid children opening the door while driving or operating the
power window accidentally.

● Do not let small children operate equipment which may catch or

pinch body parts, such as the power window, hood, back door,
seats etc.

Safety information for children

Observe the following precautions when children are in the vehi-
cle.
Use a child restraint system appropriate for the child, until the
child becomes large enough to properly wear the vehicle’s seat
belt.

WARNING

Never leave children unattended in the vehicle, and never allow children to
have or use the key.

Children may be able to start the vehicle or shift the vehicle into neutral.
There is also a danger that children may injure themselves by playing with
the windows or other features of the vehicle. In addition, heat build-up or
extremely cold temperatures inside the vehicle can be fatal to children.

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1-1. For safe use

1

Fo
r 

safety and securi

ty

Studies have shown that installing a child restraint on a rear seat is
much safer than installing one on the front passenger seat.
● Choose a child restraint system that suits your vehicle and is appro-

priate to the age and size of the child. 

● For installation details, follow the instructions provided with the child

restraint system.
General installation instructions are provided in this manual. 
(

→P. 65)

Child restraint systems

A child restraint system for a small child or baby must itself be
properly restrained on the seat with the LATCH anchors or the
lap portion of the lap/shoulder belt.

The laws of all 50 states of the U.S.A. and Canada now require
the use of child restraint systems.

Points to remember

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1-1. For safe use

Child restraint systems are classified into the following 3 types
according to the age and size of the child:

■

Selecting an appropriate child restraint system

●

Use a child restraint system appropriate for the child until the child becomes
large enough to properly wear the vehicle’s seat belt.

●

If the child is too large for a child restraint system, sit the child on a rear seat
and use the vehicle’s seat belt. (

→P. 30)

Types of child restraints



Rear facing 

⎯ Infant seat/con-

vertible seat



Forward facing 

⎯ Convertible

seat



Booster seat

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1-1. For safe use

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safety and securi

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WARNING

■

Child restraint precautions

●

For effective protection in automobile accidents and sudden stops, a child
must be properly restrained, using a seat belt or child restraint system
depending on the age and size of the child. Holding a child in your arms is
not a substitute for a child restraint system. In an accident, the child can be
crushed against the windshield, or between you and the vehicle’s interior.

●

Toyota strongly urges the use of a proper child restraint system that con-
forms to the size of the child, installed on the rear seat. According to acci-
dent statistics, the child is safer when properly restrained in the rear seat
than in the front seat.

●

Never install a rear-facing child restraint system on the front passenger
seat even if the “AIR BAG OFF” indicator light is illuminated. 
In the event of an accident, the force of the rapid inflation of the front pas-
senger airbag can cause death or serious injury to the child if the rear-fac-
ing child restraint system is installed on the front passenger seat.

●

A forward-facing child restraint system may be installed on the front pas-
senger seat only when it is unavoidable. A child restraint system that
requires a top tether strap should not be used in the front passenger seat
since there is no top tether strap anchor for the front passenger seat.
Adjust the seatback as upright as possible and always move the seat as
far back as possible even if the “AIR BAG OFF” indicator light is illumi-
nated, because the front passenger airbag could inflate with considerable
speed and force. Otherwise, the child may be killed or seriously injured.

●

Do not use the seat belt extender when installing a child restraint system
on the front or rear passenger seat. If installing a child restraint system
with the seat belt extender connected to the seat belt, the seat belt will not
securely hold the child restraint system, which could cause death or seri-
ous injury to the child or other passengers in the event of an accident.