Toyota 2014 HIGHLANDER GVU58 Series User manual

HIGHLANDER
Hybrid
Gasoline-Electric
Hybrid Synergy Drive
GVU58 Series

ii
Foreword
This guide was developed to educate and assist dismantlers in the safe handling of Toyota
HIGHLANDER Hybrid gasoline-electric hybrid vehicles. HIGHLANDER Hybrid dismantling
procedures are similar to other non-hybrid Toyota vehicles with the exception of the high voltage
electrical system. It is important to recognize and understand the high voltage electrical system
features and specifications of the Toyota HIGHLANDER Hybrid, as they may not be familiar to
dismantlers.
High voltage electricity powers the electric motors, generator, air conditioning (A/C) compressor
and inverter/converter. All other automotive electrical devices such as the headlights, radio and
gauges are powered from a separate 12 Volts auxiliary battery. Numerous safeguards have been
designed into the HIGHLANDER Hybrid to help ensure the high voltage, approximately 288 Volts,
Nickel Metal Hydride (NiMH) Hybrid Vehicle (HV) battery pack is kept safe and secure in an
accident.
The NiMH HV battery pack contains sealed batteries that are similar to rechargeable batteries used
in some battery operated power tools and other consumer products. The electrolyte is absorbed in
the cell plates and will not normally leak out even if the battery is cracked. In the unlikely event
the electrolyte does leak, it can be easily neutralized with a dilute boric acid solution or vinegar.
High voltage cables, identifiable by orange insulation and connectors, are isolated from the metal
chassis of the vehicle.
Additional topics contained in the guide include:
• Toyota HIGHLANDER Hybrid identification.
• Major hybrid component locations and descriptions.
By following the information in this guide, dismantlers will be able to handle HIGHLANDER
Hybrid hybrid-electric vehicles as safely as the dismantling of a conventional non-hybrid
automobile.
©2014 Toyota Motor Corporation
All rights reserved. This book may not be reproduced or
copied, in whole or in part, without the written permission
of Toyota Motor Corporation.

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Table of Contents
About the HIGHLANDER Hybrid.............................................................................................................1
HIGHLANDER Hybrid Identification.......................................................................................................2
Exterior .........................................................................................................................................................3
Interior...........................................................................................................................................................4
Engine Compartment....................................................................................................................................5
Hybrid Component Locations & Descriptions...........................................................................................6
Specifications................................................................................................................................................7
Hybrid Synergy Drive Operation................................................................................................................8
Vehicle Operation..........................................................................................................................................8
Hybrid Vehicle (HV) Battery Pack and Auxiliary Battery........................................................................9
HV Battery Pack............................................................................................................................................9
Components Powered by the HV Battery Pack.............................................................................................9
HV Battery Pack Recycling.........................................................................................................................10
Auxiliary Battery..........................................................................................................................................10
High Voltage Safety ....................................................................................................................................11
High Voltage Safety System........................................................................................................................11
Service Plug Grip........................................................................................................................................12
Precaution to be observed when dismantling the vehicle........................................................................13
Necessary Items.........................................................................................................................................13
Spills.............................................................................................................................................................14
Dismantling the vehicle..............................................................................................................................15
Removal of HV battery ..............................................................................................................................19
HV Battery Caution Label.........................................................................................................................39

About the HIGHLANDER Hybrid
The HIGHLANDER Hybrid continues into its 3rd generation as a gasoline-electric hybrid
vehicle. Hybrid Synergy Drive means that the vehicle contains a gasoline engine and two
electric motors for power. The two hybrid power sources are stored on board the vehicle:
1. Gasoline stored in the fuel tank for the gasoline engine.
2. Electricity stored in a high voltage Hybrid Vehicle (HV) battery pack for the electric
motors.
The result of combining these two power sources is improved fuel economy and reduced
emissions. The gasoline engine also powers an electric generator to recharge the battery
pack; unlike a pure all electric vehicle, the HIGHLANDER Hybrid never needs to be
recharged from an external electric power source.
Depending on the driving conditions one or both sources are used to power the vehicle. The
following illustration demonstrates how the HIGHLANDER Hybrid operates in various
driving modes.
During light acceleration at low speeds, the vehicle is powered by the electric motors.
The gasoline engine is shut off.
During normal driving, the vehicle is powered mainly by the gasoline engine. The
gasoline engine also powers the generator to recharge the battery pack and to drive the
motors.
 During full acceleration, such as climbing a hill, both the gasoline engine and the electric
motors power the vehicle.
During deceleration, such as when braking, the vehicle regenerates kinetic energy from
the front wheels and rear wheels to produce electricity that recharges the battery pack.
While the vehicle is stopped, the gasoline engine and electric motors are off, however the
vehicle remains on and operational.
Stopping
Normal Driving
Starting 
Acceleration

Deceleration
Electricity Electricity and gasoline
Charging batteries
Electricity and gasoline
(additional electricity
extracted from batteries)
Engine automaticall
y
stopped
1

HIGHLANDER Hybrid Identification
In appearance, the 2014 model year HIGHLANDER Hybrid is nearly identical to the
conventional, non-hybrid Toyota HIGHLANDER. The HIGHLANDER Hybrid is a 5-door
SUV. Exterior, interior, and engine compartment illustrations are provided to assist in
identification.
The alphanumeric 17 character Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) is provided in the front
windshield cowl, right side floor and on the driver side B pillar.
Example VIN: 5TDDCRFH0E2000101, 5TDJCRFH0E2000101 or
5TDBCRFH0E2000101
A HIGHLANDER Hybrid is identified by the first 8 alphanumeric characters 5TDDCRFH,
5TDJCRFH or 5TDBCRFH.
Driver Side Windshield Cowl
Right Side Floor
Driver Side B Pillar
2

HIGHLANDER Hybrid Identification (Continued)
Exterior
and logos on the back door.
logo on the driver and front passenger door.
Gasoline fuel filler door located on the driver side rear quarter panel.
Exterior Front and Driver Side View
Exterior Rear and Driver Side View






3

HIGHLANDER Hybrid Identification (Continued)
Interior
 The instrument cluster (READY indicator, and warning lights) located in the dash behind the
steering wheel, is different than the one on the conventional, non-hybrid HIGHLANDER.
Hint:
If the vehicle is shut off, the instrument cluster gauges will be “blacked out”, not illuminated.
Interior View
Instrument Cluster View


READY Indicator
Monochrome T
yp
e Multi-information Dis
p
la
y
READY Indicator
Color T
yp
e Multi-information Dis
p
la
y
4

HIGHLANDER Hybrid Identification (Continued)
Engine Compartment
 3.5-liter aluminum alloy gasoline engine.
 Logo on the plastic engine cover.
 Orange colored high voltage power cables.
Engine Compartment View
Power Cables



5

Hybrid Component Locations & Descriptions
Component Location Description
12 Volts Auxiliary
Battery Left Side of Trunk Alead-acid battery that supplies power to the low voltage devices.
Hybrid Vehicle
(HV) Battery
Pack 
Cabin Area,
Mounted to Cross
Member under
Second Row Seat
288 Volts Nickel Metal Hydride (NiMH) battery pack
consisting of 30 low voltage (9.6 Volts) modules connected
in series.
Power Cables Undercarriage
and Engine
Compartment
Orange colored power cables carry high voltage Direct
Current (DC) between the HV battery pack,
inverter/converter, and A/C compressor. These cables also
carry 3-phase Alternating Current (AC) between the
inverter/converter, electric motors, and generator.
Inverter/
Converter Engine Compartment Boosts and inverts the high voltage electricity from the HV battery pack to 3-phase AC electricity that drives the
electric motors. The inverter/converter also converts AC
electricity from the electric generator and electric motors
(regenerative braking) to DC that recharges the HV battery
pack.
DC-DC
Converter
for 12 Volts
Auxiliary
Battery 
Inverter/
Converter Converts 288 Volts from the HV battery pack to 12 Volts for low voltage vehicle power.
Gasoline
Engine Engine Compartment Provides two functions: 1) Powers the vehicle.
2) Powers the generator to recharge the HV battery pack.
The engine is started and stopped under control of the
vehicle computer.
Front Electric
Motor Engine Compartment 3-phase high voltageAC permanent magnet electric motor contained in the front transaxle. It is used to power the front
wheels.
Electric Generator
Engine
Compartment 3-phase high voltageAC generator that is contained in the transaxle and recharges the HV battery pack.
A/C Compressor
(with Inverter) Engine Compartment 3-phase high voltage AC electrically driven motor compressor.
Fuel Tank and
Fuel Line

Undercarriage,
Driver Side and
Center
The fuel tank provides gasoline via a fuel line to the engine.
The fuel line is routed along the driver side and center
tunnel under the floor pan.
Rear Electric
Motor Rear Sub-Frame 3-phase high voltageAC permanent magnet electric motor
contained in the rear transaxle. It is used to power the rear
wheels.
*Numbers in the component column apply to the illustrations on the following page.
6

Hybrid Component Locations & Descriptions (Continued)
Specifications
Gasoline Engine: 231 hp (172.3 kW), 3.5-literAluminumAlloy Engine
Electric Motors
Front:
Rear:
165 hp (123 kW), Permanent Magnet Motor
67 hp (50 kW), Permanent Magnet Motor
Transmission: Automatic Only
(Electrically Controlled Continuously Variable Transaxle)
HV Battery: 288 V Sealed NiMH Battery
Curb Weight: 4,784 - 4,861 lbs/2,170 - 2,205 kg
Fuel Tank: 17.2 gals/65 liters
Frame Material: Steel Unibody
Body Material: Steel Panels
Seating Capacity: 7 - 8 passenger






7













Hybrid Synergy Drive Operation
Once the READY indicator is illuminated in the instrument cluster, the vehicle may be driven.
However, the gasoline engine does not idle like a typical automobile and will start and stop
automatically. It is important to recognize and understand the READY indicator provided in
the instrument cluster. When lit, it informs the driver that the vehicle is on and operational
even though the gasoline engine may be off and the engine compartment is silent.
Vehicle Operation
• With the HIGHLANDER Hybrid, the gasoline engine may stop and start at any time while the
READY indicator is on.
• Never assume that the vehicle is shut off just because the engine is off. Always look for the
READY indicator status. The vehicle is shut off when the READY indicator is off.
• The vehicle may be powered by:
1. The electric motors only.
2. A combination of both the electric motors and the gasoline engine.
Instrument Cluster READY Indicator
Monochrome T
yp
e Multi-information Dis
p
la
y
Color T
yp
e Multi-information Dis
p
la
y
8

Hybrid Vehicle (HV) Battery Pack and Auxiliary Battery
The HIGHLANDER Hybrid features a high voltage Hybrid Vehicle (HV) battery pack that
contains sealed Nickel Metal Hydride (NiMH) battery modules.
HV Battery Pack
• The HV battery pack is enclosed in a metal case and is rigidly mounted to the cabin area floor pan
cross member under the second row seats. The metal case is isolated from high voltage and
concealed by fabric covers in the cabin area.
• The HV battery pack consists of 30 low voltage (9.6 Volts) NiMH battery modules connected in
series to produce approximately 288 Volts. Each NiMH battery module is non-spillable and
sealed in a metal case.
• The electrolyte used in the NiMH battery module is an alkaline mixture of potassium and sodium
hydroxide. The electrolyte is absorbed into the battery cell plates and will not normally leak,
even in a collision.
HV Battery Pack
Battery pack voltage 288 V
Number of NiMH battery modules in the pack 30
NiMH battery module voltage 9.6 V
NiMH battery module dimensions
(Width x Length x Height) 14.5 x 3.8 x 0.6 in (368 x 95.8 x 15.6 mm)
NiMH module weight 3.3 lbs (1.5 kg)
NiMH battery pack dimensions
(Width x Length x Height) 40.1 x 25.3 x 6.3 in (1018 x 643 x 160 mm)
NiMH battery pack weight 151.7 lbs (68.8 kg)
Note: Values in inches have been rounded
Components Powered by the HV Battery Pack
• Front Electric Motor • Rear Electric Motor
• Power Cables • A/C Compressor
• Inverter/Converter • Electric Generator
- DC-DC Converter for 12 Volts Auxiliary Battery
9

Hybrid Vehicle (HV) Battery Pack and Auxiliary Battery (Continued)
HV Battery Pack Recycling
• The HV battery pack is recyclable. Contact either your Toyota Distributor as mentioned on HV
battery Caution Label (see page 29) or the nearest Toyota dealer.
Auxiliary Battery
• The HIGHLANDER Hybrid contains a sealed lead-acid 12 Volts auxiliary battery. This 12 Volts
auxiliary battery powers the vehicle electrical system similar to a conventional vehicle. As with
other conventional vehicles, the negative terminal of the auxiliary battery is grounded to the metal
chassis of the vehicle.
• The auxiliary battery is located in the trunk area. It is concealed by a plastic resin cover on the
driver side in the rear quarter panel well.
288 Volts HV Battery Pack 12 Volts Auxiliary Battery Mounted in the Trunk
Area (Driver Side)
HV Battery Pack Mounted in Cabin Area
10

High Voltage Safety
The HV battery pack powers the high voltage electrical system with DC electricity. Positive
and negative orange colored high voltage power cables are routed from the battery pack,
under the vehicle floor pan, to the inverter/converter. The inverter/converter contains a
circuit that boosts the HV battery voltage from 288 to 650 Volts DC. The inverter/converter
creates 3-phase AC to power the motors. Power cables are routed from the
inverter/converter to each high voltage motors (electric motors, electric generator and A/C
compressor). The following systems are intended to help keep occupants in the vehicle and
emergency responders safe from high voltage electricity:
High Voltage Safety System
• A high voltage fuse * provides short circuit protection in the HV battery pack.
• Positive and negative high voltage power cables * connected to the HV battery pack are
controlled by 12 Volts normally open relays *. When the vehicle is shut off, the relays stop
electrical flow from leaving the HV battery pack.
WARNING:
The high voltage system may remain powered for up to 10
minutes after the vehicle is shut off or disabled. To prevent
serious injury or death from severe burns or electric shock,
avoid touching, cutting, or opening any orange high voltage
power cable or high voltage component.
• Both positive and negative power cables * are insulated from the metal body. High voltage
electricity flows through these cables and not through the metal vehicle body. The metal vehicle
body is safe to touch because it is insulated from the high voltage components.
• A ground fault monitor in the hybrid vehicle computer * continuously monitors for high voltage
leakage to the metal chassis while the vehicle is running. If a malfunction is detected, the hybrid
vehicle computer * will illuminate the master warning light in the instrument cluster and
indicate “Check Hybrid System” on the multi-information display.
• The HV battery pack relays will automatically open to stop electricity flow in a collision sufficient
to activate the SRS.
*Numbers apply to the illustration on the following page.
11

High Voltage Safety (Continued)
Service Plug Grip
• The high-voltage circuit is cut by removing the service plug grip (see page 15).
High Voltage Safety System – Vehicle Shut Off (READY-OFF)
High Voltage Safety System – Vehicle On and Operational (READY-ON)

V
olt DC
00

Hybrid Vehicle Computer
A
/C
Compressor


V
olt DC
00
Inverter/
Converter
 Electric
Motor
(Rear)
Electric
Generator
12 Volts
A
uxiliary
Battery
Electric
Motor
(Front)
HV Battery Assembl
y
0 Volts AC
3-Phase
12 Volts
A
uxiliary
Battery
HV Battery Assembl
y
650 Volts
A
C Max.
3-Phase
A
/C
Compressor
Inverter/
Converter
V
olt DC
V
olt DC
288
288
Hybrid Vehicle Computer
Electric
Motor
(Front)
Electric
Generator
Electric
Motor
(Rear)
12

Precaution to be observed when dismantling the vehicle
WARNING:
The high voltage system may remain powered for up to 10
minutes after the vehicle is shut off or disabled. To prevent
serious injury or death from severe burns or electric shock,
avoid touching, cutting, or opening any orange high voltage
power cable or high voltage component.
Necessary Items
• Protective clothing such as insulated gloves (electrically insulated), rubber gloves, safety goggles,
and safety shoes.
• Insulating tape such as electrical tape that has a suitable electrical insulation rating.
• Before wearing insulated gloves, make sure that they are not cracked, ruptured, torn, or damaged in
any way. Do not wear wet insulated gloves.
• An electrical tester that is capable of measuring DC 750 Volts or more.
13

14
Spills
The HIGHLANDER Hybrid contains the same common automotive fluids used in other
non-hybrid Toyota vehicles, with the exception of the NiMH electrolyte used in the HV battery
pack. The NiMH battery electrolyte is a caustic alkaline (pH 13.5) that is damaging to human
tissues. The electrolyte, however, is absorbed in the cell plates and will not normally spill or
leak out even if a battery module is cracked. A catastrophic crash that would breach both the
metal battery pack case and a metal battery module would be a rare occurrence.
A caustic alkaline is at the opposite end of the pH scale from a strong acid. A safe (neutral)
substance is approximately in the middle of this scale. Adding a weak acidic mixture, such as
a dilute boric acid solution or vinegar, to the caustic alkaline electrolyte will cause the
electrolyte to be neutralized. This is similar but opposite to the use of baking soda to
neutralize a lead-acid battery electrolyte spill.
A Toyota Product Safety Data Sheets (PSDS) is attached to this document.
• Handle NiMH electrolyte spills using the following Personal Protective Equipment (PPE):
• Splash shield or safety goggles. A fold down face shield is not acceptable for acid
or electrolyte spills.
• Rubber, latex or nitrile gloves.
• Apron suitable for alkaline.
• Rubber boots.
• Neutralize NiMH electrolyte.
• Use a boric acid solution or vinegar.
• Boric acid solution - 800 grams boric acid to 20 liters water or 5.5 ounces boric
acid to 1 gallon of water.

Dismantling the vehicle
The following 3 pages contain general instructions for use when working on a HIGHLANDER
Hybrid. Read these instructions before proceeding to the HV battery removal instructions on page
19.
WARNING:
The high voltage system may remain powered for up to 10 minutes
after the vehicle is shut off or disabled. To prevent serious injury
or death from severe burns or electric shock, avoid touching,
cutting, or opening any orange high voltage power cable or any
high voltage component.
1. Shut off the ignition (READY indicator is off).
Then disconnect the cable from the auxiliary
battery negative (-) terminal.
(1) Remove the 2 deck boards.
(2) Disconnect the battery negative terminal.
2. Remove the rear door scuff panel LH.
(1) Using a screwdriver, disengage the 2 claws to
open the 2 caps.
(2) Remove the 2 bolts.
(3) Disengage the 2 guides to remove the rear
door scuff panel LH.
15

3. Remove the service plug grip.
Caution:
・ Wear insulated gloves.
・ Remove the service plug grip to interrupt the high voltage circuit.
・ Keep the removed service plug grip in your pocket to prevent other staff from
accidentally reinstalling it while you are dismantling the vehicle.
・ All the high voltage wiring connectors are orange.
・ After removing the service plug grip, do not touch the high voltage connectors
or terminals for 10 minutes.
Hint:
Waiting for at least 10 minutes is required to discharge the high voltage capacitor inside the
inverter with converter assembly.
(1) Wear insulated gloves and remove the service plug grip after sliding the lever of the service
plug grip as shown in the illustration.
4. Make other staff aware that a high-voltage system is being dismantled by using the
following sign: CAUTION: HIGH-VOLTAGE. DO NOT TOUCH. (see page 18).
5. If the service plug grip cannot be removed due
to damage to the vehicle, remove the
IG2-MAIN fuse (25A).
Caution:
This operation shuts off the HV system. Be
sure to wear insulated gloves because high
voltage is not shut off inside the HV battery.
When it is possible to remove the service
plug grip, remove it and continue the
procedure.
16