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Hybrid Vehicles Toyota Highlander Hybrid Toyota Highlander Hybrid Driving Tips & Tricks
420 messages, Last post on May 28, 2009 at 4:27 PM
You are in the Toyota Highlander Hybrid Forum. Your Host is pf_flyer
I'm on my third tank with my 09HH. Today within a few miles of the empty light coming on I stopped to fill up. It took 14.7 gallons (US). I know in my TCH there was almost 3 gallons of fuel when the tank gage showed empty. Several drivers tested this driving their vehicles dangerously close to bone dry to verify it. Has anyone tested the HH? It appears that I should easily have another 50 miles even after the light comes on but I want to know if that is normal across the line before I would take a chance of driving that close to empty out on the road.
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Replying to: wvgasguy (Dec 01, 2008 6:14 pm) I am very comfortable running another 50 miles after the light comes on. Routinely comes on at 14.2 Gals consumed. |
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| Toyota says "The Highlander Hybrid is not designed to be driven off-road". What does that really mean? The vehicle has OK ground clearance. How's it on traction? One can go a lot of places with just those two. Do any of you have experience taking 09 (or 08) HH on rocky dirt roads with steep slopes, or soft sand, mud, or snow? Does the electric rear drive actually add anything? Could I perhaps get the same "off road" performance from the 2WD 4 cyl? Any other reviews with this info? Thanks. | |
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Replying to: geode1 (Feb 23, 2009 11:31 pm)
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Replying to: geode1 (Feb 23, 2009 11:31 pm) However I would not hesitate at all going on dirt roads or trails as long as they did not have deep ruts
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Replying to: wvgasguy (Feb 24, 2009 7:48 am) |
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Replying to: geode1 (Feb 23, 2009 11:31 pm) The HH can go everywhere a low-clearance two-wheel drive vehicle can go and then some because of the slightly higher clearance. The 4WDi version uses the rear motors to push on steep slopes. On slippery surfaces (snow, ice, mud, loose rocks & dirt), all four tires can operate independently with power to maintain traction. These capabilities make the 4WDi version more capable than a normal 2WD version. We use ours on ranch and farm dirt roads both steep and flat and the 4WDi is definitely more sure-footed than our normal 2WD truck on slippery wet steep surface going uphill. Downhill, it is all about tires and brakes. Street tires cut too easily and have poor traction on dirt and mud and loose rocks so rugged truck tires are important. We have lost too many street tires to sidewall cut over the years and they always slip and slide on mud, snow, loose dirt and gravel. In mud, the HH is no different than other cars. Some shallow mud is fine, deeper wider patches will require stacking or filling in with dirt, rocks, stones so that at least two tires have decent surface to use. I do this even when driving our 4x4 V8 Chevy farm vehicle. I hate getting stuck in mud  . Nothing beats good snow tires on snow and ice. Once this winter, we blundered onto clear ice thinking it was melted water and the snow tires and VDIM kept us going straight and sure-footed. All-Season most likely would have spun and caused the VDIM to shut down everything. Snow tires in snow makes for confident driving, simple as that. Overall, the HH is fine on dirt roads, non-4x4 setting with the right tires and solid in snow and ice with snow tires. Last bit: A small portable rugged and reliable air compressor and tire repair kit are essentials. We use a compressor from ExtremeOutback and that thing is built like a tank and worth every penny we paid. You can find them online. |
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Replying to: pf_flyer (Feb 24, 2009 5:59 am) No, using it off road does not void the warranty. Toyota is just saying that it is not intended for that use and they are not responsible for damage to the vehicle by doing so. |
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Replying to: monte8 (Feb 25, 2009 8:27 pm) In other words, there is no warranty against damage for off road use. Pretty much saying the same thing.
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Replying to: wvgasguy (Feb 27, 2009 10:36 am) In other words, there is no warranty against damage for off road use. Pretty much saying the same thing." No, it isn't. If you bend the front suspension driving off road, they could deny warranty coverage for that item, not all other items.
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