Towing with a Highlander Hybrid

Cyclonic

This discussion was created from comments split from: First summer with a T@B in the Colorado Front Range.

GrandmasKid

My wife and I are retired and planning to travel and camp in a new T@B Max S Outback for our 40 year anniversary this September. We'll be towing with a 2010 Highlander Hybrid Ltd. Any hints about towing and using our T@B will be greatly appreciated. We're very excited to see The Grand Canyon!

dinah

I spoke to the specialist at my local Toyota dealer, he verified that the OEM towing wiring harness for the 2016 Highlander is a flat 4-pin.  Toyota does not provide and will not install wiring for the 7-pin round plug, you'll need to find someplace else to do the wiring modifications for trailer brakes and the controller. He emphasized that making those modifications COULD void Toyota warranty for future claims.  Buyer beware.

Nomad

I'd find a different Toyota dealer if he claims a warranty violation for a simple 7-pin - Ridiculous.

John_and_Kris

Just make sure if you go the 7pun route that the person/company knows what they are doing. These foreign cars are wired in bundles. I read where a woman had her RX brake controller installed by U Haul and she is up to $7,000 in Lexus repairs do to the dame U haul did. Just be careful. I would strongly suggest a Prodgy RF bake controller which does do require you to cut into more wires in the dash area

Verna

I highly recommend a truck accessory business or a utility trailer business. They ve done it it many times and they know what they're doing.  They love their reputation and want to protect it, too.

Toyota threatened voiding my warranty if I installed an "always on" 12V accessory plug. I know where to find an always hot wire under the driver's seat,  but I've not done that because I've found I can just take an ARB extension cord out the window to my T@B's Zamp plug. 

GrandmasKid

My T@B dealer is installing the Seven Pin connector to my already installed hitch. I don't really get why Toyota won't do this. Also the T@B dealer is installing a wireless brake controller. The T@B dealer says not to worry about it. I'll try not to. This dealer sells a lot of T@Bs so I'm thinking they know what they're talking about. I hope I'm right.

Photomom

Interesting discussion. We were just at our Toyota dealer for the 30k/almost out of warranty checkup and asked them if there was any technical reason not to install a battery isolation relay. The service advisors had no idea what we were even talking about. They finally referred us to a guy who installs aftermarket options, and he said there was no problem. We could have it done either in his shop, or at the Toyota dealer where he rents a garage stall one day a week. Even though the owners manual says that the vehicles will tow, properly equipped, for some reason the dealers don't want to add that equipment.

GrandmasKid

We've had good performance, I'm happy to report, with towing our Outback from the bottom of Death Valley (below sea level) to over 9,000 feet up to Tuolumne Meadows in Yosemite National Park. We did a large loop out west from Atlanta, GA, putting 7,000 miles on the T@B in five weeks. The Highlander Hybrid averaged 18mpg. I always make an effort to drive smoothly, not exceeding the speed limit. Mileage varies greatly with topography. We got as little as 11mpg climbing and as much as 30mpg descending.  The power wiring is on a separate relay from the engine compartment and installed by our T@B dealer. The guy in the Toyota parts department told me that Toyota does not sell a seven pin harness for the Highlander and that's why they don't install them. 

Estancio

On my Toyota FJ Cruiser, I bought the Toyota 4-pin wiring kit and adapted it myself to a 7-pin connector. It was not difficult to do. I'm really glad that I used a Toyota kit as the starting point. I'm jealous of your good fuel economy -- I only get around 13-15 mpg when towing.

GrandmasKid

Estancio said:

On my Toyota FJ Cruiser, I bought the Toyota 4-pin wiring kit and adapted it myself to a 7-pin connector. It was not difficult to do. I'm really glad that I used a Toyota kit as the starting point. I'm jealous of your good fuel economy -- I only get around 13-15 mpg when towing.

I'm jealous of your rough road/off road ability. There just isn't any ideal vehicle available. I occasionally think about another TV, perhaps a 4Runner or Sequoya. I think most vehicles with more power don't vary their mpgs with grade changes as much as my Highlander Hybrid, and I'd love to go camping on the beach in the Outer Banks or down rough Forest Service roads. If someone made a hybrid with off road capability I'd certainly buy one if I could afford it.

CGHap

I have a 2019 Highlander Hybrid and want to tow a 2700# dry weight Travel trailer.  I will need to get the 7-pin plug, scheduled at U-haul soon, but curious if others towing that much weight had good or bad experiences per GrandmasKid above.  Thanks for any insights... Chris

CGHap

As a quick update to my post, Toyota dealers here ( Indianapolis area) refer you to UHaul to make the upgrade from the 4-pin to 7-pin.

Homebodyatheart

@CGHap do your research on UHaul installation first. It’s my understanding that they guarantee the parts, but do not guarantee their installation work. If it gets messed up you may be out of luck. I haven’t had personal experience with them as my Toyota dealer installed my 7 pin in October 2016, but I have read where others have had problems with no responsibility or resolution from UHaul. Good luck!

RMo

I did the 7-pin install DIY on our Highlander and it is a pretty simple job.  I’d think that it would be hard for anyone with a little experience to screw it up.