Car shop people: Just bought a Toyota Highlander, what am I in for?

[DoubleJ]

Toyota tech here.....

Th 4cyl is a good engine used across a wide range of the toyota family. No major problems that I can see popping up through tsb's. Keep in mind this is a newer generation/style than the ones a couple years old and some issues take a few years to manifest.

My biggest thing with the new toyotas is their maintanance program.... I am not a believer in the new 0w20 synthetic oil change every 10k. I have a newer 2013 lexus and change every 5k with synthetic 0w20 instead of every 10k. If you havent been paying for synthetic oil changes at the dealer be preppared for the bit price difference over a conventional oil change. And once the prepaidģincluded maintanance on it is over don't over pay for stupid rotates every 5k. Get a tread depth tool and measure them to indicate when. I'll leave it up to you to do or don't with the 10k oil changes.

Also if you plan on doing it yourself please get the appropriate oil filter cap wrench. It'll save you the headache of trying to get something to work. It uses a paper cartridge filter,  use only toyota oil filter. There really isn't much in terms of a "major service". Pretty much just oil changes, engine and cabin air filters. ATF is world standard and is meant to be a "life long" fluid and does not require servicing and also needs a computer/scan tool to be filled correctly ( not even sure if these have a dipstick to even check anymore). Only "major service" is 10k interval which also includes coolant change and spark plugs. Only put factory plugs in it or the equivalent denso plug. And only use toyota super long life. Don't use "compatible" crap from box stores.

My only suggestion would have been v6 awd version. But if your content with 4cyl and it meets your needs than it doesn't really matter. And get some weathertech mats if you havent already.

I have the oil change tool already.  I bought it when I got my Toyota last year.  And I've only used synthetic forever so I know about the cost.  I bought the extra maint. package so I have bumper to bumper coverage to 100,000 miles and maint. at 5000 mile intervals for 70,000 miles.  We gauge it by miles because there is no way we'll make it to 84 months before putting 100,000 miles on it.  We live 20 miles from anything.  I'm ok with the 10k oil change after looking at the oil in my Corolla at 10k.  It's still mostly yellow and just creeping into the amber stage at 10k.  I'm kind of an oil snob and learned as much about it as I could.  I'll use Toyota filters as long as Toyota is changing the oil for free.  Once I have to start changing my own oil outside of the free ones from the dealership, I'll switch to Wix filters but I will still only use Toyota oil.  About the same price as Mobil 1, base oil IS Mobil 1 and the additive package is custom blended for Toyotas.

I am religious with service so I'll be doing all appropriate maint. on time when it comes due.  I like that Toyota has what gets done every 5000 miles in the service manual.

Thank you for your insight.  I'm hoping that with the new generation of motors you say this one has will be as solid as the older ones.  And yes, when we bought it, I told them unless I got the Weathertech mats, the window deflectors and mud flaps free, I was walking   I got them all for free as well as $7000 off.  I told them this was the vehicle I wanted, these are the freebies I wanted, this is what my down payment is, and this is my max mo/payment.  Now go move the other numbers until you make this work.  They came back a couple of times with higher interest rates and higher sticker price and said "Well, this is only $50/mo above your budget, that's only a few less lattes a month"  After the second time of doing this and me saying "I don't drink lattes", I told them the next offer WILL be within my parameters or I will go to the Kia dealership and get a fully loaded Sportage for the same price.  The next offer, they dropped the interest rate 2.5% and dropped the sticker by $7000 and it fit comfortably within my budget and I signed right then.

[bone collector 12]

A little off topic but can someone explain the tool you have to use to check the levels on a Toyota, I'm looking at draining the tranny pan on a 10 corolla but iv read online that you need it and also that you don't 

[shadowless_nite]

Toyota tech here.....

Th 4cyl is a good engine used across a wide range of the toyota family. No major problems that I can see popping up through tsb's. Keep in mind this is a newer generation/style than the ones a couple years old and some issues take a few years to manifest.

My biggest thing with the new toyotas is their maintanance program.... I am not a believer in the new 0w20 synthetic oil change every 10k. I have a newer 2013 lexus and change every 5k with synthetic 0w20 instead of every 10k. If you havent been paying for synthetic oil changes at the dealer be preppared for the bit price difference over a conventional oil change. And once the prepaidģincluded maintanance on it is over don't over pay for stupid rotates every 5k. Get a tread depth tool and measure them to indicate when. I'll leave it up to you to do or don't with the 10k oil changes.

Also if you plan on doing it yourself please get the appropriate oil filter cap wrench. It'll save you the headache of trying to get something to work. It uses a paper cartridge filter,  use only toyota oil filter. There really isn't much in terms of a "major service". Pretty much just oil changes, engine and cabin air filters. ATF is world standard and is meant to be a "life long" fluid and does not require servicing and also needs a computer/scan tool to be filled correctly ( not even sure if these have a dipstick to even check anymore). Only "major service" is 10k interval which also includes coolant change and spark plugs. Only put factory plugs in it or the equivalent denso plug. And only use toyota super long life. Don't use "compatible" crap from box stores.

My only suggestion would have been v6 awd version. But if your content with 4cyl and it meets your needs than it doesn't really matter. And get some weathertech mats if you havent already.

I have the oil change tool already.  I bought it when I got my Toyota last year.  And I've only used synthetic forever so I know about the cost.  I bought the extra maint. package so I have bumper to bumper coverage to 100,000 miles and maint. at 5000 mile intervals for 70,000 miles.  We gauge it by miles because there is no way we'll make it to 84 months before putting 100,000 miles on it.  We live 20 miles from anything.  I'm ok with the 10k oil change after looking at the oil in my Corolla at 10k.  It's still mostly yellow and just creeping into the amber stage at 10k.  I'm kind of an oil snob and learned as much about it as I could.  I'll use Toyota filters as long as Toyota is changing the oil for free.  Once I have to start changing my own oil outside of the free ones from the dealership, I'll switch to Wix filters but I will still only use Toyota oil.  About the same price as Mobil 1, base oil IS Mobil 1 and the additive package is custom blended for Toyotas.

I am religious with service so I'll be doing all appropriate maint. on time when it comes due.  I like that Toyota has what gets done every 5000 miles in the service manual.

Thank you for your insight.  I'm hoping that with the new generation of motors you say this one has will be as solid as the older ones.  And yes, when we bought it, I told them unless I got the Weathertech mats, the window deflectors and mud flaps free, I was walking   I got them all for free as well as $7000 off.  I told them this was the vehicle I wanted, these are the freebies I wanted, this is what my down payment is, and this is my max mo/payment.  Now go move the other numbers until you make this work.  They came back a couple of times with higher interest rates and higher sticker price and said "Well, this is only $50/mo above your budget, that's only a few less lattes a month"  After the second time of doing this and me saying "I don't drink lattes", I told them the next offer WILL be within my parameters or I will go to the Kia dealership and get a fully loaded Sportage for the same price.  The next offer, they dropped the interest rate 2.5% and dropped the sticker by $7000 and it fit comfortably within my budget and I signed right then.

Yup like I said up to you on the oil change stuff. And if the car fits your needs and you got what you were looking for you will be happy.

Also not sure if yours has power rear hatch. If it does... please don't force it shut like a manual hatch! I had a good friend let her parents borrow her 2016 and they weren't use to the power hatch and yanked it down hard like their old suv and busted a motor... Definitely wasn't a cheap fix lol

[Happy Gilmore]

Stuff dryer sheets in the cabin air filter. Mice love making nests in Toyota cabin filter boxes. Don't understand why there aren't screens on the air intakes.

[DoubleJ]

Stuff dryer sheets in the cabin air filter. Mice love making nests in Toyota cabin filter boxes. Don't understand why there aren't screens on the air intakes.

Where's the intake?  I'm assuming it's separate from the engine air intake.  I'll just put a screen on it myself

[Happy Gilmore]

I have no idea except mine had new mice nests in it every oil change.

[724wd]

ATF is world standard and is meant to be a "life long" fluid and does not require servicing and also needs a computer/scan tool to be filled correctly ( not even sure if these have a dipstick to even check anymore).

man, i LOOKED and LOOKED for the trans dipstick on my '05 tundra when i got it... and didn't find one!     sealed transmission is a new one for me!  I'm at 120,000 right now and been thinking about that fluid in there and if i should get it changed.

[shadowless_nite]

ATF is world standard and is meant to be a "life long" fluid and does not require servicing and also needs a computer/scan tool to be filled correctly ( not even sure if these have a dipstick to even check anymore).

man, i LOOKED and LOOKED for the trans dipstick on my '05 tundra when i got it... and didn't find one!     sealed transmission is a new one for me!  I'm at 120,000 right now and been thinking about that fluid in there and if i should get it changed.

There is a drain plug, a fill plug and a overfill plug on your tundra transmission. It can be drained and refilled as a service.  If you tow anything at all on a even somewhat regular basis that has some weight to it.... trailers, boat trailers, campers.... etc then at the 120k service have it done along with the coolant and plugs at that interval.  A scan tool is needed to monitor transmission fluid temperature. The fluid must be warmed to the right them and the over fill plug pulled to allow any overflow out of the pan and that sets you up with the right level.