[2020Sheila]

Hope you Highlander peeps will tell me I'm wrong ... for a $52K vehicle, I'm very disappointed in the lack of the following:

1) Blindspot indicators - only a visual indicator - no sound/beeping?
2) Power folding side-view mirrors - manual fold only?
3) Carrying case for owners manuals - no case for the five manuals?

Appreciate any feedback, Sheila.

 

[KA4993]

You're out of luck, Sheila.

 

[Platinumhighlander]

Hope you Highlander peeps will tell me I'm wrong ... for a $52K vehicle, I'm very disappointed in the lack of the following:

1) Blindspot indicators - only a visual indicator - no sound/beeping?
2) Power folding side-view mirrors - manual fold only?
3) Carrying case for owners manuals - no case for the five manuals?

Appreciate any feedback, Sheila.

Hmmm...
1. Usually people complain about the annoying beeping sound and would rather just have a light (at least in the other car forums)

2. Yeah I wish it had that too...

3.i don’t know....I saw a case inside my glovebox

 

[got-rice]

1. IDK, I thought some cars beeped like crazy, but others just give you a light...if you're an older driver, yeah I get that it will be a useful feature
2. Lexus RX feature, Toyotas here don't have them.
3. Ask your salesperson if they would graciously give you one

IMO, you could get an RX with power mirrors and a hyper sensitive BSM. Definitely a binder for the manuals, and the price delta difference between it and the Highlander isn't as big as it was before. RXs are older but they were just updated for 2020 with the Carplay/Android Auto, and would likely have some higher incentives.

 

[toto]

Only three things missing, including one that's for something you'll never touch again after a week (the manuals)? I'd say that Highlander is doing well, all things considered.

I'd like to see power folding side mirrors too, especially since the car keeps getting larger every generation. Although if I used them every day, I'd be afraid of the motors eventually burning out and becoming an expensive repair for a non-essential feature.

 

[ToyoJim]

1. I also would like the BSM to beep but only when signalling a lane change when a vehicle is in a blind spot. I would also prefer that the BSM indicator lights be in the interior like they are on Porsche - much easier to see than on the exterior mirror outer edge. Someone on the Siennachat forum moved the BSM indicators from the mirrors into the interior.

2. Power folding mirrors are currently available only on larger/wider Toyota brand vehicles sold here - Sienna, Sequoia, Land Cruiser, Tundra. They're available on much smaller Toyota models in Europe perhaps due to extremely narrow streets being more common.

3. Some Toyota dealers provide or sell Toyota logo cases for owners manual. Here's a photo of one of ours balanced on the power folding exterior mirror (sorry, couldn't resist) of our Sienna. If your Toyota dealer doesn't have them, I see them on eBay for $20.

 

[GregWest]

I think Toyota's blind spot warning is done correctly. Have you ever seen it in action? It blinks each and every time another vehicle pulls up on either side of the highlander. No way would I want to hear an audible every time it is blinking. Same goes for moving it into the interior, it would be too distracting to see that flashing as much as it would even with no audible inside.

 

[ToyoJim]

I think Toyota's blind spot warning is done correctly. Have you ever seen it in action? It blinks each and every time another vehicle pulls up on either side of the highlander. No way would I want to hear an audible every time it is blinking. Same goes for moving it into the interior, it would be too distracting to see that flashing as much as it would even with no audible inside.

The problem people complain about is that the BSM indicators are too far outboard to be easily seen without turning their heads to look at them. They can also "wash out" in bright sunlight. It may be more of a issue on our Sienna than on a Highlander due to the Sienna's greater width. And I'm talking about beeping that occurs only when signalling a lane change when a vehicle is in a blind spot which is how the current Honda BSM system works.

I suspect that Toyota will move all the BSM indicators to the interior as BSM becomes standard which will be necessary to qualify for the IIHS "Safety Pick Plus" designation. The current Toyota system has the flexibility of allowing the use of different mirror glass depending on whether or not a particular trim has BSM.

IMO, the BSM indicators in the interior of Porsche vehicles aren't distracting at all but I don't have much experience with interior BSM indicators on other vehicles. The ones in Porsche can't wash out in bright sunlight ... at least as long as the windows are rolled up.

 

[2020Sheila]

Appreciate everyone's replies. Re the BSM, I have them in my 2014 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport ... they beep anytime another vehicle is in your BS (when your blinker is on). I have relied on those beeps and have found them very helpful (precluding turning one's head to actually look for the indicator); and second to that while teaching our daughters how to drive.

 

[2020Sheila]

1. I also would like the BSM to beep but only when signalling a lane change when a vehicle is in a blind spot. I would also prefer that the BSM indicator lights be in the interior like they are on Porsche - much easier to see than on the exterior mirror outer edge. Someone on the Siennachat forum moved the BSM indicators from the mirrors into the interior.

2. Power folding mirrors are currently available only on larger/wider Toyota brand vehicles sold here - Sienna, Sequoia, Land Cruiser, Tundra. They're available on much smaller Toyota models in Europe perhaps due to extremely narrow streets being more common.

3. Some Toyota dealers provide or sell Toyota logo cases for owners manual. Here's a photo of one of ours balanced on the power folding exterior mirror (sorry, couldn't resist) of our Sienna. If your Toyota dealer doesn't have them, I see them on eBay for $20.

View attachment 296363

Lovin' the case!

 

[deewin]

Hmm my Highlander came with a carrying case for the owners manual and other booklets.

 

[toto]

The case for the manuals is up to the dealer. Toyota calls that black one the "Preferred Owners Portfolio". I think many dealers stopped ordering the cases because not all of the manuals fit in it anymore. Ever since the infotainment system became two books on its own (a quick ref and a full manual), the overall size/thickness of manuals has been crazy.

 

[ToyoJim]

The case for the manuals is up to the dealer. Toyota calls that black one the "Preferred Owners Portfolio". I think many dealers stopped ordering the cases because not all of the manuals fit in it anymore. Ever since the infotainment system became two books on its own (a quick ref and a full manual), the overall size/thickness of manuals has been crazy.

The "Preferred Owners Portfolio" shown in post #11 was a vinyl case which I don't think expands if it's like the similar looking cases that came with a couple of older Lexus we had. The case shown in the photo I provided in post #6 is a thicker hard fabric case that expands via elastic ends. They hold all the manuals for each of our two Toyotas with space to spare which I use to documentation for aftermarket components I've installed. The Toyota dealership where I bought my Sienna was selling these larger fabric cases for $5/each a few months ago although the parts department employee may have said that they were "close outs".

This thread causes me to question why I waste space in the glove compartments for the hard copy manuals. I never use them. I view the manuals only online since those can be searched. If I'm on a personal computer, I view the manuals in the Owners section of Toyota.com if I haven't already downloaded them to the PC.

If I need to look at one of the manuals while I'm on the road, I view the manuals on my Android phone using the Toyota Owners app. If I'm out in the garage, I may look at the manuals on my Android tablet since its screen is larger. I've uploaded some of the manuals to my Google cloud storage but I should delete them since I never use them.

I find the Toyota Owners Android app to be quite useful. Besides providing access to all the manuals for the Toyotas we have, it provides vehicle specifications, how-to videos, service history, service specials and more. I see a number of recent bad reviews about it on Google Play but it works perfectly on my Samsung S10 phone. Based on these reviews, it appears that a buggy version was deployed and then quickly replaced.

 

[toto]

Maybe you misunderstood me... the Preferred Owners Portfolio is a black case like you posted. I have never seen the one in post # 11. I managed to get all of the 2020 Highlander manuals into it, but it won't quite snap shut. I don't have a 2020 version of the POP because dealers around here stopped providing them. I have learned to save them now rather than trading them in with the car since I won't get a new one back.

I also question the need to keep all the manuals in the car now, especially since the glovebox got a bit smaller from 3rd Gen to 4th Gen. I can see keeping a hard copy of the Owners Manual in the glovebox for an emergency (and technology like phones will fail at the worst time), but the other stuff is really just reference material.

 

[2VZ-FE]

I'm not a big fan of mirror lens mounted warning for BSM. Nissan puts theirs inside

Or put it on the mirror housing like Audi, Subaru, etc

 

[ToyoJim]

Maybe you misunderstood me... the Preferred Owners Portfolio is a black case like you posted. I have never seen the one in post # 11.

One of the threads I found from the 2000's showed the same case that is shown in post #11 as being accessory "DK: Preferred Owner's Portfolio" on his window sticker. There was no price for it on the sticker it must have been a no-cost thing.

There may have been several versions since another forum member said he had the same "DK" case but his had a zipper.

I was amused to see that several people said that the "DK" case was shown on their window sticker but it wasn't in their vehicle when it was delivered. Maybe they were purloined by dealership employees!

The smaller case was common in the 90's and 2000's before vehicles had navigation that came with it's own manual.

Neither of our current Toyota's came with cases for their manuals. I'm pretty sure that a case wasn't offered as an accessory when I special ordered my Sienna Limited in 2014. I got every package and most accessories available and I wouldn't have passed up a free or cheap case for the manuals if one had been offered.

 

[RIch2putt]

I keep my manuals in a bank zippered pouch & store them where my jack is. The bank pouch works great & free from most local banks.

 

[ChairborneRanger]

I defected last year to Mazda after trading in my 2013 Venza for a 2019 CX-9 GT. It has BSM with a light on the side mirrors and a visual cues on the HUD and will give an audible alert if you activate the turn signal. I have trained myself to turn my head and look over my shoulder before changing lanes but have come to appreciate the assist this tech brings.

 

[pimpin-tl]

I'm not a big fan of mirror lens mounted warning for BSM. Nissan puts theirs inside

Or put it on the mirror housing like Audi, Subaru, etc

Our Rogue has it on the inside too and it beeps and flashes if you turn the blinker on and a car is there.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[gidiver]

Hope you Highlander peeps will tell me I'm wrong ... for a $52K vehicle, I'm very disappointed in the lack of the following:

1) Blindspot indicators - only a visual indicator - no sound/beeping?
2) Power folding side-view mirrors - manual fold only?
3) Carrying case for owners manuals - no case for the five manuals?

Appreciate any feedback, Sheila.

I know how you feel (almost); (we got the XLE a bit cheaper). It really irks me when MFRs and Dealers don't value my money. For a 52K Limited, you should want for nothing.
I have long suspected that Toyota (even though I LIKE them), has not made the Toyotas all that they SHOULD be; because if they did, that would not leave much reason for the consumer to ever purchase a LEXUS (Toyota's premium brand)... If you ask me, that tactic hurts the (Toyota) brand; though I'm sure their numbers experts would disagree.
One of the things I have always liked about Mazda, is that they always were kind of a premium brand, so they never created a different one.