I have a 2020 highlander that I will be using to tow a travel trailer. The trailer is within the tow capacity but in order to reduce concerns about payload and weighing everything I take, I would like to remove both rows of rear seats. I noticed that there are wiring harnesses on the bottom of the seats. I would like to find out if I can remove the seats without compromising the airbag system for the front passenger seats or setting off an alarm on the control panel that I will have to go back to the dealer to have reset. I removed a front seat on a Volvo and set off an airbag warning when the connector was disconnected that had to be reset at the dealer. I found out later that if I had disconnected the battery beforehand it would not have set off the warning. Can anyone help me? I have called my local dealer and Toyota to ask this question and gotten no help. I am a retired industrial mechanic and have always serviced my cars, so I think I can easily remove the seats if I dont run into electrical issues.
pkrandle
Based on the picture of the airbag system in Section 1-1 of the Owners Manual, it appears that there are no airbags in the second row seats. The wires are probably for the seat heaters, assuming your trim level has that.
Every so often someone posts about removing the third row seats. I don't think anyone has actually done it on 4th Gen yet so there's no feedback on what's left when you do it. In the 3rd Gen forum, I recall reading that it leaves an awkward hole in the floor and not a flat cargo area.
Every so often someone posts about removing the third row seats. I don't think anyone has actually done it on 4th Gen yet so there's no feedback on what's left when you do it. In the 3rd Gen forum, I recall reading that it leaves an awkward hole in the floor and not a flat cargo area.
I really don't believe there are occupant sensors in the rear seats. I think the reminder about seat belts comes from opening the back doors. I get that reminder about the seat belts from merely opening the doors - there are not actually passengers back there. The Owners Manual also doesn't mention the presence of an occupant classification sensor for SRS back there.
But you're right - XLE doesn't have heated second row seats. So without sensors and heaters, no clue what the wires would be for.
But you're right - XLE doesn't have heated second row seats. So without sensors and heaters, no clue what the wires would be for.
I wish I could give you some advice but I'd just like to give you kudos for being so proactive and safe! Way too many people think they can tow more than they should.
Still no clue what it's for, but I found it in the parts diagrams. Go here, and then click on "View More Images", and then the 10th image in the group is the 2nd row seats, both Captains Chairs and bench. Looks like there are two variations of each one, probably heated seats or not.
The airbag (SRS) parts diagrams are broken, so no way to see if parts of that might be connected to that wire somewhere.
The airbag (SRS) parts diagrams are broken, so no way to see if parts of that might be connected to that wire somewhere.
It just hit me - maybe there are sensors in the seat belt buckles to indicate if the belt is buckled, but still not necessarily weight sensors for occupants.
Hi,
I know it won't answer your question, but I looked at the schematics and there are 2 connectors, MF1 and MF2. There is the seatbelt switch that goes to the Combination Meter Assembly. Other pins are used to connect the Seat heater. These goes to the rear no1 seat.
What I don't understand (yet) is why I can't see the connection for the rear no2 seat. Looking more, I see the rear no2 seat is connected also on the Combination Meter Assembly through connector HM6, and there are a LOT of thing on that connector (including CAN bus). So from what I see it can't be done with a connector.
Sorry,
jf
I know it won't answer your question, but I looked at the schematics and there are 2 connectors, MF1 and MF2. There is the seatbelt switch that goes to the Combination Meter Assembly. Other pins are used to connect the Seat heater. These goes to the rear no1 seat.
What I don't understand (yet) is why I can't see the connection for the rear no2 seat. Looking more, I see the rear no2 seat is connected also on the Combination Meter Assembly through connector HM6, and there are a LOT of thing on that connector (including CAN bus). So from what I see it can't be done with a connector.
Sorry,
jf
However what I can tell you is that when you remove a fuse specific fuse and then turn on the hybrid engine, the vehicle will be VERY unhappy and will tell you to go to dealer (Display then becomes unusable). However with a OBD2, you can clear those code.
I won't go to the point of telling you can you can try it an see if you get error message, but if you do get error code, I'd suggest you try using OBD2 to clear those code before going to the dealer.
jf
I won't go to the point of telling you can you can try it an see if you get error message, but if you do get error code, I'd suggest you try using OBD2 to clear those code before going to the dealer.
jf
Just a thought.....Might not be such a good idea to remove the seats to reduce the interior weight to permit additional weight on a trailer. Vehcile is designed for proper weight distribution and trailer anti skid which includes adding, not removing weight from the rear of the vehcile for proper balance and traction over the rear axle. And might really screw up operation of the upscale trim models with vector control steering.
I haven't done this on a Highlander, but I did remove the third row seats on a 2012 Honda Odyssey once for a cross country road trip and it made a huge difference in increased cargo space and with appearing to keep rear of the vehicle from sagging due to lots of luggage and stuff in the back.
On the Odyssey at least, the third row seats were surprisingly heavy. The one lesson I learned is that there could be some high-tension springs, that normally help with stowing and un-stowing the seats, that could send parts flying or send a bracket spinning rapidly when you undo the bolts that hold the seat to the body of the vehicle. So just be mindful of that.
But I would imagine any sensors or wires that come out of the seats would have some sort of plug you could undo before removing the seats to see if the computer freaks out.
On the Odyssey at least, the third row seats were surprisingly heavy. The one lesson I learned is that there could be some high-tension springs, that normally help with stowing and un-stowing the seats, that could send parts flying or send a bracket spinning rapidly when you undo the bolts that hold the seat to the body of the vehicle. So just be mindful of that.
But I would imagine any sensors or wires that come out of the seats would have some sort of plug you could undo before removing the seats to see if the computer freaks out.
Update: I had sent an email to Toyota Motor Sales asking my question and got the following reply.
Thank you for contacting Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc.
We appreciate you allowing us the opportunity to assist you with your concern.
We apologize as, other than Toyota Racing Development (TRD), we do not recommend or assist with modifying our vehicles from the original factory specifications.
Toyota's warranty covers repairs and adjustments needed to correct defects in materials or workmanship of any part supplied by Toyota. Modifications to your vehicle could affect the performance, safety or durability, and may violate government regulations. Non-Toyota parts, or any damage or failures resulting from their use, are not covered by any Toyota warranty.
Your email has been documented at our National Headquarters. If we can be of further assistance, please feel free to contact us.
I will email them back to ask directly if removing the seats will void the warranty.
Thank you for contacting Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc.
We appreciate you allowing us the opportunity to assist you with your concern.
We apologize as, other than Toyota Racing Development (TRD), we do not recommend or assist with modifying our vehicles from the original factory specifications.
Toyota's warranty covers repairs and adjustments needed to correct defects in materials or workmanship of any part supplied by Toyota. Modifications to your vehicle could affect the performance, safety or durability, and may violate government regulations. Non-Toyota parts, or any damage or failures resulting from their use, are not covered by any Toyota warranty.
Your email has been documented at our National Headquarters. If we can be of further assistance, please feel free to contact us.
I will email them back to ask directly if removing the seats will void the warranty.
You didn't honestly expect them to be helpful in this process? Heck, they can't even endorse changing the tire size lest something goes wrong and you want to sue them later.
Removing the seats does not void the entire warranty, just like any other mods people do on the car don't totally void the warranty. However, certainly don't expect any problems you create to be covered under warranty, and I can almost guarantee that you'd get a funny look from a dealer about any problem if most of the seats are missing. They'll blame anything they can on your changes, and then you'll have to fight to get whatever it is covered under warranty. It's the same story for the truck people that change wheels, lift the suspension, and so on.
Tacoma owners have been notified that there's a recall for certain years because the radar sensor in the grille (the Toyota logo) can leak water, and therefore needs some modification and recalibration. But here's the catch - if you have lifted the truck or even simply replaced the grille with one from a different trim level (either of which affects the exact location of the sensor), then Toyota is making you sign something that says you modded the truck and therefore they will disable several of the TSS features instead of performing the recall work. They are not voiding the warranty entirely, but they are essentially saying that they can no longer guarantee the proper function of certain features of the vehicle and the dealer has been told to disable them. So you're still free to mod your vehicle as you like, but just understand that there may be greater consequences as cars get more and more sophisticated.
Removing the seats does not void the entire warranty, just like any other mods people do on the car don't totally void the warranty. However, certainly don't expect any problems you create to be covered under warranty, and I can almost guarantee that you'd get a funny look from a dealer about any problem if most of the seats are missing. They'll blame anything they can on your changes, and then you'll have to fight to get whatever it is covered under warranty. It's the same story for the truck people that change wheels, lift the suspension, and so on.
Tacoma owners have been notified that there's a recall for certain years because the radar sensor in the grille (the Toyota logo) can leak water, and therefore needs some modification and recalibration. But here's the catch - if you have lifted the truck or even simply replaced the grille with one from a different trim level (either of which affects the exact location of the sensor), then Toyota is making you sign something that says you modded the truck and therefore they will disable several of the TSS features instead of performing the recall work. They are not voiding the warranty entirely, but they are essentially saying that they can no longer guarantee the proper function of certain features of the vehicle and the dealer has been told to disable them. So you're still free to mod your vehicle as you like, but just understand that there may be greater consequences as cars get more and more sophisticated.
There's another thread on this topic, and I posted a link in it to a discussion of somebody claiming removing 3rd row of seats was reasonably easy.
Highlander 2020 3rd row removal | Toyota Nation Forum Highlander 2020 3rd row removal
Highlander 2020 3rd row removal | Toyota Nation Forum Highlander 2020 3rd row removal
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