2020's with the V6 engine all have the rating for 5000 lbs. (hybrids are less), so yes, they have the extra cooler. There is no "towing package" option on Highlander; all they add for towing is the hitch receiver and wiring.

 

Having spent a good part of the day looking under the dash and all over the internet, can I perhaps ask you? Is there not a factory brake controller connector under the dash somewhere, or am I just kidding myself?

Thank you!

 

If you're towing anything close to the 5000lb max, you'll need a brake controller.

I still cannot understand why Toyota only installed a 4 pin connector for the Highlander. They should have went with a standard 7 pin and tucked it under the rear bumper like the 4runner.

 

Same thing. No answer. This fact has always annoyed me. Honestly, I already forget what towing is. I still have inventory in the garage, but I became that person who loves comfort. I need to move a trailer or a car; I call the service, most often in Car Shipping & Auto Transport Services | Guardian Auto Transport, I make an order and don't worry about anything. I once ordered the transportation of a trailer for a photoshoot on the territory of Germany, and it turned out very acceptable. All the props were in the trailer; we had nothing to drag. It was a pleasure. By the way, if you can't call, you can place an order on the website. It will not work if you are in the middle of the road in a foreign country. Then it's time to look for people on the street who will help.

 

I don't understand Toyota offering only a 4-pin plug either. I'm taking my 2020 XLE to an aftermarket installer for Prodigy P3 brake controller and 7-pin wiring install. The manual says that you need a sway control device over 2,200 lbs but I can't find any other mention of this device, nor can I find it offered as OEM accessory. It goes on to say that you need a weight distribution hitch for over 5,000 lbs, but 5,000 lbs. is the maximum to capacity, so that makes no sense. I figure on using the Pro Series WDH from my RAV4 V6 Sport ( if I have to ). Any idea what this sway control device is that the manual talk of?

 

Hi,
The sway device is a 'normaly' a bar with a friction screw that you install between the small ball on the hitch and on the trailer so that when the trailer turns compared to the towing, there is some damping (friction) to remove side-to-side sway.

I don't use that because I use the e2 Fastway WDH which includes the anti-sway by the friction on the square bars on the L-Bracket. AFAIK, chain-based WDH do not have this friction and need an extra anti-sway bar to add that friction. Also, you have to remove that extra anti-sway bar when you back-up, otherwise you break something (I've been told...) The e2 WDH does not need to be removed when you backup (ie: you cannot forget to remove it... That's priceless during vacation)

jf

 

I've been towing my Escape 17B with a RAV4 V6 Sport ( with tow prep package ) for 12 years, using Pro Series WDH without sway control. Didn't ever need sway control. Kind of hoping that I can tow it ( 3,200 lbs / 340 tongue ) without WDH or sway control. Otherwise, I'll just use WDH.

 

Hi @gbaglo,
I guess that you can do with a Highlander (especially the gas version) pretty much whatever you could do with the Rav4 V6 in regards of towing...

To put my previous comment in perspective, we purchased a full height trailer to be towed behind a Venza I4. The seller 'included' the WDH with that vehicle. Sadly the Venza could not tow it (too much wind resistance) and there was some other problems with it, so we changed for a ALiner, but we had to keep the WDH.

The Aliner is a little bit heavy on the tongue (290 lbs with 2500 lbs trailer, which is exactly the tow rating) and the WDH helps in that regards by pushing some of the weight on the front axle.

I also don't use a sway control on the other trailers I use. And I towed more than 2200 lbs very often. But that trailer is double axle (less prone to sway?) and the load is always very low, so it doesn't catch side wind. There is almost no cargo in the car and no family, always short distance, often at low speed. It only happened once to sway, I slowed down, reshuffled the load (it's a utility trailer) and it fixed the problem.

So yes WDH is overkill for what I tow, sway control is a safety which you don't need (much like air-bags...) especially if you have a good front-to-back ratio on the trailer. You can have a look here:

and you'll see most of the people with serious problem obviously overloaded the back of the trailer.

jf

 

Hi,
Regarding the diode, that must be less than 1$. I have to admit, I don't think it makes a difference. But I don't want to be the cause of a false (or real) problem in the electronics and the Parts Manager at my very friendly local dealer in Hawkesbury just gave me the diode. It takes less than a minute to install, so that should not be a criteria... compare to selling a trailer, from my perspective.

I totaly agree with you regarding the brake controller pre-wiring... Well you have the pre-wiring for 4 of the 7 pins. Furthurmore, with the Hybrid, the battery is already in the back, so it is in fact the simplest installation of the last 3 SUV I owned.
jf

 

Ah, the famous diode! I'm going to install the Redarc Tow-Pro Elite. Seems perfect. Any how-to's/where-to's on the installation of this diode?

Thanks,
Mike

 

And, if you don't mind, where exactly do you tap in to the brake signal wire with respect from the convertor? A picture would be wonderful!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Hi,
Regarding the diode, here is a picture:

The arrow points in the direction of the current. You want current to go from the car/brake pedal TO the controller, so you connect the anode to the pedal/car circuit and the cathode to the red wire on the controller. I just added it on a diagram taken from etrailer:

Regarding on where to catch the wire, sorry I don't have the picture. I have the picture of where I did catch it, which is directly above the brake pedal:

This signal is before the brake system of the car, so the trailer only brakes if I press on the pedal. If it is the car that brakes itself (cruise control? emergency braking?) then the trailer will not participate in breaking. You may or may not want to do that, but I confirm it is not funny to get there.

To get to the converter, there is the official Toyota installation instructions PDF on the Highlander Forum. I downloaded it, just search for it. The information that you don't have in the installation instruction is the pinout of the connector. Here it is:

The white connector in the picture above is the A42. As you can see above, I tapped into the beige wire. You want to tap in the red or the SB wire. The LA-BE is Lavender-Beige and it is an aluminum wire AFAIK. There are challenge with aluminum wire so you'd have to follow that wire up to the M92 connector and tap on the red one. I did not do that, so I can't help you more.
Good luck!
jf

 

Hi,
Regarding the diode, here is a picture:
View attachment 310735
The arrow points in the direction of the current. You want current to go from the car/brake pedal TO the controller, so you connect the anode to the pedal/car circuit and the cathode to the red wire on the controller. I just added it on a diagram taken from etrailer:
View attachment 310736

Regarding on where to catch the wire, sorry I don't have the picture. I have the picture of where I did catch it, which is directly above the brake pedal:
View attachment 310737
This signal is before the brake system of the car, so the trailer only brakes if I press on the pedal. If it is the car that brakes itself (cruise control? emergency braking?) then the trailer will not participate in breaking. You may or may not want to do that, but I confirm it is not funny to get there.

To get to the converter, there is the official Toyota installation instructions PDF on the Highlander Forum. I downloaded it, just search for it. The information that you don't have in the installation instruction is the pinout of the connector. Here it is:
View attachment 310738
The white connector in the picture above is the A42. As you can see above, I tapped into the beige wire. You want to tap in the red or the SB wire. The LA-BE is Lavender-Beige and it is an aluminum wire AFAIK. There are challenge with aluminum wire so you'd have to follow that wire up to the M92 connector and tap on the red one. I did not do that, so I can't help you more.
Good luck!
jf

Hi,
Regarding the diode, here is a picture:
View attachment 310735
The arrow points in the direction of the current. You want current to go from the car/brake pedal TO the controller, so you connect the anode to the pedal/car circuit and the cathode to the red wire on the controller. I just added it on a diagram taken from etrailer:
View attachment 310736

Regarding on where to catch the wire, sorry I don't have the picture. I have the picture of where I did catch it, which is directly above the brake pedal:
View attachment 310737
This signal is before the brake system of the car, so the trailer only brakes if I press on the pedal. If it is the car that brakes itself (cruise control? emergency braking?) then the trailer will not participate in breaking. You may or may not want to do that, but I confirm it is not funny to get there.

To get to the converter, there is the official Toyota installation instructions PDF on the Highlander Forum. I downloaded it, just search for it. The information that you don't have in the installation instruction is the pinout of the connector. Here it is:
View attachment 310738
The white connector in the picture above is the A42. As you can see above, I tapped into the beige wire. You want to tap in the red or the SB wire. The LA-BE is Lavender-Beige and it is an aluminum wire AFAIK. There are challenge with aluminum wire so you'd have to follow that wire up to the M92 connector and tap on the red one. I did not do that, so I can't help you more.
Good luck!
jf

Can anyone tell me a part # for this diode? The delights don't know what I'm talking about

 

Awesome! Thanks so much for the detailed reply sir!

 

Many thanks to jflarin! With his writeups here (and elsewhere), I was able to install my 7-pin connector. It even fits on the factory bolts!

 

The 2020-21 Highlanders all have the transmission cooler whether they have the hitch installed on not. I had a 2016 Highlander that I ordered from the factory and if you wanted a factory hitch, the transmission cooler was part of the tow package, but no more. As to the 5000lbs capacity that is with trailer brakes. I Tow a boat (Crestliner) and weight is 1800 lbs. Depends on the weight you are towing. 5000lbs with trailer brakes is what the guidance is. Lighter weights should be no issue providing you practice responsible driving while towing.

 

FYI-There is a wireless brake controller available. Bought mine on Amazon.

 

That's one way of not having to deal with a brake controller sitting in your cabin space and needing a diode and tap into your brake circuit....I think you're referring to the Curt Echo.

I tried the Curt Echo with my 3500 lb camping trailer, but (after multiple trips) found the performance lacking with lots of delays between when I pushed the brake peddle and when the trailer would finally brake- I also experienced my trailer brakes staying applied another few seconds after letting off the Highlander's brake.

Others seem to use them fine, but I was never able to get the Echo working at a level of stopping comfort for anything other than short trips, so I added an Autowbrake Controller to my camper trailer and have had no lag problems like I experienced with the Echo. The AutowBrake installs on the trailer permanently and has worked flawlessly now for me for over 4 thousand tow miles.

Its the best solution I've found for adding a brake controller for an electric brake trailer without having to worry about impacting the tow vehicle (Highlander's) electrical system.

 

Any electronics store or tv repair shop will have that diode. They are less than 50 cents.

 

Thank you for the response would you happen to know what kind of connectors I should get as well

 

Hi,
This is not a standard part number from Toyota, as mentioned previously any good electronic store will have some diodes. As far as I can remember, what I installed is a 1N4007 (1000V rated) but other members of the familly (1N4001, 1N4002, etc.) would do since the minimum is reverse voltage is 50V for the 1N4001.

In modern electronics diode tend to become as small as possible, to get into cell-phones, etc. I recommend you get the larger package (more wattage), just to make it more sturdy and easier to attach to wire. There's plenty of room in the Highlander!
jf

 

I am not convinced you want to use the diode at all. The output from BOO (brake on/off) switch in this case does not drive lights but rather tells a computer to toss on some lights. current for the lights APPEARS to be down stream, both in the car and after the trailer wiring box that comes with the tow package. and we are all using LEDs ANYWAYS right?

However, as I am poised to install the redarc system, it READS from the red wire (normally cold side of BOO) as high impedance so little current flows. like in the mA range. however....to comply with state law, the brake sense wire SUPPLIES current so it turns on the lights to the end AND the vehicle controls have to be able to accept voltage. so if you wire in the diode, any voltage the controller supplies will be blocked so push the button, squeeze the lever, pull the charlie bar - no lights.

and since part of a BCM controls the lights, the reason for the thin gauge is so little current flows, its ALSO a high impedance sense on the car side.

In the case of the toyota, any 1N400x diode is FINE. if you are doing this in an older thing with incandescent lights, you might wanna consider the 5400 series 3-5 amp diodes, unless you like hot and or blown diodes....


(good luck finding an electronics parts store these days....)

((there was a brake light issue with the 1991 ford F series that forced a different wire, but ford abandoned that after a year and well, this aint about ford)

 

ok I see where you are getting confused...

we have/you want some major modes of operation (full disclosure, I, via my shop, am or have been a certified factory installer for hitches AND controllers - all the 'bigs', this redarc is my first rodeo for it)

1) nothing hooked up. you drive, you stab the brakes, brake lights come on and most modern controllers light nothing, display nothing, just lumps of under dash mounted, knee hitting plastic

2) plug into a trailer and oliver sudden, modern controllers show some sort of lighting. mebbe a red dot, mebbe a green LED, mebbe a display color. Its cuz they send a minute amount of current out the brake wire (blue) and when you plug in at the bumper and nothing else, a circuit to ground is completed thru the magnets in the brakes themselves to ground

3) hooked up to the trailer you are choogling down the road and hit the brakes like a normal person. the car stop lights come on, direct wires or gizmos (in the case of the h/l) turn on the trailer lights and modern not $20 chinese controllers show some display action...a light increasing in intensity, a number that climbs from 0 to ??, a strip of LEDs that progressively light more and more - as the braking action increases and/or endures

and something most people - the casual civilian tow-ers - never do:

4) activate the trailer brakes and ONLY the trailer brakes - manually. slide a bar, push a button (in the case of the redarc) or as the truckers used to say "grab the charlie bar" (I dont know who charlie is and what he has to do with this but its what truckers told me when I learnt how to 'truck' and the name stuck)

In this case the controller activates the trailer brakes ONLY, according to some schedule of gain (intensity) and time (duration). It helps when you get trailer sway, or descending a long hill and just wanna knock a few MPH off.

BUT, the brakes are on and while I have not checked FMVSS - and I suspect it is the same - state law (YMMV) requires the brake lights to come on at the same time.

This is not as hard as it sounds and if you tear apart your controller (not recommended) you find that yes, throwing the MANUAL activation method does indeed route 12v OUT the brake light sense wire. If this wire is spliced into the cold side of BOO, to the car, its like someones foot touched the brake pedal. In an older direct wired car, the brake controller must source enuf current to operate ALL the brake lights and in the days of the ye olde x157 light bulb - this can be many amps, or in modern cars with bulb sense, its mA of current - like in the 50mA range.

so, no idea why ANYONE would recommend a diode EXCEPT, on older cars if you have the 4 ways on, it pulses the brakes since the 4 ways are TECHNICALLY using the brake lights, depending on where stuff is hooked up the flasher output will active the controller. In this case, if the wiring is in the line BOO->brake sense-> 4way input, you put the diode in the line AFTER brake light sense with the anode facing the cold boo/brake light sense and in this case the diode has to be able to handle ALL brake light current - trickier in an older car. I can draw up the schematic - but this does not matter in the h/l. If I am reading the SCM right - and I like to think I am - toyota has already handled this in the wiring.

hence my comment, I dont think the diode should be used AT ALL, or at least not how the dealer said

*dont know about your dealer, but I installed my hitch and wiring - simply cuz I can - but also because they tend to be fairly clueless. in fact, toyotas regional customer facing support also tends to be fairly light duty - no one I am able to get to via phone or email understands the wiring enuf to give me a straight/good answer on reverse light tap - for those of us who bought h/l's to tow heavy surge brake boat things with surge discs, we use the reverse lights to lock out the brakes cuz ya cannot back surge discs against any incline - but I digress.

so based on what you said, you need to do this test: hook up to a trailer, manually active the trailer brakes - push button/slide bar/charlie bar and have a confederate tell you if the brake lights came on. You want that answer to be: yes

 

and something most people - the casual civilian tow-ers - never do:

4) activate the trailer brakes and ONLY the trailer brakes - manually. slide a bar, push a button (in the case of the redarc) or as the truckers used to say "grab the charlie bar" (I dont know who charlie is and what he has to do with this but its what truckers told me when I learnt how to 'truck' and the name stuck)

In this case the controller activates the trailer brakes ONLY, according to some schedule of gain (intensity) and time (duration). It helps when you get trailer sway, or descending a long hill and just wanna knock a few MPH off.

BUT, the brakes are on and while I have not checked FMVSS - and I suspect it is the same - state law (YMMV) requires the brake lights to come on at the same time.

[...]
so based on what you said, you need to do this test: hook up to a trailer, manually active the trailer brakes - push button/slide bar/charlie bar and have a confederate tell you if the brake lights came on. You want that answer to be: yes

I understand your point.

I do activate the trailer brakes only, but that is 99.99% of the time to test the brakes (adjustment of front vs back axle, left vs right, etc.) which is on quiet test street where I am alone. I personally do not care about the light in that specific case. But I am interesting in being compliant with the law. If you ever find a FMVSS or state law that implies that when using trailer-only brakes the light must turn on, I will be interested in reading it.

Although I'd agree that some Toyota dealers or personnel can be clueless, since it is them who will offer warrantee on my vehicle for 4 years or 140,000 km, I don't want to give them reason to deny warrantee. So putting the diode to protect the car electronics against the presence of the trailer brake controller has more value to me than having the light turn on the braking lights when I'd manually brake the trailer. But as you said, YMMV.

My personal concern regarded the 2 BOO points was related to cruise control braking (or other collision avoidance braking). I have an Hybrid and I use quite often the cruise control. The cruise control decelerated the vehicle, when the speed is lowered or when it is in distance mode (99.99% of the time...) and I get close enough of a slower vehicle. Does the light go on on the Highlander in that case? I wouldn't know as I am in the vehicle...

Do we want the trailer brake to engage in that case? From my hybrid owner perspective, I prefer not because I want the regenerative braking to engage as much as possible and not through energy through the trailer braking. But when a lot of braking will be involved (serious slow-down, or slowing down on downhill slope) I'll put my feet on the brake pedal on control the braking, which will both modulate the tower and trailer braking (and turn on the light.)

jf

Although

 

I have towed boats and trailers for years. I would not ever tow something 5000 pounds with either an Highlander or an RX. Those SUV's do not have the weight and heft -- or the suspension to handle that heavy of a load. Plus, you would need an electric breaking system. I would tow it with a Sequoia, LC, or an LX. If one is experienced in towing, you could probably do so safely enough with a 4Runner or GX460. A Tundra will certainly do it. Anything much heavier than 5000-7000 pounds should only be towed with a 250/2500 or larger pickup, which even the Tundra is not of that rating. Which brings me to this question that I have always had, why doesn't Toyota build a Tundra version that is rated at 3/4 ton or 1-ton? It is such a nice truck with great looks. Americans love their toys that they like to haul. It seems to me that Toyota is missing out on a lot of revenue by not offering 3/4 and 1-ton versions of the Tundra.

 

i get a chuckle. I bought the h/l to SPECIFICALLY tow my boat, so I dont have to use the squarebody suburban. They say 5000/500. they dont say 5000 minus some percentage. they dont say for how long and what speed. in fact, when I asked toyota engineering about a w/d hitch or not, they repeated - 500 lbs tongue. I do use a pole adaptor and my 550 bars at 'drop 3' in order to let the brakes kick early.

I have had - invariably - someone at the ramp each year since I got it (she has been thru 3 summers with me) walk up to me and point out with a voice of authority: "you cant tow that with that!" after I recover from the initial eye roll if I reply I reply with 'ok Ill stop'

'Tow Karens' I call them.

Lets look at some realities...

"suvs dont have the weight or heft'?

really? the 2019 highlander XLE AWD V6 kerbs at 4464 lbs and has the 5000lb tow rating.

My old 1990 F150 reg cab, 133"wb v8 auto 4x4 kerbed at just under 4400lbs and had a 7200lb tow rating. (I actually used this to tow the same boat when I bought it new in 97 until 2015.)

The 90 had a 6250lb GVWR without the optional overloads. The h/l has a 6000lb GVWR.

One might argue that the F150 has a longer wheelbase - ok, same year bronco has a SHORTER wheelbase and similar tow specs.

The H/L has 7lb-ft less torque BUT! 110 MORE factory HP.

The F150 got 19mpg empty and 11ish towing this boat. The HL gets up to 30mpg empty (in an era of faster speed limits) and gets up to 18mpg towing - which is often more than most trucks get empty. Can we agree toyota has this covered?

The h/l has larger tires and brakes than the F150

you mention that we can perhaps use a 4runner? why? the 2019 runner - which I looked at the day I got the h/l, ALSO has a 5000lb tow rating using essentially the same engine, but with 20 less hp. the same year 4runner kerbs from 4400-4600lbs and GVWR at 6300.

are we looking at really ANY meaningful differences?

not sure what you mean by needing an electric braking system...you mean the electric brakes on an rv? which you dont dunk in water? the fact that you dunk boats in water, precludes them from using electric brakes. we use surge brakes. when the technology came available, I switched to hydraulic DISC surge brakes around 2005. 2 axles of disc brakes on a 4710lb vehicle (the boat and trailer) stops like you think it would - quickly.

so in terms of the h/l, we are talking proper weight, more than enough power, and when properly and legally equipped, more than enough stopping power. what exactly is the issue? what is the short coming?

so are we instead talking about trailers in the 5000-7000 range - within the reach of the ole F150? well no one is offering that argument HERE, we all know the limitations of the vehicle in question. But if it does matter, pulled plenty of 5000-7000lb trailers behind old blue. even went over once when the massey ferguson model 65 on my 18ft beavertail was found to have 1000lbs of calcium in the R1s the day I bought it home. (which should have been my first clue the seller was as dumb as a bag of cat litter)

does it come down to experience towing? dunno...I have been selling my stuff off as I age and inch closer to retirement and now Im down to only 3 trailers at present. also have 3 sets of spring bars at 550, 750 and 1200lbs, 2 wd hitch heads and perhaps a half dozen ball mounts plus a set of sway control I never use (and hear about if from the Tow Karens who insist I am going to flip over at a stop light - the reality is - no one knows how to drive the damn things) Been pulling THIS boat trailer for 25 years. Is that more years than you or most others here have been driving? ;-) Age, does have its upside...

 

Does the Toyota tow package add an additional Trans cooler and larger radiator?
I read somewhere it does, but cannot yet confirm.

 

No. It does not.