I've installed in over all the headlight assemblies on our late model cars/suv's and think it's great. I'm not sure if the material used on the headlights (thick 3M acrylic) is the same as the material ClearMask uses. The difference is of course the headlight lens is clear so I'm just wondering how it will look on a painted surface. All the crap kicked up on the road plays hell with the front bumper. :-(
If it is the same thickness as the headlight covers, it will be a pain to install. Even for the headlights, one needs to use a hair dryer to make the contours form, plus a spray bottle of alcohol/distilled water solution.
After two months of searches I completed my OEM fog lights for 2004 HL.
This is a copy and paste of directions from someone on the other forum.
"Just for the sake of being safe, you should disconnect the positive lead from the battery. The hardest part of installing the fog lights is taking off the cover of the steering wheel column. You have to replace the headlight switch with a new one, that's why the cover has to come off. The steering wheel itself doesn't come off, just the cover around the column. Follow this link and look at page 5. The instructions in the link are for installing the RS3200 system, but page 5 shows you how to get the steering wheel column cover off. Don't worry about taking the kickplate off like the first picture shows. You don't have to do that.
Once you get the cover off, you'll see where the wiring harness is plugged into the headlight switch. Take the harness out, then take the switch out by pressing the black claw tab in the middle of the square part. The new switch goes in place in reverse, and then you can put the column back together. Make sure you push the switch all the way back in. I didn't at first and the turn signals wouldn't turn off after I went around a turn. I pushed the stalk on the headlight switch really hard and I felt it pop in place and it's worked fine since.
To get the filler plates in the bumper out, just take a screwdriver and start prying the from the sides. Be careful not to scratch the paint on the truck. Once you get the plate moved just a little bit you can pull it out. It's plastic and bends very easily. Just FYI, I sold these on ebay and got $15 for them. So take them out carefully and make a little cash if you can! The wiring harnesses for the fog lights are taped to the headlight harness assemblies above. Cut the tape and feed the fog harnesses down to the holes in the bumper.
The fog lights use a type 9006 bulb. You can get them from Toyota or just go to Autozone and save some $$. You can use the blue and purple colors if you want, but if you go with no tint, don't get anything higher than 55 watt. I'm not sure the wiring harness is built to withstand any more heat than a 55 watt would create. So now plug the bulbs into the fog light assemblies and lock by turning whichever way is printed on the fogs. Plug the harness into the bulb and push the fog light assembly into the hole. It will be obvious which way and which hole the fog assemblies go in. The little black tab snaps into the little hole on the bottom side of each fog light hole. Don't worry, that'll make sense when you see it. The fog lights don't take up the entire hole, so you put the protectors on around it. Those just snap in place.
Now the last thing to do is put the relay in. This is what took me forever to find! I wound up calling a dealership and getting some help. OK, see that little change box on the drivers side kick panel? Let that down and then pull up on it to get it to come loose then take it out. You should be looking at the fuse panel now. The relay goes on the BACK of the fuse panel. Reach up from the bottom of the fuse panel and just feel around on the back of it (you won't get shocked). The relay goes on the bottom row, in the middle slot. It should be the only slot open on the bottom row. Plug it in, put the change box back in place and you're done!
Here are the part numbers. The cheapest place I could find online was toyotapartworld.com. Check some other places or call some local dealerships and see where you can get them the cheapest. These lamps don't take up the entire hole for the fogs, so the protectors are required. There may be other lamps available too, but if there are I don't know what they are.
81211-52070 RH Fog Lamp
81221-52070 LH Fog Lamp
90981-13047 Fog Lamp Bulb (you can get these cheaper at AutoZone, Pep Boys, NAPA, etc.)
81483-48010 Protector (req 1 per side)
90987-02027 Relay
84140-20680 Switch
I think this should cover about everything."
I got all parts from local dealer @ 20% off.
If anyone interested, www.partznet.com offers 25% off + shipping ( which comes out the same ).
I don't remember seeing this mentioned, sorry if I missed it.
Consumer Reports November 2004 did a piece on "SUV and Pickup Tires," focusing on All-Season tires (vs All-Terrain and others). Interesting reading, it included the oft-mentioned Michelin Cross Terrain (ranked 19 out of 22) and Yok Geolander (ranked 18 out of 22).
One tidbit I found was that the tire in the test with the least rolling resistance would give 2 mpg better 65mph highway mileage than the tire with the most rolling resistance! That's 8 percent of 24mpg, a significant increase, and I can't think of any other mod which would give that improvement. Of course, the Bridgestone Dueler (orig equip on mine) has the 'excellent' rating for rolling resistance, so you can only go downhill.
Too much data to try to convey, so if you're in the market, it might be worth a trip to the library.
There are only two tires with 'good' or better in all 9 categories, the Dayton Timberline HT (#5 and a Quick Pick) and the Uniroyal Laredo Cross Country (#9), each $75 for the tested size, P235/70R16.
The highest rated tire was the Goodyear Fortera HL Edition ($115), but it rated only fair in 'Rolling Resistance' and 'Ride.'
So I'm looking into buying a 05 highlander and trying to decipher the hitch situation. I gather that I can get a highlander with the hitch installed, but it's twice what it should cost. The aftermarket hitches sound great. But, I just called toyota service people and aside from the fact that they don't install other people's aftermarket hitches (not surprising - jerks) they say it takes 3 hrs at $79/hour! So, I'm trying to decipher the truth since one person said they got their mechanic to install for $18. It doesn't really take 3 hrs, does it? They talked about welding, and removing bumpers. When I told him that etrailer.com said it takes 40 minutes for a class III hitch with no drilling, he was stumped. Was I being fed lies from a parts guy who thought a woman knew nothing? Or is it not as easy to install as it sounds.
Also, important to note that I will only be using it for a bike rack, so I don't think I need it to be welded on...
Thule is a quality mfgr. and their best is still only a hundred bucks. Once the straps are adjusted for the first time, the subsequent uses will be a snap to put on. Seems pretty expensive to get a hitch installed just for the bike rack.
You should not need to have a hitch welded on, bumpers removed, etc. Both Draw-Tite and Hidden Hitch make quality hitches that can be bolted on without drilling, and can be installed by many qualified local shops in far less than 3 hours. U-Haul stores sometimes install hitches. Call around.
We have kayaks that we haul around on a roof rack system. Does anyone know of front tow hooks that can be installed on a Highlander to tie down the front end of the boats?
A proper hitch will not require welding. U-Haul had a hitch for an '04 but won't install for"legal" reasons. Anyway their hitch doesn't look nice. I ordered a Draw-Tite.
Your front towing eyelet might work for your kayaks. In any event, have fun.
Have definitely decided to not worry about the hitch situation. I'm going to look into a simple trunk mount rack (like I have for my sedan.)
Can anyone recommend a brand of all-weather (rubber) floor mats and rear cargo (to fit behind 2nd, not 3rd, seat) mat? There are so many out there and I'd like to find the ones that best fit the highlander.
Try http://www.alltoyota.com I bought the tan cargo liner for my HL and it fits like a glove and goes nicely with the interior. Become a VIP member(it's free) and you will find they offer 15-25% discounts quite often to your email.
Be very careful about the trunk mounted bike racks. I used one last year on vacation and now I have 2 nice little dents from the support brackets that go on the trunk. It seems the weight of the bikes caused little dents on the back of my highlander. I went to the thule website and if you look at the piece that goes just under the liscense plate that is were the dents are.
Thanks for the warning. I was planning on springing for a Thule - now I'm not so sure. They make a "Speedway" model 962 that seems to take the weight of the bikes and rest it all on a small padded tube that rest just above the bumper. Then there's the "Backpack" model 966 that works completely differently. Are the dents from hooks or the padded bar? How many bikes did you put on it? Can you see any mod that an owner could make that might prevent this? Do you like posting a simple warning and then getting a million questions?
The dents are where the padding is at the bottom of the back door just below the license plate. We had 3 bikes on the rack, 2 adult and 1 child's bikes. All 3 were Mongoose aluminum frame bikes.
Thanks for the reply, mzopinonate. I still need to carry a couple of bikes, so I'll keep looking at other designs. Thule's Model 996 looks like it's been designed differently (maybe after they got calls on all those dents) - this one puts the weight down below the hatch, perhaps to the bumper itself. One has to open the hatch to attach the hook/pad. I'll see if my local dealer has one I can look at. Bike riding season is already here, and man do I need to get out on my bike!
I bought a hitch from my brother who works for toyota - $220 but it didn't have the wire adapter- and we bolted it on in about 30-404 minutes. Very simple
I have an '04 Highlander with the auto-dimming rear view mirror and compass. The only thing I don't like about my Highlander is the lack of an outside temp gauge (who needs a compass??). I was crawling around under my vehicle and found the outside temp probe hanging from the bottom frame under the hood and it appears to be already wired. I am wondering if I can install a new mirror with the outside temp feature and have all the wires already at the mirror?
I am interested in upgrading my wheel/tire combination on an 02 Highlander.
Having received may different wheel/tire recommendations from Tire Rack, Ronal USA, I would like to know who has gone +1 and +2, brand of wheels, offset of wheels, and size of tires. The way I figure it, first-hand experience is the best recommendation.
Yes, I did; no problems, no spacers, just a direct install. It did come with a mounting kit which included 4 rings you install on the wheels to center it on the mounting hub. All four were also ride match/road force balanced. The offset is +20. Unless you find a local retailer, I have a feeling you're gonna killed with shipping and handling.
dominor5 - Thanks! As you probably know, there is not a lot of info out there regarding fitment of +1 and +2 wheel/tire setups for Highlanders, so any real world feedback that I can get is invaluable.
Has anyone attempted to "debadge" or remove all make and model information from the body of their Highlander?? I am concerned that some of the badges are attached by a method other than glue or two-sided tape!!
I really think you can't go wrong with the Highlander's interior--it's really beautiful--the Volvo C80's not even close (IMO), but the exterior bumpers are easily crumpled. I was driving around Boston during the last blizzard, and I noticed a lot of Highlanders with damage to front and rear bumpers (and a lot of NEW Highlanders--Woo Hoo!) So I was wondering if the grille--something I'd thought rather worthless actually--might be a good idea. I was thinking it might be protection in food stores, that is from the shopping carts, and too from rather elderly drivers (like my 83 yr old Dad--not to say in any way that all 83 drivers are like my Dad--I hope.) So anyway, anyone with a grille, has it helped at all? And then too, maybe it might defeat the purpose of the crumple-bumpers --in an accident. Any feedback of your grille experience is helpful because I'm thinking of adding one, along with aluminum tube steps--when they become available, and a trailer hitch. And if I can get my digital camera back from my sister (who won't part with anything) maybe I can post some pics and show you how it all came out (and whether or not I know how to bolt things together!)
I have a '03 Highlander V6 (base model) with the standard factory in dash radio/cassette and single CD player. Do any of you know if i can install the 6 cd in-dash unit directly in it's place? Are the plugs the same, etc? I have found a used factory one for about $250, but it seems like it might need a seperate amp? (maybe this is the JBLunit that comes in the Linited models?) Thanks for any of your thoughts and ideas.
Want to hardwire my radar detector into new HL. In my previous vehicles I simply mounted the unit high on the windshield near the rearview mirror and tucked the wire under the head liner and inside the windshield pillar cover.
My new HL however has side curtain airbags mounted into the windshield pillars and I don't want to mess around with them. Anybody suggest a good (and simple) route to get a wire up into the roof liner and out near the rearview mirror?
Just put GE Silver Star bulbs in my Hilander Pretty easy You need long arms to get at the fog light bulbs All in all pretty easy. Gotem all from the top.Just turn and pull out. Its either a 9006 or a 9005 can't remember Good Luck
I took off all the badges on the tailgate-all were just tape glued. First, make sure the vehicle is very clean (I used a soft toothbrush with carwash detergent and lots of flushing water)all around the the badge to be taken off. When dry, I used a hairdrier to "warm" the badge and area around it, then grabbed a good piece of "Glide" dental floss (it's very strong and slick) and just worked it back and forth/up and down like a saw behind the badge, cutting through the glue and tape. Re-warm if necessary while going through the process, takes about 1-3 minutes per badge. Once the badge drops off, remove the remaining glue by gently rubbing with lighter fluid soaked on a thick, soft cotton rag.
I'm fairly sure all the 6-cd changer units are JBL's (i.e., the 6-cd option is only available on HLs with the JBL system), so my guess is that installing the 6-cd changer will not be trivial/will require some re-wiring and probably the addition of a separate amp. I'd highly recommend getting the HL electrical manual if you plan to pursue this.
Contrary to popular belief the side airbags are mounted in the seats, not the pillars, so feel free to route wires through the pillars to your heart's content!
I have an 04 Ltd and when I installed my XM I was told there was no aux in. I opted for a new Alpine head unit, but the fm transmitter works almost as well (I used this option in my 01 Highlander).
Thanks for the info. Was pretty sure that was the case. I'll try the FM for now. Might eventually switch out the head unit anyway. Really disappointing sound quality for something advertised as "Premium." The basic factory system in my wife's '00 Focus honestly sounds better! I'm guessing it's the head unit more than the speakers . . .
I am in the process of getting an ICE 888 17'' chrome set of wheels, the offset is +38mm, anyone know how different that offset will appear from stock aluminum wheels? I have seen a HL with 18'' rims +20mm offset on Cardomain.com, they appeared to protrude from the vehicles body. So far I heard that the offset guidlines for the HL are +20 through +45, some sources say to stay within +20 through +35. Any input would be helpfull. Tom
I have an '02 HL and I want to install a set of aftermarket fog lights. The problem is I can't get those plastic grills out of the bumper. There is a screw and a white clip of some sort holding them in place from behind. If I take the screw out, I can wiggle the grill a bit, but not much else. Any opinions on how to remove these grills would be appreciated, thank-you.
I installed factory fogs in my 2003 Highlander about 2 years ago. If I remember correctly, there is one screw and 2 other mounting points for each grill. The 2 are kinda hard to get out...they snap into the white (bushing) for lack of a better name for the part. Its almost a one way snap, but I was able to get them out...sorry, that I don't remember exactly how...
Tomorrow I'll look to see if I still have the grills and bushings, as I tend to keep stuff like that, and maybe I will have a better answer for you after refreshing my memory with the parts in hand.
OK..I got curious tonight, and looked...the 2 white bushings are at the top, and snap into the bumper shell from the front...each one has 2 tabs that can be pushed in to release them from the bumper. They will probably stay on the grill and come out the front of the bumper. The screw is on the bottom. If you look at the passenger side fog light hole from under the hood, you should be able to see the white bushings and the tabs.
Comments
I've installed in over all the headlight assemblies on our late model cars/suv's and think it's great. I'm not sure if the material used on the headlights (thick 3M acrylic) is the same as the material ClearMask uses. The difference is of course the headlight lens is clear so I'm just wondering how it will look on a painted surface. All the crap kicked up on the road plays hell with the front bumper. :-(
If it is the same thickness as the headlight covers, it will be a pain to install. Even for the headlights, one needs to use a hair dryer to make the contours form, plus a spray bottle of alcohol/distilled water solution.
Thanks!
This is a copy and paste of directions from someone on the other forum.
"Just for the sake of being safe, you should disconnect the positive lead from the battery. The hardest part of installing the fog lights is taking off the cover of the steering wheel column. You have to replace the headlight switch with a new one, that's why the cover has to come off. The steering wheel itself doesn't come off, just the cover around the column. Follow this link and look at page 5. The instructions in the link are for installing the RS3200 system, but page 5 shows you how to get the steering wheel column cover off. Don't worry about taking the kickplate off like the first picture shows. You don't have to do that.
Once you get the cover off, you'll see where the wiring harness is plugged into the headlight switch. Take the harness out, then take the switch out by pressing the black claw tab in the middle of the square part. The new switch goes in place in reverse, and then you can put the column back together. Make sure you push the switch all the way back in. I didn't at first and the turn signals wouldn't turn off after I went around a turn. I pushed the stalk on the headlight switch really hard and I felt it pop in place and it's worked fine since.
To get the filler plates in the bumper out, just take a screwdriver and start prying the from the sides. Be careful not to scratch the paint on the truck. Once you get the plate moved just a little bit you can pull it out. It's plastic and bends very easily. Just FYI, I sold these on ebay and got $15 for them. So take them out carefully and make a little cash if you can! The wiring harnesses for the fog lights are taped to the headlight harness assemblies above. Cut the tape and feed the fog harnesses down to the holes in the bumper.
The fog lights use a type 9006 bulb. You can get them from Toyota or just go to Autozone and save some $$. You can use the blue and purple colors if you want, but if you go with no tint, don't get anything higher than 55 watt. I'm not sure the wiring harness is built to withstand any more heat than a 55 watt would create. So now plug the bulbs into the fog light assemblies and lock by turning whichever way is printed on the fogs. Plug the harness into the bulb and push the fog light assembly into the hole. It will be obvious which way and which hole the fog assemblies go in. The little black tab snaps into the little hole on the bottom side of each fog light hole. Don't worry, that'll make sense when you see it. The fog lights don't take up the entire hole, so you put the protectors on around it. Those just snap in place.
Now the last thing to do is put the relay in. This is what took me forever to find! I wound up calling a dealership and getting some help. OK, see that little change box on the drivers side kick panel? Let that down and then pull up on it to get it to come loose then take it out. You should be looking at the fuse panel now. The relay goes on the BACK of the fuse panel. Reach up from the bottom of the fuse panel and just feel around on the back of it (you won't get shocked). The relay goes on the bottom row, in the middle slot. It should be the only slot open on the bottom row. Plug it in, put the change box back in place and you're done!
Here are the part numbers. The cheapest place I could find online was toyotapartworld.com. Check some other places or call some local dealerships and see where you can get them the cheapest. These lamps don't take up the entire hole for the fogs, so the protectors are required. There may be other lamps available too, but if there are I don't know what they are.
81211-52070 RH Fog Lamp
81221-52070 LH Fog Lamp
90981-13047 Fog Lamp Bulb (you can get these cheaper at AutoZone, Pep Boys, NAPA, etc.)
81483-48010 Protector (req 1 per side)
90987-02027 Relay
84140-20680 Switch
I think this should cover about everything."
I got all parts from local dealer @ 20% off.
If anyone interested, www.partznet.com offers 25% off + shipping ( which comes out the same ).
Consumer Reports November 2004 did a piece on "SUV and Pickup Tires," focusing on All-Season tires (vs All-Terrain and others). Interesting reading, it included the oft-mentioned Michelin Cross Terrain (ranked 19 out of 22) and Yok Geolander (ranked 18 out of 22).
One tidbit I found was that the tire in the test with the least rolling resistance would give 2 mpg better 65mph highway mileage than the tire with the most rolling resistance! That's 8 percent of 24mpg, a significant increase, and I can't think of any other mod which would give that improvement. Of course, the Bridgestone Dueler (orig equip on mine) has the 'excellent' rating for rolling resistance, so you can only go downhill.
Too much data to try to convey, so if you're in the market, it might be worth a trip to the library.
There are only two tires with 'good' or better in all 9 categories, the Dayton Timberline HT (#5 and a Quick Pick) and the Uniroyal Laredo Cross Country (#9), each $75 for the tested size, P235/70R16.
The highest rated tire was the Goodyear Fortera HL Edition ($115), but it rated only fair in 'Rolling Resistance' and 'Ride.'
Passenger side is 19" and uses thin blade
Could it not be more complicated
NAPA auto store has 19" standard wiper with blade for $4
Now you have both wipers with standard blades
Walmart has standard inserts (2) for under $3
So I'm looking into buying a 05 highlander and trying to decipher the hitch situation. I gather that I can get a highlander with the hitch installed, but it's twice what it should cost. The aftermarket hitches sound great. But, I just called toyota service people and aside from the fact that they don't install other people's aftermarket hitches (not surprising - jerks) they say it takes 3 hrs at $79/hour! So, I'm trying to decipher the truth since one person said they got their mechanic to install for $18. It doesn't really take 3 hrs, does it? They talked about welding, and removing bumpers. When I told him that etrailer.com said it takes 40 minutes for a class III hitch with no drilling, he was stumped. Was I being fed lies from a parts guy who thought a woman knew nothing? Or is it not as easy to install as it sounds.
Also, important to note that I will only be using it for a bike rack, so I don't think I need it to be welded on...
Thanks for your advice and help!
Rachel
http://www.thuleracks.com/thule/carrier_bike1.asp
Thule is a quality mfgr. and their best is still only a hundred bucks. Once the straps are adjusted for the first time, the subsequent uses will be a snap to put on. Seems pretty expensive to get a hitch installed just for the bike rack.
We have kayaks that we haul around on a roof rack system. Does anyone know of front tow hooks that can be installed on a Highlander to tie down the front end of the boats?
Your front towing eyelet might work for your kayaks. In any event, have fun.
Can anyone recommend a brand of all-weather (rubber) floor mats and rear cargo (to fit behind 2nd, not 3rd, seat) mat? There are so many out there and I'd like to find the ones that best fit the highlander.
Thanks again!
Where does the unit plug in to vehicle?
Thanks in advance.
Do i pry off trim?, how?
Thanks
and we bolted it on in about 30-404 minutes. Very simple
any problem with fit? especially with the shock/springs mounting plate in the rears?
Having received may different wheel/tire recommendations from Tire Rack, Ronal USA, I would like to know who has gone +1 and +2, brand of wheels, offset of wheels, and size of tires. The way I figure it, first-hand experience is the best recommendation.
http://www.toyotaparts4u.com/installation_manuals.htm
So I was wondering if the grille--something I'd thought rather worthless actually--might be a good idea. I was thinking it might be protection in food stores, that is from the shopping carts, and too from rather elderly drivers (like my 83 yr old Dad--not to say in any way that all 83 drivers are like my Dad--I hope.) So anyway, anyone with a grille, has it helped at all? And then too, maybe it might defeat the purpose of the crumple-bumpers --in an accident. Any feedback of your grille experience is helpful because I'm thinking of adding one, along with aluminum tube steps--when they become available, and a trailer hitch. And if I can get my digital camera back from my sister (who won't part with anything) maybe I can post some pics and show you how it all came out (and whether or not I know how to bolt things together!)
Jeff
My new HL however has side curtain airbags mounted into the windshield pillars and I don't want to mess around with them. Anybody suggest a good (and simple) route to get a wire up into the roof liner and out near the rearview mirror?
9006 or a 9005 can't remember Good Luck
Just turn and pull out
When dry, I used a hairdrier to "warm" the badge and area around it, then grabbed a good piece of "Glide" dental floss (it's very strong and slick) and just worked it back and forth/up and down like a saw behind the badge, cutting through the glue and tape. Re-warm if necessary while going through the process, takes about 1-3 minutes per badge. Once the badge drops off, remove the remaining glue by gently rubbing with lighter fluid soaked on a thick, soft cotton rag.
Does head unit have available Aux input, or will I need to use Sirius tuner's FM transmitter?
So far I heard that the offset guidlines for the HL are +20 through +45, some sources say to stay within +20 through +35. Any input would be helpfull.
Tom
Tomorrow I'll look to see if I still have the grills and bushings, as I tend to keep stuff like that, and maybe I will have a better answer for you after refreshing my memory with the parts in hand.
Hope this helps!
Thanks.