The Toyota Highlander is one of the most reliable SUVs on the market. Its spacious interior, easy driving, and five-star overall safety rating make it a popular choice for families. And like other vehicles, automobile technology is full of beeps, noises, and chimes.
Some sounds may be simple to figure out, while others may be more puzzling, especially if it’s your first time driving a Highlander.
The most common reasons why a Toyota Highlander beeps while you’re driving include open doors, keyfob low battery, worn out door latches, loose seat belt sensor or unfastened seat belts, faulty electrical wires, dash camera, low tire pressure, low car battery and exceeding cruise control speed limits.
This article will explain the most common reasons why your Toyota Highlander is beeping. We will also explain how to fix the issue and avoid the beeping.
Causes and solutions for your Toyota Highlander beeping
There are several reasons why your Toyota Highlander is beeping when driving. Some beeps indicate an issue, while some indicate a car system has activated or turned on.
One of the doors is open.
There’s likely an open door if you start hearing a beeping sound from the dashboard as you start driving your car. First, check your dashboard for an “open door” sign. Then, park your car and check all the doors by opening them and closing them properly. You should also check the fuel door and trunk.
Faulty door latch
If you’ve closed all the doors securely and the “open door” sign is still on the dashboard, at least one of the doors has a faulty latch. First, you should check the door latch blown fuse or relay. Take out the fuse and test with a multimeter for continuity.
If it’s not passing current, you can t replace it on your own. However, if the relay has gone bad, you will need extra knowledge on electronics to replace it. You can also hire a mechanic to fix the issue.
Unfastened seatbelts
Most modern cars have seat belts with sensors which detects whether the buckle is latched or unlatched. This system also allows for optimum airbag deployment. An unfastened seatbelt will trigger a beeping sound to remind drivers and passengers to buckle their seatbelts. To stop the beeping, you have to fasten the seatbelt.
Incorrect parking brake
If the parking brake in your Highlander is on while driving the car, then the vehicle will make a constant beeping sound to alert the driver.
Low tire pressure
A beeping noise from your Toyota Highlander could be from low tire pressure. The tires have sensors that will alert the driver when the pressure is low. You will also see a message on the dash accompanying the beeping sound.
If your vehicle is beeping due to low tire pressure, you can stop the beeping by inflating your tires to the correct pressure. If the problem persists, check for a leaking tire and fix the issue with the help of a professional mechanic.
Blind-spot monitor
A blind-spot monitor is an advanced driving assistance device with sensors on the side mirrors or rear bumper that detects vehicles in the adjacent lanes. The blind-spot monitor will beep to alert the driver that there’s another vehicle in its field of view.
Although it’s a very helpful system, it can cause the car to brake or steer itself away from the vehicle and ultimately may lose control of your car. The best way to fix this issue is to turn off the blind-spot monitor.
Low car battery
When your car battery is running low, the battery light on the dashboard will turn on and may start beeping to alert the driver. You can recharge the battery or jump-start it with another vehicle. To jump-start your Toyota Highlander:
- Park your Highlander nose-to-nose with another vehicle.
- Turn off the ignition and headlights of both cars.
- Using negative jumper cables, connect the negative terminals of the cars followed by positive terminals.
- Start the running car and allow the dead car battery to recharge in an idle position.
- Next, try restarting the dead car. If it starts, remove the jumper cables in the reverse order of connecting them.
- Keep the dead car running for at least 30 minutes.
Damaged or loose electrical wires
A damaged wire or loose electrical connection could be why your car is beeping while driving. Damaged wires can cause shorts, which could lead to fires. Loose connections can cause incorrect readings from the sensors, causing the engine to misfire. If you suspect wiring issues, you should stop driving and address the issue using a professional.
You should also regularly check the plastic wire connectors underneath every seat and ensure tight connections. If not, you can secure them using some electrical tape.
Exceeding cruise control speed settings
Cruise control systems in Toyota Highlanders have a safety feature that beeps if you drive over the set speed limit. So if you’re driving and your Toyota Highlander beeps suddenly, you should reduce your speed or try setting a cruise control speed low.
Cruise control can also fail if you have a bad speed sensor which requires troubleshooting from a professional.
Low fuel level
Like most modern cars, the Toyota Highlander comes with low fuel sensors that will alert the driver when the vehicle is running low on fuel. You will also notice the fuel tank symbol blinking on the dashboard. The sensors are triggered when the fuel level reaches one gallon, which should be enough to drive with for a few more miles.
Dashcam
If you have installed a dashcam in your Toyota highlander, it may be the source of the beeping noise. The dash cam will beep on startup without any other warning light. If you see an error flash from the dashcam, you may not have fully inserted the micro SD card into the camera.
Pressing the SD card into the dashcam until it clicks into place should stop the beeping.
But if the SD card is correctly inserted and the beeping won’t stop, follow the steps below:
- Turn off the vehicle completely
- Park on level ground
- Shut off the dash cam.
- Press and hold the “action” button.
- Then restart your vehicle.
This will recalibrate your vehicle. You will hear a few more beeps, see a green light, and the dash cam is okay.
Hill Start Assist Control
Not all beeps coming from your vehicle are bad. The Hill Start Assist Control System on a Toyota Highlander prevents the vehicle from rolling backward while moving your foot between the brake pedal and the accelerator pedal.
This system only activates when the shift lever is in the D or S position, the accelerator pedal is not depressed, the parking brake is not applied, and the vehicle has stopped. Then you will hear one beep when Hill Start Assist Control is activated. Also, the Slip Indicator light will flash.
Car systems
If your Highlander only beeps when driving over bumps, it’s because the vehicle stability control(VSC), traction control system and anti-lock brake system interact with each other. All these systems work differently to prevent wheels from slipping and register the loss of traction in one or more of the wheels on your Highlander.
If the beeping is annoying, you have to turn off the system by pressing the VSC button on your dashboard for three seconds. You can also disable the three systems by pushing the brake pedal while going over bumps.
Rear glass hatch alert
One of the major benefits of the Toyota Highlander is the increased cargo space. In addition, you can open the rear glass hatch to add additional length for long items such as Christmas trees. However, the glass hatch alert will chime when you put your car on Drive to notify you about the open hatch. If you want to intentionally drive with the rear hatch open and disable the alarm, here’s how to do it:
- Put the car in park and open the rear glass hatch.
- Using a small screwdriver, press down the latch that holds the hatch closed until you hear a click.
- Protect your glass panel from sharp edges, then press the unlock button to reset the latch.
- Close the rear glass hatch, and the alert will go off.
Why is my Toyota Highlander beeping when parked?
Here are the reasons why your Toyota Highlander is beeping while parked.
Spare keys in the vehicle
If you have left your vehicle spare keys in your car, you will hear a warning beeping sound when you lock it. This is because the car’s security system will alert you think you’re trying to lock the keys in the car. The best solution is to leave your car’s spare keys outside the car.
Keyfob battery running low.
If a beeping sound is coming from your keyfob, its battery is likely running low. The best way to stop the beeping is to replace the keyfob battery.
Proximity alarm
Another reason why your Toyota Highlander beeps when you park is the triggering of the proximity alarm system. This system warns you if someone or something is getting too close to the vehicle, prevents accidents in small spaces, and deters thieves. The beeping will sound when someone is about six feet from the vehicle.
You can turn off the proximity alarm by pressing its button on the instrument panel. However, it automatically turns back on the next time you turn on the Highlander. You should also check around the car and clear any close objects.
Check this too: Comprehensive Toyota Tundra How To & Troubleshooting Guide
Sometimes, the proximity sensors would beep when faulty. Locate the sensors are clean them with a clean and damp cloth to remove dirt on the sensors. The dust and dirt can trigger the sensors about objects near the car.
Other common beeping causes
- Low windshield washer fluid
- Headlights on
- Key in the ignition when the door is open
- Lane departure alert
- Intelligence Clearance Sonar
- Pre-Collision System
Conclusion
There are many reasons why your Toyota Highlander is beeping while you’re driving. So it’s essential first to identify the source of the beeping sound before you address the issue. The most common reasons for the beeping noise include faulty electrical wires, worn-out door latches, low tire pressure, etc.
For most of these issues, you can fix yourself using the instructions in the article. But in case the beeping noise persists, there may be more serious issues that will require the help of a qualified technician.