Anyone know how to start your ICE "on demand?" (e.g. if you take your HH in for an oil change at a national chain like JiffyLube, etc. and the mechanics want to test for leaks). I'm interested in any tricks you have so i don't always have to take it to my local dealer for routine service.....

The first way that comes to mind is push the power button. Every time u start your hybird it goes through an oxygen sensor warm-up procedure for a minute or two.

Another way is to just step on the gas while in park will start the ICE.

Just a couple way of starting but there's an emissions test procedure that will also start ICE in two different RPM modes. I forget where I saw that procedure but it was in states where vehicles require periodic testing. Max

The only thing I had to do at the quick lube was to tell the guys to wait a few seconds after they pressed the power button. I told them to trust me, the ICE would eventually start. If you need to run the ICE after it has warmed up, and you don't want to turn it off and back on again, just have it in park and slowly press on the accelerator pedal. The ICE will kick on and be somewhere around a fast idle. If you want it to run faster, press on the pedal some more and the RPMs will just about double to something around 2500 RPM. You can push the pedal to the floor and the ICE will still run at about 2500 RPM.

Thanks folks!


(when you say press the "power button", you mean turn the key, right? - such that the "Ready" light comes on)

Just 1 more question on this subjct - I'm assuming that the oil filter would be the same used in the "standard" 3.3L engine on non-hybrid Highlanders?

Normally in a quick lube place they have a computer with vehicle listings in it. Those listings give them the specs and filter numbers they need to do the work on your vehicle. If you are in doubt about the filter you should be getting, go to your Toyota dealer and ask them the Toyota filter for your vehicle and see if it cross references with the filter for the standard 3.3 engine.

As an avid Prius owner I buy filters based on Toyota engine code. Prius engine code is 1NZ-FXE, so if i'm looking for a third party filter, I look for engine code cross reference. I also cross reference with 1NZ-FE (Echo engine) because it uses the same filter. Not much help to you the Highlander driver, but your engine has a code also and that will determine the filter to use.

It has been said:
Hybrid drivers come in 3 flavors, greenie, techie and cheapie. Pick any 2.
2005 Prius, Melinium Silver over gray, package 5 (AI)