Hi and thanks again for your video. I just completed ( March 8, 2024 ) a spark plug change on my 2016 Highlander V6 and there are a few things that might be helpful for other viewers. - You do not need to remove the wiper motor or the cowl. The 2016 Highlander cowel is very well bolted down with the suspension strut mount bolts ( requires proper torque ) and a bunch of other 10mm bolts. - The plenum slips out very easily as well, there is no hang up reinstalling. - The 2016 Highlander plenum is held in place with the following : 2 x 10mm nuts, 4 x 5mm hex head bolts, 2 x 12mm bolts - Removing the 2 x 12mm bolts in the rear passenger and driver side is not difficult. - Rear Plenum, passenger side : You can see the 12mm bolt with a good light and attach a regular ratchet / socket to break it free. - Rear Plenum, driver side : After you remove the throttle body you will need a small mirror to locate the 12mm bolt. Then you can use a regular ratchet / socket to break it free. - For me, the most difficult task of the entire job was disconnecting the clips from the three rear coils. If you rip a wire or break a clip it could be disastrous. - The second most difficult task was removing spark plugs. They were not seized but after 120k miles, the threads were very snug. I had to loosen 1 turn and screw back in 1/2 turn and keep repeating ( out 1 turn and in 1/2 turn ) until the plug started to loosen up. - I did not replace with Denso Iridium which are durable for 120K Miles as are the NGK Laser Iridiums also good for 120K Miles .- Instead, I used the new NGK Ruthenium plug good for 60K Miles. These Denso and NGK plugs are the same heat range 6 .- For me, this DIY job in Ontario, Canada saved me $500-$600 labour - Plug prices : Denso $33 - NGK Laser Iridium $24 - NGK Ruthenium $18 x 6, Total w. tax $122 - Gaskets : Plenum ( 3 ) Total $81 and Throttle Body ( 1 ) Total $20 - As long as you have a 6 inch extension on your plug socket, it will work without a universal / swivel socket. - If all goes well you can complete this job in 2-3 hours. - Make sure you torque the plugs down to 13 ft lbs
Your video was a huge help thank you. I did my 2016 Highlander XLE today. As has already been mentioned there was a second hidden bracket on the passenger side with a 12mm bolt that is a bit tough to reach. I took this bracket totally off to remove one of the rear spark plug coils. My air intake had a combination of 10mm nuts x 2 on the ends, 6mm allen head bolts x 4 in the middle, and the two hidden 12mm bolts in the back. In total taking my time it took me 2.5hrs. The local Toyota dealership quoted me almost $600 in labour alone for this job. The video is very helpful and I found the job not too bad if you take your time and you have all the right tools.
I just bought a 130k miles 2019 Highlander. No clue if this was done at any point so… I guess I’ll schedule some time to go through that. Great tutorial I’ll watch more of your stuff !!!
Great job thanks for posting!. I thought there was another bracket bolt on the left side or passenger side as well that had to be removed? Thanks again good job I have to do this next weekend.
At the passenger side there’s no bracket, but have to be careful with the 2 vacuum hoses at the back of the manifold. Good luck next week, just take your time.
Okay that was one of the “ smoothest “ rear spark plug jobs I’ve seen for a 2016-2019 Highlander. I know you sped things up but how long did that take ( the rear plugs, the front plugs are easy ).
Thanks for watching! Honestly it took me like 30 minutes, it’s not that bad if all connectors and hoses detach without problem. The hidden bracket near the throttle body gonna give you a lot of trouble if you don’t know about it beforehand. Thanks again
@@kimokahikolekalihithe 2017-2019 Highlanders have both direct and port injection ( the “ new for those years 3.5 litre 2GR-FKS engine ) I believe. There shouldn’t be any carbon on the valves issues.
@@lolosgaragediy7090just a heads up, that 12 mm bolt behind the throttle body doesn’t have to come out just be loosened. Yup the connectors are a pain in the a$$ sometimes and another concern is putting the intake back without pinching any vacuum lines etc. I would just replace the intake manifold gasket while you have it out. One with over 5 or 6 years on it is more likely to leak than a brand new OEM one. Same with the throttle body gasket. Your air filter looks like it’s been changed fairly recently. This would also be a good time to use MAF Sensor cleaner and Throttle Body cleaner to carefully clean those from carbon, dirt etc. I just did that and even though my 2917 Highlander seemed to be running good for a 7 year old vehicle the idle and throttle response have noticeably improved. I’m also noticing the fuel mileage has gone up by around 1 mpg. A just over 3/4 throttle produces acceleration that is better than punching it before ( I forgot how hard the engine pulled before. Like I said it didn’t seem that bad for a 7 year old engine ). Your time was good considering you didn’t use any power tools and yes it’s critical to use the correct torque and sequence ( reverse order on the bolts when removing ) it’s a plastic intake. No antiseize needed on the spark plugs if they’re torqued properly. Good job man.
Just got a quote from our dealer for nearly 800 bucks. I came straight to RU-vid because I figured it was a pain in the ass job. 800 is still too much though
You have labeled the video incorrectly. There are 7 plenum bolts but.... the 2016 model year has six bolts up front and one in the back on the passenger side which is very awkward. Therefore, you should make a note of this or retitle the video not to include 2016.
