2025 Toyota Highlander Paint Codes

Quick Reference

Where to find your paint code

For most Toyota Highlander vehicles, including the 2025 model year, your paint code will be located on a sticker or label on the driver's side door jamb. Open the driver's door, and look on the B-pillar (the vertical post between the front and rear doors) or the edge of the door itself. The label is usually white or silver and contains various vehicle information, including a "C/TR" (Color/Trim) code. The paint code is typically a three-digit alphanumeric code, sometimes followed by a dash and another number, representing the interior trim code. For example, if you see "C/TR 1G3/FC20", then "1G3" is your paint code.

If you have trouble locating it, refer to your Highlander's owner's manual. You can also contact a Toyota dealership with your Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) — they can typically provide you with the exact paint code.

Best touch-up paint sources

Once you have your paint code, you'll have several options for obtaining touch-up paint:

• Dupli-Color: A popular and widely available brand, Dupli-Color offers automotive touch-up paint in pens, bottles with brushes, and aerosol cans. You can often find their products at auto parts stores like AutoZone, Advance Auto Parts, and Pep Boys, as well as online retailers.
• AutomotiveTouchup: This online retailer specializes in custom-mixed automotive paints for a wide range of vehicles. They match factory colors precisely and offer paint in various sizes, including pens, bottles, aerosol cans, and larger quantities for spray guns. Their quality is generally considered excellent.
• Tcoat Custom-Mix: Tcoat is another excellent online option for custom-mixed touch-up paint, often lauded for their color accuracy, especially for complex colors like pearls and tri-coats.
• Dealership: Your local Toyota dealership can also supply genuine Toyota touch-up paint. While sometimes more expensive, it ensures an exact factory match.

How to use touch-up paint

Using touch-up paint effectively can minimize the appearance of minor chips and scratches:

1. Clean the area: Thoroughly wash and dry the area to be repaired. Use rubbing alcohol or a prep solvent to remove any wax, grease, or contaminants.
2. Apply primer (if needed): For deeper scratches that expose bare metal or plastic, apply a thin coat of automotive primer. Allow it to dry completely according to the product instructions.
3. Apply base coat: Apply the touch-up paint in thin, even layers. For pens or brushes, use small dabs to fill the chip or scratch. For aerosol cans, hold the can about 6-8 inches away and apply light coats. Allow each coat to dry before applying the next, until the color matches the surrounding area.
4. Apply clear coat: Once the base coat is dry, apply a clear coat. This protects the paint and provides a glossy finish. Again, apply thin layers and allow adequate drying time between coats.
5. Buff and polish (optional): After the clear coat has fully cured (this can take several days), you can gently wet-sand the area with very fine-grit sandpaper (2000-3000 grit) and then polish it to a smooth, seamless finish. This step is usually for more advanced users.

Color matching tips for pearls and tri-coats

Colors like "Blizzard Pearl" and "Ruby Flare Pearl" are multi-stage paints (often referred to as tri-coats). This means they consist of a base color, followed by a translucent pearl mid-coat, and then a clear coat. Achieving a perfect match with touch-up paint can be more challenging for these types of colors because the final appearance depends on the thickness and evenness of each layer.

Here are some tips:

• Practice first: If possible, practice on a scrap piece of metal or an inconspicuous area to get a feel for applying the different layers.
• Apply thin, even coats: This is crucial for pearl and tri-coat paints. Too much of the pearl mid-coat can make the color appear darker or brighter than the surrounding paint.
• Blended application: For larger repairs, professional body shops will often "blend" the paint into the surrounding panel to achieve a seamless transition. This is difficult to replicate with touch-up bottles or pens but can be done with aerosol cans with careful feathering.
• Consult a professional: For significant damage on pearl or tri-coat finishes, it's often best to consult a professional body shop for the best results.

Find a trusted body shop on Repairius.