
New L/C100(U)95
(g)Take vehicle to 
To y o t a
d ealer 
immediately.
(i) Close all side doors 
and back door.
(k) Stop and check.
(j)Shift four-wheel 
drive control out 
of ºNº.
Key reminder 
buzzer
(h) Take vehicle to  
Toyota dealer.
If the indicator Do this. 
or buzzer 
comes on...
(l) Remove key.(a) Brake System Warning Light and
Buzzer
This light has the following functions: 
Parking brake reminder 
If this light is on, make sure the parking 
brake is fully released. The light should 
go off. 
Low brake fluid level warning 
If this light comes on and stays on while 
you are driving,  slow down and pull off 
the road. Then stop the vehicle carefully. 
Remember that stopping distance and ped-
al effort may be increased. There may be 
a problem somewhere in the brake sys- 
tem. Check  the fluid level of  the see- 
through reservoir. 
To make sure the parking brake has not 
caused the warning light to come on, 
check to see that the parking brake is 
fully released. 
If the brake fluid level is low... 
At a safe place, test your brakes by start- 
ing and stopping.
  If you judge that the brakes still work
adequately, drive cautiously to your 
nearest dealer or shop for repairs.  
If the brakes are not working, have the 
vehicle towed in for repairs. (For tow-
ing information, see Part 4.)
CAUTION
It is dangerous to continue driving 
normally when the brake fluid level is 
low.
If the brake fluid level is correct... 
Have the warning system checked by your 
Toyota dealer. 
Brake system failure warning 
The light may stay on for about 60 sec- 
onds after the engine is started. It is nor- 
mal if it goes out after a while. 
If the brake system warning light stays on 
even with the parking brake being re- 
leased, the brake system may fail. Con- 
tact your Toyota dealer. 
If the hydraulic boost pressure is lowered, 
the warning light comes on and buzzer
sounds continuously. Immediately stop 
your vehicle at a safe place and contact 
your Toyota dealer.  In this  case, the
brakes may not work properly. if they do 
not work well, depress the brake pedal 
firmly.  

New L/C100(U)97
(g) SRS Warning Light 
This light will come on when the igni- 
tion key is turned to the ºACCº or 
ºONº position. After about 6 seconds, 
the light will go off. This means the
system of the airbag and front seat belt 
pretensioners are operating properly. 
The warning light system monitors the air- 
bag sensor assembly, front airbag sen- 
sors, seat belt pretensioner assemblies,
inflators, warning light, interconnecting wir- 
ing and power sources. 
If either of  the following conditions occurs, 
this indicates a malfunction somewhere in 
the parts monitored by the warning light 
system. Contact your Toyota dealer as
soon as possible to service the vehicle.
  The light does not come on when the 
ignition key is turned to the ºACCº or 
ºONº position or remains on.
  The light comes on or flashes while 
driving. (h) ºABSº Warning Light 
This light warns that there is a problem 
somewhere in your anti- lock brake sys- 
tem. 
If it comes on while you are driving, have 
your  vehicle checked by  your Toyota deal- 
er as soon as possible. However, it is
normal if the light goes out. 
The light will come on when the ignition 
key is turned to the ºONº position. After
a few seconds,  the light will go off. There 
may be the case that the ºABSº warning 
light stays on for about 60 seconds after
the engine is started. It  is normal  if it 
goes out after a while. 
Depressing the brake pedal repeatedly 
may turn on the light. It  is normal  if it
goes off after a few seconds. 
When the ºABSº warning light is on (and 
the brake system warning light is off), the
brake  system operates  conventionally but 
anti- lock brake system is not assisting 
brake performance so that the wheels can
lock- up during sudden braking or braking 
on slippery road surfaces. 
However, the anti- lock brake system does 
not operate when the rear differential is 
locked. It is normal operation for the
ºABSº  warning light  to be on at  this  time.
CAUTION
While the ºABSº warning light is on, 
if either of the following conditions 
occurs, immediately stop your vehicle
at a safe place and contact your 
Toyota dealer.  
The brake system warning light 
stays on even with the parking 
brake being released.
  The brake system warning light and
buzzer come on.
In either case,  the brakes may not 
work properly. If they do not work 
well, depress the brake pedal firmly.
(i) Open Door Warning Light 
This light remains on until all the side 
doors and back door are completely 
closed. 
(j) Unengaged ºParkº Warning Light 
This light warns that the transmission 
ºParkº mechanism is not engaged. If the 
four- wheel drive control is  in the ºNº posi- 
tion while the selector lever is in the ºPº
position, the transmission will disengage 
and the wheels will not lock. 

New L/C100(U)
158
For detailed information on oil  level  check, 
see ºChecking the engine oil levelº in
Chapter 7- 2.
Your engine is fitted with iridium- tipped 
spark plugs.
NOTICE
Use only iridium- tipped spark spark
plugs for your engine performanceand smooth drivability.
Brake system 
BRAKE SYSTEM 
This brake system has  two independent 
hydraulic circuits. If either circuit should 
fail, the other will still work. However, the 
pedal will be harder to press, and your
stopping distance will be longer. Also, the 
brake system warning light may  come on.
CAUTION
Do not drive your vehicle with only a 
single brake system.  Have your 
brakes fixed immediately.
BRAKE BOOSTER 
The brake booster uses brake  fluid pres- 
surized by the pump to power- assist the 
brakes. If the brake booster fails during
driving, the brake system warning light 
comes on and buzzer  sound continuously. 
In this case the brakes may not work
properly. If they do not work well, depress 
the brake pedal firmly. If the brake system 
warning light comes on, immediately stop
your vehicle and  contact  your  Toyota deal- 
er.
Iridium- tipped spark plugs  

New L/C100(U)159
There may be the case that the brake 
system warning light stays on for a
bout
60 seconds after the engine is started. It 
is normal if the light goes out after a 
while. 
Depressing the brake pedal repeatedly 
may  turn on the brake system warning 
light and buzzer. It is normal if the light
goes out and the buzzer stops sounding 
after a few seconds. 
You may hear a small sound in the engine 
compartment after the engine is  started or 
the brake pedal is depressed repeatedly.
This is a pump pulsating sound of the 
brake system, and it is not a malfunction.
CAUTION
  Do not pump the brake pedal if the 
engine stalls. Each push on the 
pedal uses up your  brake fluid
pressure reserve.
 Even if the power assist is com- 
pletely lost, the brakes will still 
work. But you will have to push the
pedal hardÐmuch harder than nor- 
mal. And your braking distance will 
be longer.
ANTI- LOCK BRAKE SYSTEM (with 
ºABSº warning light) 
The anti-lock brake system is designed to 
automatically help prevent lock-up of the 
wheels during sudden braking or braking 
on slippery road surfaces. This assists in 
providing directional stab ility and steering
performance of the vehicle under these 
circumstances. 
The anti- lock brake system becomes op- 
erative after the vehicle has accelerated
to a speed in excess of approximately 10 
km/h (6 mph). It stops operating when the 
vehicle decelerates to a speed below
approximately 5 km/h (3 mph). 
You may hear a sound in the engine 
compartment for a few seconds when the 
engine is started or just after the vehicle 
is started. This means that the anti- lock
brake system is in the self check mode, 
and does not indicate a malfunction.
Effective way  to press the ºABSº brake 
pedal: When the anti- lock brake system 
function is in action, you may feel the
brake pedal pulsating and hear a noise. 
In this situation, to let the anti- lock 
brake system work for you, just hold the
brake pedal down more firmly. Do not 
pump the brake in a panic  stop. Pump- 
ing the brake pedal makes  the stopping
distance longer.
The brake pedal pulsation caused by the
anti- lock brake system may indicate haz- 
ardous road surface conditions. Although 
the anti- lock brake system assists  in pro-
viding vehicle control, it is still important 
to drive with all due care, because the 
anti- lock brake system cannot overcome
the laws of physics that act on your ve- 
hicle:   Braking capab ility is dependent on tire
friction with the road surface.
  Even though the anti- lock brake sys- 
tem is operating, a driver cannot main- 
tain full control on certain slippery road 
surfaces, when cornering at high
speeds, or in violent maneuvers. 

New L/C100(U)161
DRUM- IN- DISC TYPE PARKING BRAKE SYSTEM 
Your vehicle has a drum- in- disc type 
parking brake system. This type of brake 
system n
eeds  bedding- down of  the brake
shoes periodically or whenever the parking 
brake shoes and/or drums are replaced. 
Have your Toyota dealer perform the bed- 
ding- down. Brake pad wear limit indicators
The brake pad wear limit  indicators on 
your disc brakes give a warning noise 
when the brake pads are worn to where 
replacement is required. 
If you hear a squealing or  scraping noise 
while driving, have the brake pads
checked and replaced by  your Toyota 
dealer as soon as possible. Expensive ro- 
tor damage can result if the pads are not
replaced when necessary.Luggage stowage pr
ecautions
When stowing luggage or cargo in or on
the vehicle, observe the following:   Put luggage or cargo in the luggage 
compartment when at all possible. Be 
sure all items are secured in place.
  Be careful to keep the vehicle bal-
anced. Locating the weight as far for-
ward as possible helps maintain the 
balance.
  For better fuel economy, do not carry 
unneeded weight.CAUTION
 To prevent luggage or packages 
from sliding forward during braking, 
do not stack anything in the lug-
gage compartment higher  than the 
seatbacks.
  Do not place anything on the flat- 
tened seat or it may slide forward 
during braking.  

New L/C100(U)
168
(b) Starting the engine 
Before starting the engine, be sure to fol- 
low the instructions in º(a) Before crank-
ingº. 
Normal starting procedure 
The multiport fuel injection system/sequen- 
tial multiport fuel injection system in your 
engine automatically controls the proper
air- fuel mixture for starting. You can start 
a cold or hot engine as  follows:
1. With your foot off the accelerator ped- al, crank the engine by turning the key
to ºSTARTº. Release it when the en- 
gine starts.
2. After the engine runs for about 10 se- conds, you are ready to drive. 
If the weather is below freezing, let the 
engine warm up for a few minutes be-
fore driving.
If  the engine stalls... 
Simply restart it, using the correct proce- 
dure given in normal  starting. 
If the engine will not start... 
See ºIf your vehicle will not startº in Part 4.
NOTICE
 Do not crank for more than 30 se- conds at a time. This may overheatthe starter and wiring systems.
 Do not race a cold engine.
 If the engine becomes difficult tostart or stalls frequently, have the
engine checked immediately.
  Always slow down in gusty crosswinds. 
This will allow you much better control.
  Drive slowly onto curbs and, if pos- 
sible, at a right angle. Avoid driving 
onto high, sharp- edged objects and
other road hazards. Failure to do so 
can lead to severe tire damage result- 
ing in tire bursts.
  When parking on a hill, turn the front
wheels until they  touch the curb so
that the vehicle will not roll. Apply the 
parking brake, and place the transmis- 
sion in ºPº. If necessary, block the
wheels.
  Washing your vehicle or driving through
deep water may get the brakes wet. To
see whether they are wet, check that 
there is no traffic near you, and then 
press the pedal lightly. If you do not 
feel a normal braking force, the brakes 
are probably wet. To dry them, drive
the vehicle cautiously while lightly 
pressing the brake pedal with the park- 
ing brake pulled. If  they  still  do not
work safely, pull to the side of the road 
and call a Toyota dealer  for assistance.
Tips for driving 
in various conditions