2003 TOYOTA SEQUOIA Transmission

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(d) Using engine braking
To use engine braking, you can downshift
the transmission as follows:
Push the overdrive switch. The “O/D
OFF” indicator light will come on and
the transmission will downshift to third
gear.
Shift into the “2” position. The trans-
mission will downshift to second gear
when the vehicle speed drops down to
or lower than the following speed, and
stronger engine braking will be en-
abled.Twowheel drive models 110 km/h (68 mph)
Fourwheel drive models
Front drive control lever in “H”
(2WD) or “H” (4WD) 110 km/h (68 mph)
Front drive control lever in “L4” 39 km/h (24 mph)
Shift into the “L” position. The trans-
mission will downshift to first gear
when the vehicle speed drops down to
or lower than the following speed, and
maximum engine braking will be en-
abled.
Twowheel drive models 55 km/h (34 mph)
Fourwheel drive models Front drive control lever in “H”
(2WD) or “H” (4WD) 55 km/h (34 mph)
Front drive control lever in “L4” 10 km/h (5 mph)
When the cruise control is being used,
even if you downshift the transmission by
pushing and releasing the overdrive
switch, engine braking will not be enabled
because the cruise control is not can-
celled.
For ways to decrease the vehicle speed,
see “Cruise control” on page 159 in this
section.CAUTION
Be careful when downshifting on a
slippery surface. Abrupt shifting
could cause the vehicle to spin or
skid.
(e) Using the “2” and “L”, positions
The “2” and “L” positions are used for
strong engine braking as described pre-
viously.
With the selector lever in “2” or “L”, you
can start the vehicle in motion as with the
lever in “D”.
With the selector lever in “2”, the vehicle
will start in first gear and automatically
shift to second gear.
With the selector lever in “L”, the trans-
mission is engaged in first gear.

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NOTICE
Be careful not to overrev the en-
gine. Watch the tachometer to keep
engine rpm from going into the red
zone. The approximate maximum al-
lowable speed for each position is
given above for your reference:
Twowheel drive models “2” 110 km/h (68 mph) . . . . . . .
“L” 60 km/h (38 mph) . . . . . . . .
Fourwheel drive models Front drive control lever in “H”
(2WD) or “H” (4WD)“2” 110 km/h (68 mph) . . . . . . .
“L” 60 km/h (38 mph) . . . . . . . .
Front drive control lever in “L4” “2” 45 km/h (28 mph) . . . . . . . .
“L” 25 km/h (16 mph) . . . . . . . .
 Do not continue hill climbing or
hard towing for a long time in the
“2” or “L” position. This may cause
severe automatic transmission dam-
age from overheating. To prevent
such damage, “D” position should
be used in hill climbing or hard
towing.
(f) Backing up
1. Bring the vehicle to a complete stop.
2. With the brake pedal held down with your foot, shift the selector lever to the
“R” position.
NOTICE
Never shift into reverse while the ve-
hicle is moving.
(g) Parking
1. Bring the vehicle to a complete stop.
2. With the brake pedal pressed down, fully depress the parking brake pedal
to apply the parking brake securely.
3. With the brake pedal pressed down, shift the selector lever to the “P” posi-
tion.
CAUTION
Never attempt to move the selector
lever into “P” position under any cir-
cumstances while the vehicle is mov-
ing. Serious mechanical damage and
loss of vehicle control may result.
If the automatic unlocking operation linked
to shift lever position is set, all doors are
automatically unlocked when the selector
lever is moved to “P” position after the
ignition switch is turned to “ON” position.
For details, see “—Automatic door locking
and unlocking functions” on page 16 in
Section 12.
(h) Good driving practice
If the transmission repeatedly shifts up
and down between third gear and over-
drive when climbing a gentle slope, the
overdrive should be turned off. Be sure
to turn the switch on immediately after-
ward.
When towing a trailer, in order to main-
tain engine braking efficiency, do not
use overdrive.
CAUTION
Always keep your foot on the brake
pedal while stopped with the engine
running. This prevents the vehicle
from creeping.

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NOTICE
Always use the brake pedal or the
parking brake to hold the vehicle on
an upgrade. Do not attempt to hold
the vehicle using the accelerator ped-
al, as this can cause the transmission
to overheat.
“H” (2WD) MODE
“H” (4WD) MODE (center
differential unlock) or “L4”
MODE (center differential
unlock)
“H” (4WD) MODE (center
differential lock) or “L4”
MODE (center differential
lock)
Use the front drive control lever, “4WD”
switch and center differential lock
switch to select the transfer and center
differential modes.
The “H” and “L4” position of the front
drive control lever provide either lock or
unlock the mode of the center differential.
Use the center differential lock system if
your wheels get stuck in a ditch, or when
you are driving on a slippery or bumpy
surface. When the center differential is
locked, the vehicle skid control system is
automatically turned off and the center dif-
ferential lock and “VSC OFF” indicator
lights come on because the function that
controls engine performance interferes
with the process of freeing your wheels.
NOTICE
As soon as the center differential lock
switch is turned on, the “VSC OFF”
indicator light comes on. After the
wheels are out of the ditch or off the
slippery or bumpy surface, turn the
center differential lock switch off.
Make sure that the center differential
lock indicator light and “VSC OFF”
indicator light turn off.
Fourwheel drive system—
(a) Front drive control

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“H” mode (high speed position, two
wheel drive): Front drive control lever at
“H”, “4WD” switch left out
Use this for normal driving on dry hard
surfaced roads. This position gives greater
economy, quietest ride and least wear and
better vehicle control.
“H” mode (high speed position, four
wheel drive, center differential un-
locked): Front drive control lever at “H”,
“4WD” switch pushed once, center differ-
ential lock switch left out
Use this for normal driving on all types of
roads, from dry hardsurfaced roads to
wet, icy or snowcovered roads. This
position provides greater traction than
twowheel drive.
“H” mode (high speed position, four
wheel drive, center differential locked):
Front drive control lever at “H”, “4WD”
button pushed once center differential lock
switch pushed once
Use this for greater traction when you
experience a loss of power, such as
wheel slipping, in the center differential
unlock mode.
“N” mode (neutral position): Front drive
control lever at “N”
No power is delivered to the wheels. The
vehicle must be stopped. “L4” mode (low speed position, four
wheel drive, center differential un-
locked):
Front drive control lever at “L4”,
center differential lock switch left out
Use this for maximum power and traction.
Use this for climbing steep hills, offroad
driving, and hard pulling in sand or mud.
In this mode, the braking feeling that oc-
curs when the wheels are negotiating a
sharp corner is further reduced than in the
“L4” (low position, fourwheel drive, center
differential locked) mode.
If you place the transmission shift lever at
“2” in this mode, the transmission auto-
matically shifts up from second gear. This
system is effective when starting your ve-
hicle in sand, mud, ice or snow. (Howev-
er, the transmission system may shift up
from first gear when the vehicle starts too
quickly.) “L4” mode (low speed position, four
wheel drive, center differential locked):
Front drive control lever at “L4”, center
differential lock switch pushed once
Use this for maximum power and traction.
Use this for hard pulling in situations the
vehicle cannot negotiate even in the “L4”
(low speed position, fourwheel drive, cen-
ter differential unlocked) mode. Also, using
this mode when driving down steep off
road inclines will help contribute to in-
creased vehicle stability.
The indicator shows which transfer and
center differential mode the vehicle is in.
When the shifting operation has not been
completed after moving the lever, the
indicator flashes. If the indicator light does
not go off when you push out the center
differential lock switch, drive straight
ahead while accelerating or decelerating,
or drive in reverse. If the indicator flashes
even if doing so, contact your Toyota
dealer as soon as possible. There may be
a trouble in the four wheel drive system.
See “(c) Shifting procedure” for further in-
structions.

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Advice for driving on slippery roads in
“L4” (low speed position) mode
If you shift the front drive control lever to
“L4” and the automatic transmission lever
to “2” when you drive in steep offroad
areas, the output of the brake can be
controlled effectively by the active traction
control system, which assists the driver to
control the driving power of 4 wheels.
Use the “L” position of the automatic
transmission lever for maximum power
and traction when your wheels get stuck
or when you drive down a steep incline.
In the following cases, the output of the
brake can be controlled by the active trac-
tion control system if the engine speed is
under 3000 rpm (normally engine speed is
under 3000 rpm when the wheels get un-
stuck).
The front drive control lever in the “L4”
position and the automatic transmission
lever in the “L” position or the automat-
ic transmission lever in the “D” or “2”
with the transmission downshifting to
the first gear
The front drive control lever in the “L4”
position and the automatic transmission
lever in the “R” position(As for the automatic transmission lever
positions, see “Automatic transmission” in
this section.)
The A.D.D. can be engaged or disen-
gaged by the shifting operations des-
cribed in “(c) Shifting procedure”.
You should drive in fourwheel drive for
at least 16 km (10 miles) each month.
This will assure that the front drive com-
ponents are lubricated.
(b) A.D.D. (automatic
disconnecting differential)

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SHIFTING BETWEEN “H” (2WD) MODE
AND “H” (4WD) MODE
To shift from “H” (2WD) mode to “H”
(4WD) mode, reduce your speed to less
than 100 km/h (62 mph) and push in the
“4WD” switch.
If the indicator light flashes when you
push in the “4WD” switch, drive straight
ahead while accelerating or decelerating.
If the indicator light flashes and the buzz-
er sounds when you push in the “4WD”
switch, reduce your speed or stop the
vehicle and reset.
CAUTION
Never push the “4WD” switch if
wheels are slipping. Stop the slipping
or spinning before shifting.
To shift from “H” (4WD) mode to “H”
(2WD) mode, push the “4WD” switch
again to turn it off.
This can be done at any vehicle speed.
If the indicator light flashes when you
push in the “4WD” switch, drive straight
ahead while accelerating or decelerating,
or drive in reverse. SHIFTING BETWEEN “H” (4WD,
UNLOCKED) AND “H” (4WD, LOCKED)
To shift from “H” (4WD, UNLOCKED) to
“H” (4WD, LOCKED),
push in the center
differential lock switch.
If the indicator light flashes when you
push in the center differential lock switch,
drive straight ahead while accelerating or
decelerating.
If the indicator light flashes and the buzz-
er sounds when you push in the center
differential lock switch, reduce your speed
or stop the vehicle and reset.
CAUTION
Never push the center differential
lock switch if wheels are slipping.
Stop the slipping or spinning before
shifting.
NOTICE
Do not drive on a dry paved surface
in “H” (4WD, LOCKED) mode. This
may damage the locking mechanism
and the drive system.
To shift from “H” (4WD, LOCKED) to
“H” (4WD, UNLOCKED), left out the cen-
ter differential lock switch.
This can be done at any vehicle speed.
If the indicator light flashes when you left
out the center differential lock switch,
drive straight ahead while accelerating or
decelerating, or drive in reverse.
SHIFTING BETWEEN “H” AND “L4”
If the front drive control lever is shifted
from “L4” to “H”, the mode will be “H”
(4WD).
Stop the vehicle and put the transmission
in “N”. With your foot holding down the
brake pedal, move the front drive control
lever.
If the indicator light flashes when you
move the front drive control lever, drive
straight ahead while accelerating or decel-
erating.
CAUTION
Never move the front drive control
lever if wheels are slipping. Stop the
slipping or spinning before shifting.
(c) Shifting procedure

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CAUTION
Before driving, be sure the parking
brake is fully released and the park-
ing brake reminder light is off.
The cruise control allows you to cruise
the vehicle at a desired speed over 40
km/h (25 mph) even with your foot off
the accelerator pedal.
Your cruising speed can be maintained up
or down grades within the limits of engine
performance, although a slight speed
change may occur when driving up or
down the grades. On steeper hills, a
greater speed change will occur so it is
better to drive without the cruise control.
CAUTION
To help maintain maximum control
of your vehicle, do not use the
cruise control when driving in
heavy or varying traffic, or on slip-
pery (rainy, icy or snowcovered) or
winding roads.
Avoid vehicle speed increases when
driving downhill. If the vehicle
speed is too fast in relation to the
cruise control set speed, cancel the
cruise control then downshift the
transmission to use engine braking
to slow down.
TURNING THE SYSTEM ON
To operate the cruise control, press the
“ONOFF” button. This turns the system
on. The indicator light in the instrument
panel shows that you can now set the
vehicle at a desired cruising speed. Anoth-
er press will turn the system completely
off.
CAUTION
To avoid accidental cruise control en-
gagement, keep the “ONOFF” switch
off when not using the cruise control.
Cruise control

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SETTING AT A DESIRED SPEED
The transmission must be in “D” before
you set the cruise control speed.
Bring your vehicle to the desired speed,
push the lever down in the “ SET” direc-
tion and release it. This sets the vehicle
at that speed. If the speed is not satisfac-
tory, tap the lever up for a faster speed,
or tap it down for a slower speed. Each
tap changes the set speed by 1.6 km/h
(1.0 mph). You can now take your foot off
the accelerator pedal.If you need acceleration—for example,
when passing—depress the accelerator
pedal enough for the vehicle to exceed
the set speed. When you release it, the
vehicle will return to the speed set prior
to the acceleration.
CANCELLING THE PRESET SPEED
You can cancel the preset speed by:
a. Pulling the lever in the “CANCEL” di- rection and releasing it.
b. Depressing the brake pedal.
If the vehicle speed falls below about 40
km/h (25 mph), the preset speed will auto-
matically cancel out.
If the vehicle speed drops 16 km/h (10
mph) below the preset speed, the preset
speed will also automatically cancel out.
If the preset speed automatically cancels
out other than for the above cases, have
your vehicle checked by your Toyota deal-
er at the earliest opportunity. RESETTING TO A FASTER SPEED
Push the lever up in the “+ RES” direction
and hold it. Release the lever when the
desired speed is attained. While the lever
is held up, the vehicle will gradually gain
speed.
However, a faster way to reset is to ac-
celerate the vehicle and then push the
lever down in the “ SET” direction.
RESETTING TO A SLOWER SPEED
Push the lever down in the “ SET” direc-
tion and hold it. Release the lever when
the desired speed is attained. While the
lever is held down, the vehicle speed will
gradually decrease.
However, a faster way to reset is to de-
press the brake pedal and then push the
lever down in the “ SET” direction.
Even if you turn off the overdrive switch,
with the cruise control on, engine braking
will not be applied because the cruise
control is not cancelled. To decrease the
vehicle speed, reset to a slower speed
with the cruise control lever or depress
the brake pedal. If you use the brake
pedal, cruise control is cancelled.