2008 TOYOTA LAND CRUISER Owners Manual

211
2−5. Driving information
2
When driving
Offroad driving
When driving your vehicle off−road, please observe the following pre−
cautions to ensure your driving
enjoyment and to help prevent the
closure of areas to off−road vehicles.
l
Drive your vehicle only in areas where off−road vehicles are permit−
ted to travel.
lRespect private property. Get owner ’s permission before entering
private property.
lDo not enter areas that are closed. Honor gates, barriers and signs
that restrict travel.
lStay on established roads. When conditions are wet, driving tech−
niques should be changed or trav
el delayed to prevent damage to
roads.
nAdditional information for offroad driving
For owners in U.S. mainland, Hawaii and Puerto Rico:
To obtain additional information pertaining to driving your vehicle off−road,
consult the following organizations.
lState and Local Parks and Recreation Departments
lState Motor Vehicle Bureau
lRecreational Vehicle Clubs
l
U.S. Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management

212 2−5. Driving information
CAUTION
nOffroad driving precautions
Always observe the following precautions to help minimize the risk of serious
personal injury or damage to your vehicle:
lDrive carefully when off the road. Do not take unnecessary risks by driving
in dangerous places.
lDo not grip the steering wheel spokes when driving off−road. A bad bump
could jerk the wheel and injure your hands. Keep both hands and espe−
cially your thumbs on the outside of the rim.
lAlways check your brakes for effectiveness immediately after driving in
sand, mud, water or snow.
lAfter driving through tall grass, mud, rock, sand, rivers, etc., check that
there is no grass, bush, paper, rags, stone, sand, etc. adhering or trapped
on the underbody. Clear off any such matter from the underbody. If the
vehicle is used with these materials trapped or adhering to the underbody,
a breakdown or fire could occur.
l
When driving off−road or in rugged terrain, do not drive at excessive
speeds, jump, make sharp turns, strike objects, etc. This may cause loss
of control or vehicle rollover causing death or serious injury. You are also
risking expensive damage to your vehicle’s suspension and chassis.

213
2−5. Driving information
2
When driving
NOTICE
nTo prevent the water damage
Take all necessary safety measures to ensure that water damage to the
engine or other components does not occur.
lWater entering the engine air intake will cause severe engine damage.
lWater entering the automatic transmission will cause deterioration in shift
quality, locking up of your transmission accompanied by vibration, and ulti−
mately damage.
lWater can wash the grease from wheel bearings, causing rusting and pre−
mature failure, and may also enter the differentials, transmission and
transfer case, reducing the gear oil’s lubricating qualities.
nWhen you drive through water
If driving through water, such as when crossing shallow streams, first check
the depth of the water and the bottom of the river bed for firmness. Drive
slowly and avoid deep water.
nInspection after offroad driving
l
Sand and mud that has accumulat ed in brake drums and around brake
discs may affect braking efficiency and may damage brake system compo−
nents.
l
Always perform a maintenance inspection after each day of off−road driv−
ing that has taken you through rough terrain, sand, mud, or water. For
scheduled maintenance information, refer to the “Scheduled Maintenance
Guide” or “Owner ’s Manual Supplement”.

214
2−5. Driving information
Cargo and luggage
Take notice of the following information about storage precau
tions, cargo capacity and load.
lStow cargo and luggage in the luggage compartment when−
ever possible. Be sure all items are secured in place.
lBe careful to keep the vehicle le vel. Placing the weight as far
forward as possible helps maintain vehicle balance.
lFor better fuel economy, do not carry unnecessary weight.
n
Roof luggage carrier
Roof rails
Cross rails
1
2
ITY25C039

215
2−5. Driving information
2
When driving
Adjusting the position of cross rails
Turn the knobs counterclockwise
to release the cross rails.
Slide the cross rails to the appro−
priate position for loading lug−
gage and turn the knobs
clockwise to tighten the cross
rails securely.
ITY25C040
STEP1
ITY25C041
STEP2

216 2−5. Driving information
Capacity and distribution
Cargo capacity depends on the total weight of the occupants.
(Cargo capacity) = (Total load capa
city) — (Total weight of occupants)
Steps for Determining Correct Load Limit—
(1) Locate the statement “The co
mbined weight of occupants and
cargo should never exceed XXX kg or XXX lbs.” on your vehi−
cle’s placard.
(2) Determine the combined weight of the driver and passengers
that will be riding in your vehicle.
(3) Subtract the combined weight of
the driver and passengers from
XXX kg or XXX lbs.
(4) The resulting figure equals the available amount of cargo and
luggage load capacity.
For example, if the “XXX” amount
equals 1400 lbs. and there will
be five 150 lb passengers in your vehicle, the amount of avail−
150) = 650 lbs.)
(5) Determine the combined weight of luggage and cargo being
loaded on the vehicle.
That weight may not safely ex
ceed the available cargo and lug−
gage load capacity calculated in Step 4.
(6) If your vehicle will be towing a trailer, load from your trailer will
be transferred to your vehicle. Consult this manual to determine
how this reduces the available cargo and luggage load capacity
of your vehicle. (
P. 221)

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2−5. Driving information
2
When driving
Example on your vehicle
Cargo capacity
Total load capacity
When 2 people with the combined weight of 366 lb. (166 kg) are
riding in your vehicle, which has a total load capacity of 1235 lb. (560
kg), the available amount of cargo and luggage load capacity will be
as follows:
1235 lb. — 366 lb. = 869 lb. (560 kg — 166 kg = 394 kg)
In this condition, if 3 more pa ssengers with the combined weight of
388 lb. (176 kg) get on, the available cargo and luggage load will be
reduced as follows:
869 lb. — 388 lb. = 481 lb. (394 kg — 176 kg = 218 kg)
As shown in the above example,
if the number of occupants
increases, the cargo and luggage load equaling the combined weight
of the occupants who got on later,
by an amount. In other words, if an
increase in the number of occupants causes an excess of the total
load capacity (combined weight of occupants plus cargo and luggage
load), you must reduce the ca
rgo and luggage on your vehicle.

218 2−5. Driving information
CAUTION
n Things that must not be carried in the luggage compartment
The following things may cause a fire if loaded in the luggage compart−
ment.
lReceptacles containing gasoline
lAerosol cans
n Storage precautions
lDo not stack anything in the luggage compartment higher than the
seatbacks.
Such items may be thrown about and possibly injure people in the
vehicle during sudden braking or in an accident.
lDo not place cargo or luggage in or on the following locations as the
item may get under the brake or accelerator pedal and prevent the
pedals from being depressed properly
, block the driver ’s vision, or hit
the driver or passengers, causing an accident.
Feet of the driver
Front passenger or rear seats (when stacking items)
Instrument panel
Dashboard
Auxiliary box or tray that has no lid
lSecure all items in the occupant compartment, as they may shift and
injure someone during an accident or sudden braking.
lNever allow anyone to ride in the luggage compartment. It is not
designed for passengers. They should ride in their seats with their seat
belts properly fastened. Otherwise, th
ey are much more likely to suffer
death or serious injury, in the event of sudden braking or a collision.