Page 345 of 439
344
5-1. Essential information
Emergency flashers
NOTICE
■To prevent battery discharge
Do not leave the emergency flashers on longer than necessary when the
engine is not running.
Use the emergency flashers if the vehicle malfunctions or is
involved in an accident.
Press the switch to flash all
the turn signal lights. To turn
them off, press the switch
once again.
Page 346 of 439

5
When trouble arises
345
5-1. Essential information
If your vehicle needs to be towed
Before towing
The following may indicate a problem with your transmission. Contact
your Toyota dealer before towing.
●The engine is running, but the vehicle will not move.
●The vehicle makes an abnormal sound.
Emergency towing
If a tow truck is not available, in an emergency your vehicle may be
temporarily towed using a cable or chain secured to the emergency
towing eyelet. This should only attempted on hard, surfaced roads for
short distances at low speeds.
A driver must be in the vehicle to steer and operate the brakes. The
vehicle’s wheels, drive train, axles, steering and brakes must be in
good condition.
Towing eyelet
If towing is necessary, we recommend having your vehicle towed by
your Toyota dealer or a commercial towing service, using a lift-type
truck or a flat bed truck.
Use a safety chain system for all towing, and abide by all state/pro-
vincial and local laws.
The wheels and axle on the ground must be in good condition.
If they are damaged, use a towing dolly or flat bed truck.
Page 347 of 439

346 5-1. Essential information
■Emergency towing procedure
The engine switch must be in the ACC (engine off) or the ON
(engine running) position.
4WD models with an automatic transmission: Shift the front-wheel
drive control lever in H2.
4WD models with a manual transmission: Unlock the center differ-
ential.
Put the shift lever in N.
Release the parking brake.
CAUTION
■Caution while towing
●Use extreme caution when towing the vehicle.
Avoid sudden starts or erratic driving maneuvers which place excessive
stress on the emergency towing eyelet and the cables or chains.
●If the engine is not running, the power assist for the brakes and steering
will not function, making steering and braking more difficult.
NOTICE
■To prevent causing serious damage to the transmission
(vehicles with an automatic transmission)
Never tow this vehicle from the rear with the four wheels on the ground.
This may cause serious damage to the transmission.
■Emergency towing eyelet precautions
●Before emergency towing, check that the eyelet is not broken or damaged.
●Fasten the towing cable or chain securely to the eyelet.
●Do not jerk the eyelet. Apply steady and even force.
●To avoid damaging the eyelet, do not pull from the side or at a vertical
angle. Always pull straight ahead.
Page 349 of 439
348 5-1. Essential information
Towing with a wheel lift-type truck from the rear
2WD models
Turn the engine switch to the
ACC position.
4WD models
Vehicles with a manual transmis-
sion: Use a towing dolly under
the front wheels.
Vehicles with an automatic trans-
mission: When not using a tow-
ing dolly, turn the engine switch
to the ACC position, shift the
shift lever to N and shift the front-
wheel drive control lever in H2.
NOTICE
■To prevent causing serious damage to the transmission (4WD models)
Never tow this vehicle wheels on the ground.
■To prevent damaging the vehicle
●Do not tow the vehicle with the key removed or in the LOCK position.
The steering lock mechanism is not strong enough to hold the front wheel
straight.
●When raising the vehicle, ensure adequate ground clearance for towing at
the opposite end of the raised vehicle. Without adequate clearance, the
vehicle could be damaged while being towed.
Page 351 of 439
350
5-1. Essential information
If you think something is wrong
If you notice any of the following symptoms, your vehicle probably
needs adjustment or repair. Contact your Toyota dealer as soon as
possible.
■Visible symptoms
●Fluid leaks under the vehicle
(Water dripping from the air conditioning after use is normal.)
●Flat-looking tires or uneven tire wear
●Engine coolant temperature gauge needle continually points
higher than normal
●Voltmeter continually points higher or lower than normal.
■Audible symptoms
●Changes in exhaust sound
●Excessive tire squeal when cornering
●Strange noises related to the suspension system
●Pinging or other noises related to the engine
■Operational symptoms
●Engine missing, stumbling or running rough
●Appreciable loss of power
●Vehicle pulls heavily to one side when braking
●Vehicle pulls heavily to one side when driving on a level road
●Loss of brake effectiveness, spongy feeling, pedal almost
touches the floor
Page 352 of 439
5
When trouble arises
351
5-1. Essential information
Fuel pump shut off system
Follow the procedure below to restart the engine after the system is
activated.
Turn the engine switch to the ACC or LOCK position.
Restart the engine.
NOTICE
■Before starting the engine
Inspect the ground under the vehicle.
If you find that fuel has leaked onto the ground, the fuel system has been
damaged and is in need of repair. Do not restart the engine.
To minimize the risk of fuel leakage when the engine stalls or an air-
bag inflates upon collision, the fuel pump shut off system stops sup-
plying fuel to the engine.
Page 353 of 439

352
5-1. Essential information
Event data recorder
In a crash or a near car crash event
The SRS airbag sensor assembly contains the EDR. In a crash or a
near car crash event, this device may record some or all of the follow-
ing information:
●Engine speed
●Whether the brake pedal was applied or not
●Vehicle speed
●To what extent the accelerator pedal was depressed
●Position of the transmission shift lever
●Whether the driver and front passenger wore seat belts or not
●Driver’s seat position
●SRS airbag deployment data
●SRS airbag system diagnostic data
●Front passenger’s occupant classification
The information above is intended to be used for the purpose of
improving vehicle safety performance. Unlike general data recorders,
the EDR does not record sound data such as conversation between
passengers.
Your vehicle has computers that monitor and control certain aspects
of your vehicle. These computers assist in driving and maintaining
optimal vehicle performance.
Besides storing data useful for troubleshooting, there is an event
data recorder (EDR) that records data in a crash or a near car
crash event.
Page 356 of 439

5
When trouble arises
355 5-2. Steps to take in an emergency
Stop the vehicle immediately.
The following warnings indicate the possibility of damage to the vehi-
cle that may lead to an accident. Immediately stop the vehicle in a
safe place and contact your Toyota dealer.
*: The light may come on when the oil level is extremely low. It is not designed
to indicate low oil level, and the oil level must be checked using the engine
oil level dipstick.
Have the vehicle inspected immediately.
Failing to investigate the cause of the following warnings may lead to
the system operating abnormally and possibly cause an accident.
Have the vehicle inspected by your Toyota dealer immediately.
Warning lightWarning light/Details
Charging system warning light
Indicates a malfunction in the vehicle’s charging sys-
tem.
Low engine oil pressure warning light
Indicates that the engine oil pressure is too low*.
Warning lightWarning light/Details
Malfunction indicator lamp
Indicates a malfunction in:
• The electronic engine control system;
• The electronic throttle control system;
• The electronic automatic transmission control sys-
tem; or
• Emission control system.
SRS warning light
Indicates a malfunction in:
• The SRS airbag system;
• The front passenger occupant classification system;
or
• The seat belt pretensioner system.