
158ENGINE (IGNITION) SWITCH, TRANSMISSION AND PARKING BRAKE
ST16005
“VSC” warning light
This light warns that there is a problem
somewhere in the traction control system
or the vehicle stability control system.
The light will come on when the engine
switch is turned to the “ON” position and
will go off after a few seconds.
If the light comes on while driving, the
systemdoes not work. However, as con-
ventional braking operates when applied,
there is no problem to continue your driv-
ing.
In the following cases, contact any autho-
rized Toyota dealer or repairer, or another
duly qualified and equipped professional:
DThe warning light does not come on
after the engine switch is turned to the
“ON” position.
DThe warning light remains on after the
engine switch is turned to the “ON”
position.
DThe warning light comes on while driv-
ing.The vehicle stability controlsystem au-
tomatically controls the brakes and en-
gine to help prevent the vehicle from
skidding when cornering on a slippery
road surface or operating steering
wheel abruptly.
The vehicle stability control system is acti-
vated when the vehicle speed is more
than 15 km/h (9 mph).
You may hear a sound in the engine
compartment for a few seconds when the
engine is started or just after the vehicle
begins to move. This means that the sys-
tem is in the self−check mode but does
not indicate a malfunction.
CAUTION
DDo not rely excessively on the ve-
hicle stability controlsystem. Even
if the system is operating, you
must always drive carefully and at-
tentively. Reckless driving will re-
sult in an unexpected accident and
cause death or serious injury. If the
slip indicator light blinks, and spe-
cial care should be taken while
driving.
DOnly use tires of specified size. The
size, manufacture, brand and tread
pattern for all 4 tires should be the
same. If you use the tires other
than specified, or different type or
size, the vehicle stability control
system may not function correctly.
When replacing the tires or wheels,
contact any authorized Toyota deal-
er or repairer, or another duly quali-
fied professional. (See “Checking
and replacing tires” on page 270 in
Section 7−2.)
DIn situations where the road surface
is covered with ice or snow, your
vehicle should be fitted with snow
tire or tire chains.
11 02.18
AYGO WE 99E37E
Vehicle stability control
system

INFORMATION BEFORE DRIVING YOUR TOYOTA193
Section 2
INFORMATION BEFORE DRIVING YOUR
TOYOTA
DBreak−in period 194.......................................
DFuel 194..................................................
DFuel pump shut off system 196..............................
DOperation in foreign countries 196...........................
DThree−way catalytic converter 197..........................
DEngine exhaust cautions 198...............................
DFacts about engine oil consumption 199.....................
DBrake system 200.........................................
DElectric power steering system 204..........................
DLuggage stowage precautions 205..........................
DYour Toyota’s identification 206.............................
DTheft prevention labels 207.................................
DSuspension and chassis 208................................
AYGO WE 99E37E11 02.18

INFORMATION BEFORE DRIVING YOUR TOYOTA201
DYou may hear the anti−lock brake sys-
tem operating and feel the brake pedal
pulsating and the vibrations of the ve-
hicle body and steering wheel. You
may also hear the motor sound in the
engine compartment even after the ve-
hicle is stopped.
DAt the end of the anti−lock brake sys-
tem activation, the brake pedal may
movealittleforward.
CAUTION
Do not overestimate the anti−lock
brake system: Although the anti−lock
brake system assists in providing ve-
hicle control, it is still important to
drive with all due care and maintain
a moderate speed and safe distance
from the vehicle in front of you, be-
cause there are limits to the vehicle
stability and effectiveness of steering
wheel operation even with the anti−
lock brake system on.
If tire grip performance exceeds its
capability, or if hydroplaning occurs
during high speed driving in the rain,
the anti−lock brake system does not
provide vehicle control.
Anti−lock brake system is not de-
signed to shorten the stopping dis-
tance: Always drive at a moderate
speed and maintain a safe distance
from the vehicle in front of you.
Compared with vehicles without an
anti−lock brake system, your vehicle
may require a longer stopping dis-
tance in the following cases:
DDriving on rough, gravel or snow−
covered roads.
DDriving with tire chains installed.
DDriving over the steps such as the
joints on the road.
DDriving on roads where the road
surface is pitted or has other differ-
ences in surface height.
Install all 4 tires of specified size at
appropriate pressure: The anti−lock
brake system detects vehicle speeds
using the speed sensors for respec-
tive wheels’ turning speeds. The use
of tires other than specified may fail
to detect the accurate turning speed
resulting in a longer stopping dis-
tance.
AYGO WE 99E37E11 02.18

204INFORMATION BEFORE DRIVING YOUR TOYOTA
The electric power steering system, us-
ing an electric motor, assists the turn-
ing of the steering wheel.
In the following cases, you may feel the
steering becomes heavy. However, the
electric power steering system warning
light does not come on. (Because it is
not a malfunction.)
DWhen maneuvering or turning frequently
over a long time
The power steering effect will be re-
duced to prevent the system from over-
heating. Avoid turning the steering
wheel, or stop the vehicle and turn the
engine switch to “ACC” or “LOCK”. The
system will become cool inabout 10
minutes.
NOTICE
Frequent maneuvering and turning
over a long time may cause damage
to the system in which the mecha-
nism prevents overheating of the elec-
tric power steering system.
DWhen racing the engine for 30 seconds
or more with the vehicle stopped
The normal power steering effect will
be obtained when you start driving.
DWhen the battery is discharged
Check the battery’s condition. If
necessary, recharge or replace the
battery. For details, see “Checking
battery condition” on page 278 in
Section 7−3.
INFORMATION
When the steering wheel is turned, a
motor operating sound (whining
sound) may be heard. This occurs
when the power steering motor works
and is not defective.
MS21008
Electric power steering system warning
light
The light comes on when the engine
switch is turned to the “ON” position. If
the electric power steering system warning
light works properly, the light turns off
after a few seconds. If thesystem has
malfunctions, the light comes on again.
If either of the following conditions oc-
cur, this indicates a malfunction some-
where in the parts monitored by the
warning light system. Contact any au-
thorized Toyota dealer or repairer, or
another duly qualified and equipped
professional, as soon as possible to
service the vehicle.
DThe light does not come on when the
engine switch is turned to the “ON”
position or remains on.
DThe light stays on while you are driv-
ing.
The warning light turning on while racing
the engine for a long time may not indi-
cate malfunction. To turn off the light, re-
start the engine and start driving.
AYGO WE 99E37E11 02.18
Electric power steering
system

INFORMATION BEFORE DRIVING YOUR TOYOTA205
CAUTION
If the electric power steering system
warning light comes on, take your ve-
hicle to any authorized Toyota dealer
or repairer, or another duly qualified
and equipped professional, as soon
as possible. In this case, more effort
is required for the steering wheel to
turn than usual. Drive your vehicle
while firmly gripping the steering
wheel.
Luggage stowage precautions
When stowing cargo and luggage in the
vehicle, observe the following:
DPut cargo and luggage in the luggage
compartment when at all possible. Be
sure all items are secured in place.
DBe careful to keep the vehicle bal-
anced. Locating the weight as far for-
ward as possible helps maintain bal-
ance.
DFor better fuel economy, do not carry
unnecessary weight.
CAUTION
DTo prevent cargo and luggage from
sliding forward during braking, do
not stack anything in the luggage
compartment higher than the seat-
backs. Keep cargo and luggage low,
as close to the floor as possible.
DNever allow anyone to ride in the
luggage compartment. It is not de-
signed for passengers. They should
ride in their seats with their seat
belts properly fastened. Otherwise,
they are much more likely to suffer
death or serious bodily injury, in
the event of sudden braking or a
collision.
DDo not place anything on the lug-
gage cover behind the rear seat-
back. Such items may be thrown
about and possibly injure people in
the vehicle during sudden braking
or an accident.
DDo not drive with objects left on
top of the instrument panel. They
may interfere with the driver’s field
of view. Or they may move during
sharp vehicle acceleration or turn-
ing, and impair the driver ’s control
of the vehicle. In an accident they
may injure the vehicle occupants.
AYGO WE 99E37E11 02.18

210STARTING AND DRIVING
Before starting the engine
1. Check the area around the vehicle be-
fore entering it.
2. Adjust the seat position, seatback
angle and steering wheel angle.
3. Adjust the inside and outside rear view
mirrors.
4. Close all doors.
5. Fasten seat belts.1. Apply the parking brake firmly.
2. Turn off unnecessary lights and acces-
sories.
3.Multi−mode manual transmission:
Turn the engine switch to “ON” posi-
tion. Hold down the brake pedal firmly,
and place the shift lever to the “N”
position. Make sure that the “N” indi-
cator in the instrument cluster comes
on. A starter safety device will prevent
the starter from operating if the shift
lever is in a position except “N” or the
brake pedal is not depressed.
Manual transmission:Press the clutch
pedal to the floor and shift the trans-
mission into neutral. Hold the clutch
pedal to the floor until the engine is
started. A starter safety device will pre-
vent the starter from operating if the
clutch pedal is not fully depressed.
AYGO WE 99E37E11 02.18
How to start the engine
(a) Before cranking

214STARTING AND DRIVING
Driving in the rain
Driving on a slippery road surface
Drive carefully when it is raining, because
visibility will be reduced, the windows may
become fogged−up, and the road will be
slippery.
DDrive carefully when it starts to rain,
because the road surface will be espe-
cially slippery.
DRefrain from high speeds when driving
on an expressway in the rain, because
there may be a layer of water between
the tires and the road surface, prevent-
ing the steering and brakes from oper-
ating properly.
CAUTION
DSudden braking, acceleration and
steering when driving on a slippery
road surface may cause tire slip-
page and reduce your ability to
control the vehicle, resulting in an
accident.
DSudden changes in engine speed,
such as sudden engine braking,
may cause the vehicle to skid, re-
sulting in an accident.
DAfter driving through a puddle,
lightly depress the brake pedal to
make sure that the brakes are func-
tioning properly. Wet brake pads
may prevent the brakes from func-
tioning properly. If the brakes on
only one side are wet and not func-
tioning properly, steering control
may be affected, resulting in an ac-
cident.
When encountering flooded roads
Do not drive on a road that has flooded
after heavy rain etc. Doing so may cause
serious damage to the vehicle.
NOTICE
Driving on a flooded road may cause
the engine to stall as well as cause
serious vehicle malfunctions such as
shorts in electrical components and
engine damage from water immersion.
In the event that you drive on a
flooded road and the vehicle is
flooded, be sure to have your Toyota
dealer check brake function, changes
in quantity and quality of engine oil,
transaxle fluid, etc. and lubricant con-
dition for the bearings and suspen-
sion joints (where possible) and the
function of all joints and bearings.
AYGO WE 99E37E11 02.18

STARTING AND DRIVING215
Winter driving tips
Make sure your coolant is properly pro-
tected against freezing.
Only use “Toyota Super Long Life Coolant”
or similar high quality ethylene glycol
based non−silicate, non−amine, non−nitrite,
and non−borate coolant with long−life hy-
brid organic acid technology. (Coolant with
long−life hybrid organic acid technology is
a combination of low phosphates and or-
ganic acids.)
See “Checking the engine coolant level”
on page 267 in Section 7−2 for details of
coolant type selection.
“Toyota Super Long Life Coolant” is a mix-
ture of 50% coolant and 50% deionized
water. This coolant provides protection
down to about−35_C(−31_F).
NOTICE
Do not use plain water alone.
Check the condition of the battery and
cables.
Cold temperatures reduce the capacity of
any battery, so it must be in top shape
to provide enough power for winter start-
ing. Section 7−3 tells you how to visually
inspect the battery. Any authorized Toyota
dealer or repairer, or another duly quali-
fied and equipped professional, will be
pleased to check the level of charge.
Make sure the engine oil viscosity is
suitable for the cold weather.
See page 264 in Section 7−2forrecom-
mended viscosity. Leaving a heavy sum-
mer oil in your vehicle during winter
months may make starting harder. If you
are not sure about which oil to use, call
any authorized Toyota dealer or repairer,
or another duly qualified and equipped
professional, they will be pleased to help.
Keep the door locks from freezing.
Squirt lock de−icer or glycerine into the
locks to keep them from freezing.Use a washer fluid containing an anti-
freeze solution.
This product is available at any authorized
Toyota dealer or repairer and most auto
parts stores or another qualified profes-
sional. Follow the manufacturer ’s direc-
tions for how much to mix with water.
NOTICE
Do not use engine antifreeze or any
other substitute because it may dam-
age your vehicle’s paint.
Do not use your parking brake when
there is a possibility it could freeze.
When parking, put the transmission into
“M(1)”, “E(1)” or “R” (multi−mode manual
transmission), or into first or reverse
(manual transmission) and block the rear
wheels. Do not use the parking brake,
snow or water accumulated in and around
the parking brake mechanism may freeze,
making it hard to release.
Keep ice and snow from accumulating
under the fenders.
Ice and snow built up under your fenders
can make steering difficult. During bad
winter driving, stop and check under the
fenders occasionally.
Depending on where you are driving,
we recommend you carry some emer-
gency equipment.
Some of the things you might put in the
vehicle are tire chains, a window scraper,
a bag of sand or salt, flares, a small
shovel, jumper cables, etc.
AYGO WE 99E37E11 02.18