Page 118 of 636

118 1-7. Safety information
HILUX_EE (OM0K132E)
CAUTION
SRS airbag precautions
Observe the following precautions regarding the SRS airbags.
Failure to do so may cause death or serious injury.
The driver and all passengers in the vehicle must wear their seat belts
properly.
The SRS airbags are supplemental devices to be used with the seat belts.
The SRS driver airbag deploys with considerable force, and can cause
death or serious injury especially if the driver is very close to the airbag.
Since the risk zone for the driver’s airbag is the first 50 - 75 mm (2 - 3 in.)
of inflation, placing yourself 250 mm (10 in.) from your driver airbag pro-
vides you with a clear margin of safety. This distance is measured from the
center of the steering wheel to your breastbone. If you sit less than 250
mm (10 in.) away now, you can change your driving position in several
ways:
• Move your seat to the rear as far as you can while still reaching the
pedals comfortably.
• Slightly recline the back of the seat.
Although vehicle designs vary, many drivers can achieve the 250 mm
(10 in.) distance, even with the driver seat all the way forward, simply
by reclining the back of the seat somewhat. If reclining the back of your
seat makes it hard to see the road, raise yourself by using a firm, non-
slippery cushion, or raise the seat if your vehicle has that feature.
• If your steering wheel is adjustable, tilt it downward. This points the air-
bag toward your chest instead of your head and neck.
The seat should be adjusted as recommended above, while still maintain-
ing control of the foot pedals, steering wheel, and your view of the instru-
ment panel controls.
Page 121 of 636

121 1-7. Safety information
1
Before driving
HILUX_EE (OM0K132E)
CAUTION
SRS airbag precautions
Vehicles with SRS side and curtain shield airbags: Do not hang coat hang-
ers or other hard objects on the coat hooks. All of these items could
become projectiles and may cause death or serious injury, should the SRS
curtain shield airbags deploy.
Vehicles with SRS side and curtain shield airbags: Do not use seat acces-
sories which cover the parts where the SRS side airbags inflate as they
may interfere with inflation of the SRS airbags. Such accessories may pre-
vent the side airbags from activating correctly, disable the system or cause
the side airbags to inflate accidentally, resulting in death or serious injury.
Do not attach anything to or lean any-
thing against areas such as the dash-
board or steering wheel pad.
These items can become projectiles
when the SRS driver and front passen-
ger airbags deploy.
Vehicles with SRS side and curtain
shield airbags: Do not attach anything
to areas such as a door, windshield
glass, side door glass, front or rear pil-
lar, roof side rail and assist grip.
Page 122 of 636

122 1-7. Safety information
HILUX_EE (OM0K132E)
CAUTION
SRS airbag precautions
Do not strike or apply significant levels of force to the area of the SRS air-
bag components.
Doing so can cause the SRS airbags to malfunction.
Do not touch any of the component parts immediately after the SRS air-
bags have deployed (inflated) as they may be hot.
If breathing becomes difficult after the SRS airbags have deployed, open a
door or window to allow fresh air in, or leave the vehicle if it is safe to do
so. Wash off any residue as soon as possible to prevent skin irritation.
If the areas where the SRS airbags are stored, such as the steering wheel
pad and front and rear pillar garnishes, are damaged or cracked, have
them replaced by any authorized Toyota dealer or repairer, or another duly
qualified and equipped professional.
Modification and disposal of SRS airbag system components
Do not dispose of your vehicle or perform any of the following modifications
without consulting any authorized Toyota dealer or repairer, or another duly
qualified and equipped professional. The SRS airbags may malfunction or
deploy (inflate) accidentally, causing death or serious injury.
Installation, removal, disassembly and repair of the SRS airbags
Repairs, modifications, removal or replacement of the steering wheel,
instrument panel, dashboard, seats or seat upholstery, front, side and rear
pillars or roof side rails
Repairs or modifications of the front fender, front bumper, or side of the
occupant compartment
Installation of snow plows, winches, etc. to the front grille (bull bars or kan-
garoo bar etc.)
Modifications to the vehicle’s suspension system
Installation of electronic devices such as RF-transmitter and CD players
Page 145 of 636

2When driving
145
HILUX_EE (OM0K132E)
2-1. Driving procedures
Driving the vehicle ............ 146
Engine (ignition) switch..... 162
Automatic transmission .... 166
Manual transmission......... 170
Turn signal lever ............... 173
Parking brake ................... 174
Horn .................................. 175
2-2. Instrument cluster
Gauges and meters .......... 176
Indicators and
warning lights.................. 180
Multi-information
display ............................ 1852-3. Operating the lights and
wipers
Headlight switch................ 191
Fog light switch ................. 195
Windshield wipers and
washer ............................ 199
Headlight cleaner
switch.............................. 201
2-4. Using other driving systems
Cruise control.................... 202
Rear view monitor
system ............................ 206
Four-wheel drive
system ............................ 211
Rear differential lock
system ............................ 216
Driving assist systems ...... 220
DPF (Diesel Particulate
Filter) system .................. 226
2-5. Driving information
Cargo and luggage ........... 231
Winter driving tips ............. 234
Trailer towing .................... 238
Page 147 of 636
147 2-1. Driving procedures
2
When driving
HILUX_EE (OM0K132E)
Stopping
Automatic transmission
With the shift lever in D, depress the brake pedal.
If necessary, set the parking brake.
If the vehicle is to be stopped for an extended period of time, shift
the shift lever to P or N. (P. 166)
Manual transmission
While depressing the clutch pedal, depress the brake
pedal.
If necessary, set the parking brake.
If the vehicle is to be stopped for an extended period of time, shift
the shift lever to N. (P. 170)
Parking the vehicle
Automatic transmission
With the shift lever in D, depress the brake pedal.
Set the parking brake. (P. 174)
Shift the shift lever to P. (P. 166)
If parking on a hill, block the wheels as needed.
Turn the engine switch to the “LOCK” position to stop the
engine.
Lock the door, making sure that you have the key on your
person.
STEP1
STEP2
STEP1
STEP2
STEP1
STEP2
STEP3
STEP4
STEP5
Page 148 of 636
148 2-1. Driving procedures
HILUX_EE (OM0K132E)
Starting off on a steep uphill
Automatic transmission
Make sure that the parking brake is set and shift the shift lever
to D.
Gently depress the accelerator pedal.
Release the parking brake.
Manual transmission
With the parking brake firmly set and the clutch pedal fully
depressed, shift the shift lever to 1.
Lightly depress the accelerator pedal at the same time as
gradually releasing the clutch pedal.
Release the parking brake.
Manual transmission
While depressing the clutch pedal, depress the brake
pedal.
Set the parking brake. (P. 174)
Shift the shift lever to N. (P. 170)
If parking on a hill, shift the shift lever to 1 or R and block the
wheels as needed.
Turn the engine switch to the “LOCK” position to stop the
engine.
Lock the door, making sure that you have the key on your
person.
STEP1
STEP2
STEP3
STEP4
STEP5
STEP1
STEP2
STEP3
STEP1
STEP2
STEP3
Page 153 of 636

153 2-1. Driving procedures
2
When driving
HILUX_EE (OM0K132E)
CAUTION
During normal driving, do not turn off the engine. Turning the engine off
while driving will not cause loss of steering or braking control, but the
power assist to these systems will be lost. This will make it more difficult to
steer and brake, so you should pull over and stop the vehicle as soon as it
is safe to do so.
However, in the event of an emergency, such as if it becomes impossible
to stop the vehicle in the normal way: P. 590
Use engine braking (downshift) to maintain a safe speed when driving
down a steep hill.
Using the brakes continuously may cause the brakes to overheat and lose
effectiveness. (P. 167)
Do not adjust the positions of the steering wheel, the seat, or the inside or
outside rear view mirrors while driving.
Doing so may result in a loss of vehicle control that can cause accidents,
resulting in death or serious injury.
Always check that all passengers’ arms, heads or other parts of their body
are not outside the vehicle, as this may result in death or serious injury.
On vehicles with manual transmission, do not operate the clutch halfway
for a long period of time unless it is necessary. Doing so could not only
speed up clutch wear, but could also damage the clutch or even cause a
fatal accident such as vehicle fire.
Page 160 of 636

160 2-1. Driving procedures
HILUX_EE (OM0K132E)
NOTICE
When parking the vehicle
On vehicles with automatic transmission, always shift the shift lever to P.
Failure to do so may cause the vehicle to move or the vehicle may acceler-
ate suddenly if the accelerator pedal is accidentally depressed.
Avoiding damage to vehicle parts
Do not turn the steering wheel fully in either direction and hold it there for
an extended period of time.
Doing so may damage the power steering pump.
When driving over bumps in the road, drive as slowly as possible to avoid
damaging the wheels, underside of the vehicle, etc.
Make sure to idle the engine immediately after high-speed driving or hill
climbing. Stop the engine only after the turbocharger has cooled down.
Failure to do so may cause damage to the turbocharger.
If you get a flat tire while driving
A flat or damaged tire may cause the following situations. Hold the steering
wheel firmly and gradually depress the brake pedal to slow down the vehicle.
It may be difficult to control your vehicle.
The vehicle will make abnormal sounds or vibrations.
The vehicle will lean abnormally.
Information on what to do in case of a flat tire. (P. 557)