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126 2-1. Driving procedures
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CAUTION
■When starting the engine
Always start the engine while sitting in the driver’s seat. Do not depress the
accelerator pedal while starting the engine under any circumstances.
Doing so may cause an accident resulting in death or serious injury.
■ Caution while driving
Do not turn the engine switch to the “LOCK” position while driving. If, in an
emergency, you must turn the engine off while the vehicle is moving, turn the
engine switch only to the “ACC” position to stop the engine. An accident may
result if the engine is stopped while driving.
NOTICE
■To prevent battery discharge
Do not leave the engine switch in the “ACC” or “ON” position for long periods
of time without the engine running.
■ When starting the engine
● Do not crank the engine for more than 30 seconds at a time. This may
overheat the starter and wiring systems.
● Do not race a cold engine.
● If the engine becomes difficult to start or stalls frequently, have the engine
checked immediately.
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2-1. Driving procedures
2
When driving
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Automatic transmission∗
∗: If equipped
Select a shift position appropriate for the driving conditions.
■Shifting the shift lever
While the engine switch is in the “ON” position, move the
shift lever with the brake pedal depressed.
When shifting the shift lever between P and D, make sure that the
vehicle is completely stopped.
■Shift position purpose
*: Shifting to the D position selects the most suitable gear for the particu-
lar driving condition. Setting the shift lever in the D position is recom-
mended for normal driving.
Shift positionFunction
PParking the vehicle/starting the engine
RReversing
NNeutral
DNormal driving*
3Position for engine braking
2Position for more powerful engine braking
LPosition for maximum engine braking
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2-4. Using other driving systems
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Driving assist systems
To help enhance driving safety and performance, the following sys-
tems operate automatically in response to various driving situations.
Be aware, however, that these systems are supplementary and
should not be relied upon too heavily when operating the vehicle.
■ ABS (Anti-lock Brake System)
Helps to prevent wheel lock when the brakes are applied suddenly, or if
the brakes are applied while driving on a slippery road surface.
■Brake assist
Generates an increased level of braking force after the brake pedal is
depressed when the system detects a panic stop situation.
■VSC (Vehicle Stability Control)
Helps the driver to control skidding when swerving suddenly or turning
on slippery road surfaces.
■TRAC (Traction Control)
Helps to maintain drive power and pr event the drive wheels from spin-
ning when starting the vehicle or accelerating on slippery roads.
■ EPS (Electric Power Steering)
Employs an electric motor to reduce the amount of effort needed to turn
the steering wheel.
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164 2-4. Using other driving systems
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Turning off both TRAC and VSC systems
To turn the TRAC and VSC sys-
tems off, press and hold the but-
ton for more than 3 seconds
while the vehicle is stopped.
The “TRAC OFF” indicator light
and VSC OFF indicator light will
come on.
Press the button again to turn the
systems back on.
■When the “TRAC OFF” indicator light comes on even if the VSC OFF
switch has not been pressed
TRAC system cannot be operated. Contact your Toyota dealer.
■ Sounds and vibrations caused by the ABS, brake assist, VSC and
TRAC
● A sound may be heard from the engine compartment when the engine is
started or just after the vehicle begins to move. This sound does not indi-
cate that a malfunction has occurred in any of these systems.
● Any of the following conditions may occur when the above systems are
operating. None of these indicates that a malfunction has occurred.
• Vibrations may be felt through the vehicle body and steering.
• A motor sound may be heard after the vehicle comes to a stop.
• The brake pedal may pulsate slightly after the ABS is activated.
• The brake pedal may move down slightly after the ABS is activated.
■ EPS operation sound
When the steering wheel is operated, a motor sound (whirring sound) may
be heard. This does not indicate a malfunction.
■ Reactivation of the TRAC/VSC system s after turning off the engine
Turning off the engine after turning off the TRAC/VSC systems will automati-
cally reactivate them.
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180 2-5. Driving information
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Trailer towing tipsYour vehicle will handle differently when towing a trailer. In order to
avoid accident, death or serious injury, keep the following in mind
when towing:
● Before starting out, check the trailer lights and the vehicle-trailer
connections. Recheck after driving a short distance.
● Practice turning, stopping and reversing with the trailer attached in
an area away from traffic until you become accustomed to the feel
of the vehicle.
● Reversing with a trailer attached is difficult and requires practice.
Grip the bottom of the steering wheel and move your hand to the
left to move the trailer to the left. Move your hand to the right to
move the trailer to the right. (This is generally opposite to reversing
without a trailer attached.) Avoid sharp or prolonged turning. Have
someone guide you when reversing to reduce the risk of an acci-
dent.
● As stopping distance is increased when towing a trailer, vehicle-to-
vehicle distance should be increased. For each 10 mph (16 km/h)
of speed, allow at least one vehicle and trailer length.
● Avoid sudden braking as you may skid, resulting in jackknifing and
loss of control. This is especially true on wet or slippery surfaces.
● Avoid jerky starts or sudden acceleration. Vehicles with a manual
transmission, prevent excessive clutch slippage by keeping engine
rpm low and not racing the engine. Always start out in first gear.
● Avoid jerky steering and sharp turns, and slow down before mak-
ing turn.
● Note that when making a turn, the trailer wheels will be closer than
the vehicle wheels to the inside of the turn. Compensate by making
a larger than normal turning radius.
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182 2-5. Driving information
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Always place wheel blocks under both the vehicle and the trailer
wheels when parking. Apply the parking brake firmly, and put the
transmission in P (vehicles with an automatic transmission) or in 1
or R (vehicles with a manual transmission). Avoid parking on a
slope, but if unavoidable, do so only after performing the following:
Apply the brakes and keep them applied.
Have someone place wheel blocks under both the vehicle and
trailer wheels.
When the wheel blocks are in place, release the brakes slowly
until the blocks absorb the load.
Apply the parking brake firmly.
Shift into P (vehicles with an automatic transmission) or 1 or R
(vehicles with a manual transmission) and turn off the engine.
● When restarting after parking on a slope:
With the transmission in P (vehicles with an automatic trans-
mission) or the clutch pedal (vehicles with a manual transmis-
sion) depressed, start the engine. On vehicles with an
automatic transmission, be sure to keep the brake pedal
pressed.
Shift into a forward gear. If reversing, shift into R.
Release the parking brake (also brake pedal on vehicles with
an automatic transmission), and slowly pull or back away from
the wheel blocks. Stop and apply the brakes.
Have someone retrieve the blocks.
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4-1. Maintenance and care
Cleaning and protecting the vehicle exterior
■Automatic car washes
● Fold the mirrors and remove the antenna before washing the vehicle.
Start washing from the front of the vehicle. Make sure to re-install the
antenna and extend the mirrors before driving.
● Brushes used in automatic car washes may scratch the vehicle surface
and harm your vehicle’s paint.
● For vehicles with the rear spoiler, in certain automatic car washes, the
rear spoiler may interfere with mach ine operation. This may prevent the
vehicle from being cleaned properly or result in damage to the rear
spoiler.
■ High pressure car washes
● Do not allow the nozzles of the car wash to come within close proximity
of the window and door borders, and high mounted stoplight.
● Before using the car wash, check that the fuel filler door on your vehicle
is closed properly.
Perform the following to protect the
vehicle and maintain it in prime
condition:
● Working from top to bottom, liberally apply water to the vehicle
body, wheel wells and underside of the vehicle to remove any
dirt and dust.
● Wash the vehicle body using a sponge or soft cloth, such as a
chamois.
● For hard-to-remove marks, use car wash soap and rinse thor-
oughly with water.
● Wipe away any water.
● Wax the vehicle when the waterproof coating deteriorates.
If water does not bead on a clean surface, apply wax when the vehi-
cle body is cool.
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4-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
4
Maintenance and care
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CAUTION
■
When raising your vehicle
Make sure to observe the following precautions to reduce the possibility of
death or serious injury:
●When using a floor jack, follow the in structions of the manual provided with
the jack.
● Do not use the jack that was supplied with your vehicle.
● Do not put any part of your body underneath the vehicle when it is sup-
ported only by the floor jack.
● Always use floor jack and/or automotive jack stands on a solid, flat, level
surface.
● Do not start the engine while the vehicle is supported by the floor jack.
● Stop the vehicle on level, firm ground, firmly set the parking brake and shift
the shift lever to P (vehicles with an automatic transmission) or R (vehicles
with a manual transmission).
● Make sure to set the floor jack properly at the jack point.
Raising the vehicle with an improperly positioned floor jack will damage
the vehicle and may cause the vehicle to fall off the floor jack.
●Lift up the vehicle using a floor jack
such as the one shown in the illustra-
tion.
●Do not jack the vehicle at the suspen-
sion. The suspension may be dam-
aged.Suspension
Front