
1494-1. Before driving
4
Driving
COROLLA_TMMMS_TMMC_U (OM12J84U)
nWhen starting off on an uphill
The hill-start assist control will activate. ( P. 215)
n Driving in the rain
lDrive carefully when it is raining, because visibility will be reduced, the win-
dows may become fogged-up, and the road will be slippery.
l Drive carefully when it starts to rain, because the road surface will be espe-
cially slippery.
l Refrain 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 sur-
face, preventing the steering and  brakes from operating properly.
n Engine speed while driving (except  vehicles with a manual transmis-
sion)
In the following conditions, the engine speed may become high while driving.
This is due to automatic up-shifting control or down-shifting implementation to
meet driving conditions. It does not indicate sudden acceleration.
l The vehicle is judged to be driving uphill or downhill
l When the accelerator pedal is released
l When the brake pedal is depressed while sport mode is selected (if
equipped)
l When the brake pedal is depressed suddenly and vehicle speed is reduced
sharply (continuously variable transmission)
n Breaking in your new Toyota
To extend the life of the vehicle, observing the following precautions is recom-
mended:
lFor the first 186 miles (300 km):
Avoid sudden stops.
l For the first 621 miles (1000 km):
• Do not drive at extremely high speeds.
• Avoid sudden acceleration.
• Do not drive continuously in low gears.
• Do not drive at a constant speed for extended periods.
n Operating your vehicle in a foreign country
Comply with the relevant vehicle registration laws and confirm the availability
of the correct fuel. ( P. 552)
CAUTION
Observe the following precautions. 
Failure to do so may result in death or serious injury.
nWhen starting the vehicle (except veh icles with a manual transmission)
Always keep your foot on the brake pedal while stopped with the engine
running. This prevents the vehicle from creeping. 

1554-1. Before driving
4
Driving
COROLLA_TMMMS_TMMC_U (OM12J84U)
NOTICE
nWhen driving the vehicle (vehic les with a manual transmission)
l Do not depress the accelerator and brake pedals at the same time during
driving, as this may restrain the engine output.
l Do not shift gears unless the clutch pedal is fully depressed. After shifting,
do not release the clutch pedal abruptly. Doing so may damage the clutch,
transmission and gears.
l Observe the following to prevent the clutch from being damaged.
• Do not rest your foot on the clutch pedal while driving.
Doing so may cause clutch trouble.
• Do not use any gear other than the 1st gear when starting off and mov-
ing forward.
Doing so may damage the clutch.
• Do not use the clutch to hold the vehicle when stopping on an uphill
grade.
Doing so may damage the clutch.
l Do not shift the shift lever to R when the vehicle is still moving. Doing so
may damage the clutch, transmission and gears.
n When parking the vehicle (except vehicles with a manual transmission)
Always shift the shift lever to P. Failure to do so may cause the vehicle to
move or the vehicle may accelerate suddenly if the accelerator pedal is
accidentally depressed.
n Avoiding damage to vehicle parts
lDo 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 motor.
l When driving over bumps in the road, drive as slowly as possible to avoid
damaging the wheels, underside of the vehicle, etc. 

1664-2. Driving procedures
COROLLA_TMMMS_TMMC_U (OM12J84U)
nTurning the key from  “ACC” to “LOCK”
Shift the shift lever to P (automatic transmission or continuously variable
transmission) or N (manual transmission). ( P. 176, 178, 180, 184)
n If the engine does not start
The engine immobilizer system may not have been deactivated. ( P. 66) 
Contact your Toyota dealer.
n When the steering lock cannot be released
n Key reminder function
A buzzer sounds if the driver’s door is opened while the engine switch is in
the “LOCK” or “ACC” position to remind you to remove the key. Push in the key and turn it to the
“LOCK” position.
1
2
When starting the engine, the engine
switch may seem stuck in the “LOCK”
position. To free it, turn the key while turn-
ing the steering wheel slightly left and
right.
CAUTION
n
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.
n Caution when 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. A\
n accident
may result if the engine is stopped while driving. ( P. 489) 

1694-2. Driving procedures
4
Driving
COROLLA_TMMMS_TMMC_U (OM12J84U)
Vehicles with a multi-information display
Continuously variable transmission: Check that the shift lever is set
in P. Firmly depress the brake pedal.
Manual transmission: Check that t he shift lever is set in N. Firmly
depress the clutch pedal.
 will be displayed on the multi-information display. 
If it is not displayed, the engine cannot be started.
Press the engine switch.
The engine will crank until it starts
or for up to 30 seconds, whichever
is less.
Continue depressing the brake
pedal (continuously variable trans-
mission) or clutch pedal (manual
transmission) until the engine is
completely started.
The engine can be started from
any engine switch mode.
Stop the vehicle.
Continuously variable transmissi on: Shift the shift lever to P.
Manual transmission: Shift the shift lever to N.
Set the parking brake. ( P. 187)
Press the engine switch.
Vehicles with a drive monitor  display: Release the brake pedal
(continuously variable  transmission) or clutch pedal (manual trans-
mission) and check that the smart ke y system indicator light (green)
is off.
Vehicles with a multi-information display: Release the brake pedal
(continuously variable  transmission) or clutch pedal (manual trans-
mission) and check that “POWER  ON” on the multi-information dis-
play is off.
2
3
Stopping the engine
1
2
3
4
5 

1744-2. Driving procedures
COROLLA_TMMMS_TMMC_U (OM12J84U)n
When the smart key system indicator light flashes in yellow (vehicles
with a drive monitor display)
The system may be malfunctioning. Have the vehicle inspected by your
Toyota dealer immediately.
n When “CHECK SMART KEY SYSTEM”  will be displayed on the multi-
information display (vehicles with a multi-information display)
The system may be malfunctioning. Have the vehicle inspected by your
Toyota dealer immediately.
n If the electronic key battery is depleted
P. 469
n Operation of the engine switch
lWhen operating the engine switch, one short, firm press is enough. If the
switch is pressed improperly, the engine may not start or the engine switch
mode may not change. It is not necessary to press and hold the switch.
l If attempting to restart the engine immediately after turning the engine
switch off, the engine may not start in some cases. After turning the engine
switch off, please wait a few seconds before restarting the engine.
n If the smart key system has been deactivated in a customized setting
P. 535
CAUTION
nWhen 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.
n Caution while driving
If engine failure occurs while the vehicle is moving, do not lock or open the
doors until the vehicle reaches a safe and complete stop. Activation of the
steering lock in this circumstance may lead to an accident, resulting in
death or serious injury.
n Stopping the engine in an emergency
If you want to stop the engine in an emergency while driving the vehicle,
press and hold the engine switch for more than 2 seconds, or press it briefly
3 times or more in succession. ( P. 489)
However, do not touch the engine switch while driving except in an emer-
gency. 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. 

1754-2. Driving procedures
4
Driving
COROLLA_TMMMS_TMMC_U (OM12J84U)
NOTICE
nTo prevent battery discharge
lDo not leave the engine switch in ACCESSORY or IGNITION ON mode
for long periods of time without the engine running.
l Vehicles with a drive monitor display: 
If the smart key system indicator light (green) is illuminated, the engine
switch is not off. When exiting the vehicle, always check that the engine
switch is off.
l Vehicles with a multi-information display: 
If “POWER ON” is displayed on the multi-information display, the engine
switch is not off. When exiting the vehicle, always check that the engine
switch is off.
l Vehicles with a continuously variable transmission: 
Do not stop the engine when the shift lever is in a position other than P. If
the engine is stopped in another shift lever position, the engine switch will
not be turned off but instead be turned to ACCESSORY mode. If the vehi-
cle is left in ACCESSORY mode, battery discharge may occur.
n When starting the engine
lDo not race a cold engine.
l If the engine becomes difficult to star t or stalls frequently, have your vehi-
cle checked by your Toyota dealer immediately.
n Symptoms indicating a malfunction with the engine switch
If the engine switch seems to be operating somewhat differently than usual,
such as the switch sticking slightly, there may be a malfunction. Contact
your Toyota dealer immediately. 

1824-2. Driving procedures
COROLLA_TMMMS_TMMC_U (OM12J84U)
To enter 7-speed sport sequential shiftmatic mode, shift the shift lever
to M. Gear steps can then be selected by operating the shift lever,
allowing you to drive in the gear step of your choosing.Upshifting
Downshifting
The gear changes once every time
the shift lever is operated.
The selected gear step, from M1 to
M7, will be displayed in the meter.
However, even when in the M posi tion, the gear steps will be auto-
matically changed if the engine s peed is too high, or too low.
nGear step functions
lYou can choose from 7 levels of engine braking force.
l A lower gear step will provide greater engine braking force than a higher
gear step, and the engine speed will also increase.
n If the “M” indicator flashes or a buzze r beeps after shifting the shift lever
to M
This may indicate a malfunction in the continuously variable transmission
system. Have the vehicle inspected by your Toyota dealer immediately. 
(In this situation, the transmission will operate in the same manner as when
the shift lever is in D.)
n When the vehicle comes to a stop with  the shift lever in the M position
l The transmission will automatically downshift to M1 once the vehicle is
stopped.
l After a stop, the vehicle will start off in M1.
l When the vehicle is stopped, the transmission is set at M1.
Changing gear steps in the M position
1
2 

2154-5. Using the driving support systems
4
Driving
COROLLA_TMMMS_TMMC_U (OM12J84U)
uABS (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
uBrake assist
Generates an increased level of braking force after the brake pedal
is depressed when the system detects a panic stop situation
uVSC (Vehicle Stability Control)
Helps the driver to control skidding when swerving suddenly or
turning on slippery road surfaces
uTRAC (Traction Control)
Helps to maintain drive power and prevent the drive wheels from
spinning when starting the vehicle or accelerating on slippery roads
uHill-start assist control
Helps to prevent the vehicle from rolling backward when starting on
an incline
uEPS (Electric Power Steering) 
Employs an electric motor to redu ce the amount of effort needed to
turn the steering wheel 
Driving assist systems
To help enhance driving safety and performance, the following
systems operate automatically in response to various driving
situations. Be aware, however, that these systems are supple-
mentary and should not be relied upon too heavily when operat-
ing the vehicle.