1504-1. Before driving
CAUTION
■If you hear a squealing or scrapi ng noise (brake pad wear limit indica-
tors)
Have the brake pads checked and replaced by your Toyota dealer as soon
as possible.
Rotor damage may result if the pads are not replaced when needed.
It is dangerous to drive the vehicle when the wear limits of the brake pads
and/or those of the brake discs are exceeded.
■ When the vehicle is stopped
● Do not race the engine.
If the vehicle is in any gear other than P or N, the vehicle may accelerate
suddenly and unexpectedly, causing an accident.
● In order to prevent accidents due to the vehicle rolling away, always keep
depressing the brake pedal while the engine is running, and apply the
parking brake as necessary.
● If the vehicle is stopped on an incline, in order to prevent accidents caused
by the vehicle rolling forward or backward, always depress the brake pedal
and securely apply the parking brake as needed.
● Avoid revving or racing the engine.
Running the engine at high speed while the vehicle is stopped may cause
the exhaust system to overheat, which could result in a fire if combustible
material is nearby.
■ When the vehicle is parked
● Do not leave glasses, cigarette lighters, spray cans, or soft drink cans in
the vehicle when it is in the sun.
Doing so may result in the following:
• Gas may leak from a cigarette lighter or spray can, and may lead to a
fire.
• The temperature inside the vehicle may cause the plastic lenses and plastic material of glasses to deform or crack.
• Soft drink cans may rupture, causing the contents to spray over the
interior of the vehicle, and may also cause a short circuit in the vehicle’s
electrical components.
● Do not leave cigarette lighters in the vehicle. If a cigarette lighter is in a
place such as the glove box or on the floor, it may be lit accidentally when
luggage is loaded or the seat is adjusted, causing a fire.
● Do not attach adhesive discs to the windshield or windows. Do not place
containers such as air fresheners on the instrument panel or dashboard.
Adhesive discs or containers may act as lenses, causing a fire in the vehi-
cle.
1514-1. Before driving
4
Driving
CAUTION
●Do not leave a door or window open if the curved glass is coated with a
metallized film such as a silver-colored one. Reflected sunlight may cause
the glass to act as a lens, causing a fire.
● Always apply the parking brake, shift the shift lever to P, stop the engine
and lock the vehicle.
Do not leave the vehicle unattended while the engine is running.
● Do not touch the exhaust pipes while the engine is running or immediately
after turning the engine off.
Doing so may cause burns.
● 4WD models: If the shift lever is moved before the “4LO” indicator turns
on/off, the transfer mode may not be shifted completely. The transfer mode
disengages both the front and rear driveshafts from the powertrain and
allows the vehicle to move regardless of the shift position. (At this time, the
indicator blinks and the buzzer sounds.)
Therefore, the vehicle is free to roll even if the automatic transmission is in
P. You or someone else could be seriously injured. You must complete the
shifting of the transfer mode. ( P. 228)
■ When taking a nap in the vehicle
Always turn the engine off. Otherwise, if you accidentally move the shift
lever or depress the accelerator pedal, this could cause an accident or fire
due to engine overheating. Additionally, if the vehicle is parked in a poorly
ventilated area, exhaust gases may collect and enter the vehicle, leading to
death or a serious health hazard.
■ When braking
● When the brakes are wet, drive more cautiously.
Braking distance increases when the brakes are wet, and this may cause
one side of the vehicle to brake differently than the other side. Also, the
parking brake may not securely hold the vehicle.
● If the power brake assist function does not operate, do not follow other
vehicles closely and avoid hills or sharp turns that require braking.
In this case, braking is still possible, but the brake pedal should be
depressed more firmly than usual. Also, the braking distance will increase.
Have your brakes fixed immediately.
● Do not pump the brake pedal if the engine stalls.
Each push on the brake pedal uses up the reserve for the power-assisted
brakes.
● The brake system consists of 2 individual hydraulic systems; if one of the
systems fails, the other will still operate. In this case, the brake pedal
should be depressed more firmly than usual and the braking distance will
increase. Have your brakes fixed immediately.
1524-1. Before driving
NOTICE
■When driving the vehicle
● Do not depress the accelerator and brake pedals at the same time during
driving, as this may restrain driving torque.
● Do not use the accelerator pedal or depress the accelerator and brake
pedals at the same time to hold the vehicle on a hill.
■ When parking the vehicle
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.
■ 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.
■ 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 vehi-
cle.
● 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. 484)
■ When encounterin g flooded roads
Do not drive on a road that has flooded after heavy rain, etc. Doing so may
cause the following serious damage to the vehicle:
● Engine stalling
● Short in electrical components
● Engine damage caused by 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 the following:
● Brake function
● Changes in quantity and quality of oil and fluid used for the engine, trans-
mission, transfer (4WD models) differentials, etc.
● Lubricant condition for the propeller shaft, bearings and suspension joints
(where possible), and the function of all joints, bearings, etc.
1764-1. Before driving
●Always place wheel blocks under both the vehicle’s and the trailer’s
wheels when parking. Apply the parking brake firmly, and put the
transmission in P. 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’s and
trailer’s wheels.
When the wheel blocks are in pl ace, release the brakes slowly
until the blocks absorb the load.
Apply the parking brake firmly.
Shift into P and turn off the engine.
● When restarting after parking on a slope:
With the transmission in P, start the engine. Be sure to keep the
brake pedal pressed.
Shift into D or R (if reversing).
Release the parking brake and brake pedal, and slowly pull or
back away from the wheel bloc ks. Stop and apply the brakes.
Have someone retrieve the blocks.
■ Trailer brake controller
P. 240
■ Matching trailer ball height to trailer coupler height
No matter which class of tow hitch
applies, for a more safe trailer hookup,
the trailer ball setup must be the proper
height for the coupler on the trailer.
Coupler
Trailer ball
1
2
3
4
5
1
2
3
4
1
2
1824-2. Driving procedures
Engine (ignition) switch
Check that the parking brake is set.
Check that the shift lever is set in P.
Firmly depress the brake pedal.
Turn the engine switch to the “START” position to start the engine.
“LOCK”
The steering wheel is locked and
the key can be removed. (The key
can be removed only when the
shift lever is in P.)
“ACC”
Some electrical components such
as the audio system can be used.
“ON”
All electrical components can be used.
“START”
For starting the engine.
■ Turning the key from “ACC” to “LOCK”
Shift the shift lever to P.
■ If the engine does not start (vehic les with engine immobilizer system)
The engine immobilizer system may not have been deactivated. ( P. 78)
Contact your Toyota dealer.
Starting the engine
Changing the engine switch positions
1
2
3
4
1
2
Push in the key and turn it to the
“LOCK” position.
3
4
1
2
1854-2. Driving procedures
4
Driving
Column shift typeWhile 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 vehi-
cle is completely stopped.
*1: To improve fuel efficiency and reduce noises, set the shift lever in the Dposition for normal driving.
*2: Selecting shift ranges using S mode restricts the upper limit of the possiblegear ranges, controls engine braking forces, and prevents unnecessary
upshifting.
Shift position purpose
Shift positionFunction
PParking the vehicle/starting the engine
RReversing
NNeutral
DNormal driving*1
SS mode driving*2 ( P. 186)
1904-2. Driving procedures
Parking brake
To set the parking brake, fully
depress the parking brake pedal
with your left foot while depress-
ing the brake pedal with your right
foot.
(Depressing the pedal again
releases the parking brake.)
■Usage in winter time
P. 244
U.S.A. Canada
NOTICE
■
Before driving
Fully release the parking brake.
Driving the vehicle with the parking brake set will lead to brake components
overheating, which may affect braking performance and increase brake
wear.
1934-3. Operating the lights and wipers
4
Driving
■Daytime running light system
●To make your vehicle more visible to other drivers during daytime driving,
the daytime running lights turn on automatically whenever the engine is
started and the parking brake is released with the headlight switch off or in
the “AUTO” position. (Illuminate brighter than the parking lights.) Daytime
running lights are not designed for use at night.
● Compared to turning on the headlights, the daytime running light system
offers greater durability and consumes less electricity, so it can help improve
fuel economy.
■ Headlight control sensor (vehicles with automatic headlight system)
■ Automatic light off system
●When the headlights come on: The headlights and tail lights turn off 30 sec-
onds after a door is opened and closed if the engine switch is turned to the
“ACC” or “LOCK” position. (The lights turn off immediately if the button
on the key is pressed after all the doors are locked.)
● When only the tail lights come on: The tail lights turn off automatically if the
engine switch is tuned to the “ACC” or “LOCK” position and the driver’s door
is opened.
Vehicles with automatic headlight system: If any of the doors is kept open, the
lights automatically turn off after 20 minutes.
To turn the lights on again, turn the engine switch to the “ON” position, or turn
the light switch off once and then back to or .
■ Light reminder buzzer
A buzzer sounds when the key is removed from the engine switch and the
driver’s door is opened while the lights are turned on.
■ Customization that can be configured at Toyota dealer
Settings (automatic light off system) can be changed.
(Customizable features: P. 543)
The sensor may not function properly if an
object is placed on the sensor, or anything
that blocks the sensor is affixed to the
windshield.
Doing so interferes with the sensor
detecting the level of ambient light and
may cause the automatic headlight sys-
tem to malfunction.
NOTICE
■
To prevent battery discharge
Do not leave the lights on longer than necessary when the engine is not
running.