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2672-5. Driving information
2
When driving
VENZA_OM_OM73030U_(U) CAUTION■ Off-road driving precautions
Always observe the following precautions to help minimize the risk of serious
personal injury or damage to your vehicle:
● Drive carefully when off the road. Do not take unnecessary risks by driving
in dangerous places.
● Do not grip the steering wheel spokes when driving off-road. A bad bump
could jerk the wheel and injure your hands. Keep both hands and espe-
cially your thumbs on the outside of the rim.
● Always check your brakes for effectiveness immediately after driving in
sand, mud, water or snow.
● After driving through tall grass, mud, rock, sand, rivers, etc., check that
there is no grass, bush, paper, rags, stone, sand, etc. adhering or trapped
on the underbody. Clear off any such matter from the underbody. If the
vehicle is used with these materials trapped or adhering to the underbody,
a breakdown or fire could occur.
● When driving off-road or in rugged terrain, do not drive at excessive
speeds, jump, make sharp turns, strike objects, etc. This may cause loss
of control or vehicle rollover causing death or serious injury. You are also
risking expensive damage to your vehicle’s suspension and chassis.
Page 277 of 688

2772-5. Driving information
2
When driving
VENZA_OM_OM73030U_(U) ■ Before driving the vehicle
Perform the following according to the driving conditions.
● Do not try to forcibly open a window or move a wiper that is
frozen. Pour warm water over the frozen area to melt the ice.
Wipe away the water immediately to prevent it from freezing.
● To ensure proper operation of th e climate control system fan,
remove any snow that has accumulated on the air inlet vents
in front of the windshield.
● Check for and remove any excess ice or snow that may have
accumulated on the exterior lights, vehicle’s roof, chassis,
around the tires or on the brakes.
● Remove any snow or mud from the bottom of your shoes
before getting in the vehicle.
■ When driving the vehicle
Accelerate the vehicle slowly, keep a safe distance between you
and the vehicle ahead, and drive at a reduced speed suitable to
road conditions.
■ When parking the vehicle
Park the vehicle and move the shift lever to “P” without setting
the parking brake. The parking brake may freeze up, preventing
it from being released. If necessa ry block the wheels to prevent
inadvertent sliding or creeping.
Page 281 of 688

2812-5. Driving information
2
When driving
VENZA_OM_OM73030U_(U) Trailer towing Your vehicle is designed primarily as a passenger-and-load-carrying
vehicle. Towing a trailer can have an adverse impact on handling,
performance, braking, durability, and fuel consumption. For your
safety and the safety of others, yo u must not overload your vehicle
or trailer. You must also ensure that you are using appropriate tow-
ing equipment, that the towing eq uipment has been installed cor-
rectly and used properly, and that you employ the requisite driving
habits.
Vehicle-trailer stability and br aking performance are affected by
trailer stability, brake performa nce and setting, trailer brakes, the
hitch and hitch systems (if equipped).
To tow a trailer safely, use extreme care and drive the vehicle in
accordance with your trailer’s ch aracteristics and operating condi-
tions.
Toyota warranties do not apply to damage or malfunction caused by
towing a trailer for commercial purposes.
Contact your Toyota dealer for fu rther information about additional
requirements such as a towing kit, etc.
Page 285 of 688
2852-5. Driving information
2
When driving
VENZA_OM_OM73030U_(U) ■ TWR (Trailer Weight Rating)
2GR-FE engine (Without towing package) and 1AR-FE engine
The maximum allowable gross
trailer weight. The gross trailer
weight is the sum of the trailer
weight and the weight of the
cargo in the trailer.
TWR is calculated assuming
base vehicle with one driver, one
front passenger, towing package
(if available), hitch and hitch sys-
tems (if required). Additional optional equipment,
passengers and cargo in the vehi-
cle will reduce the trailer weight
rating so as not to exceed
GCWR, GVWR and GAWR.
2GR-FE engine (With towing
package): If the gross trailer
weight exceeds 3000 lb. (1360
kg), it is recommended to use a
trailer with 2 or more axles.
2GR-FE engine (With towing package) (With brakes)
(With brakes)
Page 286 of 688
2862-5. Driving information
VENZA_OM_OM73030U_(U) ■ Unbraked TWR (Unbraked Trailer Weight Rating)
The trailer weight rating for tow-
ing a trailer without a trailer ser-
vice brake system.
■ Tongue Weight
2GR-FE engine (Without towing package) and 1AR-FE engine
The load placed on the trailer
hitch ball. ( P. 289)
2GR-FE engine (With towing package) (Without brakes)
Page 287 of 688
2872-5. Driving information
2
When driving
VENZA_OM_OM73030U_(U) Weight limits
● The gross trailer weight must never exceed TWR described in the
table. ( P. 288)
● The gross combination weight must never exceed the GCWR
described in the table. ( P. 288)
● The gross vehicle weight must
never exceed the GVWR indi-
cated on the Certification
Label.
● The gross axle weight on each
axle must never exceed the
GAWR indicated on the Certi-
fication Label.
● If the gross trailer weight is over the unbraked TWR, trailer service
brakes are required.
● Vehicles with a towing package: If the gross trailer weight is over
2000 lbs. (907 kg), a sway control device with sufficient capacity is
required.
Page 295 of 688

2952-5. Driving information
2
When driving
VENZA_OM_OM73030U_(U) ● Avoid holding the brake pedal down too long or applying the
brakes too frequently. This could cause the brakes to overheat and
result in reduced braking efficiency.
● Due to the added load of the trailer, your vehicle’s engine may
overheat on hot days (at temper atures over 85°F [30°C]) when
driving up a long or steep grade. If the Engine coolant temperature
gauge indicates overheating, immedi ately turn off the air condition-
ing (if in use), pull your vehicle off the road and stop in a safe spot.
( P. 603)
● Always place wheel blocks under both the vehicle’s and the
trailer’s wheels when parking. Ap ply the parking brake firmly, and
put the transmission in P. Avoid pa rking on a slope, but if unavoid-
able, do so only after performing the following:
Apply the brakes and keep them applied.
Have someone place wheel blo cks 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. STEP 1
STEP 2
STEP 3
STEP 4
STEP 5
Page 296 of 688
2962-5. Driving information
VENZA_OM_OM73030U_(U) ● 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 a forward gear. If reversing, shift into R.
Release the parking brake and brake pedal, and slowly pull or
back away from the wheel blocks. Stop and apply the brakes.
Have someone retrieve the blocks.■ Matching trailer ball height to trailer coupler heightSTEP 1
STEP 2
STEP 3
STEP 4
No matter which class of tow hitch
applies, for a more safe trailer hookup,
the trailer ball setup must be proper
height for the coupler on the trailer.
Coupler
Trailer ball