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5-1. Essential information
If your vehicle needs to be towed
Before towingThe following may indicate a problem with your transmission. Contact
your Toyota dealer before towing.
● The engine is running, but the vehicle will not move.
● The vehicle makes an abnormal sound.
Emergency towing
If a tow truck is not available in an emergency, your vehicle may be
temporarily towed using a cable or chain secured to the emergency
towing eyelet. This should only be attempted on hard surfaced roads
for short distances at low speeds.
A driver must be in the vehicle to steer and operate the brakes. The
vehicle’s wheels, drive train, axles, steering and brakes must be in
good condition.
For vehicles with an automatic transmission, only the front towing
eyelet may be used.
If towing is necessary, we recommend having your vehicle towed by
your Toyota dealer or a commerci al towing service, using a lift-type
truck or a flat bed truck.
Use a safety chain system for all to wing, and abide by all state/pro-
vincial and local laws.
If towing from the rear, the vehic le's front wheels and axles must be
in good condition. (→P. 313)
If they are damaged, use a towing dolly or flat bed truck.
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308 5-1. Essential information
Towing eyelet
■Before emergency towing
Release the parking brake.
Shift the shift lever to N.
Turn the engine switch to the “ACC” (engine off) or “ON” (engine
running) position.
■ If towing a vehicle
Do not tow another vehicle. If towing a vehicle that has broken down is
unavoidable, avoid towing a vehicle that is heavier than your vehicle. Also,
do not pull out a vehicle that has fallen into a ditch.
WARNING
■Caution while towing
●Use extreme caution when towing the vehicle.
Avoid sudden starts or erratic driving maneuvers which place excessive
stress on the emergency towing eyelets and the cables or chains. Always
be cautious of the surroundings and other vehicles while towing.
● If the engine is not running, the power assist for the brakes and steering
will not function, making steering and braking more difficult.
STEP 1
STEP 2
STEP 3
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314 5-1. Essential information
Using a flat bed truckIf you use chains or cables to tie
down your vehicle, the angles
shaded in black must be 45°.
Do not overly tighten the tie
downs or the vehicle may be
damaged.
NOTICE
■To prevent causing serious damage to the transmission when towing
using a wheel-lift type truck (vehicles with an automatic transmission)
Never tow this vehicle from the front with the rear wheels on the ground.
■ To prevent damaging the vehicle
●Do not tow the vehicle from the rear when the engine switch is in the
“LOCK” position or the key is removed. The steering lock mechanism is
not strong enough to hold the front wheels straight.
● When raising the vehicle from the rear, ensure adequate ground clearance
for towing at the opposite end of the raised vehicle. Without adequate
clearance, the vehicle could be damaged while being towed from the rear.
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318 5-2. Steps to take in an emergency
Have the vehicle inspected immediately.Failing to investigate the cause of the following warnings may lead to
the system operating abnormally and possibly cause an accident.
Have the vehicle inspected by your Toyota dealer immediately.
Warning lightWarning light/Details
(U.S.A.)
(Canada) Malfunction indicator lamp
Indicates a malfunction in:
• The electronic engine control system;
• The electronic throttle control system;
• The electronic automatic transmission control system.
SRS warning light Indicates a malfunction in:
• The SRS airbag system;
• The seat belt pretensioner system;
• The front passenger occupant classification system.
(U.S.A.)
(Canada) ABS warning light
Indicates a malfunction in:
• The ABS;
• The brake assist system.
Electric power steering warning light (warning buzzer) Indicates a malfunction in the EPS (Electric Power Steer-
ing) system.
Slip indicator Indicates a malfunction in:
• The VSC system;
• The TRAC system;
• The hill-start assist control system.
Automatic headlight level ing system warning light
Indicates a malfunction in the automatic headlight leveling
system.
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5-2. Steps to take in an emergency
(Comes on in
yellow) Cruise control indicator light
Indicates a malfunction in the cruise control system.
■ If the malfunction indicator lamp comes on while driving
First check the following:
●Is the fuel tank empty?
If it is, fill the fuel tank immediately.
● Is the fuel tank cap loose?
If it is, tighten it securely.
The malfunction indicator lamp will go off after several driving trips.
If the malfunction indicator lamp does not go off even after several trips, con-
tact your Toyota dealer as soon as possible.
■ SRS warning light
→P. 102
■ Electric power steering warning light (warning buzzer)
The electric power steering warning light may come on and the warning
buzzer may sound when the voltage is low or the voltage drops.
WARNING
■When the electric power steering warning light comes on
The steering wheel may become extremely heavy.
If the steering wheel becomes heavier than usual when operating, hold
firmly and operate using more force than usual.
Warning lightWarning light/Details
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324 5-2. Steps to take in an emergency
WARNING
■If the tire pressure warning light comes on
Be sure to observe the following precautions. Failure to do so could
cause loss of vehicle control and result in death or serious injury.
●Stop your vehicle in a safe place as soon as possible. Adjust the tire
inflation pressure immediately.
●If the tire pressure warning light comes on even after tire inflation pres-
sure adjustment, it is pr obable that you have a flat tire. Check the tires.
If the tire is flat, change to the spar e tire and have the flat tire repaired
by the nearest Toyota dealer.
●Avoid abrupt maneuvering and braking. If the vehicle tires deteriorate,
you could lose control of the steering wheel or the brakes.
■If a blowout or sudden air leakage should occur
The tire pressure warning syste m may not activate immediately.
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336 5-2. Steps to take in an emergency
WARNING
■When using the compact spare tire
●Remember that your compact spare tire is specifically designed for
use with your vehicle. Do not use your compact spare tire on another
vehicle.
●Do not use two compact spare tires simultaneously.
●Replace the compact spare tire with a standard tire as soon as possi-
ble.
●Avoid sudden acceleration, abrupt steering, sudden braking and shift-
ing operations that cause sudden engine braking.
●Install the compact spare tire on a front wheel.
■When storing the compact spare tire
Be careful not to catch fingers or other body parts between the compact
spare tire and the body of the vehicle.
■Speed limit when using the compact spare tire
Do not drive at speeds in excess of 50 mph (80 km/h) when a compact
spare tire is installed on the vehicle.
The compact spare tire is not designed for driving at high speeds. Failing
to observe this precaution may lead to an accident causing death or seri-
ous injury.
■When the spare tire is attached
The vehicle speed may not be correctly detected, and the following sys-
tems may not operate correctly:
●ABS & brake assist
●VSC
●TRAC
●EPS
●Cruise control
●LSD
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5-2. Steps to take in an emergency
WARNING
■
If the engine has to be turned off while driving
●Power assist for the brakes and steering wheel will be lost, making the
brake pedal harder to depress and the steering wheel heavier to turn.
Decelerate as much as possible before turning off the engine.
● Never attempt to remove the key, as doing so will lock the steering wheel.