
2464-1. Before driving
HILUX_OM_OM0K322E_(EE)
WARNING
Observe the following precautions.
Failure to do so may result in death or serious injury.
■ When the vehicle is stopped
● Do not race the engine.
If the vehicle is in any gear other than P (vehicles with automatic transmis-
sion only) or N, the vehicle may accelerate suddenly and unexpectedly,
causing an accident.
● On vehicles with automatic transmission, 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 fracture, 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.
● 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.

2474-1. Before driving
4
Driving
HILUX_OM_OM0K322E_(EE)
WARNING
Observe the following precautions.
Failure to do so may result in death or serious injury.
■ When the vehicle is parked
● Always apply the parking brake, shift the shift lever to P (vehicles with
automatic transmission only), stop the engine and lock the vehicle.
Do not leave the vehicle unattended while the engine is running.
If the vehicle is parked with the shift lever in P but the parking brake is not
set, the vehicle may start to move, possibly leading to an accident.
● Do not touch the exhaust pipes while the engine is running or immediately
after turning the engine off.
Doing so may cause burns.
■ 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 shar p 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.
■ If the vehicle becomes stuck (4WD models)
Do not spin the wheels excessively when any of the tires is up in the air, or
the vehicle is stuck in sand, mud, etc. This may damage the driveline com-
ponents or propel the vehicle forward or backward, causing an accident.

251
4
4-1. Before driving
Driving
HILUX_OM_OM0K322E_(EE)
Cargo and luggage
Take notice of the following information about storage precau-
tions, cargo capacity and load.
WARNING
■ Things that must not be carried in the rear deck
The following things may cause a fire if loaded in the rear deck:
● Receptacles containing gasoline
● Aerosol cans
■ Storage precautions
Observe the following precautions.
Failure to do so may prevent t he pedals from being depressed properly,
may block the driver’s vision, or may re sult in items hitting the driver or pas-
sengers, possibly causing an accident.
● Stow cargo and luggage in the rear deck whenever possible.
● Except for single-cab models: Do not stack anything behind the front seats
higher than the seatbacks.
● Do not place cargo or luggage in or on the following locations.
• At the feet of the driver
• On the front passenger or rear seats (if equipped) (when stacking
items)
• On the instrument panel
• On the dashboard
● Secure all items in the occupant compartment.
● Never allow anyone to ride in the rear deck. It is not designed for passen-
gers. They should ride in their seats with their seat belts properly fastened.
Otherwise, they are much more likely to suffer death or serious bodily
injury, in the event of sudden braking, sudden swerving or an accident.
■ Load and distribution
● Do not overload your vehicle.
● Do not apply loads unevenly.
Improper loading may cause deterioration of steering or braking control
which may cause death or serious injury.

2554-1. Before driving
4
Driving
HILUX_OM_OM0K322E_(EE)
Your vehicle will handle differently when towing a trailer. In order to
avoid accident death or serious injury, keep the following in mind
when towing:
■Checking connections between trailer and lights
Stop the vehicle and check the operation of the connection between
the trailer and lights after driving for a brief period as well as before
starting off.
■Practicing driving with a coupled trailer
● Get the feel for turning, stopping and reversing with the trailer
coupled by practicing in an area with no or light traffic.
● When reversing with a coupled trailer, hold the section of the
steering wheel nearest to you and rotate clockwise to turn the
trailer left or counterclockwise to turn it right. Always rotate a little
at a time to prevent steering error. Have someone guide you
when reversing to lessen the risk of accident.
■Increasing vehicle-to-vehicle distance
At a speed of 10 km/h (6 mph), the distance to the vehicle running
ahead of you should be equivalent to or greater than the combined
length of your vehicle and trailer. Avoid sudden braking that may
cause skidding. Otherwise, the vehicle may spin out of control. This
is especially true when driving on wet or slippery road surfaces.
■Sudden acceleration/steering input/cornering
Executing sharp turns when towing may result in the trailer colliding
with your vehicle. Decelerate well in advance when approaching
turns and take them slowly and carefully to avoid sudden braking.
■Important points regarding turning
The wheels of the trailer will travel closer to the inside of the curve
than the wheels of the vehicle. To make allowance for this, take the
turns wider than you would normally do.
Guidance

2604-1. Before driving
HILUX_OM_OM0K322E_(EE)
■Tire information
● Increase the tire inflation pressure to 20.0 kPa (0.2 kgf/cm2 or bar, 3 psi)
greater than the recommended value when towing. ( P. 689)
● Increase the air pressure of the trailer tires in accordance with the total
trailer weight and according to the values recommended by the manufac-
turer of your trailer.
■ Tr a i l e r l i g h ts
Check that the turn signal lights and stoplights are operating correctly every
time you hitch up the trailer. Direct ly wiring up to your vehicle may damage
the electrical system and stop the lights from functioning correctly.
■ Break-in schedule
Toyota recommends that vehicles fitted with new power train components
should not be used for towing trailers for the first 800 km (500 miles).
■ Safety checks before towing
● Check that the maximum load limit for the towing hitch/bracket and hitch ball
is not exceeded. Bear in mind that the coupling weight of the trailer will add
to the load exerted on the vehicle. Also make sure that the total load exerted
on the vehicle is within the range of the weight limits. ( P. 258)
● Ensure that the trailer load is secure.
● Supplementary outside rear view mirrors should be added to the vehicle if
the traffic behind cannot be clearly seen with standard mirrors. Adjust the
extending arms of these mirrors on both sides of the vehicle so that they
always provide maximum visibility of the road behind.
■ Maintenance
● Maintenance must be performed more frequently when using the vehicle for
towing due to the greater weight burden placed on the vehicle compared to
normal driving.
● Retighten all bolts securing the hitching ball and bracket after towing for
approximately 1000 km (600 miles).

2644-1. Before driving
HILUX_OM_OM0K322E_(EE)
■Tire information
● Increase the tire inflation pressure to 20.0 kPa (0.2 kgf/cm2 or bar, 3 psi)
greater than the recommended value when towing. ( P. 689)
● Increase the air pressure of the trailer tires in accordance with the total
trailer weight and according to the values recommended by the manufac-
turer of your trailer.
■ Tr a i l e r l i g h ts
Check that the turn signal lights and stoplights are operating correctly every
time you hitch up the trailer. Direct ly wiring up to your vehicle may damage
the electrical system and stop the lights from functioning correctly.
■ Break-in schedule
Toyota recommends that vehicles fitted with new power train components
should not be used for towing trailers for the first 800 km (500 miles).
■ Safety checks before towing
● Check that the maximum load limit for the towing hitch/bracket and hitch ball
is not exceeded. Bear in mind that the coupling weight of the trailer will add
to the load exerted on the vehicle. Also make sure that the total load exerted
on the vehicle is within the range of the weight limits. ( P. 262)
● Ensure that the trailer load is secure.
● Supplementary outside rear view mirrors should be added to the vehicle if
the traffic behind cannot be clearly seen with standard mirrors. Adjust the
extending arms of these mirrors on both sides of the vehicle so that they
always provide maximum visibility of the road behind.
■ Maintenance
● Maintenance must be performed more frequently when using the vehicle for
towing due to the greater weight burden placed on the vehicle compared to
normal driving.
● Retighten all bolts securing the hitching ball and bracket after towing for
approximately 1000 km (600 miles).

299
4
4-3. Operating the lights and wipers
Driving
HILUX_OM_OM0K322E_(EE)
Fog light switch
■Front fog light switch (if equipped)
Turns the front fog lights
off
Turns the front fog lights
on
: If equipped
The fog lights secure excellent visibility in difficult driving con-
ditions, such as in rain and fog.
1
2

3054-4. Refueling
4
Driving
HILUX_OM_OM0K322E_(EE)
WARNING
■When refueling the vehicle
Observe the following precautions while refueling the vehicle. Failure to do
so may result in death or serious injury.
● After exiting the vehicle and before opening the fuel cap, touch an
unpainted metal surface to discharge any stat ic electricity. It is important to
discharge static electricity before re fueling because sparks resulting from
static electricity can cause fuel vapors to ignite while refueling.
● Type A (P. 306) only: Always hold the grips on the fuel tank cap and turn
it slowly to remove it.
A whooshing sound may be heard when the fuel tank cap is loosened.
Wait until the sound cannot be heard before fully removing the cap. In hot
weather, pressurized fuel may spray out the filler neck and cause injury.
● Do not allow anyone that has not discharged static electricity from their
body to come close to an open fuel tank.
● Do not inhale vaporized fuel.
Fuel contains substances that are harmful if inhaled.
● Do not smoke while refueling the vehicle.
Doing so may cause the fuel to ignite and cause a fire.
● Do not return to the vehicle or touch any person or object that is statically
charged.
This may cause static electricity to build up, resulting in a possible ignition
hazard.
■ When refueling
Observe the following precautions to pr event fuel overflowing from the fuel
tank:
● Securely insert the fuel nozzle into the fuel filler neck.
● Stop filling the tank after the fuel nozzle automatically clicks off.
● Do not top off the fuel tank.