
1874-1. Before driving
4
Driving
WARNING
Observe the following precautions. 
Failure to do so may result in death or serious injury.
■When starting the vehicle
Always  keep  your  foot  on  the  brake  pedal  while  stopped  with  the  engine
running. This prevents the vehicle from creeping.
■ When driving the vehicle
● Do not drive if you are unfamiliar with the location of the brake and accel-
erator pedals to avoid depressing the wrong pedal.
• Accidentally  depressing  the  accelerator  pedal  instead  of  the  b rake
pedal will result in sudden acceleration that may lead to an accident.
• When backing up, you may twist your body around, leading to di fficulty
in operating the pedals. Make sure to operate the pedals proper ly.
• Make  sure  to  keep  a  correct  driving  posture  even  when  moving  t he
vehicle only slightly. This allows you to depress the brake and  accelera-
tor pedals properly.
• Depress  the  brake  pedal  using  your  right  foot.  Depressing  the  brake
pedal using your left foot may delay response in an emergency,  result-
ing in an accident.
● Do not drive the vehicle over or stop the vehicle near flammable materials.
The  exhaust  system  and  exhaust  gases  can  be  extremely  hot. Thes e  hot
parts may cause a fire if there is any flammable material nearby.
● During  normal  driving,  do  not  turn  off  the  engine.  Turning  the  engine  off
while  driving  will  not  cause  loss  of  steering  or  braking  contro l,  but  the
power assist to these systems will be lost. This will make it m ore difficult to
steer and brake, so you should pull over and stop the vehicle a s soon as it
is safe to do so. 
However, in  the  event of  an emergency, such  as if  it becomes  im possible
to stop the vehicle in the normal way: P. 473
● Use  engine  braking  (downshift)  to  maintain  a  safe  speed  when  driving
down a steep hill. 
Using the brakes continuously may cause the brakes to overheat  and lose
effectiveness. ( P. 225)
● Do not adjust the positions of the steering wheel, the seat, or  the inside or
outside rear view mirrors while driving.
Doing so may result in a loss of vehicle control.
● Always check that all passengers’ arms, heads or other parts of  their body
are not outside the vehicle. 

1914-1. Before driving
4
Driving
NOTICE
■When driving the vehicle
● Do not depress the accelerator and brake pedals at the same tim e during
driving, as this may restrain the engine output.
● 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 set the parking brake, and shift the shift lever to P. F ailure to do so
may  cause  the  vehicle  to  move  or  the  vehicle  may  move  suddenly  if  the
accelerator pedal is accidentally depressed.
■ Avoiding damage to vehicle parts
● Do not turn the steering wheel fully in either direction and ho ld 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 possibl e 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. 504)
■ When encountering 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 i s 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 suspe nsion joints
(where possible), and the function of all joints, bearings, etc . 

2094-1. Before driving
4
Driving
Your vehicle will handle differently when towing a trailer. To help avoid
an  accident,  death  or  serious  injury,  keep  the  following  in  min d when
towing:
● Speed  limits  for  towing  a  trailer  vary  by  state  or  province.  Do  not
exceed the posted to wing speed limit.
● Toyota  recommends  that  the  vehicl e-trailer  speed  limit  is  65  mph
(104 km/h) on a flat, straight, dry road. Do not exceed this li mit, the
posted  towing  speed  limit  or  the  speed  limit  for  your  trailer  a s  set
forth  in  your  trailer owner’s  manu al,  whichever is  lowest.  Instability
of the towing vehicle-trailer combination (trailer sway) increa ses as
speed increases. Exceeding speed limits may cause loss of contr ol.
● Before  starting  out,  check  the  trailer  lights,  tires  and  the  vehicle-
trailer connections. Recheck af ter driving a short distance.
● Practice turning, stopping and reversing with the trailer attac hed in
an area away from traffic until you become accustomed  to  the fe el
of the vehicle-trailer combination.
● Reversing with a trailer attached is difficult and requires pra ctice.
Grip  the  bottom  of  the  steering  wheel  and  move  your  hand  to  the
left  to  move  the  trailer  to  the  left.  Move  your  hand  to  the  rig ht  to
move the trailer to the right. (This is generally opposite to r eversing
without  a  trailer  attached.) Avoid  sharp  or  prolonged  turning.  Have
someone  guide  you  when  reversing  to  reduce  the  risk  of  an  acci-
dent.
● As stopping distance is increased when towing a trailer, vehicl e-to-
vehicle  distance  should  be  increased.  For  each  10  mph  (16  km/h)
of speed, allow at least one v ehicle and trailer length.
Trailer towing tips 

2104-1. Before driving
●Avoid sudden braking as you may  skid, resulting in the trailer  jack-
knifing and a loss of vehicle control. This is especially true  on wet or
slippery surfaces.
● Avoid jerky starts or sudden acceleration.
● Avoid jerky steering  and sharp turns, and slow down before maki ng
a turn.
● Note that when making a turn, the trailer wheels will be closer  than
the vehicle wheels to the inside  of the turn. Compensate by mak ing
a wider than normal turning radius.
● Slow down before making a turn, in crosswinds, on wet or slippe ry
surfaces, etc. 
Increasing vehicle speed can destabilize the trailer.
● Take care when passing other vehicles. Passing requires consider-
able  distance. After  passing  a  vehicle,  do  not  forget  the  lengt h  of
your  trailer,  and  be  sure  you  have  plenty  of  room  before  changi ng
lanes.
● To  maintain  engine  braking  efficiency  and  charging  system  perfo r-
mance  when  using  engine  braking,   do  not  use  the  transmission  in
D.
Transmission shift ra nge position must be in 4 in the S mode.
● Instability happens more frequently when descending steep or lo ng
downhill grades. Before descending, slow down and downshift. Do
not make sudden downshifts while  descending steep or long down-
hill grades.
● Avoid holding the brake pedal down too long or applying the bra kes
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  over-
heat  on  hot  days  (at  temperatures  over  85°F  [30°C])  when  drivin g
up  a  long  or steep  grade.  If  the  engine  coolant  temperature  gau ge
indicates overheating, immediately turn off the air conditionin g (if in
use), pull your vehicle off the  road and stop in a safe spot. 
(  P. 527) 

2134-1. Before driving
4
Driving
■Break-in schedule
If  your  vehicle  is  new  or  equipped  with  any  new  power  train  com ponents
(such  as  an  engine,  transmission,  differential  or  wheel  bearing ),  Toyota  rec-
ommends  that  you  do  not  tow  a  trailer  until  the  vehicle  has  bee n  driven  for
over 500 miles (800 km).
After  the  vehicle  has  been  driven  for  over  500  miles  (800  km),  you  can  start
towing. However, for the next 500 miles (800 km), drive the veh icle at a speed
of  less  than  50  mph  (80  km/h)  when  towing  a  trailer,  and  avoid  full  throttle
acceleration.
■ Maintenance
●If you tow a trailer, your vehicle will require more frequent m aintenance due
to  the  additional  load.  (See  “Owner’s  Warranty  Information  Book let”  or
“Scheduled Maintenance Guide”/“Owner’s Manual Supplement”.)
● Retighten the fixing bolts of the towing ball and bracket after  approximately
600 miles (1000 km) of trailer towing.
■ If trailer sway occurs
One  or  more  factors  (crosswinds,  passing  vehicles,  rough  roads,   etc.)  can
adversely affect handling of your vehicle and trailer, causing  instability.
● If trailer swaying occurs:
• Firmly grip the steering wheel. Steer straight ahead.
Do not try to control trailer swaying by turning the steering wheel.
• Begin  releasing  the  accelerator  pedal  immediately  but  very  gra dually  to
reduce speed.
Do not increase speed. Do not apply vehicle brakes.
If  you  make  no  extreme  correction  with  the  steering  or  brakes,  your  vehicle
and trailer should stabilize. (if enabled, Trailer Sway Control  can also help to
stabilize the vehicle and trailer.)
● After the trailer swaying has stopped:
• Stop in a safe place. Get all occupants out of the vehicle.
• Check the tires of the vehicle and the trailer.
• Check the load in the trailer.
Make sure the load has not shifted.
Make sure the tongue weight is appropriate, if possible.
• Check the load in the vehicle. Make sure the vehicle is not overloaded after occupants get in.
If you cannot find any problems, the speed at which trailer swaying occurred
is beyond the limit of your particular vehicle-trailer combinat ion.
Drive  at  a  lower  speed  to  prevent  instability.  Remember  that  sw aying  of  the
towing vehicle-trailer increases as speed increases. 

2174-2. Driving procedures
4
Driving
Engine (ignition) switch (vehicles without a 
smart key system)
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 “S TART” position to start the engine.
OFF (“LOCK” position)
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 (“ACC” position)
Some  electrical  components  such
as the audio system can be used.
ON (“ON” position)
All electrical components can be used.
START (“START” position)
For starting the engine.
■ Turning the key from ACC to OFF
Shift the shift lever to P.
■ If the engine does not start
The engine immobilizer system may not have been deactivated. ( P. 85)
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 OFF.
3
4
1
2 

2184-2. Driving procedures
■When the steering  lock cannot be released
■ Key reminder function
A  buzzer  sounds  if  the  driver’s  door  is  opened  while  the  engine   switch  is  in
ACC or OFF to remind you to remove the key. When  starting  the  engine,  the  engine
switch may seem stuck in the OFF. To
free it, turn the key while turning the steer-
ing wheel slightly left and right.
WARNING
■ 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 circumsta nces.
Doing so may cause an accident resulting in death or serious in jury.
■ Caution while driving
Do not turn the engine switch to OFF while driving. If, in an e mergency, you
must turn the engine off while the vehicle is moving, turn the  engine switch
only  to  ACC  to  stop  the  engine.  An  accident  may  result  if  the  e ngine  is
stopped while driving. ( P. 473)
NOTICE
■To prevent battery discharge
Do not leave the engine switch in ACC or ON for long periods of  time with-
out the engine running.
■ When starting the engine
● Do  not  crank  the  engine  for  more  than  30  seconds  at  a  time.  This  may
overheat the starter and wiring system.
● Do not race a cold engine.
● If the engine becomes difficult to start or stalls frequently,  have your vehi-
cle checked by your Toyota dealer immediately. 

2224-2. Driving procedures
■Electronic key battery depletion
P. 124
■ Conditions affecting operation
P. 142
■ Note for the entry function
P. 142
■ If the engine does not start
●The engine immobilizer system may not have been deactivated. ( P. 85)
Contact your Toyota dealer.
● Check that the shift lever is securely set in P. The engine may not start if the
shift lever is displaced out of P. “Shift to P Position” will b e displayed on the
multi-information display.
■ Steering lock
After  turning  the  engine  switch  off  and  opening  and  closing  the   doors,  the
steering wheel will be locked due to the steering lock function . Operating the
engine switch again automatically cancels the steering lock.
■ When the steering  lock cannot be released
■ Steering lock motor overheating prevention
To  prevent  the  steering  lock  motor  from  overheating,  operation  of  the  motor
may  be  suspended  if  the  engine  is  turned  on  and  off  repeatedly  in  a  short
period  of  time.  In  this  case,  refrain  from  running  the  engine.  After  about
10 seconds, the steering lock motor will resume functioning.
■ When  “Smart  Entry  &  Start  System   Check”  is  displayed  on  the  multi-
information display
The  system  may  be  malfunctioning.  Have  the  vehicle  inspected  by  your
Toyota dealer  immediately.
■ If the electronic key battery is depleted
P. 449 A message will be displayed on the multi-
information display. 
Check that the shift lever is in P. Press the
engine  switch  while  turning  the  steering
wheel left and right.