2214-1. Before driving
4
Driving
WARNING
■Trailer towing precautions
To tow a traile r safely, use
extreme care and drive the vehi-
cle in accordance with the trailer’s
characteristics and operating con-
ditions. Failure to do so could
cause an accident resulting in
death or serious injury. Vehicle
stability and braking performance
are affected by trailer stability,
brake setting and performance,
and the hitch. Your vehicle will
handle differently when towing a
trailer.
■To avoid accident or injury
●Do not exceed the TWR,
unbraked TWR, GCWR, GVWR
or GAWR.
●Vehicles without spare tire: Do
not tow a trailer when the tire
installed is re paired with the
emergency tire puncture repair
kit.
●If the gross trailer weight is over
2000 lb. (907 kg), a sway con-
trol device with sufficient capac-
ity is required.
●Adjust the tongue weight within
the appropriate range. Place
heavier loads as close to the
trailer axle as possible.
●Do not exceed 65 mph (104
km/h), the posted towing speed
limit or the speed limit for your
trailer as set fort h in your trailer
owner’s manual, whichever is
lowest. Slow down sufficiently
before making a turn, in cross
winds, on wet or slippery sur-
face, etc. to help avoid an acci-
dent. If you experience a
vehicle-trailer instability from
reducing a certain speed, slow
down and make sure you keep
your vehicle speed under the
speed of which you experience
the instability.
●Do not make jer ky, abrupt or
sharp turns.
●Do not apply the brakes sud-
denly as you may skid, resulting
in jackknifing and loss of vehicle
control. This is especially true
on wet or slippery surfaces.
●Do not exceed the trailer hitch
assembly weight, gross vehicle
weight, gross axle weight and
trailer tongue w eight capacities.
●Do not use dynamic radar
cruise control with full-speed
range when towing.
●Slow down and downshift
before descending steep or long
downhill grades. Do not make
sudden downshifts while
descending steep or long down-
hill grades.
●Vehicle-trailer in stability is more
likely on steep long downhills.
Before descending steep or
long downhill grades, slow
down and downshift. Do not
make sudden downshifts when
descending steep or long down-
hill grades. Avoid holding the
brake pedal down too long or
applying the brakes too fre-
quently. This could cause the
brakes to overheat and result in
reduced braking efficiency.
●Vehicles with compact spare
tire: Do not tow a trailer when
the compact spare tire is
installed on your vehicle.
■When towing a trailer
Toyota recommends trailers with
brakes that conform to any appli-
cable federal and s tate/provincial
regulations.
2224-1. Before driving
■GCWR (Gross Combination
Weight Rating)
The maximum allowable gross
combination weight. The gross
combination weight is the sum
of the total vehicle weight
(including the occupants, cargo
and any optional equipment
installed on the vehicle) and the
weight of the trailer being towed
(including the cargo in the
trailer).
■GVWR (Gross Vehicle
Weight Rating)
The maximum allowable gross
vehicle weight. The gross vehi-
cle weight is the total weight of
the vehicle. When towing a
trailer, it is the sum of the vehi-
cle weight (including the occu-
pants, cargo and any optional
equipment installed on the vehi-
cle) and the tongue weight.
■GAWR (Gross Axle Weight
Rating)
The maximum allowable gross
axle weight. The gross axle
weight is the load placed on
each axle (front and rear).
Front GAWR
WARNING
●If the gross trailer weight
exceeds unbraked TWR, trailer
brakes are required. Toyota rec-
ommends trailers with brakes
that conform to all applicable
federal and state/provincial reg-
ulations.
●Never tap into y our vehicle’s
hydraulic system, as this will
lower the vehicle’s braking
effectiveness.
●Never tow a trailer without using
a safety chain securely attached
to both the traile r and the vehi-
cle. If damage occurs to the
coupling unit or hitch ball, there
is danger of the trailer wander-
ing into another lane.
Towing related terms
A
2334-2. Driving procedures
4
Driving
system immediately after turning
the power switch to OFF, the
hybrid system may not start in
some cases. After turning the
power switch to OFF, please wait
a few seconds before restarting
the hybrid system.
■Customization
If the smart key system has been
deactivated in a customized setting,
refer to P.505.
1 Stop the vehicle completely.
2 Set the parking brake
( P.243) and shift the shift
lever to P ( P.238).
3 Press the power switch
shortly and firmly.
The hybrid system will stop, and the
meter display will be extinguished.
Make sure not to touch the shift
lever when pressing the power
switch.
4Release the brake pedal and
check that “ACCESSORY” or
“IGNITION ON” is not shown
on the meter.
■Automatic hybrid system shut
off feature
●The vehicle is equipped with a
feature that automatically shuts off
the hybrid system when the shift
lever is in P with the hybrid system
operating for an extended period.
●The hybrid system will automati-
cally shut off after approximately 1
hour if it has been left operating
while the shift lever is in P.
●The message asking if you wish to
enable/disable t he automatic
hybrid syste m shut off feature will
sometimes be displayed on the
multi-information display. Leaving
WARNING
■When starting the hybrid sys-
tem
Always start the hybrid system
while sitting in the driver’s seat.
Do not depress the accelerator
pedal while starting the hybrid
system under any circumstances.
Doing so may cause an accident
resulting in dea th or serious
injury.
■Caution while driving
If hybrid system f ailure occurs
while the vehicle is moving, do not
lock or open the doors until the
vehicle reaches a safe and com-
plete stop. Activation of the steer-
ing lock in this circumstance may
lead to an accident, resulting in
death or serious injury.
NOTICE
■When starting the hybrid sys-
tem
If the hybrid system becomes diffi-
cult to start, have your vehicle
checked by your Toyota dealer
immediately.
■Symptoms indicating a mal-
function with the power
switch
If the power switch seems to be
operating somewhat differently
than usual, such as the switch
sticking slightly, there may be a
malfunction. Contact your Toyota
dealer immediately.
Stopping the hybrid sys-
tem
2344-2. Driving procedures
the vehicle as is or selecting “Per-
form Auto Off” keeps the auto-
matic hybrid system shut off
feature enabled, or selecting
“Keep Vehicle On” disables the
automatic hybrid system shut off
feature.
●The timer for the automatic hybrid
system shut off feature will reset if
the brake pedal is depressed or if
the shift lever is in a position other
than P.
●After the vehicle is parked, if the
door is locked with the door lock
switch ( P.135) from the inside
or the mechanical key ( P.504)
from the outside, the automatic
hybrid system shut off fe ature will
be disabled. The timer for the
automatic hybrid system shut off
feature will be re-enabled if the
driver’s door is opened.
Modes can be changed by
pressing the power switch with
the brake pedal released. (The
WARNING
■Stopping the hybrid system
in an emergency
●If you want to stop the hybrid
system in an emergency while
driving the vehicle, press and
hold the power switch for more
than 2 seconds, or press it
briefly 3 times or more in suc-
cession. ( P.459)
However, do not touch the
power switch while driving
except in an emergency. Turn-
ing the hybrid system off while
driving will not cause loss of
steering or braking control, how-
ever, power assist for the steer-
ing wheel may be lost making it
difficult to steer smoothly before
stopping the vehicle depending
on the remaining charge in the
12-volt battery or usage condi-
tions. In this situation, you
should pull over and stop the
vehicle as soon as it is safe to
do so.
●If the power switch is operated
while the vehicle is running, a
warning message will be shown
on the multi-information display
and a buzzer sounds.
●When restarting the hybrid sys-
tem after an emergency shut-
down, shift the shift lever to N
and press the power switch
shortly and firmly.
■When parking
Exhaust gases include harmful
carbon monoxide (CO), which is
colorless and odorless. Observe
the following precautions.
Failure to do so may cause
exhaust gases to enter the vehicle
and may lead to an accident
caused by light-headedness, or
may lead to death or a serious
health hazard.
●If the vehicle is in a poorly venti-
lated area or a closed area,
such as a garage, stop the
hybrid system.
●Do not leave the vehicle with
the hybrid system operating for
a long time. If such a situation
cannot be avoided, park the
vehicle in an open space and
ensure that exhaust fumes do
not enter the ve hicle interior.
●Do not leave the hybrid system
operating in an area with snow
build-up, or where it is snowing.
If snowbanks build up around
the vehicle while the hybrid sys-
tem is operating, exhaust gases
may collect and enter the vehi-
cle.
Changing power switch
modes
2384-2. Driving procedures
battery charge is low, vehicle speed
is higher than the EV drive mode
operating speed range or accelera-
tor pedal is depressed too much)
may be displayed. Use the EV drive
mode when it becomes available.
■If “EV Mode Deactivated” is
shown on the multi-information
display
The EV drive mode has been auto-
matically canceled. The reason the
EV drive mode is not available (the
battery charge is low, vehicle speed
is higher than the EV drive mode
operating speed range or accelera-
tor pedal is depressed too much)
may be displayed. Drive the vehicle
for a while before attempting to turn
on the EV drive mode again.
*1: To improve fuel efficiency and reduce noise, shift the shift lever
to D for normal driving.
*2: By selecting shift ranges using S mode, you can control accelerat-
ing force and engine braking
force.
■When driving with dynamic
radar cruise control with full-
speed range activated
Even when perform ing the following
actions with the intent of enabling
engine braking, engine braking will
not activate because dynamic radar
cruise control with full-speed range
will not be canceled.
●While driving in S mode, down-
shifting to 5 or 4. ( P.241)
●When switching th e driving mode
to sport mode while driving in D
position. ( P.333)
WARNING
■Caution while driving
When driving in EV drive mode,
pay special attention to the area
around the vehicle. Because
there is no engine noise, pedestri-
ans, people riding bicycles or
other people and vehicles in the
area may not be aware of the
vehicle starting off or approaching
them, so take extra care while
driving. Therefore, take extra care
while driving even if the Acoustic
Vehicle Alerting System is active.
Hybrid transmission
Select the shift position
depending on your purpose
and situation.
Shift position purpose
and functions
Shift
positionObjective or function
P
Parking the vehi-
cle/starting the hybrid system
RReversing
NNeutral
DNormal driving*1
SS mode driving*2
2394-2. Driving procedures
4
Driving
■Restraining sudden start (Drive-
Start Control)
P.209
While the power switch
is in ON and the brake pedal
depressed
*, shift the shift lever
while pushing the shift release
button on the shift knob.
Shift the shift lever while
pushing the shift release button
on the shift knob.
Shift the shift lever nor-
mally.
When shifting the shift lever
between P and D, make sure that
the vehicle is completely stopped
and the brake pedal is depressed.
*: For the vehicle to be able to be shifted from P, the brake pedal
must be depressed before the
shift release button is pushed. If
WARNING
■When driving on slippery
road surfaces
Be careful of downshifting and
sudden acceleration, as this could
result in the vehicle skidding to
the side or spinning.
NOTICE
■Hybrid battery (traction bat-
tery) charge
If the shift lever is in N, the hybrid
battery (traction battery) will not
be charging, even when the
engine is running. Therefore, if
the vehicle is left with the shift
lever in N for a long period of
time, the hybrid battery (traction
battery) will discharge, and this
may result in the vehicle not being
able to start.
Shifting the shift lever
2404-2. Driving procedures
the shift release button is pushed
first, the shift lock will not be
released.
■Shift lock system
The shift lock system is a system to
prevent accidental operation of the
shift lever in starting.
The shift lever can be shifted from P
only when the pow er switch is in
ON, the brake pedal is depressed
and the shift release button is
pushed.
■If the shift lever cannot be
shifted from P
First, check whether the brake pedal
is being depressed.
If the shift lever cannot be shifted
even though the brake pedal is
depressed and the shift release but-
ton is pushed, there may be a prob-
lem with the shift lock system. Have
the vehicle insp ected by your
Toyota dealer immediately.
The following steps may be used as
an emergency measure to ensure
that the shift lev er can be shifted.
Releasing the shift lock:
1 Pull the parking brake switch to
check that the parking brake is
set. ( P.243)
2 Turn the power switch off.
3 Depress the brake pedal.
4 Pry the cover up with a flathead
screwdriver or equivalent tool.
To prevent damage to the cover,
cover the tip of the screwdriver
with a rag.
5 Pull the cover forward to remove
it. 6
Press and hold the shift lock
override button and then push
the button on the shift knob.
The shift lever can be shifted
while both buttons are pressed.
P.333
To enter S mode, shift the shift
WARNING
■To prevent an accident when
releasing the shift lock
Before pressing the shift lock
override button, m ake sure to set
the parking brake and depress the
brake pedal.
If the accelerator pedal is acci-
dentally depressed instead of the
brake pedal when the shift lock
override button is pressed and the
shift lever is shifted out of P, the
vehicle may suddenly start, possi-
bly leading to an accident result-
ing in death or serious injury.
Selecting the driving
mode
Changing shift ranges in
S mode
2444-2. Driving procedures
When the shift lever is shifted
from P, the parking brake will
be released, and the parking
brake indicator light and park-
ing brake switch indicator will
turn off.
When the shift lever is shifted
to P, the parking brake will be
set, and the parking brake
indicator light and parking
brake switch indicator will turn
on.
Operate the shift lever with the
vehicle stopped and the brake
pedal depressed.
■Turning the automatic
mode off
While the vehicle is stopped and
depressing the brake pedal,
press and hold the parking
brake switch until a buzzer
sounds and a message is
shown on the multi-information
display.
■Parking brake operation
●When the power s witch is not in
ON, the parking brake cannot be
released using the parking brake
switch.
●When the power s witch is not in ON, automatic mode (automatic
brake setting and releasing) is not
available.
■Parking brake automatic
release function
The parking brake will be released
automatically when the accelerator
pedal is slowly depressed under the
following conditions:
●The driver’s door is closed
●The driver is wearing the seat belt
●The shift lever is in a forward or
reverse position.
●The malfunction in dicator lamp or
brake system warning light is not
illuminated
If the automatic release function
does not operate, release the park-
ing brake manually.
■Parking brake automatic lock
function
The parking brak e will be locked
automatically when the brake pedal
is released under the following con-
ditions:
●The vehicle is stopped
●The driver’s door is not closed
●The driver is not wearing the seat
belt
●The shift lever is in a forward or
reverse position
●The malfunction in dicator lamp or
brake system warning light is not
illuminated
■If “Parking Brake Temporarily
Unavailable” is displayed on
the multi-info rmation display
If the parking brake is operated
repeatedly over a short period of
time, the system may restrict opera-
tion to prevent ove rheating. If this
happens, refrain from operating the
parking brake. Normal operation will
return after about 1 minute.