361-1. For safe use
Airbag sensor assembly
Your vehicle is equipped with ADVANCED AIRBAGS designed
based on the US motor vehicle safety standards (FMVSS208). The
airbag sensor assembly (ECU) cont rols airbag deployment based on
information obtained from the sensors etc. shown in the system
components diagram above. This in formation includes crash sever-
ity and occupant information. As the airbags deploy, a chemical
reaction in the inflators quickly fills the airbags with non-toxic gas to
help restrain the motion of the occupants.
■If the SRS airbags deploy
(inflate)
●Slight abrasions, burns, bruising
etc., may be sustained from SRS
airbags, due to the extremely high
speed deployment (inflation) by
hot gases.
●A loud noise and white powder will
be emitted.
●Parts of the airbag module (steer-
ing wheel hub, airbag cover and
inflator) as well as the front seats,
parts of the front and rear pillars,
and roof side rails, may be hot for
several minutes. T he airbag itself
may also be hot.
●The windshield may crack.
●The hybrid system will be stopped
and fuel supply to the engine will
be stopped. ( P. 7 6 )
●All of the doors will be unlocked.
( P.128)
●The brakes and st op lights will be
controlled automatically. ( P.312)
●The interior lights will turn on auto-
matically. ( P.345)
●The emergency flashers will turn
on automatically. ( P.438)
●For Safety Connect subscribers, if
any of the following situations
occur, the system is designed to
send an emergency call to the
response center, notifying them of
the vehicle’s location (without
needing to push the “SOS” button)
and an agent will attempt to speak with the occupants to ascertain
the level of emergency and assis-
tance required. If the occupants
are unable to communicate, the
agent automatically treats the call
as an emergency and helps to dis-
patch the necessary emergency
services. (
P. 6 5 )
• An SRS airbag is deployed.
• A seat belt pretensioner is acti- vated.
• The vehicle is involved in a severe rear-end collision.
■SRS airbag deployment condi-
tions (SRS front airbags)
●The SRS front airbags will deploy
in the event of an impact that
exceeds the set threshold level
(the level of forc e corresponding
to an approximately 12 - 18 mph
[20 - 30 km/h] frontal collision with
a fixed wall that does not move or
deform).
However, this threshold velocity will
be considerably higher in the follow-
ing situations:
• If the vehicle strikes an object, such as a parked vehicle or sign
pole, which can move or deform
on impact
• If the vehicle is involved in an underride collision, such as a colli-
sion in which the front of the vehi-
cle “underrides”, or goes under,
the bed of a truck
●Depending on the type of collision,
it is possible that only the seat belt
pretensioners and SRS seat cush-
1854-1. Before driving
4
Driving
When the shift lever is shifted
from P or R to forward drive
shift position such as D
*.
When the system operates, a
message appears on the
multi-information display. Read
the message and follow the
instruction.
*: Depending on the situation, the shift position may not be
changed.
■When starting off on a uphill
The hill-start assis t control will acti-
vate. ( P.311)
■For fuel-efficient driving
Keep in mind that hybrid vehicles
are similar to conventional vehicles,
and it is necessary to refrain from
activities such as sudden accelera-
tion. ( P.318)
■Driving in the rain
●Drive carefully whe n it is raining,
because visibility will be reduced,
the windows may become
fogged-up, and the road will be
slippery.
●Drive carefully whe n it starts to
rain, because the road surface will
be especially slippery.
●Refrain from high speeds when
driving on an expressway in the
rain, because there may be a
layer of water between the tires
and the road surface, preventing
the steering and brakes from
operating properly.
■ECO Accelerator Guidance
( P.99, 110)
It is easier to drive in an Eco-friendly
manner by driving while referring to
the ECO Accelerator Guidance dis-
play. Also, by using the ECO Accel-
erator Guidance it is easier to
increase the “Eco Score” evaluation.
●When starting off: While staying
within the ECO Accelerator Guid-
ance range, gradually depress the
accelerator pedal and accelerate
to the desired speed. If excessive
acceleration is avoided, the “Start”
score will increase.
●When driving: After accelerating to
the desired speed, release the
accelerator pedal and drive at a
stable speed within the ECO
Accelerator Guidance range. By
keeping the vehicle within the
ECO Accelerator Guidance range,
the “Cruise” sco re will increase.
●When stopping: When stopping
the vehicle, early releasing the
accelerator pedal will cause the
“Stop” score to increase.
■Restraining the hybrid system
output (Brake Override System)
●When the accelera tor and brake
pedals are depressed at the same
time, the hybrid system output
may be restrained.
●A warning message is displayed
on the multi-information display
while the system is operating.
■Drive-Start Control (DSC)
When the TRAC is turned off
( P.312), sudden start restraint
control also does not operate. If
your vehicle have trouble escaping
from the mud or fr esh snow due to
sudden start restraint control opera-
tion, deactivate TRAC ( P.312) so
that the vehicle may become able to
escape from the mud or fresh snow.
Also, sudden start restraint control
will not operate in the following con-
ditions:
●When Trail Mode is turned on
(AWD models)
■Breaking in your new Toyota
To extend the life of the vehicle,
observing the following precautions
is recommended:
●For the first 200 miles (300 km):
1874-1. Before driving
4
Driving
WARNING
●During normal driving, do not
turn off the hybrid system. Turn-
ing the hybrid system off while
driving will not cause loss of
steering or braking control, how-
ever, power assist to the steer-
ing will be lost. This will make it
more difficult to steer smoothly,
so you should pull over and stop
the vehicle as soon as it is safe
to do so.In the event of an
emergency, such as if it
becomes impossible to stop the
vehicle in the normal way:
P. 4 3 8
●Use engine braking (downshift)
to maintain a safe speed when
driving down a steep hill.Using
the brakes con tinuously may
cause the brakes to overheat
and lose effectiveness.
(
P.213)
●Do not adjust the positions of
the steering wheel, the seat, or
the inside or ou tside rear view
mirrors while driving.Doing so
may result in a loss of vehicle
control.
●Always check that all passen-
gers’ arms, heads or other parts
of their body are not outside the
vehicle.
●AWD models: Do not drive the
vehicle off-road. This is not an
AWD vehicle designed for
off-road driving.Drive with due
care if it becomes unavoidable
to drive off-road.
●Do not drive across a river or
through other bodies of
water.This may cause elec-
tric/electronic components to
short circuit, damage the hybrid
system or cause other serious
damage to the vehicle.
●Do not drive in excess of the
speed limit. Even if the legal
speed limit permits it, do not
drive over 85 mph (140 km/h)
unless your vehicle has
high-speed capability tires. Driv-
ing over 85 mph (140 km/h)
may result in tire failure, loss of
control and possible injury. Be
sure to consult a tire dealer to
determine whether the tires on
your vehicle are high-speed
capability tires or not before
driving at such speeds.
■When driving on slippery
road surfaces
●Sudden braking, acceleration
and steering may cause tire
slippage and reduce your ability
to control the vehicle.
●Sudden acceleration, engine
braking due to shifting, or
changes in engine speed could
cause the vehicle to skid.
●After driving through a puddle,
lightly depress the brake pedal
to make sure that the brakes
are functioning properly. Wet
brake pads may prevent the
brakes from functioning prop-
erly. If the brakes on only one
side are wet and not functioning
properly, steering control may
be affected.
■When shifting the shift lever
●Do not let the vehicle roll back-
ward while a fo rward driving
position is selected, or roll for-
ward while the shift lever is in
R.Doing so may result in an
accident or damage to the vehi-
cle.
●Do not shift the sh ift lever to P
while the vehicle is mov-
ing.Doing so can damage the
transmission and may result in a
loss of vehicle control.
1894-1. Before driving
4
Driving
WARNING
●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
vehicle.
●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, caus-
ing a fire.
●Always apply the parking brake,
shift the shift lever to P, stop the
hybrid system and lock the vehi-
cle.Do not leave the vehicle
unattended while the “READY”
indicator is illuminated.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 “READY” indicator is
illuminated or immediately after
turning the hybrid system
off.Doing so may cause burns.
■When taking a nap in the vehi-
cle
Always turn the hybrid system off.
Otherwise, if you accidentally
move the shift lever or depress
the accelerator pedal, this could
cause an accident or fire due to
hybrid system overheating. Addi-
tionally, if the vehicle is parked in
a poorly ventilated area, exhaust
gases may collect and enter the
vehicle, leading to death or a seri-
ous health hazard.
■When braking
●When the brakes are wet, drive
more cautiously.Braking dis-
tance 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 vehi-
cle.
●If the electronically controlled
brake system does not operate,
do not follow other vehicles
closely and avoid hills or sharp
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 dis-
tance will increase. Have your
brakes fixed immediately.
●The brake system consists of 2
or more individual hydraulic sys-
tems; if one of the systems fails,
the other(s) will still operate. In
this case, the brake pedal
should be depressed more
firmly than usual and the brak-
ing distance will increase. Have
your brakes fixed immediately.
■If the vehicle becomes stuck
(AWD models)
Do not spin the wheels exces-
sively when any of the tires is up
in the air, or the vehicle is stuck in
sand, mud, etc. This may damage
the driveline components or pro-
pel the vehicle forward or back-
ward, causing an accident.
NOTICE
■When driving the vehicle
●Do not depress the accelerator
and brake pedals at the same
time during driving, as this may
restrain the hybrid system out-
put.
1954-1. Before driving
4
Driving
■Matching trailer ball height to
trailer coupler height
No matter wh ich class of tow hitch
applies, for a m ore safe trailer
hookup, the trailer ball setup must
be the proper height for the coupler
on the trailer.
Coupler
Trailer ball
■Before towing
Check that the fo llowing conditions
are met:
●Ensure that your vehicle’s tires
are properly inflated. ( P.495)
●Trailer tires are inflated according
to the trailer manufacturer’s rec-
ommendation.
Trailer towing
Your vehicle is designed pri-
marily as a passen-
ger-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 oth-
ers, you must not overload
your vehicle or trailer. You
must also ensure that you
are using appropriate tow-
ing equipment, that the tow-
ing equipment has been
installed correctly and used
properly, and that you
employ the requisite driv-
ing habits.
Vehicle-trailer stability and
braking performance are
affected by trailer stability,
brake performance and set-
ting, 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 characteris-
tics and operating condi-
tions.
Toyota warranties do not
apply to damage or mal-
function caused by towing a
trailer for commercial pur-
poses.
Contact your Toyota dealer
for further information
about additional require-
ments such as a towing kit,
etc.
1964-1. Before driving
●All trailer lights work as required
by law.
●All lights work each time you con-
nect them.
●The trailer ball is set at the proper
height for the coupler on the
trailer.
●The trailer is level when it is
hitched.
Do not drive if the trailer is not
level, and check for improper
tongue weight, overloading, worn
suspension, or other possible
causes.
●The trailer cargo is securely
loaded.
●The rear view mirrors conform to
all applicable federal, state/provin-
cial or local regu lations. If they do
not, install rear view mirrors
appropriate for towing purposes.
■Break-in schedule
If your vehicle is new or equipped
with any new power train compo-
nents (such as an engine, hybrid
transmission, rear differential or
wheel bearing), Toyota recommends
that you do not tow a trailer until the
vehicle has been 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 vehi-
cle 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 f requent mainte-
nance due to the additional load.
(See “Scheduled Maintenance
Guide” or “Owner’s Manual Sup-
plement”.)
●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 contr ol trailer sway-
ing by turning the steering wheel.
• Begin releasing the accelerator pedal immediately but very gradu-
ally 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 occu- pants 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 over-
loaded 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 combina-
tion. Drive at a lower speed to pre-
vent instability. Remember that
swaying of the towing vehicle-trailer
increases as speed increases.
1974-1. Before driving
4
Driving
WARNING
■Trailer towing precautions
To tow a trailer 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 different ly when towing a
trailer.
■To avoid accident or injury
●Do not exceed the TWR,
unbraked TWR, GCWR, GVWR
or GAWR.
●If the gross trailer weight is over
2000 lb. (900 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 jerk y, 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 the following sys-
tems when trailer towing.
• Dynamic radar cruise control with full-speed range
• LTA (Lane Tracing Assist)
• PCS (Pre-Collision System)
• BSM (Blind Spot Monitor)
• PKSB (Parking Support Brake) (if equipped)
• RCTA (Rear Cross Traffic Alert) function
• Intuitive parking assist (if equipped)
●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 instability 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.
●Do not tow a trailer when the
compact spare tire is installed
on your vehicle.
1984-1. 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 vehicle
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).
WARNING
■When towing a trailer
Toyota recommends trailers with
brakes that confor m to any appli-
cable federal and state/provincial
regulations.
●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