3354-6. Driving tips
4
Driving
■Additional information for off-road driving
For owners in U.S. mainland, Hawaii and Puerto Rico:
To obtain additional information pertaining to driving your veh icle off-road,
consult the following organizations.
● State and Local Parks and Recreation Departments
● State Motor Vehicle Bureau
● Recreational Vehicle Clubs
● U.S. Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management
WARNING
■ Off-road driving precautions
Always observe the following precautions to minimize the risk of death, seri-
ous injury or damage to your vehicle:
● Drive carefully when off the road. Do not take unnecessary risks by driving
in dangerous places.
● Do not grip the steering wheel spokes when driving off-road. A bad bump
could jerk the wheel and injure your hands. Keep both hands and espe-
cially your thumbs on the outside of the rim.
● Always check your brakes for effectiveness immediately after dr iving in
sand, mud, water or snow.
● After driving through tall grass, mud, rock, sand, rivers, etc. , check that
there is no grass, bush, paper, rags, stone, sand, etc., adheri ng or trapped
on the underbody. Clear off any such matter from the underbody. If the
vehicle is used with these materials trapped or adhering to the underbody,
a breakdown or fire could occur.
● When driving off-road or in rugged terrain, do not drive at excessive
speeds, jump, make sharp turns, strike objects, etc. This may cause loss
of control or vehicle rollover causing death or serious injury. You are also
risking expensive damage to your vehicle’s suspension and chass is.
3364-6. Driving tips
NOTICE
■To prevent the water damage
Take all necessary safety measures to ensure that water damage to the
engine or other components does not occur.
● Water entering the engine air intake will cause severe engine damage.
● Water entering the automatic transmission will cause deterioration in shift
quality, locking up of your transmission accompanied by vibration, and ulti-
mately damage.
● Water can wash the grease from wheel bearings, causing rusting and pre-
mature failure, and may also enter the differentials, transmission and
transfer case, reducing the gear oil’s lubricating qualities.
■ When you drive through water
If driving through water, such as when crossing shallow streams , first check
the depth of the water and the bottom of the river bed for firm ness. Drive
slowly and avoid deep water.
■ Inspection after off-road driving
● Sand and mud that has accumulated in brake drums and around bra ke
discs may affect braking efficiency and may damage brake system compo-
nents.
● Always perform a maintenance inspection after each day of off-r oad driv-
ing that has taken you through rough terrain, sand, mud, or wat er. For
scheduled maintenance information, refer to the “Scheduled Main tenance
Guide” or “Owner’s Manual Supplement”.
3785-4. Other interior features
■If the engine is started with th e power outlet main switch on
The maximum capacity of the power supply may decrease to below the stan-
dard, or may be cut off completely, even when the vehicle is st ationary.
■ The protection circuit may be act ivated to cut the power supply if any of
the following conditions apply:
● The engine is started with the power outlet main switch on.
● Use of electrical appliances exceeding the maximum capacity is attempted.
A sound may be heard when the protection circuit is activated. This is nor-
mal and does not indicate a malfunction.
● Electrical appliances, which consume power exceeding 100 W, have been
used continuously for a long time period.
● The total power usage by all electrical features (headlights, a ir conditioning,
etc.) has exceeded the total vehicle maximum for an extended period of
time.
■ If the protection circuit is act ivated and the power supply is cut, conduct
the following procedure:
Park the vehicle in a safe place, and then securely apply the parking
brake.
Check and ensure the following conditions:
Vehicles with an automatic transmission
The shift lever is in P or N.
Vehicles with a manual transmission
The shift lever is in N and the clutch pedal is not depressed.
Make sure that the power consumption of the electric appliance is within
the maximum capacity of the power outlet and the appliance is n ot bro-
ken.
Press the power outlet main switch again.
When the cabin temperature is high, open the windows to cool th e tempera-
ture down. Once it reaches the normal temperature, turn the pow er outlet
main switch on again.
If the power supply does not resume even after the above procedure has
been performed, have the vehicle inspected by your Toyota deale r.
1
2
3
4
4036-1. Maintenance and care
6
Maintenance and care
■Wheels and wheel ornaments (if equipped)
●Remove any dirt immediately by using a neutral detergent.
● Wash detergent off with water immediately after use.
● To protect the paint from damage, make sure to observe the following pre-
cautions.
• Do not use acidic, alkaline or abrasive detergent
• Do not use hard brushes
• Do not use detergent on the wheels when they are hot, such as after driv-
ing or parking in hot weather
■ Brake pads and calipers
Rust may form if the vehicle is parked with wet brake pads or d isc rotors,
causing them to stick. Before parking the vehicle after it is washed, drive
slowly and apply the brakes several times to dry the parts.
■ Bumpers and side moldings
Do not scrub with abrasive cleaners.
■ Plated portions
If dirt cannot be removed, clean the parts as follows:
●Use a soft cloth dampened with an approximately 5% solution of neutral
detergent and water to clean the dirt off.
● Wipe the surface with a dry, soft cloth to remove any remaining moisture.
● To remove oily deposits, use alcohol wet wipes or a similar product.
WARNING
■When washing the vehicle
Do not apply water to the inside of the engine compartment. Doing so may
cause the electrical components, etc., to catch fire.
■ Precautions regarding the exhaust pipe
Exhaust gases cause the exhaust pipe to become quite hot.
When washing the vehicle, be careful not to touch the pipe unti l it has
cooled sufficiently, as touching hot exhaust pipe can cause burns.
4056-1. Maintenance and care
6
Maintenance and care
NOTICE
■Cleaning the exterior lights
● Wash carefully. Do not use organic substances or scrub with a h ard brush.
This may damage the surfaces of the lights.
● Do not apply wax to the surfaces of the lights.
Wax may cause damage to the lenses.
■ When using a high pressure car wash
● Do not spray water directly on the radar which is equipped behi nd the
emblem. Otherwise it may cause the device to be damaged.
● Do not bring the nozzle tip close to boots (rubber or resin man ufactured
cover), connectors or the following parts. The parts may be dam aged if
they come into contact with high-pressure water.
• Traction related parts
• Steering parts
• Suspension parts
• Brake parts
● Keep the cleaning nozzle at least 11.9 in. (30 cm) away from th e vehicle
body. Otherwise resin section, such as moldings and bumpers, may be
deformed and damaged. Also, do not continuously hold the nozzle in the
same place.
● Do not spray the lower part of the windshield continuously.
If water enters the air conditioning system intake located near the lower
part of the windshield, the air conditioning system may not ope rate cor-
rectly.
● Do not wash the underside of the vehicle using a high pressure car
washer.
■ Cleaning the high mounted stoplight and cargo lamps
When using high-pressured car washers, the tip of the nozzle sh ould be at
least 20 in. (50 cm) from the car body. Water can seep lamp hou sing or the
vehicle cabin if the nozzle is closer to the car body.
4116-2. Maintenance
6
Maintenance and care
General maintenance
Listed below are the general maintenance items that should be
performed at the intervals specified in the “Owner’s Warranty
Information Booklet” or “Own er’s Manual Supplement/Sched-
uled Maintenance Guide”. It is recommended that any problem
you notice should be brought to the attention of your Toyota
dealer or qualified s ervice shop for advice.
Engine compartment
ItemsCheck points
BatteryCheck the connections. (P. 428)
Brake fluidIs the brake fluid at the correct level? ( P. 425)
Engine coolantIs the engine coolant at the correct level? (P. 423)
Engine oilIs the engine oil at the correct level? (P. 421)
Exhaust systemThere should not be any fumes or strange sounds.
Power steering fluidIs the power steering fluid at correct level?
(P. 426)
Radiator/condenserThe radiator and condenser should be free from for-
eign objects. ( P. 425)
Washer fluidIs there sufficient washer fluid? (P. 430)
4126-2. Maintenance
Vehicle interior
ItemsCheck points
Accelerator pedal• The accelerator pedal should move smoothly(without uneven pedal effort or catching).
Automatic transmission
“Park” mechanism• When parked on a slope and the shift lever isin P, is the vehicle securely stopped?
Brake pedal
• Does the brake pedal move smoothly?
• Does the brake pedal have appropriate clear-ance from the floor? ( P. 550)
• Does the brake pedal have the correct amount of free play? ( P. 550)
Brakes
• The vehicle should not pull to one side when
the brakes are applied.
• The brakes should work effectively.
• The brake pedal should not feel spongy.
• The brake pedal should not get too close to the floor when the brakes are applied.
Clutch pedal
• Does the clutch pedal move smoothly?
• Does the clutch pedal have correct amount of
free play?
Head restraints• Do the head restraints move smoothly andlock securely?
Indicators/buzzers• Do the indicators and buzzers function prop-erly?
Parking brake
• Does the parking brake lever move smoothly?
• When parked on a slope and the parkingbrake is on, is the vehicle securely stopped?
Seat belts• Do the seat belts operate smoothly?
• The seat belts should not be damaged.
Seats• Do the seat controls operate properly?
Steering wheel
• Does the steering wheel rotate smoothly?
• Does the steering wheel have the correctamount of free play?
• There should not be any strange sounds com-
ing from the steering wheel.
4156-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
6
Maintenance and care
Do-it-yourself ser vice precautions
If you perform maintenance by yourself, be sure to follow the
correct procedure as given in these sections.
ItemsParts and tools
Battery condition
( P. 428)• Warm water• Baking soda• Grease
• Conventional wrench (for terminal clamp bolts)
Brake fluid level
( P. 425)• FMVSS No.116 DOT 3 or SAE J1703 brake fluid
• Rag or paper towel
• Funnel (used only for adding brake fluid)
Engine coolant
level ( P. 423)
• “Toyota Super Long Life Coolant” or a similar high
quality ethylene glycol-based non-silicate, non-
amine, non-nitrite and non-borate coolant with long-
life hybrid organic acid technology
For the U.S.A.:
“Toyota Super Long Life Coolant” is pre-mixed with
50% coolant and 50% deionized water.
For Canada:
“Toyota Super Long Life Coolant” is pre-mixed with
55% coolant and 45% deionized water.
• Funnel (used only for adding coolant)
Engine oil level
( P. 421)• “Toyota Genuine Motor Oil” or equivalent
• Rag or paper towel
• Funnel (used only for adding engine oil)
Fuses
( P. 455)• Fuse with same amperage rating as original
Light bulbs
( P. 458)
• Bulb with same number and wattage rating as origi-
nal
• Phillips-head screwdriver
• Flathead screwdriver• Wrench
Power steering
fluid level
(
P. 426)
• Automatic transmission fluid DEXRON® II or III
• Rag or paper towel
• Funnel (used only for adding power steering fluid)
Radiator and
condenser
(
P. 425)
Tire inflation
pressure
( P. 442)• Tire pressure gauge
• Compressed air source
Washer fluid
( P. 430)• Water or washer fluid containing antifreeze (for win-
ter use)
• Funnel (used only for adding water or washer fluid)