Toyota Land Cruiser Prado (2023 year). Manual in english

240

4-1. Before driving



Automatic transmission
Make sure that the parking brake is set and shift the shift lever to D.
Gently depress the accelerator pedal.
Release the parking brake.



Manual transmission
With the parking brake firmly set and the clutch pedal fully
depressed, shift the shift lever to 1.
Lightly depress the accelerator pedal at the same time as gradually
releasing the clutch pedal.
Release the parking brake.

When the following unusual operation is performed with the accelera-
tor pedal depressed, the engine output may be restrained.

●

When the shift lever is shifted to R

●

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-informa-
tion display (if equipped). Read the message and follow the instruc-
tion.

: Depending on the situation, the shift position may not be changed.

Starting off on a steep uphill

Sudden start restraint control (Drive-Start Control [DSC]) (auto-
matic transmission)

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■

When starting off on a uphill

The hill-start assist control is available. (



Refer to the “Off-road driving

Owner’s manual”)

■

Driving in the rain

●

Drive carefully when it is raining, because visibility will be reduced, the win-
dows may become fogged-up, and the road will be slippery.

●

Drive carefully when it starts to rain, because the road surface will be espe-
cially 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 sur-
face, preventing the steering and brakes from operating properly.

■

Engine speed while driving (automatic transmission)

In the following conditions, the engine speed may become high while driving.
This is due to automatic up-shifting control or down-shifting implementation to
meet driving conditions. It does not indicate sudden acceleration.

●

The vehicle is judged to be driving uphill or downhill

●

When the accelerator pedal is released

■

Restraining engine output (Brake Override System)

●

When the accelerator and brake pedals are depressed at the same time, the
engine output may be restrained.

●

Vehicles with multi-information display type A: A warning light comes on
while the system is operating. (



P. 663)

●

Vehicles with multi-information display type B: A warning message is dis-
played on the multi-information display while the system is operating.
(



P. 663)

■

Drive-Start Control (DSC) (automatic transmission)

When the TRC is turned off (



P. 418), sudden start restraint control also

does not operate. If your vehicle have trouble escaping from the mud or
fresh snow by operating sudden start restraint control, deactivate TRC
(



P. 418) 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 conditions:

●

When the four-wheel drive control switch is in L4 (1GR-FE and 1GD-FTV
engines) or H4L/L4L (2TR-FE engine).

●

When the center differential is locked (1GR-FE and 1GD-FTV engines)

: Refer to the “Off-road driving Owner’s manual”

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■

Breaking in your new Toyota

To extend the life of the vehicle, observing the following precautions is recom-
mended:

●

For the first 300 km (200 miles):
Avoid sudden stops.

●

For the first 800 km (500 miles):
Do not tow a trailer.

●

For the first 1000 km (600 miles):
• Do not drive at extremely high speeds.
• Avoid sudden acceleration.
• Do not drive continuously in the low gears.
• Do not drive at a constant speed for extended periods.
• Do not drive slowly with the manual transmission in a high gear.

■

Drum-in-disc type parking brake system

Your vehicle has a drum-in-disc type parking brake system.
This type of brake system needs bedding-down of the brake shoes periodi-
cally or whenever the parking brake shoes and/or drum are replaced.
Have any authorized Toyota retailer or Toyota authorized repairer, or any reli-
able repairer perform the bedding-down operation.

■

Idling time before stopping the engine (diesel engine)

To prevent damage to the turbocharger, allow the engine to idle immediately
after high-speed driving or driving up a hill.

■

Operating your vehicle in a foreign country

Comply with the relevant vehicle registration laws and confirm the availability
of the correct fuel. (



P. 743)

Driving condition

Idling time

Normal city driving

Not necessary

High-speed
driving

Constant speed of approx. 80
km/h (50 mph)

Approximately

20 seconds

Constant speed of approx.
100 km/h (62 mph)

Approximately

1 minute

Steep hill driving or continuous driving at 100 km/h
(62 mph) or more (race track driving etc.)

Approximately

2 minutes

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WARNING

Observe the following precautions.
Failure to do so may result in death or serious injury.

■

When starting the vehicle

On vehicles with an automatic transmission, always keep your foot on the
brake pedal while stopped with the engine running. This prevents the vehi-
cle 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 brake

pedal will result in sudden acceleration that may lead to an accident.

• When backing up, you may twist your body around, leading to a diffi-

culty in operating the pedals. Make sure to operate the pedals properly.

• Make sure to keep a correct driving posture even when moving the

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. These hot
parts may cause a fire if there is any flammable material nearby.

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WARNING

Observe the following precautions.
Failure to do so may result in death or serious injury.

■

When driving the vehicle

●

During normal driving, do not turn off the engine. Turning the engine off
while driving will not cause loss of steering or braking control, but the
power assist to these systems will be lost. This will make it more difficult to
steer and brake, so you should pull over and stop the vehicle as soon as it
is safe to do so.
However, in the event of an emergency, such as if it becomes impossible
to stop the vehicle in the normal way:



P. 645

●

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. 281)

●

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.

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WARNING

Observe the following precautions.
Failure to do so may result in death or serious injury.

■

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 properly. If the brakes on only one side are wet
and not functioning properly, steering control may be affected.

■

When shifting the shift lever

●

On vehicles with an automatic transmission, do not let the vehicle roll
backwards while the shift lever is in a driving position, or roll forward while
the shift lever is in R.
Doing so may cause the engine to stall or lead to poor brake and steering
performance, resulting in an accident or damage to the vehicle.

●

On vehicles with an automatic transmission, do not shift the shift lever to P
while the vehicle is moving.
Doing so can damage the transmission and may result in a loss of vehicle
control.

●

Do not shift the shift lever to R while the vehicle is moving forward.
Doing so can damage the transmission and may result in a loss of vehicle
control.

●

Do not shift the shift lever to a driving position while the vehicle is moving
backward.
Doing so can damage the transmission and may result in a loss of vehicle
control.

●

Moving the shift lever to N while the vehicle is moving will disengage the
engine from the transmission.
Engine braking is not available when N is selected.

●

On vehicles with an automatic transmission, be careful not to shift the shift
lever with the accelerator pedal depressed. Shifting the shift lever to a
gear other than P or N may lead to unexpected rapid acceleration of the
vehicle that may cause an accident and result in death or serious injury.

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4-1. Before driving

WARNING

Observe the following precautions.
Failure to do so may result in death or serious injury.

■

If you hear a squealing or scraping noise (brake pad wear indicators)

Have the brake pads checked and replaced by any authorized Toyota
retailer or Toyota authorized repairer, or any reliable repairer as soon as
possible.
Rotor damage may result if the pads are not replaced when needed.
It is dangerous to drive the vehicle when the wear limits of the brake pads
and/or those of the brake discs are exceeded.

■

When the vehicle is stopped

●

Do not race the engine.
If the vehicle is in any gear other than P (vehicles with an automatic trans-
mission 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.

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WARNING

Observe the following precautions.
Failure to do so may result in death or serious injury.

■

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.

●

Always apply the parking brake, shift the shift lever to P (vehicles with an
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.

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4-1. Before driving

WARNING

Observe the following precautions.
Failure to do so may result in death or serious injury.

■

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 brake booster device 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 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

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.

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NOTICE

■

When driving the vehicle



Automatic transmission

●

Do not depress the accelerator and brake pedals at the same time 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.



Manual transmission

●

Do not depress the accelerator and brake pedals at the same time during
driving, as this may restrain the engine output.

●

Do not shift gears unless the clutch pedal is fully depressed. After shifting,
do not release the clutch abruptly. Doing so may damage the clutch, trans-
mission and gears.

●

Observe the following to prevent the clutch from being damaged.
• Do not rest your foot on the clutch pedal while driving.

Doing so may cause clutch trouble.

• Do not use any gear other than the 1st gear when starting off and mov-

ing forward.

Doing so may damage the clutch.

• Do not use the clutch to hold the vehicle when stopping on an uphill

grade.

Doing so may damage the clutch.

●

Do not shift the shift lever to R when the vehicle is still moving. Doing so
may damage the clutch, transmission and gears.

■

When parking the vehicle (vehicles with an automatic transmission)

Always set the parking brake, and shift the shift lever to P. Failure to do so
may cause the vehicle to move or the vehicle may accelerate suddenly if
the accelerator pedal is accidentally depressed.

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4-1. Before driving

NOTICE

■

Avoiding damage to vehicle parts

●

Do not turn the steering wheel fully in either direction and hold 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 possible to avoid
damaging the wheels, underside of the vehicle, etc.

●

Diesel engine only: Make sure to idle the engine immediately after high-
speed driving or hill climbing. Stop the engine only after the turbocharger
has cooled down.
Failure to do so may cause damage to the turbocharger.

●

Diesel engine only: In an extremely cold environment, idle the engine for
more than 30 seconds after starting the engine. Do not race the engine
while idling.

■

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. 693)

■

When encountering flooded roads or waterlogged 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

●

Rubber or mechanical part damage or poor lubrication due to grease
being washed away, or grease becoming contaminated with mud or dirt

In the event that you drive on a flooded road and the vehicle is flooded, be
sure to have any authorized Toyota retailer or Toyota authorized repairer, or
any reliable repairer check the following:

●

Brake function

●

Changes in quantity and quality of oil and fluid used for the engine, trans-
mission, transfer, differentials, etc.

●

Lubricant condition for the propeller shaft, clutch fork, bearings and sus-
pension joints (where possible), and the function of all joints, bearings, etc.

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Cargo and luggage

■

Roof luggage carrier components

Roof rail
Cross rail

: The roof luggage carrier differs depending on the models.

Take notice of the following information about storage precau-
tions, cargo capacity and load:

Roof luggage carrier (if equipped)

1
2

WARNING

■

Things that must not be carried in the luggage compartment

The following things may cause a fire if loaded in the luggage compartment:

●

Receptacles containing gasoline

●

Aerosol cans

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4-1. Before driving

WARNING

■

Storage precautions

Observe the following precautions.
Failure to do so may prevent the pedals from being depressed properly,
may block the driver’s vision, or may result in items hitting the driver or pas-
sengers, possibly causing an accident.

●

Stow cargo and luggage in the luggage compartment whenever possible.

●

Do not stack anything in the luggage compartment higher than the seat-
backs.

●

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 (when stacking items)
• On the luggage cover (if equipped)
• On the instrument panel
• On the dashboard

●

Secure all items in the occupant compartment.

●

When you fold down the rear seats, long items should not be placed
directly behind the front seats.

●

Never allow anyone to ride in the luggage compartment. It is not designed
for passengers. They should ride in their seats with their seat belts prop-
erly fastened. Otherwise, they are much more likely to suffer death or seri-
ous 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.

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WARNING

■

Roof luggage carrier precautions (if equipped)

To use the roof rails as a roof luggage carrier, you must fit the roof rails with
two or more genuine Toyota cross rails or their equivalent.
Follow the manufacturer’s instructions and precautions when installing the
cross rails or their equivalent.
When you load cargo on the roof luggage carrier, observe the following:

●

Place the cargo so that its weight is distributed evenly between the front
and rear axles.

●

If loading long or wide cargo, never exceed the vehicle overall length or
width. (



P. 738)

●

Before driving, make sure the cargo is securely fastened on the roof lug-
gage carrier.

●

Loading cargo on the roof luggage carrier will make the center of gravity of
the vehicle higher. Avoid high speeds, sudden starts, sharp turns, sudden
braking or abrupt maneuvers, otherwise it may result in loss of control or
vehicle rollover due to failure to operate this vehicle correctly and result in
death or serious injury.

●

If driving for a long distance, on rough roads, or at high speeds, stop the
vehicle now and then during the trip to make sure the cargo remains in its
place.

●

Do not exceed 80 kg (176 lb.) cargo weight on the roof luggage carrier.

NOTICE

■

When loading cargo on the roof luggage carrier (if equipped)

Be careful not to scratch the surface of the moon roof (if equipped).

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4-1. Before driving

Trailer towing (with towing hitch)



◆

Weight limits

Check the allowable towing capacity, GVM (Gross Vehicle Mass),
MPAC (Maximum Permissible Axle Capacity), and permissible
drawbar load before towing. (



P. 738)

◆

Towing hitch/bracket

Toyota recommends the use of the Toyota hitch/bracket for your
vehicle. Other products of a suitable nature and comparable quality
may also be used.
For vehicles where the towing device blocks any of the lights or
license plate, the following shall be observed:

●

Do not use towing devices that cannot be easily removed or
repositioned.

●

Towing devices must be removed or repositioned when not in
use.



: If equipped

Your vehicle is designed primarily as a passenger-and-load-car-
rying vehicle. Towing a trailer will have an adverse effect on han-
dling, performance, braking, durability, and fuel consumption.
Your safety and satisfaction depend on the proper use of correct
equipment and cautious driving habits. For your safety and the
safety of others, do not overload the vehicle or trailer.
To tow a trailer safely, use extreme care and drive the vehicle in
accordance with the trailer’s characteristics and operating con-
ditions.
Toyota warranties do not apply to damage or malfunction
caused by towing a trailer for commercial purposes.
Ask your local authorized Toyota retailer or Toyota authorized
repairer, or any reliable repairer for further details before towing,
as there are additional legal requirements in some countries.

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4-1. Before driving

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◆

To prevent an accident

The handling of the vehicle will feel different when towing a trailer.
Beware of the 3 most common causes of towing-related accidents:
driver error, excessive speed, and overloading.

Use the wire harness stored in the rear end.

■

Total trailer weight and permissible drawbar load

Total trailer weight

Weight of the trailer itself plus
the trailer load should be within
the maximum towing capacity.
Exceeding this weight is danger-
ous. (



P. 738)

When towing a trailer, use a fric-
tion coupler or friction stabilizer
(sway control device).
When the total trailer weight is
over 2000 kg (4409 lb.), a fric-
tion stabilizer (sway control
device) is required.

Permissible drawbar load

Allocate the trailer load so that the drawbar load is greater than 25 kg
(55.1 lb.) or 4 % of the towing capacity. Do not let the drawbar load
exceed the indicated weight. (



P. 738)

Connecting trailer lights

Important points regarding trailer loads

Toyota Land Cruiser Prado (2023 year). Manual in english - page 15