TOYOTA HILUX 2021 Owners Manual (in English)

2294-2. Driving procedures
4
Driving
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WARNING
QWhen 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 circumstances.
Doing so may cause an accident resulting in death or serious injury.
Q Caution while driving
If engine failure occurs while the vehicle is moving, do not lock or open the
doors until the vehicle reaches a safe and complete stop. Activation of the
steering lock in this circumstance may lead to an accident, resulting in
death or serious injury.
Q Stopping the engine in an emergency
O If you want to stop the engine in an emergency while driving the vehicle,
press and hold the engine switch for more than 2 seconds, or press it
briefly 3 times or more in succession. ( P. 555)
However, do not touch the engine switch while driving except in an emer-
gency. If the engine switch is pressed while the vehicle is moving, the
warning message “Push and hold engine switch for emergency stop” is
displayed on the multi-information display and a buzzer sounds. Turning
the engine off while driving will not cause loss of steering or braking con-
trol, 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 vehi-
cle as soon as it is safe to do so.
O To restart the engine after turning off the engine while driving, shift the shift
lever to N (automatic transmission) or depress the clutch pedal (manual
transmission) and then press the engine switch.

2304-2. Driving procedures
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NOTICE
QTo prevent battery discharge
O Do not leave the engine switch in ACCESSORY or IGNITION ON mode
for long periods of time without the engine running.
O If “ACCESSORY” or “IGNITION ON” is displayed on the multi-information
display while the engine is not running, the engine switch is not off. Exit the
vehicle after turning the engine switch off.
O On vehicles with automatic transmission, do not stop the engine when the
shift lever is in a position other than P. If the engine is stopped in another
shift lever position, the engine switch will not be turned off but instead be
turned to ACCESSORY mode. If the vehicle is left in ACCESSORY mode,
battery discharge may occur.
Q When starting the engine
O Do not race a cold engine.
O If the engine becomes difficult to start or stalls frequently, have your vehi-
cle checked by any authorized Toyota retailer or Toyota authorized
repairer, or any reliable repairer immediately.
Q Symptoms indicating a malfunction with the engine switch
If the engine switch seems to be operating somewhat differently than usual,
such as the switch sticking slightly, there may be a malfunction. Contact any
authorized Toyota retailer or Toyota authorized repairer, or any reliable
repairer immediately.

231
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4-2. Driving procedures
Driving
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Automatic transmission
Vehicles without smart entry & start system
While the engine switch is in the “ON” position, move the shift
lever with the brake pedal depressed.
When shifting the shift lever between P and D, make sure that the
vehicle is completely stopped.
Vehicles with smart entry & start system
While the engine switch is in IGNITION ON mode, move the
shift lever with the brake pedal depressed.
When shifting the shift lever between P and D, make sure that the
vehicle is completely stopped.
: If equipped
Select a shift position appropriate for the driving conditions.
Shifting the shift lever

2324-2. Driving procedures
HILUX_OM_OM0K513E_(EE)
*1: To improve fuel efficiency and reduce noises, set the shift lever in the D
position for normal driving.
*2: Selecting shift ranges using S mode restricts the upper limit of the possi-
ble gear ranges, controls engine braking force, and prevents unneces-
sary upshifting.
Shift position purpose
Shift positionFunction
PParking the vehicle/starting the engine
RReversing
NNeutral
(Condition in which the power is not transmitted)
DNormal driving*1
SS mode driving*2 ( P. 235)

2334-2. Driving procedures
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Driving
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The driving modes can be selected to suit driving conditions.
Eco drive mode
Use Eco drive mode to help
achieve low fuel consumption
during trips that involve fre-
quent accelerating.
Press the “ECO” switch to select
Eco drive mode. The “ECO”
indicator will come on.
Press the switch again to cancel
Eco drive mode, and then the
driving mode changes to normal
mode for normal driving.
Power mode
Use when high levels of
response and feeling are desir-
able, such as when driving in
mountainous regions or when
overtaking.
Press the “PWR” switch to select power mode. The “PWR” indicator will
come on.
Press the switch again to cancel power mode, and then the driving
mode changes to normal mode for normal driving.
The driving modes cannot be selected when the front-wheel drive
control switch is in L4. (if equipped)
Selecting the driving mode
1
2

2344-2. Driving procedures
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To drive using temporary shift range selection, operate the “-” or “+”
paddle shift switch.
When the “-” paddle shift switch is operated, the shift range will be
downshifted to a range that enables engine braking force that is suit-
able to driving conditions. When the “+” paddle shift switch is oper-
ated, the shift range will be one gear upper than the gear in use during
normal D position driving.
Changing the shift range allows restriction of the highest gear, pre-
venting unnecessary upshifting and enabling the level of engine brak-
ing force to be selected.
Upshifting
Downshifting
The selected shift range, from 1 to
6, will be displayed in the meter.
To return to normal D position driv-
ing, the “+” paddle shift switch must
be held down for a period of time.
QShift ranges and their functions
O Automatically selecting shift ranges between 1 and 6 according
to vehicle speed and driving conditions. But the gear is limited
according to selected range.
O You can choose from 6 levels of engine braking force.
O A lower shift range will provide greater engine braking force than
a higher shift range, and the engine speed will also increase.
Selecting shift ranges in the D position (vehicles with paddle
shift switches)
1
2

2354-2. Driving procedures
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Driving
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To enter S mode, shift the shift lever to S. Shift ranges can be selected
by operating the shift lever or paddle shift switches (if equipped),
allowing you to drive in the shift range of your choosing.
Upshifting
Downshifting
The selected shift range, from 1 to
6, will be displayed in the meter.
The initial shift range in S mode is
set automatically to 5 or 4 accord-
ing to vehicle speed. However, the
initial shift range may be set to 3 if
AI-SHIFT has operated while the
shift lever was in D. ( P. 238)
QShift ranges and their functions
O Automatically selecting shift ranges between 1 and 6 according
to vehicle speed and driving conditions. But the gear is limited
according to selected range.
O You can choose from 6 levels of engine braking force.
O A lower shift range will provide greater engine braking force than
a higher shift range, and the engine speed will also increase.
Q Automatic deactivation of shift range selection in the D position (vehi-
cles with paddle shift switches)
Shift range selection in the D position will be deactivated in the following situ-
ations:
O When the vehicle comes to a stop
O If the accelerator pedal is depressed for more than a certain period of time in
4 or higher without changing the shift range
O When the shift lever is shifted to other than D
Selecting shift ranges in the S position
1
2

2364-2. Driving procedures
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Q S mode
When the shift range is 4 or lower, holding the shift lever toward “+” sets the
shift range to 6.
Q Downshifting restrictions warning buzzer
To help ensure safety and driving per formance, downshifting operation may
sometimes be restricted. In some circumstances, downshifting may not be
possible even when the shift lever is operated. (A buzzer will sound twice.)
Q Operation of the air conditioning system in Eco drive mode (vehicles
with automatic air conditioning system)
Eco drive mode controls the heating/cooling operations and fan speed of the
air conditioning system to enhance fuel efficiency ( P. 446). To improve air
conditioning performance, adjust the fan speed or turn off Eco drive mode.
Q Deactivation of the driving mode
O Eco drive mode will not be canceled until the “ECO” switch is pressed, even
if the engine is turned off after driving in Eco drive mode.
O Power mode will be canceled if the engine is turned off after driving in power
mode.
O Driving mode will be canceled if the transfer mode is shifted to L4 while the
driving mode is in other than normal mode. (if equipped)
Q When driving with cruise control or dynamic radar cruise control acti-
vated (if equipped)
Even when performing the following actions with the intent of enabling engine
braking, engine braking will not activate because cruise control or dynamic
radar cruise control will not be canceled.
O While driving in S mode, downshifting to 5 or 4. (P. 235)
O When switching the driving mode to power mode while driving in D.
( P. 233)
Q Restraining sudden start (Drive-Start Control) (vehicles with VSC sys-
tem)
 P. 195
Q 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 engine switch is in the
“ON” position (vehicles without smart entry & start system) or IGNITION ON
mode (vehicles with smart entry & start system) and the brake pedal is being
depressed.

2374-2. Driving procedures
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Driving
HILUX_OM_OM0K513E_(EE)
Q 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 with your foot on the brake pedal, there may
be a problem with the shift lock system. Have the vehicle inspected by any
authorized Toyota retailer or Toyota authorized repairer, or any reliable
repairer immediately.
The following steps may be used as an emergency measure to ensure that
the shift lever can be shifted.
Releasing the shift lock:
Set the parking brake.
Vehicles without smart entry & start system:
Turn the engine switch to the “LOCK” position.
Vehicles with smart entry & start system:
Turn the engine switch off.
Depress the brake pedal.
Q If the “S” indicator does not come on or the “D” indicator is displayed
even after shifting the shift lever to S
This may indicate a malfunction in the automatic transmission system. Have
the vehicle inspected by any authorized Toyota retailer or Toyota authorized
repairer, or any reliabl e repairer immediately.
Pry the cover up with a flathead screw-
driver or equivalent tool.
To prevent damage to the cover, cover
the tip of the screwdriver with a rag.
Press the shift lock override button.
The shift lever can be shifted while the
button is pressed.
1
2
3
4
5

2384-2. Driving procedures
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Q Transmission protection function
If the tires spin continually when the vehicle becomes stuck in mud, dirt or
snow, or if the accelerator pedal is depressed and released repeatedly while
driving, the automatic transmission temperature may become too high and
the automatic transmission may be damaged.
To avoid damaging the automatic transmission, the system may temporarily
lock the gear.
If the automatic transmission temperature falls, the gear locking is canceled
and the automatic transmission is returned to the normal operation.
Q If the warning message is displayed
When the warning message goes out, the vehicle can be driven again.
If the warning message does not go out after waiting a while, have your vehi-
cle inspected by any authorized Toyota retailer or Toyota authorized repairer,
or any reliable repairer.
Q AI-SHIFT
The AI-SHIFT automatically selects the suitable gear according to driver per-
formance and driving conditions.
The AI-SHIFT automatically operates when the shift lever is in D. (Shifting the
shift lever to S cancels the function.)
If the automatic transmission fluid tem-
perature warning message is displayed
while driving, make sure to return to D
position driving and reduce speed by eas-
ing off the accelerator pedal. Stop the
vehicle in a safe place, shift the shift lever
to P and let the engine idle until the warn-
ing message goes out.
WARNING
Q When driving on slippery road surfaces
Do not accelerate or shift gears suddenly.
Sudden changes in engine braking may cause the vehicle to spin or skid,
resulting in an accident.
Q To prevent an accident when releasing the shift lock
Before pressing the shift lock override button, make sure to set the parking
brake and depress the brake pedal.
If the accelerator pedal is accidentally 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, possibly leading to an accident
resulting in death or serious injury.