towing TOYOTA SEQUOIA 2021 (in English) User Guide

2004-1. Before driving
SEQUOIA_OM_USA_OM0C035U
●A recommended tongue weight varies in accordance with the types
of trailers or towing as described below.
● To ensure the recommended values shown below, the trailer must
be loaded by referring to t he following instructions.
• Tongue Weight
The gross trailer weight should be distributed so that the tong ue
weight is 9% to 11%. (Tongue weight /Gross trailer weight x 100
= 9% to 11%)
Gross trailer weight
Tongue weight
If using a weight distributing hi tch when towing, return the front
axle to the same weight as b efore the trailer connection.
If front axle weight cannot be measured directly, measure the
front fender height above the fr ont axle before connection.
Adjust weight distributing hitch torque until front fender is
returned to the same hei ght as before connection.
The gross trailer weight, gross axle weight and tongue weight
can be measured with platform sca les found at a highway weigh-
ing station, building supply company, trucking company, junk
yard, etc.
Trailer Tongue Weight

2014-1. Before driving
4
Driving
SEQUOIA_OM_USA_OM0C035U
Trailer hitch assemblies have different weight capacities. Toyota rec-
ommends the use of Toy ota hitch/bracket for your vehicle. For d etails,
contact your Toyota dealer.
● If you wish to install a trailer hitch, contact your Toyota dea ler.
● Use only a hitch that conforms to the gross trailer weight requ ire-
ment of your vehicle.
● Follow the directions suppli ed by the hitch manufacturer.
● Lubricate the hitch ball with a light coating of grease.
● Remove the hitch ball whenever you are not towing a trailer.
Remove the trailer hitch if you do not need it. After removing the
hitch, seal any mounting hole in the vehicle body to prevent en try of
any substances into the vehicle.
Hitch

2034-1. Before driving
4
Driving
SEQUOIA_OM_USA_OM0C035U
Hitch receiver pin hole position:
46.2 in. (1172.3 mm)
Use the wire harness stored in the
rear end under the vehicle body.
The tow lighting system is
designed for 64 watts/5 amps of
electrical current per side (right
and left) for the trailer brake/turn
light functions.
Please contact y our Toyota dealer
with any questions or concerns.
■ Service connector for towing br ake controller (with towing pack age)
Positions for towing hitch receiver and hitch ball
Connecting trailer lights
Your vehicle is equipped with a service
connector for the trailer brake controller
as shown.
Access the service connector.
Remove the scuff plate.
Remove the clip (screw type) and trim
board.

2054-1. Before driving
4
Driving
SEQUOIA_OM_USA_OM0C035U
Your vehicle will handle differently when towing a trailer. Help to avoid
an accident, death or serious injury, keep the following in min d when
towing:
● Speed limits for towing a trailer vary by state or province. Do not
exceed the posted to wing speed limit.
● Toyota recommends that the vehicl e-trailer speed limit is 65 mph
(104 km/h) on a flat, straight, dry road. Do not exceed this li mit, the
posted towing speed limit or the speed limit for your trailer as set
forth in your trailer owner’s manu al, whichever is lowest. Instability
of the towing vehicle-trailer combination (trailer sway) increa ses as
speed increases. Exceeding speed limits may cause loss of contr ol.
● Before starting out, check the trailer lights, tires and the vehicle-
trailer connections. Recheck af ter driving a short distance.
● Practice turning, stopping and reversing with the trailer attac hed in
an area away from traffic until you become accustomed to the fe el
of the vehicle-trailer combination.
● Reversing with a trailer attached is difficult and requires pra ctice.
Grip the bottom of the steering wheel and move your hand to the
left to move the trailer to the left. Move your hand to the rig ht to
move the trailer to right. (This is generally opposite to reversing
without a trailer attached.) Avoid sharp or prolonged turning. Have
someone guide you when reversing to reduce the risk of an acci-
dent.
● As stopping distance is increased when towing a trailer, vehicl e-to
vehicle distance should be increased. For each 10 mph (16 km/h)
of speed, allow at least one v ehicle and trailer length.
● Avoid sudden braking as you may skid, resulting in the trailer jack-
knifing and a loss of vehicle control. This is especially true on wet or
slippery surfaces.
Trailer towing tips

2084-1. Before driving
SEQUOIA_OM_USA_OM0C035U■
Before towing
Check that the following conditions are met:
●Ensure that your vehicle’s tires are properly inflated. ( P. 529)
● Trailer tires are inflated according to the trailer manufacture r’s recommen-
dation.
● All trailer lights work as required by law.
● All lights work each time you connect 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 imprope r 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/provincial or
local regulations. If they do not, install rear view mirrors ap propriate for tow-
ing purposes.
● Depress “TOW/HAUL” button (if equipped)
■ AVS (adaptive variable suspension system) (if equipped)
The suspension can be switched for improvement in drivability. (P. 314)
■ Break-in schedule
If your vehicle is new or equipped with any new power train com ponents
(such as an engine, transmission, differential or wheel bearing ), Toyota rec-
ommends that you do not tow a trailer until the vehicle has bee n 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 veh icle 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 frequent m aintenance due
to the additional load. (See “Scheduled Maintenance Guide” or “ Owner’s
Manual Supplement”.)
● Retighten the fixing bolts of the towing ball and bracket after approximately
600 miles (1000 km) of trailer towing.

2094-1. Before driving
4
Driving
SEQUOIA_OM_USA_OM0C035U■
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 control trailer swaying by turning the steering w heel.
• Begin releasing the accelerator pedal immediately but very gra dually 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 occupants 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 overloaded 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 combination.
Drive at a lower speed to prevent instability. Remember that sw aying of the
towing vehicle-trailer increases as speed increases.

2104-1. Before driving
SEQUOIA_OM_USA_OM0C035U
WARNING
■Trailer towing precautions
● To tow a trailer safely, use extreme care and drive the vehicle in accor-
dance with the trailer’s characteristics and operating conditio ns. Failure to
do so could cause an accident resulting in death or serious injury. Vehicle
stability and braking performance are affected by trailer stabi lity, brake set-
ting and performance, and the hitch. Your vehicle will handle d ifferently
when towing a trailer.
● Vehicles with electronically modulated air suspension: Set the vehicle
height to the “N” mode and turn off the rear height control air suspension
when you connect a trailer, otherwise the vehicle height may ch ange due
to the automatic leveling function, and you may catch part of your body in
the vehicle, resulting in an accident.
■ 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. (907 kg), a sway control device
with sufficient capacity is required.
● If the gross trailer weight is over 5000 lb. (2268 kg), a weigh t distributing
hitch with sufficient capacity is required.
● Adjust the tongue weight within the appropriate range. Place he avier 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 forth in your trailer owner ’s manual,
whichever is lowest. Slow down sufficiently before making a tur n, in cross
winds, on wet or slippery surface, etc. to help avoid an accident. If you
experience a vehicle-trailer instability from reducing a certai n speed, slow
down and make sure you keep your vehicle speed under the speed of
which you experience the instability.
● Do not make jerky, abrupt or sharp turns.

2114-1. Before driving
4
Driving
SEQUOIA_OM_USA_OM0C035U
WARNING
●Do not apply the brakes suddenly as you may skid, resulting in jackknifing
and loss of vehicle control. This is especially true on wet or slippery sur-
faces.
● Do not exceed the trailer hitch assembly weight, gross vehicle weight,
gross axle weight and trailer tongue weight capacities.
● Do not use cruise control when towing.
● Slow down and downshift before descending steep or long downhill
grades. Do not make sudden downshifts while descending steep or long
downhill grades.
● Vehicle-trailer instability is more likely on steep long downhi lls. Before
descending steep or long downhill grades, slow down and downshi ft. Do
not make sudden downshifts when descending steep or long downhi ll
grades. Avoid holding the brake pedal down too long or applying the
brakes too frequently. This could cause the brakes to overheat and result
in reduced braking efficiency.
● Do not tow a trailer when the temporary spare tire is installed on your vehi-
cle.
■ Hitch
Trailer hitch assemblies have different weight capacities estab lished by the
hitch manufacturer. Even though the vehicle may be physically capable of
towing a higher weight, the operator must determine the maximum weight
rating of the particular hitch assembly and never exceed the ma ximum
weight rating specified for the trailer-hitch. Exceeding the ma ximum weight
rating set by the trailer-hitch manufacturer can cause an accid ent resulting
in death or serious personal injuries.

2124-1. Before driving
SEQUOIA_OM_USA_OM0C035U
WARNING
■When towing a trailer
Toyota recommends trailers with brakes that conform to any appl icable fed-
eral and state/provincial regulations.
● If the gross trailer weight exceeds unbraked TWR, trailer brake s are
required. Toyota recommends trailers with brakes that conform t o all appli-
cable federal and state/provincial regulations.
● Never tap into your vehicle’s hydraulic system, as this will lo wer the vehi-
cle’s braking effectiveness.
● Never tow a trailer without using a safety chain securely attac hed to both
the trailer and the vehicle. If damage occurs to the coupling u nit or hitch
ball, there is danger of the trailer wandering into another lan e.
NOTICE
■When installing a trailer hitch
Use only the position recommended by your Toyota dealer. Do not install
the trailer hitch on the bumper; this may cause body damage.
■ Do not directly splice trailer lights
Do not directly splice trailer lights. Directly splicing traile r lights may damage
your vehicle’s electrical system and cause a malfunction.

2134-1. Before driving
4
Driving
SEQUOIA_OM_USA_OM0C035U
Dinghy towing
Your vehicle is not designed to be dinghy towed (with 4 wheels
on the ground) behind a motor home.
NOTICE
■To avoid serious damage to your vehicle
Do not tow your vehicle with the four wheels on the ground.