TOYOTA VENZA 2013 Owners Manual (in English)

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Driving assist systems
To help enhance driving safety and performance, the following sys-
tems operate automatically in res ponse to various driving situations.
Be aware, however, that these systems are supplementary and
should not be relied upon too h eavily when operating the vehicle.
■ABS (Anti-lock Brake System)
Helps to prevent wheel lock w hen the brakes are applied sud-
denly, or if the brakes are applied while driving on a slippery
road surface.
■ Brake assist
Generates an increased level of braking force after the brake
pedal is depressed, when the system detects a panic stop situa-
tion.
■ VSC (Vehicle Stability Control)
Helps the driver to control skidding when swerving suddenly or
turning on slippery road surfaces
■ TRAC (Traction Control)
Maintains drive power and prevent the front wheels (2WD mod-
els) or four wheels (AWD models) from spinning when starting
the vehicle or accelerating on slippery roads.
■ EPS (Electric Power Steering)
Employs an electric motor to re duce the amount of effort needed
to turn the steering wheel.
■ Enhanced VSC (Enhanced Vehicle Stability Control)
Provides cooperative control of the ABS, TRAC, VSC and EPS.
Helps to maintain directional stability when swerving on slippery
road surfaces by cont rolling steering performance.
■ Hill-start assist control
P. 237

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When the TRAC/VSC system are operatingThe slip indicator light will flash
while the TRAC/VSC systems
are operating.
■Active Torque Control 4WD (if equipped)
Automatically switches from fr ont-wheel drive to AWD (All-
Wheel Drive) according to driving conditions, helping to ensure
reliable handling and stability. Ex amples of conditions where the
system will switch to AWD are when cornering, going uphill,
starting off or accelerating, and when the road surface is slippery
due to snow or rain etc.

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Disabling the TRAC system
If the vehicle gets stuck in mud, dirt or snow, the TRAC system may
reduce power from the engine to the wheels. Pressing to turn
the system off may make it easier for you to rock the vehicle in order
to free it. To turn the TRAC system off,
quickly press and release
The TRAC OFF indicator light will
come on.
Push again to turn the sys-
tem back on.
■Turning off both TRAC and VSC system
To turn the TRAC and VSC systems off, press and hold for
more than 3 seconds while the vehicle is stopped.
●The TRAC OFF indicator light and VSC OFF indicator light will
come on.
● Press again to turn the systems back on.

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■When the “TRAC OFF” indicator light comes on even if the VSC OFF
switch has not been pressed
TRAC and hill-start assist control cannot be operated. Contact your Toyota
dealer.
■ Automatic reactivation of TRAC and VSC
After turning the TRAC and VSC systems off, the systems will be automati-
cally reactivated in the following situations:
● When the “ENGINE START STOP” switch is turned off (vehicles with
smart key system)
● When the engine switch is turned to the “LOCK” position (vehicles with-
out smart key system)
● If only the TRAC system is turned off, the TRAC will turn on when vehicle
speed increases
If both the TRAC and VSC systems are turned off, automatic reactivation
will not occur when vehicle speed increases.
■ Sounds and vibrations caused by the ABS, brake assist, TRAC and
VSC
● A sound may be heard from the engine compartment when the engine is
started or just after the vehicle begins to move. This sound does not indi-
cate that a malfunction has occurred in any of these systems.
● Any of the following conditions may occur when the above systems are
operating. None of these indicates that a malfunction has occurred.
• Vibrations may be felt through the vehicle body and steering.
• A motor sound may be heard after the vehicle comes to a stop.
• The brake pedal may pulsate slightly after the ABS is activated.
• The brake pedal may move down slightly after the ABS is activated.

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■EPS operation sound
When the steering wheel is operated, a motor sound (whirring sound) may
be heard.
This does not indicate a malfunction.
■ Reduced effectiveness of EPS system
The effectiveness of EPS system is reduced to prevent the system from
overheating when there is frequent steering input over an extended period of
time. The steering wheel may feel heavy as a result. Should this occur,
refrain from excessive steering input or stop the vehicle and turn the engine
off. The EPS system should return to normal within 10 minutes.
CAUTION
■The ABS does not opera te effectively when
● The limits of tire gripping performance have been exceeded.
● The vehicle hydroplanes while driving at high speed on the wet or slick
road.
■ Stopping distance when the ABS is operating may exceed that of nor-
mal conditions
The ABS is not designed to shorten the vehicle’s stopping distance. Always
maintain a safe distance from the vehicle in front of you in the following situ-
ations.
● When driving on dirt, gravel or snow-covered roads
● When driving with tire chains
● When driving over bumps in the road
● When driving over roads with pothol es or roads with uneven roads
■ TRAC may not operate effectively when
Directional control and power may not be achievable while driving on slip-
pery road surfaces, even if the TRAC is operating.
Do not drive the vehicle in conditions where stability and power may be lost.

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CAUTION
■When TRAC and VSC are off
Be especially careful and drive at a speed appropriate to the road condi-
tions. As there are systems to ensure vehicle stability and driving force, do
not turn off TRAC and VSC unless necessary.
■ When the VSC is activated
The slip indicator light flashes. Always drive carefully.
Reckless driving may cause an accident. Exercise particular care when the
indicator light flashes.
■ Replacing tires
Make sure that all tires are of the same size, brand, tread pattern and total
load capacity. In addition, make sure that the tires are inflated to the speci-
fied tire pressure level.
The ABS and VSC will not function correctly if different tires are fitted on the
vehicle.
Contact your Toyota dealer for further information when replacing tires or
wheels.
■ Handling of tires and suspension
Using tires with any kind of problem or modifying the suspension will affect
the driving assist systems, and may cause the system to malfunction.
■ Active Torque Control 4WD system
● The AWD system of this vehicle is intended to ensure driving stability on
normal roads. It is not designed for use in demanding situations such as
rally driving.
● Take care when driving on slippery road surfaces.

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Hill-start assist control
■Hill-start assist control operating conditions
The system operates in the following situations:
• The shift lever is in a position other than “P”.
• The parking brake is not applied.
• The accelerator pedal is not depressed.
■ Hill-start assist control
● While hill-start assist control is operating, the brakes remain automati-
cally applied after the driver releases the brake pedal. The stop lights and
the high mounted stoplight turn on.
● Hill-start assist control operates for about 2 seconds after the brake pedal
is released.
● If the slip indicator does not flash and the buzzer does not sound when
the brake pedal is further depressed, slightly reduce the pressure on the
brake pedal (do not allow the vehicl e to roll backward) and then firmly
depress it again. If the system still does not operate, check that the oper-
ating conditions explained above have been met.
Hill-start assist control helps to prevent the vehicle from rolling
backwards when starting on incline or slippery slope.
To engage hill-start assist con-
trol, further depress the brake
pedal when the vehicle is
stopped completely.
A buzzer will sound once to
indicate the system is acti-
vated. The slip indicator will
also start flashing.

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■Hill-start assist control buzzer
● When hill-start assist control is activated, the buzzer will sound once.
● In the following situations, hill-start assist control will be canceled and the
buzzer will sound twice.
• No attempt is made to drive the vehicle within approximately 2 seconds
of releasing the brake pedal.
• The shift lever is moved to “P”.
• The parking brake is applied.
• The brake pedal is depressed again.
■ If the slip indicator comes on...
It may indicate a malfunction in the system. Contact your Toyota dealer.
CAUTION
■Hill-start assist control
● Do not overly rely on hill-start assist control. Hill-start assist control may
not operate effectively on extremely st eep inclines or roads covered in ice.
● Unlike the parking brake, hill-start assist control is not intended to hold the
vehicle stationary for an extended period of time. Do not attempt to use
hill-start assist control to hold the vehicle on an incline for an extended
period of time, as doing so may lead to an accident.

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2-5. Driving information
Utility vehicle precautions
Utility vehicle feature● Specific design characteristics give it a higher center of gravity
than ordinary passenger cars. This vehicle design feature causes
this type of vehicle to be more likel y to rollover. And, utility vehicles
have a significantly higher rollover rate than other types of vehi-
cles.
● It is not designed for cornering at the same speeds as ordinary
passenger cars any more than low-slung sports cars are designed
to perform satisfactorily under of f-road conditions. Therefore, sharp
turns at excessive speeds may cause rollover.
This vehicle belongs to the utility vehicle class, which has higher
ground clearance and narrower tread in relation to the height of its
center of gravity.

240 2-5. Driving information
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CAUTION
■Utility vehicle precautions
Always observe the following precautions to help minimize the risk of serious
personal injury or damage to your vehicle:
● In a rollover crash, an unbelted person is significantly more likely to die
than a person wearing a seat belt. Therefore, the driver and all passengers
should fasten their seat belts whenever the vehicle is moving.
● Avoid sharp turns or abrupt maneuvers, if at all possible.
Failure to operate this vehicle correctly may result in loss of control or
vehicle rollover causing death or serious injury.
● Loading cargo on the roof luggage carrier will make the center of the vehi-
cle gravity 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.
● Always slow down in gusty crosswinds. Because of its profile and higher
center of gravity, your vehicle is more sensitive to side winds than an ordi-
nary passenger car. Slowing down will allow you to have better control.
● Do not drive horizontally across steep slopes. Driving straight up or
straight down is preferred. Your vehicle (or any similar off-road vehicle)
can tip over sideways much more easily than forward or backward.