steering TOYOTA VERSO S 2012 Owner's Guide

118 1-7. Safety information
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CAUTION
SRS airbag precautions
Observe the following precautions regarding the SRS airbags.
Failure to do so may cause death or serious injury.
The driver and all passengers in the vehicle must wear their seat belts
properly.
The SRS airbags are supplemental devices to be used with the seat belts.
The SRS driver airbag deploys with considerable force, and can cause
death or serious injury especially if the driver is very close to the airbag.
Since the risk zone for the driver’s airbag is the first 50 - 75 mm (2 - 3 in.)
of inflation, placing yourself 250 mm (10 in.) from your driver airbag pro-
vides you with a clear margin of safety. This distance is measured from the
center of the steering wheel to your breastbone. If you sit less than 250
mm (10 in.) away now, you can change your driving position in several
ways:
• Move your seat to the rear as far as you can while still reaching the
pedals comfortably.
• Slightly recline the back of the seat. Although vehicle designs vary,
many drivers can achieve the 250 mm (10 in.) distance, even with the
driver seat all the way forward, simply by reclining the back of the seat
somewhat. If reclining the back of your seat makes it hard to see the
road, raise yourself by using a firm, non-slippery cushion, or raise the
seat if your vehicle has that feature.
• If your steering wheel is adjustable, tilt it downward. This points the air-
bag toward your chest instead of your head and neck.
The seat should be adjusted as recommended above, while still maintain-
ing control of the foot pedals, steering wheel, and your view of the instru-
ment panel controls.

120 1-7. Safety information
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CAUTION
SRS airbag precautions
Vehicles without SRS curtain shield air-
bags: Do not lean against the front
door.
Vehicles with SRS curtain shield air-
bags: Do not lean against the door, the
roof side rail or the front, side and rear
pillars.
Do not allow anyone to kneel on the
passenger seat toward the door or put
their head or hands outside the vehicle.
Do not attach anything to or lean any-
thing against areas such as the dash-
board, steering wheel pad and lower
portion of the instrument panel.
These items can become projectiles
when the SRS driver, front passenger
and knee airbags deploy.

122 1-7. Safety information
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CAUTION
SRS airbag precautions
Vehicles without SRS curtain shield airbags: If the areas where the SRS
airbags are stored, such as the steering wheel pad, are damaged or
cracked, have them replaced by any authorized Toyota dealer or repairer,
or another duly qualified and equipped professional.
Vehicles with SRS curtain shield airbags: If the areas where the SRS
airbags are stored, such as the steering wheel pad and front and rear pillar
garnishes, are damaged or cracked, have them replaced by any
authorized Toyota dealer or repairer, or another duly qualified and
equipped professional.
Modification and disposal of SRS airbag system components
Do not dispose of your vehicle or perform any of the following modifications
without consulting any authorized Toyota dealer or repairer, or another duly
qualified and equipped professional. The SRS airbags may malfunction or
deploy (inflate) accidentally, causing death or serious injury.
Installation, removal, disassembly and repair of the SRS airbags
Repairs, modifications, removal or replacement of the steering wheel,
instrument panel, dashboard, seats or seat upholstery, front, side and rear
pillars or roof side rails
Repairs or modifications of the front fender, front bumper, or side of the
occupant compartment
Installation of snow plows, winches, etc. to the front grille (bull bars, or
kangaroo bar etc.)
Modifications to the vehicle's suspension system
Installation of electronic devices such as an RF-transmitter and CD play-
ers

155 2-1. Driving procedures
2
When driving
VERSO-S_EE
Driving in the rain
Drive carefully when it is raining, because visibility will be reduced, the
windows may become fogged-up, and the road will be slippery.
Drive carefully when it starts to rain, because the road surface will be
especially 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
surface, preventing the steering and brakes from operating properly.
Breaking in your new Toyota
To extend the life of the vehicle, observing the following precautions is rec-
ommended:
For the first 300 km (186 miles):
Avoid sudden stops.
For the first 800 km (500 miles):
Do not tow a trailer.
For the first 1000 km (621 miles):
• Do not drive at extremely high speeds.
• Avoid sudden acceleration.
• Do not drive continuously in low gears.
• Do not drive at a constant speed for extended periods.
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.
Driving conditionIdling time
Normal city driving Not necessary
High-speed driv-
ingConstant speed of approx.
80 km/h (50 mph)Approximately 20
seconds
Constant speed of approx.
100 km/h (63 mph)Approximately 1 minute
Steep hill driving or continuous driving at 100
km/h (63 mph) or more (race track driving etc.)Approximately 2
minutes

157 2-1. Driving procedures
2
When driving
VERSO-S_EE
CAUTION
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
that could result in death or serious injury.
• 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 acceler-
ator 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.
Except vehicles with a manual transmission: Do not let the vehicle roll
backward 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.
If the smell of exhaust is noticed inside the vehicle, open the windows and
check that the back door is closed. Large amounts of exhaust in the vehi-
cle can cause driver drowsiness and an accident, resulting in death or a
serious health hazard. Have the vehicle inspected immediately by any
authorized Toyota dealer or repairer, or another duly qualified and
equipped professional immediately.
On vehicles with a Multidrive, do not shift the shift lever to P while the vehi-
cle 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.

158 2-1. Driving procedures
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CAUTION
Do not shift the shift lever to D (vehicles with a Multidrive), E, M (vehicles
with a multi-mode manual transmission) or 1 (vehicles with a manual
transmission) 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.
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. 496
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. 181, 186)
When stopped on an inclined surface, use the brake pedal and parking
brake to prevent the vehicle from rolling backward or forward and causing
an accident.
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 that can cause accidents,
resulting in death or serious injury.
Always check that all passengers' arms, heads or other parts of their body
are not outside the vehicle, as this 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, resulting in an accident.
Sudden changes in engine speed, such as engine braking caused by up-
shifting and down-shifting, may cause the vehicle to skid, resulting in an
accident.

159 2-1. Driving procedures
2
When driving
VERSO-S_EE
CAUTION
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, resulting in
an accident.
When shifting the shift lever (except vehicles with a manual transmis-
sion)
Be careful not to shift the shift lever with the accelerator pedal depressed.
Shifting the shift lever to a gear other than P (vehicles with a Multidrive only)
or N may lead to unexpected rapid acceleration of the vehicle that may
cause an accident and 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 dealer
or repairer, or another duly qualified and equipped professional 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 a Multidrive only) or
N, the vehicle may accelerate suddenly and unexpectedly, causing an
accident.
Do not leave the vehicle with the engine running for a long time.
If such a situation cannot be avoided, park the vehicle in an open space
and check that exhaust fumes do not enter the vehicle interior.
Except vehicles with a manual 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.

164 2-1. Driving procedures
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NOTICE
When parking the vehicle (vehicles with a Multidrive)
Always 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 acci-
dentally depressed.
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 motor.
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.
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 vehicle.
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. 442, 455)

172 2-1. Driving procedures
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Operation of the “ENGINE START STOP” switch
When operating the “ENGINE START STOP” switch, one short, firm press is
enough. If the switch is pressed improperly, the engine may not start or the
“ENGINE START STOP” switch mode may not change. It is not necessary to
press and hold the switch.
Electronic key battery depletion
P. 4 4
Conditions affecting operation
P. 4 1
Notes for the entry function
P. 4 2
If the engine does not start
The engine immobilizer system may not have been deactivated. (P. 97)
Steering lock
After turning the “ENGINE START STOP” switch off and opening and closing
the doors, the steering wheel will be locked due to the steering lock function.
Operating the “ENGINE START STOP” switch again automatically cancels
the steering lock.
Vehicles with a Multidrive: Check that the
shift lever is securely set in P. The engine
may not start if the shift lever is displaced
out of P. The smart entry & start system
indicator light (green) will flash quickly.

173 2-1. Driving procedures
2
When driving
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When the steering lock cannot be released
Steering lock motor overheating prevention
To prevent the steering lock motor from overheating, the motor may be sus-
pended if the engine is turned on and off repeatedly in a short period of time.
In this case, refrain from operating the engine. After about 10 seconds, the
steering lock motor will resume functioning.
When the smart entry & start system indicator light flashes in yellow
The system may be malfunctioning. Have the vehicle inspected by any
authorized Toyota dealer or repairer, or another duly qualified and equipped
professional immediately.
If the electronic key battery is depleted
P. 387
If the smart entry & start system has been deactivated in a customized
setting
P. 478
The smart entry & start system indicator
light (green) will flash quickly.
Vehicles with a Multidrive
Check that the shift lever is set in P. Press
the “ENGINE START STOP” switch while
turning the steering wheel left and right.
Vehicles with a multi-mode manual
transmission and manual transmis-
sion
Press the “ENGINE START STOP” switch
while turning the steering wheel left and
right.