2021 Toyota Camry Owners Manual - Before driving

Before driving

With the brake pedal depressed, shift the shift lever to D. ( P. 219)

Release the parking brake. ( P. 226, 227)

Gradually release the brake pedal and gently depress the accelera- tor pedal to accelerate the vehicle.

With the shift lever in D, depress the brake pedal. If necessary, set the parking brake.

If the vehicle is to be stopped for an extended period of time, shift the shift lever to P or N. ( P. 219)

Set the parking brake ( P. 226, 227), and shift the shift lever to P ( P. 219).

Vehicles without a smart key system:

Turn the engine switch to the “LOCK” position to stop the engine.

Vehicles with a smart key system:

Press the engine switch to stop the engine.

Lock the door, making sure that you have the key on your person.

If parking on a hill, block the wheels as needed.

Release the parking brake.

4-1. Before driving

197

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. Read the message and follow the instruction.

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

When starting off on a uphill

The hill-start assist control will activate. ( P. 327)

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

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 the engine output (Brake Override System)

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

A warning message is displayed on the multi-information display while the system is operating.

Drive-Start Control (DSC)

When the TRAC is turned off ( P. 329), 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 TRAC ( P. 329) so that the vehicle may become able to escape from the mud or fresh snow.

198 4-1. Before driving

Breaking in your new Toyota

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

For the first 186 miles (300 km):

Avoid sudden stops.

For the first 621 miles (1000 km):

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.

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 periodically or whenever the parking brake shoes and/or drum are replaced. Have your Toyota dealer per- form the bedding down operation.

Operating your vehicle in a foreign country

Comply with the relevant vehicle registration laws and confirm the availability of the correct fuel. ( P. 600)

Eco-friendly driving

P. 107, 124, 129

4-1. Before driving

199

WARNING

Observe the following precautions.

Failure to do so may result in death or serious injury.

When starting the vehicle

Always keep your foot on the brake pedal while stopped with the engine running. This prevents the vehicle 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.

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. 527

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. 220)

Do not adjust the display, 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.

AWD models: Do not drive the vehicle off-road.

This is not an AWD vehicle designed for off-road driving. Proceed with all due caution if it becomes unavoidable to drive off-road.

200 4-1. Before driving

WARNING

Observe the following precautions.

Failure to do so may result in death or serious injury.

When driving the vehicle

Do not drive in excess of the speed limit. Even if the legal speed limit per- mits it, do not drive over 85 mph (140 km/h) unless your vehicle has high- speed capability tires. Driving over 85 mph (140 km/h) may result in tire failure, loss of control and possible injury. Be sure to consult a tire dealer to determine whether the tires on your vehicle are high-speed capability tires or not before driving at such speeds.

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

Do not let the vehicle roll backward while the shift lever is in a driving posi- tion, 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.

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.

Shifting 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.

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.

4-1. Before driving

201

202 4-1. Before driving

4-1. Before driving

203

204 4-1. Before driving

NOTICE

When driving the vehicle

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

Do not use the accelerator pedal or depress the accelerator and brake pedals at the same time to hold the vehicle on a hill.

When parking the vehicle

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.

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 on the road, drive as slowly as possible to avoid damaging the wheels, underside of the vehicle, etc.

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. 553)

When encountering flooded 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

In the event that you drive on a flooded road and the vehicle is flooded, be sure to have your Toyota dealer check the following:

Brake function

Changes in quantity and quality of oil and fluid used for the engine, tran- saxle, transfer (AWD models), rear differential (AWD models), etc.

Lubricant condition for the bearings and suspension joints (where possi- ble), and the function of all joints, bearings, etc.

4-1. Before driving

205

(Cargo capacity) = (Total load capacity) — (Total weight of occupants)

Steps for Determining Correct Load Limit —

Locate the statement “The combined weight of occupants and cargo should never exceed XXX kg or XXX lbs.” on your vehicle’s placard.

Determine the combined weight of the driver and passengers that will be riding in your vehicle.

Subtract the combined weight of the driver and passengers from XXX kg or XXX lbs.

The resulting figure equals the available amount of cargo and lug- gage load capacity.

For example, if the “XXX” amount equals 1400 lbs. and there will be five 150 lb passengers in your vehicle, the amount of available cargo and luggage load capacity is 650 lbs. (1400 -­ 750 (5 x 150) =

650 lbs.)

Determine the combined weight of luggage and cargo being loaded on the vehicle. That weight may not safely exceed the available cargo and luggage load capacity calculated in Step 4.

If your vehicle will be towing a trailer, load from your trailer will be transferred to your vehicle. Consult this manual to determine how this reduces the available cargo and luggage load capacity of your vehicle.

( P. 208)

Toyota does not recommend towing a trailer with your vehicle. Your vehicle is not designed for trailer towing.

206 4-1. Before driving

Total load capacity (vehicle capacity weight) ( P. 584)

When 2 people with the combined weight of A lb. (kg) are riding in your vehicle, which has a total load capacity (vehicle capacity weight) of B lb. (kg), the available amount of cargo and luggage load capacity will be C lb. (kg) as follows:

B*2 lb. (kg) - A*1 lb. (kg) = C*3 lb. (kg)

*2: B =Total load capacity

*3: C =Available cargo and luggage load

In this condition, if 3 more passengers with the combined weight of D lb. (kg) get on, the available cargo and luggage load will be reduced E lb. (kg) as follows:

C lb. (kg) - D*4 lb. (kg) = E*5 lb. (kg)

*4: D =Additional weight of people

*5: E =Available cargo and luggage load

As shown in the example above, if the number of occupants increases, the cargo and luggage load will be reduced by an amount that equals the increased weight due to the additional occupants. In other words, if an increase in the number of occupants causes an excess of the total load capacity (combined weight of occupants plus cargo and luggage load), you must reduce the cargo and luggage on your vehicle.

4-1. Before driving

207

208 4-1. Before driving

Total load capacity (vehicle capacity weight): P. 584

Seating capacity: P. 585

Seating capacity means the maximum number of occupants whose estimated average weight is 150 lb. (68 kg) per person.

Towing capacity

Toyota does not recommend towing a trailer with your vehicle.

Cargo capacity

Cargo capacity may increase or decrease depending on the weight and the number of occupants.

Total load capacity and seating capacity

These details are also described on the tire and loading information label. ( P. 497)

4-1. Before driving

209

210 4-1. Before driving

Dinghy towing