Operation Manual

Cautions on handling of all-wheel drive vehicles
Features and controls 5-89
5
Your vehicle may not provide sufficient hill
climbing ability and engine braking on steep
slopes. Avoid driving on steep slopes even
though the vehicle is a 4-wheel drive vehicle.
N00530800190
Since driving torque can be applied to all four
wheels, the performance of the vehicle when
operating in all-wheel drive is greatly
affected by the condition of the tires.
Pay close attention to the tires.
 Install specified tires on all wheels. Refer
to “Tires and wheels” on page 11-5.
 Be sure to fit all four tires and wheels of
the same size and type.
When replacement of any of the tires or
wheels is necessary, replace all of them.
 All tires should be rotated whenever the
wear difference between the front and rear
tires is recognizable.
Good vehicle performance cannot be
expected if there is a difference in wear
between tires. Refer to “Tire rotation” on
page 9-23.
 Check the tire inflation pressure regularly.
Climbing/descending sharp grades
Cautions on handling of all-
wheel drive vehicles
Tires and wheels
CAUTION
 Always use tires of the same size, same type,
and same brand, and which have no wear dif-
ferences. Using tires that differ in size, type,
brands or the degree of wear, will increase
the differential oil temperature, resulting in
possible damage to the driving system. Fur-
ther, the drive train will be subjected to
excessive loading, possibly leading to oil
leakage, component seizure, or other serious
problems.
Towing
CAUTION
 Do not tow all-wheel drive vehicles with the
front or rear wheels on the ground (Type A
or Type B) as illustrated. This could result in
damage to the drivetrain, or unstable towing.
If you tow all-wheel drive vehicles, use Type
C or Type D equipment.
 [For vehicle equipped with the Electronically
controlled 4WD system]
Even in “2WD” mode, the vehicle cannot be
towed with the front or the rear wheels on
the ground.