2009 Toyota Highlander Owners Manual - Page 562

5 -2 . St e ps t o t a k e in a n e m e rge nc y I f t he ve hicle be c om e s st uck Carry out the following procedures if the tires spin or the vehicle becomes stuck in mud, dirt, or snow. STEP 1 Stop the hybrid system. Set the parking brake and put the shift lever in P. Remove the mud, snow, or sand from around the stuck tire. Place wood, stones or some other material to help provide traction under the tires. Restart the hybrid system. Shift the shift lever to the D or R position and carefully apply the accelerator to free the vehicle. STEP 2 STEP 3 STEP 4 STEP 5 CAUTION n When attempting to free a stuck vehicle If you choose to rock the vehicle back and forth to free it, make sure the surrounding area is clear, to avoid striking other vehicles, objects or persons. The vehicle may also lunge forward or lunge back suddenly as it becomes free. Use extreme caution. n When shifting the shift lever Be careful not to shift the shift lever with the accelerator pedal depressed. This may lead to unexpected rapid acceleration of the vehicle that may cause an accident and result in death or serious injury. NOTICE n To avoid damaging the transmission and other components l Avoid spinning the wheels. l If the vehicle remains stuck after trying these procedures, the vehicle may require towing to be freed. 536