Short overview of the Land Cruiser Prado’s 4WD buttons and dials including centre diff lock, rear diff lock, H4 /L4 operation, multi-terrain selection, crawl control.
Top Left: Electronic Stability/Traction Control
Keep on for the majority of driving conditions. Helps when going through challenging terrain to maintain traction to wheels on the ground when other wheels lose traction or come off the ground.
Underneath: 2nd Start
Many misunderstand this button, thinking it’s for starting the engine when it doesn’t turn over on the first try! The purpose is to allow the auto gearbox to start in 2nd gear to prevent wheel spin on low traction surfaces.
Next: Height Control Switch
This turns the height control on and off.
Bottom Left: Ride Height/Ground Clearance Control
This controls the vehicle’s ride height, allowing you to adjust it up or down. Get better ground clearance when needed.
Centre Top Dial: Terrain Selection
When the MTS (Multi-Terrain Select) button is pressed, use this dial to select the terrain type. It also sets the crawl rate when the crawl option is used.
Centre Bottom: H4/L4 Selection
To change from H4 to L4 – stop the vehicle, put the auto gearbox into neutral, then push and turn the switch. Use the same procedure to switch from L4 back to H4.
Top Right: Multi-Terrain Selection
Push this button and use the top dial to select the terrain you’re driving on. This is important as it is sometimes linked to the multi-terrain ABS.
Underneath: Crawl Control
Use in conjunction with L4. This sets the rate of crawl by turning the top dial. It’s great for many challenging off-road situations. Good for controlling rate of speed on descents.
Next: Centre Differential Lock Button
The centre differential allows the front and rear axles to be driven at different speeds on high traction surfaces to avoid damage from axle wind-up.
This button locks the centre diff on low traction surfaces for better control and safety. Be sure to disengage before returning to tarmac.
Bottom Right: Rear Differential Lock
When Electronic Traction Control (ETC) doesn’t do it and you need straight through torque to the rear wheel on the ground. Use this button in conjunction with L4.