Toyota Crawl Control: What it does and which vehicles have it – Jalopnik

Toyota is in an enviable position as one of the largest car manufacturers in the world, selling millions of cars every year in a small number of segments. While the Japanese brand generally doesn’t dabble in niche segments like the super and hypercar corners of the market, it does produce a few models for each of the more mainstream sectors.

That includes everyday commuters like the Corolla and Camry, zippy little sports cars like the GR Supra and GR86, and a fair share of SUVs and pickup trucks. While most of these SUVs and trucks are destined to hit the school drop-off route rather than tackling trails and treacherous terrain, a small minority will actually do off-road work. Toyota needs to make sure they are equipped to do so, and that’s where Crawl Control comes into play.

Crawl Control is a function that comes into effect when driving off-road at low speeds; it’s essentially a kind of cruise control. It modulates the throttle and brake controls, with the speed varying depending on which of the five settings you have selected. This allows the driver to concentrate on other aspects of driving, such as not crashing into a boulder or falling off the edge of a cliff. Quite a valuable feature for Toyota owners who like to take the path less traveled.

Crawl Control is not something that occurs in life itself. The driver behind the wheel must initiate this by pressing the brake pedal while in neutral, shifting the transfer case into four positions and then pressing the Crawl Control button, usually located near the rearview mirror or gear lever.

At this point the driver can then select one of five speed settings, from 1 to 8 km/h. When going through difficult terrain, speed is not necessary, hence the low settings. Generally, drivers would stick to the slower speeds for rocks and deep gravel, but they can switch to the 3, 4, or 5 mph settings when crossing sand, snow, or mud.

The system works together with the standard ESC system (Electronic Stability Control). While you can still slide a vehicle with stability control, the system works to eliminate skidding by using sensors to tell the car’s brain when each wheel needs traction. This way the ESC system can send power and braking to the wheels that need it, controlling slippage and keeping the Toyota moving.

It may seem obvious, but we’ll spell it out anyway; Crawl Control is intended for off-road use only. It’s not intended to help you drive around a parking garage while you wait for a spot to open up, nor is it intended to make crawling forward in traffic any easier. Toyota has even built Crawl Control to stop after just 12 minutes of continuous use. If you are still traveling through rocky terrain, you will need to reactivate it.

If you drive faster than 15 mph while the mode is active, it will pause temporarily, and pressing the brake pedal will do the same, just like the cruise control works. Ultimately, the system is designed to help drivers navigate particularly tricky sections of the trail by letting them focus primarily on steering, rather than having to use the gas and brake to find traction.

Before you climb into your Prius or Camry to check it out, don’t worry: This isn’t a safety feature Toyota builds into every one of its offerings. Instead, it’s only available on the brand’s more adventurous models, like the Land Cruiser, Tundra, Tacoma and 4Runner.

These vehicles also include a host of other adventure-friendly equipment, accessories and features that make traversing rugged terrain a breeze. They include all-terrain tires, specialized suspension packages, and more tech additions like hill-start assist and multi-terrain camera systems.

If you’re up for some tough trails but don’t quite have the money to buy a brand new off-road Toyota SUV or pickup, don’t worry. Crawl Control has been around since 2008, so you could buy a much older model of those nameplates and still get the system.