TOYOTA 4RUNNER 1998 Owners Manual

4RUNNER (1998)
Four- wheel drive modelsÐToyota
recommends not using four- wheel
drive on dry hard- surfaced roads,
because four- wheel driving will
cause unnecessary noise and wear,
and poor fuel economy.
Four- wheel drive modelsÐIn cold
temperatures, noise may occur
when driving in two- wheel drive
before the transfer is warmed up.
Therefore, first drive in four- wheel
drive until the transfer is warmed up.CAUTION
Before driving off, make sure
that the parking brake is fully
released and the parking brake
reminder light is off.
Do not leave your vehicle unat-
tended while the engine is run-
ning.
Do not rest your foot on the
brake pedal while driving. It can
cause dangerous overheating,
needless wear, and poor fuel
economy.
To drive down a long or steep
hill, reduce your speed and
downshift. Remember, if you
ride the brakes excessively,
they may overheat and not work
properly.Be careful when accelerating,
upshifting, downshifting or
braking on a slippery surface.
Sudden acceleration or engine
braking, could cause the vehicle
to spin or skid.
Do not drive in excess of the
speed limit. Even if the legal
speed limit permits it, do not
drive over 140 km/h (85 mph)
unless your vehicle has
high- speed capability tires.
Driving over 140 km/h (85 mph)
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.
Do not continue normal driving
when the brakes are wet. If they
are wet, your vehicle will re-
quire a longer stopping dis-
tance, and it may pull to one
side when the brakes are ap-
plied. Also, the parking brake
will not hold the vehicle secure-
ly.

4RUNNER (1998)
When driving your vehicle off- road,
please observe the following precau-
tions to ensure your driving enjoyment
and to help prevent the closure of
areas to off- road vehicles.
a. Drive your vehicle only in areas
where off- road vehicles are permitted
to travel.
b. Respect private property. Get own-
er's permission before entering private
property.
c. Do not enter areas that are closed.
Honor gates, barriers and signs that
restrict travel.
d. Stay on established roads. When
conditions are wet, driving techniques
should be changed or travel delayed
to prevent damage to roads.
For owners in U.S. mainland, Hawaii
and Puerto Rico:
To obtain additional information per-
taining to driving your vehicle off-
road, consult the following organiza-
tions. State and Local Parks and Recre-
ation Departments
State Motor Vehicle Bureau
Recreational Vehicle Clubs
U.S. Forest Service and Bureau of
Land Management
CAUTION
Always observe the following pre-
cautions to minimize the risk of
serious personal injury or damage
to your vehicle: Drive carefully when off the
road. Do not take unnecessary
risks by driving in dangerous
places.
Do not grip the steering wheel
spokes when driving off- road. A
bad bump could jerk the wheel
and injure your hands. Keep
both hands and especially your
thumbs on the outside of the
rim.
Always check your brakes for
effectiveness immediately after
driving in sand, mud, water or
snow.
After driving through tall grass,
mud, rock, sand, rivers, etc.,
check that there is no grass,
bush, paper, rags, stone, sand,
etc. adhering or trapped on the
underbody. Clear off any such
matter from the underbody. If
the vehicle is used with these
materials trapped or adhering to
the underbody, a breakdown or
fire could occur.Off- road driving precaution

4RUNNER (1998)
The driver and all passengers
should fasten their seat belts
whenever the vehicle is moving.
NOTICE
If driving through water, such
as when crossing shallowstreams, first check the depth of the water and the bottom of
the river bed for firmness. Driveslowly and avoid deep water.
Take all necessary safety mea-
sures to ensure that water dam-age to the engine or other com- ponents does not occur.
Water entering the engine airintake will cause severe engine
damage.
Water can wash the grease fromwheel bearings, causing rustingand premature failure, and mayalso enter the differentials,
transmission and transfer case,reducing the gear oil's lubrica-ting qualities.
Sand and mud that has accum-
lated in brake drums andaround brake discs may affectbraking efficiency and may dam-
age brake system components.
Always perform a maintenanceinspection after each day of
off- road driving that has takenyou through rough terrain,sand, mud, or water. For sche-
duled maintenance information,refer to the separate ºOwner's Manual Supplement/Maintenance
Scheduleº.
Winter driving tips
Make sure you have ethylene- glycol
antifreeze in the radiator.
NOTICE
Do not use alcohol type anti-freeze.
Check the condition of the battery
and cables.
Cold temperatures reduce the capacity
of any battery, so it must be in top
shape to provide enough power for
winter starting. Chapter 7- 3 tells you
how to visually inspect the battery.
Your Toyota dealer and most service
stations will be pleased to check the
level of charge.
Make sure the engine oil viscosity
is suitable for the cold weather.
See Chapter 7- 2 for recommended
viscosity. Leaving a heavy summer oil
in your vehicle during winter months
may cause harder starting. If you are
not sure about which oil to use, call
your Toyota dealerÐhe will be pleased
to help.
Keep the door locks from freezing.
Squirt lock de- icer or glycerine into
the locks to keep them from freezing.
To open a frozen lock, try heating the
key before inserting it.

4RUNNER (1998)
Use a washer fluid containing an
antifreeze solution.
This product is available at your Toyo-
ta dealer and most auto parts stores.
Follow the manufacturer 's directions
for how much to mix with water.
NOTICE
Do not use engine antifreeze or any other substitute because itmay damage your vehicle's paint.
Do not use your parking brake
when there is a possibility it could
freeze.
When parking, put the transmission
into ºPº (automatic) or into first or
reverse (manual) and block the rear
wheels. Do not use the parking brake,
or snow or water accumulated in and
around the parking brake mechanism
may freeze, making it hard to release.
Keep ice and snow from accumulat-
ing under the fenders.
Ice and snow built up under your
fenders can make steering difficult.
During bad winter driving, stop and
check under the fenders occasionally. Depending on where you are driv-
ing, we recommend you carry some
emergency equipment.
Some of the things you might put in
the vehicle are tire chains, window
scraper, bag of sand or salt, flares,
small shovel, jumper cables, etc.
Trailer towing
Your vehicle is designed primarily as
a passenger- and- load- carrying ve-
hicle. Towing a trailer will have an
adverse effect on handling, perfor-
mance, braking, durability and driving
economy (fuel consumption, etc.).
Your safety and satisfaction depend
on the proper use of correct equip-
ment and cautious driving habits. For
your safety and the safety of others,
you must not overload your vehicle or
trailer. Ask your local Toyota dealer
for further details before towing.
WEIGHT LIMITS
Before towing, make sure the total
trailer weight, gross combination
weight, gross vehicle weight, gross
axle weight and trailer tongue load
are all within the limits.
The total trailer weight and tongue
load can be measured with platform
scales found at a highway weighing
station, building supply company,
trucking company, junk yard, etc.

4RUNNER (1998)
CAUTION
The total trailer weight (trailer
weight plus its cargo load)
must not exceed the following.
Exceeding this weight is dan-
gerous. If towing a trailer over
907 kg (2000 lb.), it is neces-
sary to use a sway control de-
vice with a sufficient capacity.
3RZ- FE engine 1587 kg (3500 lb.)
5VZ- FE engine 2267 kg (5000 lb.)
The gross combination weight
(sum of your vehicle weight
plus its load and the total trail-
er weight) must not exceed the
following.
Two- wheel drive models 3RZ- FE engine3447 kg (7600 lb.)
5VZ- FE engine 3992 kg (8800 lb.)
Four- wheel drive models 3RZ- FE engine3583 kg (7900 lb.)
5VZ- FE engine 4173 kg (9200 lb.)

4RUNNER (1998)
The gross vehicle weight must
not exceed the Gross Vehicle
Weight Rating (GVWR) indicated
on the Certification Label. The
gross vehicle weight is the sum
of weights of the unloaded ve-
hicle, driver, passengers, lug-
gage, hitch and trailer tongue
load. It also includes the weight
of any special equipment
installed on your vehicle.
The load on either the front or
rear axle resulting from dis-
tribution of the gross vehicle
weight on both axles must not
exceed the Gross Axle Weight
Rating (GAWR) listed on the
Certification Label.

4RUNNER (1998)
Total trailer weight
Tongue load
Tongue load
Total trailer weight
100 9 to 11 %
The trailer cargo load should be
distributed so that the tongue
load is 9 to 11% of the total
trailer weight, not exceeding the
maximum of the following. Nev-
er load the trailer with more
weight in the back than in the
front. About 60% of the trailer
load should be in the front half
of the trailer and the remaining
40% in the rear.
3RZ- FE engine158 kg (350 lb.)
5VZ- FE engine 226 kg (500 lb.)HITCHES
Use only a weight carrying hitch
designed for the total trailer weight.
Toyota does not recommend using
a weight distribution (load equaliz-
ing) hitch.
The hitch must be bolted securely
to the vehicle frame and installed
according to the hitch manufactur-
er 's instructions.
The hitch ball and king pin should
have a light coat of grease.
Toyota recommends removing the
hitch when not towing to preventin-
jury and/or damage due to the
hitch in event of a rear end colli-
sion. After removal of the hitch,
seal the installation area to prevent
entry of exhaust fumes and mud.
NOTICE
Do not use an axle- mounting
hitch as it may cause damage tothe axle housing, wheel bearings,wheels and or tires.
BRAKES AND SAFETY CHAINS
Toyota recommends trailers with
brakes that conform to any appli-
cable federal and state/provincial
regulations.

4RUNNER (1998)
A safety chain must always be
used between the towing vehicle
and the trailer. Leave sufficient
slack in the chain for turns. The
chain should cross under the
trailer tongue to prevent the
tongue from dropping to the
ground in case it becomes dam-
aged or separated. For correct
safety chain procedures, follow
the hitch or trailer manufactur-
er 's recommendations.
CAUTION
If the total trailer weight ex-
ceeds 453 kg (1000 lb.), trailer
brakes are required .
Never tap into your vehicle's
hydraulic system as it would
lower its braking effectiveness .
Never tow a trailer without us-
ing a safety chain securely atta-
ched to both the trailer and the
vehicle. If damage occurs to the
coupling unit or hitch ball,
there is danger of the trailer
wandering over into another
lane.
TIRES
Ensure that your vehicle's tires are
properly inflated. See Chapter 7- 2
for instructions.
The trailer tires should be inflated
to the pressure recommended by
the trailer manufacturer in respect
to the total trailer weight.
TRAILER LIGHTS Trailer lights must comply with fed-
eral, state/provincial and local re-
gulations. See your local recre-
ational vehicle dealer or rental
agency for the correct type of wir-
ing and relays for your trailer.
Check for correct operation of the
turn signals and stop lights each
time you hitch up. Direct splicing
may damage your vehicle's electri-
cal system and cause a malfunc-
tion of your lights.
BREAK- IN SCHEDULE Toyota recommends that you do
not tow a trailer with a new vehicle
or a vehicle with any new power
train component (engine, transmis-
sion, differential, wheel bearing,
etc.) for the first 800 km (500
miles) of driving. MAINTENANCE
If you tow a trailer, your vehicle
will require more frequent
maintenance due to the additional
load. For this information, please
refer to the scheduled maintenance
information in the ºOwner 's Manual
Supplement/Maintenance Scheduleº.
Retighten all fixing bolts of the
towing ball and bracket after
approximately 1000 km (600 miles)
of trailer driving.
PRE- TOWING SAFETY CHECK
Check that your vehicle remains
level when a loaded or unloaded
trailer is hitched. Do not drive if
the vehicle has an abnormal nose-
up or nose- down condition, and
check for improper tongue load,
overload, worn suspension or other
possible causes.
Make sure the trailer cargo is se-
curely loaded so that it cannot
shift.
Check that your rear view mirrors
conform to any applicable federal,
state/provincial or local regulation.
If not, install the rear view mirrors
required for towing purpose.

4RUNNER (1998)
TRAILER TOWING TIPS
When towing a trailer, your vehicle
will handle differently than when
not towing. The three main causes
of vehicle- trailer accidents are driv-
er error, excessive speed and im-
proper trailer loading. Keep these in
mind when towing:
Before starting out, check operation
of the lights and all vehicle- trailer
connections. After driving a short
distance, stop and recheck the
lights and connections. Before ac-
tually towing a trailer, practice turn-
ing, stopping and backing with a
trailer in an area away from traffic
until you learn the feel.
Backing with a trailer is difficult
and requires practice. Grip the bot-
tom of the steering wheel and
move your hand to the left to move
the trailer to the left. Move your
hand to the right to move the trail-
er to the right. (This procedure is
generally opposite to that when
backing without a trailer). Also, just
turn the steering wheel a little at
a time, avoiding sharp or prolonged
turning. Have someone guide you
when backing to reduce the risk of
an accident.
Because stopping distance may be
increased, vehicle- to- vehicle dis-
tance should be increased when
towing a trailer. For each 16 km/h
(10 mph) of speed, allow at least
one vehicle and trailer length bet-
ween you and the vehicle ahead.
Avoid sudden braking as you may
skid, resulting in jackknifing and
loss of control. This is especially
true on wet or slippery surfaces.
Avoid jerky starts or sudden accel-
eration. If your vehicle has a
manual transmission, prevent ex-
cessive clutch slippage by keeping
engine rpm low and not racing the
engine. Always start out in first
gear.
Avoid jerky steering and sharp
turns. The trailer could hit your ve-
hicle in a tight turn. Slow down
before making a turn to avoid the
necessity of sudden braking.
Remember that when making a
turn, the trailer wheels will be clos-
er than the vehicle wheels to the
inside of the turn. Therefore, com-
pensate for this by making a larger
than normal turning radius with y-
our vehicle.
Crosswinds and rough roads will
adversely affect handling of your
vehicle and trailer, causing sway.
Pay attention to the rear from time
to time to prepare yourself for be-
ing passed by large trucks or
buses, which may cause your ve-
hicle and trailer to sway. If swaying
happens, firmly grip the steering
wheel and reduce speed immedi-
ately but gradually. Never increase
speed. Steer straight ahead. If you
make no extreme correction with
the steering or brakes, the vehicle
and trailer will stabilize.
Be careful when passing other ve-
hicles. Passing requires consider-
able distance. After passing a ve-
hicle, do not forget the length of
your trailer and be sure you have
plenty of room before changing
lanes.
In order to maintain engine braking
efficiency, do not use fifth gear
(manual transmission) or overdrive
(automatic transmission).

4RUNNER (1998)
Because of the added load of the
trailer, your vehicle's engine may
overheat on hot days (at tempera-
tures over 30 C [85 F]) when go-
ing up a long or steep grade with
a trailer. If the engine coolant tem-
perature gauge indicates overheat-
ing, immediately turn off the air-
conditioning (if in use), pull off the
road and stop in a safe spot. Refer
to ºIf your vehicle overheatsº in
Part 4 of this manual.
Always place wheel blocks under
both the vehicle and trailer wheels
when parking. Apply the parking
brake firmly. Put the transmission
in Pº (automatic) or in first or re-
verse (manual). Avoid parking on a
slope with a trailer, but if it cannot
be avoided, do so only after per-
forming the following:
1. Apply the brakes and hold.
2. Have someone place wheel blocks under both the vehicle and trailer
wheels.
3. When the wheel blocks are in place, release your brakes slowly
until the blocks absorb the load.
4. Apply the parking brake firmly. 5. Shift into first or reverse (manual)
or ºPº (automatic) and turn off the
engine. When restarting out after parking on
a slope:
1. With the transmission in ºPº posi- tion (automatic) or the clutch pedal
depressed (manual), start the en-
gine. (With an automatic transmis-
sion, be sure to keep the brake
pedal depressed.)
2. Shift into gear.
3. Release the parking brake (also foot brake on automatic transmis-
sion vehicles) and slowly pull or
back away from the wheel blo cks.
Stop and apply your brakes.
4. Have someone retrieve the blo cks.
CAUTION
Do not exceed 72 km/h (45
mph) or the posted towing
speed limit, whichever is lower.
Because instab ility (swaying) of
a towing vehicle- trailer com-
bination usually increases as
the speed increases, exceeding
72 km/h (45 mph) may cause
loss of control.