engine coolant TOYOTA 4RUNNER 1998 Owners Manual

4RUNNER (1998)
Instrument cluster overview
1. Service reminder indicators or indi- cator lights
2. Engine coolant temperature gauge
3. Tachometer 4. Speedometer
5. Odometer
6. Trip meter
7. Fuel gauge
8. Trip meter reset knob

4RUNNER (1998)
Part 1
OPERATION OF
INSTRUMENTS
AND CONTROLSÐ
Chapter 1- 5
Gauges, Meters
and Service reminder indicators
Fuel gauge
Engine coolant temperature gauge
Tachometer
Odometer and trip meter
Service reminder indicators and
warning buzzers
Fuel gauge

4RUNNER (1998)
The gauge works when the ignition
switch is on and indicates the
approximate quantity of fuel remain-
ing in the tank.
Nearly fullÐNeedle at ºFº
Nearly emptyÐNeedle at ºEº
It is a good idea to keep the tank
over 1/4 full.
This fuel gauge has a non- return type
needle which remains at the last indi-
cated position when the ignition switch
is turned off.
If the fuel level approaches ºEº or the
low fuel level warning light comes on,
fill the fuel tank as soon as possible. On inclines or curves, due to the
movement of fuel in the tank, the fuel
gauge needle may fluctuate or the low
fuel level warning light may come on
earlier than usual.
If the fuel tank is completely empty,
the malfunction indicator lamp comes
on. Fill the fuel tank immediately.
The indicator lamp goes off after driv-
ing several times. If the indicator lamp
does not go off, contact your Toyota
dealer as soon as possible. Engine coolant temperatur
e
gauge

4RUNNER (1998)
The gauge indicates the engine
coolant temperature when the igni-
tion switch is on. The engine oper-
ating temperature will vary with
changes in weather and engine
load.
If the needle moves into the red zone,
your engine is too hot. If your vehicle
overheats, stop your vehicle and allow
the engine to cool.
Your vehicle may overheat during se-
vere operating conditions, such as:
Driving up a long hill on a hot day.
Reducing speed or stopping after
high speed driving.
Idling for a long period with the air
conditioning on in stop- and- go traf-fic.
Towing a trailer
NOTICE
Do not remove the thermostat
in the engine cooling system asthis may cause the engine to
overheat. The thermostat is de-
signed to control the flow ofcoolant to keep the temperatureof the engine within the speci-
fied operating range.
Do not continue driving with anoverheated engine. See ºIf your
vehicle overheatsº in Part 4.
Tachometer

4RUNNER (1998)
Your automatic transmission has a
shift lock system to minimize the pos-
sibility of incorrect operation. This
means you can only shift out of ºPº
position when the brake pedal is de-
pressed (with the ignition switch in
ºONº position and the lock release
button depressed).
(a) Normal driving 1. Start the engine as instructed in ºHow to start the engineº in Part 3.
The transmission must be in ºPº or
ºNº.
2. With your foot holding down the brake pedal, shift the selector lever
to ºDº.
In ºDº position, the automatic trans-
mission system will select the most
suitable gear for running conditions
such as normal cruising, hill climbing,
hard towing, etc.
Always turn the overdrive switch on
for better fuel economy and quieter
driving. If the engine coolant tempera-
ture is low, the transmission will not
shift into the overdrive gear even with
the overdrive switch on.
CAUTION
Never put your foot on the accel-
erator pedal while shifting.
3. Release the parking brake and brake pedal. Depress the accelera-
tor pedal slowly for smooth start-
ing.
(b) Using engine braking
To use engine braking, you can down-
shift the transmission as follows: Turn off the overdrive switch. The
ºO/D OFFº indicator light will come
on and the transmission will down-
shift to the third gear.
Shift into the º2º position. The
transmission will downshift to the
second gear when the vehicle
speed drops down to or lower than
the following speed, and more pow-
erful engine braking will be ob-
tained.
3RZ- FE engine.....112 km/h (69
mph)
5VZ- FE engine.....119 km/h (73
mph)
Shift into the ºLº position. The
transmission will downshift to the
first gear When the vehicle speed
drops down to or lower than the
following speed, and maximum en-
gine braking will be applied.
3RZ- FE engine.....54 km/h (33
mph)

4RUNNER (1998)
Your automatic transmission has a
shift lock system to minimize the pos-
sibility of incorrect operation. This
means you can only shift out of ºPº
position when the brake pedal is de-
pressed (with the ignition switch in
ºONº position and the lock release
button depressed).
(a) Normal driving
1. Start the engine as instructed in
ºHow to start the engineº in Part 3.
The transmission must be in ºPº or
ºNº.
When the front drive control lever is
in ºL4º (low- speed position, four-
wheel drive), the driving pattern selec-
tor setting has no effect on gear shift
timing. (See ºFour- wheel drive sys-
temº in this Chapter for information of
the front drive control lever.)
2. With your foot holding down the
brake pedal, shift the selector lever to
ºDº.
In ºDº position, the automatic trans-
mission system will select the most
suitable gear for running conditions
such as normal cruising, hill climbing,
hard towing, etc. Always turn the overdrive switch on
for better fuel economy and quieter
driving. If the engine coolant tempera-
ture is low or when the front drive
control lever is in ºL4º (low- speed
position, four- wheel drive), the trans-
mission will not shift into
the overdrive gear even with the over-
drive switch on. (See ºFour- wheel
drive systemº in this Chapter for in-
formation of the front drive control le-
ver.)
CAUTION
Never put your foot on the accel-
erator pedal while shifting.
3. Release the parking brake and
brake pedal. Depress the accelerator
pedal slowly for smooth starting.
(b) Using engine braking
To use engine braking, you can down-
shift the transmission as follows:
Turn off the overdrive switch. The
ºO/D OFFº indicator light will come
on and the transmission will down-
shift to the third gear.
Shift into the º2º position. The
transmission will downshift to the
second gear when the vehicle
speed drops down to or lower than
the following speed, and more pow-
erful engine braking will be ob-
tained.
Front drive control lever in ºH2º or
ºH4º
3RZ- FE engine.....105 km/h (65
mph)
5VZ- FE engine.....114 km/h (70
mph)
Front drive control lever in ºL4º
3RZ- FE engine.....38 km/h (23
mph)
5VZ- FE engine.....41 km/h (25
mph)
Shift into the ºLº position. The
transmission will downshift to the
first gear when the vehicle speed
drops down to or lower than the
following speed, and maximum en-
gine braking will be applied.
Front drive control lever in ºH2º or
ºH4º
3RZ- FE engine.....51 km/h (31
mph)
5VZ- FE engine.....55 km/h (34
mph)

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.

4RUNNER (1998)
CAUTION
When making the connections, to
avoid serious injury, do not lean
over the battery or accidentally
let the jumper cables or clamps
touch anything except the correct
battery terminals or the ground.
5. Start your engine in the normal
way. After starting, run it at about
2000 rpm for several minutes with
the accelerator pedal lightly de-
pressed.
6. Carefully disconnect the cables in the exact reverse order: the nega-
tive cable and then the positive
cable.
7. Carefully dispose of the battery cover clothsÐthey may now con-
tain sulfuric acid.
8. If removed, replace all the battery vent plugs.
If the cause of your battery discharg-
ing is not apparent (for example,
lights left on), you should have it
checked. If your engine stalls while driving...
1. Reduce your speed gradually, keep- ing a straight line. Move cautiously
off the road to a safe place.
2. Turn on your emergency flashers.
3. Try starting the engine again.
If the engine will not start, see ºIf
your vehicle will not startº.
CAUTION
If the engine is not running, the
power assist for the brakes and
steering will not work so steering
and braking will be much harder
than usual.
If your vehicle overheats
If your engine coolant temperature
gauge indicates overheating, if you
experience a loss of power, or if
you hear a loud knocking or ping-
ing noise, the engine has probably
overheated. You should follow this
procedure... 1. Pull safely off the road, stop the vehicle and turn on your emergen-
cy flashers. Put the transmission in
ºPº (automatic) or neutral (manual)
and apply the parking brake. Turn
off the air conditioning if it is being
used.
2. If coolant or steam is boiling out of the radiator or reservoir, stop the
engine. Wait until the steam sub-
sides before opening the hood. If
there is no coolant boiling over or
steam, leave the engine running.
CAUTION
To help avoid personal injury,
keep the hood closed until there
is no steam. Escaping steam or
coolant is a sign of very high
pressure.
If your engine stalls while
driving

4RUNNER (1998)
3. Visually check to see if the engine drive belt (fan belt) is broken or
loose. Look for obvious coolant
leaks from the radiator, hoses, and
under the vehicle. However, note
that water draining from the air
conditioning is normal if it has
been used.
CAUTION
When the engine is running, keep
hands and clothing away from the
moving fan and engine drive
belts.
4. If the engine drive belt is brokenor the coolant is leaking, stop the
engine immediately. Call a Toyota
dealer for assistance.
5. If the engine drive belt is O.K. and there are no obvious leaks, you
may help the engine cool down
more quickly by running it at about
1500 rpm for a few minutes with
the accelerator pedal lightly de-
pressed.
6. Check the coolant reservoir. If it is dry, add coolant to the reservoir
while the engine is running. Fill it
about half full.
CAUTION
Do not attempt to remove the ra-
diator cap when the engine and
radiator are hot. Serious injury
could result from scalding hot
fluid and steam blown out under
pressure.
7. After the engine coolant tempera-ture has cooled to normal, again
check the coolant level in the res-
ervoir. If necessary, bring it up to
half full again. Serious coolant loss
indicates a leak in the system. You
should have it checked as soon as
possible at your Toyota dealer. If you have a flat tireÐ
1. Reduce your speed gradually, keep- ing a straight line. Move cautiously
off the road to a safe place well
away from the traffic. Avoid stop-
ping on the center divider of a
highway. Park on a level spot with
firm ground.
2. Stop the engine and turn on your emergency flashers.
3. Firmly set the parking brake and put the transmission in ºPº (auto-
matic) or reverse (manual).
4. Have everyone get out of the ve- hicle on the side away from traffic.
5. Read the following instructions thoroughly.
CAUTION
When jacking, be sure to observe
the following to reduce the possi-
bility of personal injury: Follow jacking instructions.
Do not start or run the engine
while your vehicle is supported
by the jack.

4RUNNER (1998)
Automatic transmission ºParkº mech- anism
Check the lock release button of the
selector lever for proper and smooth
operation. On a safe incline, check
that your vehicle is held securely with
the selector lever in ºPº position and
all brakes released.
IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT
Items listed below should be
checked from time to time, e.g.
each time when refueling.
Washer fluid
Make sure there is sufficient fluid in
the tank. See Chapter 7- 3 for addi-
tional information.
Engine coolant level
Make sure the coolant level is be-
tween the ºFULLº and ºLOWº lines on
the see- through reservoir when the
engine is cold. See Chapter 7- 2 for
additional information.
Battery electrolyte level
Make sure the electrolyte level of all
battery cells is between upper and
lower level lines on the case. Add
only distilled water when replenishing.
See Chapter 7- 3 for additional in-
formation. Brake fluid level
Make sure the brake fluid level is cor-
rect. See Chapter 7- 2 for additional
information.
Engine oil level
Check the level on the dipstick with
the engine turned off and the vehicle
parked on a level spot. See Chapter
7- 2 for additional information.
Power steering fluid level
Check the level through the reservoir.
The level should be in the ºHOTº or
ºCOLDº range depending on the fluid
temperature. See Chapter 7- 2 for
additional information.
Exhaust system
If you notice any change in the sound
of the exhaust or smell exhaust
fumes, have the cause located and
corrected immediately. (See engine ex-
haust cautions in Part 2.)
Be on the alert for changes in perfor-
mance, sounds, and visual tip- offs
that indicate service is needed. Some
important clues are as follows:
Engine missing, stumbling, or ping-
ing
Appreciable loss of power
Strange engine noises
A leak under the vehicle (however,
water dripping from the air condi-
tioning after use is normal.)
Change in exhaust sound (This
may indicate a dangerous carbon
monoxide leak. Drive with the win-
dows open and have the exhaust
system checked immediately.)
Flat- looking tire; excessive tire
squeal when cornering; uneven tire wear
Vehicle pulls to one side when
driving straight on a level road
Strange noises related to suspen-
sion movement
Loss of brake effectiveness;
spongy feeling brake or clutch ped-
al; pedal almost touches floor; ve-
hicle pulls to one side when brak-
ing
Engine coolant temperature continu-
ally higher than normal
Does your vehicle need
repairing?