ect TOYOTA 4RUNNER 2001 Owners Manual

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CAUTION
If the emergency towing hook is used
to get out when your vehicle becomes
struck in mud, sand or other condi-
tion from which the vehicle cannot be
driven out under its own power, make
sure to observe the precautions men-
tioned below. Otherwise, excessive
stress will be put on the hook and
the towing cable or chain may break,
causing serious injury or damage.
If the towing vehicle can hardly
move, do not forcibly continue the
towing. Contact your Toyota dealer
or a commercial tow truck service
for assistance.
Tow the vehicle as straight ahead
as possible.
Keep away from the vehicle during
towing.
The following methods are effective to
get out when your vehicle is struck in
mud, sand or other condition from
which the vehicle cannot be driven out
under its own power. Use extreme cau-
tion when towing vehicles. In addition,
keep away from the vehicles and towing
cable or chain when towing.
Remove the soil and sand in the front
and the back of the tires.
Place a stone or wood under the tires.
If you cannot shift the selector lever
out of “P” position to other positions
even though the brake pedal is de-
pressed, use the shift lock override but-
ton as follows:
1. Turn the ignition key to “LOCK”
position. Make sure the parking
brake is set.
2. Pry up the cover with a flatbladed
screwdriver or equivalent.
—Tips for towing a stuck
vehicleIf you cannot shift automatic
transmission selector lever
(twowheel drive models)
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3. Insert the screwdriver or equivalent
into the hole to push down the shift
lock override button. You can shift
out of “P” position only while push-
ing the button.
4. Shift into “N” position.
5. Insert the cover.
6. Start the engine. For your safety,
keep the brake pedal depressed.
Be sure to have the system checked by
your Toyota dealer as soon as possible.If you cannot shift the selector lever
out of “P” position to other positions
even though the brake pedal is de-
pressed, use the shift lock override but-
ton as follows:
1. Turn the ignition key to “LOCK”
position. Make sure the parking
brake is set.
2. Pry up the cover with a flatbladed
screwdriver or equivalent.3. Insert your finger into the hole to
move the shift lock overdrive lever
backward. You can shift out of “P”
position only while holding back the
lever.
4. Shift into “N” position.
5. Insert the cover.
6. Start the engine. For your safety,
keep the brake pedal depressed.
Be sure to have the system checked by
your Toyota dealer as soon as possible.
If you cannot shift automatic
transmission selector lever
(fourwheel drive models)
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If you lose your keys
Many Toyota dealers can make a new
key if you can give them the key num-
ber. If your vehicle is equipped with the
engine immobiliser system, the dealer
will also need your master key.
Vehicles with engine immobiliser system—
Even if you lose only one key, contact
your Toyota dealer to make a new key. If
you lose all your master keys, you cannot
make new keys; the whole engine immobi-
liser system must be replaced.
See the suggestion given in “Keys” in
Section 12.
If your keys are locked in the vehicle and
you cannot get a duplicate, many Toyota
dealers can still open the door for you,
using their special tools. If you must
break a window to get in, we suggest
breaking the smallest side window be-
cause it is the least expensive to replace.
Be extremely cautious to avoid cuts from
the glass.Please contact your nearest Toyota
dealer and you can purchase a new
wireless remote control transmitter.
Have the registered identification numbers
of your transmitters deleted from your ve-
hicle by your Toyota dealer as soon as
possible to avoid the possibility of theft or
an accident. Then, have the identification
number of your new transmitter registered.
At the same time, you must bring all of
the remaining transmitters to have them
registered again as well.
If you lose your wireless
remote control transmitter
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CORROSION PREVENTION AND
APPEARANCE CARE
Protecting your Toyota from corrosion240 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Washing and waxing your Toyota241 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Cleaning the interior242 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
SECTION 5
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Toyota, through its diligent research, de-
sign and use of the most advanced
technology available, has done its part to
help prevent corrosion and has provided
you with the finest quality vehicle
construction. Now, it is up to you. Proper
care of your Toyota can help ensure long
term corrosion prevention.
The most common causes of corrosion
to your vehicle are:
The accumulation of road salt, dirt and
moisture in hardtoreach areas under
the vehicle.
Chipping of paint, or undercoating
caused by minor accidents or by
stones and gravel.
Care is especially important if you live
in particular areas or operate your ve-
hicle under certain environmental condi-
tions:
Road salt or dust control chemicals will
accelerate corrosion, as will the pres-
ence of salt in the air near the sea
coast or in areas of industrial pollution.
High humidity accelerates corrosion es-
pecially when temperatures range just
above the freezing point.
Wetness or dampness to certain parts
of your vehicle for an extended period
of time, may cause corrosion even
though other parts of the vehicle may
be dry.
High ambient temperatures can cause
corrosion to those components of the
vehicle which are prevented from
quickdrying due to lack of proper ven-
tilation.
The above signifies the necessity to keep
your vehicle, particularly the underside, as
clean as possible and to repair any dam-
age to paint or protective coatings as
soon as possible.
To help prevent corrosion on your
Toyota, follow these guidelines:
Wash your vehicle frequently. It is, of
course, necessary to keep your vehicle
clean by regular washing, but to prevent
corrosion, the following points should be
observed:
If you drive on salted roads in the
winter or if you live near the ocean,
you should hose off the undercarriage
at least once a month to minimize cor-
rosion.
High pressure water or steam is effec-
tive for cleaning the vehicle’s underside
and wheel housings. Pay particular
attention to these areas as it is difficult
to see all the mud and dirt. It will do
more harm than good to simply wet the
mud and debris without removing them.
The lower edge of doors, rocker panels
and frame members have drain holes
which should not be allowed to clog
with dirt as trapped water in these
areas can cause corrosion.
Wash the underside of the vehicle thor-
oughly when winter is over.
See “Washing and waxing your Toyota” for
more tips.
Check the condition of your vehicle’s
paint and trim. If you find any chips or
scratches in the paint, touch them up im-
mediately to prevent corrosion from start-
ing. If the chips or scratches have gone
through the bare metal, have a qualified
body shop make the repair.
Protecting your Toyota
from corrosion
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Check the interior of your vehicle. Wa-
ter and dirt can accumulate under the
floor mats and could cause corrosion. Oc-
casionally check under the mats to make
sure the area is dry. Be particularly care-
ful when transporting chemicals, cleans-
ers, fertilizers, salt, etc; these should be
transported in proper containers. If a spill
or leak should occur, immediately clean
and dry the area.
Use mud shields on your wheels. If you
drive on salted or gravel roads, mud
shields help protect your vehicle. Fullsize
shields, which come as near to the ground
as possible, are the best. We recommend
that the fittings and the area where the
shields are installed be treated to resist
corrosion. Your Toyota dealer will be
happy to assist in supplying and installing
the shields if they are recommended for
your area.
Keep your vehicle in a well ventilated
garage or a roofed place. Do not park
your vehicle in a damp, poorly venti-
lated garage. If you wash your vehicle in
the garage, or if you drive it in covered
with water or snow, your garage may be
so damp it will cause corrosion. Even if
your garage is heated, a wet vehicle can
corrode if the ventilation is poor.Washing your Toyota
Keep your vehicle clean by regular
washing.
The following cases may cause weakness
to the paint or corrosion to the body and
parts. Wash your vehicle as soon as pos-
sible.
When driving in a coastal area
When driving on a road sprinkled with
antifreeze
When having coal tar, tree sap, bird
droppings and carcass of an insect
When driving in the areas where there
is a lot of smoke, soot, dust, iron dust
and chemical substance
When the vehicle becomes remarkably
dirty with dust and mud
Handwashing your Toyota
Work in the shade and wait until the
vehicle body is not hot to the touch.
CAUTION
When cleaning under floor or chassis,
be careful not to injure your hands.
1. Rinse off loose dirt with a hose. Re-
move any mud or road salt from the
underside of the vehicle or in the
wheel wells.
2. Wash with a mild carwash soap,
mixed according to the manufacturer ’s
instructions. Use a soft cotton mitt and
keep it wet by dipping it frequently into
the wash water. Do not rub hard—let
the soap and water remove the dirt.
Plastic wheel ornaments: The plastic
wheel ornaments are damaged easily by
organic substances. If any organic sub-
stances splashes an ornament, be sure to
wash it off with water and check if the
ornament is damaged.
CAUTION
Do not attach the heavily damaged
plastic wheel ornament. It may fly off
the wheel and cause accidents while
the vehicle is moving.
Aluminum wheels: Use only a mild soap
or neutral detergent.
Road tar: Remove with turpentine or
cleaners that are marked safe for painted
surfaces.
Wa sh in g an d waxin g yo u r
To y o t a
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NOTICE
Do not use organic substances (gaso-
line, kerosene, benzine or strong sol-
vents), which may be toxic or cause
damage.
3. Rinse thoroughly—dried soap can
cause streaking. In hot weather you
may need to rinse each section right
after you wash it.
4. To prevent water spots, dry the vehicle
using a clean soft cotton towel. Do not
rub or press hard—you might scratch
the paint.
Automatic car wash
Your vehicle may be washed in an auto-
matic car wash, but remember that the
paint can be scratched by some type of
brushes, unfiltered washing water, or the
washing process itself. Scratching reduces
paint durability and gloss, especially on
darker colors. The manager of the car
wash should be able to advise you wheth-
er the process is safe for the paint on
your vehicle.
NOTICE
To prevent damage to the antenna,
make sure it is retracted before driv-
ing your Toyota through an automatic
car wash. On models with detachable
antenna, remove the antenna before
using an automatic car wash.
Waxing your Toyota
Polishing and waxing is recommended
to maintain the original beauty of your
Toyota’s finish.
Once a month or if the vehicle surface
does not repel water well, apply wax.
1. Always wash and dry the vehicle be-
fore you begin waxing, even if you are
using a combined cleaner and wax.
2. Use a good quality polish and wax. If
the finish has become extremely weath-
ered, use a carcleaning polish, fol-
lowed by a separate wax. Carefully fol-
low the manufacturer ’s instructions and
precautions. Be sure to polish and wax
the chrome trim as well as the paint.
3. Wax the vehicle again when water
does not bead but remains on the sur-
face in large patches.
Cleaning the interior
CAUTION
Do not wash the vehicle floor with
water, or allow water to get onto the
floor when cleaning the vehicle interi-
or or exterior. Water may get into
audio components or other electrical
components above or under the floor
carpet (or mat) and cause a malfunc-
tion; and it may cause body corro-
sion.
Vinyl interior
The vinyl upholstery may be easily
cleaned with a mild soap or detergent
and water.
First vacuum over the upholstery to re-
move loose dirt. Then, using a sponge or
soft cloth, apply the soap solution to the
vinyl. After allowing it to soak in for a few
minutes to loosen the dirt, remove the dirt
and wipe off the soap with a clean damp
cloth. If all the dirt does not come off,
repeat the procedure. Commercial foam-
ingtype vinyl cleaners are also available
which work well. Follow the manufacturer ’s
instructions.
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After cleaning or whenever any part of the
leather gets wet, dry with a soft clean
cloth. Allow the leather to dry in a venti-
lated shaded area.
NOTICE
If a stain should fail to come out
with a neutral detergent, apply a
cleaner that does not contain an
organic solvent.
Never use organic substances such
as benzine, alcohol or gasoline, or
alkaline or acid solutions for clean-
ing the leather as these could
cause discoloring.
Use of a nylon brush or synthetic
fiber cloth, etc. may scratch the
fine grained surface of the leather.
Mildew may develop on soiled leath-
er upholstery. Be especially careful
to avoid oil spots. Try to keep your
upholstery always clean.
Long exposure to direct sunlight
may cause the leather surface to
harden and shrink. Keep your ve-
hicle in a shaded area, especially in
the summer.
The interior of your vehicle is apt
to heat up on hot summer days, so
avoid placing on the upholstery
items made of vinyl or plastic or
containing wax as these tend to
stick to leather when warm.
Improper cleaning of the leather up-
holstery could result in discolor-
ation or staining.
If you have any questions about the
cleaning of your Toyota, your local
Toyota dealer will be pleased to answer
them.
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VEHICLE MAINTENANCE AND CARE
Maintenance requirements246 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
General maintenance247 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Does your vehicle need repairing?249 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
For scheduled maintenance information, please refer to the “Sched-
uled Maintenance Guide” or “Owner’s Manual Supplement”.
SECTION 6
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Maintenance requirements
Your Toyota vehicle has been designed for
fewer maintenance requirements with long-
er service intervals to save both your time
and money. However, each regular mainte-
nance, as well as daytoday care, is
more important than ever before to ensure
smooth, and troublefree, safe, and eco-
nomical drivings.
It is the owner ’s responsibility to make
sure the specified maintenance, including
general maintenance service, is performed.
Note that both the new vehicle and emis-
sion control system warranties specify that
proper maintenance and care must be per-
formed. See “Owner ’s Warranty Informa-
tion Booklet” or “Owner ’s Manual Supple-
ment” for complete warranty information.
General maintenance
General maintenance items are those day
today care practices that are important to
your vehicle for proper operation. It is the
owner ’s responsibility to ensure that the
general maintenance items are performed
regularly.
These checks or inspections can be done
either by yourself or a qualified technician,
or if you prefer, your Toyota dealer will be
pleased to do them at a nominal cost.Scheduled maintenance
The scheduled maintenance items listed in
the “Scheduled Maintenance Guide” or
“Owner ’s Manual Supplement” are those
required to be serviced at regular inter-
vals.
For details of your maintenance schedule,
read the “Scheduled Maintenance Guide”
or “Owner ’s Manual Supplement”.
It is recommended that any replacement
parts used for maintenance or for the
repair of the emission control system
be Toyota supplied.
The owner may elect to use nonToyota
supplied parts for replacement pur-
poses without invalidating the emission
control system warranty. However, use
of replacement parts which are not of
equivalent quality may impair the effec-
tiveness of the emission control sys-
tems.
You may also elect to have mainte-
nance, replacement, or repair of the
emission control devices and system
performed by any automotive repair es-
tablishment or individual without invali-
dating this warranty. See “Owner’s War-
ranty Information Booklet” or “Owner’s
Manual Supplement” for complete war-
ranty information.Where to go for service?
Toyota technicians are welltrained spe-
cialists and are kept up to date with the
latest service information through technical
bulletins, service tips, and indealership
training programs. They learn to work on
Toyotas before they work on your vehicle,
rather than while they are working on it.
You can be confident that your Toyota
dealer ’s service department performs the
best job to meet the maintenance require-
ments on your vehicle—reliably and eco-
nomically.
Your copy of the repair order is proof that
all required maintenance has been per-
formed for warranty coverage. And if any
problems should arise with your vehicle
while under warranty, your Toyota dealer
will promptly take care of it. Again, be
sure to keep a copy of the repair order
for any service performed on your Toyota.
What about doityourself maintenance?
Many of the maintenance items are easy
to do yourself if you have a little mechani-
cal ability and a few basic automotive
tools. Simple instructions for how to per-
form them are presented in Section 7.
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