wheel size TOYOTA 4RUNNER 2003 N210 / 4.G Owners Manual

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ADJUSTMENT OF TELESCOPIC
STEERING COLUMN
To change the steering wheel length,
push down the lock release lever, set
the steering wheel to the desired length
and return the lever to its original posi-
tion.
CAUTION
Do not adjust the steering wheel
while the vehicle is moving. Doing
so may cause the driver to mishan-
dle the vehicle and an accident may
occur resulting in death or serious
injuries.
After adjusting the steering wheel,
try moving it up and down or for-
ward and rearward to make sure it
is locked in position.
Adjust the mirror so that you can just
see the side of your vehicle in the mir-
ror.
Be careful when judging the size or dis-
tance of any object seen in the outside
rear view mirror on the passenger ’s side
because it is a convex mirror. Any object
seen in a convex mirror will look smaller
and farther away than when seen in a flat
mirror.
On some models, when you push the
back window defogger switch, the heater
panels in the outside rear view mirrors will
quickly clear the surface. (See “Back win-
dow and outside rear view mirror defog-
gers” on page 110 in Section 14.)
Outside rear view mirrors—

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If the light comes on while driving, the
active traction control system does not
work. However, as normal braking oper-
ates when being applied, there is no prob-
lem to continue your driving.
In the following cases, contact your Toyota
dealer:
The warning light does not come on
after the ignition key is turned to “ON”.
The warning light remains on after the
ignition key is turned to “ON”.
The warning light comes on while driv-
ing. The vehicle stability control system
helps provide integrated control of the
systems such as antilock brake sys-
tem, traction control, engine control,
etc. This system automatically controls
the output of the brakes or engine to
help prevent the vehicle from skidding
when cornering on a slippery road sur-
face or operating steering wheel abrupt-
ly.
The vehicle stability control activates
when the vehicle speed is more than 15
km/h (9 mph).
You may hear a sound in the engine
compartment for a few seconds when the
engine is started or just after the vehicle
begins to move. This means that the sys-
tem is in the selfcheck mode, but does
not indicate a malfunction.
CAUTION
Do not rely excessively on the ve-
hicle stability control system. Even
if the vehicle stability control sys-
tem is operating, you must always
drive carefully and attentively to
avoid serious injury. Reckless driv-
ing will result in an unexpected ac-
cident. If the slip indicator light
blinks and an alarm sounds, special
care should be taken while driving.
Only use tires of specified size. The
size, manufacturer, brand and tread
pattern for all 4 tires should be the
same. If you use the tires other
than specified, or different type or
size, the vehicle stability control
system may not function correctly.
When replacing the tires or wheels,
contact your Toyota dealer. (See
“Checking and replacing tires” on
page 333 in Section 72.)
Vehicle stability control
system

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CAUTION
Do not overestimate the antilock
brake system: Although the antilock
brake system assists in providing ve-
hicle control, it is still important to
drive with all due care and maintain
a moderate speed and safe distance
from the vehicle in front of you, be-
cause there are limits to the vehicle
stability and effectiveness of steering
wheel operation even with the anti
lock brake system on.
If tire grip performance exceeds its
capability, or if hydroplaning occurs
during high speed driving in the rain,
the antilock brake system does not
provide vehicle control.
Antilock brake system is not de-
signed to shorten the stopping dis-
tance: Always drive at a moderate
speed and maintain a safe distance
from the vehicle in front of you.
Compared with vehicles without an
antilock brake system, your vehicle
may require a longer stopping dis-
tance in the following cases:
Driving on rough, gravel or snow
covered roads.
Driving with tire chains installed.
Driving over the steps such as the
joints on the road.
Driving on roads where the road
surface is pitted or has other differ-
ences in surface height.
Install all 4 tires of specified size at
appropriate pressure: The antilock
brake system detects vehicle speeds
using the speed sensors for respec-
tive wheels’ turning speeds. The use
of tires other than specified may fail
to detect the accurate turning speed
resulting in a longer stopping dis-
tance.
Ty p e A
Ty p e B

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Never allow anyone to ride in the
luggage compartment. It is not de-
signed for passengers. They should
ride in their seats with their seat
belts properly fastened. Otherwise,
they are much more likely to suffer
serious bodily injury, in the event
of sudden braking or a collision.
Do not place anything on the lug-
gage cover. Such items may be
thrown about and possibly injure
people in the vehicle during sudden
braking or an accident. Secure all
items in a safe place.
Do not drive with objects left on
top of the instrument panel. They
may interfere with the driver’s field
of view. Or they may move during
sharp vehicle acceleration or turn-
ing, and impair the driver’s control
of the vehicle. In an accident they
may injure the vehicle occupants.
NOTICE
Do not load the vehicle beyond the
cargo load specified on page 352 in
Section 8.
Your Toyota is equipped with a limitedslip
center differential (transfer). If one wheel
begins to spin, the limitedslip center dif-
ferential (transfer) is designed to aid trac-
tion by automatically transmitting driving
force to the wheels on the other drive
axle. It transmits driving force to the front
wheels if a rear wheel spins, and to the
rear wheels if a front wheel spins.
CAUTION
Do not start or run the engine while
your vehicle is supported by a jack.
The vehicle could be driven off the
jack and could pose a danger or re-
sult in serious injury.
NOTICE
Use only a spare tire of the same
brand, size, construction and load ca-
pacity as the original tires on your
Toyota because damage to the limit-
edslip differential could possibly oc-
cur with another tire type.
The vehicle identification number (VIN)
is the legal identifier for your vehicle.
This number is on the left top of the
instrument panel, and can be seen
through the windshield from outside.
This is the primary identification number
for your Toyota. It is used in registering
the ownership of your vehicle.
Limitedslip differential
(fourwheel drive models) Your Toyota’s identification—
—Vehicle identification number

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CAUTION
Do not mix summer and all season
tires on your vehicle as this can
cause dangerous handling charac-
teristics, resulting in loss of con-
trol.
Do not use tire other than the
manufacturer ’s designated tires, and
never mix tires or wheels of the
sizes different from the originals.

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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 s hould 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 covered with
water or snow, your garage may be so
damp and 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 substances
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.
Fuel filler door: Do not apply water (high
pressure car wash, for example) at or
near the fuel tank inlet with the fuel f iller
door opened. If the water enters the air
vent, you may experience trouble with re-
fueling or rough engine idling.
Rear height control air suspension: Do not
spray a jet of highpressure water at the
air suspension unit, especially the air
spring, at an extremely close range. This
may damage the air suspension.
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.
Washing and waxing your
To y o t a

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Keep your tire pressures at the proper
level.
The recommended cold tire pressures, tire
size and the cargo load are given on
pages 352 and 356 in Section 8. They are
also on the tire pressure label as shown.
You should check the tire pressure every
two weeks, or at least once a month. And
don’t forget the spare! Incorrect tire pressure may waste fuel,
reduce the comfort of driving, reduce tire
life and make your vehicle less safe to
drive.
If a tire frequently needs ref
illing, have it
checked by your Toyota dealer.
CAUTION
Keep your tire pressure properly in-
flated. Otherwise, the following condi-
tions may occur and cause an acci-
dent resulting in death or serious in-
juries.
Low tire pressure (underinflation)—
Excessive wear
Uneven wear
Poor handling
Possibility of blowouts from over-
heated tire
Poor sealing of the tire bead
Wheel deformation and/or tire sepa-
ration
High tire pressure (overinflation)—
Poor handling
Excessive wear at the center of the
tire tread
A greater possibility of tire damage
from road hazards
Checking tire pressure

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REPLACING YOUR TIRES
When replacing a tire, use a tire of the
same size and construction, and the
same or greater load capacity as the
originally installed tires. Also, on four
wheel drive models, all the tires must
be the same brand and have the same
tread patterns.
Using any other size or type of tire may
seriously affect handling, ride, speedome-
ter/odometer calibration, ground clearance,
and clearance between the body and tires
or snow chains.
CAUTION
Observe the following instructions.
Otherwise, an accident may occur re-
sulting in death or serious injuries.
Do not mix radial, bias belted, or
biasply tires on your vehicle, as
this may cause dangerous handling
characteristics resulting in loss of
control.
Do not use tires other than the
manufacturer ’s recommended size,
as this may cause dangerous han-
dling characteristics resulting in
loss of control.
Fourwheel drive models:
Do not use tires of different brands,
sizes, construction or tread pat-
terns, as this may cause dangerous
handling characteristics resulting in
loss of control.
Toyota recommends all four tires, or at
least both front or rear tires be re-
placed as a set.
See “If you have a flat tire” on page 283
in Section 4 for tire change procedure.
When a tire is replaced, the wheel
should always be balanced.
An unbalanced wheel may affect vehicle
handling and tire life. Wheels can get out
of balance with regular use and should
therefore be balanced occasionally.
When replacing a tubeless tire, the air
valve should also be replaced with a
new one.
To equalize the wear and help extend
tire life, Toyota recommends that you
rotate your tires according to the main-
tenance schedule. (For scheduled main-
tenance information, please refer to the
“Scheduled Maintenance Guide” or
“Owner ’s Manual Supplement”.) Howev-
er, the most appropriate timing for tire
rotation may vary according to your
driving habits and road surface condi-
tions.
See “If you have a flat tire” on page 283
in Section 4 for tire change procedure.
Rotating tires

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When rotating tires, check for uneven
wear and damage. Abnormal wear is usu-
ally caused by incorrect tire pressure, im-
proper wheel alignment, outofbalance
wheels, or severe braking. WHEN TO USE SNOW TIRES OR
CHAINS
Snow tires or chains are recommended
when driving on snow or ice.
On wet or dry roads, conventional tires
provide better traction than snow tires.
SNOW TIRE SELECTION
If you need snow tires, select tires of
the same size, construction and load
capacity as the originally installed tires.
Also, on fourwheel drive models, all
the tires must be the same brand and
have the same tread patterns.
Do not use tires other than those men-
tioned above. Do not install studded tires
without first checking local regulations for
possible restrictions.
CAUTION
Observe the following instructions.
Otherwise, an accident may occur re-
sulting in death or serious injuries.
Do not use snow tires other than
the manufacturer ’s recommended si-
ze, as this may cause dangerous
handling characteristics resulting in
loss of control.
Fourwheel drive models:
Do not use snow tires of different
brands, sizes, construction or tread
patterns, as this may cause danger-
ous handling characteristics result-
ing in loss of control.
SNOW TIRE INSTALLATION
Snow tires should be installed on all
wheels.
Installing snow tires on the front w
heels
only can lead to an excessive difference
in road grip capability between the front
and rear tires which could cause loss of
vehicle control.
When storing removed tires, you should
store them in a cool dry place.
Mark the direction of rotation and be sure
to install them in the same direction when
replacing.
CAUTION
Do not drive with the snow tires
incorrectly inflated.
Never drive over 120 km/h (75 mph)
with any type of snow tires.
Installing snow tires and
chains

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TIRE CHAIN SELECTION
Use the tire chains of correct size.
Regulations regarding the use of tire
chains vary according to location or
type of road, so always check the local
regulations before installing chains.
CHAIN INSTALLATION
Install the chains on the rear tires as
tightly as possible. Do not use tire
chains on the front tires. Retighten
chains after driving 0.5—1.0 km
(1/4—1/2 mile).
When installing chains on your tires, care-
fully follow the instructions of the chain
manufacturer.
If wheel covers are used, they will be
scratched by the chain band, so remove
the covers before putting on the chains.
CAUTION
Do not exceed 50 km/h (30 mph) or
the chain manufacturer ’s recom-
mended speed limit, whichever is
lower.
Drive carefully avoiding bumps,
holes, and sharp turns, which may
cause the vehicle to bounce.
Avoid sharp turns or lockedwheel
braking, as use of chains may ad-
versely affect vehicle handling.
When driving with chains installed,
be sure to drive carefully. Slow
down before entering curves to
avoid losing control of the vehicle.
Otherwise an accident may occur.
WHEN TO REPLACE YOUR WHEELS
If you have wheel damage such as
bending, cracks or heavy corrosion, the
wheel should be replaced.
If you fail to replace a damaged wheel,
the tire may slip off the wheel or cause
loss of handling control.
WHEEL SELECTION
When replacing wheels, care should be
taken to ensure that the wheels are re-
placed by ones with the same load ca-
pacity, diameter, rim width, and offset.
Correct replacement wheels are available
at your Toyota dealer.
A wheel of a different size or type may
adversely affect handling, wheel and bear-
ing life, brake cooling, speedometer/odom-
eter calibration, stopping ability, headlight
aim, bumper height, vehicle ground clear-
ance, and tire or snow chain clearance to
the body and chassis.
Replacing wheels