brakes TOYOTA 4RUNNER 2015 N280 / 5.G Owners Manual

1594-1. Before driving
4
Driving
4RUNNER (U)_(OM35B18U)
Make sure that the parking brake is set and shift the shift lever to D.
Gently depress the accelerator pedal.
Release the parking brake.
■Driving in the rain
●Drive carefully when it is raining, because visibility will be reduced, the win-
dows may become fogged-up, and the road will be slippery.
● Drive carefully when it starts to rain, because the road surface will be espe-
cially slippery.
● Refrain from driving at high speeds in the rain, as there may be a layer of
water between the tires and the road surface, preventing the steering and
brakes from operating properly.
■ Engine speed while driving
In the following conditions, the engine speed may become high while driving.
This is due to automatic up-shifting control or down-shifting implementation to
meet driving conditions. It does not indicate sudden acceleration.
●The vehicle is judged to be driving uphill or downhill
● When the accelerator pedal is released
■ Breaking in your new Toyota
To extend the life of the vehicle, observing the following precautions is recom-
mended:
●For the first 200 miles (300 km):
Avoid sudden stops.
● For the first 500 miles (800 km):
Do not tow a trailer.
● For the first 1000 miles (1600 km):
• Do not drive at extremely high speeds.
• Avoid sudden acceleration.
• Do not drive continuously in low gears.
• Do not drive at a constant speed for extended periods.
Starting off on a steep uphill
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1614-1. Before driving
4
Driving
4RUNNER (U)_(OM35B18U)
CAUTION
Observe the following precautions.
Failure to do so may result in death or serious injury.
■When driving the vehicle
● During normal driving, do not turn off the engine. Turning the engine off
while driving will not cause loss of steering or braking control, but the
power assist to these systems will be lost. This will make it more difficult to
steer and brake, so you should pull over and stop the vehicle as soon as it
is safe to do so.
However, in the event of an emergency, such as if it becomes impossible
to stop the vehicle in the normal way: P. 401
● Use engine braking (downshift) to maintain a safe speed when driving
down a steep hill.
Using the brakes continuously may cause the brakes to overheat and lose
effectiveness. ( P. 199)
● Do not adjust the positions of the steering wheel, the seat, or the inside or
outside rear view mirrors while driving.
Doing so may result in a loss of vehicle control.
● Always check that all passengers’ arms, heads or other parts of their body
are not outside the vehicle.
● Do not drive in excess of the speed limit. Even if the legal speed limit per-
mits it, do not drive over 85 mph ( 140 km/h) unless your vehicle has high-
speed capability tires. Driving over 85 mph (140 km/h) may result in tire
failure, loss of control and possible injury. Be sure to consult a tire dealer
to determine whether the tires on y our vehicle are high-speed capability
tires or not before driving at such speeds.

1624-1. Before driving
4RUNNER (U)_(OM35B18U)
CAUTION
Observe the following precautions.
Failure to do so may result in death or serious injury.
■When driving on slippery road surfaces
● Sudden braking, acceleration and steering may cause tire slippage and
reduce your ability to control the vehicle, resulting in an accident.
● Sudden acceleration, engine braking due to shifting, or changes in engine
speed could cause the vehicle to skid, resulting in an accident.
● After driving through a puddle, lightly depress the brake pedal to make
sure that the brakes are functioning properly. Wet brake pads may prevent
the brakes from functioning properly. If the brakes on only one side are wet
and not functioning properly, steering control may be affected, resulting in
an accident.
■ When shifting the shift lever
● Do not let the vehicle roll backward while the shift lever is in a driving posi-
tion, or roll forward while the shift lever is in R.
Doing so may cause the engine to stall or lead to poor brake and steering
performance, resulting in an accident or damage to the vehicle.
● Do not shift the shift lever to P while the vehicle is moving.
Doing so can damage the transmission and may result in a loss of vehicle
control.
● Do not shift the shift lever to R while the vehicle is moving forward.
Doing so can damage the transmission and may result in a loss of vehicle
control.
● Do not shift the shift lever to D while the vehicle is moving backward.
Doing so can damage the transmission and may result in a loss of vehicle
control.
● Moving the shift lever to N while the vehicle is moving will disengage the
engine from the transmission. Engine braking is not available when N is
selected.
● Be careful not to shift the shift lever with the accelerator pedal depressed.
Shifting the shift lever to a gear other than P or N may lead to unexpected
rapid acceleration of the vehicle that may cause an accident and result in
death or serious injury.

1654-1. Before driving
4
Driving
4RUNNER (U)_(OM35B18U)
CAUTION
Observe the following precautions.
Failure to do so may result in death or serious injury.
■When taking a nap in the vehicle
Always turn the engine off. Otherwise, if you accidentally move the shift
lever or depress the accelerator pedal, this could cause an accident or fire
due to engine overheating. Additionally, if the vehicle is parked in a poorly
ventilated area, exhaust gases may collect and enter the vehicle, leading to
death or a serious health hazard.
■ When braking
● When the brakes are wet, drive more cautiously.
Braking distance increases when the brakes are wet, and this may cause
one side of the vehicle to brake differently than the other side. Also, the
parking brake may not securely hold the vehicle.
● If the power brake assist function does not operate, do not follow other\
vehicles closely and avoid hills or sharp turns that require braking.
In this case, braking is still possible, but the brake pedal should be
depressed more firmly than usual. Also, the braking distance will increase.
● Do not pump the brake pedal if the engine stalls.
Each push on the brake pedal uses up the reserve for the power-assisted
brakes.
● The brake system consists of 2 individual hydraulic systems; if one of the
systems fails, the other will still operate. In this case, the brake pedal
should be depressed more firmly than usual and the braking distance will
increase.
If this happens, do not continue to drive the vehicle. Have your brakes
fixed immediately.

1744-1. Before driving
4RUNNER (U)_(OM35B18U)
Trailer towing
Your vehicle is designed primarily as a passenger-and-load-car-
rying vehicle. Towing a trailer can have an adverse impact on
handling, performance, braking, durability, and fuel consump-
tion. For your safety and the safe ty of others, you must not over-
load your vehicle or trailer. You must also ensure that you are
using appropriate towing equipmen t, that the towing equipment
has been installed correctly a nd used properly, and that you
employ the requisite driving habits.
Vehicle-trailer stability and braking performance are affected by
trailer stability, brake performance and setting, trailer brakes,
the hitch and hitch systems (if equipped).
To tow a trailer safely, use extreme care and drive the vehicle in
accordance with your trailer’s characteristics and operating
conditions.
Toyota warranties do not apply to damage or malfunction
caused by towing a trailer for commercial purposes.
Contact your Toyota dealer for further information about addi-
tional requirements such as a towing kit, etc.

1764-1. Before driving
4RUNNER (U)_(OM35B18U)■
GAWR (Gross Axle Weight Rating)
The maximum allowable gross
axle weight. The gross axle
weight is the load placed on
each axle (front and rear).
■TWR (Trailer Weight Rating)
The maximum allowable gross
trailer weight. The gross trailer
weight is the sum of the trailer
weight and the weight of the
cargo in the trailer.
TWR is calculated assuming
base vehicle with one driver,
one front passenger, towing
package (if available), hitch and
hitch systems (if required).
Additional optional equipment, passengers and cargo in the vehicle will
reduce the trailer weight rating so as not to exceed GCWR, GVWR and
GAWR.
If the gross trailer weight exceeds 3000 lb. (1360 kg), it is recommended
to use a trailer with 2 or more axles.
Front GAWR
Rear GAWR
(With brakes)

1774-1. Before driving
4
Driving
4RUNNER (U)_(OM35B18U)■
Unbraked TWR (Unbraked Trailer Weight Rating)
The trailer weight rating for tow-
ing a trailer without a trailer ser-
vice brake system.
■Tongue Weight
The load placed on the trailer
hitch ball. (
P. 179)
(Without brakes)

1784-1. Before driving
4RUNNER (U)_(OM35B18U)
●The gross trailer weight must never exceed the TWR described in
the table. ( P. 179)
● The gross combination weight must never exceed the GCWR
described in the table. ( P. 179)
● The gross vehicle weight must
never exceed the GVWR indi-
cated on the Certification Label.
● The gross axle weight on each
axle must never exceed the
GAWR indicated on the Certifi-
cation Label.
● If the gross trailer weight is over the unbraked TWR, trailer service
brakes are required.
● If the gross trailer weight is over 2000 lb. (907 kg), a sway control
device with sufficient capacity is required.
Weight limits

1844-1. Before driving
4RUNNER (U)_(OM35B18U)
●Avoid jerky starts or sudden acceleration.
● Avoid jerky steering and sharp turns, and slow down before making
turn.
● Note that when making a turn, the trailer wheels will be closer than
the vehicle wheels to the inside of the turn. Compensate by making
a wider than normal turning radius.
● Slow down before making a turn, in cross winds, on wet or slippery
surfaces, etc.
Increasing vehicle speed can destabilize the trailer.
● Take care when passing other vehicles. Passing requires consider-
able distance. After passing a vehicle, do not forget the length of
your trailer, and be sure you hav e plenty of room before changing
lanes.
● To maintain engine braking effici ency and charging system perfor-
mance when using engine braking, do not put the transmission in
D.
● Instability happens more frequently when descending steep or long
downhill grades. Before descending, slow down and downshift. Do
not make sudden downshifts while descending steep or long down-
hill grades.
● Avoid holding the brake pedal down too long or applying the brakes
too frequently. This could cause th e brakes to overheat and result in
reduced braking efficiency.
● Due to the added load of the trailer, your vehicle’s engine may over-
heat on hot days (at temperatures over 85°F [30°C]) when driving
up a long or steep grade. If t he engine coolant temperature gauge
indicates overheating, immediately turn off the air conditioning (if in
use), pull your vehicle off the road and stop in a safe spot.
(  P. 450)

1854-1. Before driving
4
Driving
4RUNNER (U)_(OM35B18U)
●Always place wheel blocks under both the vehicle’s and the trailer’s
wheels when parking. Apply the pa rking brake firmly, and put the
transmission in P. Avoid parking on a slope, but if unavoidable, do
so only after performing the following:
Apply the brakes and keep them applied.
Have someone place wheel blocks under both the vehicle’s and
trailer’s wheels.
When the wheel blocks are in place, release the brakes slowly until
the blocks absorb the load.
Apply the parking brake firmly.
Shift into P and turn off the engine.
● When restarting after parking on a slope:
With the transmission in P, start the engine. Be sure to keep the
brake pedal pressed.
Shift into a forward gear. If reversing, shift into R.
Release the parking brake and brake pedal, and slowly pull or back
away from the wheel blocks. Stop and apply the brakes.
Have someone retrieve the blocks.
■ Matching trailer ball height to trailer coupler height
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No matter which class of tow hitch
applies, for a more safe trailer hookup,
the trailer ball setup must be the proper
height for the coupler on the trailer.
Coupler
Trailer ball
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