tires TOYOTA 4RUNNER 1996 Owners Manual

Part 2Off-road vehicle precautions
127
INFORMATION
BEFORE DRIVING
YOUR TOYOTA
Off-road vehicle precautions
Break-in period
Fuel
Operation in foreign countries
Three-way catalytic converter
Engine exhaust cautions
Facts about engine oil consumption
Twin ground electrode spark plugs
Brake system
Brake pad wear limit indicators
Luggage stowage precautions
Your Toyota's identification
Theft prevention labels
Suspension and chassis
Types of tires
This vehicle is one of the class of ve-
hicles which have higher ground
clearance and narrower tread in rela-
tion to the height of their center of
gravity to make them capable of per-forming in a wide variety of off-road applications. Specific design charac-
teristics
give it a higher center of gravi-
ty than ordinary cars. An advantage of
the higher ground clearance is a better
view of the road allowing you to antici-
pate problems. It is not designed for
cornering at the same speeds as con-
ventional two-wheel drive vehicles
any more than low-slung sports cars
are designed to perform satisfactorilyunder off-road conditions.
CAUTION!
Always observe the following pre-
cautions to minimize the risk of se-
rious personal injury or damage toyour vehicle: Avoid sharp turns or abrupt ma-
neuvers, if at all possible. As with
other vehicles of this type, failure
to operate this vehicle correctly
may result in loss of control or ve-
hicle rollover.
Avoid loading any items on the
roof that will make the center of
gravity even higher.
Always slow down in gusty cross-
winds. Because of its high center
of gravity, your vehicle is more
sensitive to side winds than an or-
dinary passenger car. Slowing
down will allow you to have much
better control.
Do not drive horizontally across steep slopes. Driving straight up
or straight down is preferred. Your
vehicle (or any similar off-road
vehicle) can tip over sideways
much more easily than forward or backward.

134
When the anti-lock brake system function is in action, you may feel the brake pedal
pulsating and hear a noise. In this situa-
tion, to let the anti-lock brake system work for you, just hold the brake pedal
down
more firmly. Do not pump the brake.
The brake pedal pulsation caused by the
anti-lock brake system may indicate haz- ardous road surface conditions. Althoughthe anti-lock brake system assists in pro-
viding vehicle control, it is still important to
drive with all due care, because the anti-
lock brake system cannot overcome the
laws of physics that act on your vehicle: Braking capab ility is dependent on tire
friction with the road surface.
Even though the anti-lock brake sys-
tem is operating, a driver cannot main- tain full control on certain slippery road
surfaces, when cornering at highspeeds, or in violent maneuvers.
Avoid high speeds on wet roads. The
anti-lock brake system cannot elimi-
nate the risk of hydroplaning and lossof tire friction. Always maintain a safe distance from the
vehicle in
front of you. Compared with ve-
hicles not fitted with an anti-lock brake
system, your vehicle may require a longer
stopping distance in the following cases: Driving on rough, gravel or snow-cov-
ered roads.
Driving with tire chains installed.
Driving on roads where the road sur-
face is pitted or has other differencesin surface height.
CAUTION!
Do not use tires other than the
manufacturer 's designated tires,
and do not mix tires or wheels of dif-
ferent sizes. You may prevent the an-
tilock brake system from operatingat full effectiveness.
Vehicles with rear differential lock sys-
temÐThe anti-lock brake system does
not operate when the rear differential islocked. It is normal operation for the
ABSº warning light to be on at this time.Type A
Type B

138
CAUTION!
Do not modify the suspension/chas-
sis with lift kits, spacers, springs,
etc. It can cause dangerous handling
characteristics resulting in loss ofcontrol. Determine what kind of tires your ve-
hicle is originally equipped with.
1. Summer tires.
Summer tires are high-speed capability
tires best suited to highway driving underdry conditions. Since
summer tires do not have the same
traction performance as snow tires, sum-
mer tires are inadequate for driving on
snow-covered or icy roads. For driving on
snow-covered or icy roads, we recom-
mend using snow tires. If installing snow tires, be sure to replace all four tires.
2. All season tires
All season tires are designed to provide
better traction in snow and to be adequate
for driving in most winter conditions, as
well as for use all year round.
All season tires, however, do not have ad-
equate traction performance compared
with snow tires in heavy or loose snow.
Also, all season tires fall short in accelera-
tion and handling performance compared with summer tires in highway driving.CAUTION!
Do not mix summer and all season
tires on your vehicle as this can
cause dangerous handling char-
acteristics, resulting in loss of control.
Do not use tires other than the
manufacturer 's designated tires,
and do not mix tires or wheels of
the sizes different from the origi- nals.
Suspension and chassis Types of tires

141

Four-wheel drive modelsÐToyota
recommends not using four-wheel
drive on dry hard-surfaced roads, be-
cause four-wheel driving will causeunnecessary 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, up-
shifting, downshifting or braking
on a slippery surface. Sudden ac-
celeration 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 de-
termine 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 require a lon-
ger stopping distance, and it may
pull to one side when the brakes
are applied. Also, the parking
brake will not hold the vehicle se-
curely. When driving your vehicle off-road,
please observe the following precautions
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 owner's
permission before entering private prop-
erty.
c. Do not enter areas that are closed.
Honor gates, barriers and signs that re-
strict travel.
d. Stay on established roads. When con- ditions 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 pertaining
to driving your vehicle off-road, consultthe following organizations.
State and Local Parks and Recreation Departments
State Motor Vehicle Bureau
Recreational Vehicle Clubs
U.S. Forest Service and Bureau of
Land Management
Off-road driving precautions

145
The trailer cargo load should be
distributed so t hat the tongue load
is 9 to 11% of the total trailer
weight, not exceeding the maxi-
mum of the following. Never 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 re-
maining 40 % in the rear.
3RZ-FE engine158 kg (350 lb.)
5VZ-FE engine 226 kg (500 lb.) HITCHES
Use only a weight carrying hitch de-
signed for the total trailer weight. Toyo-
ta does not recommend using a weight
distribution (load equalizing) hitch.
The hitch must be bolted securely to
the vehicle frame and installed accord-
ing to the hitch manufacturer's instruc- tions.
The hitch ball and king pin should havea light coat of grease.
Toyota recommends removing the hitch when not towing to prevent injury
and/or damage due to the hitch in
event of a rear end collision. After re-moval 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 to the axle
housing, wheel bearings, wheelsand or tires.
BRAKES AND SAFETY CHAINS Toyota recommends trailers with
brakes that conform to any applica-
ble federal and state/provincial reg- ulations.
A safety chain must always be used
between the towing vehicle and the
trailer. Leave sufficient slack in the
chain for turns. The chain shouldcross under the trailer tongue to
prevent the tongue from dropping
to the ground in case it becomes
damaged or separated. For correct
safety chain procedures, follow the
hitch or trailer manufacturer's rec-ommendations.
CAUTION!
If the total trailer weight exceeds
453 kg (1000 lb.), trailer brakes are required.
Never tap into your vehicle's hy- draulic system as it would lower
its braking effectiveness.
Never tow a trailer without using a
safety chain securely attached 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.

146TIRES
Ensure that your vehicle's tires are
properly inflated. See Chapter 7-2 forinstructions.
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 federal,
state/provincial and local regulations. See your local recreational vehicle
dealer or rental agency for the correct type of wiring and relays for your trail-
er. Check for correct operation of the
turn signals and stop lights each time
you hitch up. Direct splicing may dam-
age your vehicle's electrical system
and cause a malfunction of your lights.
BREAK-IN SCHEDULE Toyota recommends that you do not
tow a trailer with a new vehicle or a ve-
hicle with any new power train compo-
nent (engine, transmission, differen- tial, wheel bearing, etc.) for the first
800 km (500 miles) of driving. MAINTENANCE
If you tow a trailer, your vehicle will re-
quire more frequent maintenance due
to the additional load. For this informa-
tion, please refer to the scheduled
maintenance information in the Own-
er '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-T OWING 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 suspen-
sion or other possible causes.
Make sure the trailer cargo is securely
loaded so that it cannot shift.
Check that your rear view mirrors con-
form to any applicable federal, state/
provincial or local regulation. If not,
install the rear view mirrors required
for towing purpose. TRAILER TOWING TIPS
When towing a trailer, your vehicle will
handle differently than when not tow-
ing.
The three main causes of vehicle-
trailer accidents are driver error, ex-
cessive speed and improper trailer
loading. Keep these in mind when tow-
ing: Before starting out, check operation of
the lights and all vehicle-trailer con-
nections. After driving a short dis-
tance, stop and recheck the lights and
connections. Before actually towing a
trailer, practice turning, stopping and
backing with a trailer in an area away
from traffic until you learn the feel.
Backing w ith a trailer is difficult and re-
quires practice. Grip the bottom of thesteering wheel and move your hand to
the left to move the trailer to the left.Move your hand to the right to move
the trailer to the right. (This procedureis 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 back-
ing to reduce the risk of an accident.

148When restarting out after parking on a slope:
1. With the transmission in Pº position
(automatic) or
the clutch pedal depressed
(manual), start the engine. (With an auto-
matic transmission, be sure to keep thebrake pedal depressed.)
2. Shift into gear.
3. Release the parking brake (also foot
brake on automatic transmission ve-
hicles) and slowly pull or back away from
the wheel blocks. Stop and apply yourbrakes.
4. Have someone retrieve the blocks.
CAUTION!
Do not exceed 72 km/h (45 mph) or
the posted towing speed limit,
whichever is lower. Because in-
stability (swaying) of a towing ve-
hicle-trailer combination usually
increases as the speed increases,
exceeding 72 km/h (45 mph) maycause loss of control.
Slow down and downshift before
descending steep or long downhill
grades. Do not make suddendownshifts.
Avoid holding the brake pedal
down too long or too frequently.
This could cause the brakes to
overheat and result in reduced
braking efficiency. Getting
more kilometers/mileage from a li-
ter/gallon of fuel is easyÐjust take it easy.
It will help make your vehicle last longer,
too. Here are some specific tips on how to
save money on both fuel and repairs: Keep your tires inflated at the cor- rect pressure. Underinflation causes
tire wear and wastes fuel. See Chapter
7-2 for instructions.
Do not carry unneeded weight in
your vehicle. Excess weight puts a
heavier load on the engine, causinggreater fuel consumption.
Avoid lengthy warm-up idling.
Once the engine is running smoothly,
begin drivingÐbut gently. Remember,
however, that on cold winter days this
may take a little longer.
Accelerate slowly and smoothly.
Avoid jackrabbit starts. Get into high
gear as quickly as possible.
Avoid long engine idling. If you have
a long wait and you are not in traffic, it
is better to turn off the engine and start
again later.
Avoid engine lug or overrevving.
Use a gear position suitable for the
road on which you are travelling.
How to save fuel and make
your vehicle last longer, too

160
7. Remove the wheel nuts and change tires.
Lift the flat tire straight off and put it aside.
Roll the spare wheel into position and
align the holes in the wheel with the bolts.
Then lift up the wheel and get at least thetop bolt started through its hole. Wigglethe tire and press it back over the other bolts.Before putting on wheels, remove any
corrosion on the mounting surfaces with a
wire brush or such. Installation of wheels
without good metal-to-metal contact at
the mounting surface can cause wheel
nuts to loosen and eventually cause a
wheel to come off while driving. Therefore
after the first 1600 km (1000 miles), check
to see that the wheel nuts are tight.8. Reinstall all the wheel nuts finger tight.
Reinstall the wheel nuts (tapered end in-
ward) and tighten them as much as youcan by hand. Press back on the tire back and see if you can tighten them more.
ÐChanging wheels
ÐReinstalling wheel nuts

175
Tire surface and wheel nuts Check the tires carefully
for cuts, damage
or excessive wear. See Chapter 7-2 for
additional information. When checking the tires, make sure no nuts are missing,
and check the nuts for looseness. T ighten
them if necessary.
Tire rotation
Rotate the tires every 12000 km (7500
miles). See Chapter 7-2 for additional in-formation.
Fluid leaks Check underneath for leaking fuel, oil, wa-
ter or other fluid after the vehicle has been
parked for a while. If you smell fuel fumes
or notice any leak, have the cause found
and corrected immediately. Doors and engine hood
Check that all doors including back door
operate smoothly and all latches lock se-
curely. M ake sure the engine hood secon-
dary latch secures the hood from opening
when the primary latch is released. INSIDE THE VEHICLE Items listed below should be checked
regularly, e.g. while performing peri-
odic services, cleaning the vehicle,etc. Lights Make sure the headlights, stop lights, tail lights, turn signal lights, and other lights are all working. Check headlight aim. Service reminder indicators and
warn-
ing buzzers Check that all service reminder indicators
and warning buzzers function properly. Steering wheel
Check that it has the specified freeplay.
Be alert for changes in steering condition,such as hard steering or strange noise. Seats Check that all seat controls such as seat
adjusters, seatback recliner, etc. operate
smoothly and that all latches lock securely
in any position. Check that the head re-
straints move up and down smoothly and
that the locks hold securely in any latched
position. For folding-down rear seat-
backs, swing-up rear seat cushions and
detachable temporary third seat, check
that the latches lock securely. Seat belts
Check that the seat belt system such as
buckles, retractors and anchors operate
properly
and smoothly. Make sure the belt
webbing is not cut, frayed, worn or dam-aged. Accelerator pedal Check the pedal for smooth operation and
uneven pedal effort or catching. Clutch pedal Check the pedal for smooth operation. Brake pedal Check the pedal for smooth operation and
that the pedal has the proper clearance. Check the brake booster function. Brakes
At a safe place, check that the brakes do not pull to one side when applied. Parking brake Check that the lever has the proper travel and that, on a safe incline, your vehicle is
held securely with only the parking brake applied.

Part 7Checking the engine oil level
187
DO-IT-YOURSELF MAINTENANCEÐ
Chapter 7-2 Engine and Chassis
Checking the engine oil level
Checking the engine coolant level
Checking brake fluid
Checking power steering fluid
Checking tire pressure
Checking and replacing tires
Rotating tires
Installing snow tires and chains
Replacing wheels
Aluminum wheel precautions
With the engine at operating tempera- ture and turned off, check the oil level
on the dipstick.
1. To get a true reading, the vehicle
should be on a
level spot. After turning off
the engine, wait a few minutes for the oil
to drain back into the bottom of the en-gine.
2. Pull out the dipstick, and wipe it clean with a rag.
3. Reinsert the dipstick 'push it in as far
as it will go, or the reading will not be cor- rect.
4. Pull the dipstick out and look at the oil level on the end. If the oil level is below or only slightly
above the low level, add engine oil of
the same type as already in the engine. Remove the oil filler cap and add engine
oil in small quantities at a time, checking the dipstick.
The approximate quantity of oil needed to fill between the low level and the full level
on the dipstick is indicated below for refer- ence.
When the level reaches within the correct range, install the filler cap hand-tight.
Oil quantity, L (qt., Imp. qt.):
3RZ-FE engine1.5 (1.6, 1.3)
5VZ-FE engine 1.2 (1.3, 1.1)
NOTICE
Avoid overfilling, or the enginecould be damaged.
Check the oil level on the dipstick
once again after adding the oil.