traction control TOYOTA 4RUNNER 1996 Owners Manual

75
Use the front drive control lever to se-
lect the following transfer modes. H2º (high speed position, two-wheel
drive): Lever at H2º
Use this for normal driving on dry hard-
surfaced roads. This position gives great-
er economy, quietest ride and least wear.
H4º (high speed position, four-wheel
drive): Lever at H4º
Use this for normal driving on wet, icy or
snow-covered roads. This position pro-
vides greater traction than two-wheel drive. Nº (neutral position):
Lever at Nº
No power is delivered to the wheels. The vehicle must be stopped.
L4º (low speed position, four-wheel
drive): Lever at L4º
Use this for maximum power and traction. Use L4º for climbing or descending steep
hills, off-road driving, and hard pulling in
sand, mud or deep snow.
The four-wheel drive indicator light
comes on when the H4º, Nº or L4º mode is selected. See (c) Shifting procedure (lever type)º
for further instructions.Use the front drive control lever and
4WDº button to select the following transfer modes. H2º (high speed position, two-wheel
drive): Lever at Hº, 4WDº button left out
Use this for normal driving on dry hard-
surfaced roads. This position gives great-
er economy, quietest ride and least wear.
H4º (high speed position, four-wheel
drive): Lever at Hº, 4WDº button pushed
in
Use this for normal driving on wet, icy or
snow-covered roads. This position pro-
vides greater traction than two-wheel drive.
Four-wheel drive systemÐ (a) Front drive control (lever type)
(a) Front drive control (lever/button type)

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

193
WHEN TO USE SNOW TIRES OR CHAINS
Snow tires or chains are recom-
mended 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 the same
size, construction and load capacity
as the original tires on your Toyota.
Do not use tires other than those men-
tioned above. Do not install studded tires
without first checking local regulations for
possible restrictions.
SNOW TIRE INSTALLATION
Snow tires should be installed on all wheels. Installing snow tires on the front wheels
only can lead to an excessive difference
in road grip capability between the front
and rear tires which would 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 whenreplacing.
CAUTION!
Do not drive with the snow tires in- correctly inflated.
Never drive over 120 km/h (75 mph)
with any type of snow tires.
TIRE CHAIN SELECTION Use the tire chains of correct size.
Regulations regarding the use of tire
chains vary according to location or
type of r oad, so always check them be-
fore installing chains.
CHAIN INSTALLATION
Install the chains on the rear tires as
tightly as possible. Do not use tirechains 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 removethe 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 maycause the vehicle to bounce.
Avoid sharp turns or locked-
wheel braking, as use of chains
may adversely affect vehicle han- dling.
Installing snow tires and chains

214This
information has been prepared in ac-
cordance with regulations issued by the
National Highway Traffic Safety Adminis-
tration of the U.S. Department of Trans-
portation. It provides the purchasers and/
or prospective purchasers of Toyota
vehicles with information on uniform tire
quality grading.
Your Toyota dealer will help answer any
questions you may have as you read this information.
DOT quality gradesÐAll passenger
vehicle tires must conform to Federal
Safety Requirements in addition to these grades. These quality grades are
molded on the sidewall.
Treadwear ÐThe treadwear grade is a
comparative rating based on the wear
rate of the tire when tested under con-
trolled conditions on a specified govern-
ment test course. For example, a tire
graded 150 would wear one and a half
(1-1/2) times as well on the governmentcourse as a tire graded 100. The relative
performance of tires depends upon the
actual conditions of their use, however,
and may depart significantly from the norm due to variations in driving habits,
service practices and differences in roadcharacteristics and climate. Traction A, B, C
ÐThe traction grades,
from highest to lowest, are A, B, and C,
and they represent the tire's ability to stop
on wet pavement as measured under
controlled conditions on specified govern-
ment test surfaces of asphalt and con-
crete. A tire marked C may have poor trac-
tion performance.
Warning: The traction grade assigned to this tire is based on braking (straight
ahead) traction tests and does not include
cornering (turning) traction.
Temperature A, B, C ÐThe temperature
grades are A (the highest), B, and C, rep-
resenting the tire's resistance to the gen-
eration of heat and its ability to dissipate heat when tested under controlled condi- tions on a specific indoor laboratory test
wheel. Sustained high temperature can
cause the material of the tire to degener- ate and reduce tire life, and excessive
temperature can lead to sudden tire fail-
ure. The grade C corresponds to a level of
performance which all passenger car tires
must meet under the Federal Motor Ve-
hicle Safety Standard No. 109. Grades B
and A represent higher levels of perfor-mance on the laboratory test wheel than
the minimum required by law. Warning: The temperature grades for thistire is established for a tire that is properly
inflated and not overloaded. Excessivespeed, underinflation, or excessive load- ing, either separately or in combination, can cause heat buildup and possible tirefailure.
Uniform tire quality grading