Repair TOYOTA 4RUNNER 1998 User Guide

4RUNNER (1998)
Part 5
CORROSION
PREVENTION AND
APPEARANCE CARE
Protecting your Toyota from
corrosion
Washing and waxing your
To y o t a
Cleaning the interior
Toyota, through its d iligent research,
design and use of the most advanced
technology available, has done its part
to help prevent corrosion and has pro-
vided you with the finest quality ve-
hicle construction. Now, it is up to
you. Proper care of your Toyota can
help ensure long- term corrosion pre-
vention.
The most common causes of corro-
sion to your vehicle are:
The accumulation of road salt, dirt
and moisture in hard- to- reach
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 vehicle under certain environ-
mental conditions: Road salt or dust control chemicals
will accelerate corrosion, as will
the presence of salt in the air near
the sea- coast or in areas of indus-
trial pollution.
High humidity accelerates corrosion
especially when temperatures range
just above the freezing point.
Wetness or dampness to certain
parts of your vehicle for an ex-
tended period of time, may cause
corrosion even though other parts
of the vehicle may be dry.
High temperatures will cause corro-
sion to those components of the
vehicle which are prevented from
quick- drying due to lack of proper
ventilation.
The above signifies the necessity to
keep your vehicle, particularly the un-
derside, as clean as possible and to
repair any damage to paint or protec-
tive 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 ve-
hicle 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 un-
dercarriage at least once a month
to minimize corrosion.
Protecting your Toyota
from corrosion

4RUNNER (1998)
High pressure water or steam is
effective 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 corro-
sion.
Wash the underside of the vehicle
thoroughly when winter is over.
See ºWashing and waxing your Toyo-
taº for more tips.
Check the condition of your ve-
hicle's paint and trim. If you find any
chips or scratches in the paint, touch
them up immediately to prevent corro-
sion from starting. If the chips or
scratches have gone through the bare
metal, have a qualified body shop
make the repair. Check the interior of your vehicle.
Water and dirt can accumulate under
the floor mats and could cause corro-
sion. Occasionally check under the
mats to make sure the area is dry. Be
particularly careful when transporting
chemicals, cleansers, fert
ilizers, 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.
Full- size 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 insta lling the
shields if they are recommended for
your area.
Keep your vehicle in a well venti-
lated garage or a roofed place. Do
not park your vehicle in a damp,
poorly ventilated 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 weak-
ness to the paint or corrosion to the
body and parts. Wash your vehicle as
soon as possible.
When driving in a coastal area
When driving on a road sprinkled
with antifreeze
When having stuck of coal tar, tree
sap, bird droppings and carcass of
an insect
when driving in the areas where
there are a lot of smoke, soot,
dust, iron dust and chemical sub-
stance
When the vehicle becomes remark-
ably dirty with dust and mud
Hand- washing 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.
Washing and waxing your
To y o t a

4RUNNER (1998)
Part 6
VEHICLE
MAINTENANCE
AND CARE
Maintenance requirements
General maintenance

Does your vehicle need
repairing?
For scheduled maintenance in-
formation, please refer to the
separate ºOwner 's Manual Sup-
plement/Maintenance Scheduleº. Maintenance requirements
Your Toyota vehicle has been de-
signed to for fewer maintenance re-
quirements with longer service inter-
vals to save both your time and
money. However, each regular mainte-
nance, as well as day- to- day care, is
more important than ever before to
ensure smooth, and trouble- free, safe,
and economical drivings.
It is the owner 's responsib
ility to
make sure the specified maintenance,
including general maintenance service,
is performed. Note that both the new
vehicle and emission control system
warranties specify that proper mainte-
nance and care must be performed.
See ºOwner 's Guideº, ºOwner 's Manu-
al Supplementº or ºWarranty Bookletº
for complete warranty information.
General maintenance
General maintenance items are those
day- to- day care practices that are im-
portant to your vehicle for proper op-
eration. It is the owner 's responsib ility
to ensure that the general mainte-
nance items are performed regularly.
These checks or inspections can be
done either by yourself or a qualified
technician, or if you prefer, your Toyo-
ta dealer will be pleased to do them
at a nominal cost. Scheduled maintenance
The scheduled maintenance items
listed in the ºOwner 's Manual Supple-
ment/Maintenance Scheduleº are those
required to be serviced at regular in-
tervals.
For details of your maintenance
schedule, read the separate ºOwner 's
Manual Supplement/Maintenance
Scheduleº.
It is recommended that any replace-
ment parts used for maintenance or
for the repair of the emission con-
trol system be Toyota supplied.
The owner may elect to use non-
Toyota supplied parts for replace-
ment purposes without invalidating
the emission control system warran-
ty. However, use of replacement
parts which are not of equivalent
quality may impair the effectiveness
of the emission control systems.
You may also elect to have mainte-
nance, replacement, or repair of the
emission control devices and sys-
tem performed by any automotive
repair establishment or individual
without invalidating this warranty.
See ºOwner 's Guideº, ºOwner 's
Manual Supplementº or ºWarranty
Bookletº for complete warranty in-
formation.

4RUNNER (1998)
Where to go for service?
Toyota technicians are well- trained
specialists and are kept up to date
with the latest service information
through technical bulletins, service
tips, and in- dealership training pro-
grams. 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
requirements on your vehicleÐreliably
and economically.
Your copy of the repair order is proof
that all required maintenance has
been performed 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 ser-
vice performed on your Toyota.
What about do- it- yourself mainte- nance?
Many of the maintenance items are
easy to do yourself if you have a little
mechanical ab ility and a few basic au-
tomotive tools. Simple instructions for
how to perform them are presented in
Part 7. If you are a skilled do- it- yourself me-
chanic, the Toyota service manuals
are recommended. Please be aware
that do- it- yourself maintanance can
affect your warranty coverage. See
ºOwner 's Guideº, ºOwner 's Manual
Supplementº or ºWarranty Bookletº for
the details.
General maintenance
Listed below are the general mainte-
nance items that should be performed
as frequently as specified. In addition
to checking the items listed, if you
notice any unusual noise, smell or
vibration, you should investigate the
cause or take your vehicle to your
Toyota dealer or a qualified service
shop immediately. It is recommended
that any problem you notice be
brought to the attention of your dealer
or the qualified service shop for their
advice.
CAUTION
Make these checks only where ad-
equate ventilation can be obtained
if you run the engine.
OUTSIDE THE VEHICLE
Items listed below should be per-
formed from time to time, unless
otherwise specified.
Tire pressure
Check the pressure with a gauge ev-
ery two weeks, or at least once a
month. See Chapter 7- 2 for additional
information.

4RUNNER (1998)
Automatic transmission ºParkº mech- anism
Check the lock release button of the
selector lever for proper and smooth
operation. On a safe incline, check
that your vehicle is held securely with
the selector lever in ºPº position and
all brakes released.
IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT
Items listed below should be
checked from time to time, e.g.
each time when refueling.
Washer fluid
Make sure there is sufficient fluid in
the tank. See Chapter 7- 3 for addi-
tional information.
Engine coolant level
Make sure the coolant level is be-
tween the ºFULLº and ºLOWº lines on
the see- through reservoir when the
engine is cold. See Chapter 7- 2 for
additional information.
Battery electrolyte level
Make sure the electrolyte level of all
battery cells is between upper and
lower level lines on the case. Add
only distilled water when replenishing.
See Chapter 7- 3 for additional in-
formation. Brake fluid level
Make sure the brake fluid level is cor-
rect. See Chapter 7- 2 for additional
information.
Engine oil level
Check the level on the dipstick with
the engine turned off and the vehicle
parked on a level spot. See Chapter
7- 2 for additional information.
Power steering fluid level
Check the level through the reservoir.
The level should be in the ºHOTº or
ºCOLDº range depending on the fluid
temperature. See Chapter 7- 2 for
additional information.
Exhaust system
If you notice any change in the sound
of the exhaust or smell exhaust
fumes, have the cause located and
corrected immediately. (See engine ex-
haust cautions in Part 2.)
Be on the alert for changes in perfor-
mance, sounds, and visual tip- offs
that indicate service is needed. Some
important clues are as follows:
Engine missing, stumbling, or ping-
ing
Appreciable loss of power
Strange engine noises
A leak under the vehicle (however,
water dripping from the air condi-
tioning after use is normal.)
Change in exhaust sound (This
may indicate a dangerous carbon
monoxide leak. Drive with the win-
dows open and have the exhaust
system checked immediately.)
Flat- looking tire; excessive tire
squeal when cornering; uneven tire wear
Vehicle pulls to one side when
driving straight on a level road
Strange noises related to suspen-
sion movement
Loss of brake effectiveness;
spongy feeling brake or clutch ped-
al; pedal almost touches floor; ve-
hicle pulls to one side when brak-
ing
Engine coolant temperature continu-
ally higher than normal
Does your vehicle need
repairing?

4RUNNER (1998)
If you notice any of these clues, take
your vehicle to your Toyota dealer as
soon as possible. It probably needs
adjustment or repair.
CAUTION
Do not continue driving with the
vehicle unchecked. It could result
in serious vehicle damage and
possibly personal injury.

4RUNNER (1998)
Tread wear indicator
CHECKING YOUR TIRES
Check the tire tread for the tread
wear indicators. If the indicators
show, replace the tires.
The tires on your Toyota have built- in
tread wear indicators to help you
know when the tires need replace-
ment. When the tread depth wears to
1.6 mm (0.06 in.) or less, the indica-
tors will appear. If you can see the
indicators in two or more adjacent
grooves, the tire should be replaced.
The lower the tread, the higher the
risk of skidding.
The effectiveness of snow tires is
lost if the tread wears down below
4 mm (0.16 in.). Check the tires regularly for dam-
age such as cuts, splits and cracks.
If any damage is found, consult
with a technician and have the tire
repaired or replaced.
Even if the damage does not appear
serious, a qualified technician should
examine the damage. Objects which
have penetrated the tire may have
caused internal damage.
Any tires which are over six years
old must be checked by a qualified
technician even if damage is not
obvious.
Tires deteriorate with age even if they
have never or seldom been used.
This also applies to the spare tire and
tires stored for future use.REPLACING YOUR TIRES
When replacing a tire, use only the
same size and construction as origi-
nally installed and with the same or
greater load capacity.
Using any other size or type of tire
may seriously affect handling, ride,
speedometer/odometer calibration,
ground clearance, and clearance be-
tween the body and tires or snow
chains.

4RUNNER (1998)
Replacement with used wheels is not
recommended as they may have been
subjected to rough treatment or high
mileage and could fail without warning.
Also, bent wheels which have been
straightened may have structural dam-
age and therefore should not be used.
Never use an inner tube in a leaking
wheel which is designed for a tube-
less tire. Aluminum wheel precautions
After driving your vehicle the first
1600 km (1000 miles), check that
the wheel nuts are tight.
If you have rotated, repaired or
changed your tires, check that the
wheel nuts are still tight after driv-
ing 1600 km (1000 miles).
When using tire chains, be careful
not to damage the aluminum
wheels.
Use only the Toyota wheel nuts
and wrench designed for your alu-
minum wheels.
When balancing your wheels, use
only Toyota balance weights or
equivalent and a plastic or rubber
hammer.
As with any wheel, periodically
check your aluminum wheels for
damage. If damaged, replace im-
mediately.