fuel TOYOTA 4RUNNER 1998 User Guide

4RUNNER (1998)
(e) Malfunction Indicator Lamp
This lamp comes on in the following
cases.
a. The fuel tank is completely empty. (See ºFuel gaugeº in Chapter
1- 5 for instructions.)
b. The fuel tank cap is not tightened
securely. (See ºFuel tank capº in
Chapter 1- 2 for instructions.)
c. There is a problem somewhere in
your engine or automatic transmis-
sion electrical system.
If it comes on while you are driving
in case c, have your vehicle checked/
repaired by your Toyota dealer as
soon as possible.
(f) Low Fuel Level Warning Light
This light comes on when the fuel
level in the tank becomes nearly
empty. Fill up the tank as soon as
possible.
On inclines or curves, due to the
movement of fuel in the tank, the low
fuel level warning light may come on
earlier than usual.
(g) ºABSº Warning Light
This light warns that there is a prob-
lem somewhere in your anti- lock
brake system. If the light comes on while you are
driving, have your vehicle checked by
your Toyota dealer as soon as pos-
sible.
The light will come on when the igni-
tion key is turned to the ºONº posi-
tion. After about 3 seconds, the light
will go off.
When the ºABSº warning light is on
(and the brake system warning light is
off), the brake system operates con-
ventionally but anti- lock brake system
is not assisting brake performance so
that the wheels can lock- up during
sudden braking or braking on slippery
road surfaces.
Vehicles with rear differential lock sys-
temÐ
The anti-lock brake system does not
operate when the rear differential is
locked. It is normal operation for the
ºABSº warning light to be on at this
time.
(h) Open Door Warning Light
This light remains on until all the
doors and back door are completely
closed.
(i) SRS Airbag Warning Light
This light will come on when the
ignition key is turned to the ºACCº
or ºONº position. After about 6 se-
conds, the light will go off. This
means the airbag system is operat-
ing properly.
The warning light system monitors the
airbag sensor assembly, inflators,
warning light, interconnecting wiring
and power sources.
If either of the following conditions
occurs, this indicates a malfunction
somewhere in the parts monitored by
the warning light system. Contact your
Toyota dealer as soon as possible to
service the vehicle.
The light does not come on when
the ignition key is turned to the
ºACCº or ºONº position or remains on.
The light comes on while driving.
(j) Light Reminder Buzzer
This buzzer will sound if the driver 's
door is opened while the ignition
switch is turned to the ºLOCKº posi-
tion with the headlight switch on. Re-
moving the key will not stop the buzz-
er as long as the headlight switch is on.

4RUNNER (1998)
Your automatic transmission has a
shift lock system to minimize the pos-
sibility of incorrect operation. This
means you can only shift out of ºPº
position when the brake pedal is de-
pressed (with the ignition switch in
ºONº position and the lock release
button depressed).
(a) Normal driving 1. Start the engine as instructed in ºHow to start the engineº in Part 3.
The transmission must be in ºPº or
ºNº.
2. With your foot holding down the brake pedal, shift the selector lever
to ºDº.
In ºDº position, the automatic trans-
mission system will select the most
suitable gear for running conditions
such as normal cruising, hill climbing,
hard towing, etc.
Always turn the overdrive switch on
for better fuel economy and quieter
driving. If the engine coolant tempera-
ture is low, the transmission will not
shift into the overdrive gear even with
the overdrive switch on.
CAUTION
Never put your foot on the accel-
erator pedal while shifting.
3. Release the parking brake and brake pedal. Depress the accelera-
tor pedal slowly for smooth start-
ing.
(b) Using engine braking
To use engine braking, you can down-
shift the transmission as follows: Turn off the overdrive switch. The
ºO/D OFFº indicator light will come
on and the transmission will down-
shift to the third gear.
Shift into the º2º position. The
transmission will downshift to the
second gear when the vehicle
speed drops down to or lower than
the following speed, and more pow-
erful engine braking will be ob-
tained.
3RZ- FE engine.....112 km/h (69
mph)
5VZ- FE engine.....119 km/h (73
mph)
Shift into the ºLº position. The
transmission will downshift to the
first gear When the vehicle speed
drops down to or lower than the
following speed, and maximum en-
gine braking will be applied.
3RZ- FE engine.....54 km/h (33
mph)

4RUNNER (1998)
If your vehicle remains stuck af-
ter rocking the vehicle severaltimes, consider other ways such as towing.
(h) Driving in ºPWRº (Power) mode
In the ºPWRº mode, the transmission
is shifted up and down at a higher
vehicle speed than in the ºNORMº
(Normal) mode and a more powerful
acceleration is achieved. To set the
ºPWRº mode, push in the driving pat-
tern selector button. The ºPWRº mode
indicator light comes on.
For ordinary driving, Toyota recom-
mends using the ºNORMº mode to im-
prove fuel economy.
(i) If you cannot shift the selector lever out of ºPº position
If you cannot shift the selector lever
from the ºPº position even though the
brake pedal is depressed, use the
shift lock override button. For instruc-
tions, see ºIf you cannot shift auto-
matic transmission selector leverº in
Part 4.

4RUNNER (1998)
Your automatic transmission has a
shift lock system to minimize the pos-
sibility of incorrect operation. This
means you can only shift out of ºPº
position when the brake pedal is de-
pressed (with the ignition switch in
ºONº position and the lock release
button depressed).
(a) Normal driving
1. Start the engine as instructed in
ºHow to start the engineº in Part 3.
The transmission must be in ºPº or
ºNº.
When the front drive control lever is
in ºL4º (low- speed position, four-
wheel drive), the driving pattern selec-
tor setting has no effect on gear shift
timing. (See ºFour- wheel drive sys-
temº in this Chapter for information of
the front drive control lever.)
2. With your foot holding down the
brake pedal, shift the selector lever to
ºDº.
In ºDº position, the automatic trans-
mission system will select the most
suitable gear for running conditions
such as normal cruising, hill climbing,
hard towing, etc. Always turn the overdrive switch on
for better fuel economy and quieter
driving. If the engine coolant tempera-
ture is low or when the front drive
control lever is in ºL4º (low- speed
position, four- wheel drive), the trans-
mission will not shift into
the overdrive gear even with the over-
drive switch on. (See ºFour- wheel
drive systemº in this Chapter for in-
formation of the front drive control le-
ver.)
CAUTION
Never put your foot on the accel-
erator pedal while shifting.
3. Release the parking brake and
brake pedal. Depress the accelerator
pedal slowly for smooth starting.
(b) Using engine braking
To use engine braking, you can down-
shift the transmission as follows:
Turn off the overdrive switch. The
ºO/D OFFº indicator light will come
on and the transmission will down-
shift to the third gear.
Shift into the º2º position. The
transmission will downshift to the
second gear when the vehicle
speed drops down to or lower than
the following speed, and more pow-
erful engine braking will be ob-
tained.
Front drive control lever in ºH2º or
ºH4º
3RZ- FE engine.....105 km/h (65
mph)
5VZ- FE engine.....114 km/h (70
mph)
Front drive control lever in ºL4º
3RZ- FE engine.....38 km/h (23
mph)
5VZ- FE engine.....41 km/h (25
mph)
Shift into the ºLº position. The
transmission will downshift to the
first gear when the vehicle speed
drops down to or lower than the
following speed, and maximum en-
gine braking will be applied.
Front drive control lever in ºH2º or
ºH4º
3RZ- FE engine.....51 km/h (31
mph)
5VZ- FE engine.....55 km/h (34
mph)

4RUNNER (1998)
CAUTION
While the vehicle is moving, nev-
er attempt to move the selector
lever into ºPº position under any
circumstances. Serious mechani-
cal damage and loss of vehicle
control may result.
(f) Good driving practice
If the transmission is repeatedly
upshifted and downshifted between
third gear and overdrive when
climbing a gentle slope, the over-
drive switch should be turned off.
Be sure to turn the switch on im-
mediately afterward.
When towing a trailer, in order to
maintain engine braking efficiency,
do not use overdrive.
CAUTION
Always keep your foot on the
brake pedal while stopped with
the engine running. This prevents
the vehicle from creeping.
NOTICE
Do not hold the vehicle on an
upgrade with the accelerator pe-dal. It can cause the transmissionto overheat. Always use the brake
pedal or parking brake.
(g) Rocking your vehicle if stuck
CAUTION
To rock your vehicle if it becomes
stuck in snow, mud, sand, etc.,
first check that there are no ob-
jects or people around the ve-
hicle. During the rocking opera-
tion the vehicle may suddenly
move forward or backward as it
becomes unstuck, causing injury
or damage to nearby people or
objects.
NOTICE
If you rock your vehicle, observe
the following precautions to pre-vent damage to the transmissionand other parts.
Do not depress the accelerator
pedal while shifting the selectorlever or before the transmissionis completely shifted to forward
or reverse gear.
Do not race the engine andavoid spinning the wheels.
If your vehicle remains stuck af-ter rocking the vehicle several
times, consider other ways suchas towing.
(h) Driving in ºPWRº(Power) mode
In the ºPWRº mode, the transmission
is shifted up and down at a higher
vehicle speed than in the
ºNORMº(Normal) mode and a more
powerful acceleration is achieved. To
set the ºPWRº mode, push in the driv-
ing pattern selector button. The ºPWRº
mode indicator light comes on.
For ordinary driving, Toyota recom-
mends using the ºNORMº mode to im-
prove fuel economy.

4RUNNER (1998)
(i) If you cannot shift the selector
lever out of ºPº position
If you cannot shift the selector lever
from the ºPº position even though the
brake pedal is depressed, use the
shift lock override lever. For instruc-
tions, see ºIf you cannot shift auto-
matic transmission selector leverº in
Part 4. Manual transmission
The shift pattern is as shown above.
Press the clutch pedal down fully
while shifting, and then release it
slowly. Do not rest your foot on the
pedal while driving, because it will
cause clutch trouble. And do not use
the clutch to hold the vehicle when
stopped on an uphill gradeÐuse the
parking brake.
Recommended shifting speeds
The transmission is fully synchronized
and upshifting or downshifting is easy.
For the best compromise between fuel
economy and vehicle performance,
you should upshift or downshift at the
following speeds:3RZ- FE engine

4RUNNER (1998)
Upshifting gear km/h (mph)
1 to 2 24 (15)
2 to 3 40 (25)/58 (36) *
3 to 4 64 (40)/72 (45) *
4 to 5 72 (45)/85 (53) *
Downshifting gear km/h (mph)
2 to 1 24 (15)
3 to 2 40 (25)
4 to 3 64 (40)
5 to 4 72 (45)
* : Applicable under heavy acceleration
conditions.
5VZ- FE engine gear km/h (mph)
1 to 2 or 2 to 1 24 (15)
2 to 3 or 3 to 2 40 (25)
3 to 4 or 4 to 3 64 (40)
4 to 5 or 5 to 4 72 (45) Downshift to the appropriate gear if
acceleration is needed when you are
cruising below the above downshifting
speeds.
Upshifting too soon or downshifting
too late will cause lugging and, possi-
bly, pinging. Regularly revving the en-
gine to maximum speed in each gear
will cause excessive engine wear and
high fuel consumption.
Maximum allowable speeds
To get on a highway or to pass slow-
er traffic, maximum acceleration may
be necessary. Make sure you observe
the following maximum allowable
speeds in each gear:
Two- wheel drive models
gear km/h (mph)1 48 ( 29)
2 90 ( 55)
3 139 ( 86)
4 165 (102)
Four- wheel drive models
3RZ- FE engine gear km/h (mph)
ºH2º and ºH4º ºL4º1 45 ( 28) 17 (11)
2 84 ( 52) 32 (20)
3 130 ( 81) 50 (31)
4 165 (102) 64 (39) 5VZ- FE engine
gear km/h (mph)
ºH2º and ºH4º ºL4º
1 48 ( 29) 18 (11)
2 89 ( 55) 34 (21)
3 127 ( 79) 49 (31)
4 165 (102) 64 (39)
NOTICE
Do not downshift if you are going
faster than the maximum allow-able speed for the next lowergear.

4RUNNER (1998)
Part 2
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
InformationOff- road vehicle precaution

4RUNNER (1998)
Fuel
FUEL TYPE
Your new vehicle must use only un-
leaded gasoline.
To help prevent gas station mixups,
your Toyota has a new smaller fuel
tank opening. The special nozzle on
pumps with unleaded fuel will fit it,
but the larger standard nozzle on
pumps with leaded gas will not.
At a minimum, the gasoline you use
should meet the specifications of
ASTM D4814 in the U.S.A. and CGSB
3.5- M93 in Canada.
NOTICE
Do not use leaded gasoline. Use of leaded gasoline will cause thethree- way catalytic converter to
lose its effectiveness and the
emission control system to func-tion improperly. Also, this can in-crease maintenance costs.
OCTANE RATING
Select Octane Rating 87 (Research
Octane Number 91) or higher.
Use of unleaded gasoline with an oc-
tane rating or research octane number
lower than stated above will cause
persistent heavy knocking. If it is se-
vere, this will lead to engine damage.
If your engine knocks...
If you detect heavy knocking even
when using the recommended fuel, or
if you hear steady knocking while
holding a steady speed on level
roads, consult your Toyota dealer.
However, now and then, you may no-
tice light knocking for a short time
while accelerating or driving up hills.
This is no need of concern.
GASOLINES CONTAINING DETER-
GENT ADDITIVES
Toyota recommends use of gaso-
lines that contain detergent addi-
tives to avoid build- up of engine
deposits.
For further details, ask your Toyota
dealer or a local gasoline retailer. IMPROVED GASOLINES
The American Automobile Manufac-
turers Association (AAMA) has de-
veloped a specification of improved
gasolines. The AAMA specification
offers optimal fuel information for
better vehicle performance and bet-
ter protection of your engine.
Toyota recommends the use of gaso-
lines that meet the AAMA specifica-
tion, if available, for improved drive-
ability and emission control system.
GASOLINES CONTAINING MTBE
Gasolines that contain MTBE (Meth-
yl Tertiary- Butyl Ether) are available
in the market. If you use a gasoline
mixed with MTBE, make certain that
it does not contain more than 15%
of MTBE.
If the use of gasolines containing
MTBE causes poor driveability and/or
poor fuel economy, you should discon-
tinue the use of fuels containingMTBE.

4RUNNER (1998)
GASOLINES CONTAINING MMT
Some gasolines contain an
octane- enhancing additive called
MMT (methylcyclopentadienyl
manganese tricarbonyl).
Toyota does not recommend the use
of gasolines that contain MMT. If fuels
containing MMT are used, your emis-
sion control system may be adversely
affected. The Malfunction Indicator
Lamp on the instrument cluster may
come on. If this happens, contact your
Toyota dealer for service.
GASOLINES CONTAINING ALCOHOL
If you use gasohol in your Toyota,
be sure that it is unleaded, has an
octane rating no lower than 87 and
does not contain more than 10%
ethanol.
Gasohol is a mixture of gasoline and
ethanol.
Toyota does not recommend the use
of gasolines containing methanol. If
you use gasoline containing methanol,
use only gasoline meeting the require-
ments above and also containing less
than 5% methanol with cosolvents and
corrosion inhibitors for methanol.NOTICE
Do not use gasohol other than
stated above. It will cause fuelsystem damage or vehicle per-formance problems.
If driveab ility problems occur
(poor hot starting, vaporizing, engine knock, etc.), discontinue
the use.
Take care not to spill gasoholduring refueling. Gasohol maycause paint damage.
FUEL TANK CAPACITY
70 L (18.5 gal., 15.4 Imp. gal.) Operation in foreign coun-
tries
If you plan to drive your Toyota in
another country...
First,
comply with the vehicle registra-
tion laws.Second, confirm the availability of the
correct fuel (unleaded and minimum
octane number).