traction control TOYOTA 4RUNNER 2001 User Guide

’01 4Runner_U (L/O 0008)
11 82001 4RUNNER (OM35768U)
Leave the system on during ordinary driv-
ing so that it can operate when needed.
When traction control is applied, the slip
indicator light blinks.
You may hear a sound in the engine
compartment for a few seconds when the
engine is started or just after the vehicle
is started. This means that the traction
control system is in the selfcheck mode,
and does not indicate malfunction. When
the traction control system is operating,
you may feel vibration or noise of your
vehicle, caused by operation of the
brakes. This indicates the system is func-
tioning properly.
When getting the vehicle out of mud or
new snow, etc. the traction control system
will help operate to prevent the wheels
from spinning.
You can turn off the traction control
system by pushing the “TRAC OFF”
switch. The “TRAC OFF” indicator light
will come on. Pushing the “TRAC OFF”
switch a second time turns on the trac-
tion control system again and the
“TRAC OFF” indicator light will go off.
The traction control system will automati-
cally go on, and the “TRAC OFF” indicator
light will go off when you drive over 30
km/h (19 mph) even if the “TRAC OFF”
switch is pushed to cancel the traction
control system.If your wheels get stuck in a ditch or
when you are driving on a slippery or
bumpy surface, turn off the traction control
system because its function that controls
engine performance interferes with the
process of freeing your wheels.
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’01 4Runner_U (L/O 0008)
11 92001 4RUNNER (OM35768U)
Traction control system failure warning
These lights warn that when there is a
problem somewhere in the traction control
system.
If the “TRAC OFF” indicator light and
“VSC/TRAC” warning light come on, have
your vehicle checked by Toyota dealer as
soon as possible.
The lights will come on when the ignition
key is turned to “ON”, and will go off after
about a few seconds.
The lights may come on for 60 seconds
after the ignition key is turned to the “ON”
position. It is normal if they go out after
a while.Depressing the brake pedal repeatedly
may turn on the “TRAC OFF” indicator
light and “VSC/TRAC” warning light. It is
normal if it goes out after a few seconds.
The brake actuator temperature increases
during continuous operation of the traction
control system or vehicle skid control sys-
tem such as on slippery roads. If the
brake actuator temperature becomes too
high while the traction control system or
vehicle skid control system is operating,
a buzzer will start to sound intermittently
to indicate that the traction control system
can no longer operate. In this case, imme-
diately stop your vehicle at a safe place.
If the system continues to operate, the
buzzer sound changes from intermittent to
continuous. (The continuous buzzer
sounds for about 3 seconds.) At the time
the “VSC/TRAC” warning light will come
on and the traction control system tempo-
rarily stops operating in order to protect
the brake actuator. (Although the traction
control system does not operate, there is
no problem to continue your driving.) The
system will be automatically restored after
a short time and the “VSC/TRAC” warning
light goes out.When the “VSC/TRAC” warning light and
“TRAC OFF” indicator light come on the
traction control system does not operate,
but there is no problem to continue your
driving.
In the following cases, contact your Toyota
dealer:
The “VSC/TRAC” warning light and
“TRAC OFF” indicator light do not
come on after the ignition is turned to
on.
The “VSC/TRAC” warning light “TRAC
OFF” indicator light are left on after the
ignition is turned to on.
CAUTION
Under certain slippery road condi-
tions, full traction of the vehicle and
power to the rear wheels can not be
maintained, even though the traction
control system is in operation. Do not
drive the vehicle under any speed or
maneuvering conditions which will
cause the vehicle to lose traction. In
situations where the road surface is
covered with ice or snow, your ve-
hicle should be fitted with snow tires
or tire chains. Always drive at ap-
propriate and cautious pace.
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’01 4Runner_U (L/O 0008)
1202001 4RUNNER (OM35768U)
The active traction control system auto-
matically helps control the spinning of
4 wheels (fourwheel drive mode) or
rear wheels (twowheel drive mode)
which may occur when accelerating on
slippery road surfaces, by controlling
the output of the brake and engine.
Thus, the system assists driver to con-
trol the driving power of 4 wheels
(fourwheel drive mode) or rear wheels
(twowheel drive mode).
When you turn the ignition switch on, the
active traction control system always turns
on automatically, and the slip indicator
light will come on. The indicator lights will
go off after about a few seconds.If the slip indicator light is left on after
the ignition is turn on, have your vehicle
checked by your Toyota dealer as soon as
possible.
When the active traction control is ap-
plied, the slip indicator light blinks.
You may hear a sound in the engine
compartment for a few seconds when the
engine is started or just after the vehicle
is started. This means that the active
traction control system is in the self
check mode, and does not indicate mal-
function. When the traction control system
is operating, you may feel vibration or
noise of your vehicle, caused by operation
of the brakes. This indicates the system
is functioning properly.
When getting the vehicle out of mud or
new snow, etc. the active traction control
system will help operate to prevent the
wheels from spinning.Active traction control system failure
warning
These lights warn that when there is a
problem somewhere in the active traction
control system.
If the “VSC OFF” indicator light and “VSC/
TRAC” warning light come on, have your
vehicle checked by Toyota dealer as soon
as possible.
The lights will come on when the ignition
key is turned to “ON”, and will go off after
about a few seconds.
The lights may come on for 60 seconds
after the ignition key is turned to the “ON”
position. It is normal if they go out after
a while.
Active traction control
system
(fourwheel drive models)
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’01 4Runner_U (L/O 0008)
1212001 4RUNNER (OM35768U)
Depressing the brake pedal repeatedly
may turn on the “VSC OFF” indicator light
and “VSC/TRAC” warning light. It is nor-
mal if it goes out after a few seconds.
The brake actuator temperature increases
during continuous operation of the active
traction control system or vehicle skid
control system such as on slippery roads.
If the brake actuator temperature becomes
too high while the active traction control
system or vehicle skid control system is
operating, a buzzer will start to sound
intermittently to indicate that the active
traction control system can no longer op-
erate. In this case, immediately stop your
vehicle at a safe place. If the system
continues to operate, the buzzer sound
changes from intermittent to continuous.
(The continuous buzzer sounds for about
3 seconds.) At the time, the “VSC/TRAC”
warning light will come on and the active
traction control system temporarily stops
operating in order to protect the brake
actuator. (Although the active traction con-
trol system does not operate, there is no
problem to continue your driving.) The
system will be automatically restored after
a short time and the “VSC/TRAC” warning
light goes out.When the “VSC/TRAC” warning light and
“VSC OFF” indicator light come on the
active traction control system does not
operate, but there is no problem to contin-
ue your driving.
In the following cases, contact your Toyota
dealer:
The “VSC/TRAC” warning light and
“VSC OFF” indicator light do not come
on after the ignition is turned to on.
The “VSC/TRAC” warning light and
“VSC OFF” indicator light are left on
after the ignition is turned to on.
CAUTION
Under certain slippery road condi-
tions, full traction of the vehicle and
power to the 4 wheels (fourwheel
drive mode) or rear wheels (two
wheel drive mode) can not be main-
tained, even though the traction con-
trol system is in operation. Do not
drive the vehicle under any speed or
maneuvering conditions which will
cause the vehicle to lose traction. In
situations where the road surface is
covered with ice or snow, your ve-
hicle should be fitted with snow tires
or tire chains. Always drive at ap-
propriate and cautious pace.
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’01 4Runner_U (L/O 0008)
1232001 4RUNNER (OM35768U)
If your wheels get stuck in a ditch or
when you are driving on severe off road
and sand, turn off the vehicle skid control
system because its function that controls
engine performance interferes with the
process of freeing your wheels.
NOTICE
Make sure that the center differential
lock indicator light goes off before
normal driving.
Twowheel drive models
Fourwheel drive models
Vehicle skid control system failure
warning
These lights warn that when there is a
problem somewhere in the vehicle skid
control system, traction control system
(twowheel drive models), active traction
control system (fourwheel drive models).
If the “VSC/TRAC” warning light and
“TRAC OFF” (twowheel drive models) or
“VSC OFF” (fourwheel drive models) indi-
cator light come on, have your vehicle
checked by Toyota dealer as soon as pos-
sible. However, it is no problem that the
“VSC/TRAC” warning light comes on when
the brake actuator temperature becomes
high. (For details, see “Traction control
system” and “Active traction control sys-
tem” in this section.)
The “VSC/TRAC” warning light and “TRAC
OFF” (twowheel drive models) or “VSC
OFF” (fourwheel drive models) indicator
light will come on when the ignition key
is turned to “ON”, and will go off after
about a few seconds.
The lights may come on for 60 seconds
after the ignition key is turned to the “ON”
position. It is normal if they go out after
a while.
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’01 4Runner_U (L/O 0008)
1242001 4RUNNER (OM35768U)
Depressing the brake pedal repeatedly
may turn on “VSC/TRAC” warning light
and “TRAC OFF” (twowheel drive mod-
els) or “VSC OFF” (fourwheel drive mod-
els) indicator light. It is normal if they go
out after a few seconds.
When the “VSC/TRAC” warning light and
“TRAC OFF” (twowheel drive models) or
“VSC OFF” (fourwheel drive models) indi-
cator light come on, the vehicle skid con-
trol system does not operate, but there is
no problem to continue your driving.
In the following cases, contact your Toyota
dealer:
The “VSC/TRAC” warning light and
“TRAC OFF” (twowheel drive models)
or “VSC OFF” (fourwheel drive mod-
els) indicator light do not come on af-
ter the ignition is turned to on.
The “VSC/TRAC” warning light and
“TRAC OFF” (twowheel drive models)
or “VSC OFF” (fourwheel drive mod-
els) indicator light are left on after the
ignition is turned to on.
CAUTION
Active traction control system, ve-
hicle skid control system and anti
lock brake system are electronic
systems designed to help the driver
maintain control under adverse con-
ditions. They are not a substitute
for safe driving practices. Factors
including speed, road conditions
and driver steering input can all af-
fect whether active traction control
system, vehicle skid control system
and antilock brake system will be
effective in preventing a loss of
control. Always keep safety driving
in mind. If the slip indicator light
flashes, sounding an alarm, special
care should be taken while driving.
Only use tires of specified size. The
size, manufacture, brand and tread
pattern for all 4 tires should be the
same. If you use the tires other
than specified, or different type or
size, the vehicle skid control sys-
tem may not function correctly.
When replacing the tires or wheels,
contact your Toyota dealer. (See
“Checking and replacing tires” in
Section 72.)
Parking brake
When parking, firmly apply the parking
brake to avoid inadvertent creeping.
To set: Pull up the lever. For better hold-
ing power, first depress the brake pedal
and hold it while setting the parking
brake.
To release: Pull up the lever slightly (1),
press the lock release button (2), and low-
er (3).
To remind you that the parking brake is
set, the parking brake reminder light in
the instrument panel remains on until you
release the parking brake.
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’01 4Runner_U (L/O 0008)
1992001 4RUNNER (OM35768U)
Ty p e A
Ty p e B
“ABS” warning light
The light comes on when the ignition key
is turned to the “ON” position. If the anti
lock brake system and the brake assist
system work properly, the light turns off
after a few seconds. Thereafter, if either
of the systems malfunctions, the light
comes on again.
When the “ABS” warning light is on (and
the brake system warning light is off), the
antilock brake system, the brake assist
system, the traction control system (two
wheel drive vehicles), the active traction
control system (fourwheel drive vehicles)
and the vehicle skid control system do not
operate, but the brake system still oper-
ates conventionally.
When the “ABS” warning light is on (and
the brake system warning light is off), the
antilock brake system does not operate
so that the wheels could lock up during
a sudden braking or braking on slippery
road surfaces.
“TRC” or “VSC/TRAC” warning light may
come on with the “ABS” warning light
(brake assist system warning light) when
there is a malfunction somewhere in the
antilock brake system (brake assist sys-
tem).If either of the following conditions oc-
curs, this indicates a malfunction some-
where in the parts monitored by the
warning light system. Contact your To-
yota dealer as soon as possible to ser-
vice the vehicle.
The light does not come on when the
ignition key is turned to the “ON” posi-
tion, or remains on.
The light comes on while you are dri-
ving.
A warning light turning on briefly during
operation does not indicate a problem.
CAUTION
If the “ABS” warning light remains on
together with the brake system warn-
ing light, immediately stop your ve-
hicle at a safe place and contact your
Toyota dealer.
In this case, not only the antilock
brake system will fail but also the
vehicle will become extremely unsta-
ble during braking.
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’01 4Runner_U (L/O 0008)
2032001 4RUNNER (OM35768U)
Suspension and chassis
CAUTION
Do not modify the suspension/chassis
with lift kits, spacers, springs, etc. It
can cause dangerous handling charac-
teristics resulting in loss of control.
Types of tires
Determine what kind of tires your ve-
hicle is originally equipped with.
1. Summer tires
Summer tires are highspeed capability
tires best suited to highway driving under
dry conditions.
Since summer tires do not have the same
traction performance as snow tires, sum-
mer tires are inadequate for driving on
snowcovered or icy roads. For driving on
snowcovered 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
adequate traction performance compared
with snow tires in heavy or loose snow.
Also, all season tires fall short in accel-
eration 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 charac-
teristics, resulting in loss of con-
trol.
Do not use tire other than the
manufacturer ’s designated tires, and
never mix tires or wheels of the
sizes different from the originals.
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’01 4Runner_U (L/O 0008)
92001 4RUNNER (OM35768U)
When rotating tires, check for uneven
wear and damage. Abnormal wear is usu-
ally caused by incorrect tire pressure, im-
proper wheel alignment, outofbalance
wheels, or severe braking.WHEN TO USE SNOW TIRES OR
CHAINS
Snow tires or chains are recommended
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 could 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 when
replacing.CAUTION
Do not drive with the snow tires
incorrectly 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 road, so always check them
before installing chains.
CHAIN INSTALLATION
Install the chains on the rear tires as
tightly as possible. Do not use tire
chains 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 remove
the covers before putting on the chains.
Installing snow tires and
chains
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’01 4Runner_U (L/O 0008)
2762001 4RUNNER (OM35768U)
27. ACC 15 A: Car audio system, power
antenna, clock, power rear view mirror
control, cigarette lighter, seat belt pre-
tensioners, electronically controlled au-
tomatic transmission system, power
outlets, theft deterrent system
28. GAUGE 10 A: Gauges and meters,
back window defogger, daytime running
light system, air conditioning system,
cruise control system, center differen-
tial lock system, electronically con-
trolled automatic transmission, backup
lights
29. IGN 10 A: SRS airbag system, seat
belt pretensioners, multiport fuel injec-
tion system/sequential multiport fuel in-
jection system, discharge warning light,
vehicle skid control system
30. ECUB 7.5 A: Gauges and meters, air
conditioning system
31. HORN,HAZ 15 A: Horns, emergency
flashers
32. STA 7.5 A: Starting system
33. STOP 10 A: Stop lights, highmounted
stoplightFuses (type B)
34. HEATER 50 A: Air conditioning system,
all components in “A.C” fuse
35. AM1 40 A: Starting system, all compo-
nents in “ACC”, “GAUGE”, “TURN”,
“ECUIG”, “WIPER” and “4WD” fuses
36. J/B 50 A: All components in “POWER”,
“HORN,HAZ”, “STOP” and “ECUB”
fuses
37. AM2 30 A: Starting system, multiport
fuel injection system/sequential multi-
port fuel injection system, all compo-
nents in “STA” and “IGN” fuses
38. ABS2 40 A: Antilock brake system,
active traction control system, vehicle
skid control system
39. POWER 30 A: Power window, power
back window, electric moon roof, power
seat, back door lock
Fuses (type C)
40. ABS 60 A: Antilock brake system
41. ALT 120 A: Charging system, all com-
ponents in “AM1”, “HEATER”, “TAIL”,
“RR HTR”, “ALTS”, “DEFOG”, “MIR
HTR” and “ACC” fuses
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