trailer TOYOTA 4RUNNER 2004 N210 / 4.G User Guide

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HITCHES
If you wish to install a trailer hitch, you
should consult with your Toyota dealer.
Use only a hitch recommended by the
hitch manufacturer and the one which
conforms to the total trailer weight re-
quirement.
According to the hitch receiver type,
the maximum gross trailer weight and
hitch that can be used differs. Refer to
the above illustrations to confirm the
hitch receiver type for your vehicle.
If you wish to install an aftermarket
hitch, the hitch must be bolted securely
to the vehicle frame and installed ac-
cording to the hitch manufactures’ in-
structions.
The hitch ball and king pin should have
a light coat of grease.
Toyota recommends the ball mount as-
sembly be removed when not towing to
prevent injury and to prevent damage
in the event of a rear end collision.
After removing the ball mount assem-
bly, install the grommet to the hitch to
prevent entry of dirt and mud.
NOTICE
Do not install weight distributing
hitch to weight carrying hitch re-
ceiver because it will be damaged
your vehicle.
 Do not use axlemounted hitches as
they can cause damage to the axle
housing, wheel bearings, wheels or
tires. Also, never install a hitch
which may interfere with the normal
function of an Energy Absorbing
Bumper, if so equipped.
1 Trailer ball load rating
2 Ball diameter
3 Shank length
4 Shank diameter

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TRAILER BALL
Follow these easy steps to properly deter-
mine the correct trailer ball for your ap-
plication:
1. Determine the correct trailer ball size for the trailer coupler. Most couplers
are stamped with the required trailer
ball size. The sizes you will most likely
find stamped on the coupler are:
Trailer class
Typical trailer ball size
III and IV2 5/16 in.
II2in.
I1 7/8 in.
2. Select the appropriate trailer ball to match or exceed the gross trailer
weight rating of the trailer. The trailer
ball load rating should be printed on
the top of the ball.
3. When mounted in the ball mount, the threaded ball shank must protrude be-
yond the bottom of the lock washer
and nut at least 2 threads. The trailer
ball shank must be matched to the ball
mount hole diameter size.
NOTICE
Only use a ball mount attachment
specified for the Toyota 4runner.1 Coupler
2 Trailer ball
3 Ball mount attachment
MATCHING TRAILER BALL HEIGHT TO
TRAILER COUPLER HEIGHT
No matter which class of tow hitch ap-
plies, for a safe trailer hookup, the trailer
ball setup on must be the proper height
for the coupler on the trailer.
BRAKES AND SAFETY CHAINS
Toyota recommends trailers with
brakes that conform to any applica-
ble federal and state/provincial regu-
lations.
A safety chain must always be used
between the towing vehicle and the
trailer. Leave sufficient slack in the
chain for turns. The chain should
cross under the trailer tongue to
prevent the tongue from dropping to
the ground in case it becomes dam-
aged or separated. For correct safety
chain procedures, follow the hitch or
trailer manufacturer ’s recommenda-
tions.

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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.
SERVICE CONNECTOR FOR TOWING
BRAKE CONTROLLER
Your vehicle is equipped with a service
connector for the towing brake controller
as shown. Link the connector to the tow-
ing brake controller via the sub wire har-
ness stored in the glove box. The detailed
explanation of the sub wire harness circuit
is packed together with the sub wire har-
ness.
Be sure to position the towing brake con-
troller where it does not prevent the driver
from operating the pedal.
Toyota recommends that the sub wire har-
ness be stored in the glove box when it
is not in use. TIRES
Ensure that your vehicle’s tires are
properly inflated. See page 368 in Sec-
tion 7
−2 and page 394 in Section 8 for
instructions.
The trailer tires should be inflated to
the pressure recommended by the trail-
er manufacturer in respect to the total
trailer weight.

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TOWING CONNECTOR FOR TRAILER
LIGHTS
Your vehicle is equipped with a wire
harness stored in the rear end under
body. Some models are fitted with a
socket for trailer lights under the rear
bumper. Use either of them to connect
and operate the trailer lights. However,
the trailer lights must comply with fed-
eral, state/provincial and local regula-
tions. See your local recreational ve-
hicle dealer or rental agency for the
correct type of wiring and relays for
your trailer. Check for correct operation
of the turn signals and stop lights each
time you hitch up. Direct splicing may
damage your vehicle’s electrical system
and cause a malfunction of your lights.
The towing connector can be also con-
nected to the trailer brake and trailer
sub battery.
BREAKIN SCHEDULE
Toyota recommends that you do not
tow a trailer with a new vehicle or a
vehicle with any new power train com-
ponent (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
require more frequent maintenance due
to the additional load. For this informa-
tion, please refer to the scheduled
maintenance information in the “Sched-
uled Maintenance Guide” or “Owner ’s
Manual Supplement”.
Retighten all fixing bolts of the towing
ball and bracket after approximately
1000 km (600 miles) of trailer driving.
CONNECTING A TRAILER (models with
rear height control air suspension)
Stop your vehicle and a trailer in line and
perform the following: 1. Put the rear height control air suspen- sion in the “LO” (low) mode. Turn the
ignition switch off or push the “HEIGHT
CONTROL OFF” switch to turn off the
rear height control air suspension.
2. Connect a trailer.
3. Turn the ignition switch on or push the “HEIGHT CONTROL OFF” switch to
turn on the rear height control air sus-
pension. Select the “N” (normal) mode
with the height select switch.

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DISCONNECTING A TRAILER (models
with rear height control air suspension)
Stop your vehicle and a trailer in line and
perform the following:
1. Put the rear height control air suspen- sion in the “LO” (low) mode. (Make
sure the vehicle height is in the “LO”
(low) mode by pushing the height se-
lect switch on the “ ” side.)
2. Turn the ignition switch off or push the “HEIGHT CONTROL OFF” switch to
turn off the rear height control air sus-
pension.
3. Set the supporting leg of a trailer on the ground and raise the hitch by 100
mm (4 in.).
4. Turn the ignition switch on or push the “HEIGHT CONTROL OFF” switch to
turn on the rear height control air sus-
pension.
5. Wait for about 20 seconds until the rear vehicle height is lowered by the
automatic leveling function.
6. Make sure the hitch is disconnected. If not, raise the hitch higher and repeat
steps 2 through 5. 7. Move the vehicle forward in the “LO”
(low) mode where the hitch does not
touch anything in the “N” (normal)
mode.
8. Put the rear height control air suspen- sion in the “N” (normal) mode.
PRETOWING 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 suspension
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 regulations. 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, exces-
sive speed and improper trailer loading.
Keep these in mind when towing:
Before starting out, check operation of
the lights and all vehicle
−trailer connec-
tions. After driving a short distance,
stop and recheck the lights and con-
nections. Before actually towing a trail-
er, practice turning, stopping and back-
ing with a trailer in an area away from
traffic until you learn the feel.
Backing with a trailer is difficult and
requires practice. Grip the bottom of
the steering 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 pro-
cedure is 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
backing to reduce the risk of an acci-
dent.

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Because stopping distance may be in-
creased, vehicle −to −vehicle distance
should be increased when towing a
trailer. For each 16 km/h (10 mph) of
speed, allow at least one vehicle and
trailer length between you and the ve-
hicle ahead. Avoid sudden braking as
you may skid, resulting in jackknifing
and loss of control. This is especially
true on wet or slippery surfaces.
Avoid jerky starts or sudden accelera-
tion.
Avoid jerky steering and sharp turns.
The trailer could hit your vehicle in a
tight turn. Slow down before making a
turn to avoid the necessity of sudden
braking.
Remember that when making a turn,
the trailer wheels will be closer than
the vehicle wheels to the inside of the
turn. Therefore, compensate for this by
making a larger than normal turning
radius with your vehicle.
Crosswinds and rough roads will ad-
versely affect handling of your vehicle
and trailer, causing sway. Pay attention
to the rear from time to time to pre-
pare yourself for being passed by large
trucks or buses, which may cause your
vehicle and trailer to sway. If swaying
happens, firmly grip the steering wheel
and reduce speed immediately but
gradually. Never increase speed. Steer
straight ahead. If you make no extreme
correction with the steering or brakes,
the vehicle and trailer will stabilize.
Be careful when passing other ve-
hicles. Passing requires considerable
distance. After passing a vehicle, do
not forget the length of your trailer and
be sure you have plenty of room befo-
re changing lanes.
In order to maintain engine braking effi-
ciency, do not put the transmission in
“D”.
Because of the added load of the trail-
er, your vehicle’s engine may overheat
on hot days (at temperatures over
30 C [85 F]) when going up a long or
steep grade with a trailer. If the engine
coolant temperature gauge indicates
overheating, immediately turn off the air
conditioning (if in use), pull off the road
and stop in a safe spot. Refer to “If
your vehicle overheats” on page 320 in
Section 4.
Always place wheel blocks under both
the vehicle and trailer wheels when
parking. Apply the parking brake firmly.
Put the transmission in “P”. Avoid park-
ing on a slope with a trailer, but if it
cannot be avoided, do so only after
performing the following:
1. Apply the brakes and hold.
2. Have someone place wheel blocks un- der both the vehicle and trailer wheels.
3. When the wheel blocks are in place, release your brakes slowly until the
blocks absorb the load.
4. Apply the parking brake firmly.
5. Shift into “P” and turn off the engine.

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When restarting out after parking on a
slope:
1. With the transmission in “P” position, start the engine. Be sure to keep the
brake pedal depressed.
2. Shift into gear.
3. Release the parking brake and brake pedal and slowly pull or back away
from the wheel blo cks. Stop and apply
your brakes.
4. Have someone retrieve the blo cks.
CAUTION
Do not exceed 72 km/h (45 mph) or
the posted towing speed limit,
whichever is lower. Because insta-
bility (swaying) of a towing vehicle
trailer combination usually in-
creases as the speed increases, ex-
ceeding 72 km/h (45 mph) may
cause loss of control.
Slow down and downshift before
descending steep or long downhill
grades. Do not make sudden down-
shifts.
Avoid holding the brake pedal down
too long or too frequently. This
could cause the brakes to overheat
and result in reduced braking effi-
ciency.
Improving fuel economy is easy—just 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 page
368 in Section 7 −2 for instructions.
Do not carry unneeded weight in
your vehicle. Excess weight puts a
heavier load on the engine, causing
greater fuel consumption.
Avoid lengthy warmup idling. Once
the engine is running smoothly, begin
driving—but gently. Remember, howev-
er, that on cold winter days this may
take a little longer.
Put the selector lever into the “D”
when engine braking is not required.
5 −speed automatic transmission—Driv-
ing with the selector lever in “4” will
reduce the fuel economy. (For details,
see “Automatic transmission (5− speed)”
on page 149 in Section 1 −7.)
4 −speed automatic transmission—Driv-
ing with the selector lever in “3” will
reduce the fuel economy. (For details,
see “Automatic transmission (4− speed)”
on page 154 in Section 1 −7.)
How to save fuel and make
your vehicle last longer

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Towing capacity (trailer weight + cargo
weight), kg (lb.):
For weight carrying hitch 2268 (5000)
Also for weight distributing hitch
2UZ− FE engine
Tw o −wheel drive models
3311 (7300)
Four −wheel drive models
3175 (7000)
Dimensions and weights
Overall width mm (in.)
2790 (109.8)
Overall height
∗
1mm (in.)
1575 (62.0)
Wheelbase mm (in.)
Front tread mm (in.) 1575 (62.0)
Rear tread mm (in.)
431 (950)
∗7
476 (1050)∗8
∗1: Unladen vehicle∗2: With two −wheel drive models∗
3: With four −wheel drive models∗
4: With roof rails∗5: With rear spoiler∗6: With rear height control air suspension∗7: With 5 occupants∗8: With 7 occupantsOverall length mm (in.)
Vehicle capacity weight (occupants + luggage)
kg (lb.)4800 (189.0)
1875 (73.8)
1820 (71.7)
∗
2or3,4
1765 (69.5)∗2, 5
1760 (69.3)∗3, 5
1755 (69.1)∗2
1750 (68.9)∗3
1810 (71.3)∗2 or 3,4,6
1750 (68.9)∗2 or 3,5,6
1740 (68.5)∗2or3,6
91 (200)∗7
0(0)∗8Luggage compartment load capacity kg (lb.)

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Engine compartment
Fuses (type A)
1. SPARE 10 A: Spare fuse
2. SPARE 15 A: Spare fuse
3. STOP 10 A: Stop/tail lights, high
mounted stoplight, shift lock control
system, anti −lock brake system, trac-
tion control system (two −wheel drive
models), active traction control system
(four −wheel drive models), vehicle sta-
bility control system, rear height control
air suspension, multiport fuel injection
system/s equential multiport fuel injec-
tion system, trailer brake controller,
trailer lights (tail lights)
Instrument panel
4. AC115V INV 15 A: AC inverter
5. FR FOG 15 A: Front fog lights
6. OBD 7.5 A: On−board diagnosis sys-
tem
7. HEAD (LO RH) 10 A: Right −hand
headlight (low beam)
8. HEAD (LO LH) 10 A: Left−hand head-
light (low beam)
9. HEAD (HI RH) 10 A: Right −hand head-
light (high beam)
10. HEAD (HI LH) 10 A: Left −hand head-
light (high beam) 11. EFI NO.2 10 A:
Multiport fuel injection
system/s equential multiport fuel injec-
tion system
12. HEATER NO.2 7.5 A: Air conditioning
system
13. AIRSUS NO.2 10 A: Rear height con-
trol air suspension
14. SEAT HEATER 25 A: Seat heaters
15. DEFOG 30 A: Back window defogger,
multiport fuel injection system/sequen-
tial multiport fuel injection system
16. MIR HEATER 10 A: Outside rear view
mirror heater
17. DOME 10 A: Interior light, personal
lights, wireless remote control system,
door courtesy lights, rear seat audio
system, gauge and meter, vanity lights,
instrument panel lights, running board
lights, multiplex communication system
18. RADIO NO.1 20 A: Audio system, nav-
igation system
19. ECUB 10 A: Anti−lock brake system,
navigation system, traction control sys-
tem (two −wheel drive models), active
traction control system (four −wheel
drive models), vehicle stability control
system, air c onditioning system, multi-
plex communication system, theft deter-
rent system
Fuses

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Fuses (type B)
46. AIRSUS 50 A: Rear height control air
suspension
47. AM1 50 A: All components in “ACC”,
“CIG”, “IG1”, “ECU −IG”, “FR WIP −
WSH”, “RR WIP”, “RR −WSH”, “4WD”,
and “STA” fuses
48. TOWING BRK 30 A: Trailer brake con-
troller
49. J/B 50 A: All components in “PWR
OUTLET”, “D P/SEAT”, “P P/SEAT”,
“POWER”, “TAIL” and “SECU/HORN”
fuses
50. BATT CHG 30 A: Trailer sub battery
51. TOWING 40 A: Trailer lights (tail
lights)
52. ABS MTR 40 A: Anti−lock brake sys-
tem, traction control system (two −wheel
drive models), active traction control
system (four −wheel drive models), ve-
hicle stability control system
53. AM2 30 A: Starter system, “IGN”,
“GAUGE”, “STA NO.2” and “SRS” fuses
54. ABS SOL 50 A: Anti−lock brake sys-
tem, traction control system (two −wheel
drive models), active traction control
system (four −wheel drive models), ve-
hicle stability control system 55. POWER 30 A:
Power windows, electric
moon roof
Fuses (type C)
56. ALT 140 A: All components in “AM2”,
“ALT −S”, “DR/LCK”, “TRN− HAZ”,
“HORN”, “RADIO NO.2”, “EFI”,
“TOWING”, “ABS MTR”, “ABS SOL”,
“HEATER” and “ETCS” fuses
57. HEATER 60 A: Air conditioning system