TOYOTA 4RUNNER 2004 N210 / 4.G Repair Manual

’04 4Runner_U (L/O 0308)
53
2004 4RUNNER from Aug. ’03 Prod. (OM35811U)
2. Unlock the seat leg by pulling the
handle behind the seat, and swing
the whole seat up and sideward.3. Stow the seat leg in the back of theseat cushion. Take the holding strap
out of its holder, and attach the
strap to the assist grip. Tighten the
strap by pulling the end and fix it
with Velcro.
CAUTION
When folding up the third seats, fix
the seats securely by adjusting the
length of the holding strap. Failure to
do so may cause an unexpected inju-
ry in the event of emergency braking
or collision.
4. Remove the seat anchor covers fromthe back of the seat cushion, and
install them over the seat anchors.
CAUTION
Be sure to apply the covers on the
seat anchors, or you may get burned
when they become hot.

’04 4Runner_U (L/O 0308)
54
2004 4RUNNER from Aug. ’03 Prod. (OM35811U)
When returning the third seat to its origi-
nal position, stow the holding strap in the
holder in the direction shown above. Then
do the above procedures in the reverse
order.
CAUTION
When folding up seats or returning
seats to their original positions, ob-
serve the following to prevent person-
al injury:
Do not fold up or return the seat
while the vehicle is moving.
Be careful not to hit the seat
against a person or drop it on your-
self.
To prevent personal injury in a colli-
sion or sudden stop:
Do not sit on or place anything on
the folded seatback while driving.
Make sure the seat is securely
locked by pushing forward and rear-
ward on the top of the seatback or
by trying to pull up the edge of the
bottom cushion. Failure to do so
will prevent the seat belt from oper-
ating properly.
Make sure the seat belts are not
twisted or caught under the seat
and are arranged in their proper
position and are ready to use.
BEFORE REMOVING THIRD SEATS 1. Stow the third seat belt buckles as shown in the illustration.
This prevents the buckles from falling out
when you remove the third seats.
NOTICE
The seat belt buckles must be stowed
before you remove the third seats.
—Removing third seats

’04 4Runner_U (L/O 0308)
55
2004 4RUNNER from Aug. ’03 Prod. (OM35811U)
2. Make sure the shoulder belt passes
through the hanger.
This prevents the shoulder belt from being
damaged.
CAUTION
The seat belt must be removed from
the hanger when the seat belt is in
use.
REMOVING THIRD SEATS 1. Lower the head restraint to the low- est position. Fold down the seatback
while pushing the seatback angle ad-
justing lever.2. Unlock the seat leg by pulling thehandle behind the seat, and lift the
whole seat up. Retract the seat leg
into the back of the seat cushion.
Then, place the seat on the floor.

’04 4Runner_U (L/O 0308)
56
2004 4RUNNER from Aug. ’03 Prod. (OM35811U)
3. Remove the cover and push the seat
lock release lever outward to unlock
the seat lock, then pull up the whole
seat and remove it. After removing
the seat, reinstall the cover.
Removing the third seats will enlarge the
luggage compartment. See “—Stowage
precautions” on page 293 in Section 2 for
precautions when loading luggage.
NOTICE
Avoid putting heavy loads on the re-
moved seat. The metallic tips of the
seat leg may be damaged and the
seat cannot be reinstalled.
4. Remove the seat anchor covers from the back of the seat cushion, and
install them over the seat anchors.
CAUTION
Be sure to apply the covers on the
seat anchors, or you may get burned
when they become hot.

’04 4Runner_U (L/O 0308)
57
2004 4RUNNER from Aug. ’03 Prod. (OM35811U)
REINSTALLING THIRD SEATS
1. Remove the seat anchor covers from the floor and install them in the
back of the seat cushion. Hold the
seat and engage the seat striker to
the seat lock, then place the seat on
the floor. Press down the seatback
to securely lock the seat to the
body.
2. Pull out the seat leg from the backof the seat cushion and lock it on
the anchor. Reinstall the cover.3. Raise the seatback while pushingdown the seatback angle adjusting
lever.
CAUTION
When removing or reinstalling the
seat, observe the following to prevent
personal injury:
Do not fold or remove the seat
while the vehicle is moving.
Be careful not to get your hands or
feet pinched in the seat.
Be careful not to hit the removed
seat against a person or drop it on
yourself.

’04 4Runner_U (L/O 0308)
58
2004 4RUNNER from Aug. ’03 Prod. (OM35811U)
When reinstalling the seat, be care-
ful not to hit the seat against your-
self or the vehicle.
To prevent personal injury in a colli-
sion or sudden stop:
Do not sit on or place anything on
the folded seatback while driving.
Do not leave the removed seat un-
secured in the vehicle.
Do not try to sit on or place any-
thing on the removed seat.
Reinstall each seat in its original
position. Failure to do so will pre-
vent third seat occupants from us-
ing seat belts properly.
Make sure the seat is securely
locked by pushing forward and rear-
ward on the top of the seatback or
by trying to pull up the edge of the
bottom cushion. Failure to do so
will prevent the seat belt from oper-
ating properly.
Make sure the seat belts are not
twisted or caught under the seat
and are arranged in their proper
position and are ready to use.
Front seats
Rear seats—vehicles without third seats
Second seats—vehicles with third seats
Third seats
Head restraints

’04 4Runner_U (L/O 0308)
59
2004 4RUNNER from Aug. ’03 Prod. (OM35811U)
For your safety and comfort, adjust the
head restraint before driving.
To raise: Pull it up.
To lower: Push it down while pressing the
lock release button.
Front head restraints—You can also move
the head restraint forward or backward. If
such adjustment is desired, pull or push
the base of the head restraint.
Rear head restraints (vehicles without
third seats) and a second center head
restraint (vehicles with third seats)—When
an occupant sits on the rear seat (ve-
hicles without third seats) or second cen-
ter seat (vehicles with third seats), always
pull up the rear head restraint to the lock
position.
The head restraint is most effective when
it is close to your head. Therefore, using
a cushion on the seatback is not recom-
mended.CAUTION
Adjust the center of the head re-
straint so that it is closest to the
top of your ears.
After adjusting the head restraint,
make sure it is locked in position.
Do not drive with the head re-
straints removed.
To use the armrest, pull it out as
shown above.
This armrest is equipped with a cup hold-
er and tray. (For details, see “Rear cup
holders and tray” on page 260 or “Rear
cup holders” on page 261 in Section
1−10.)
NOTICE
To prevent damage to the armrest,
avoid putting heavy loads on it.
Armrest

’04 4Runner_U (L/O 0308)
60
2004 4RUNNER from Aug. ’03 Prod. (OM35811U)
To turn on the seat heater, move the
dial forward (“L” dial for the left front
seat and “R” dial for the right front
seat). At this time, the indicator light
will illuminate to indicate the seat heat-
er is operating.
To turn off the seat heater, move the
dial backward until it stops.
Move the dial forward or backward to ad-
just to the desired temperature. When the
seat heater is not in use, move the dial
fully backward.
The key must be in the “ON” position.
CAUTION
Occupants must use caution when op-
erating the seat heater because it
may make them feel too hot or cause
burns at low temperatures (erythema,
varicella). Use extra caution for;
Babies, small children, elderly per-
sons, sick persons or handicapped
persons
Persons who have delicate skin
Persons who are exhausted
Persons who have taken alcohol or
drugs which induce sleep (sleeping
drug, cold remedy, etc.)
To prevent the seat overheating, do
not use the seat heater with a blan-
ket, cushion, or other insulating ob-
jects which cover the seat.
NOTICE
 Do not put unevenly weighed ob-
jects on the seat and do not stick
sharp objects (needles, nails, etc.)
into the seat.
 When cleaning the seats, do not
use organic substances (paint thin-
ner, benzine, alcohol, gasoline,
etc.). They may damage the heater
and seat surface.
 To prevent the battery from being
discharged, turn the system off
when the engine is not running.
Seat heaters

’04 4Runner_U (L/O 0308)
61
2004 4RUNNER from Aug. ’03 Prod. (OM35811U)
Toyota strongly urges that the driver and
passengers in the vehicle be properly re-
strained at all times with the seat belts
provided. Failure to do so could increase
the chance of injury and/or the severity of
injury in accidents.
The seat belts provided for your vehicle
are designed for people of adult size,
large enough to properly wear them.
Child. Use a child restraint system ap-
propriate for the child until the child be-
comes large enough to properly wear the
vehicle’s seat belts. See “Child restraint”
on page 88 in this Section for details.
If a child is too large for a child restraint
system, the child s hould sit in the rear
seat and must be restrained using the
vehicle’s seat belt. According to accident
statistics, the child is safer when properly
restrained in the rear seat than in the
front seat.
If a child must sit in the front seat, the
seat belts should be worn properly. If an
accident occurs and the seat belts are not
worn properly, the force of the rapid infla-
tion of the airbag may cause death or
serious injury to the child. Do not allow any children to stand up or
kneel on either rear or front seats. An
unrestrained child could suffer serious in-
jury or death during emergency braking or
a collision. Also, do not let the child sit
on your lap. Holding a child in your arms
does not provide sufficient restraint.
Pregnant woman.
Toyota recommends the
use of a seat belt. Ask your doctor for
specific recommendations. The lap belt
should be worn securely and as low as
possible over the hips and not on the
waist.
Injured person. Toyota recommends the
use of a seat belt. Depending on the inju-
ry, first check with your doctor for specific
recommendation.CAUTION
Persons should ride in their seats
properly wearing their seat belts
whenever the vehicle is moving.
Otherwise, they are much more likely
to suffer serious bodily injury or
death in the event of sudden braking
or a collision.
When using the seat belts, observe
the following:
Use the belt for only one person at
a time. Do not use a single belt for
two or more people—even children.
To reduce the risk of sliding under
the lap belt during a collision,
avoid reclining the seatback any
more than needed. The seat belts
provide maximum protection in a
frontal or rear collision when the
driver and the front passenger are
sitting up straight and well back in
the seats. If you are reclined, the
lap belt may slide past your hips
and apply restraint forces directly
to the abdomen. In the event of a
frontal collision, the more the seat
is reclined, the greater the risk of
personal injury.
Seat belts—
—Seat belt precautions

’04 4Runner_U (L/O 0308)
62
2004 4RUNNER from Aug. ’03 Prod. (OM35811U)
Be careful not to damage the belt
webbing or hardware. Take care that
they do not get caught or pinched
in the seat or side doors.
Inspect the belt system periodically.
Check for cuts, fraying, and loose
parts. Damaged parts should be re-
placed. Do not disassemble or
modify the system.
Keep the belts clean and dry. If
they need cleaning, use a mild soap
solution or lukewarm water. Never
use bleach, dye, or abrasive clean-
ers, or allow them to come into
contact with the belt—they may se-
verely weaken the belts. (See
“Cleaning the interior” on page 341
in Section 5.)
Replace the belt assembly (includ-
ing bolts) if it has been used in a
severe impact. The entire assembly
should be replaced even if damage
is not obvious.
Ta b
Buckle
Adjust the seat as needed and sit up
straight and well back in the seat. To
fasten your belt, pull it out of the re-
tractor and insert the tab into the
buckle.
You will hear a click when the tab locks
into the buckle.
The seat belt length automatically adjusts
to your size and the seat position.
The retractor will lock the belt during a
sudden stop or on impact. It also may
lock if you lean forward too quickly. A
slow, easy motion will allow the belt to
extend, and you can move around freely. When a passenger ’s shoulder belt is com-
pletely extended and is then retracted
even slightly, the belt is locked in that
position and cannot be extended. This fea-
ture is used to hold the child restraint
system securely. (For details, see “Child
restraint” on page 88 in this Section.) To
free the belt again, fully retract the belt
and then pull the belt out once more.
If the seat belt cannot be pulled out of the
retractor, firmly pull the belt and release
it. You will then be able to smoothly pull
the belt out of the retractor.CAUTION
After inserting the tab, make sure
the tab and buckle are locked and
that the belt is not twisted.
Do not insert coins, clips, etc. in
the buckle as this may prevent you
from properly latching the tab and
buckle.
If the seat belt does not function
normally, immediately contact your
Toyota dealer. Do not use the seat
until the seat belt is fixed, because
it cannot protect an adult occupant
or your child from injury.
—Fastening front and rear
seat belts