TOYOTA 4RUNNER 2009 N280 / 5.G Owners Manual

481
6-1. Specifications
6
Vehicle specifications
Fuel infor mation
■Fuel tank opening fo r unleaded gasoline
To help prevent incorrect fueling, your Toyota has a fuel tank opening that
only accommodates the special nozzle on unleaded fuel pumps.
■ If your engine knocks
●Consult your Toyota dealer.
● You may occasionally notice light knocking for a short time while
accelerating or driving uphill. This is normal and there is no need for
concern.
■ Gasoline quality
In very few cases, driveability problems may be caused by the brand of
gasoline you are using. If driveability problems persist, try changing the
brand of gasoline. If this does not correct the problem, consult your Toyota
dealer.
■ Gasoline quality standards
●Automotive manufacturers in the US, Europe and Japan have developed
a specification for fuel quality called World-Wide Fuel Charter (WWFC)
that is expected to be applied worldwide.
● The WWFC consists of four categories that are based on required
emission levels. In the US, category 3 or 4 has been adopted.
● The WWFC improves air quality by lowering emissions in vehicle fleets,
and customer satisfaction through better performance.
Your vehicle must use only unleaded gasoline.
Select octane rating 87 (Research Octane Number 91) or higher. Use
of unleaded gasoline with an octane rating lower than 87 may result
in engine knocking. Persistent kno cking can lead to engine damage.
At minimum, the gasoline you use should meet the specifications
of ASTM D4814 in the U.S.A. and CGSB3.5-M93 in Canada.

482 6-1. Specifications
■Toyota recommends the use of gaso line containing detergent additives
● Toyota recommends the use of gasoline that contains detergent additives
to avoid build-up of engine deposits.
● All gasoline sold in the US contains detergent additives to clean and/or
keep clean intake systems.
■ Toyota recommends the use of cleaner burning gasoline
Cleaner burning gasoline, including reformulated gasoline that contains
oxygenates such as ethanol or MTBE (Methyl Tertiary Butyl Ether) is
available in many areas.
Toyota recommends the use of cleaner burning gasoline and appropriately
blended reformulated gasoline. These types of gasoline provide excellent
vehicle performance, reduce vehicle emissions and improve air quality.
■ Toyota does not recomm end blended gasoline
● Toyota allows the use of oxygenate blended gasoline where the
oxygenate content is up to 10% ethanol or 15% MTBE.
● If you use gasohol in your Toyota, be sure that it has an octane rating no
lower than 87.
● Toyota does not recommend the use of gasoline containing methanol.
■ Toyota does not recommen d gasoline containing MMT
Some gasoline contains octane enhancing additive called MMT
(Methylcyclopentadienyl Manganese Tricarbonyl).
Toyota does not recommend the use of gasoline that contains MMT. If fuel
containing MMT is used, your emission 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.

483
6-1. Specifications
6
Vehicle specifications
NOTICE
■
Notice on fuel quality
●Do not use improper fuels. If improper fuels are used the engine will be
damaged.
● Do not use leaded gasoline.
Leaded gasoline can cause damage to your vehicle’s three-way catalytic
converters causing the emission control system to malfunction.
● Do not use gasohol other than that stated here.
Other gasohol may cause fuel system damage or vehicle performance
problems.
● Use of unleaded gasoline with an octane rating lower than 87 may result in
engine knocking. Persistent knocking can lead to engine damage and
should be corrected by refueling with higher octane unleaded gasoline.
■ Fuel-related poor driveability
If after using a different type of fuel, poor driveability is encountered (poor
hot starting, vaporization, engine knocking, etc.), discontinue the use of that
type of fuel.
■ When refueling with gasohol
Take care not to spill gasohol.
It can damage your vehicle’s paint.

484
6-1. Specifications
Tire infor mation
Typical tire symbols
Tire size( P. 486)
DOT and Tire Identification Number (TIN) ( P. 485)
Location of treadwear indicators ( P. 487)
Tire ply composition and materials
Plies are layers of rubber-coated parallel cords. Cords are the
strands which form the plies in a tire.
Uniform tire quality grading
For details, see “Uniform Tire Quality Grading” that follows.
Load limit at maximum cold tire inflation pressure ( P. 489)
Maximum cold tire inflation pressure ( P. 489)
This means the pressure to which a tire may be inflated.
TUBELESS or TUBE TYPE
A tubeless tire does not have a tube and air is directly filled in the
tire. A tube type tire has a tu be inside the tire and the tube
maintains the air pressure.

485
6-1. Specifications
6
Vehicle specifications
Typical DOT and tire identification number (TIN)
DOT symbol
*
Tire Identification Number
(TIN)
Tire manufacturer’s
identification mark
Tire size code
Manufacturer’s optional tire
type code (3 or 4 letters)
Manufacturing week
Manufacturing year
*:The DOT symbol certifies thatthe tire conforms to applicable
Federal Motor Vehicle Safety
Standards.
Radial tires or bias-ply tires
A radial tire has RADIAL on the sidewall. A tire not marked RADIAL
is a bias-ply tire.
Summer tire or all season tire ( P. 391)
An all season tire has M+S on the sidewall. A tire not marked M+S
is a summer tire.

486 6-1. Specifications
Tire size■ Typical tire size information
The illustration indicates typical
tire size.
Tire use
(P = Passenger car,
T = Temporary use)
Section width (millimeters)
Aspect ratio
(tire height to section width)
Tire construction code
(R = Radial, D = Diagonal)
Wheel diameter (inches)
Load index (2 digits or 3 digits)
Speed symbol
(alphabet with one letter)
■ Tire dimensions
Section width
Tire height
Wheel diameter

487
6-1. Specifications
6
Vehicle specifications
Tire section names
Bead
Sidewall
Shoulder
Tread
Belt
Inner liner
Reinforcing rubber
Carcass
Rim lines
Bead wires
Chafer
Uniform Tire Quality GradingThis information has been prepared in accordance with regulations
issued by the National Highway Tr affic Safety Administration of the
U.S.A. Department of Transportation.
It provides the purchasers and/or prospective purchasers of Toyota
vehicles with information on uniform tire quality grading.
Your Toyota dealer will help answ er any questions you may have as
you read this information.
■ DOT quality grades
All passenger vehicle tires mu st conform to Federal Safety
Requirements in addition to these grades. Quality grades can be
found where applicable on the tire sidewall between tread shoulder
and maximum section width.
For example: Treadwear 200 Traction AA Temperature A

488 6-1. Specifications
■Treadwear
The treadwear grade is a comparative rating based on the wear
rate of the tire when tested und er controlled conditions on a
specified government test course.
For example, a tire graded 150 would wear one and a half (1 - 1/2)
times as well on the government course as a tire graded 100.
The relative performance of tires depends upon the actual conditions
of their use, however, and may depart significantly from the norm due
to variations in driving habits, service practices and differences in
road characteristics and climate.
■ Traction AA, A, B, C
The traction grades, from highest to lowest, are AA, A, B and C,
and they represent the tire’s ab ility to stop on wet pavement as
measured under controlled cond itions on specified government
test surfaces of asphalt and concrete.
A tire marked C may have poor traction performance.
Warning: The traction grade assigned to this tire is based on braking
(straight ahead) traction tests and does not include cornering
(turning) traction.
■ Temperature A, B, C
The temperature grades are A (the highest), B, and C,
representing the tire’s resistance to the generation of heat and its
ability to dissipate heat when te sted under controlled conditions on
a specified indoor laboratory test wheel.
Sustained high temperature can cause the material of the tire to
degenerate and reduce tire life, and excessive temperature can lead
to sudden tire failure.
The grade C corresponds to a level of performance which all
passenger car tires must meet under the Federal Motor Vehicle
Safety Standard No. 109.
Grades B and A represent higher levels of performance on the
laboratory test wheel than the minimum required by law.

489
6-1. Specifications
6
Vehicle specifications
Warning: The temperature grades for this tire are established for a
tire that is properly inflated and not overloaded.
Excessive speed, underinflation,
or excessive loading, either
separately or in combination, can cause heat buildup and possible
tire failure.
Glossary of tire terminology
Tire related termMeaning
Cold tire inflation
pressure
Tire pressure when the vehicle has been
parked for three hours or more, or has not
been driven more than 1 mile or 1.5 km under
that condition
Maximum inflation
pressureThe maximum cold inflated pressure to which a
tire may be inflated, s hown on the sidewall of
the tire
Recommended
inflation pressureCold tire inflation pressure recommended by a
manufacturer
Accessory weight
The combined weight (in excess of those
standard items which may be replaced) of
transmission, power steering, power brakes,
power windows, power seats, radio and heater,
to the extent that these items are available as
factory-installed equipment (whether installed
or not)
Curb weight
The weight of a motor vehicle with standard
equipment, including the maximum capacity of
fuel, oil and coolant, and if so equipped, air
conditioning and additional weight optional
engine
Maximum loaded
vehicle weight
The sum of:
(a) Curb weight
(b) Accessory weight
(c) Vehicle capacity weight
(d) Production options weight

490 6-1. Specifications
Tire related termMeaning
Normal occupant
weight150 lb. (68 kg) times the number of occupants
specified in the second column of Table 1
* that
follows
Occupant distributionDistribution of occupants in a vehicle as
specified in the third column of Table 1
* below
Production options
weight
The combined weight of installed regular
production options weighing over 5 lb. (2.3 kg)
in excess of the standard items which they
replace, not previously considered in curb
weight or accessory weight, including heavy
duty brakes, ride levelers, roof rack, heavy duty
battery, and special trim
RimA metal support for a tire or a tire and tube
assembly upon which the tire beads are seated
Rim diameter
(Wheel diameter)Nominal diameter of the bead seat
Rim size designationRim diameter and width
Rim type designationThe industry manufacturer’s designation for a
rim by style or code
Rim widthNominal distance between rim flanges
Vehicle capacity
weight (Total load
capacity)The rated cargo and luggage load plus 150 lb.
(68 kg) times the vehicle’s designated seating
capacity
Vehicle maximum load
on the tire
The load on an individual tire that is determined
by distributing to each axle its share of the
maximum loaded vehicle weight, and dividing
by two
Vehicle normal load
on the tire
The load on an individual tire that is determined
by distributing to each axle its share of curb
weight, accessory weight, and normal
occupant weight (distr ibuted in accordance
with Table 1
* below), and dividing it by two