TOYOTA 4RUNNER 2012 N280 / 5.G Owners Manual

5
When trouble arises
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5-1. Essential information
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Towing with a wheel lift-type truck
From the front Use a towing dolly under the rear
wheels.
From the rear (2WD models) Vehicles without a smart key
system: Turn the engine switch
to the “ACC” position so that the
steering wheel is unlocked.
Vehicles with a smart key sys-
tem: Turn the “ENGINE START
STOP” switch to ACCESSORY
mode so that the steering wheel
is unlocked.
From the rear (4WD models) Full-time 4WD models: Use a
towing dolly under the front
wheels.
Part-time 4WD models: When
not using a towing dolly, turn the
engine switch to the “ACC” posi-
tion, shift the shift lever to N and
shift the front-wheel drive control
lever to H2.

582 5-1. Essential information
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Using a flatbed truckIf you use chains or cables to tie
down your vehicle, the angles
shaded in black must be 45.
Do not overly tighten the tie
downs or the vehicle may be
damaged.
CTH51AS011
■ Before emergency towing
Vehicles without a smart key system: Turn the engine switch to the
“ACC” (engine off) or “ON” position.
Vehicles with a smart key system: Turn the “ENGINE START STOP” switch to ACCESSORY (engine off) or IGNITION ON mode
(engine running).
Part-time 4WD models: Shift the front-wheel drive control lever to
H2.
Full-time 4WD models: Put the four-wheel drive control switch in
H4F. (The center differential is unlocked.)
Shift the shift lever to N.
Release the parking brake.
STEP 1
STEP 2
STEP 3
STEP 4

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CAUTION
■
Caution while towing
● Use extreme caution when towing the vehicle.
Avoid sudden starts or erratic driving maneuvers which place excessive
stress on the emergency towing eyelets and the cables or chains. Always
be cautious of the surroundings and other vehicles while towing.
● Vehicles with a smart key system: Do not turn the “ENGINE START
STOP” switch off.
Doing so will lock the steering wheel and prevent operation, possibly caus-
ing an accident and resulting in death or serious injury.
● If the engine is not running, the power assist for the brakes and steering
will not function, making steering and braking more difficult.
NOTICE
■To prevent causing serious damage to the transmission and transfer
(4WD models) when towing using a wheel-lift type truck
2WD models: Never tow this vehicle from the front with the rear wheels on
the ground.
4WD models: Never tow this vehicle with any of the wheels in contact with
the ground.
■ To prevent damage to the vehicle when towing using a wheel-lift type
truck
● 2WD models without a smart key system: Do not tow the vehicle from the
rear when the engine switch is in the “LOCK” position or the key is
removed. The steering lock mechanism is not strong enough to hold the
front wheels straight.
● 2WD models with a smart key system: Do not tow the vehicle from the rear
when the “ENGINE START STOP” switch is off. The steering lock mecha-
nism is not strong enough to hold the front wheels straight.
● When raising the vehicle, ensure adequate ground clearance for towing at
the opposite end of the raised vehicle. Without adequate clearance, the
vehicle could be damaged while being towed.

584 5-1. Essential information
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NOTICE
■To prevent body damage when towing with a sling-type truck
Do not tow with a sling-type truck, either from the front or rear.
■ To prevent causing serious damage to the transmission and transfer
(4WD models) in emergency towing
Never tow a vehicle from the rear with four wheels on the ground. This may
cause serious damage to the transmission and transfer.

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When trouble arises
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5-1. Essential information
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If you think something is wrong
If you notice any of the following symptoms, your vehicle probably
needs adjustment or repair. Contact your Toyota dealer as soon as
possible.
■ Visible symptoms
●Fluid leaks under the vehicle
(Water dripping from the air cond itioning after use is normal.)
● Flat-looking tires or uneven tire wear
● Engine coolant temperature g auge needle continually points
higher than normal
● Voltmeter (if equipped) continua lly points higher or lower than
normal
■ Audible symptoms
●Changes in exhaust sound
● Excessive tire squeal when cornering
● Strange noises related to the suspension system
● Pinging or other noises related to the engine
■ Operational symptoms
●Engine missing, stumbling or running roughly
● Appreciable loss of power
● Vehicle pulls heavily to one side when braking
● Vehicle pulls heavily to one side when driving on a level road
● Loss of brake effectiveness, s pongy feeling, pedal almost
touches the floor

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5-1. Essential information
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Fuel pump shut off system
Follow the procedure below to restart the engine after the system is
activated.Vehicles without a smart key system Turn the engine switch to the “ACC” or “LOCK” position.
Restart the engine.
Vehicles with a smart key system
Turn the “ENGINE START STOP” switch off.
Restart the engine.
NOTICE
■Before starting the engine
Inspect the ground under the vehicle.
If you find that fuel has leaked onto the ground, the fuel system has been
damaged and is in need of repair. Do not restart the engine.
To minimize the risk of fuel leakage when the engine stalls or when
an airbag inflates upon collision , the fuel pump shut off system
stops the supply of fuel to the engine.
STEP 1
STEP 2
STEP 1
STEP 2

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5-2. Steps to take in an emergency
If a war ning light turns on or a war ning buzzer sounds
Stop the vehicle immediately. Continuing to drive the vehicle
may be dangerous.The following warning indicates a possible problem in the brake sys-
tem. Immediately stop the vehicle in a safe place and contact your
Toyota dealer.
*: Parking brake engaged warning buzzer: A buzzer will sound if the vehicle is driven at a speed of approxi-
mately 3 mph (5 km/h) or more.
Warning lightWarning light/Details
(U.S.A.)
(Canada) Brake system warning light (warning buzzer)
*
• Low brake fluid
• Malfunction in the brake system
This light also comes on when the parking brake is not
released. If the light turns off after the parking brake is
fully released the system is operating normally.
Calmly perform the following actio ns if any of the warning lights
comes on or flashes. If a light comes on or flashes, but then goes
off, this does not necessarily indicate a malfunction in the system.
However, if this continues to o ccur, have the vehicle inspected by
your Toyota dealer.

588 5-2. Steps to take in an emergency
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Stop the vehicle immediately.The following warnings indicate the possibility of damage to the vehi-
cle that may lead to an accident. Immediately stop the vehicle in a
safe place and contact your Toyota dealer.
Have the vehicle inspected by your Toyota dealer immediately.Failure to investigate the cause of the following warnings may lead to
the system operating abnormally and possibly cause an accident.
Have the vehicle inspected by your Toyota dealer immediately.
Warning lightWarning light/Details
Charging system warning light Indicates a malfunction in the vehicle’s charging system
Low engine oil pressure warning light Indicates that the engine oil pressure is too low
Warning lightWarning light/Details
(U.S.A.)
(Canada) Malfunction indicator lamp
Indicates a malfunction in:
• The emission control system;
• The electronic engine control system;
• The electronic throttle control system; or
• The electronic automatic transmission control system
SRS warning light Indicates a malfunction in:
• The SRS airbag system;
• The front passenger occupant classification system; or
• The seat belt pretensioner system

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5-2. Steps to take in an emergency
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Warning lightWarning light/Details
(U.S.A.)
(Canada) ABS warning light
Indicates a malfunction in:
• The ABS; or
• The brake assist system
(Flashes) Cruise control indicator light
Indicates a malfunction in the cruise control system
Slip indicator Indicates a malfunction in:
• The VSC system;
• The TRAC system;
• The active traction control system;
• The AUTO LSD system;
• The downhill assist control system;
• The hill-start assist control system; or
• The Crawl Control system
(Flashes rapidly) Rear differential lock indicator light (if equipped)
Indicates a malfunction in the rear differential lock sys-
tem
(Flashes rapidly) Four-wheel drive indicator light (if equipped)
Indicates a malfunction in the four-wheel drive system
(Flashes rapidly) Low speed four-wheel drive indicator light (if
equipped)
Indicates a malfunction in the four-wheel drive system
(Flashes rapidly) Center differential lock indicator light (if equipped)
Indicates a malfunction in the four-wheel drive system
(Flashes continu- ously) Multi-terrain Select indicator light (if equipped)
Indicates a malfunction in the Multi-terrain Select sys-
tem

590 5-2. Steps to take in an emergency
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Power steering warning lightIndicates a malfunction in the power steering system
Unengaged “Park” warning light (if equipped) Indicates a malfunction in the transmission “Park” mech-
anism.
KDSS warning light (if equipped) Indicates a malfunction in KDSS
(Flashes) Automatic running boards indicator light (if
equipped)
Indicates a malfunction in Automatic running boards
(Flashes) Automatic transmission fluid temperature warning
light
Indicates a malfunction in the automatic transmission
system
Warning lightWarning light/Details