TOYOTA 4RUNNER 2021 Owners Manual (in English)
Manufacturer: TOYOTA, Model Year: 2021, Model line: 4RUNNER, Model: TOYOTA 4RUNNER 2021Pages: 592, PDF Size: 13.3 MB
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1213-2. Opening, closing and locking the doors
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Operation of each component
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Battery-saving function
The battery-saving function will be activated in order to preve nt the electronic
key battery and the vehicle battery from being discharged while the vehicle is
not in operation for a long time.
● In  the  following  situations,  the  smart  key  system  may  take  some  time to
unlock the doors.
• The electronic key has been left in an area of approximately 6  ft. (2 m) of
the outside of the vehicle for 10 minutes or longer.
• The smart key system has not been used for 5 days or longer.
● If the smart key system has not been used for 14 days or longer , the doors
cannot be unlocked at any doors except the driver’s door. In th is case, take
hold  of  the  driver’s  door  handle,  or  use  the  wireless  remote  co ntrol  or  the
mechanical key, to unlock the doors.
■ Electronic key battery-saving function
When battery-saving mode is set, battery depletion is minimized  by stopping
the electronic key from receiving radio waves.
Interior  alarm  sounds
once.
The  engine  switch  was
pressed  after  the  doors
were  unlocked  with  the
mechanical key.
Touch  the  electronic
key  to  the  engine
switch while depressing
the brake pedal.
The  engine  switch  was
pressed  two  consecu-
tive  times  without  the
electronic  key  being
present.
AlarmSituationCorrection procedure
Press    twice  while  pressing  and
holding  . Confirm that the electronic
key indicator flashes 4 times.
While the battery-saving mode is set, the
smart  key  system  cannot  be  used.  To
cancel  the  function,  press  any  of  the
electronic key buttons. 
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1223-2. Opening, closing and locking the doors
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Conditions affecting operation
The smart key system uses weak radio waves. In the following si tuations, the
communication  between  the  electronic  key  and  the  vehicle  may  be   affected,
preventing the smart key system, wireless remote control and en gine immobi-
lizer system from operating properly. (Ways of coping:  P. 507)
● When the electronic key battery is depleted
● Near  a  TV  tower,  electric  power  plant,  gas  station,  radio  stati on,  large  dis-
play,  airport  or  other  facility  that  generates  strong  radio  wav es  or  electrical
noise
● When  carrying  a  portable  radio,  cellular  phone,  cordless  phone  or  other
wireless communication device
● When  the  electronic  key  is  in  contact  with,  or  is  covered  by  the  following
metallic objects
• Cards to which aluminum foil is attached
• Cigarette boxes that have aluminum foil inside
• Metallic wallets or bags
• Coins
• Hand warmers made of metal
• Media such as CDs and DVDs
● When multiple electronic keys are in the vicinity
● When other wireless keys (that emit radio waves) are being used nearby
● When  carrying  the  electronic  key  together  with  the  following  devices  that
emit radio waves
• Another vehicle’s electronic key or a wireless key that emits  radio waves
• Personal computers or personal digital assistants (PDAs)
• Digital audio players
• Portable game systems
● If  window  tint  with  a  metallic  content  or  metallic  objects  are  attached  to  the
back window
● When  the  electronic  key  is  placed  near  a  battery  charger  or  ele ctronic
devices
● When  the  vehicle  is  parked  in  a  pay  parking  spot  where  radio  wa ves  are
emitted.
If  the  doors  cannot  be  locked/unlocked  using  the  smart  key  syst em,  lock/
unlock the doors by performing any of the following:
● Bring  the  electronic  key  close  to  either  front  door  handle  and  operate  the
entry function.
● Operate the wireless remote control.
If  the  doors  cannot  be  locked/unlocked  using  the  above  methods,  use the
mechanical key. ( P. 507)
If the engine cannot be started using the smart key system, ref er to P. 508. 
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1233-2. Opening, closing and locking the doors
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Operation of each component
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Note for the entry function
●Even when the electronic key is within the effective range (det ection areas),
the system may not operate properly in the following cases:
• The electronic key is too close to the window or outside door  handle, near
the ground, or in a high place when the doors are locked or unl ocked.
• The electronic key is on the instrument panel or floor, in the  glove box, or
in the auxiliary box of the instrument panel.
● Do  not  leave  the  electronic  key  on  top  of  the  instrument  panel  or  near  the
door pockets when exiting the vehicle. Depending on the radio w ave recep-
tion conditions, it may be detected by the antenna outside the  cabin and the
door will become lockable from the outside, possibly trapping the electronic
key inside the vehicle.
● As long as the electronic key is within the effective range, th e doors may be
locked or unlocked by anyone. However, only the doors detecting  the elec-
tronic key can be used to unlock the vehicle.
● The  doors  may  lock  or  unlock  if  the  electronic  key  is  within  th e  effective
range and a large amount of water splashes on the door handle,  such as in
the  rain  or  in  a  car  wash.  The  doors  will  automatically  be  lock ed  after
approximately 60 seconds if a door is not opened and closed.
● If  the  wireless  remote  control  is  used  to  lock  the  doors  when  t he  electronic
key  is  near  the  vehicle,  there  is  a  possibility  that  the  door  m ay  not  be
unlocked  by  the  entry  function.  (Use  the  wireless  remote  contro l  to  unlock
the doors.)
● Whether or not the electronic key is inside the vehicle, the engine could be
started if the electronic key is near the window.
■ Note for locking the doors
●Touching  the  door  lock  sensor  while  wearing  gloves  may  delay  or  prevent
lock operation. Remove the gloves and touch the lock sensor aga in.
● When the lock operation is performed using the lock sensor, rec ognition sig-
nals  will  be  shown  up  to  two  consecutive  times. After  this,  no  recognition
signals will be given. 
● If the  door  handle becomes  wet while the  electronic  key  is with in the  effec-
tive  range,  the  door  may  lock  and  unlock  repeatedly.  Place  the  electronic
key in a location 6 ft. (2 m) or more away from the vehicle while the vehicle
is being washed. (Take care to ensure that the key is not stolen.)
● If  the  electronic  key  is  inside  the  vehicle  and  a  door  handle  b ecomes  wet
during  a  car  wash,  a  buzzer  will  sound  outside  the  vehicle.  To  turn off the
alarm, lock all the doors.
● The  lock  sensor  may  not  work  properly  if  it  comes  into  contact  with  ice,
snow,  mud,  etc.  Clean  the  lock  sensor  and  attempt  to  operate  it   again,  or
use the lock sensor on the lower part of the door handle.
● Fingernails  may  scrape  against  the  door  during  operation  of  the   door  han-
dle. Be careful not to injure fingernails or damage the surface  of the door. 
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1243-2. Opening, closing and locking the doors
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Note for the unlocking function
●Gripping the door handle when wearing a glove may not unlock th e door.
● A  sudden  approach  to  the  effective  range  or  door  handle  may  prevent  the
doors from being unlocked. In this case, return the door handle to the origi-
nal position and check that the doors unlock before pulling the  door handle
again.
● If  there  is  another  electronic  key  in  the  detection  area,  it  ma y  take  slightly
longer to unlock the doors after the door handle is gripped. 
■ When the vehicle is not driven for extended periods
●To prevent theft of the vehicle, do not leave the electronic ke y within 6 ft. (2
m) of the vehicle.
● The  smart  key  system  can  be  deactivated  in  advance.  Ask  your  To yota
dealer for details.
● Setting  the  electronic  key  to  battery-  saving  mode  helps  to  reduce  key  bat-
tery depletion. ( P. 121)
■ To operate the system properly
●Make sure to carry the electronic key when operating the system. Do not get
the  electronic  key  too  close  to  the  vehicle  when  operating  the  system  from
the outside of the vehicle.
● Depending  on  the  position  and  holding  condition  of  the  electronic  key,  the
key may not be detected correctly and the system may not operat e properly.
(The alarm may go off accidentally, or the door lock prevention  function may
not operate.)
■ If the smart key system does not operate properly
●Locking and unlocking the doors: Use the mechanical key. ( P. 507)
● Starting the engine:  P. 508
■ Customization
Settings (e. g. operation signal) can be changed. 
(Customizable features:  P. 545)
■ If the smart key system has been d eactivated in a customized setting
● Locking and unlocking the doors:  P. 507
● Starting the engine and changing engine switch modes:  P. 508
● Stopping the engine: P. 213 
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1253-2. Opening, closing and locking the doors
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Operation of each component
4RUNNER (U)■
Certification for  the smart key system
For vehicles sold in the U.S.A. 
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1263-2. Opening, closing and locking the doors
4RUNNER (U)
For vehicles sold in Canada
For vehicles sold in the U.S.A. 
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1273-2. Opening, closing and locking the doors
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Operation of each component
4RUNNER (U)
For vehicles sold in Canada
WARNING
■Caution regarding interfer ence with electronic devices
● People  with  implantable  cardiac  pacemakers,  cardiac  resynchroni zation
therapy-pacemakers or implantable cardioverter defibrillators s hould keep
away from the smart key system antennas. 
( P. 118)
The  radio  waves  may  affect  the  operation  of  such  devices.  If  ne cessary,
the entry function can be disabled. Ask your Toyota dealer for  details, such
as  the  frequency  of  radio  waves  and  timing  of  the  emitted  radio   waves.
Then, consult your doctor to see if you should disable the entr y function.
● Users  of  any  electrical  medical  device  other  than  implantable  c ardiac
pacemakers,  cardiac  resynchronization  therapy-pacemakers  or  implant-
able  cardioverter  defibrillators  should  consult  the  manufacture r  of  the
device  for  information  about  its  operation  under  the  influence  of  radio
waves.
Radio  waves  could  have  unexpected  effects  on  the  operation  of  such
medical devices.
Ask your Toyota dealer for details on disabling the entry function. 
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1283-2. Opening, closing and locking the doors
4RUNNER (U)
Opening a door: The appropriate board extends 
Closing a door: The appropriate board retracts 
Press  “OFF”  on  the Automatic  running  boards  switch  to  turn  off  the
Automatic running boards system.
On (Automatic mode)
Off
The  orange  line  at  the  top  of  the
switch  illuminates  to  indicate  that
the Automatic  running  boards  sys-
tem is on.
When  extension  of  the  boards  is
not  necessary,  or  extension  of  a
board  is  not  desirable  due  to  an
obstacle,  turn  the  Automatic  run-
ning boards switch off before open-
ing the side door.
Automatic running boards
: If equipped
The Automatic running boards are linked to the side door opera-
tions, extending and  retracting wh en a side  door  is opened and
closed. When a door is opened or closed, the board on the same
side extends or retracts.
Turning off the Automatic running boards system
1
2
1
2 
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1293-2. Opening, closing and locking the doors
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Operation of each component
4RUNNER (U)
■Jam protection function
During Automatic running boards operation:
If  a  board  contacts  an  obstacle  when  extending,  it  will  retract .  If  an  obstacle
gets  caught between  a  board  and  the  vehicle  when  retracting,  th e board  will
extend. 
If  an  obstacle  is  detected  3  times  in  a  row  during Automatic  ru nning  boards
operation, the board will stop at the position it contacts the  obstacle. When a
side  door  on  the  same  side  as  the  board  is  opened  and  closed  on e  more
time,  the  board  will  extend  and  retract,  or  retract  and  extend.  After  this,  the
board will resume normal operation. 
■ Automatic retraction function
The boards will be automatically retracted, for safety, under t he following con-
ditions:
● A board is not completely retracted
● Vehicle speed is approximately 5 mph (8 km/h) or higher
The boards will not automatically extend again when vehicle spe ed returns to
less than 5 mph (8 km/h). 
■ If  the  Automatic  running  boards  indicator  comes  on  when  driving  first
commences
A  board  has not  completely retracted. Check  that  nothing  is  caught between
the board and the vehicle. 
Additionally, if the engine is started immediately after a door has been closed,
the  automatic  running  board  may  not  retract  completely  and  the  automatic
running boards indicator may illuminate. In this case, open and close the door
to retract the running board and turn off the indicator.
■ If the Automatic running boards indicator light flashes
There  may  be  a  malfunction  in  the Automatic  running  boards  syst em.  Have
the vehicle inspected by your Toyota dealer immediately.
■ When snow or mud is attached to the board or the board is froze n
The Automatic running boards may not operate correctly. Before stepping on
a board, check that it is completely extended. If the Automatic  running boards
are  not  operating  correctly,  turn  the Automatic  running  boards  switch  off  and
refrain from use.
When removing snow or mud, turn the Automatic running boards sw itch off.
■ After recharging/reconnecting the battery
If  the Automatic  running  boards  have  not  completely  extended  or   retracted,
the boards may not move in the intended direction the first tim e they are oper-
ated. However, from the second time onwards, the boards will re sume normal
operation.
■ When getting in and out of the vehicle
Take care because clothes and shoes may become dirty due to con tact with
the lower part of the vehicle body. 
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1303-2. Opening, closing and locking the doors
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WARNING
■Jam protection function
Observe the following precautions. 
Failure to do so may cause serious injury.
Never use any part of your body to intentionally activate the j am protection
function.
The  jam  protection  function  may  not  work  depending  on  the  shape  of  the
object  that  is  caught.  Be  careful  not  to  get  fingers  or  other  b ody  parts
caught. 
■ Cautions regarding the Automatic running boards
Observe the following precautions. 
Failure to do so may cause serious injury.
● Check  to  make  sure  that  all  passengers  and  people  in  the  vehicle’s  sur-
rounding area do not have a hand on a board or any part of thei r body in a
position  where  it  could  be  caught  between  a  board  and  the  vehic le  when
an Automatic running board is being operated.
● Confirm that the boards have completely extended or retracted b efore get-
ting in or out of the vehicle. If someone gets in or out of the vehicle during
Automatic  running  board  operation,  the  boards  may  stop  extendin g  or
retracting.
● Drive  the  vehicle  after  confirming  that  the  boards  have  complet ely
retracted.  Driving  with  a  board  extended  is  dangerous  because  it  may  hit
other people or objects.
● Take care when pressing the Automatic running boards switch. Th e board
will extend or retract and may hit other people or objects.
● Always check that the Automatic running boards switch is turned  off when
cleaning a board. 
● Do not allow children to operate the Automatic running boards. 
Operating Automatic running boards in a manner so that a board  contacts
someone can cause serious injury, and in some instances, even d eath.