stop start TOYOTA 4RUNNER 2023 User Guide

1684-1. Before driving
4RUNNER (U)■
Breaking in your new Toyota
To extend the life of the vehicle, observing the following prec autions is recom-
mended:
● For the first 200 miles (300 km):
Avoid sudden stops.
● For the first 500 miles (800 km):
Do not tow a trailer.
● For the first 1000 miles (1600 km):
• Do not drive at extremely high speeds.
• Avoid sudden acceleration.
• Do not drive continuously in low gears.
• Do not drive at a constant speed for extended periods.
■ Drum-in-disc type parking brake system
Your vehicle has a drum-in-disc type parking brake system. This type of brake
system needs bedding-down of the brake shoes periodically or wh enever the
parking brake shoes and/or drum are replaced. Have your Toyota dealer per-
form the bedding down operation.
■ Operating your vehicle in a foreign country
Comply with the relevant vehicle registration laws and confirm the availability
of the correct fuel. ( P. 534)
■ When turning off the engine
The emission system operating sounds may continue for a short time after
the engine is turned off. This is not a malfunction, and helps to ensure optimal
performance of the emission system.
WARNING
Observe the following precautions.
Failure to do so may result in death or serious injury.
■When starting the vehicle
Always keep your foot on the brake pedal while stopped with the engine
running. This prevents the vehicle from creeping.

1724-1. Before driving
4RUNNER (U)
WARNING
Observe the following precautions.
Failure to do so may result in death or serious injury.
■When the vehicle is parked
● Do not leave glasses, cigarette lighters, spray cans, or soft drink cans in
the vehicle when it is in the sun.
Doing so may result in the following:
• Gas may leak from a cigarette lighter or spray can, and may le ad to a
fire.
• The temperature inside the vehicle may cause the plastic lenses and plastic material of glasses to deform or crack.
• Soft drink cans may fracture, causing the contents to spray ov er the
interior of the vehicle, and may also cause a short circuit in the vehicle’s
electrical components.
● Do not leave cigarette lighters in the vehicle. If a cigarette lighter is in a
place such as the glove box or on the floor, it may be lit accidentally when
luggage is loaded or the seat is adjusted, causing a fire.
● Do not attach adhesive discs to the windshield or windows. Do not place
containers such as air fresheners on the instrument panel or da shboard.
Adhesive discs or containers may act as lenses, causing a fire in the vehi-
cle.
● Do not leave a door or window open if the curved glass is coated with a
metallized film such as a silver-colored one. Reflected sunligh t may cause
the glass to act as a lens, causing a fire.
● Always apply the parking brake, shift the shift lever to P, stop the engine
and lock the vehicle.
Do not leave the vehicle unattended while the engine is running.
If the vehicle is parked with the shift lever in P but the park ing brake is not
set, the vehicle may start to move, possibly leading to an accident.
● Do not touch the exhaust pipes while the engine is running or i mmediately
after turning the engine off.
Doing so may cause burns.

1804-1. Before driving
4RUNNER (U)
WARNING
■Capacity and distribution
●Do not exceed the maximum axle weight rating or the total vehicle
weight rating.
●Even if the total load of occupant’s weight and the cargo load is less
than the total load capacity, do not apply the load unevenly. I mproper
loading may cause deterioration of steering or braking control which
may cause death or serious injury.
■When loading cargo on the roof luggage carrier
Observe the following precautions:
●Place the cargo so that its weight is distributed evenly betwee n the
front and rear axles.
●If loading long or wide cargo, never exceed the vehicle overall length
or width. (
P. 5 2 4)
●Before driving, make sure the cargo is securely fastened on the roof
luggage carrier.
●Loading cargo on the roof luggage carrier will make the center of grav-
ity of the vehicle higher. Avoid high speeds, sudden starts, sharp turns,
sudden braking or abrupt maneuvers, otherwise it may result in loss of
control or vehicle rollover due to failure to operate this vehi cle correctly
and result in death or serious injury.
●If driving for a long distance, on rough roads, or at high spee ds, stop
the vehicle now and then during the trip to make sure the cross rails
are fixed securely and that the cargo remains in its place.
●Do not exceed 120 lb. (54 kg) cargo weight on the roof luggage carrier.
NOTICE
■When loading cargo on the roof luggage carrier
Be careful not to scratch the surface of the moon roof (if equipped).

1914-1. Before driving
4
Driving
4RUNNER (U)
Your vehicle will handle differently when towing a trailer. Help to avoid
an accident, death or serious injury, keep the following in min d when
towing:
● Speed limits for towing a trailer vary by state or province. Do not
exceed the posted to wing speed limit.
● Toyota recommends that the vehicl e-trailer speed limit is 65 mph
(104 km/h) on a flat, straight, dry road. Do not exceed this li mit, the
posted towing speed limit or the speed limit for your trailer as set
forth in your trailer owner’s manu al, whichever is lowest. Instability
of the towing vehicle-trailer combination (trailer sway) increa ses as
speed increases. Exceeding speed limits may cause loss of contr ol.
● Before starting out, check the trailer lights, tires and the vehicle-
trailer connections. Recheck af ter driving a short distance.
● Practice turning, stopping and reversing with the trailer attac hed in
an area away from traffic until you become accustomed to the fe el
of the vehicle-trailer combination.
● Reversing with a trailer attached is difficult and requires pra ctice.
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 rig ht to
move the trailer to right. (This is generally opposite to reversing
without a trailer attached.) Avoid sharp or prolonged turning. Have
someone guide you when reversing to reduce the risk of an acci-
dent.
● As stopping distance is increased when towing a trailer, vehicl e-to
vehicle distance should be increased. For each 10 mph (16 km/h)
of speed, allow at least one v ehicle and trailer length.
● Avoid sudden braking as you may skid, resulting in the trailer jack-
knifing and a loss of vehicle control. This is especially true on wet or
slippery surfaces.
Trailer towing tips

1924-1. Before driving
4RUNNER (U)
●Avoid jerky starts or sudden acceleration.
● Avoid jerky steering and sharp turns, and slow down before maki ng
turn.
● Note that when making a turn, the trailer wheels will be closer than
the vehicle wheels to the inside of the turn. Compensate by mak ing
a wider than normal turning radius.
● Slow down before making a turn, in cross winds, on wet or slipp ery
surfaces, etc.
Increasing vehicle speed can destabilize the trailer.
● Take care when passing other vehicles. Passing requires consider-
able distance. After passing a vehicle, do not forget the lengt h of
your trailer, and be sure you have plenty of room before changi ng
lanes.
● To maintain engine braking efficiency and charging system perfo r-
mance when using engine braking, do not put the transmission in
D.
● Instability happens more frequently when descending steep or lo ng
downhill grades. Before descending, slow down and downshift. Do
not make sudden downshifts while descending steep or long down-
hill grades.
● Avoid holding the brake pedal down too long or applying the bra kes
too frequently. This could cause the brakes to overheat and result in
reduced braking efficiency.
● Due to the added load of the trailer, your vehicle’s engine may over-
heat on hot days (at temperatures over 85°F [30°C]) when drivin g
up a long or steep grade. If the engine coolant temperature gau ge
indicates overheating, immediately turn off the air conditionin g (if in
use), pull your vehicle off the road and stop in a safe spot.
(  P. 519)

1934-1. Before driving
4
Driving
4RUNNER (U)
●Always place wheel blocks under both the vehicle’s and the trai ler’s
wheels when parking. Apply the parking brake firmly, and put th e
transmission in P. Avoid parking on a slope, but if unavoidable , do
so only after perform ing the following:
Apply the brakes and keep them applied.
Have someone place wheel blocks under both the vehicle’s and
trailer’s wheels.
When the wheel blocks are in pl ace, release the brakes slowly
until the blocks absorb the load.
Apply the parking brake firmly.
Shift into P and turn off the engine.
● When restarting afte r parking on a slope:
With the transmission in P, start the engine. Be sure to keep t he
brake pedal pressed.
Shift into a forward gear. If reversing, shift into R.
Release the parking brake and brake pedal, and slowly pull or
back away from the wheel bloc ks. Stop and apply the brakes.
Have someone retrieve the blocks.
■ Matching trailer ball height to trailer coupler height
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No matter which class of tow hitch
applies, for a more safe trailer hookup,
the trailer ball setup must be the proper
height for the coupler on the trailer.
Coupler
Trailer ball
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2034-2. Driving procedures
4
Driving
4RUNNER (U)
WARNING
■When starting the engine
Always start the engine while sitting in the driver’s seat. Do not depress the
accelerator pedal while starting the engine under any circumsta nces.
Doing so may cause an accident resulting in death or serious in jury.
■ Caution while driving
If engine failure occurs while the vehicle is moving, do not lock or open the
doors until the vehicle reaches a safe and complete stop.
■ Stopping the engine in an emergency
● If you want to stop the engine in an emergency while driving the vehicle,
press and hold the engine switch for more than 2 seconds, or press it
briefly 3 times or more in succession. ( P. 467)
However, do not touch the engine switch while driving except in an emer-
gency. Turning the engine off while driving will not cause loss of steering or
braking control, but the power assist to these systems will be lost. This will
make it more difficult to steer and brake, so you should pull over and stop
the vehicle as soon as it is safe to do so.
● If the engine switch is operated while the vehicle is running, a warning
message will be shown on the multi-information display and a buzzer
sounds.
■ When parking
Exhaust gases include harmful carbon monoxide (CO), which is co lorless
and odorless. Observe the following precautions.
Failure to do so may cause exhaust gases to enter the vehicle a nd may
lead to an accident caused by light-headedness, or may lead to death or a
serious health hazard.
● If the vehicle is in a poorly ventilated area or a closed area, such as a
garage, stop the engine.
● Do not leave the vehicle with the engine running for a long time. If such a
situation cannot be avoided, park the vehicle in an open space and ensure
that exhaust fumes do not enter the vehicle interior.
● Do not leave the engine running in an area with snow build-up, or where it
is snowing. If snowbanks build up around the vehicle while the engine is
running, exhaust gases may collect and enter the vehicle.

2044-2. Driving procedures
4RUNNER (U)
NOTICE
■To prevent battery discharge
● Do not leave the engine switch in ACCESSORY or IGNITION ON mode
for long periods of time without the engine running.
● If “ACCESSORY” or “IGNITION ON” is displayed on the multi-infor mation
display, the engine switch is not off. Exit the vehicle after t urning the
engine switch off.
● Do not stop the engine when the shift lever is in a position ot her than P. If
the engine is stopped in another shift lever position, the engine switch will
not be turned off but instead be turned to ACCESSORY mode. If t he vehi-
cle is left in ACCESSORY mode, battery discharge may occur.
■ When starting the engine
● Do not race a cold engine.
● If the engine becomes difficult to start or stalls frequently, have your vehi-
cle checked by your Toyota dealer immediately.
■ Symptoms indicating a malf unction with the engine switch
If the engine switch seems to be operating somewhat differently than usual,
such as the switch sticking slightly, there may be a malfunction. Contact
your Toyota dealer immediately.

2764-5. Using the driving support systems
4RUNNER (U)■
Conditions under which the system may not function correctly
●The Blind Spot Monitor may not detect vehicles correctly in the following sit-
uations:
• When the sensor is misaligned due to a strong impact to the se nsor or its
surrounding area
• When mud, snow, ice, a sticker, etc. is covering the sensor or surround-
ing area on the rear bumper
• When driving on a road surface that is wet with standing water during bad
weather, such as heavy rain, snow, or fog
• When multiple vehicles are approaching with only a small gap b etween
each vehicle
• When the distance between your vehicle and a following vehicle is short
• When there is a significant difference in speed between your v ehicle and
the vehicle that enters the detection area
• When the difference in speed between your vehicle and another vehicle
is changing
• When a vehicle enters a detection area traveling at about the same
speed as your vehicle
• As your vehicle starts from a stop, a vehicle remains in the d etection area
• When driving up and down consecutive steep inclines, such as hills, dips in the road, etc.
• When driving on roads with sharp bends, consecutive curves, or uneven
surfaces
• When vehicle lanes are wide, or when driving on the edge of a lane, and
the vehicle in an adjacent lane is far away from your vehicle
• When an accessory (such as a bicycle carrier) or towing eyelet is
installed to the rear of the vehicle
• When there is a significant difference in height between your vehicle and
the vehicle that enters the detection area
• Immediately after the Blind Spot Monitor is turned on
● Instances of the Blind Spot Monitor unnecessarily detecting a vehicle and/or
object may increase in the following situations:
• When the sensor is misaligned due to a strong impact to the se nsor or its
surrounding area
• When the distance between your vehicle and a guardrail, wall, etc. that
enters the detection area is short
• When driving up and down consecutive steep inclines, such as h ills, dips
in the road, etc.
• When vehicle lanes are narrow, or when driving on the edge of a lane,
and a vehicle traveling in a lane other than the adjacent lanes enters the
detection area
• When driving on roads with sharp bends, consecutive curves, or uneven
surfaces
• When the tires are slipping or spinning
• When the distance between your vehicle and a following vehicle is short
• When an accessory (such as a bicycle carrier) or towing eyelet is
installed to the rear of the vehicle
• When the vehicle throws up water or snow behind.

3024-5. Using the driving support systems
4RUNNER (U)■
System operation
Part-time 4WD models:
Stop the vehicle, shift the shif t lever to N and shift the front-wheel
drive control lever into L4.
Full-time 4WD models:
Stop the vehicle, shift the shift lever to N and then push and turn
the four-wheel drive c ontrol switch to L4L.
Press the “A-TRAC” switch to
activate the system.
At this time, the “A-TRAC” indi-
cator will come on.
To cancel the system, push the
switch again.
Active traction control system
: If equipped
The active traction control syst em automatically helps prevent
the spinning of 4 wheels when the vehicle is started or acceler -
ated on slippery road surfaces.
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