1996 TOYOTA 4RUNNER Owners Manual

134
When the anti-lock brake system function is in action, you may feel the brake pedal
pulsating and hear a noise. In this situa-
tion, to let the anti-lock brake system work for you, just hold the brake pedal
down
more firmly. Do not pump the brake.
The brake pedal pulsation caused by the
anti-lock brake system may indicate haz- ardous road surface conditions. Althoughthe anti-lock brake system assists in pro-
viding vehicle control, it is still important to
drive with all due care, because the anti-
lock brake system cannot overcome the
laws of physics that act on your vehicle: Braking capab ility is dependent on tire
friction with the road surface.
Even though the anti-lock brake sys-
tem is operating, a driver cannot main- tain full control on certain slippery road
surfaces, when cornering at highspeeds, or in violent maneuvers.
Avoid high speeds on wet roads. The
anti-lock brake system cannot elimi-
nate the risk of hydroplaning and lossof tire friction. Always maintain a safe distance from the
vehicle in
front of you. Compared with ve-
hicles not fitted with an anti-lock brake
system, your vehicle may require a longer
stopping distance in the following cases: Driving on rough, gravel or snow-cov-
ered roads.
Driving with tire chains installed.
Driving on roads where the road sur-
face is pitted or has other differencesin surface height.
CAUTION!
Do not use tires other than the
manufacturer 's designated tires,
and do not mix tires or wheels of dif-
ferent sizes. You may prevent the an-
tilock brake system from operatingat full effectiveness.
Vehicles with rear differential lock sys-
temÐThe anti-lock brake system does
not operate when the rear differential islocked. It is normal operation for the
ABSº warning light to be on at this time.Type A
Type B

135
ABSº warning light
This light comes on when the ignition key is turned to the ONº position. After about
3 seconds, the light will go off.
When the light is on with the rear dif
feren-
tial locked, it indicates the anti-lock brake
system will not operate.
If either of the following conditions occurs, this indicates a malfunction somewhere inthe parts monitored by the warning light
system. Contact your Toyota dealer as
soon as possible to service the vehicle. The light does not come on as de-
scribed above, or remains on.
The light comes on while driving with
the rear differential unlocked.
The light does not come on with the
rear differential locked.
The light comes on while driving.
Even if the anti-lock brake system should
fail, the brake system will still operate con-
ventionally. Have your vehicle checked by
your Toyota dealer as soon as possible.
The brake pad wear limit indicators on your disc brakes give a warning noise
when the brake pads are worn to
where replacement is required.
If you hear a squealing or scraping noise
while driving, have the brake pads
checked and replaced by your Toyota
dealer as soon as possible. Expensive ro-
tor damage can result if the pads are not
replaced when necessary. When stowing luggage or cargo in the ve-
hicle, observe the following:
Put luggage or cargo in the luggage
compartment when at all possible. Besure all items are secured in place.
Be careful to keep the vehicle bal-anced. Locating the weight as far
forward as possible helps maintainbalance.
For better fuel economy, do not carry
unneeded weight.CAUTION!
To prevent luggage or packages
from sliding forward during brak-
ing, do not stack anything in the
luggage compartment higher than
the seatbacks. Keep luggage or
packages low, as close to the floor
as possible.
Never allow anyone to ride in the
luggage compartment. It is not de-
signed for passengers. They
should ride in their seats with their
seat belts properly fastened.
Otherwise, they are much more
likely to suffer serious bodily inju-
ry, in the event of sudden braking or a collision.
Brake pad wear limit indicators Luggage stowage precautions

136
Do not place anything on the filler
panel or luggage cover. Such
items may be thrown about and
possibly injure people in the ve-
hicle during sudden braking or an
accident. (secure all items in a
safe place.)
Do not drive with objects left on
top of the instrument panel. They
may interfere with the driver's field
of view. Or they may move during
sharp vehicle acceleration or turn-
ing, and impair the driver's control
of the vehicle. In an accident theymay injure the vehicle occupants.
NOTICE
Do not load the vehicle beyond the vehicle capacity weight specified in
Part 8.
The vehicle identification number
(VIN) is the legal identifier for your ve- hicle. This number is on the left top of
the instrument panel, and can be seen
through the windshield from outside.
This is the primary identification number
for your T oyota. It is used in registering the
ownership of your vehicle.The vehicle identification number (VIN) is
also on the Certification Label.
Your Toyota's identificationÐ
ÐVehicle identification number

137
3RZ-FE engine
5VZ-FE engineThe engine number is stamped on the
engine block as shown.
Your new vehicle carries theft preven-
tion labels which are approximately 56 mm (2.20 in.) by 16 mm (0.63 in.). The purpose of these labels is to reduce
the incidence of vehicle thefts by facilitat- ing the tracing and recovery of parts from
stolen vehicles. The label is designed so
that
once it is applied to a surface, any at-
tempt to remove it will result in destroying
the integrity of the label. Transferringthese labels intact from one part to anoth-
er, will be impossible.
NOTICE
You should not attempt to remove the theft prevention labels as it may
violate certain state or federal laws.
ÐEngine number Theft prevention labels (except for Canada)

138
CAUTION!
Do not modify the suspension/chas-
sis with lift kits, spacers, springs,
etc. It can cause dangerous handling
characteristics resulting in loss ofcontrol. Determine what kind of tires your ve-
hicle is originally equipped with.
1. Summer tires.
Summer tires are high-speed capability
tires best suited to highway driving underdry conditions. Since
summer tires do not have the same
traction performance as snow tires, sum-
mer tires are inadequate for driving on
snow-covered or icy roads. For driving on
snow-covered or icy roads, we recom-
mend using snow tires. If installing snow tires, be sure to replace all four tires.
2. All season tires
All season tires are designed to provide
better traction in snow and to be adequate
for driving in most winter conditions, as
well as for use all year round.
All season tires, however, do not have ad-
equate traction performance compared
with snow tires in heavy or loose snow.
Also, all season tires fall short in accelera-
tion and handling performance compared with summer tires in highway driving.CAUTION!
Do not mix summer and all season
tires on your vehicle as this can
cause dangerous handling char-
acteristics, resulting in loss of control.
Do not use tires other than the
manufacturer 's designated tires,
and do not mix tires or wheels of
the sizes different from the origi- nals.
Suspension and chassis Types of tires

Part 3How to start the engineÐ
(a) Before cranking
Before starting the engine
139
STARTING AND DRIVING
Before starting the engine
How to start the engine
Tips for driving in various conditions
Off-road driving precautions
Winter driving tips
Trailer towing
How to save fuel and make your
vehicle last longer, too
1. Check the area around the vehicle be-
fore entering it.
2. Adjust seat position, seatback angle,
seat cushion angle, head restraint height and steering wheel angle.
3. Adjust inside and outside rear view mirrors.
4. Lock all doors.
5. Fasten seat belts.
1. Apply the parking brake firmly.
2. Turn off unnecessary lights and acces- sories. 3.
Manual transmission: Press the
clutch pedal to the floor and shift the trans-
mission into neutral. Hold the clutch pedal
to the floor until the engine is started. A
starter safety device will prevent the start-
er from operating if the clutch pedal is not fully depressed.
Automatic transmission: Put the selec-
tor lever in Pº. If you need to restart the
engine while the vehicle is moving, put the
selector lever in Nº. A starter safety de-vice will prevent the starter from operating
if the selector lever is in any drive position. 4. Automatic transmission only: De-
press the brake pedal and hold it to the
floor until driving off.

140Before starting the engine, be sure to fol-
low the instructions in (a) Before crank- ingº.
Normal starting procedure
The multiport fuel injection system/se-
quential multiport fuel injection system in
your engine automatically controls the
proper air-fuel mixture for starting. You can start a cold or hot engine as follows:
1. With your foot off the accelerator ped- al, crank the engine by turning the key to
STARTº. Release it when the enginestarts.
2. After
the engine runs for about 10 sec-
onds, you are ready to drive.
If the weather is below freezing, let the en-
gine warm up for a few minutes before driving.
If the engine stalls...
Simply restart it, using the correct proce- dure given in normal starting. If the engine will not startÐ
See If your vehicle will not startº in Part 4.
NOTICE
Do not crank for more than 15 sec-
onds at a time. This may overheat
the starter and wiring systems.
Do not race a cold engine.
If the engine becomes difficult to
start or stalls frequently, have theengine checked immediately.
Always slow down in gusty cross- winds. This will allow you much better control.
Drive slowly onto curbs and, if pos-
sible, at a right angle. Avoid drivingonto high, sharp-edged objects and
other road hazards. Failure to do so
can lead to severe tire damage result-
ing in tire bursts.
When parking on a hill, turn the front
wheels until they touch the curb so that
the vehicle will not roll. Apply the park-
ing brake, and place the transmission in Pº (automatic) or in first or reverse
(manual). If necessary, block thewheels.
Washing your vehicle or driving
through deep water may get the
brakes wet. To see whether they are
wet, check that there is no traffic near
you, and then press the pedal lightly. If
you do not feel a normal braking force,
the brakes are probably wet. To dry
them, drive the vehicle cautiously
while lightly pressing the brake pedal
with the parking brake pulled. If they
still do not work safely, pull to the side
of the road and call a T oyota dealer for
assistance.
(b) Starting the engine
Tips for driving in variousconditions

141

Four-wheel drive modelsÐToyota
recommends not using four-wheel
drive on dry hard-surfaced roads, be-
cause four-wheel driving will causeunnecessary noise and wear, and poor
fuel economy.
Four-wheel drive modelsÐIn cold
temperatures, noise may occur when
driving in two-wheel drive before the
transfer is warmed up. Therefore, first
drive in four-wheel drive until the
transfer is warmed up.
CAUTION!
Before driving off, make sure that
the parking brake is fully released
and the parking brake reminder
light is off.
Do not leave your vehicle unat- tended while the engine is run-ning.
Do not rest your foot on the brake
pedal while driving. It can cause
dangerous overheating, needless
wear, and poor fuel economy.
To drive down a long or steep hill,
reduce your speed and downshift.
Remember, if you ride the brakes
excessively, they may overheat
and not work properly.
Be careful when accelerating, up-
shifting, downshifting or braking
on a slippery surface. Sudden ac-
celeration or engine braking, could cause the vehicle to spin or skid.
Do not drive in excess of the speed
limit. Even if the legal speed limit
permits it, do not drive over 140
km/h (85 mph) unless your vehicle
has high-speed capability tires.
Driving over 140 km/h (85 mph)
may result in tire failure, loss of
control and possible injury. Be sure to consult a tire dealer to de-
termine whether the tires on your
vehicle are high-speed capability
tires or not before driving at such speeds.
Do not continue normal driving
when the brakes are wet. If they are
wet, your vehicle will require a lon-
ger stopping distance, and it may
pull to one side when the brakes
are applied. Also, the parking
brake will not hold the vehicle se-
curely. When driving your vehicle off-road,
please observe the following precautions
to ensure your driving enjoyment and to
help prevent the closure of areas to off-
road vehicles.
a. Drive your vehicle only in areas where
off-road vehicles are permitted to travel.
b. Respect private property. Get owner's
permission before entering private prop-
erty.
c. Do not enter areas that are closed.
Honor gates, barriers and signs that re-
strict travel.
d. Stay on established roads. When con- ditions are wet, driving techniques should
be changed or travel delayed to prevent
damage to roads.
For owners in U.S. mainland, Hawaii and Puerto Rico:
To obtain additional information pertaining
to driving your vehicle off-road, consultthe following organizations.
State and Local Parks and Recreation Departments
State Motor Vehicle Bureau
Recreational Vehicle Clubs
U.S. Forest Service and Bureau of
Land Management
Off-road driving precautions