1996 TOYOTA 4RUNNER Owners Manual

24
1. Remove the head restraint, and
swing the bottom cushion up by pull-
ing the lock release strap. Be certain to replace the head restraint.
It is hinged at the front edge, so just lift it up.
CAUTION!
When returning the bottom cushion
to its place: Do not forget to pull out the buckle
of the side seatbelts and center
seatbelt and arrange them in their
proper position for ready use.
Make sure the bottom cushion is securely locked by trying to pull up the edge of the cushion near
the lock release straps.
2. Unlock the seatback and fold it down.
This will enlarge the luggage compart-
ment as far as the raised seat cushion.See Luggage stowage precautionsº in
Part 2 for precautions to observe in load- ing luggage.
If desired, each seatback may be folded
separately.

25
CAUTION!
When returning the seatback to the
upright position: Make sure the seat belts are not
twisted or caught in the seatback
and are arranged in their proper
position for ready use.
Make sure the seatback is secure-
ly locked by pushing forward and rearward on the top of the seat-
back. Be certain to replace the
head restraints. The temporary third seat is designed for emergent supplementary uses.
CAUTION!
Do not install a child restraint sys- tem in the temporary third seat. As
the child restraint system may not be
capable of being properly secured
due to the configuration of this seat.
Temporary third seatÐ ÐFolding down and removing temporary third seat

26
1. Pull the seatback lock release lever
and fold down the seatback.
Hold the lever until you have swing the
seatback slightly forward.
2. Pull the seat lock release lever up.
Lift the seat and remove the seat to-
ward you.
Hold
the lever until you have lifted the seat
upward slightly. Folding down or removing the temporary third seat will enlarge compartment. See
Luggage stowing precautionsº in Part 2
for what to observe in loading luggage.
1. Hook the temporary third seat as
shown in the illustration.
CAUTION!
Make sure the temporary third seat
is securely locked.
2. Pull the seatback lock release lever
and return the seatback.
Hold the lever until you have returned the seatback.
CAUTION!
Make sure the seatback is securely
locked by pushing forward and rear-
ward on the top of the seatback.
ÐReturning temporary third seat

27
Front
RearFor your safety, adjust the head re-
straint before driving.
To raise: Pull it up.
To lower: Push it down while pressing the lock release button.
On some models, you can also move the
head restraint forward or backward. If
such adjustment is desired, pull or push the head restraint.
The head restraint is most effective when
it is close to your head. Therefore, using a cushion on the seatback is not recom- mended.
CAUTION!
Adjust the top of the head restraint
so that it is closest to the top of
your ears.
After adjusting the head restraint,
make sure it is locked in position.
Do not drive with the head re-
straints removed. Toyota recommends that the driver and
passengers in the vehicle be properly re- strained at all times with the seat belts
provided. Failure to do so could increase
the chance of injury and/or the severity of
injury in accidents. Baby or small child.
Use the child re-
straint system which fits your vehicle. See
Child restraintº for details.Child. If a child is too large for a child re-
straint system, the child should sit in the rear seat and must be restrained using the
vehicle's seat belt. According to accident
statistics, the child is safer when properly
restrained in the rear seat than in the front
seat. Do not allow the child to stand up or
kneel on either rear or front seats. If the
shoulder belt falls across the child's neck
or face, move the child to the center posi- tion and use the center lap belt.
Pregnant woman. Toyota recommends
the use of a seat belt. Ask your doctor for
specific recommendations. The lap belt
should be worn securely and as low as
possible over the hips and not on the waist.
Injured person. Toyota recommends the
use of a seat belt. Depending on the injury,
first check with your doctor for specific recommendations.
Seat beltsÐ ÐSeat belt precautions
Head restraints

27
Front
RearFor your s
afety, adjust the restraint be-
fore driving.
To raise: Pull it up.
To lower: Push it down while pressing the lock release button.
On some models, you can also move the
head restraint forward or backward. If
such adjustment is desired, pull or push the head restraint.
The head restraint is most effective when
it is close to your head. Therefore, using a cushion on the seatback is not recom- mended.
CAUTION!
Adjust the top of the head restraint
so that it is closest to the top of
your ears.
After adjusting the head restraint,
make sure it is locked in position.
Do not drive with the head re-
straints removed. Toyota recommends that the driver and
passengers in the vehicle be properly re- strained at all times with the seat belts
provided. Failure to do so could increase
the chance of injury and/or the severity of
injury in accidents. Baby or small child.
Use the child re-
straint system which fits your vehicle. See
Child restraintº for details.Child. If a child is too large for a child re-
straint system, the child should sit in the rear seat and must be restrained using the
vehicle's seat belt. According to accident
statistics, the child is safer when properly
restrained in the rear seat than in the front
seat. Do not allow the child to stand up or
kneel on either rear or front seats. If the
shoulder belt falls across the child's neck
or face, move the child to the center posi- tion and use the center lap belt.
Pregnant woman. Toyota recommends
the use of a seat belt. Ask your doctor for
specific recommendations. The lap belt
should be worn securely and as low as
possible over the hips and not on the waist.
Injured person. Toyota recommends the
use of a seat belt. Depending on the injury,
first check with your doctor for specific recommendations.
Seat beltsÐ ÐSeat belt precautions
Head restraints

28
CAUTION!
Persons should ride in their seats
properly wearing their seat belts
whenever the vehicle is moving.
Otherwise, they are much more like-
ly to suffer serious bodily injury in
the event of sudden braking or a col-lision.
When using the seat belts, observe
the following: Use the belt for only one person at
a time. Do not use a single belt for
two or more peopleÐeven chil- dren.
Avoid reclining the seatbacks too
much. The seat belts provide maxi-
mum protection when the seat-backs are in the upright position.(See the seat adjustment instruc- tions.)
Be careful not to damage the belt
webbing or hardware. Take care
that they do not get caught or
pinched in the seat or side doors.
Inspect the belt system periodical-
ly. Check for cuts, fraying, and
loose parts. Damaged parts should
be replaced. Do not disassemble or
modify the system.
Keep the belts clean and dry. If they
need cleaning, use a mild soap
solution or lukewarm water. Never
use bleach, dye, or abrasive clean-
ersÐthey may severely weaken the
belts.
Replace the belt assembly (includ-
ing bolts) If it has been used in a se-
vere impact. The entire assembly
should be replaced even if damage
is not obvious.
Adjust the seat as needed (front seats only) and sit up straight and well back
in the seat. To fasten your belt, pull it
out of the retractor and insert the tab
into the buckle.
You will hear a click when the tab locks into the buckle.
The seat belt length automatically adjusts
to your size and the seat position.
The retractor will lock the belt during a
sudden stop or on impact. It also may lock
if you lean forward too quickly. A slow, easy motion will allow the belt to extend,
and you can move around freely.
ÐFront and rear outside seat belts, and temporary third seat belts

29
If the seat belt cannot be pulled out of the
retractor,
firmly pull the belt and release it.
You will then be able to smoothly pull the
belt out of the retractor.
When a passenger's shoulder belt is com-
pletely extended and is then retracted
even slightly, the belt is locked in that posi-
tion and cannot be extended. This feature
is used to hold the child restraint system
securely. (For details, see Child restraintº
in this chapter.) To free the belt again, fully
retract the belt and then pull the belt out
once more.
CAUTION!
After inserting the tab, make sure
the tab and buckle are locked and that the belt is not twisted.
Do not insert coins, clips, etc. in
the buckle as this may prevent you
from properly latching the tab andbuckle.
If the seat belt does not function
normally, i mmediately contact your
Toyota dealer.
Seat belts with an adjustable shoulder anchorÐ
Adjust the shoulder anchor position
to your size.
To raise: Slide the anchor up.
To lower: Push in the lock release button
and slide the anchor down.
After adjustment make sure the anchor is
locked in position.
CAUTION!
Always make sure the shoulder belt
is positioned across the center of
your shoulder. The belt should be
kept away from your neck, but not
falling off your shoulder. Failure to
do so could reduce the amount of
protection in an accident and in-
crease the chance of injury.

30
Adjust the position of the lap and
shoulder belts Position the lap belt as low as possible on
your hipsÐnot on your waist, then adjust
it to a snug fit by pulling the shoulder por- tion upward through the latch plate.
CAUTION!
High-positioned lap belts and
loose-fitting belts both could in-
crease the chance of injury due to
sliding under the lap belt during
collision. Keep the lap belt as low
on your hip bone as possible.
For your safety, do not place the
shoulder belt under your arm.
To release the belt, press the buckle-
release button and allow the belt to re- tract.
If the belt does not retract smoothly, pull
it out and check for kinks or twists. Then make sure it remains untwisted as it re- tracts.