1996 TOYOTA 4RUNNER wheel

169
Washing your Toyota by hand
Work in the shade and wait until the ve-
hicle body is not hot to the touch.
1. Rinse off loose dirt with a hose. Re- move any mud or road salt from the un-
derside of the vehicle or in the wheel wells.
2. Wash with a mild car-wash soap, mixed
according to the manufacturer's in-
structions. Use a soft cotton mitt and keep it wet by dipping it frequently into the wash
water. Do not rub hardÐlet the soap and water remove the dirt. Aluminum wheels: Use only a mild soap or
neutral detergent.
Road tar: Remove with turpentine or
cleaners that are marked safe for painted surfaces.
Do not use gasoline or strong
solvents, which may be toxic or
cause damage.
NOTICE
3. Rinse thoroughlyÐdried soap can
cause streaking. In hot weather you may need to rinse each section right after you wash it. 4. To prevent water spots, dry the vehicle using a clean soft cotton towel. Do not rub
or press hardÐyou might scratch thepaint.
Automatic car wash
Your vehicle may be washed in an auto-
matic car wash, but remember that the
paint can be scratched by some type of
brushes, unfiltered washing water, or the
washing process itself. Scratching re- duces
paint durability and gloss, especial-
ly on darker colors. The manager of the car wash should be able to advise you whether the process is safe for the paint
on your vehicle.
Waxing your Toyota
Polishing and waxing is recom-
mended to maintain the original
beauty of your Toyota's finish.
1. Always wash and dry the vehicle be-
fore you begin waxing, even if you are us-
ing a combined cleaner and wax.
2. Use a good quality polish and wax. If the finish has become extremely weath-
ered, use a car-cleaning polish, followed
by a separate wax. Carefully follow the
manufacturer 's instructions and precau-
tions. Be sure to polish and wax the chrome trim as well as the paint. 3. Wax the vehicle again when water
does
not bead but remains on the surface
in large patches.
Washing and waxing your
Toyota

175
Tire surface and wheel nuts Check the tires carefully
for cuts, damage
or excessive wear. See Chapter 7-2 for
additional information. When checking the tires, make sure no nuts are missing,
and check the nuts for looseness. T ighten
them if necessary.
Tire rotation
Rotate the tires every 12000 km (7500
miles). See Chapter 7-2 for additional in-formation.
Fluid leaks Check underneath for leaking fuel, oil, wa-
ter or other fluid after the vehicle has been
parked for a while. If you smell fuel fumes
or notice any leak, have the cause found
and corrected immediately. Doors and engine hood
Check that all doors including back door
operate smoothly and all latches lock se-
curely. M ake sure the engine hood secon-
dary latch secures the hood from opening
when the primary latch is released. INSIDE THE VEHICLE Items listed below should be checked
regularly, e.g. while performing peri-
odic services, cleaning the vehicle,etc. Lights Make sure the headlights, stop lights, tail lights, turn signal lights, and other lights are all working. Check headlight aim. Service reminder indicators and
warn-
ing buzzers Check that all service reminder indicators
and warning buzzers function properly. Steering wheel
Check that it has the specified freeplay.
Be alert for changes in steering condition,such as hard steering or strange noise. Seats Check that all seat controls such as seat
adjusters, seatback recliner, etc. operate
smoothly and that all latches lock securely
in any position. Check that the head re-
straints move up and down smoothly and
that the locks hold securely in any latched
position. For folding-down rear seat-
backs, swing-up rear seat cushions and
detachable temporary third seat, check
that the latches lock securely. Seat belts
Check that the seat belt system such as
buckles, retractors and anchors operate
properly
and smoothly. Make sure the belt
webbing is not cut, frayed, worn or dam-aged. Accelerator pedal Check the pedal for smooth operation and
uneven pedal effort or catching. Clutch pedal Check the pedal for smooth operation. Brake pedal Check the pedal for smooth operation and
that the pedal has the proper clearance. Check the brake booster function. Brakes
At a safe place, check that the brakes do not pull to one side when applied. Parking brake Check that the lever has the proper travel and that, on a safe incline, your vehicle is
held securely with only the parking brake applied.

Part 7Checking the engine oil level
187
DO-IT-YOURSELF MAINTENANCEÐ
Chapter 7-2 Engine and Chassis
Checking the engine oil level
Checking the engine coolant level
Checking brake fluid
Checking power steering fluid
Checking tire pressure
Checking and replacing tires
Rotating tires
Installing snow tires and chains
Replacing wheels
Aluminum wheel precautions
With the engine at operating tempera- ture and turned off, check the oil level
on the dipstick.
1. To get a true reading, the vehicle
should be on a
level spot. After turning off
the engine, wait a few minutes for the oil
to drain back into the bottom of the en-gine.
2. Pull out the dipstick, and wipe it clean with a rag.
3. Reinsert the dipstick 'push it in as far
as it will go, or the reading will not be cor- rect.
4. Pull the dipstick out and look at the oil level on the end. If the oil level is below or only slightly
above the low level, add engine oil of
the same type as already in the engine. Remove the oil filler cap and add engine
oil in small quantities at a time, checking the dipstick.
The approximate quantity of oil needed to fill between the low level and the full level
on the dipstick is indicated below for refer- ence.
When the level reaches within the correct range, install the filler cap hand-tight.
Oil quantity, L (qt., Imp. qt.):
3RZ-FE engine1.5 (1.6, 1.3)
5VZ-FE engine 1.2 (1.3, 1.1)
NOTICE
Avoid overfilling, or the enginecould be damaged.
Check the oil level on the dipstick
once again after adding the oil.

191
Keep your tire pressures at the proper level.
The recommended cold tire pressures,
tire size and the cargo weight rating are
given in Part 8.
You should check the tire pressures every
two weeks, or at least once a month. And
do not forget the spare!
Incorrect tire pressure can reduce tire
life and make your vehicle less safe todrive.
Low tire pressure results in excessive
wear, poor handling, reduced fuel econo-
my, and the possibility of blowouts fromoverheated tires. Also, low tire pressure
can cause poor sealing of the tire bead. If
the tire pressure is excessively low, there
is the possibility of wheel deformation and/or tire separation.
High tire pressure produces a harsh ride,
handling problems, excessive wear at the center of the tire tread, and a greater
pos-
sibility of tire damage from road hazards.
If a tire frequently needs refilling, have it
checked by your Toyota dealer. The following instructions for check-
ing tire pressure should be observed:
The pressure should be checked
only when the tires are cold. If your
vehicle has been parked for at least 3hours and has not been driven for
more than 1.5 km or 1 mile since, you
will get an accurate cold tire pressure reading.
Always use a tire pressure gauge.
The appearance of a tire can be mis-
leading. Besides, tire pressures that
are even just a few pounds off can de-
grade handling and ride.
Do not bleed or reduce tire pres-sure after driving. It is normal for the
tire pressure to be higher after driving.
Never exceed the vehicle capacityweight. The passenger and luggage
weight should be located so that the
vehicle is balanced.
Be sure to reinstall the tire inflation
valve caps. Without the valve caps,
dirt or moisture could get into the valve
core and cause air leakage. If the capshave been lost, have new ones put onas soon as possible.
CHECKING YOUR TIRES Check the tire tread for the tread wear
indicators. If the indicators show, re-
place the tires.
The tires on your Toyota have built-in tread wear indicators to help you know
when the tires need replacement. When
the tread depth wears to 1.6 mm (0.06 in.)
or less, the indicators will appear. If you
can see the indicators in two or more adja-
cent grooves, the tire should be replaced.
The lower the tread, the higher the risk of skidding. The effectiveness of snow tires is lost
if the tread wears down below 4 mm (0.16 in.).
Checking tire pressure
Checking and replacing tires

192Check the tires regularly for damage
such as cuts, splits and cracks. If any damage is found, consult with a tech-
nician and have the tire repaired or re-placed. Even if the damage does not appear seri-
ous, a qualified technician should ex-
amine the damage. Objects which havepenetrated the tire may have caused in- ternal damage.
Any tires which are over six years old
must be checked by a qualified techni-
cian even if damage is not obvious.
Tires deteriorate with age even if they
have never or seldom been used.
This
also applies to the spare tire and tires
stored for future use.REPLACING YOUR TIRES
When replacing a tire, use only the
same size and construction as origi-
nally installed and with the same or
greater load capacity.
Using any other size or type of tire may se-
riously affect handling, ride, speedome-
ter/odometer calibration, ground clear-
ance, and clearance between the body
and tires or snow chains.
CAUTION!
Do not mix radial, bias belted, or
bias-ply tires on your vehicle. It
can cause dangerous handling
characteristics, resulting in loss
of control.
Do not use tires or wheels other
than the manufacturer's recom-
mended size.
Toyota recommends all four tires, or at
least both of the front or rear tires be
replaced at a time as a set.
See If you have a flat tireº in Part 4 for tire
change procedure.
When a tire is replaced, the wheel
should always be balanced.
An unbalanced wheel may affect vehicle
handling and tire life. Wheels can get out
of balance with regular use and should
therefore be balanced occasionally.
When replacing a tubeless tire, the air
valve should also be replaced with a
new one.
To equalize tire wear and help extend
tire life, Toyota recommends that you
rotate your tires approximately every
12000 km (7500 miles). However, the
most appropriate timing for tire rota-
tion may vary according to your driv-
ing habits and road surface condi- tions.
See If you have a flat tireº in Part 4 for tire
change procedure. When rotating tires, check for uneven
wear and damage. Abnormal wear is usu-
ally caused by incorrect tire pressure, im-
proper wheel alignment, out-of-balance
wheels, or severe braking.
Rotating tires

193
WHEN TO USE SNOW TIRES OR CHAINS
Snow tires or chains are recom-
mended when driving on snow or ice.
On wet or dry roads, conventional tires
provide better traction than snow tires. SNOW TIRE SELECTION
If you need snow tires, select the same
size, construction and load capacity
as the original tires on your Toyota.
Do not use tires other than those men-
tioned above. Do not install studded tires
without first checking local regulations for
possible restrictions.
SNOW TIRE INSTALLATION
Snow tires should be installed on all wheels. Installing snow tires on the front wheels
only can lead to an excessive difference
in road grip capability between the front
and rear tires which would cause loss of
vehicle control.
When storing removed tires, you should
store them in a cool dry place.
Mark the direction of rotation and be sure to install them in the same direction whenreplacing.
CAUTION!
Do not drive with the snow tires in- correctly inflated.
Never drive over 120 km/h (75 mph)
with any type of snow tires.
TIRE CHAIN SELECTION Use the tire chains of correct size.
Regulations regarding the use of tire
chains vary according to location or
type of r oad, so always check them be-
fore installing chains.
CHAIN INSTALLATION
Install the chains on the rear tires as
tightly as possible. Do not use tirechains on the front tires. Retighten
chains after driving 0.5 '1.0 km
(1/4 '1/2 mile).
When installing chains on your tires, care- fully follow the instructions of the chain
manufacturer.
If wheel covers are used, they will be
scratched by the chain band, so removethe covers before putting on the chains.CAUTION!
Do not exceed 50 km/h (30 mph) or
the chain manufacturer's recom-
mended speed limit, whichever is
lower.
Drive carefully avoiding bumps,
holes, and sharp turns, which maycause the vehicle to bounce.
Avoid sharp turns or locked-
wheel braking, as use of chains
may adversely affect vehicle han- dling.
Installing snow tires and chains

194WHEN TO REPLACE YOUR WHEELS
If you have wheel damage such as
bending, cracks or heavy corrosion,
the wheel should be replaced.
If you fail to replace damaged wheels, the
tire may slip off the wheel or they may cause loss of handling control. WHEEL SELECTION
When replacing wheels, care should
be taken to ensure that the wheels are
replaced by ones with the same load
capacity, diameter, rim width, and off-set.
Correct
replacement wheels are available
at your Toyota dealer.
A wheel of a different size or type may ad-
versely affect handling, wheel and bear-
ing life, brake cooling, speedometer/
odometer calibration, stopping ability,
headlight aim, bumper height, vehicle
ground clearance, and tire or snow chain clearance to the body and chassis. Replacement
with used wheels is not rec-
ommended as they may have been sub-jected to rough treatment or high mileageand could fail without warning. Also, bent
wheels which have been straightened
may have structural damage and there-
fore should not be used. Never use an in-
ner tube in a leaking wheel which is de-
signed for a tubeless tire.
After driving your vehicle the first 1600
km (1000 miles), check that the wheel
nuts are tight.
If you have rotated, repaired, or
changed your tires, check that the
wheel nuts are still tight after driving
1600 km (1000 miles).
When using tire chains, be careful not
to damage the aluminum wheels.
Use only the Toyota wheel nuts and
wrench designed for your aluminumwheels.
When balancing your wheels, use only
Toyota balance weights or equivalent
and a plastic or rubber hammer.
As with any wheel, periodically checkyour aluminum wheels for damage. If
damaged, replace immediately.
Aluminum wheel precautions
Replacing wheels

Cargo weight rating kg (lb.): 200 (300)
* 1
: Unladen vehicle plus two occupants
* 2
: Unladen vehicle mm (in.)
P265/70R 16 tire
P225/75R 15 tire Without wheel With wheel
opening extension opening extension
Overall length 4540 (178.7) 4540 (178.7) 4540 (178.7)
Overall width 1690 (66.5) 1730 (68.1) 1800 ( 70.9)
Overall height 1690 (66.5)* 1
1745 (68.7)* 1
1745 (68.7)* 1
1715 (67.5)* 2
1760 (69.3)* 2
1760 (69.3)* 2
Wheelbase 2675 (105.3) 2675 (105.3) 2675 (105.3)
Front tread 1505 (59.3) 1505 (59.3) 1505 (59.3)
Rear tread 1495 (58.9) 1510 (59.4) 1510 (59.4)
Part 8 Dimensions and weight
205
SPECIFICATIONS
Dimensions and weight
Engine
Fuel
Service specifications
Tires
Fuses