1997 TOYOTA 4RUNNER Ect

138
If you plan to drive your Toyota in
another country... First,
comply with the vehicle registration
laws. Second, confirm the availability of the
correct fuel (unleaded and minimum oc- tane number).
The three-way catalytic converter is
an emission control device installed in
the exhaust system.
The purpose is to reduce pollutants in the exhaust gas.
CAUTION!
Keep people and combustible ma- terials away from the exhaust pipe
while the engine is running. The ex-
haust gas is very hot.
Do not drive, idle or park your ve-
hicle over anything that might
burn easily such as grass, leaves,
paper or rags.
A large amount of unburned gases
flowing into the three-way catalytic
converter may cause it to overheat and create a fire hazard. To preventthis and other damage, observe the following precautions:
Use only unleaded gasoline.
Do not drive with an extremely lowfuel level; running out of fuelcould cause the engine to misfire,
creating an excessive load on the
three-way catalytic converter.
Do not allow the engine to run atidle speed for more than 20 min-
utes.
Avoid racing the engine.
Do not push-start or pull-start your vehicle.
Do not turn off the ignition whilethe vehicle is moving.
NOTICE
Three-way catalytic converter
Operation in foreign countries

139
Keep your engine in good running
order. Malfunctions in the engine
electrical system, electronic igni-tion system/distributor ignitionsystem or fuel systems could
cause an extremely high three- way catalytic converter tempera-ture.
If the engine becomes difficult to
start or stalls frequently, take your
vehicle in for a check-up as soon
as possible. Remember, your To-yota dealer knows your vehicleand its three-way catalytic con-
verter system best.
To ensure that the three-way cata-lytic converter and the engine
emission control system operateproperly, your vehicle must re-ceive the periodic inspections re-
quired by the Toyota Maintenance
Schedule. For scheduled mainte- nance information, refer to the
separate Owner's Manual Sup-
plement/Maintenance Scheduleº.
CAUTION!
Avoid inhaling the engine ex-
haust. It contains carbon monox-
ide, which is a colorless and odor-
less gas. It can cause uncon-
sciousness or even death.
Make sure the exhaust system
has no holes or loose connec-
tions. The system should be
checked from time to time. If you
hit something, or notice a change
in the sound of the exhaust, have
the system checked immediately.
Do not run the engine in a garage
or enclosed area except for the
time needed to drive the vehicle in
or out. The exhaust gases cannot escape, making this a paticularly
dangerous situation.
Do not remain for a long time in a
parked vehicle with the engine
running. If it is unavoidable, how-
ever, do so only in an unconfined
area and adjust the heating or
cooling system to force outside air into the vehicle.Keep the back door and back win-
dow closed while driving. An open
or unsealed back door and back
window, may cause exhaust gases to be drawn into the vehicle. If you
must drive with the trunk lid open
to accommodate a large object,
close the windows, open all the in- strument panel vents and have the
heating or cooling system deliver fresh air into the vehicle by turning
the fan to high speed with the air
intake control set at the outside air position.
To allow proper operation of your
vehicle's ventilation system, keep
the inlet grilles in front of the wind-
shield cl ear of snow, leaves, or oth-
er obstructions.
If you smell exhaust fumes in the
vehicle, drive with the windows
open and the back door and back
window closed. Have the cause im-
mediately located and corrected.
Engine exhaust cautions

141
Your engine is fitted with twin ground electrode spark plugs.
NOTICE
Use only twin ground electrode spark plugs for your engine perfor-
mance.
TANDEM MASTER CYLINDER BRAKE SYSTEM
The tandem master cylinder brake sys-
tem is a hydraulic system with two sepa-
rate sub-systems. If either sub-system
should fa il, the other will still work. Howev-
er, the pedal will be harder to press, and
your stopping distance will be longer.
Also, the brake system warning light may come on.
CAUTION!
Do not drive your vehicle with only a single brake system. Have your
brakes fixed immediately.
BRAKE BOOSTER
The brake booster uses engine vacuum to
power-assist the brakes. If the engine
should quit while you are driving, you can
bring the vehicle to a stop with normal
pedal pressure. There is enough reserve
vacuum for one or two stops - but nomore!
CAUTION!
Do not pump the brake pedal if the
engine stalls. Each push on the
pedal uses up your vacuum re- serve.
Even if the power assist is com-
pletely lost, the brakes will still
work. But you will have to push
the pedal hard-much harder than
normal. And your braking dis- tance will be longer
ANTI-LOCK BRAKE SYSTEM (with ABSº warning light)
The anti- lock brake system is designed to
automatically help prevent lock- up of the
wheels during sudden braking or braking on
slippery road surfaces. This assists in pro-
viding directional stability and steering per -
formance of the vehicle under these cir -
cumstances.
The anti- lock brake system becomes op-
erative after the vehicle has accelerated to
a speed in excess of approximately 10 km/h
(6 mph). It stops operating when the vehicle
decelerates to a speed below approximate-
ly 5 km/h (3 mph).
You may hear a sound in the engine
compartment for a few seconds when the
engine is started or just after the vehicle is started. This means that the anti-lock
brake system is in the self check mode,
and does not indicate a malfunction.
Twin ground electrode spark plugs (5VZ-FE engine)
Brake system

142
Effective way to press the ABSº brake
pedal: When the anti-lock brake system
function is in action, you may feel thebrake pedal pulsating and hear a noise.
In this situation, to let the anti-lock brake
system work for you, just hold the brake
pedal down more firmly. Do not pumpthe brake. This will result in reduced
braking performance.
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 different
sizes. You may prevent the antilockbrake system from operating at fulleffictiveness.
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

144
When stowing luggage or cargo in the ve-
hicle, observe the following:
Put luggage or cargo in the trunk when
at all possible. Be sure all items are se- cured in place.
Be careful to keep the vehicle bal-
anced. Locating the weight as far for-
ward as possible helps maintain bal- ance.
For better fuel economy, do not carryunneeded weight.
CAUTION!
To prevent luggage or packages
from sliding forward during brak-
ing, do not stack anything behind
the front seats higher than the seatbacks. Keep luggage or pack-
ages 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 suffer serious bodily injury,
in the event of sudden braking or a collision.
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 they
may 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.
Luggage storage precautions
Your Toyota's identificationÐ
ÐVehicle identification number

Part 3How to start the engineÐ
(a) Before cranking
Before starting the engine
149
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
transmission into neutral. Hold theclutch pedal to the floor until the engine
is started. A starter safety device willprevent the starter from operating if
the clutch pedal is not fully depressed.
Automatic transmission: Put the se-
lector lever in Pº. If you need to restart
the engine while the vehicle is moving, put the selector lever in Nº. A starter
safety device 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.

150
Before 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 en-
gine starts.
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.
Do not crank for more than 30 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.
NOTICE 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 various conditions

151

Four-wheel drive modelsÐToyota
recommends not using four-wheel
drive on dry hard-surfaced roads, be-
cause four-wheel driving will cause unnecessary 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 if fully released
and the parking brake reminder
light is off.
Do not leave your vehicle unat-
tended while the engine is running.
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 con-
sult a tire dealer to determine
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 securely. 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, consult the 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