1997 TOYOTA 4RUNNER ECO mode

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

154
Your vehicle is designed primarily as a
passenger - and - load - carrying vehicle.
Towing a trailer will have an adverse ef
fect
on handling, performance, braking, dura-
bility and driving economy (fuel consump-
tion, etc.). Your safety and satisfaction de-
pend on the proper use of correct
equipment and cautious driving habits.
For your safety and the safety of others,you must not overload your vehicle or
trailer. Ask your local T oyota dealer for fur-
ther details before towing. WEIGHT LIMITS
Before towing, make sure the total
trailer weight, gross combination
weight, gross vehicle weight, grossaxle weight and trailer tongue load are
all within the limits.
The total trailer weight and tongue load
can be measured with platform scales
found at a highway weighing station,
building supply company, trucking com-
pany, junk yard, etc.
CAUTION!
The total trailer weight (trailer
weight plus its cargo load) must
not exceed the following. Exceed-
ing this weight is dangerous. If
towing a trailer over 907 kg (2000lb.), it is necessary to use a sway
control device with a sufficient ca-
pacity.
3RZ-FE engines 1587 kg (3500 lb.)
5VZ-FE engine
2267 kg (5000 lb.)
The gross combination weight
(sum of your vehicle weight plus
its load and the total trailer weight)
must not exceed the following.
Two-wheel drivemodels
3RZ-FE engine
3447 kg (7600 lb.)
5VZ-FE engine
3992 kg (8800 lb.)
Four-wheel drive models 3RZ-FE engine 3583 kg (7900 lb.)
5VZ-FE engine 4173 kg (9200 lb.)
The gross vehicle weight must not
exceed the Gross Vehicle Weight
Rating (GVWR) indicated on the
Certification Label. The gross ve-
hicle weight is the sum of weights
of the unloaded vehicle, driver,
passengers, luggage, hitch and
trailer tongue load. It also includes
the weight of any special equip-
ment installed on your vehicle.
The load on either the front or rearaxle resulting from distribution of
the gross vehicle weight on both axles must not exceed the Gross
Axle Weight Rating (GAWR) listed on the Certification Label.
Trailer towing

159

Avoid continuous speeding up and
slowing down. Stop-and-go driving
wastes fuel.
Avoid unnecessary stopping andbraking. Maintain a steady pace. Try
to time the traffic signals so you only
need to stop as little as possible or take
advantage of through streets to avoid
traffic lights. Keep a proper distance
from other vehicles to avoid sudden braking. This will also reduce wear on your brakes.
Avoid heavy traffic or traffic jams
whenever possible.
Do not rest your foot on the clutch
or brake pedal. This causes needless
wear, overheating and poor fuel econ-
omy.
Maintain a moderate speed on highways. The faster you drive, the
greater the fuel consumption. By re-
ducing your speed, you will cut down
on fuel consumption.
Keep the front wheels in proper alignment. Avoid hitting the curb and
slow down on rough roads. Improper
alignment not only causes faster tire
wear but also puts an extra load on the
engine, which, in turn, wastes fuel.
Keep the bottom of your vehicle
free from mud, etc. This not only
lessens weight but also helps preventcorrosion.
Keep your vehicle tuned-up and in
top shape. A dirty air cleaner, improp-
er valve clearance, dirty plugs, dirty oil
and grease, brakes not adjusted, etc.
all lower engine performance and con-
tribute to poor fuel economy. For lon-
ger life of all parts and lower operating
costs, keep all maintenance work on
schedule, and if you often drive under severe conditions, see that your ve-
hicle receives more frequent mainte-
nance (For scheduled maintenance in-
formation, please refer to the separate
Owner 's Manual Supplement/Main-
tenance Scheduleº).
CAUTION!
Never turn off the engine to coast
down hills. Your power steering and brake booster will not function with-
out the engine running. Also, the
emission control system operates
properly only when the engine isrunning.

172
Two-wheel drive modelsFour-wheel drive modelsIf towing is necessary, we recommend
you to have it done by your Toyota
dealer or a commercial tow truck ser-
vice. In consultation with them, have
your vehicle towed using either (a) or(b).
Only when you cannot receive a tow-
ing service from a Toyota dealer or
commercial tow truck service, tow
your vehicle carefully in accordance
with the instructions given in
ÐEmergency towingº in this part. Proper equipment will help ensure that your vehicle is not damaged while being
towed. Commercial operators are gener-
ally
aware of the state/provincial and local
laws pertaining to towing.
Your vehicle can be damaged if it is towed
incorrectly. Although most operators know the correct procedure, it is possible
to make a mistake. To avoid damage to your vehicle, make sure the following few
precautions are observed. If necessary,
show this page to the tow truck driver.
If your vehicle needs to be towedÐ

173
TOWING PRECAUTIONS: Use a safety chain system for all towing,
and abide by the state/provincial and local
laws. The wheels and axle on the ground
must be in good condition. If they are
damaged, use a towing dolly.
Two-wheel drive modelsÐ
(a) Towing with wheel lift type truck From frontÐ
Manual transmission
We recommend using a towing dolly un-
der the rear wheels. If you do not use a
towing dolly, release the parking brake
and put the transmission in neutral. Automatic transmission:
Use a towing dolly under the rear wheels.
NOTICE
Never tow a vehicle with an automatic transmission from the
front with the rear wheels on theground, as this may cause serious damage to the transmission.
From rearÐ Place the ignition key in the
ACCº position.
NOTICE
When lifting wheels, take care to
ensure adequate ground clear-
ance for towing at the oppositeend of the raised vehicle. Other-wise, the bumper and/or under-
body of the towed vehicle will be damaged during towing.
Do not tow with the key removedor in the LOCKº position, as thesteering lock mechanism is notstrong enough to hold the front
wheels straight while towing.
(b) Using flat bed truck
(c) Towing with sling type truck from front
Follow the instructions for twoing from
front in (b) Towing with wheel lift type truckº. Four-wheel drive modelsÐ
(a) Towing with wheel lift type truck From frontÐ
Manual transmission:
We recommend using a towing dolly un-
der the rear wheels. If you do not use a
towing dolly, release the parking brake,
put the transmission in neutral and set the
transfer in H2º mode. Automatic transmission:
Use a towing dolly under the rear wheels.
NOTICE
Never tow a vehicle with an automatic transmission from the
rear with the front wheels on theground, as this may cause serious damage to the transmission.
From rearÐWe recommend using a tow-
ing dolly under the front wheels. If you do
not use a towing dolly, place the ignition key in the ACCº position, put the trans- mission in neutral and set the transfer inH2º.

174
NOTICE
Do not tow with the key removed or in the LOCKº position when
towing from the rear without atowing dolly. The steering lock mechanism is not strong enough tohold the front wheels straight.
(b) Using flat bed truck
(c) Towing with sling type truck from front
Follow the instructions for towing from
front in (b) Towing with wheel lift type truckº.
All modelsÐ
(c) Towing with sling type truck from rear
NOTICE
Do not tow with sling type truck. This may cause body damage.
If towing is necessary, we recommend
you to have it done by your Toyota
dealer or a commercial tow truck ser- vice.
If towing service is not available in an
emergency, your vehicle may be tem-
porarily towed by a cable or chain se-
cured to one of the emergency towing
eyelets under the front of the vehicle.
Use extreme caution when towing the vehicle.
A driver must be in the vehicle to steer it and operate the brakes.
Towing in this manner may be done only
on hard-surfaced roads for a short dis-
tance and at low speeds. Also, the
wheels, axles, drive train, steering and brakes must all be in good condition.
ÐEmergency towing

176
If the emergency towing hook is
used to get out when your vehicle
becomes stuck in the mud, sand or
other condition from which the
vehicle can not be driven out under
its own power, make sure to observe
the precautions mentioned below.
Otherwise, excessive stress will be
put on the hook and the towing
cable or chain may break, causing
serious injury or damage. If the towing vehicle can hardly
move, do not forcibly continue the
towing. Contact your Toyota deal-
er or a commercial tow truck ser- vice for assistance.
Tow the vehicle as straight ahead as possible.
Keep away from the vehicle during
towing. CAUTION
!
The following methods are effective to
use when your vehicle is stuck in the mud, sand or other condition from which the ve-
hicle cannot be driven out under its own
power. Use extreme caution when
towing
the vehicle. In addition, keep away from
the vehicles and towing cable or chain
when towing. Remove the soil and sand in the front and the back of the tires.
Place stones or wood under the tires.
If you cannot shift the selector lever
out of Pº position to other positions
even though the brake pedal is de-pressed, use the shift lock override
button as follows:
1. Turn the ignition key to LOCKº
position. Make sure the parking brake is set.
2. Pry up the cover with a flat-bladed screwdriver or equivalent.
ÐTips for towing a stuck vehicle
If you cannot shift automatic
transmission selector lever
(two-wheel drive models)

220
MANUAL TRANSMISSION
Oil capacity, L (qt., Imp. qt.):
3RZ-FE engineTwo-wheel drive models
2.6 (2.7, 2.3)
Four-wheel drive models 2.5 (2.6, 2.2)
5VZ-FE engine 2.2 (2.3, 1.9)
Oil type: Multipurpose gear oil API GL-4 or
GL-5
Recommended oil viscosity:
SAE 75W-90
AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION Fluid capacity (drain and refill), L (qt., Imp. qt.):
Two-wheel drive models
Up to 1.6 (1.7, 1.4)
Four-wheel drive models Up to 2.0 (2.1, 1.8)
Fluid type: Automatic transmission fluid D-II or DEXRON [
III (DEXRON [
II) TRANSFER
Oil capacity, L (qt., lmp. qt.):
1.0 (1.1, 0.9)
Oil type: Multipurpose gear oil API GL-4 or
GL-5
Recommended oil viscosity: SAE 75W-90
DIFFERENTIAL
Oil capacity, L (qt., lmp. qt.): Two-wheel drive models2.75 (2.9, 2.4)
Four-wheel drive models FrontA.D.D.
1.15 (1.2, 1.0)
Except A.D.D. 1.1 (1.2, 1.0)
Rear With rear differential lock system2.75 (2.9, 2.4)
Without rear differential lock system
2.45 (2.6, 2.2) Oil type:
Hypoid gear oil API GL-5
Recommended oil viscosity: FrontA.D.D.
SAE 75W-90
Except A.D.D. Above -18 C (0 F)
SAE 90
Below -18 C (0 F)
SAE 80W or 80W-90
Rear Above -18 C (0 F)
SAE 90
Below -18 C (0 F)
SAE 80W or 80W-90
CHASSIS LUBRICATION Propeller shafts: SpidersLithium base chassis grease, NLGI No. 2
Slide yoke and double cardan joint Molybdenum-disulfide lithium basechassis grease, NLGI No. 2