1997 TOYOTA 4RUNNER wheel

Part 2Off-road vehicle precautions
135
INFORMATION
BEFORE DRIVING
YOUR TOYOTA
Off-road vehicle precautions
Break-in period
Fuel
Operation in foreign countries
Three-way catalytic converter
Engine exhaust cautions
Facts about engine oil consumption
Twin ground electrode spark plugs
Brake system
Brake pad wear limit indicators
Luggage stowage precautions
Your Toyota's idenitification
Theft prevention labels
Suspension and chassis
Types of tires
This vehicle is one of the class of ve-
hicles which have higher ground
clearance and narrower tread in rela-
tion to the height of their center of
gravity to make them capable of per- forming in a wide variety of off-road applications. Specific design charac-
teristics give it a hi
gher center or grav-
ity than ordinary cars. An advantage ofthe higher ground clearance is a better view of the road allowing you to antici-
pate problems. It is not designed for
cornering at the same speeds as con-
ventional two-wheel drive vehicles
any more than low-slung sports cars
are designed to perform satisfactorily under off-road conditions.
CAUTION!
Always observe the following pre-
cautions to minimize the risk of seri-
ous personal injury or damage to
your vehicle: Avoid sharp turns or abrupt maneu-
vers, if at all possible. As with other
vehicles of this type, failure to oper-
ate this vehicle correctly may result
in loss of control or vehicle rol-
lover.
Avoid l oading any items on the roof
that will make the center of gravity
even higher.
Always slow down in gusty cross-
winds. Because of its high center of
gravity, your vehicle is more sensi-
tive to side winds than an ordinary
passenger car. Slowing down will
allow you to have much better con- trol.
Do not drive horizontally across
steep slopes. Driving straight up or
straight down is preferred. Your ve-
hicle (or any similar off-road ve-
hicle) can tip over sideways much
more easily than forward or back- ward.

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

143
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. However, when the `ABS''
warning light is on (and the brake system
warning light is off), the anti-lock brake
system is not assisting brake perfor-mance so that the wheels can lock-up
during sudden braking or braking on slip-
pery road surfaces. Have your vehicle
checked by your Toyota dealer as soon as
possible
The brake pads wear limit indicators
on your disc brakes give a warning
noise w hen 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.
Brake pad wear limit indicator

147
CAUTION!
Do not mix summer and all sea-
son tires on your vehicle as this
can cause dangerous handling
characteristics, 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 originals.

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