1998 TOYOTA 4RUNNER ESP

4RUNNER (1998)
AM
FadingÐAM broadcasts are reflected
by the upper atmosphereÐespecially
at night. These reflected signals can
interfere with those received directly
from the radio station, causing the ra-
dio station to sound alternately strong
and weak.
Station interferenceÐWhen a reflected
signal and a signal received directly
from a radio station are very nearly
the same frequency, they can interfere
with each other, making it difficult to
hear the broadcast.
StaticÐAM is easily affected by exter-
nal sources of electrical noise, such
as high tension power lines, lighten-
ing, or electrical motors. This results
in static.
CARING FOR YOUR CASSETTE
PLAYER AND TAPES
For high performance from your cas-
sette player and tapes:
Clean the tape head and other parts
regularly.
A dirty tape head or tape path can
decrease sound quality and tangle
your cassette tapes. The easiest
way to clean them is by using a
cleaning tape. (A wet type is rec-
ommended.) Use high- quality cassettes.
Low- quality cassette tapes can
cause many problems, including
poor sound, inconsistent playing
speed, and constant auto- revers-
ing. They can also get stuck or
tangled in the cassette player.
Do not use a cassette if it has
been damaged or tangled or if its
label is peeling off.
Do not leave a cassette in the
player if you are not listening to it,
especially if it is hot outside.
Store cassettes in their cases and
out of direct sunlight.
Avoid using cassettes with a total
playing time longer than 100 min-
utes (50 minutes per side). The
tape used in these cassettes is
thin and could get stuck or tangled
in the cassette player.

4RUNNER (1998)
When driving your vehicle off- road,
please observe the following precau-
tions 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 own-
er's permission before entering private
property.
c. Do not enter areas that are closed.
Honor gates, barriers and signs that
restrict travel.
d. Stay on established roads. When
conditions 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 per-
taining to driving your vehicle off-
road, consult the following organiza-
tions. State and Local Parks and Recre-
ation Departments
State Motor Vehicle Bureau
Recreational Vehicle Clubs
U.S. Forest Service and Bureau of
Land Management
CAUTION
Always observe the following pre-
cautions to minimize the risk of
serious personal injury or damage
to your vehicle: Drive carefully when off the
road. Do not take unnecessary
risks by driving in dangerous
places.
Do not grip the steering wheel
spokes when driving off- road. A
bad bump could jerk the wheel
and injure your hands. Keep
both hands and especially your
thumbs on the outside of the
rim.
Always check your brakes for
effectiveness immediately after
driving in sand, mud, water or
snow.
After driving through tall grass,
mud, rock, sand, rivers, etc.,
check that there is no grass,
bush, paper, rags, stone, sand,
etc. adhering or trapped on the
underbody. Clear off any such
matter from the underbody. If
the vehicle is used with these
materials trapped or adhering to
the underbody, a breakdown or
fire could occur.Off- road driving precaution

4RUNNER (1998)
A safety chain must always be
used between the towing vehicle
and the trailer. Leave sufficient
slack in the chain for turns. The
chain should cross under the
trailer tongue to prevent the
tongue from dropping to the
ground in case it becomes dam-
aged or separated. For correct
safety chain procedures, follow
the hitch or trailer manufactur-
er 's recommendations.
CAUTION
If the total trailer weight ex-
ceeds 453 kg (1000 lb.), trailer
brakes are required .
Never tap into your vehicle's
hydraulic system as it would
lower its braking effectiveness .
Never tow a trailer without us-
ing a safety chain securely atta-
ched to both the trailer and the
vehicle. If damage occurs to the
coupling unit or hitch ball,
there is danger of the trailer
wandering over into another
lane.
TIRES
Ensure that your vehicle's tires are
properly inflated. See Chapter 7- 2
for instructions.
The trailer tires should be inflated
to the pressure recommended by
the trailer manufacturer in respect
to the total trailer weight.
TRAILER LIGHTS Trailer lights must comply with fed-
eral, state/provincial and local re-
gulations. See your local recre-
ational vehicle dealer or rental
agency for the correct type of wir-
ing and relays for your trailer.
Check for correct operation of the
turn signals and stop lights each
time you hitch up. Direct splicing
may damage your vehicle's electri-
cal system and cause a malfunc-
tion of your lights.
BREAK- IN SCHEDULE Toyota recommends that you do
not tow a trailer with a new vehicle
or a vehicle with any new power
train component (engine, transmis-
sion, differential, wheel bearing,
etc.) for the first 800 km (500
miles) of driving. MAINTENANCE
If you tow a trailer, your vehicle
will require more frequent
maintenance due to the additional
load. For this information, please
refer to the scheduled maintenance
information in the ºOwner 's Manual
Supplement/Maintenance Scheduleº.
Retighten all fixing bolts of the
towing ball and bracket after
approximately 1000 km (600 miles)
of trailer driving.
PRE- TOWING SAFETY CHECK
Check that your vehicle remains
level when a loaded or unloaded
trailer is hitched. Do not drive if
the vehicle has an abnormal nose-
up or nose- down condition, and
check for improper tongue load,
overload, worn suspension or other
possible causes.
Make sure the trailer cargo is se-
curely loaded so that it cannot
shift.
Check that your rear view mirrors
conform to any applicable federal,
state/provincial or local regulation.
If not, install the rear view mirrors
required for towing purpose.

4RUNNER (1998)
TRAILER TOWING TIPS
When towing a trailer, your vehicle
will handle differently than when
not towing. The three main causes
of vehicle- trailer accidents are driv-
er error, excessive speed and im-
proper trailer loading. Keep these in
mind when towing:
Before starting out, check operation
of the lights and all vehicle- trailer
connections. After driving a short
distance, stop and recheck the
lights and connections. Before ac-
tually towing a trailer, practice turn-
ing, stopping and backing with a
trailer in an area away from traffic
until you learn the feel.
Backing with a trailer is difficult
and requires practice. Grip the bot-
tom of the steering wheel and
move your hand to the left to move
the trailer to the left. Move your
hand to the right to move the trail-
er to the right. (This procedure is
generally opposite to that when
backing without a trailer). Also, just
turn the steering wheel a little at
a time, avoiding sharp or prolonged
turning. Have someone guide you
when backing to reduce the risk of
an accident.
Because stopping distance may be
increased, vehicle- to- vehicle dis-
tance should be increased when
towing a trailer. For each 16 km/h
(10 mph) of speed, allow at least
one vehicle and trailer length bet-
ween you and the vehicle ahead.
Avoid sudden braking as you may
skid, resulting in jackknifing and
loss of control. This is especially
true on wet or slippery surfaces.
Avoid jerky starts or sudden accel-
eration. If your vehicle has a
manual transmission, prevent ex-
cessive clutch slippage by keeping
engine rpm low and not racing the
engine. Always start out in first
gear.
Avoid jerky steering and sharp
turns. The trailer could hit your ve-
hicle in a tight turn. Slow down
before making a turn to avoid the
necessity of sudden braking.
Remember that when making a
turn, the trailer wheels will be clos-
er than the vehicle wheels to the
inside of the turn. Therefore, com-
pensate for this by making a larger
than normal turning radius with y-
our vehicle.
Crosswinds and rough roads will
adversely affect handling of your
vehicle and trailer, causing sway.
Pay attention to the rear from time
to time to prepare yourself for be-
ing passed by large trucks or
buses, which may cause your ve-
hicle and trailer to sway. If swaying
happens, firmly grip the steering
wheel and reduce speed immedi-
ately but gradually. Never increase
speed. Steer straight ahead. If you
make no extreme correction with
the steering or brakes, the vehicle
and trailer will stabilize.
Be careful when passing other ve-
hicles. Passing requires consider-
able distance. After passing a ve-
hicle, do not forget the length of
your trailer and be sure you have
plenty of room before changing
lanes.
In order to maintain engine braking
efficiency, do not use fifth gear
(manual transmission) or overdrive
(automatic transmission).

4RUNNER (1998)
Part 5
CORROSION
PREVENTION AND
APPEARANCE CARE
Protecting your Toyota from
corrosion
Washing and waxing your
To y o t a
Cleaning the interior
Toyota, through its d iligent research,
design and use of the most advanced
technology available, has done its part
to help prevent corrosion and has pro-
vided you with the finest quality ve-
hicle construction. Now, it is up to
you. Proper care of your Toyota can
help ensure long- term corrosion pre-
vention.
The most common causes of corro-
sion to your vehicle are:
The accumulation of road salt, dirt
and moisture in hard- to- reach
areas under the vehicle.
Chipping of paint, or undercoating
caused by minor accidents or by
stones and gravel.
Care is especially important if you
live in particular areas or operate
your vehicle under certain environ-
mental conditions: Road salt or dust control chemicals
will accelerate corrosion, as will
the presence of salt in the air near
the sea- coast or in areas of indus-
trial pollution.
High humidity accelerates corrosion
especially when temperatures range
just above the freezing point.
Wetness or dampness to certain
parts of your vehicle for an ex-
tended period of time, may cause
corrosion even though other parts
of the vehicle may be dry.
High temperatures will cause corro-
sion to those components of the
vehicle which are prevented from
quick- drying due to lack of proper
ventilation.
The above signifies the necessity to
keep your vehicle, particularly the un-
derside, as clean as possible and to
repair any damage to paint or protec-
tive coatings as soon as possible.
To help prevent corrosion on your
Toyota, follow these guidelines:
Wash your vehicle frequently. It is,
of course, necessary to keep your ve-
hicle clean by regular washing, but to
prevent corrosion, the following points
should be observed:
If you drive on salted roads in the
winter or if you live near the
ocean, you should hose off the un-
dercarriage at least once a month
to minimize corrosion.
Protecting your Toyota
from corrosion

4RUNNER (1998)
1. Rinse off loose dirt with a hose.
Remove any mud or road salt from
the underside of the vehicle or in
the wheel wells.
2. Wash with a mild car- wash soap, mixed according to the manufactur-
er's instructions. Use a soft cotton
mitt and keep it wet by dipping it
frequently into the wash water. Do
not rub hardÐlet the soap and wa-
ter 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.
NOTICE
Do not use gasoline or strong solvents, which may be toxic orcause damage.
3. Rinse thoroughlyÐdried soap can
cause streaking. In hot weather
you may need to rinse each sec-
tion right after you wash it.
4. To prevent water spots, dry the ve- hicle using a clean soft cotton tow-
el. Do not rub or press hardÐyou
might scratch the paint. Automatic car wash
Your vehicle may be washed in an
automatic car wash, but remember
that the paint can be scratched by
some type of brushes, unfiltered
washing water, or the washing process
itself. Scratching reduces paint dura-
bility and gloss, especially 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.
NOTICE
To prevent damage to the anten-
na, make sure it is retracted be-fore driving your Toyota throughan automatic car wash. On mod-
els with detachable antenna, re-move the antenna before using an automatic car wash.
Waxing your Toyota
Polishing and waxing is recom-
mended to maintain the original
beauty of your Toyota's finish.
Once a month or if the vehicle does
not repel water well, apply wax.
1. Always wash and dry the vehicle before you begin waxing, even if
you are using a combined cleaner
and wax.
2. Use a good quality polish and wax. If the finish has become extremely
weathered, use a car- cleaning pol-
ish, followed by a separate wax.
Carefully follow the manufacturer 's
instructions and precautions. 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.

4RUNNER (1998)
NOTICE
Do not use organic substances
(solvents, kerosene, alcohol,gasoline, etc.) or alkaline or acidic solutions. These chemi-
cals can cause discoloring,staining or peeling of the sur-face.
If you use cleaners or polishingagents, make sure their ingredi- ents do not include the sub-
stances mentioned above.
If you use a liquid car freshen-er, do not apill the liquid ontothe vehicle's interior surfaces. It may contain the ingredients
mentioned above. Immediatelyclean any spill using the meth-
od mentioned above.
Leather Interior
The leather upholstery may be
cleaned with neutral detergent for
wool.
Remove dirt using a soft cloth damp-
ened with 5% solution of neutral de-
tergent for wool. Then thoroughly wipe
off all traces of detergent with a clean
damp cloth. After cleaning or whenever any part of
the leather gets wet, dry with a soft
clean cloth. Allow the leather to dry
in a ventilated shaded area.
NOTICE
If a stain should fail to come
out with a neutral detergent, ap-ply a cleaner that does not con-tain an organic solvent.
Never use organic substances
such as benzine, alcohol orgasoline, or alkaline or acid
solutions for cleaning the leath-er as these could cause discol-oring.
Use of a nylon brush or synthe-tic fiber cloth, etc. may scratch
the fine grained surface of theleather.
Mildew may develop on soiledleather upholstery. Be especially
careful to avoid oil spots. Try
to keep your upholstery alwaysclean.
Long exposure to direct sun-
light may cause the leather sur-face to harden and shrink. Keepyour vehicle in a shaded area,
especially in the summer.
The interior of your vehicle isapt to heat up on hot summer
days, so avoid placing on the upholstery items made of vinyl
or plastic or containing wax asthese tend to stick to leatherwhen warm
.

Improper cleaning of the leather upholstery could result in dis-coloration or staining.
If you have any questions about the
cleaning of your Toyota, your local
Toyota dealer will be pleased to
answer them.

4RUNNER (1998)
Part 6
VEHICLE
MAINTENANCE
AND CARE
Maintenance requirements
General maintenance

Does your vehicle need
repairing?
For scheduled maintenance in-
formation, please refer to the
separate ºOwner 's Manual Sup-
plement/Maintenance Scheduleº. Maintenance requirements
Your Toyota vehicle has been de-
signed to for fewer maintenance re-
quirements with longer service inter-
vals to save both your time and
money. However, each regular mainte-
nance, as well as day- to- day care, is
more important than ever before to
ensure smooth, and trouble- free, safe,
and economical drivings.
It is the owner 's responsib
ility to
make sure the specified maintenance,
including general maintenance service,
is performed. Note that both the new
vehicle and emission control system
warranties specify that proper mainte-
nance and care must be performed.
See ºOwner 's Guideº, ºOwner 's Manu-
al Supplementº or ºWarranty Bookletº
for complete warranty information.
General maintenance
General maintenance items are those
day- to- day care practices that are im-
portant to your vehicle for proper op-
eration. It is the owner 's responsib ility
to ensure that the general mainte-
nance items are performed regularly.
These checks or inspections can be
done either by yourself or a qualified
technician, or if you prefer, your Toyo-
ta dealer will be pleased to do them
at a nominal cost. Scheduled maintenance
The scheduled maintenance items
listed in the ºOwner 's Manual Supple-
ment/Maintenance Scheduleº are those
required to be serviced at regular in-
tervals.
For details of your maintenance
schedule, read the separate ºOwner 's
Manual Supplement/Maintenance
Scheduleº.
It is recommended that any replace-
ment parts used for maintenance or
for the repair of the emission con-
trol system be Toyota supplied.
The owner may elect to use non-
Toyota supplied parts for replace-
ment purposes without invalidating
the emission control system warran-
ty. However, use of replacement
parts which are not of equivalent
quality may impair the effectiveness
of the emission control systems.
You may also elect to have mainte-
nance, replacement, or repair of the
emission control devices and sys-
tem performed by any automotive
repair establishment or individual
without invalidating this warranty.
See ºOwner 's Guideº, ºOwner 's
Manual Supplementº or ºWarranty
Bookletº for complete warranty in-
formation.