4RUNNER (1998)
If you perform maintenance by
yourself, be sure to follow the cor-
rect procedure given in this part.
You should be aware that improper or
incomplete servicing may result in op-
erating problems.
Performing do- it- yourself maintenance
during the warranty period may affect
your warranty coverage. Read the
separate Toyota Warranty statement
for details and suggestions.
This part gives instructions only for
those items that are relatively easy
for an owner to perform. As explained
in Part 6, there are still a number of
items that must be done by a qualified
technician with special tools.
For information on tools and parts for
do- it- yourself maintenance, see ºParts
and toolsº.
Utmost care should be taken when
working on your vehicle to prevent
accidental injury. Here are a few pre-
cautions that you should be especially
careful to observe:
CAUTION
When the engine is running,
keep hands, clothing, and tools
away from the moving fan and
engine drive belts. (Removing
rings, watches, and ties is ad-
visable.)
Right after driving, the engine
compartmentÐthe engine, radia-
tor, exhaust manifold, power
steering fluid reservoir and
spark plug boots, etc.Ðwill be
hot. So be careful not to touch
them. Oil, fluids and spark
plugs may also be hot.
If the engine is hot, do not re-
move the radiator cap or loosen
the drain plugs to prevent burn-
ing yourself.
Do not smoke, cause sparks or
allow open flames around fuel
or the battery. Their fumes are
flammable.
Be extremely cautious when
working on the battery. It con-
tains poisonous and corrosive
sulfuric acid.
Do not get under your vehicle
with just the body jack support-
ing it. Always use automotive
jack stands or other solid sup-
ports.
Do- it- yourself service
precautions
4RUNNER (1998)
Uniform tire quality grading
This information has been prepared in
accordance with regulations issued by
the National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration of the U.S. Department
of Transportation. It provides the pur-
chasers and/or prospective purchasers
of Toyota vehicles with information on
uniform tire quality grading.
Your Toyota dealer will help answer
any questions you may have as you
read this information.
DOT quality gradesÐAll passenger
vehicle tires must conform to Fed-
eral Safety Requirements in addition
to these grades. These quality
grades are molded on the sidewall.
Treadwear ÐThe treadwear grade is a
comparative rating based on the wear
rate of the tire when tested under
controlled conditions on a specified
government test course. For example,
a tire graded 150 would wear one and
a half (1- 1/2) times as well on the
government course as a tire graded
100. The relative performance of tires
depends upon the actual conditions of
their use, however, and may depart
significantly from the norm due to
variations in driving habits, service
practices and differences in road char-
acteristics and climate. Traction A, B, C
ÐThe traction
grades, from highest to lowest, are A,
B, and C, and they represent the
tire's ability to stop on wet pavement
as measured under controlled condi-
tions on specified government test
surfaces of asphalt and concrete. A
tire marked C may have poor traction
performance.
Warning: The traction grade assigned
to this tire is based on braking
(straight ahead) traction tests and
does not include cornering (turning)
traction.
Temperature A, B, C ÐThe tempera-
ture grades are A (the highest), B,
and C, representing the tire's resis-
tance to the generation of heat and its
ability to dissipate heat when tested
under controlled conditions on a speci-
fied indoor laboratory test wheel. Sus-
tained high temperature can cause the
material of the tire to degenerate and
reduce tire life, and excessive temper-
ature can lead to sudden tire failure.
The grade C corresponds to a level of
performance which all passenger car
tires must meet under the Federal Mo-
tor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 109.
Grades B and A represent higher lev-
els of performance on the laboratory
test wheel than the minimum required
by law. Warning: The temperature grades for
this tire are established for a tire that
is properly inflated and not over-
loaded. Excessive speed, underinfla-
tion, or excessive loading, either sepa-
rately or in combination, can cause
heat buildup and possible tire failure.
