1998 TOYOTA 4RUNNER check engine

4RUNNER (1998)
Part 4
IN CASE OF AN
EMERGENCY
If your vehicle will not start
If your engine stalls while
driving
If your vehicle overheats
If you have a flat tire
If your vehicle needs to be
towed
If you cannot shift automatic
transmission selector lever
If you lose your keys
Before making these checks, make
sure you have followed the correct
starting procedure given in ºHow to
start the engineº in Part 3 and that
you have sufficient fuel.
If the engine is not turning over or
is turning over too slowlyÐ
1. Check that the battery terminals are tight and clean.
2. If the battery terminals are O.K., switch on the interior light.
3. If the light is out, dim or goes out when the starter is cranked, the
battery is discharged. You may try
jump starting. See º(c) Jump start-
ingº for further instructions.
If the light is O.K., but the engine still
will not start, it needs adjustment or
repair. Call a Toyota dealer or quali-
fied repair shop.
NOTICE
Do not pull- or push- start the ve- hicle. It may damage the vehicleor cause a collision when the en-
gine starts. Also the three- way
catalytic converter may overheatand become a fire hazard.
If the engine turns over at its nor-
mal speed but will not startÐ
1. Check that all the push- on connec- tors are tight. (For example, con-
nections at the spark plugs, ignition
coil and/or distributor)
2. If the connectors are O.K., the en- gine may be flooded because of
repeated cranking. See º(b) Start-
ing a flooded engineº for further
instructions.
If your vehicle will not start
Ð
(a) Simple checks

4RUNNER (1998)
CAUTION
When making the connections, to
avoid serious injury, do not lean
over the battery or accidentally
let the jumper cables or clamps
touch anything except the correct
battery terminals or the ground.
5. Start your engine in the normal
way. After starting, run it at about
2000 rpm for several minutes with
the accelerator pedal lightly de-
pressed.
6. Carefully disconnect the cables in the exact reverse order: the nega-
tive cable and then the positive
cable.
7. Carefully dispose of the battery cover clothsÐthey may now con-
tain sulfuric acid.
8. If removed, replace all the battery vent plugs.
If the cause of your battery discharg-
ing is not apparent (for example,
lights left on), you should have it
checked. If your engine stalls while driving...
1. Reduce your speed gradually, keep- ing a straight line. Move cautiously
off the road to a safe place.
2. Turn on your emergency flashers.
3. Try starting the engine again.
If the engine will not start, see ºIf
your vehicle will not startº.
CAUTION
If the engine is not running, the
power assist for the brakes and
steering will not work so steering
and braking will be much harder
than usual.
If your vehicle overheats
If your engine coolant temperature
gauge indicates overheating, if you
experience a loss of power, or if
you hear a loud knocking or ping-
ing noise, the engine has probably
overheated. You should follow this
procedure... 1. Pull safely off the road, stop the vehicle and turn on your emergen-
cy flashers. Put the transmission in
ºPº (automatic) or neutral (manual)
and apply the parking brake. Turn
off the air conditioning if it is being
used.
2. If coolant or steam is boiling out of the radiator or reservoir, stop the
engine. Wait until the steam sub-
sides before opening the hood. If
there is no coolant boiling over or
steam, leave the engine running.
CAUTION
To help avoid personal injury,
keep the hood closed until there
is no steam. Escaping steam or
coolant is a sign of very high
pressure.
If your engine stalls while
driving

4RUNNER (1998)
3. Visually check to see if the engine drive belt (fan belt) is broken or
loose. Look for obvious coolant
leaks from the radiator, hoses, and
under the vehicle. However, note
that water draining from the air
conditioning is normal if it has
been used.
CAUTION
When the engine is running, keep
hands and clothing away from the
moving fan and engine drive
belts.
4. If the engine drive belt is brokenor the coolant is leaking, stop the
engine immediately. Call a Toyota
dealer for assistance.
5. If the engine drive belt is O.K. and there are no obvious leaks, you
may help the engine cool down
more quickly by running it at about
1500 rpm for a few minutes with
the accelerator pedal lightly de-
pressed.
6. Check the coolant reservoir. If it is dry, add coolant to the reservoir
while the engine is running. Fill it
about half full.
CAUTION
Do not attempt to remove the ra-
diator cap when the engine and
radiator are hot. Serious injury
could result from scalding hot
fluid and steam blown out under
pressure.
7. After the engine coolant tempera-ture has cooled to normal, again
check the coolant level in the res-
ervoir. If necessary, bring it up to
half full again. Serious coolant loss
indicates a leak in the system. You
should have it checked as soon as
possible at your Toyota dealer. If you have a flat tireÐ
1. Reduce your speed gradually, keep- ing a straight line. Move cautiously
off the road to a safe place well
away from the traffic. Avoid stop-
ping on the center divider of a
highway. Park on a level spot with
firm ground.
2. Stop the engine and turn on your emergency flashers.
3. Firmly set the parking brake and put the transmission in ºPº (auto-
matic) or reverse (manual).
4. Have everyone get out of the ve- hicle on the side away from traffic.
5. Read the following instructions thoroughly.
CAUTION
When jacking, be sure to observe
the following to reduce the possi-
bility of personal injury: Follow jacking instructions.
Do not start or run the engine
while your vehicle is supported
by the jack.

4RUNNER (1998)
CAUTION
If the engine is not running, the
power assist for the brakes and
steering will not work so steering
and braking will be much harder
than usual.
Before emergency towing, check
that the hook is not broken or
damaged and that the installation
bolts are not loose.
Fasten the towing cable or chain
securely to the hook.
Do not jerk the hook. Apply steady
and even force.
To avoid damaging the hook, do
not pull from the side or at a verti-
cal angle. Always pull straight ahead.CAUTION
If the emergency towing eyelet is
used to get out when your vehicle
becomes struck in mud, sand or
other condition from which the
vehicle cannot be driven out un-
der its own power, make sure to
observe the precautions men-
tioned below. Otherwise, exces-
sive stress will be put on the
eyelet 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
dealer or a commercial tow
truck service for assistance.
Tow the vehicle as straight
ahead as possible.
Keep away from the vehicle
during towing.
ÐEmergency towing hook pr
cautions

4RUNNER (1998)
3. Insert the screwdriver or equiva-
lent into the hole to push down
the shift lock override button.
You can shift out of ºPº position
only while pushing the button.
4. Shift into ºNº position.
5. Insert the cover.
6. Start the engine. For your safety, keep the brake pedal depressed.
Be sure to have the system checked
by your Toyota dealer as soon as
possible. If you cannot shift automa
t
transmission selector lever
(four- wheel drive models)

4RUNNER (1998)
3. Insert your finger into the hole
to move the shift lock overdrive
lever backward. You can shift out
of ºPº position only while hold-
ing back the lever.
4. Shift into ºNº position.
5. Insert the cover.
6. Start the engine. For your safety, keep the brake pedal depressed.
Be sure to have the system checked
by your Toyota dealer as soon as
possible. If you lose your keys
Many Toyota dealers can make a
new key if you can give them the
key number.
See the suggestion given in ºKeysº in
Chapter 1- 2.
If your keys are locked in the vehicle
and you cannot get a duplicate, many
Toyota dealers can still open the door
for you, using their special tools. If
you must break a window to get in,
we suggest breaking the smallest side
window because it is the least expen-
sive to replace. Be extremely cautious
to avoid cuts from the glass.

4RUNNER (1998)
Where to go for service?
Toyota technicians are well- trained
specialists and are kept up to date
with the latest service information
through technical bulletins, service
tips, and in- dealership training pro-
grams. They learn to work on Toyotas
before they work on your vehicle,
rather than while they are working on it.
You can be confident that your Toyota
dealer 's service department performs
the best job to meet the maintenance
requirements on your vehicleÐreliably
and economically.
Your copy of the repair order is proof
that all required maintenance has
been performed for warranty coverage.
And if any problems should arise with
your vehicle while under warranty,
your Toyota dealer will promptly take
care of it. Again, be sure to keep a
copy of the repair order for any ser-
vice performed on your Toyota.
What about do- it- yourself mainte- nance?
Many of the maintenance items are
easy to do yourself if you have a little
mechanical ab ility and a few basic au-
tomotive tools. Simple instructions for
how to perform them are presented in
Part 7. If you are a skilled do- it- yourself me-
chanic, the Toyota service manuals
are recommended. Please be aware
that do- it- yourself maintanance can
affect your warranty coverage. See
ºOwner 's Guideº, ºOwner 's Manual
Supplementº or ºWarranty Bookletº for
the details.
General maintenance
Listed below are the general mainte-
nance items that should be performed
as frequently as specified. In addition
to checking the items listed, if you
notice any unusual noise, smell or
vibration, you should investigate the
cause or take your vehicle to your
Toyota dealer or a qualified service
shop immediately. It is recommended
that any problem you notice be
brought to the attention of your dealer
or the qualified service shop for their
advice.
CAUTION
Make these checks only where ad-
equate ventilation can be obtained
if you run the engine.
OUTSIDE THE VEHICLE
Items listed below should be per-
formed from time to time, unless
otherwise specified.
Tire pressure
Check the pressure with a gauge ev-
ery two weeks, or at least once a
month. See Chapter 7- 2 for additional
information.

4RUNNER (1998)
Tire surface and wheel nuts
Check the tires carefully for cuts,
damage or excessive wear. See Chap-
ter 7- 2 for additional information.
When checking the tires, make sure
no nuts are missing, and check the
nuts for looseness. Tighten them if
necessary.
Tire rotation
Rotate the tires every 12000 km (7500
miles). See Chapter 7- 2 for additional
information.
Fluid leaks
Check underneath for leaking fuel, oil,
water or other fluid after the vehicle
has been parked for a while. If you
smell fuel fumes or notice any leak,
have the cause found and corrected
immediately.
Doors and engine hood
Check that all doors including back
door operate smoothly and all latches
lock securely. Make sure the engine
hood secondary latch secures the
hood from opening when the primary
latch is released. INSIDE THE VEHICLE
Items listed below should be
checked regularly, e.g. while per-
forming periodic services, cleaning
the vehicle, etc.
Lights
Make sure the headlights, stop lights,
tail lights, turn signal lights, and other
lights are all working. Check headlight
aim.
Service reminder indicators and
warning buzzers
Check that all service reminder indica-
tors and warning buzzers function
properly.
Steering wheel
Check that it has the specified free-
play. Be alert for changes in steering
condition, such as hard steering or
strange noise.
Seats
Check that all seat controls such as
seat adjusters, seatback recliner, etc.
operate smoothly and that all latches
lock securely in any position. Check
that the head restraint move up and
down smoothly and that the locks hold
securely in any latched position. For
folding- down rear seatbacks, swing- up
rear seat cushions and detachable
temporary third seat, check that the
latches lock securely.Seat belts
Check that the seat belt system such
as buckles, retractors and anchors op-
erate properly and smoothly. Make
sure the belt webbing is not cut,
frayed, worn or damaged.
Accelerator pedal
Check the pedal for smooth operation
and uneven pedal effort or catching.
Clutch pedal
Check the pedal for smooth operation.
Brake pedal
Check the pedal for smooth operation
and that the pedal has the proper
clearance. Check the brake booster
function.
Brakes
At a safe place, check that the brakes
do not pull to one side when applied.
Parking brake
Check that the lever has the proper
travel and that, on a safe incline, your
vehicle is held securely with only the
parking brake applied.