1998 TOYOTA 4RUNNER service

4RUNNER (1998)
Only when you cannot receive a
towing service from a Toyota dealer
or commercial tow truck service,
tow your vehicle carefully in accor-
dance with the instructions given in
ºÐEmergency towingº in this Part.
Proper equipment will help ensure that
your vehicle is not damaged while be-
ing towed. Commercial operators are
generally aware of the state/provincial
and local laws pertaining to towing.
Your vehicle can be damaged if it is
towed incorrectly. Although most oper-
ators know the correct procedure, it is
possible to make a mistake. To avoid
damage to your vehicle, make sure
the following few precautions are ob-
served. If necessary, show this page
to the tow truck driver. TOWING PRECAUTIONS:
Use a safety chain system for all tow-
ing, and abide by the state/provincial
and local laws. The wheels and axle
on the ground must be in good condi-
tion. If they are damaged, use a tow-
ing dolly.
Two- wheel drive modelsÐ
(a) Towing with wheel lift type
truck
From frontÐ Manual transmission:
We recommend using a towing dolly
under the rear wheels. If you do not
use a towing dolly, release the park-
ing brake and put the transmission
in neutral.
Automatic transmission:
Use a towing dolly under the rear
wheels.
NOTICE
Never tow a vehicle with an auto-
matic transmission from the frontwith the rear wheels on theground, as this may cause serious
damage to the transmission.
From rearÐ Place the ignition key in
the ºACCº position.
NOTICE
When lifting wheels, take care
to ensure adequate groundclearance for towing at the op-posite end of the raised vehicle.
Otherwise, the bumper and/orunderbody of the towed vehiclewill be damaged during towing.
Do not tow with the key re-moved or in the ºLOCKº posi-tion, as the steering lock mech-
anism is not strong enough tohold the front wheels straight
while towing.
(b) Using flat bed truck

4RUNNER (1998)
If towing is necessary, we recom-
mend you to have it done by your
Toyota dealer or a commercial tow
truck service.
If towing service is not available in
an emergency, your vehicle may be
temporarily towed by a cable or
chain secured to the emergency
towing hook. Use extreme caution
when towing vehicles.
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 distance and at low speeds.
Also, the wheels, axles, drive train,
steering and brakes must all be in
good condition.
CAUTION
Use extreme caution when towing
vehicles. Avoid sudden starts or
erratic driving maneuvers which
would place excessive stress on
the emergency towing hook and
towing cable or chain. The hook
and towing cable or chain may
break and cause serious injury or damage.
NOTICE
Use only a cable or chain specifi-
cally intended for use in towingvehicles. Securely fasten the cableor chain to the towing hook pro-
vided.
Before towing, release the parking
brake and put the transmission in neu-
tral (manual) or ºNº (automatic) and
the transfer in ºH2º (four- wheel drive
models). The key must be in ºACCº
(engine off) or ºONº (engine running).

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)
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.

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.

4RUNNER (1998)
Automatic transmission ºParkº mech- anism
Check the lock release button of the
selector lever for proper and smooth
operation. On a safe incline, check
that your vehicle is held securely with
the selector lever in ºPº position and
all brakes released.
IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT
Items listed below should be
checked from time to time, e.g.
each time when refueling.
Washer fluid
Make sure there is sufficient fluid in
the tank. See Chapter 7- 3 for addi-
tional information.
Engine coolant level
Make sure the coolant level is be-
tween the ºFULLº and ºLOWº lines on
the see- through reservoir when the
engine is cold. See Chapter 7- 2 for
additional information.
Battery electrolyte level
Make sure the electrolyte level of all
battery cells is between upper and
lower level lines on the case. Add
only distilled water when replenishing.
See Chapter 7- 3 for additional in-
formation. Brake fluid level
Make sure the brake fluid level is cor-
rect. See Chapter 7- 2 for additional
information.
Engine oil level
Check the level on the dipstick with
the engine turned off and the vehicle
parked on a level spot. See Chapter
7- 2 for additional information.
Power steering fluid level
Check the level through the reservoir.
The level should be in the ºHOTº or
ºCOLDº range depending on the fluid
temperature. See Chapter 7- 2 for
additional information.
Exhaust system
If you notice any change in the sound
of the exhaust or smell exhaust
fumes, have the cause located and
corrected immediately. (See engine ex-
haust cautions in Part 2.)
Be on the alert for changes in perfor-
mance, sounds, and visual tip- offs
that indicate service is needed. Some
important clues are as follows:
Engine missing, stumbling, or ping-
ing
Appreciable loss of power
Strange engine noises
A leak under the vehicle (however,
water dripping from the air condi-
tioning after use is normal.)
Change in exhaust sound (This
may indicate a dangerous carbon
monoxide leak. Drive with the win-
dows open and have the exhaust
system checked immediately.)
Flat- looking tire; excessive tire
squeal when cornering; uneven tire wear
Vehicle pulls to one side when
driving straight on a level road
Strange noises related to suspen-
sion movement
Loss of brake effectiveness;
spongy feeling brake or clutch ped-
al; pedal almost touches floor; ve-
hicle pulls to one side when brak-
ing
Engine coolant temperature continu-
ally higher than normal
Does your vehicle need
repairing?

4RUNNER (1998)
Part 7
DO- IT- YOURSELF
MAINTENANCEÐ
Chapter 7- 1 Introduction
Engine compartment overview
Fuse locations
Do- it- yourself service
precautions
P ar t s and tools