1998 TOYOTA 4RUNNER fuel

4RUNNER (1998)
Part 3
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
Tr ailer towing
How to save fuel and make
your
vehicle last longer, too
Before starting the engine
1. Check the area around the vehicle before entering it.
2. Adjust seat position, seatback angle, seat cushion angle, head re-
straint 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 ac-
cessories.
3. Manual transmission: Press the
clutch pedal to the floor and shift
the transmission into neutral. Hold
the clutch pedal to the floor until
the engine is started. A starter
safety device will prevent the start-
er from operating if the clutch ped-
al is not fully depressed.
Automatic transmission: Put the
selector lever in ºPº. If you need to
restart the engine while the vehicle
is moving, put the selector lever in
ºNº. A starter safety device will pre-
vent 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.
How to start the engineÐ
(a) Before cranking

4RUNNER (1998)
(b) Starting the engine
Before starting the engine, be sure to
follow the instructions in º(a) Before
crankingº.
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
pedal, crank the engine by turning the
key to ºSTARTº. Release it when the
engine starts.
2. After the engine runs for about 10
seconds, you are ready to drive.
If the weather is below freezing, let
the engine warm up for a few minutes
before driving.
If the engine stalls...
Simply restart it, using the correct
procedure given in normal starting.
If the engine will not startÐ
See ºIf your vehicle will not startº in
Part 4.
NOTICE
Do not crank for more than 30 seconds at a time. This mayoverheat the starter and wiringsystems.
Do not race a cold engine.
If the engine becomes difficult
to start or stalls frequently,have the engine checked im-mediately.
Always slow down in gusty cross-
winds. This will allow you much
better control.
Drive slowly onto curbs and, if
possible, at a right angle. Avoid
driving onto high, sharp- edged ob-
jects and other road hazards. Fail-
ure to do so can lead to severe
tire damage resulting 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 parking brake, and
place the transmission in ºPº (auto-
matic) or in first or reverse (manu-
al). If necessary, block the wheels.
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
Toyota dealer for assistance.
Tips for driving in various
conditions

4RUNNER (1998)
Four- wheel drive modelsÐToyota
recommends not using four- wheel
drive on dry hard- surfaced roads,
because 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 is fully
released and the parking brake
reminder light is off.
Do not leave your vehicle unat-
tended while the engine is run-
ning.
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,
upshifting, downshifting or
braking on a slippery surface.
Sudden acceleration 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 consult 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 re-
quire a longer stopping dis-
tance, and it may pull to one
side when the brakes are ap-
plied. Also, the parking brake
will not hold the vehicle secure-
ly.

4RUNNER (1998)
Use a washer fluid containing an
antifreeze solution.
This product is available at your Toyo-
ta dealer and most auto parts stores.
Follow the manufacturer 's directions
for how much to mix with water.
NOTICE
Do not use engine antifreeze or any other substitute because itmay damage your vehicle's paint.
Do not use your parking brake
when there is a possibility it could
freeze.
When parking, put the transmission
into ºPº (automatic) or into first or
reverse (manual) and block the rear
wheels. Do not use the parking brake,
or snow or water accumulated in and
around the parking brake mechanism
may freeze, making it hard to release.
Keep ice and snow from accumulat-
ing under the fenders.
Ice and snow built up under your
fenders can make steering difficult.
During bad winter driving, stop and
check under the fenders occasionally. Depending on where you are driv-
ing, we recommend you carry some
emergency equipment.
Some of the things you might put in
the vehicle are tire chains, window
scraper, bag of sand or salt, flares,
small shovel, jumper cables, etc.
Trailer towing
Your vehicle is designed primarily as
a passenger- and- load- carrying ve-
hicle. Towing a trailer will have an
adverse effect on handling, perfor-
mance, braking, durability and driving
economy (fuel consumption, etc.).
Your safety and satisfaction depend
on the proper use of correct equip-
ment and cautious driving habits. For
your safety and the safety of others,
you must not overload your vehicle or
trailer. Ask your local Toyota dealer
for further details before towing.
WEIGHT LIMITS
Before towing, make sure the total
trailer weight, gross combination
weight, gross vehicle weight, gross
axle weight and trailer tongue load
are all within the limits.
The total trailer weight and tongue
load can be measured with platform
scales found at a highway weighing
station, building supply company,
trucking company, junk yard, etc.

4RUNNER (1998)
Slow down and downshift be-
fore descending steep or long
downhill grades. Do not make
sudden downshifts.
Avoid holding the brake pedal
down too long or too frequent-
ly. This could cause the brakes
to overheat and result in re-
duced braking efficiency.Getting more kilometers/mileage from
a liter/gallon of fuel is easyÐjust take
it easy. It will help make your vehicle
last longer, too. Here are some specif-
ic tips on how to save money on both
fuel and repairs:
Keep your tires inflated at the
correct pressure. Underinflation
causes tire wear and wastes fuel.
See Chapter 7- 2 for instructions.
Do not carry unneeded weight in
your vehicle. Excess weight puts
a heavier load on the engine, caus-
ing greater fuel consumption.
Avoid lengthy warm- up idling.
Once the engine is running smooth-
ly, begin drivingÐbut gently. Re-
member, however, that on cold win-
ter days this may take a little
longer.
Accelerate slowly and smoothly.
Avoid jackrabbit starts. Get into
high gear as quickly as possible.
Avoid long engine idling. If you
have a long wait and you are not
in traffic, it is better to turn off the
engine and start again later.
Avoid engine lug or overrevving.
Use a gear position suitable for the
road on which you are travelling.
Avoid continuous speeding up
and slowing down. Stop- and- go
driving wastes fuel.
Avoid unnecessary stopping and
braking. Maintain a steady pace.
Try to time the traffic signals so
you only need to stop as little as
possible or take advantage of
through streets to avoid traffic
lights. Keep a proper distance from
other vehicles to avoid sudden
braking. This will also reduce wear
on your brakes.
Avoid heavy traffic or traffic
jams whenever possible.
Do not rest your foot on the
clutch or brake pedal. This
causes needless wear, overheating
and poor fuel economy.
Maintain a moderate speed on
highways. The faster you drive,
the greater the fuel consumption.
By reducing your speed, you will
cut down on fuel consumption.
Keep the front wheels in proper
alignment. Avoid hitting the curb
and slow down on rough roads.
Improper alignment not only causes
faster tire wear but also puts an
extra load on the engine, which, in
turn, wastes fuel.
How to save fuel and make
your vehicle last longer, to
o

4RUNNER (1998)
Keep the bottom of your vehicle
free from mud, etc. This not only
lessens weight but also helps pre-
vent corrosion.
Keep your vehicle tuned- up and
in top shape. A dirty air cleaner,
improper valve clearance, dirty
plugs, dirty oil and grease, brakes
not adjusted, etc. all lower engine
performance and contribute to poor
fuel economy. For longer life of all
parts and lower operating costs,
keep all maintenance work on
schedule, and if you often drive
under severe conditions, see that
your vehicle receives more frequent
maintenance (For scheduled main-
tenance information, please refer to
the separate ºOwner 's Manual Sup-
plement/Maintenance Scheduleº).
CAUTION
Never turn off the engine to coast
down hills. Your power steering
and brake booster will not func-
tion without the engine running.
Also, the emission control system
operates properly only when the
engine is running.

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)
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.