1999 TOYOTA 4RUNNER Owners Manual

4RUNNER ()97
NOTICE
Be careful not to overrev the en-gine. Watch the tachometer to keepengine rpm from going into the red zone. The approximate maximum al-
lowable speed for each position isgiven below for your reference:
º2º 120 km/h (74 mph). . . . . . .
ºLº 65 km/h (40 mph) . . . . . . .
Do not continue hill climbing or
hard towing for a long time in theº2º or ºLº position. This may cause severe automatic transmission dam-
age from overheating. To preventsuch damage, ºDº position should
be used in hill climbing or hard
towing.
(d) Backing up
1. Bring the vehicle to a complete stop.
2. With the brake pedal held down with your foot, shift the selector lever to the
ºRº position.
NOTICE
Never shift into reverse while the ve-
hicle is moving.
(e) Parking
1. Bring the vehicle to a complete stop.
2. Pull the parking brake lever up fully to securely apply the parking brake.
3. With the brake pedal pressed down, shift the selector lever to the ºPº posi-
tion.
CAUTION
While the vehicle is moving, never
attempt to move the selector lever
into ºPº position under any circum-
stances. Serious mechanical damage
and loss of vehicle control may re-
sult.
(f) Good driving practice
If the transmission is repeatedly up-
shifted and downshifted between third
gear and overdrive when climbing a
gentle slope, the overdrive switch
should be turned off. Be sure to turn
the switch on immediately afterward.
When towing a trailer, in order to main-
tain engine braking efficiency, do not
use overdrive.
CAUTION
Always keep your foot on the brake
pedal while stopped with the engine
running. This prevents the vehicle
from creeping.
NOTICE
Do not hold the vehicle on an up-
grade with the accelerator pedal. Itcan cause the transmission to over- heat. Always use the brake pedal or
parking brake.

4RUNNER ()
98
(g) Rocking your vehicle if stuck
CAUTION
If your vehicle becomes stuck in
snow, mud, sand, etc., then you may
attempt to rock the vehicle free by
moving it forward and backward. Do
not attempt this procedure if people
or objects are anywhere near the ve-
hicle. During the rocking operation
the vehicle may suddenly move for-
ward or backward as it becomes un-
stuck, causing injury or damage to
nearby people or objects.
NOTICE
If you rock your vehicle, observe the
following precautions to prevent dam-age to the transmission and otherparts.
Do not depress the accelerator ped-al while shifting the selector lever or before the transmission is com-
pletely shifted to forward or reversegear.
Do not race the engine and avoidspinning the wheels.
If your vehicle remains stuck after
rocking the vehicle several times,consider other ways such as tow-ing.
(h) Driving in ºPWRº (Power) mode
In the ºPWRº mode, the transmission is
shifted up and down at a higher vehicle
speed than in the ºNORMº (Normal) mode
and a more powerful acceleration is
achieved. To set the ºPWRº mode, push
in the driving pattern selector button. The
ºPWRº mode indicator light comes on.
For ordinary driving, Toyota recommends
using the ºNORMº mode to improve fuel
economy.
(i) If you cannot shift the selector le- ver out of ºPº position
If you cannot shift the selector lever from
the ºPº position even though the brake
pedal is depressed, use the shift lock
override button. For instructions, see ºIf
you cannot shift automatic transmission
selector leverº in Part 4.

4RUNNER ()99
Lock release buttonTo prevent misshifting
Parking, engine starting
and key removal position
Reverse position
Neutral position
Normal driving position
Position for engine braking
Position for stronger engine
braking than that in º2º
position
With the brake pedal depressed,
shift while holding the lock
release button in. (The ignition
switch must be in ºONº position.)
Shift while holding the lock release
button in.
Shifting normally Overdrive switch
For selecting either a three- speed or four- speed
transmission
ON position
(Shifting into
overdrive
possible) OFF position
(Shifting into
overdrive not
possible)ºO/D OFFº indicator
light shows the
overdrive switch is
in OFF position
Driving pattern selector button For selecting a driving pattern suited
to existing driving conditions
ºNORMº (Normal)
mode for general
driving
conditioning ºPWRº (Power)
mode for
powerful
accelerationºPWRº mode indicator
light on the instrument
panel shows the
driving pattern selector
button is in the ºPWRº
mode
Vehicles with cruise controlÐWhen the cruise control is being used, eve
n if you downshift the transmission by turning off the overdrive
switch, engine braking will not be applied because the cruise cont rol is not cancelled. For ways to decrease the vehicle speed, see
ºCruise controlº in this chapter. Automatic transmission
Four- wheel drive control

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100
Your automatic transmission has a shift
lock system to minimize the possibility of
incorrect operation. This means you can
only shift out of ºPº position when the
brake pedal is depressed (with the ignition
switch in ºONº position and the lock re-
lease button depressed).
(a) Normal driving
1. Start the engine as instructed in ºHow
to start the engineº in Part 3. The trans-
mission must be in ºPº or ºNº.
When the front drive control lever is in
ºL4º (low- speed position, four- wheel
drive), the driving pattern selector setting
has no effect on gear shift timing. (See
ºFour- wheel drive systemº in this chapter
for information of the front drive control
lever.)
2. With your foot holding down the brake
pedal, shift the selector lever to ºDº.
In ºDº position, the automatic transmission
system will select the most suitable gear
for running conditions such as normal
cruising, hill climbing, hard towing, etc.
Always turn the overdrive switch on for
better fuel economy and quieter driving. If
the engine coolant temperature is low or
when the front drive control lever is in
ºL4º (low- speed position, four- wheel
drive), the transmission will not shift into
the overdrive gear even with the overdrive
switch on. (See ºFour- wheel drive systemº
in this chapter for information of the front
drive control lever.)
CAUTION
Never put your foot on the accelera-
tor pedal while shifting.
3. Release the parking brake and brake
pedal. Depress the accelerator pedal slow-
ly for smooth starting.
(b) Using engine braking
To use engine braking, you can downshift
the transmission as follows:
Turn off the overdrive switch. The ºO/D
OFFº indicator light will come on and
the transmission will downshift to the
third gear.
Shift into the º2º position. The trans-
mission will downshift to the second
gear when the vehicle speed drops
down to or lower than the following
speed, and more powerful engine brak-
ing will be obtained.
Front drive control lever in ºH2º or
ºH4º3RZ- FE engine.....105 km/h (65 mph)
5VZ- FE engine.....114 km/h (70 mph)
Front drive control lever in ºL4º 3RZ- FE engine.....38 km/h (23 mph)
5VZ- FE engine.....41 km/h (25 mph)
Shift into the ºLº position. The trans-
mission will downshift to the first gear
when the vehicle speed drops down to
or lower than the following speed, and
maximum engine braking will be ap-
plied.
Front drive control lever in ºH2º or
ºH4º3RZ- FE engine.....51 km/h (31 mph)
5VZ- FE engine.....55 km/h (34 mph)
Front drive control lever in ºL4º
3RZ- FE engine.....11 km/h (6 mph)
5VZ- FE engine.....12 km/h (7 mph)

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Vehicles with cruise controlÐWhen the
cruise control is being used, even if you
downshift the transmission by turning off
the overdrive switch, engine braking is not
applied because the cruise control is not
cancelled.
For ways to decrease the vehicle speed,
see ºCruise control
i n this chapter.
CAUTION
Be careful when downshifting on a
slippery surface. Abrupt shifting
could cause the vehicle to spin or
skid.
(c) Using the º2º and ºLº, positions
The º2º and ºLº positions are used for
strong engine braking as described pre-
viously.
With the selector lever in º2º or ºLº, you
can start the vehicle in motion as with the
lever in ºDº.
With the selector lever in º2º, the vehicle
will start in the first gear and automatical-
ly shift to the second gear.
With the selector lever in ºLº, the trans-
mission is engaged in the first gear.
NOTICE
Be careful not to overrev the en-
gine. Watch the tachometer to keepengine rpm from going into the redzone. The approximate maximum al-
lowable speed for each position isgiven above for your reference:
Front drive control lever in ºH2º orºH4º
3RZ- FE engine º2º 111km/h (68 mph) . . . . . . . . . . .
ºLº 60km/h (37 mph) . . . . . . . . . . .
5VZ- FE engine º2º 118km/h (73 mph) . . . . . . . . . . .
ºLº 64km/h (40 mph) . . . . . . . . . . .
Front drive control lever in ºL4º 3RZ- FE engine º2º 43km/h (26 mph) . . . . . . . . . . .
ºLº 23km/h (14 mph) . . . . . . . . . . .
5VZ- FE engine º2º 46km/h (28 mph) . . . . . . . . . . .
ºLº 25km/h (15 mph) . . . . . . . . . . .
Do not continue hill climbing or
hard towing for a long time in theº2º or ºLº position. This may causesevere automatic transmission dam-
age from overheating. To preventsuch damage, ºDº position shouldbe used in hill climbing or hard
towing.
(d) Backing up
1. Bring the vehicle to a complete stop.
2. With the brake pedal held down with your foot, shift the selector lever to the
ºRº position.
NOTICE
Never shift into reverse while the ve-
hicle is moving.
(e) Parking
1. Bring the vehicle to a complete stop.
2. Pull the parking brake lever fully to securely apply the parking brake.
3. With the brake pedal pressed down, shift the selector lever to the ºPº posi-
tion.

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102
CAUTION
While the vehicle is moving, never
attempt to move the selector lever
into ºPº position under any circum-
stances. Serious mechanical damage
and loss of vehicle control may re-
sult.
(f) Good driving practice If the transmission is repeatedly up-
shifted and downshifted between third
gear and overdrive when climbing a
gentle slope, the overdrive switch
should be turned off. Be sure to turn
the switch on immediately afterward.
When towing a trailer, in order to main-
tain engine braking efficiency, do not
use overdrive.
CAUTION
Always keep your foot on the brake
pedal while stopped with the engine
running. This prevents the vehicle
from creeping.
NOTICE
Do not hold the vehicle on an up-
grade with the accelerator pedal. Itcan cause the transmission to over- heat. Always use the brake pedal or
parking brake.
(g) Rocking your vehicle if stuck
CAUTION
If your vehicle becomes stuck in
snow, mud, sand, etc., then you may
attempt to rock the vehicle free by
moving it forward and backward. Do
not attempt this procedure if people
or objects are anywhere near the ve-
hicle. During the rocking operation
the vehicle may suddenly move for-
ward or backward as it becomes un-
stuck, causing injury or damage to
nearby people or objects.
NOTICE
If you rock your vehicle, observe thefollowing precautions to prevent dam-age to the transmission and other parts.
Do not depress the accelerator ped-
al while shifting the selector leveror before the transmission is com-pletely shifted to forward or reverse
gear.
Do not race the engine and avoidspinning the wheels.
If your vehicle remains stuck afterrocking the vehicle several times,
consider other ways such as tow-ing.
(h) Driving in ºPWRº (Power) mode
In the ºPWRº mode, the transmission is
shifted up and down at a higher vehicle
speed than in the ºNORMº(Normal) mode
and a more powerful acceleration is
achieved. To set the ºPWRº mode, push
in the driving pattern selector button. The
ºPWRº mode indicator light comes on.
For ordinary driving, Toyota recommends
using the ºNORMº mode to improve fuel
economy.

4RUNNER ()103
(i) If you cannot shift the selector le-
ver out of ºPº position
If you cannot shift the selector lever from
the ºPº position even though the brake
pedal is depressed, use the shift lock
override lever. For instructions, see ºIf you
cannot shift automatic transmission selec-
tor leverº in Part 4. Manual transmission
The shift pattern is as shown above.
Press the clutch pedal down fully while
shifting, and then release it slowly. Do not
rest your foot on the pedal while driving,
because it will cause clutch trouble. And
do not use the clutch to hold the vehicle
when stopped on an uphill gradeÐuse the
parking brake.Recommended shifting speeds
The transmission is fully synchronized and
upshifting or downshifting is easy.
For the best compromise between fuel
economy and vehicle performance, you
should upshift or downshift at the following
speeds:
3RZ- FE engine
Upshifting gear km/h (mph)
1 to 2 24 (15)
2 to 3 40 (25)/58 (36) *
3 to 4 64 (40)/72 (45) *
4 to 5 72 (45)/85 (53) *
Downshifting gear km/h (mph)
2 to 1 24 (15)
3 to 2 40 (25)
4 to 3 64 (40)
5 to 4 72 (45)
* : Applicable under heavy acceleration
conditions.
5VZ- FE engine
gear km/h (mph)
1 to 2 or 2 to 1 24 (15)
2 to 3 or 3 to 2 40 (25)
3 to 4 or 4 to 3 64 (40)
4 to 5 or 5 to 4 72 (45)

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104
Downshift to the appropriate gear if accel-
eration is needed when you are cruising
below the above downshifting speeds.
Upshifting too soon or downshifting too
late will cause lugging and, possibly, ping-
ing. Regularly revving the engine to maxi-
mum speed in each gear will cause ex-
cessive engine wear and high fuel
consumption.
Maximum allowable speeds
To get on a highway or to pass slower
traffic, maximum acceleration may be nec-
essary. Make sure you observe the follow-
ing maximum allowable speeds in each
gear:
Two- wheel drive models
gear km/h (mph)1 48 (29)
2 90 (55)
3 139 (86)
4 165 (102)
Four- wheel drive models
3RZ- FE engine
gear km/h (mph) ºH2º and ºH4º ºL4º
1 45 (28) 17 (11)
2 84 (52) 32 (20)
3 130 (81) 50 (31)
4 165 (102) 64 (39) 5VZ- FE engine
gear km/h (mph) ºH2º and ºH4º ºL4º
1 48 (29) 18 (11)
2 89 (55) 34 (21)
3 127 (79) 49 (31)
4 165 (102) 64 (39)
NOTICE
Do not downshift if you are going
faster than the maximum allowablespeed for the next lower gear.
Good driving practice
If it is difficult to shift into reverse, put
the transmission in neutral, release the
clutch pedal momentarily, and then try
again.
When towing a trailer, in order to main-
tain engine braking efficiency, do not
use the fifth gear.
CAUTION
Be careful when downshifting on a
slippery surface. Abrupt shifting
could cause the vehicle to spin or
skid.
NOTICE
Make sure the vehicle is completely
stopped before shifting into reverse.