2003 TOYOTA 4RUNNER service
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’03 4Runner_U (L/O 0305)
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2003 4RUNNER from Apr. ’03 Prod. (OM 35820U)
Foreword
Welcome to the growing group of value conscious people who drive Toyotas. We are proud of the advanced engineering and
quality construction of each vehicle we build.
This Owner ’s Manual explains the operation of your new Toyota. Please read it thoroughly and have all the occupants
follow the instructions carefully. Doing so will help you enjoy many years of safe and trouble free motoring. For
important information about this manual and your Toyota, read the following pages carefully.
When it comes to service, remember that your Toyota dealer knows your vehicle best and is interested in your complete
satisfaction. He will provide quality maintenance and any other assistance you may require.
If there is not a Toyota dealer near you, or you need emergency assistance for any reason, please call the following number:
U.S. OWNERS:Toyota Customer Assistance Center Toll free: 1 800 331 4331
CANADIAN OWNERS:Toyota Canada Customer Interaction Centre Toll free: 1 888 TOYOTA 8 (1 888 869 6828)
Please leave this Owner ’s Manual in this vehicle at the time of resale. The next owner will need this information also.
All information and specifications in this manual are current at the time of printing. However, because of Toyota’s policy of
continual product improvement, we reserve the right to make changes at any time without notice.
Please note that this manual applies to all models and explains all equipment, including options. Therefore, you may
find some explanations for equipment not installed on your vehicle.
©2003 TOYOTA MOTOR CORPORATION
All rights reserved. This material may not be reproduced or copied, in whole or in part, without the written permission of Toyo ta
Motor Corporation.
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’03 4Runner_U (L/O 0305)
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2003 4RUNNER from Apr. ’03 Prod. (OM 35820U)
Scrapping of your Toyota
The SRS airbag and seat belt pretensioner devices in your
Toyota contain explosive chemicals. If the vehicle is
scrapped with the airbags and pretensioners left as they
are, it may cause an accident such as fire. Be sure to
have the systems of the SRS airbag and seat belt preten-
sioner removed and disposed of by a qualified service
shop or by your Toyota dealer before you dispose of your
vehicle.
On pavement and off road
driving tips
This vehicle belongs to the ut ility vehicle class. Utility ve-
hicles have a significantly higher rollover rate than other
types of vehicles. This vehicle will handle and maneuver
differently from an ordinary passenger car because it is
designed for off road use also. In addition, this vehicle
has a higher ground clearance and center of gravity than
that of an ordinary passenger car. This vehicle design fea-
ture causes this type of vehicle to be more likely to rol-
lover. Failure to operate this vehicle correctly may result in
loss of control, accidents or vehicle rollover causing death
or serious injury. Be sure to read “Off road vehicle precau-
tions” on page 242 in Section 2 and “Off road driving pre-
cautions” on page 263 in Section 3.
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2003 4RUNNER from Apr. ’03 Prod. (OM 35820U)
1. Trip meter reset button
2. Tachometer
3. Service reminder indicators and
indicator lights 4. Speedometer
5. Fuel gauge
6. Low fuel level warning light
7. Engine coolant temperature gauge
8. Odometer and two trip meters
9. Odometer/two trip meter changeover
button
Instrument cluster overview
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2003 4RUNNER from Apr. ’03 Prod. (OM 35820U)
Cruise control indicator light∗
5
Center differential lock indicator light∗3
(four wheel drive models) Automatic transmission indicator lights
(5 speed)
Traction control system off indicator light
(two wheel drive models) Vehicle stability control system off indicator light
(four wheel drive models)
Slip indicator light
Turn signal indicator lights
Low speed four wheel drive indicator light∗ 3
(four wheel drive models)
Downhill assist control system indicator light
(four wheel drive models)
Height control “OFF” indicator light
∗4
Height control indicator lights
∗1: For details, see “Service reminder indicators and warning
buzzers” on page 117 in Section 1 5.
∗2: If this light flashes, see “Four wheel drive system” on page
141 in Section 1 6.
∗3: If this light flashes, see “Four wheel drive system” on page
138 and on page 141 in Section 1 6.
∗4: If this light flashes, see “Rear height control air suspension”
on page 158 in Section 1 6.
∗5: If this light flashes, see “Cruise control” on page 164 in
Section 1 6.
Headlight high beam indicator light
Automatic transmission indicator lights
(4 speed)
Four wheel drive indicator light∗2
(multi mode four wheel drive models)
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2003 4RUNNER from Apr. ’03 Prod. (OM 35820U)
This indicator comes on when the igni-
tion key is turned to the “ON” position.
It goes off after about 6 seconds. This
means the front seat belt pretensioners
are operating properly.
This warning light system monitors the
airbag sensor assembly, front airbag sen-
sors, side and curtain shield airbag sen-
sors, curtain shield airbag sensors, driv-
er ’s seat position sensor, driver ’s seat belt
buckle switch, front seat belt pretensioner
assemblies, inflators, warning light, inter-
connecting wiring and power sources. (For
details, see “Service reminder indicators
and warning buzzers” on page 117 in Sec-
tion 1 5.)The front seat belt pretensioner system
mainly consists of the following compo-
nents and their locations are shown in the
illustration.
1. Front airbag sensors
2. SRS warning light
3. Front seat belt pretensioner assemblies
4. Airbag sensor assembly
The front seat belt pretensioners are con-
trolled by the airbag sensor assembly. The
airbag sensor assembly consists of a saf-
ing sensor and airbag sensor. When the front seat belt pretensioners are
activated, an operating noise may be
heard and a small amount of smoke like
gas may be released. This gas is harm-
less and does not indicate that a fire is
occurring.
Once the front seat belt pretensioners
have been activated, the seat belt retrac-
tors remain locked.
CAUTION
Do not modify, remove, strike or open
the front seat belt pretensioner as-
semblies, airbag sensor or surround-
ing area or wiring. Doing so may
cause sudden operation of the front
seat belt pretensioners or disable the
system, which could result in death
or serious injury.
Failure to follow these instructions
can result in death or serious inju-
ries. Consult your Toyota dealer
about any repairs and modifications.
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2003 4RUNNER from Apr. ’03 Prod. (OM 35820U)
NOTICE
Do not perform any of the following
changes without consulting your
Toyota dealer. Such changes can
interfere with proper operation of the
front seat belt pretensioners in some
cases.
Installation of electronic devices
such as a mobile two way radio,
cassette tape player or compact
disc player
Repairs on or near the front seat
belt retractor assemblies
Modification of the suspension sys-
tem
Modification of the front end struc-
ture
Attachment of a grille guard (bull
bar, kangaroo bar, etc.), snowplow,
winches or any other equipment to
the front end
Repairs made on or near the front
fenders, front end structure or con-
sole
This front seat belt pretensioner system
has a service reminder indicator to inform
the driver of operating problems. If any of
the following conditions occurs, this
indicates a malfunction of the airbags or
pretensioners. Contact your Toyota dealer
as soon as possible to service the
vehicle.
The light does not come on when the
ignition key is turned to the “ON” posi-
tion, or the light remains on.
The light comes on or flashes while
driving.
If either front seat belt does not retract
or cannot be pulled out due to a mal-
function or activation of the relevant
front seat belt pretensioner.
In the following cases, contact your Toyota
dealer as soon as possible:
The front of the vehicle (shaded in the
illustration) was involved in an acci dent
that was not severe enough to cause
the front seat belt pretensioners to op-
erate.
Either front seat belt pretensioner as-
sembly or surrounding area is
scratched, cracked, or otherwise dam-
aged.
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2003 4RUNNER from Apr. ’03 Prod. (OM 35820U)
This indicator comes on when the igni-
tion key is turned to the “ON” position.
It goes off after about 6 seconds. This
means the SRS airbags are operating
properly.
This warning light system monitors the
airbag sensor assembly, front airbag sen-
sors, side and curtain shield airbag sen-
sors, curtain shield airbag sensors, driv-
er ’s seat position sensor, driver ’s seat belt
buckle switch, front seat belt pretensioner
assemblies, inflators, warning light, inter-
connecting wiring and power sources. (For
details, see “Service reminder indicators
and warning buzzers” on page 117 in Sec-
tion 1 5.) The SRS front airbags are designed to
deploy in severe (usually frontal) colli-
sions where the magnitude and duration
of the forward deceleration of the ve-
hicle exceeds the designed threshold
level.
The SRS front airbags will deploy if the
severity of the impact is above the de-
signed threshold level, comparable to an
approximate 25 km/h (15 mph) collision
when the vehicle has the impact straight
into a fixed barrier that does not move or
deform.
However, this threshold velocity will be
considerably higher if the vehicle strikes
an object, such as a parked vehicle or
sign pole, which can move or deform on
impact, or if the vehicle is involved in an
underride collision (e.g. a collision in
which the front of the vehicle “underrides”,
or goes under, the bed of a truck, etc.).
It is possible that in some collisions
where the forward deceleration of the ve-
hicle is very close to the designed thresh-
old level, the SRS front airbags and the
seat belt pretensioners may not activate
together.
Always wear your seat belts properly.
Collision from the rear
Collision from the side Vehicle rollover
The SRS front airbags are generally not
designed to inflate if the vehicle is in-
volved in a side or rear collision, if it
rolls over, or if it is involved in a low
speed frontal collision. But, when ever a
collision of any type causes sufficient
forward deceleration of the vehicle, de-
ployment of the SRS front airbags may
occur.
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2003 4RUNNER from Apr. ’03 Prod. (OM 35820U)
In response to a severe side impact, the
SRS side airbags and curtain shield air-
bags work with the seat belts to help
reduce injury by inflating. The SRS side
airbags help to reduce injuries mainly to
the driver ’s or front passenger ’s chest and
the SRS curtain shield airbags help to
reduce injuries mainly to the driver ’s, front
passenger ’s or rear outside passenger ’s
head. The SRS side airbag and curtain
shield airbag on the passenger side are
activated even with no passenger in the
front seat or rear seat.
The curtain shield airbags may activate
even when the side airbags are not acti-
vated.
Be sure to wear your seat belt properly.
Your vehicle is equipped with a crash
sensing and diagnostic module, which will
record the use of the seat belt restraint
system by the driver and front pass enger
when the SRS side airbags and curtain
shield airbags are inflated.CAUTION
SRS side airbags and curtain shield
airbags inflate with considerable
force. To avoid potential death or se-
rious injury when they inflate, the
driver, front passenger and rear out-
side passengers must:
Wear their seat belts properly.
Remain properly seated with their
back upright and against the seat at
all times.
This indicator comes on when the igni-
tion key is turned to the “ON” position.
It goes off after about 6 seconds. This
means the SRS side airbags and curtain
shield airbags are operating properly.
This warning light system monitors the
airbag sensor assembly, front airbag sen-
sors, side and curtain shield airbag sen-
sors, curtain shield airbag sensors, driv-
er ’s seat position sensor, driver ’s seat belt
buckle switch, front seat belt pretensioner
assemblies, inflators, warning light, inter-
connecting wiring and power sources. (For
details, see “Service reminder indicators
and warning buzzers” on page 117 in Sec-
tion 1 5.)