2008 TOYOTA 4RUNNER Owners Manual

189
The hill−start assist control system as-
sists you in starting to move up a
steep or slippery hill. When you start
to move up the hill slope, the system
helps to prevent the vehicle from roll-
ing backward in the interval while you
move your foot from the brake pedal to
the accelerator pedal.
CAUTION
Do not rely excessively on the hill−
start assist control system. The ve-
hicle may not be able to start
smoothly on road surfaces or off−
road surfaces such as extremely
steep slopes or icy roads, on which
sliding can occur very easily.
Do not use the hill−start assist con-
trol system to stop the vehicle. This
system is not designed as a func-
tion for stopping the vehicle on a
uphill slope.
The hill−start assist control system will
operate for 5 seconds maximally when
all of the following conditions apply.
When the transmission is in any of
positions D", 4", 3", 2" or L"
When the brake pedal is not de-
pressed
The system is designed to operate when
the vehicle is starting on an uphill slope;
therefore, if the transmission is in P" or
N" it will not operate. It will not operate
either if the vehicle starts to move in
reverse on a slope with the transmission
in the R".CY16073
When the hill−start assist control system
is operating, the slip indicator light flashes
and an alarm sounds intermittently. At the
same time, the stop lights and high
mounted stoplight are lit.
The slip indicator light comes on for a few
seconds when the engine switch is turned
to ON". If the indicator light does not
come on when the engine switch is turned
on, contact your Toyota dealer.
Hill−start assist control
system

190
Keep in mind the following when driv-
ing.
The hill−start assist control system op-
erates for 5 seconds maximally. If both
the brake and accelerator pedals re-
main undepressed for longer than 5
seconds, the buzzer will sound at more
frequent intervals and the system will
gradually stop operating.
The hill−start assist control system is
not designed as a function for stopping
the vehicle on a uphill slope. When
stopping the vehicle, be sure to de-
press the brake pedal.
The brake actuator temperature increases
during continuous operation of the downhill
assist control system (four−wheel drive
models), the traction control system (two−
wheel drive models), the active traction
control system (four−wheel drive models),
the vehicle stability control system and
the AUTO LSD" system (two−wheel drive
models) on such as slippery roads. If the
brake actuator temperature becomes too
high while any of the systems is operat-
ing, a buzzer will start to sound intermit-
tently to indicate that the hill−start assist
control system can no longer operate. In
this case, stop your vehicle immediately at
a safe place. If the system continues to operate, the
buzzer sound changes from intermittent to
continuous. (The continuous buzzer
sounds for about 3 seconds.)
At this time, the slip indicator light will
come on and the hill−start assist control
system stops operating temporarily in or-
der to protect the brake actuator. (Al-
though the h
ill−start assist control system
does not operate, it is no problem to con-
tinue your driving.) The system will be
automatically restored after a short time
and the slip indicator light goes out.
CY16074
If there is any abnormality in the sys-
tem, the VSC OFF" warning light will
flash.
If the system malfunctions, the VSC OFF"
warning light will flash.
If the VSC OFF" warning light flashes,
there may be an abnormality in any of the
following systems in addition to the hill−
start assist control system.
Downhill assist control system
(four−wheel drive models)
Traction control system
(two−wheel drive models)
Active traction control system
(four−wheel drive models)

191

Vehicle stability control system
AUTO LSD" system
(two−wheel drive models)
VSC OFF" warning light
When the system is normal and the en-
gine switch is turned to ON", the warning
light will come on and will go off after a
few seconds.
It is not a malfunction that the warning
light may stay on for 60 seconds after the
engine switch is turned to ON".
Depressing the brake pedal repeatedly
may turn on the light. It is normal if it
goes out after a few seconds.
If the warning light flashes while driving,
the system does not work. However, as
normal braking operates when being ap-
plied, it is no problem to continue your
driving.
In the following cases, contact your Toyota
dealer:
The warning light does not come on
after the engine switch is turned to
ON".
The warning light remains on after the
engine switch is turned to ON".
The warning light flashes while driving.
CY16008
This rear height control air suspension
controls the vehicle height depending
on the vehicle driving conditions. Select
your desired height among the HI"
(high), N" (normal) and LO" (low)
modes with the height select switch.
(a) Vehicle height modes
N" (normal) mode
The vehicle height in this mode is stan-
dard. Regardless of the number of occu-
pants or the luggage loading condition, the
vehicle height is always automatically ad-
justed to a fixed height in this mode while
the engine is running.
This mode is suitable for ordinary driving. HI" (high) mode
The vehicle height is about 40 mm (1.6
in.) higher at rear than the N" mode
height.
This mode is suitable when driving on the
bumpy roads and through water.
However, when the vehicle speed exceeds
about 30 km/h (19 mph) or over in the
HI" mode, the N" mode is automatically
selected.
CAUTION
The HI" mode should be used for
severe off−road driving condition
only. Because the vehicle’s center of
gravity is higher in this setting, the
vehicle may become unstable when
turning abruptly, resulting in accident.
Rear height control air
suspension

192
LO" (low) mode
The vehicle height is about 20 mm (0.8
in.) lower at rear than the N" mode
height.
This mode allows you easy access to the
vehicle (getting in and out) and easy load-
ing and unloading operation.
This mode is available when the vehicle
speed is under about 12 km/h (7 mph).
NOTICE
Use the LO" mode when the vehicle
is stopped. Otherwise, when the ve-
hicle speed exceeds about 12 km/h (7
mph), N" mode is selected automati-
cally. So be careful when you drive in
any place where the overhead height
is limited.
(b) Vehicle height mode changing con-dition
To change the vehicle height, it is neces-
sary to meet the following conditions.
The engine should be running.
The height control OFF" indicator light
should go off.
When selecting a mode, there is a ve-
hicle speed limit. Refer to the following
table.
Yes =The mode can be selected.
No =The mode cannot be selected.
LO"
modeN"
modeHI"
mode
Under about
12 km/h
(7 mph)
Ye sYe sYe s
Under about
30 km/h
(19 mph)
NoYe sYe s
About
30 km/h
(19 mph) or
over
NoYe sNo
In the following cases, the rear height
control suspension will not operate.
The underbody of the vehicle has
touched the surface on bumpy roads.
The area around the rear suspension
is coated with ice. If the vehicle is moved to its usual loca-
tion or the ice is removed and the height
select switch is pressed, the vehicle
height control cannot be operated. In this
case, turn off and restart the engine, then
push the control switches.

193
CY16014
(c) Vehicle height adjustment
To change the mode, push the height
select switch on either side of "
(higher) or  " (lower).
The height control indicator light indicates
which mode is selected. (See (e) Height
control indicator light" described below.)
Selecting the HI" mode
Push the height select switch on the  "
side when the vehicle speed is under
about 30 km/h (19 mph).
To change the N" mode to HI", push
the switch once. To change the LO" mode to HI",
push
the switch twice. It takes about 30 sec-
onds until the LO" mode changes to the
HI" mode.
Selecting the N" mode
To change the HI" mode to N", push
the height select switch on the  " side
once.
To change the LO" mode to N", push
the height select switch on the  " side
once.
Selecting the LO" mode
Push the height select switch on the  "
side while the vehicle is stopped.
To change the N" mode to LO", push
the switch once.
To change the HI" mode to LO", push
the switch twice.
Even if the engine is stopped while the
vehicle height is being lowered, the opera-
tion continues for up to 25 seconds. If,
within this 25 seconds, any of the side
doors or the back door is opened, opera-
tion will continue for a further 15 seconds.
NOTICE
 If the vehicle height is changed fre-
quently when the vehicle is heavily
loaded, the compressor may over-
heat, causing the vehicle height ad-
justment operation to stop.
 Before you lower the vehicle height
with the height select switch, check
under the vehicle to make sure
nothing to damage the vehicle or
no one to be injured is there and
that the underbody of the vehicle
does not touch the ground.
 After unloading, the height of a ve-
hicle equipped with the rear height
control air suspension becomes
slightly higher than the normal ve-
hicle height. Take sufficient care
where the overhead height is re-
stricted.
 Do not select the LO" mode in the
bumpy roads. If the underbody of
the vehicle touches the rugged road
surface, the vehicle may be dam-
aged.

194
CY16015
(d) Turning off the rear height controlair suspension
To turn off the rear height control air
suspension with the vehicle stopped,
push the HEIGHT CONTROL OFF"
switch. The height control OFF" indi-
cator light comes on and the vehicle
height is fixed in the same mode as the
height control switch is pushed.
This status is memorized in the system
even after the engine is stopped.
If you push the switch again, the height
control OFF" indicator light goes out and
the rear height control air suspension is
turned on.
Even after the rear height control air sus-
pension is turned off with the HEIGHT
CONTROL OFF" switch, if the vehicle
speed exceeds 30 km/h (19 mph), the
rear height control air suspension automat-
ically selects the N" mode.CAUTION
If you drive through deep water over
about 700 mm (28 in.) in depth, put
the vehicle height in the HI" mode
with the height select switch and then
turn off the rear height control air
suspension by pushing the HEIGHT
CONTROL OFF" switch.
NOTICE
 When jacking up or installing tire
chains, be sure to turn off the rear
height control air suspension by
pushing the HEIGHT CONTROL
OFF" switch and stop the engine.
Otherwise, the vehicle height may
change because of the automatic
leveling function, resulting in an un-
expected accident.
 If your vehicle must be towed, put
the vehicle height in the N" mode
and turn off the rear height control
air suspension. Otherwise, the ve-
hicle height may change because of
the automatic leveling function, re-
sulting in an unexpected accident.

195
If your vehicle gets ditched, turn off
the rear height control air suspen-
sion with the HEIGHT CONTROL
OFF" switch. Otherwise, the vehicle
height may change because of the
automatic leveling function resulting
in an unexpected accident.
CY16018
(e) Height control indicator lights
1. Height control indicator lights
2. Height control OFF" indicator light
When the engine switch is turned on, all
the indicator lights come on. The indicator
light showing the present mode only re-
mains on and all other lights go off after
a few seconds. This means the system
operates correctly.
CY16019
If you change the vehicle height mode,
the indicator lights change as follows:
When changing the vehicle height from
the N" mode to HI": 1. The N" mode indicator light goes off and the HI" mode indicator light blinks.
2. After the vehicle height control reaches the HI" mode, the HI" mode indicator
light remains on.
If the underbody of the vehicle has
touched the surface on bumpy roads or
the area around the rear suspension is
coated with ice, the vehicle height cannot
be lowered with the height select switch.
The height control indicator lights change
as follows:

196
1. The present mode indicator light goesoff and the selected mode indicator
light blinks.
2. The selected mode indicator light goes off. (The vehicle height does not
change.) The present mode indicator
light comes on again.
In this case, even if the vehicle is moved
to its usual location or the ice is removed
and the height select switch is pressed,
vehicle height control cannot be operated.
Turn off the engine once and then restart
it.
Height control OFF" indicator light:
When the engine switch is turned on, this
light comes on. If it goes out after a few
seconds, the rear height control air sus-
pension operates correctly. If you push the
HEIGHT CONTROL OFF" switch, the rear
height control air suspension is turned off.
The height control OFF" indicator light
comes on.
In the following cases, there is a problem
somewhere in the rear height control air
suspension. Although there is no problem
to continue normal driving, have the rear
height control air suspension checked by
your Toyota dealer as soon as possible.The height control OFF" indicator light
does not come on when the engine
switch is turned on.
The height control OFF" indicator light
blinks.
(f) Parking and stopping tips
If you immediately stop the engine to park
the vehicle after off−road driving, the ve-
hicle height is lowered slightly as the ve-
hicle becomes cool. When parking, make
sure there is nothing that will be in con-
tact with the underbody of the vehicle.
When you start the engine, the vehicle
returns to the previous height.
If you park the vehicle for a long time,
the vehicle height may be gradually low-
ered. When parking for a long time, make
sure there is nothing that will be in con-
tact with the underbody of the vehicle.
When you start the engine, the vehicle
returns to the previous height.
If you stop the engine, the vehicle height
may change in accordance with the
change in the temperature. When you
start the engine, the vehicle returns to the
previous height. (g) Rear height control failure warning
If there is a problem somewhere in the
rear height control air suspension, the N"
mode is automatically selected. If this oc-
curs, the height control OFF" indicator
light blinks and the vehicle height control
cannot be activated until the malfunction
is corrected. If this is the case, bring your
vehicle to your Toyota dealer as soon as
possible and have it checked.