2008 TOYOTA 4RUNNER traction control

183
The vehicle stability control system
helps provide integrated control of the
systems such as anti−lock brake sys-
tem, traction control, engine control,
etc. This system automatically controls
the output of the brakes or engine to
help prevent the vehicle from skidding
when cornering on a slippery road sur-
face or operating steering wheel abrupt-
ly.
The vehicle stability control system is acti-
vated when the vehicle speed is more
than 15 km/h (9 mph).
You may hear a sound in the engine
compartment for a few seconds when the
engine is started or just after the vehicle
begins to move. This means that the sys-
tem is in the self−check mode, but does
not indicate a malfunction.CAUTION
Do not rely excessively on the ve-
hicle stability control system. Even
if the system is operating, it cannot
completely eliminate the possibility
of an accident. Always keep safe
driving in mind, as reckless driving
increases the risk of an accident. If
the slip indicator light blinks, spe-
cial care should be taken while
driving.
Only use tires of specified size. The
size, manufacturer, brand and tread
pattern for all 4 tires should be the
same. If you use the tires other
than specified, or different type or
size, the vehicle stability control
system may not function correctly.
When replacing the tires or wheels,
contact your Toyota dealer. (See
Checking and replacing tires" on
page 443 in Section 7−2.)
CY16073
If the vehicle is going to skid during driv-
ing, the slip indicator light blinks and an
alarm sounds intermittently. Special care
should be taken while driving.
If the brake pedal is depressed while the
vehicle stability control system is active,
the brake pedal will become hard at an
earlier position than usual. However, the
brakes will respond to the pedal force if
depressed further.
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.
Vehicle stability control
system

184
CY16061
Four−wheel drive models only
Pushing the center differential lock
switch automatically turns the vehicle
stability control system off. At this
time, the VSC OFF" indicator comes
on with the center differential lock indi-
cator light.
The VSC OFF" indicator light comes on
for a few seconds when the engine switch
is turned to ON". It will come on again
when you push the center differential lock
switch to turn on the system.In the following cases, contact your Toyota
dealer:
The indicator light does not come on
when the engine switch is turned to
ON".
The indicator light remains on after the
engine switch is turned to ON".
The indicator light comes on when the
system is on while driving.
NOTICE
Make sure that the center differential
lock indicator light goes off before
normal driving.
CY16075
When getting the vehicle out of mud or
newly fallen snow, etc., turn off the
vehicle stability control system. This
system that controls engine perfor-
mance interferes with the process of
freeing rear wheels (two−wheel drive
models) or 4 wheels (four−wheel drive
models).
To turn off: First, push the VSC OFF"
switch to turn off the traction control
system and check that the AUTO LSD"
and slip indicator lights come on. Then,
push and hold the VSC OFF" switch
for 3 seconds or more with the vehicle
stopped.
The VSC OFF" and slip indicator lights
will come on.

185
To turn on: Briefly push the VSC OFF"
switch once again.
The VSC OFF" and slip indicator lights
will go off.
If the engine is turned off while the VSC
OFF" and slip indicator lights are on and
then restarted, the indicator lights will turn
off automatically.
When you briefly push the VSC OFF"
switch, turn off the vehicle stability control
system. See Traction control system" on
page 175 in this Section.
The VSC OFF" and slip indicator lights
come on for a few seconds when the
engine switch is turned to ON". If the
indicator lights do not come on when the
engine switch is turned to ON", contact
your Toyota dealer.
CAUTION
Do not drive with the vehicle stability
control system continuously turned
off.
CY16074
VSC OFF" warning light
Vehicle stability control system
Traction control system
(two−wheel drive models)
Active traction control system
(four−wheel drive models)
AUTO LSD" system
(two−wheel drive and multi−mode four−
wheel drive models)
Downhill assist control system
(four−wheel drive models)
Hill−start assist control system
This light flashing warns that there is a
problem somewhere in the following. The light will come on when the engine
switch is turned to ON", and will go off
after about a few seconds.
The light may come on for 60 seconds
after the engine switch is turned to ON".
It is normal if they go out after a while.
Depressing the brake pedal repeatedly
may turn on the light. It is normal if they
go out after a few seconds.
If the light flashes while driving, the ve-
hicle stability control system does not
work. However, as normal braking oper-
ates when being applied, there is no prob-
lem 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.

187
Multi−mode four−wheel drive modelsIf
the downhill assist control system indica-
tor light flashes, the selector lever may be
in N" or the multi−mode control switch
knob may be in the H2" or H4" position.
If the indicator light does not come on
when the switch is pushed, contact your
Toyota dealer.
CY16073
With the vehicle traveling at a speed of
25 km/h (15 mph) or less, release your
foot from the accelerator or brake pedal
to activate the system. The vehicle will
descend the hill at a low speed. While the
system is operating, the slip indicator light
on the instrument panel will flash and the
stop lights and high mounted stoplight will
be lit.
If you push the DAC" switch to turn the
system off while it is in operation, the
system will stop operating gradually. The
downhill assist control system indicator
light will flash to alert the driver. To con-
tinue driving at a low speed, push the
DAC" switch to turn the system on. The slip indicator light and downhill assist
control system indicator light come on for
a few seconds when the engine switch is
turned to ON". If any of the indicator
lights does not come on when the engine
switch is turned on, contact your Toyota
dealer.
The brake actuator temperature increases
during continuous operation of the h
ill−
start assist control system, the active
traction control system and the vehicle
stability control system. If the brake ac-
tuator temperature becomes too high while
any of the systems is operating, a buzzer
will start to sound intermittently to indicate
that the downhill 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.)

188
At this time, the slip indicator light will
come on, the downhill assist control sys-
tem indicator light flash and the downhill
assist control system stops operating tem-
porarily in order to protect the brake ac-
tuator. (Although the downhill assist con-
trol system does not operate, it is no
problem to continue your driving.) The
system will be automatically restored after
a short time and the slip indicator light
and the downhill assist control system in-
dicator light go out.
CY16074
If there is any abnormality in the sys-
tem, the VSC OFF" warning light will
flash. When the DAC" switch is
pushed, the downhill assist control sys-
tem indicator light also flash.
If the VSC OFF" warning light flashes,
there may be an abnormality in any of the
following systems in addition to the down-
hill assist control system.
Hill−start assist control system
Active traction control system
Vehicle stability control systemVSC 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 the ON" posi-
tion.
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.

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)

347
Driving with tire chains installed.
Driving over the steps such as the
joints on the road.
Driving on roads where the road
surface is pitted or has other differ-
ences in surface height.
Install all 4 tires of specified size at
appropriate pressure: The anti−lock
brake system detects vehicle speeds
using the speed sensors for respec-
tive wheels’ turning speeds. The use
of tires other than specified may fail
to detect the accurate turning speed
resulting in a longer stopping dis-
tance.
CY20034
Ty p e A
CY20032
Ty p e B
ABS" warning light
The light comes on when the engine
switch is turned to the ON" position. If
the anti−lock brake system and the brake
assist system work properly, the light
turns off after a few seconds. Thereafter,
if either of the systems malfunctions, the
light comes on again.
When the ABS" warning light is on (and
the brake system warning light is off), the
following systems do not operate, but the
brake system still operates conventionally.
Anti−lock brake system
Brake assist system
Traction control system
(two−wheel drive models)
Active traction control system
(four−wheel drive models)
AUTO LSD" system
(two−wheel drive models)
Vehicle stability control system
Downhill assist control system
(four−wheel drive models)
Hill−start assist control system

355
This information has been prepared
in accordance with regulations issued
by the National Highway Traffic Safe-
ty Administration of the U.S. Depart-
ment of Transportation. It provides
the purchasers and/or prospective
purchasers of Toyota vehicles with in-
formation on uniform tire quality grad-
ing.
Your Toyota dealer will help answer
any questions you may have as you
read this information.
DOT quality gradesAll passenger
vehicle tires must conform to Fed-
eral Safety Requirements in addi-
tion to these grades. Quality
grades can be found where appli-
cable on the tire sidewall between
tread shoulder and maximum sec-
tion width. For example: Treadwear
200 Traction AA Temperature A
Treadwear
The treadwear grade is
a comparative rating based on the
wear rate of the tire when tested un-
der controlled conditions on a speci-
fied government test course. For ex-
ample, a tire graded 150 would wear
one and a half (1−1/2) times as well
on the government course as a tire
graded 100. The relative performance
of tires depends upon the actual
conditions of their use, however, and
may depart significantly from the
norm due to variations in driving hab-
its, service practices and differences
in road characteristics and climate. Traction AA, A, B, C
The traction
grades, from highest to lowest, are
AA, A, B, and C, and they represent
the tire’s ability to stop on wet pave-
ment as measured under controlled
conditions on specified government
test surfaces of asphalt and concrete.
A tire marked C may have poor trac-
tion performance.
Warning: The traction grade assigned
to this tire is based on braking
(straight ahead) traction tests and
does not include cornering (turning)
traction.
Uniform Tire Quality
Grading