2012 TOYOTA 4RUNNER Owners Manual

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When driving
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CAUTION
■Before driving
To avoid an accident, observe the precautions relating to off-road driving.
(P. 275)
■ When using Multi-terrain Select
● Do not use the Multi-terrain Select system for normal (on-road) driving.
The Multi-terrain Select system is designed for off-road use only.
● Do not overly rely on Multi-terrain Select. This function does not extend
the vehicle’s performance limitations. Always check the terrain thoroughly
and drive safely.
● The recommended modes for the listed terrains ( P. 259) are only a refer-
ence. The selected mode may not be suitable to actual off-road conditions
due to factors such as the type or unevenness of the terrain or the degree
of incline. Check the actual terrain thoroughly and drive safely.
● After selecting a mode, make sure that the Multi-terrain Select indicator
and the selected mode indicator come on. If any related indicator flashes,
the vehicle is not under Multi-terrain Select control.

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Driving assist systems
To help enhance driving safety and performance, the following sys-
tems operate automatically in res ponse to various driving situations.
Be aware, however, that these systems are supplementary and
should not be relied upon too h eavily when operating the vehicle.
■ABS (Anti-lock Brake System)
Helps to prevent wheel lock when the brakes are applied suddenly, or if
the brakes are applied while driving on a slippery road surface
■Multi Terrain ABS (Anti-lock Brake System) (if equipped)
Helps to prevent wheel lock when the brakes are applied suddenly, or if
the brakes are applied while driving on a slippery road surface, or in off-
road conditions (such as rough roads, sand and mud)
The Multi Terrain ABS operates in syn chronization with the Multi-terrain
Select.
■ Brake assist
Generates an increased level of braking force after the brake pedal is
depressed when the system detects a panic stop situation
■VSC (Vehicle Stability Control)
Helps the driver to control skidding when swerving suddenly or turning
on slippery road surfaces
■TRAC (Traction Control)
Helps to maintain drive power and prevent the drive wheels from spin-
ning when starting the vehicle or accelerating on slippery roads
■Hill-start assist control (if equipped)
Helps to prevent the vehicle from rolling backward when starting on an
incline or slippery slope
■LSD (Limited Slip Differential) (if equipped)
Transfers drive power to the rear tires when front tires spin, and vice
versa, in order to improve traction

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When driving
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When the VSC/TRAC systems are operating (2WD models)
If the vehicle is in danger of slip-
ping or if any of the drive wheels
spins, the slip indicator flashes to
indicate that the VSC/TRAC sys-
tems are operating.
When the VSC/TRAC/hill-start assist control systems are
operating (4WD models)If the vehicle is in danger of slip-
ping or rolling backward when
starting on an incline, or if any of
the drive wheels spins, the slip
indicator flashes to indicate that
the VSC/TRAC/hill-start assist
control systems are operating.
The stop lights and high mounted
stoplight turn on and a buzzer
(intermittent) sounds when the
hill-start assist control system is
operating.
■KDSS (Kinetic Dynamic Suspension System) (if equipped)
Enhances ride comfort and handling response by using a hydraulic
control system to control the suspension stabilizer bars in response to
road surface and driving conditions dur ing cornering or off-road driving
CTH24AS047
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268 2-4. Using other driving systems
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Disabling the TRAC/VSC systems (2WD models)If the vehicle gets stuck in fresh snow or mud, the TRAC/VSC sys-
tems may reduce power from the engine to the wheels. You may
need to turn the system off to enable you to rock the vehicle in order
to free it.
■ Turning off the TRAC
system only (turning on the AUTO LSD
system [ P. 245])
To turn the TRAC system off,
quickly press and release the
switch.
The VSC off and “AUTO LSD”
indicators will come on.
Press the switch again to turn the
system back on.

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When driving
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Turning off both TRAC and VSC systems
To turn the TRAC and VSC sys-
tems off, press and hold the
switch for more than 3 seconds
while the vehicle is stopped.
The “TRAC OFF” and VSC off
indicators will come on.
Press the switch again to turn the
systems back on.

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Disabling the TRAC/VSC systems (4WD models)If the vehicle gets stuck in fresh snow or mud, the TRAC/VSC sys-
tems may reduce power from the engine to the wheels. You may
need to turn the system off to enable you to rock the vehicle in order
to free it.
■ Turning off the TRAC system only
To turn the TRAC system off,
quickly press and release the
switch.
The “TRAC OFF” indicator will
come on.
Press the switch again to turn the
system back on.
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When driving
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Turning off both TRAC and VSC systems
To turn the TRAC and VSC sys-
tems off, press and hold the
switch for more than 3 seconds
while the vehicle is stopped.
The “TRAC OFF” and VSC off
indicators will come on.
Press the switch again to turn the
systems back on.
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■When the “TRAC OFF” indicator li ght comes on even if the VSC off
switch has not been pressed
TRAC, hill-start assist control, downhill assist control and Crawl Control can-
not be operated. Contact your Toyota dealer.
■ Hill-start assist control operation conditions
● The shift lever is in D or S.
● The brake pedal is not depressed.
● The rear differential is unlocked (if equipped).
■ If the brake system overheats
The hill-start assist control will cease operation and a buzzer will sound to
alert the driver. At this time, the “TRAC OFF” indicator will come on. Stop the
vehicle in a safe place. (There is no problem with continuing with normal
driving.)
The system will be automatically restored after a short time.
■ Sounds and vibrations caused by the ABS, Multi Terrain ABS (if
equipped), brake assist, VSC, TRAC and hill-start assist control (if
equipped) systems
● A sound may be heard from the engine compartment when the engine is
started or just after the vehicle begins to move. This sound does not indi-
cate that a malfunction has occurred in any of these systems.
● Any of the following conditions may occur when the above systems are
operating. None of these indicates that a malfunction has occurred.
• Vibrations may be felt through the vehicle body and steering.
• A motor sound may be heard after the vehicle comes to a stop.
• The brake pedal may pulsate slightly after the ABS or Multi Terrain
ABS is activated.
• The brake pedal may move down slightly after the ABS or Multi Terrain ABS is activated.
■ Reactivation of the TRAC/VSC systems after turning off the engine
Turning off the engine after turning off the TRAC/VSC systems will automati-
cally reactivate them.