2012 TOYOTA 4RUNNER tow

308 2-5. Driving information
4RUNNER_U
●After the trailer swaying has stopped:
• Stop in a safe place. Get all occupants out of the vehicle.
• Check the tires of the vehicle and the trailer.
• Check the load in the trailer.
Make sure the load has not shifted.
Make sure the tongue weight is appropriate, if possible.
• Check the load in the vehicle. Make sure the vehicle is not overloaded after occupants get in.
If you cannot find any problems, the speed at which trailer swaying occu\
rred
is beyond the limit of your particular vehicle-trailer combination.
Drive at a lower speed to prevent instability. Remember that swaying of the
towing vehicle-trailer increases as speed increases.
CAUTION
■ Trailer towing precautions
To tow a trailer safely, use extreme care and drive the vehicle in accordance
with the trailer’s characteristics and operating conditions. Failure to do so
could cause an accident resulting in death or serious injury. Vehicle stability
and braking performance are affected by trailer stability, brake setting and
performance, and the hitch. Your vehicle will handle differently when towing
a trailer.
■ To avoid accident or injury
● Do not exceed the TWR, unbraked TWR, GCWR, GVWR or GAWR.
● If the gross trailer weight is over 2000 lb. (907 kg), a sway control device
with sufficient capacity is required.
● Adjust the tongue weight within the appropriate range. Place heavier loads
as close to the trailer axle as possible.
● Do not exceed 65 mph (104 km/h), the posted towing speed limit or the
speed limit for your trailer as set forth in your trailer owner’s manual,
whichever is lowest. Slow down sufficiently before making a turn, in cross
winds, on wet or slippery surface, etc. to help avoid an accident. If you
experience a vehicle-trailer instability from reducing a certain speed, slow
down and make sure you keep your vehicle speed under the speed of
which you experience the instability.
● Do not make jerky, abrupt or sharp turns.

309
2-5. Driving information
2
When driving
4RUNNER_U
CAUTION
●
Do not apply the brakes suddenly as you may skid, resulting in jackknifing
and loss of vehicle control. This is especially true on wet or slippery sur-
faces.
● Do not exceed the trailer hitch assembly weight, gross vehicle weight,
gross axle weight and trailer tongue weight capacities.
● Do not use cruise control when towing.
● Slow down and downshift before descending steep or long downhill
grades. Do not make sudden downshifts while descending steep or long
downhill grades.
● Vehicle-trailer instability is more likely on steep long downhills. Before
descending steep or long downhill grades, slow down and downshift. Do
not make sudden downshifts when descending steep or long downhill
grades. Avoid holding the brake pedal down too long or applying the
brakes too frequently. This could cause the brakes to overheat and result
in reduced braking efficiency.
■ Hitch
Trailer hitch assemblies have different weight capacities established by the
hitch manufacturer. Even though the vehicle may be physically capable of
towing a higher weight, the operator must determine the maximum weight
rating of the particular hitch assembly and never exceed the maximum
weight rating specified for the trailer-hitch. Exceeding the maximum weight
rating set by the trailer-hitch manufacturer can cause an accident resulting in
death or serious personal injuries.

310 2-5. Driving information
4RUNNER_U
CAUTION
■When towing a trailer
Toyota recommends trailers with brakes that conform to any applicable fed-
eral and state/provincial regulations.
● If the gross trailer weight exceeds unbraked TWR, trailer brakes are
required. Toyota recommends trailers with brakes that conform to all appli-
cable federal and state/provincial regulations.
● Never tap into your vehicle’s hydraulic system, as this will lower the vehi-
cle’s braking effectiveness.
● Never tow a trailer without using a safety chain securely attached to both
the trailer and the vehicle. If damage occurs to the coupling unit or hitch
ball, there is danger of the trailer wandering into another lane.
NOTICE
■When installing a trailer hitch
Use only the position recommended by your Toyota dealer. Do not install the
trailer hitch on the bumper; this may cause body damage.
■ Do not directly splice trailer lights
Do not directly splice trailer lights. Directly splicing trailer lights may damage
your vehicle’s electrical system and cause a malfunction.

311
2-5. Driving information
2
When driving
4RUNNER_U
Dinghy towing
NOTICE
■To avoid serious damage to your vehicle
Do not tow your vehicle with four wheels on the ground.
Your vehicle is not designed to be dinghy towed (with 4 wheels
on the ground) behind a motor home.

450 3-6. Using the storage features
4RUNNER_U
CAUTION
■Items unsuitable for the cup holder
Do not place anything other than cups or beverage cans in the cup holders.
Other items may be thrown out of the holders in the event of an accident or
sudden braking, causing injury. If possible, cover hot drinks to prevent burns.
■ When not in use (second row seat cup holders only)
Keep the cup holders closed. In the event of sudden braking, an accident
may occur due to an occupant being struck by the open cup holders or the
items stored inside.
NOTICE
■ To prevent damage to the rear cu p holders (second row seats only)
Stow the cup holders before stowing the armrest.
Cup holders

452 3-6. Using the storage features
4RUNNER_U
NOTICE
■Items that should not be stowed in the bottle holders
Put the cap on before stowing a bottle. Do not place open bottles in the bot-
tle holders, or glasses and paper cups containing liquid. The contents may
spill and glasses may break.
Bottle holders

478 3-7. Other interior features
4RUNNER_UDrive the vehicle in a circle com-
pleting at least one full circle
within 20 - 120 seconds.
If there is not enough space to
drive in a circle, drive around the
block until a direction is dis-
played.
Press and hold the “SET/ ” butt
on to confirm the direction
and to exit circling calibration mode. (If the button is pressed
for several minutes, the direction will automatically be con-
firmed and the display returned to normal.)
Make sure that “ ” on the left side of the direction display has
gone off. If “ ” is illuminated, perform the above procedure
again.
STEP 3
■ Conditions unfavorable to correct operation
The compass may not show the correct direction in the following conditions:
● The vehicle is stopped immediately after turning.
● The vehicle is on an inclined surface.
● The vehicle is in a place where the earth's magnetic field is subject to
interference by artificial magnetic fields (underground car park/parking
lot, under a steel tower, between buildings, roof car park/parking lot, near
an intersection, near a large vehicle, etc.).
● The vehicle has become magnetized.
(There is a magnet or metal object near the accessory meter display.)
● The battery has been disconnected.
● A door is open.
STEP 4
STEP 5

484 3-7. Other interior features
4RUNNER_U
CAUTION
■When the cargo hooks are not in use
To avoid injury, always return the cargo hooks to their stowed positions.
■ Slide deck operating precaution (if equipped)
● Be careful not to get hands or feet pinched by the slide deck.
● Be careful not to allow the slide deck to hit any persons or luggage while
sliding the deck.
● Do not operate the slide deck while someone is on it.
Doing so may cause an accident.
● If operating the slide deck when the vehicle is stopped on an incline, the
slide deck may move faster. Be careful not to allow the slide deck to hit
you or pinch your fingers etc.
● After sliding the deck, make sure it is securely locked in position.
● Do not close the back door while any person is sitting on the slide deck or
any person is between the slide deck and back door.
● Do not stow any objects into the space between the slide deck rails.
Type B (if equipped)
To use the grocery bag hooks,
slide the slide deck to the full-
slide locked position.
( P. 483)
CTH37AS095