
1794-1. Before driving
4
Driving
4RUNNER (U)
WARNING
Observe the following precautions. 
Failure to do so may result in death or serious injury.
■When driving the vehicle
● Do not drive if you are unfamiliar with the location of the brake and accel-
erator pedals to avoid depressing the wrong pedal. 
• Accidentally  depressing  the  accelerator  pedal  instead  of  the  b rake
pedal will result in sudden acceleration that may lead to an ac cident.
• When  backing  up,  you  may  twist  your  body  around,  leading  to  a  diffi-
culty in operating the pedals. Make sure to operate the pedals  properly.
• Make  sure  to  keep  a  correct  driving  posture  even  when  moving  t he
vehicle only slightly. This allows you to depress the brake and  accelera-
tor pedals properly.
• Depress  the  brake  pedal  using  your  right  foot.  Depressing  the  brake
pedal using your left foot may delay response in an emergency,  result-
ing in an accident.
● Do not drive the vehicle over or stop the vehicle near flammable materials.
The  exhaust  system  and  exhaust  gases  can  be  extremely  hot. Thes e  hot
parts may cause a fire if there is any flammable material nearby.
■ When driving the vehicle
● During  normal  driving,  do  not  turn  off  the  engine.  Turning  the  engine  off
while  driving  will  not  cause  loss  of  steering  or  braking  contro l,  but  the
power assist to these systems will be lost. This will make it m ore difficult to
steer and brake, so you should pull over and stop the vehicle a s soon as it
is safe to do so. 
However, in  the  event of  an emergency, such  as if  it becomes  im possible
to stop the vehicle in the normal way: P. 465
● Use  engine  braking  (downshift)  to  maintain  a  safe  speed  when  driving
down a steep hill. 
Using the brakes continuously may cause the brakes to overheat  and lose
effectiveness. ( P. 218)
● Do not adjust the positions of the steering wheel, the seat, or the inside or
outside rear view mirrors while driving.
Doing so may result in a loss of vehicle control.
● Always check that all passengers’ arms, heads or other parts of  their body
are not outside the vehicle.
● Do not drive in excess of the speed limit. Even if the legal sp eed limit per-
mits it, do not drive over 85 mph (140 km/h) unless your vehicl e has high-
speed  capability  tires.  Driving  over  85  mph  (140  km/h)  may  resu lt  in  tire
failure,  loss  of  control  and  possible  injury.  Be  sure  to  consult  a  tire  dealer
to  determine  whether  the  tires  on  your  vehicle  are  high-speed  c apability
tires or not before driving at such speeds. 

2014-1. Before driving
4
Driving
4RUNNER (U)
Your vehicle will handle differently when towing a trailer. Help to avoid
an  accident,  death  or  serious  injury,  keep  the  following  in  min d when
towing:
● Speed  limits  for  towing  a  trailer  vary  by  state  or  province.  Do  not
exceed the posted to wing speed limit.
● Toyota  recommends  that  the  vehicl e-trailer  speed  limit  is  65  mph
(104 km/h) on a flat, straight, dry road. Do not exceed this li mit, the
posted  towing  speed  limit  or  the  speed  limit  for  your  trailer  as  set
forth  in  your  trailer owner’s  manu al,  whichever is  lowest.  Instability
of the towing vehicle-trailer combination (trailer sway) increa ses as
speed increases. Exceeding speed limits may cause loss of contr ol.
● Before  starting  out,  check  the  trailer  lights,  tires  and  the  vehicle-
trailer connections. Recheck af ter driving a short distance.
● Practice turning, stopping and reversing with the trailer attac hed in
an area away from traffic until you become accustomed  to  the fe el
of the vehicle-trailer combination.
● Reversing with a trailer attached is difficult and requires pra ctice.
Grip  the  bottom  of  the  steering  wheel  and  move  your  hand  to  the
left  to  move  the  trailer  to  the  left.  Move  your  hand  to  the  rig ht  to
move  the  trailer  to  right.  (This  is  generally  opposite  to  reversing
without  a  trailer  attached.) Avoid  sharp  or  prolonged  turning.  Have
someone  guide  you  when  reversing  to  reduce  the  risk  of  an  acci-
dent.
● As  stopping  distance  is  increased  when  towing  a  trailer,  vehicl e-to
vehicle  distance  should  be  increased.  For  each  10  mph  (16  km/h)
of speed, allow at least one v ehicle and trailer length.
● Avoid sudden braking as you may  skid, resulting in the trailer  jack-
knifing and a loss of vehicle control. This is especially true  on wet or
slippery surfaces.
Trailer towing tips 

2064-1. Before driving
4RUNNER (U)
WARNING
●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  downhi lls.  Before
descending  steep  or  long  downhill  grades,  slow  down  and  downshi ft.  Do
not  make  sudden  downshifts  when  descending  steep  or  long  downhi ll
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 estab lished 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  ma ximum
weight rating specified  for  the trailer-hitch. Exceeding the ma ximum weight
rating  set  by  the  trailer-hitch  manufacturer  can  cause  an  accid ent  resulting
in death or serious personal injuries.
■ When towing a trailer
Toyota recommends trailers with brakes that conform to any appl icable fed-
eral and state/provincial regulations.
● If  the  gross  trailer  weight  exceeds  unbraked  TWR,  trailer  brake s  are
required. Toyota recommends trailers with brakes that conform t o all appli-
cable federal and state/provincial regulations.
● Never tap  into your  vehicle’s  hydraulic  system, as this  will  lo wer the vehi-
cle’s braking effectiveness.
● Never  tow  a  trailer  without  using  a  safety  chain  securely  attac hed  to  both
the  trailer  and  the  vehicle.  If  damage  occurs  to  the  coupling  u nit  or  hitch
ball, there is danger of the trailer wandering into another lan e. 

246
4RUNNER (U)
4-5. Using the driving support systems
◆PCS (Pre-Collision System)
P.   2 5 4
◆LDA (Lane Departure Alert)
P.   2 6 5
◆Automatic High Beam
P.   2 3 1
◆Dynamic radar  cruise control
 P.   2 7 3
Toyota Safety Sense P
The Toyota Safety Sense P consists of the following drive assis t
systems and contributes to a safe and comfortable driving expe-
rience:
WARNING
■ Toyota Safety Sense P
The  Toyota  Safety  Sense  P  is  designed  to  operate  under  the  assu mption
that the driver will drive safely, and is designed to help redu ce the impact to
the occupants and the vehicle in the case of a collision or ass ist the driver in
normal driving conditions. 
As there is a limit to the degree of recognition accuracy and control perfor-
mance that this system can provide, do not overly rely on this  system. The
driver  is  always  responsible  for  paying  attention  to  the  vehicl e's  surround-
ings and driving safely. 

2474-5. Using the driving support systems
4
Driving
4RUNNER (U)
The  pre-collision  system  is  equipped  with  a  sophisticated  computer
that will record certain data, such as: • Accelerator status
• Brake status
• Vehicle speed
• Operation status of the pre-collision system functions
• Information (such as the dist ance and relative speed between y our
vehicle and the vehicle  ahead or other objects)
• Images  from the camera  sensor (available  only  when  the  pre-col li-
sion  braking  function  or  the  pre-collision  brake  assist  functio n  was
operating)
The  pre-collision  system  does  not  record  con versations,  sounds or
images of the inside of the vehicle.
● Data usage
Toyota  may  use  the  data  recorded  in  this  computer  to  diagnose
malfunctions,  conduct  research  and  development,  and  improve
quality.
Toyota will not disclose the recorded data to a third party exc ept:
• With the consent of the vehicle owner or with the consent of t he
lessee if the vehicle is leased
• In response to an official request by the police, a court of l aw or a
government agency
• For use by Toyota in a lawsuit
• For  research  purposes  where  the  data  is  not  tied  to  a  specific vehicle or vehicle owner
● Recorded images can be erased  using a specialized device.
The image recording function can be disabled. However, if the f unc-
tion  is  disabled,  data  from  when  the  pre-collision  system  opera tes
will not be available.
Vehicle data recording 

2554-5. Using the driving support systems
4
Driving
4RUNNER (U)
WARNING
■Limitations of the pre-collision system
● The driver is solely responsible for safe driving. Always drive safely, taking
care to observe your surroundings. 
Do  not  use  the  pre-collision  system  instead  of  normal  braking  o perations
under any circumstances. This system will not prevent collision s or lessen
collision damage or injury in every situation. Do not overly re ly on this sys-
tem. Failure to do so may lead to an accident, resulting in dea th or serious
injury.
● Although  this  system  is  designed  to  help  avoid  a  collision  or  h elp  reduce
the impact of the collision, its effectiveness may change according to vari-
ous  conditions,  therefore  the  system  may  not  always  be  able  to  achieve
the same level of performance. 
Read  the  following  conditions  carefully.  Do  not  overly  rely  on  this  system
and always drive carefully.
• Conditions under which the system may operate even if there is  no pos-
sibility of a collision:  P. 259
• Conditions under which the system may not operate properly:  P. 261
● Do not attempt to test the operation of the pre-collision syste m yourself.
Depending  on  the  objects  used  for  testing  (dummies,  cardboard  o bjects
imitating  detectable  objects,  etc.),  the  system  may  not  operate   properly,
possibly leading to an accident.
■ Pre-collision braking
● When  the  pre-collision  braking  function  is  operating,  a  large  a mount  of
braking force will be applied.
● If the vehicle is stopped by the operation of the pre-collision braking func-
tion,  the  pre-collision  braking  function  operation  will  be  canceled  after
approximately 2 seconds. Depress the brake pedal as necessary.
● The pre-collision braking function may not operate if certain o perations are
performed  by  the  driver.  If  the  accelerator  pedal  is  being  depressed
strongly  or the  steering  wheel  is  being  turned,  the  system  may  determine
that  the  driver  is  taking  evasive  action  and  possibly  prevent  t he  pre-colli-
sion braking function from operating.
● In  some  situations,  while  the  pre-collision  braking  function  is   operating,
operation  of  the  function  may  be  canceled  if  the  accelerator  pedal  is
depressed  strongly  or  the  steering  wheel  is  turned  and  the  syst em  deter-
mines that the driver is taking evasive action.
● If the brake pedal is being depressed, the system may determine  that the
driver  is  taking  evasive  action  and  possibly  delay  the  operation  timing  of
the pre-collision braking function. 

2674-5. Using the driving support systems
4
Driving
4RUNNER (U)
WARNING
■Before using LDA system
Do  not  rely  solely  upon  the  LDA  system.  The  LDA  system  does  not   auto-
matically  drive  the  vehicle  or  reduce  the  amount  of  attention  that  must  be
paid  to  the  area  in  front  of  the  vehicle. The  driver  must  always  assume  full
responsibility  for  driving  safely  by  paying  careful  attention  to  the  surround-
ing  conditions  and  operating  the  steering  wheel  to  correct  the  path  of  the
vehicle. Also, the driver must take adequate breaks when fatigu ed, such as
from driving for a long period of time. 
Failure  to  perform  appropriate  driving  operations  and  pay  careful  attention
may lead to an accident, resulting in death or serious injury.
■ To avoid operating LDA system by mistake
When not using the LDA system, use the LDA switch to turn the s ystem off.
■ Situations unsuitable for LDA system
Do not use the LDA system in the following situations.
The  system  may  not  operate  properly  and  lead  to  an  accident,  re sulting  in
death or serious injury.
● A spare tire, tire chains, etc. are equipped.
● Objects  or  patterns  that  could  be  mistaken  for  white  (yellow)  l ines  are
present on the side of the road (guardrails, curbs, reflective  poles, etc.).
● Vehicle is driven on a snow-covered road.
● White (yellow) lines are difficult to see due to rain, snow, fo g, dust, etc.
● Asphalt  repair  marks,  white  (yellow)  line  marks,  etc.  are  prese nt  due  to
road repair.
● Vehicle is driven in a temporary lane or restricted lane due to  construction
work.
● Vehicle is driven in a construction zone.
■ Preventing  LDA  system  malfunctio ns  and  operations  performed  by
mistake
● Do  not  modify  the  headlights  or  place  stickers,  etc.  on  the  sur face  of  the
lights.
● Do  not  modify  the  suspension  etc.  If  the  suspension  etc.  needs  to  be
replaced, contact your Toyota dealer.
● Do not install or place anything on the hood or grille. Also, d o not install a
grille guard (bull bars, kangaroo bar, etc.).
● If your windshield needs repairs, contact your Toyota dealer. 

2744-5. Using the driving support systems
4RUNNER (U)
WARNING
■Before using dynamic r adar cruise control
● Driving  safely  is  the  sole  responsibility  of  the  driver.  Do  not  rely  solely  on
the system, and drive safely by always paying careful attention  to your sur-
roundings.
● The dynamic radar cruise control provides driving assistance to  reduce the
driver's burden. However, there are limitations to the assistan ce provided.
Read the following conditions carefully. Do  not overly rely on  this  system
and always drive carefully.
• When the sensor may not be correctly detecting the vehicle ahead:  P. 284
• Conditions  under  which  the  vehicle-to-vehicle  distance  control   mode
may not function correctly:  P. 285
● Set the speed appropriately depending on the speed limit, traff ic flow, road
conditions, weather conditions, etc. The driver is responsible  for checking
the set speed.
● Even when the system is functioning normally, the condition of  the preced-
ing  vehicle  as  detected  by  the  system  may  differ  from  the  condition
observed  by  the  driver.  Therefore,  the  driver  must  always  remai n  alert,
assess  the danger of  each situation  and  drive safely. Relying  on this  sys-
tem  or  assuming  the  system  ensures  safety  while  driving  can  lea d  to  an
accident, resulting in death or serious injury.
● Switch  the  dynamic  radar  cruise  control  off  using  the  “ON-OFF”  button
when not in use.