2021 TOYOTA 4RUNNER trailer

2034-1. Before driving
4
Driving
4RUNNER (U)
●Always place wheel blocks under both the vehicle’s and the trai ler’s
wheels when parking. Apply the parking brake firmly, and put th e
transmission in P. Avoid parking on a slope, but if unavoidable , do
so only after perform ing the following:
Apply the brakes and keep them applied.
Have someone place wheel blocks under both the vehicle’s and
trailer’s wheels.
When the wheel blocks are in pl ace, release the brakes slowly
until the blocks absorb the load.
Apply the parking brake firmly.
Shift into P and turn off the engine.
● When restarting afte r parking on a slope:
With the transmission in P, start the engine. Be sure to keep t he
brake pedal pressed.
Shift into a forward gear. If reversing, shift into R.
Release the parking brake and brake pedal, and slowly pull or
back away from the wheel bloc ks. Stop and apply the brakes.
Have someone retrieve the blocks.
■ Matching trailer ball height to trailer coupler height
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No matter which class of tow hitch
applies, for a more safe trailer hookup,
the trailer ball setup must be the proper
height for the coupler on the trailer.
Coupler
Trailer ball
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2044-1. Before driving
4RUNNER (U)■
Before towing
Check that the following conditions are met:
●Ensure that your vehicle’s tires are properly inflated. ( P. 528)
● Trailer tires are inflated according to the trailer manufacture r’s recommen-
dation.
● All trailer lights work as required by law.
● All lights work each time you connect them.
● The trailer ball is set at the proper height for the coupler on the trailer.
● The trailer is level when it is hitched.
Do not drive if the trailer is not level, and check for imprope r tongue weight,
overloading, worn suspension, or other possible causes.
● The trailer cargo is securely loaded.
● The rear view mirrors conform to all applicable federal, state/provincial or
local regulations. If they do not, install rear view mirrors ap propriate for tow-
ing purposes.
■ Break-in schedule
If your vehicle is new or equipped with any new power train com ponents
(such as an engine, transmission, differential or wheel bearing ), Toyota rec-
ommends that you do not tow a trailer until the vehicle has bee n driven for
over 500 miles (800 km).
After the vehicle has been driven for over 500 miles (800 km), you can start
towing. However, for the next 500 miles (800 km), drive the veh icle at a speed
of less than 45 mph (72 km/h) when towing a trailer, and avoid full throttle
acceleration.
■ Maintenance
●If you tow a trailer, your vehicle will require more frequent m aintenance due
to the additional load. (See “Scheduled Maintenance Guide” or “ Owner’s
Manual Supplement”.)
● Retighten the fixing bolts of the towing ball and bracket after approximately
600 miles (1000 km) of trailer towing.
■ If trailer sway occurs
One or more factors (crosswinds, passing vehicles, rough roads, etc.) can
adversely affect handling of your vehicle and trailer, causing instability.
● If trailer swaying occurs:
• Firmly grip the steering wheel. Steer straight ahead.
Do not try to control trailer swaying by turning the steering w heel.
• Begin releasing the accelerator pedal immediately but very gra dually to
reduce speed.
Do not increase speed. Do not apply vehicle brakes.
If you make no extreme correction with the steering or brakes, your vehicle
and trailer should stabilize. (if enabled, Trailer Sway Control can also help to
stabilize the vehicle and trailer.)

2054-1. Before driving
4
Driving
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 occurred
is beyond the limit of your particular vehicle-trailer combination.
Drive at a lower speed to prevent instability. Remember that sw aying of the
towing vehicle-trailer increases as speed increases.
WARNING
■ 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. V ehicle stability
and braking performance are affected by trailer stability, brak e 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 he avier 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 tur n, in cross
winds, on wet or slippery surface, etc. to help avoid an accident. If you
experience a vehicle-trailer instability from reducing a certai n 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.

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.

2074-1. Before driving
4
Driving
4RUNNER (U)
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 traile r lights may damage
your vehicle’s electrical system and cause a malfunction.

2334-3. Operating the lights and wipers
4
Driving
4RUNNER (U)• When driving in inclement weather (heavy rain, snow, fog, sand
storms,
etc.)
• When the windshield is obscured by fog, mist, ice, dirt, etc.
• When the windshield is cracked or damaged
• When the camera sensor is deformed or dirty
• When the temperature of the camera sensor is extremely high
• When the surrounding brightness level is equal to that of head lights, tail
lights or fog lights
• When headlights or tail lights of vehicles ahead are turned off, dirty, changing color, or not aimed properly
• When the vehicle is hit by water, snow, dust, etc. from a prec eding vehi-
cle
• When driving through an area of intermittently changing brightness and
darkness
• When frequently and repeatedly driving ascending/descending roads, or roads with rough, bumpy or uneven surfaces (such as stone-paved
roads, gravel roads, etc.)
• When frequently and repeatedly taking curves or driving on a w inding
road
• When there is a highly reflective object ahead of the vehicle, such as a sign or mirror
• When the back of a preceding vehicle is highly reflective, suc h as a con-
tainer on a truck
• When the vehicle's headlights are damaged or dirty, or are not aimed
properly
• When the vehicle is listing or titling due to a flat tire, a trailer being towed, etc.
• When the headlights are changed between the high beams and low beams repeatedly in an abnormal manner
• When the driver believes that the high beams may be flashing or dazzling
pedestrians or other drivers
■ Temporarily lowering sensor sensitivity
The sensitivity of the sensor can be temporarily lowered.
Turn the engine switch off while the following conditions are m et.
• The headlight switch is in or .
• The headlight switch lever is in the high beam position.
• Automatic High Beam switch is on.
Turn the engine switch to the “ON” position (vehicles without a smart key
system) or IGNITION ON mode (vehicles with a smart key system).
Within 60 seconds after , repeat pulling the headlight switch l ever to the
original position then pushing it to the high beam position qui ckly 10 times,
then leave the lever in the high beam position.
If the sensitivity is changed, the Automatic High Beam indicato r will turn on
and off 3 times.
Automatic High Beam (headlights) may turn on even when the vehicle is
stopped.
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2614-5. Using the driving support systems
4
Driving
4RUNNER (U)• When the vehicle is hit by water, snow, dust, etc. from a vehicle ahead
• When driving through steam or smoke
• When there are patterns or paint on the road or a wall that may be mis-
taken for a vehicle or pedestrian
• When driving near an object that reflects radio waves, such as a large
truck or guardrail
• When driving near a TV tower, broadcasting station, electric power plant, or other location where strong radio waves or electrical noise may be
present
■ Situations in which the syst em may not operate properly
● In some situations such as the following, a vehicle may not be detected by
the radar sensor and front camera, preventing the system from operating
properly:
• If an oncoming vehicle is approaching your vehicle
• If a vehicle ahead is a motorcycle or bicycle
• When approaching the side or front of a vehicle
• If a preceding vehicle has a small rear end, such as an unload ed truck
• If a vehicle ahead is carrying a load which protrudes past its rear bumper
• If a vehicle ahead is irregularly shaped, such as a tractor or side car
• If the sun or other light is shining directly on a vehicle ahe ad
• If a vehicle cuts in front of your vehicle or emerges from bes ide a vehicle
• When driving through or under
objects that may contact the vehicle,
such as thick grass, tree branches, or
a banner
• If a preceding vehicle has a low rear end, such as a low bed trailer
• If a vehicle ahead has extremely high ground clearance

2754-5. Using the driving support systems
4
Driving
4RUNNER (U)
WARNING
■Situations unsuitable for dynamic radar cruise control
Do not use dynamic radar cruise control in any of the following situations.
Doing so may result in inappropriate speed control and could ca use an acci-
dent resulting in death or serious injury.
● Roads where there are pedestrians, cyclers, etc.
● In heavy traffic
● On roads with sharp bends
● On winding roads
● On slippery roads, such as those covered with rain, ice or snow
● On steep downhills, or where there are sudden changes between s harp up
and down gradients
Vehicle speed may exceed the set speed when driving down a stee p hill.
● At entrances to freeways and highways
● When weather conditions are bad enough that they may prevent the sen-
sors from detecting correctly (fog, snow, sandstorm, heavy rain, etc.)
● When there is rain, snow, etc. on the front surface of the radar sensor or
camera sensor
● In traffic conditions that require frequent repeated acceleration and decel-
eration
● When your vehicle is towing a trailer or during emergency towin g
● When an approach warning buzzer is heard often