Get Ignitionswitch,TransmissionandParkingbrake Guide for Toyota 4 Runner SUV Third Generation (1996-2002)

’01 4Runner_U (L/O 0008)

SECTION 1− 6

OPERATION OF INSTRUMENTS AND

CONTROLS

Ignition switch, Transmission and Parking brake

Ignition switch with steering lock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102

Automatic transmission . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103

Four−wheel drive system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113

Traction control system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117

Active traction control system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120

Vehicle skid control system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 122

Parking brake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 124

Cruise control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125

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Ignition switch with steering

lock

You must shift the selector lever into the

“P” position before turning the key from

“ACC” to the “LOCK” position.

Vehicles with engine immobiliser system—

Once you remove the key, the engine im-

mobiliser system is automatically set. (See

“Engine immobiliser system” in Section

1−2.)

When starting the engine, the key may

seem stuck at the “LOCK” position. To

free it, first be sure the key is pushed all

the way in, and then rock the steering

wheel slightly while turning the key gently.

“START”—Starter motor on. The key

will return to the “ON” position when

released.

NOTICE

Do not leave the key in the “ON”

position if the engine is not running.

The battery will discharge and the

ignition could be damaged.

For starting tips, see Section 3.

“ON”—Engine on and all accessories

on.

This is the normal driving position.

“ACC”—Accessories such as the radio

operate, but the engine is off.

If you leave the key in the “ACC” or

“LOCK” position and open the driver’s

door, a buzzer will remind you to remove

the key.

“LOCK”—Engine is off and the steering

wheel is locked. The key can be re-

moved only at this position.

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Automatic transmission

"Two−wheel drive models

Your automatic transmission has

a

shift

lock system to minimize the possibility of

incorrect operation. This means you can

only shift out of “P” position when the

brake pedal is depressed (with the ignition

switch in “ON” position and the lock re-

lease button depressed).

Lock release button

To prevent misshifting

Selector lever

(a) Selector lever

The shift position is also displayed on the

instrument cluster.

P: Parking, engine starting and

key removal

Overdrive switch

R: Reverse

N: Neutral

D: Normal driving (with overdrive on)

2: Stronger engine braking

L: Maximum engine braking

With the brake pedal depressed,

shift while holding the lock release

button in. (The ignition switch must

be in “ON” position.)

Driving pattern

selector button

Shift while holding the lock

release button in.

Shift normally.

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Vehicles with cruise control—When the

3. Release the parking brake and brake

pedal. Depress the accelerator pedal

slowly for smooth starting.

cruise control is being used, even if you

downshift the transmission by pushing and

releasing the overdrive switch, engine

braking will not be enabled because the

cruise control is not cancelled.

(d) Using engine braking

To use engine braking, you can downshift

the transmission as follows:

For ways to decrease the vehicle speed,

see “Cruise control” in this section.

D Push the overdrive switch. The “O/D

OFF” indicator light will come on and

the transmission will downshift to third

gear.

(c) Normal driving

1. Start the engine as instructed in “How

to start the engine” in Section 3. The

transmission must be in “P” or “N”.

D Shift into the “2” position. The trans-

mission will downshift to second gear

when the vehicle speed drops down to

or lower than 119 km/h (73 mph), and

stronger engine braking will be en-

abled.

2. With your foot holding down the brake

pedal, shift the selector lever to “D”.

(b) Overdrive switch

You can select either third gear (with

overdrive off) or fourth gear (with over-

drive on) by pushing this switch.

When the lever is in the “D” position, the

automatic transmission system will select

the most suitable gear for running condi-

tions such as normal cruising, hill climb-

ing, hard towing, etc.

D Shift into the “L” position. The trans-

mission will downshift to first gear

When the vehicle speed drops down to

or lower than 58 km/h (36 mph), and

maximum engine braking will be en-

abled.

To turn the overdrive off, push the switch.

The “O/D OFF” indicator light should come

on. To turn the overdrive on again, push

the switch again. The “O/D OFF” indicator

light should go off.

Always turn the overdrive on for better

fuel economy and quieter driving. If the

engine coolant temperature is low, the

transmission will not shift into the over-

drive gear even with the overdrive on.

Always drive your vehicle with the over-

drive on for better fuel economy and

quieter driving.

CAUTION

If the engine is turned off when the over-

drive is off and restarted, the overdrive

will be on automatically.

Never put your foot on the accelera-

tor pedal while shifting.

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Vehicles with cruise control—When the

cruise control is being used, even if you

downshift the transmission by pushing and

releasing the overdrive switch, engine

braking will not be enabled because the

cruise control is not cancelled.

(g) Parking

NOTICE

1. Bring the vehicle to a complete stop.

z Be careful not to over−rev the en-

gine. Watch the tachometer to keep

engine rpm from going into the red

zone. The approximate maximum al-

lowable speed for each position is

given below for your reference:

2. Pull the parking brake lever up fully to

securely apply the parking brake.

3. With the brake pedal pressed down,

shift the selector lever to the “P” posi-

tion.

For ways to decrease the vehicle speed,

see “Cruise control” in this section.

“2” . . . . . . . . . . . . 120 km/h (74 mph)

“L” . . . . . . . . . . . . 65 km/h (40 mph)

CAUTION

z Do not continue hill climbing or

hard towing for a long time in the

“2” or “L” position. This may cause

severe automatic transmission dam-

age from overheating. To prevent

such damage, “D” position should

be used in hill climbing or hard

towing.

Never attempt to move the selector

lever into “P” position under any cir-

cumstances while the vehicle is mov-

ing. Serious mechanical damage and

loss of vehicle control may result.

Be careful when downshifting on a

shifting

could cause the vehicle to spin or

skid.

slippery

surface.

Abrupt

(e) Using “2” and “L” positions

(h) Good driving practice

The “2” and “L” positions are used for

strong engine braking as described pre-

viously.

D If the transmission repeatedly shifts up

and down between third gear and over-

drive when climbing a gentle slope, the

overdrive should be turned off. Be sure

to turn the switch on immediately after-

ward.

(f) Backing up

With the selector lever in “2” or “L”, you

can start the vehicle in motion as with the

lever in “D”.

1. Bring the vehicle to a complete stop.

2. With the brake pedal held down with

your foot, shift the selector lever to the

“R” position.

With the selector lever in “2”, the vehicle

will start in first gear and automatically

shift to second gear.

D When towing a trailer, in order to main-

tain engine braking efficiency, do not

use overdrive.

NOTICE

With the selector lever in “L”, the trans-

mission is engaged in first gear.

Never shift into reverse while the ve-

hicle is moving.

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(i) Rocking your vehicle if stuck

NOTICE

CAUTION

If you rock your vehicle, observe the

following precautions to prevent dam-

age to the transmission and other

parts.

Always keep your foot on the brake

pedal while stopped with the engine

running. This prevents the vehicle

from creeping.

If your vehicle becomes stuck in

snow, mud, sand, etc., then you may

attempt to rock the vehicle free by

moving it forward and backward. Do

not attempt this procedure if people

or objects are anywhere near the ve-

hicle. During the rocking operation

the vehicle may suddenly move for-

ward or backward as it becomes un-

stuck, causing injury or damage to

nearby people or objects.

z Do not depress the accelerator ped-

al while shifting the selector lever

or before the transmission is com-

pletely shifted to forward or reverse

gear.

NOTICE

Do not hold the vehicle on an up-

grade with the accelerator pedal. It

can cause the transmission to over-

heat. Always use the brake pedal or

parking brake.

z Do not race the engine and avoid

spinning the wheels.

z If your vehicle remains stuck after

rocking the vehicle several times,

consider other ways such as tow-

ing.

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(k) If you cannot shift the selector le-

ver out of “P” position

If you cannot shift the selector lever from

the “P” position even though the brake

pedal is depressed, use the shift lock

override button. For instructions, see “If

you cannot shift automatic transmission

selector lever” in Section 4.

(j) Driving in “PWR” (Power) mode

In the “PWR” mode, the transmission is

shifted up and down at a higher vehicle

speed than in the “NORM” (Normal) mode

and

a

more powerful acceleration is

achieved. To set the “PWR” mode, push

in the driving pattern selector button. The

“PWR” mode indicator light comes on.

For ordinary driving, Toyota recommends

using the “NORM” mode to improve fuel

economy.

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"Four−wheel drive models

Your automatic transmission has

a

shift

Selector lever

lock system to minimize the possibility of

incorrect operation. This means you can

only shift out of “P” position when the

brake pedal is depressed (with the ignition

switch in “ON” position and the lock re-

lease button depressed).

Lock release button

To prevent misshifting

(a) Selector lever

The shift position is also displayed on the

instrument cluster.

Overdrive switch

P: Parking, engine starting and

key removal

R: Reverse

N: Neutral

D: Normal driving (with overdrive on)

2: Stronger engine braking

L: Maximum engine braking

With the brake pedal depressed,

shift while holding the lock release

button in. (The ignition switch must

be in “ON” position.)

Driving pattern

selector button

Shift while holding the lock

release button in.

Shift normally.

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Vehicles with cruise control—When the

Always turn the overdrive on for better

fuel economy and quieter driving. If the

engine coolant temperature is low or when

the front drive control lever is in “L4”

(low−speed position, four−wheel drive), the

transmission will not shift into the over-

drive gear even with the overdrive on.

(See “Four−wheel drive system” in this

section for information of the front drive

control lever.)

cruise control is being used, even if you

downshift the transmission by pushing and

releasing the overdrive switch, engine

braking will not be enabled because the

cruise control is not cancelled.

For ways to decrease the vehicle speed,

see “Cruise control” in this section.

(c) Normal driving

1. Start the engine as instructed in “How

to start the engine” in Section 3. The

transmission must be in “P” or “N”.

CAUTION

Never put your foot on the accelera-

tor pedal while shifting.

When the front drive control lever is in

four−wheel

(b) Overdrive switch

“L4”

(low−speed

position,

drive), the driving pattern selector setting

has no effect on gear shift timing. (See

“Four−wheel drive system” in this section

for information of the front drive control

lever.)

You can select either third gear (with

overdrive off) or fourth gear (with over-

drive on) by pushing this switch.

3. Release the parking brake and brake

pedal. Depress the accelerator pedal

slowly for smooth starting.

To turn the overdrive off, push the switch.

The “O/D OFF” indicator light should come

on. To turn the overdrive on again, push

the switch again. The “O/D OFF” indicator

light should go off.

(d) Using engine braking

2. With your foot holding down the brake

pedal, shift the selector lever to “D”.

To use engine braking, you can downshift

the transmission as follows:

When the lever is in the “D” position, the

automatic transmission system will select

the most suitable gear for running condi-

tions such as normal cruising, hill climb-

ing, hard towing, etc.

D Push the overdrive switch. The “O/D

OFF” indicator light will come on and

the transmission will downshift to third

gear.

Always drive your vehicle with the over-

drive on for better fuel economy and

quieter driving.

If the engine is turned off when the over-

drive is off and restarted, the overdrive

will be on automatically.

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D Shift into the “2” position. The trans-

mission will downshift to second gear

when the vehicle speed drops down to

or lower than the following speed, and

stronger engine braking will be en-

abled.

Vehicles with cruise control—When the

(e) Using the “2” and “L”, positions

cruise control is being used, even if you

downshift the transmission by pushing and

releasing the overdrive switch, engine

braking will not be enabled because the

cruise control is not cancelled.

The “2” and “L” positions are used for

strong engine braking as described pre-

viously.

With the selector lever in “2” or “L”, you

can start the vehicle in motion as with the

lever in “D”.

Front drive control lever in “H”

114 km/h (70 mph)

For ways to decrease the vehicle speed,

see “Cruise control” in this section.

With the selector lever in “2”, the vehicle

will start in first gear and automatically

shift to second gear.

Front drive control lever in “L4”

41 km/h (25 mph)

CAUTION

D Shift into the “L” position. The trans-

mission will downshift to first gear

when the vehicle speed drops down to

or lower than the following speed, and

maximum engine braking will be en-

abled.

With the selector lever in “L”, the trans-

mission is engaged in first gear.

Be careful when downshifting on a

slippery

could cause the vehicle to spin or

skid.

surface.

Abrupt

shifting

NOTICE

z Be careful not to over−rev the en-

gine. Watch the tachometer to keep

engine rpm from going into the red

zone. The approximate maximum al-

lowable speed for each position is

given above for your reference:

Front drive control lever in “H”

55 km/h (34 mph)

Front drive control lever in “L4”

12 km/h (7 mph)

Front drive control lever in “H”

“2” . . . . . . . . . . . . . 118km/h (73 mph)

“L” . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64km/h (40 mph)

Front drive control lever in “L4”

“2” . . . . . . . . . . . . 46 km/h (28 mph)

“L” . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 km/h (15 mph)

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(g) Parking

z Do not continue hill climbing or

hard towing for a long time in the

“2” or “L” position. This may cause

severe automatic transmission dam-

age from overheating. To prevent

such damage, “D” position should

be used in hill climbing or hard

towing.

CAUTION

1. Bring the vehicle to a complete stop.

2. Pull the parking brake lever fully to

securely apply the parking brake.

Always keep your foot on the brake

pedal while stopped with the engine

running. This prevents the vehicle

from creeping.

3. With the brake pedal pressed down,

shift the selector lever to the “P” posi-

tion.

NOTICE

CAUTION

(f) Backing up

Do not hold the vehicle on an up-

grade with the accelerator pedal. It

can cause the transmission to over-

heat. Always use the brake pedal or

parking brake.

Never attempt to move the selector

lever into “P” position under any cir-

cumstances while the vehicle is mov-

ing. Serious mechanical damage and

loss of vehicle control may result.

1. Bring the vehicle to a complete stop.

2. With the brake pedal held down with

your foot, shift the selector lever to the

“R” position.

NOTICE

(h) Good driving practice

Never shift into reverse while the ve-

hicle is moving.

D If the transmission repeatedly shifts up

and down between third gear and over-

drive when climbing a gentle slope, the

overdrive should be turned off. Be sure

to turn the switch on immediately after-

ward.

D When towing a trailer, in order to main-

tain engine braking efficiency, do not

use overdrive.

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(i) Rocking your vehicle if stuck

CAUTION

z Do not race the engine and avoid

spinning the wheels.

z If your vehicle remains stuck after

rocking the vehicle several times,

consider other ways such as tow-

ing.

If your vehicle becomes stuck in

snow, mud, sand, etc., then you may

attempt to rock the vehicle free by

moving it forward and backward. Do

not attempt this procedure if people

or objects are anywhere near the ve-

hicle. During the rocking operation

the vehicle may suddenly move for-

ward or backward as it becomes un-

stuck, causing injury or damage to

nearby people or objects.

(j) Driving in “PWR” (Power) mode

In the “PWR” mode, the transmission is

shifted up and down at a higher vehicle

speed than in the “NORM”(Normal) mode

NOTICE

and

a

more powerful acceleration is

If you rock your vehicle, observe the

following precautions to prevent dam-

age to the transmission and other

parts.

achieved. To set the “PWR” mode, push

in the driving pattern selector button. The

“PWR” mode indicator light comes on.

For ordinary driving, Toyota recommends

using the “NORM” mode to improve fuel

economy.

z Do not depress the accelerator ped-

al while shifting the selector lever

or before the transmission is com-

pletely shifted to forward or reverse

gear.

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Four−wheel drive system—

(a) Front drive control

(k) If you cannot shift the selector le-

ver out of “P” position

Use the front drive control lever, “4WD”

button and center differential lock

switch to select the transfer and center

differential modes.

If you cannot shift the selector lever from

the “P” position even though the brake

pedal is depressed, use the shift lock

override lever. For instructions, see “If you

cannot shift automatic transmission selec-

tor lever” in Section 4.

The “H” and “L4” position of the front

drive control lever provide either lock or

unlock the mode of the center differential.

Use the center differential lock system if

your wheels get stuck in a ditch, or when

you are driving on a slippery or bumpy

surface. When the center differential is

locked, the vehicle skid control system is

automatically turned off and the center dif-

ferential lock and “VSC OFF” indicator

lights come on because the function that

controls engine performance interferes

with the process of freeing your wheels.

“H” (2WD) MODE

NOTICE

“H” (4WD) MODE (center

differential unlock), “L4”

MODE (center differential

unlock) or “N” MODE

As soon as the center differential lock

switch is turned on, the “VSC OFF”

indicator light comes on. After the

wheels are out of the ditch or off the

slippery or bumpy surface, turn the

center differential lock switch off.

Make sure that the center differential

lock indicator light and “VSC OFF”

indicator light turn off.

“H” (4WD) MODE (center

differential lock), “L4”

MODE (center differential

lock) or “N” MODE

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“H” mode (high speed position, two−

wheel drive): Front drive control lever at

“H”, “4WD” button left out

“N” mode (neutral position): Front drive

control lever at “N”

No power is delivered to the wheels. The

vehicle must be stopped.

“L4” mode (low speed position, four−

wheel drive, center differential locked):

Front drive control lever at “L4”, center

differential lock switch push in

Use this for maximum power and traction.

Use this for hard pulling in situations the

vehicle cannot negotiate even in the “L4”

(low speed position, four−wheel drive, cen-

ter differential unlocked) mode. Also, using

this mode when driving down steep off−

road inclines will help contribute to in-

creased vehicle stability.

Use this for normal driving on dry hard−

surfaced roads. This position gives greater

economy, quietest ride and least wear and

better vehicle control.

“L4” (low speed position, four−wheel

drive, center differential unlocked):

Front drive control lever at “L4”, center

differential lock switch left out

Use this for maximum power and traction.

Use this for climbing steep hills, off−road

driving, and hard pulling in sand or mud.

“H” mode (high speed position, four−

wheel drive, center differential un-

locked): Front drive control lever at “H”,

“4WD” button push in, center differential

lock switch left out

In this mode, the braking feeling that oc-

curs when the wheels are negotiating a

sharp corner is further reduced than in the

“L4” (low position, four−wheel drive, center

differential locked) mode.

Use this for normal driving on all types of

roads, from dry hard−surfaced roads to

wet, icy or snow−covered roads. This

position provides greater traction than

two−wheel drive.

Four−wheel drive and center differential

lock indicator lights show which transfer

and center differential mode the vehicle is

in. Note that the differential is not still

locked as long as the indicator light re-

mains off.

The transmission automatically shifts up

from second gear in this mode. This sys-

tem is effective when starting your vehicle

in sand, mud, ice or snow. (However, the

transmission system may shift up from

first gear when the vehicle starts too

quickly.)

“H” (high speed position, four−wheel

drive, center differential locked): Lever

at “H”, “4WD” button pushed in center

differential lock switch pushed in

When the shifting has not been completed

within 3 seconds after the shifting opera-

tion, the indicator flashes. If the indicator

light does not go off when you push out

the center differential lock button, drive

straight ahead while accelerating or decel-

erating, or drive in reverse. If the indicator

flashes even if doing so, contact your

Toyota dealer as soon as possible. There

may be a trouble in the center differential

lock system.

Use this for greater traction when you

experience

a

loss of power, such as

wheel slipping, in the center differential

unlock mode.

See “(c) Shifting procedure” for further in-

structions.

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(b) A.D.D. (automatic

disconnecting differential)

Advice for driving on slippery roads in

“L4” (low speed position) mode

(As for the automatic transmission lever

positions, see “Automatic transmission” in

this section.)

The A.D.D. can be engaged or disen-

gaged by the shifting operations des-

cribed in “(c) Shifting procedure”.

If you shift the front drive control lever to

“L4” and the automatic transmission lever

to “2” when you drive in steep off−road

areas, the output of the brake can be

controlled effectively by the active traction

control system, which assists the driver to

control the driving power of 4 wheels.

You should drive in four−wheel drive for

at least 16 km (10 miles) each month.

This will assure that the front drive com-

ponents are lubricated.

Use the “L” position of the automatic

transmission lever for maximum power

and traction when your wheels get stuck

or when you drive down a steep incline.

In the following cases, the output of the

brake can be controlled by the active trac-

tion control system if the engine speed is

under 3000 rpm (normally engine speed is

under 3000 rpm when the wheels get un-

stuck).

D The front drive control lever in the “L4”

position and the automatic transmission

lever in the “L” position or the automat-

ic transmission lever in the “D” or “2”

with the transmission downshifting to

the first gear

D The front drive control lever in the “L4”

position and the automatic transmission

lever in the “R” position

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(c) Shifting procedure

SHIFTING BETWEEN “H” (2WD) MODE

AND “H” (4WD) MODE

SHIFTING

UNLOCKED) AND “H” (4WD LOCKED)

BETWEEN

“H”

(4WD,

To shift from “H” (4WD LOCKED) to

“H” (4WD UNLOCKED), left out the cen-

ter differential lock switch.

To shift from “H” (2WD) mode to “H”

(4WD) mode, reduce your speed to less

than 100 km/h (62 mph) and push in the

“4WD” button.

To shift from “H” (4WD, UNLOCKED) to

“H” (4WD, LOCKED), push in the center

differential lock switch.

This can be done at any vehicle speed.

If the indicator light flashes when you left

out the center differential lock switch,

drive straight ahead while accelerating or

decelerating, or drive in reverse.

If the indicator light flashes when you

push in the center differential lock switch,

drive straight ahead while accelerating or

decelerating.

If the indicator light flashes when you

push in the “4WD” button, drive straight

ahead while accelerating or decelerating.

SHIFTING BETWEEN “H” AND “L4”

If the indicator light flashes and the buzz-

er sounds when you push in the “4WD”

button, reduce your speed or stop the

vehicle and reset.

If the indicator light flashes and the buzz-

er sounds when you push in the center

differential lock switch, reduce your speed

or stop the vehicle and reset.

Stop the vehicle and put the transmission

in “N”. With your foot holding down the

brake pedal, move the front drive control

lever.

If the indicator light flashes when you

move the front drive control lever, drive

straight ahead while accelerating or decel-

erating.

CAUTION

Never push the “4WD” button if

wheels are slipping. Stop the slipping

or spinning before shifting.

Never push the center differential

lock button if wheels are slipping.

Stop the slipping or spinning before

shifting.

CAUTION

To shift from “H” (4WD) mode to “H”

(2WD) mode, push the “4WD” button

again to turn it off.

Never move the front drive control

lever if wheels are slipping. Stop the

slipping or spinning before shifting.

NOTICE

Do not drive on a dry paved surface

in “H” (4WD, LOCKED) mode. This

may damage the locking mechanism

and the drive system.

This can be done at any vehicle speed.

If the indicator light flashes when you

push in the “4WD” button, drive straight

ahead while accelerating or decelerating,

or drive in reverse.

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Traction control system

(two−wheel drive models)

NOTICE

Do not drive on a dry paved surface

in “L4” (LOCKED) mode. This may

damage the locking mechanism and

the drive system.

Do not drive on a dry paved surface

in “L4” (LOCKED) mode. This may

damage the locking mechanism and

the drive system.

SHIFTING BETWEEN “L4” (UNLOCKED)

AND “L4” (LOCKED)

To shift between unlock and lock

modes in “L”, push the center differential

lock switch.

This can be done at any vehicle speed.

The traction control system automatical-

ly helps control the spinning of rear

wheels which may occur when acceler-

ating on slippery road surfaces, by con-

trolling the output of the brake and en-

gine. Thus, the system assists driver to

control the driving power of rear

wheels.

If the indicator light flashes when you

push the center differential lock switch,

drive straight ahead while accelerating or

decelerating.

CAUTION

Never push the center differential

lock switch if wheels are slipping.

Stop the slipping or spinning before

shifting.

When you turn the ignition switch on, the

traction control system always turns on

automatically, and the slip indicator light

will come on. The indicator lights will go

off after about a few seconds.

If the slip indicator lights is left on after

the ignition is turned on, have your ve-

hicle checked by your Toyota dealer as

soon as possible.

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Leave the system on during ordinary driv-

ing so that it can operate when needed.

When traction control is applied, the slip

indicator light blinks.

If your wheels get stuck in a ditch or

when you are driving on slippery or

bumpy surface, turn off the traction control

system because its function that controls

engine performance interferes with the

process of freeing your wheels.

a

You may hear

a

sound in the engine

compartment for a few seconds when the

engine is started or just after the vehicle

is started. This means that the traction

control system is in the self−check mode,

and does not indicate malfunction. When

the traction control system is operating,

you may feel vibration or noise of your

vehicle, caused by operation of the

brakes. This indicates the system is func-

tioning properly.

You can turn off the traction control

system by pushing the “TRAC OFF”

switch. The “TRAC OFF” indicator light

will come on. Pushing the “TRAC OFF”

switch a second time turns on the trac-

tion control system again and the

“TRAC OFF” indicator light will go off.

When getting the vehicle out of mud or

new snow, etc. the traction control system

will help operate to prevent the wheels

from spinning.

The traction control system will automati-

cally go on, and the “TRAC OFF” indicator

light will go off when you drive over 30

km/h (19 mph) even if the “TRAC OFF”

switch is pushed to cancel the traction

control system.

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Depressing the brake pedal repeatedly

When the “VSC/TRAC” warning light and

“TRAC OFF” indicator light come on the

traction control system does not operate,

but there is no problem to continue your

driving.

may turn on the “TRAC OFF” indicator

light and “VSC/TRAC” warning light. It is

normal if it goes out after a few seconds.

The brake actuator temperature increases

during continuous operation of the traction

control system or vehicle skid control sys-

tem such as on slippery roads. If the

brake actuator temperature becomes too

high while the traction control system or

vehicle skid control system is operating,

a buzzer will start to sound intermittently

to indicate that the traction control system

can no longer operate. In this case, imme-

diately stop your vehicle at a safe place.

If the system continues to operate, the

buzzer sound changes from intermittent to

In the following cases, contact your Toyota

dealer:

D The “VSC/TRAC” warning light and

“TRAC OFF” indicator light do not

come on after the ignition is turned to

on.

D The “VSC/TRAC” warning light “TRAC

OFF” indicator light are left on after the

ignition is turned to on.

Traction control system failure warning

These lights warn that when there is a

problem somewhere in the traction control

system.

CAUTION

continuous.

(The

continuous

buzzer

Under certain slippery road condi-

tions, full traction of the vehicle and

power to the rear wheels can not be

maintained, even though the traction

control system is in operation. Do not

drive the vehicle under any speed or

maneuvering conditions which will

cause the vehicle to lose traction. In

situations where the road surface is

covered with ice or snow, your ve-

hicle should be fitted with snow tires

or tire chains. Always drive at ap-

propriate and cautious pace.

sounds for about 3 seconds.) At the time

the “VSC/TRAC” warning light will come

on and the traction control system tempo-

rarily stops operating in order to protect

the brake actuator. (Although the traction

control system does not operate, there is

no problem to continue your driving.) The

system will be automatically restored after

a short time and the “VSC/TRAC” warning

light goes out.

If the “TRAC OFF” indicator light and

“VSC/TRAC” warning light come on, have

your vehicle checked by Toyota dealer as

soon as possible.

The lights will come on when the ignition

key is turned to “ON”, and will go off after

about a few seconds.

The lights may come on for 60 seconds

after the ignition key is turned to the “ON”

position. It is normal if they go out after

a while.

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Active traction control

system

(four−wheel drive models)

If the slip indicator light is left on after

the ignition is turn on, have your vehicle

checked by your Toyota dealer as soon as

possible.

When the active traction control is ap-

plied, the slip indicator light blinks.

You may hear

a

sound in the engine

compartment for a few seconds when the

engine is started or just after the vehicle

is started. This means that the active

traction control system is in the self−

check mode, and does not indicate mal-

function. When the traction control system

is operating, you may feel vibration or

noise of your vehicle, caused by operation

of the brakes. This indicates the system

is functioning properly.

The active traction control system auto-

matically helps control the spinning of

Active traction control system failure

warning

4

wheels (four−wheel drive mode) or

These lights warn that when there is a

problem somewhere in the active traction

control system.

rear wheels (two−wheel drive mode)

which may occur when accelerating on

slippery road surfaces, by controlling

the output of the brake and engine.

Thus, the system assists driver to con-

When getting the vehicle out of mud or

new snow, etc. the active traction control

system will help operate to prevent the

wheels from spinning.

If the “VSC OFF” indicator light and “VSC/

TRAC” warning light come on, have your

vehicle checked by Toyota dealer as soon

as possible.

trol the driving power of

4

wheels

(four−wheel drive mode) or rear wheels

(two−wheel drive mode).

The lights will come on when the ignition

key is turned to “ON”, and will go off after

about a few seconds.

When you turn the ignition switch on, the

active traction control system always turns

on automatically, and the slip indicator

light will come on. The indicator lights will

go off after about a few seconds.

The lights may come on for 60 seconds

after the ignition key is turned to the “ON”

position. It is normal if they go out after

a while.

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Depressing the brake pedal repeatedly

may turn on the “VSC OFF” indicator light

and “VSC/TRAC” warning light. It is nor-

mal if it goes out after a few seconds.

When the “VSC/TRAC” warning light and

CAUTION

“VSC OFF” indicator light come on the

active traction control system does not

operate, but there is no problem to contin-

ue your driving.

Under certain slippery road condi-

tions, full traction of the vehicle and

The brake actuator temperature increases

during continuous operation of the active

traction control system or vehicle skid

control system such as on slippery roads.

If the brake actuator temperature becomes

too high while the active traction control

system or vehicle skid control system is

power to the

4

wheels (four−wheel

In the following cases, contact your Toyota

dealer:

drive mode) or rear wheels (two−

wheel drive mode) can not be main-

tained, even though the traction con-

trol system is in operation. Do not

drive the vehicle under any speed or

maneuvering conditions which will

cause the vehicle to lose traction. In

situations where the road surface is

covered with ice or snow, your ve-

hicle should be fitted with snow tires

or tire chains. Always drive at ap-

propriate and cautious pace.

D The “VSC/TRAC” warning light and

“VSC OFF” indicator light do not come

on after the ignition is turned to on.

D The “VSC/TRAC” warning light and

“VSC OFF” indicator light are left on

after the ignition is turned to on.

operating,

a

buzzer will start to sound

intermittently to indicate that the active

traction control system can no longer op-

erate. In this case, immediately stop your

vehicle 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 the time, the “VSC/TRAC”

warning light will come on and the active

traction control system temporarily stops

operating in order to protect the brake

actuator. (Although the active traction con-

trol system does not operate, there is no

problem to continue your driving.) The

system will be automatically restored after

a short time and the “VSC/TRAC” warning

light goes out.

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Vehicle skid control system

If the vehicles is going to skid during

driving, the slip indicator light flashes and

an alarm sounds intermittently.

The vehicle skid control activates 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

is started. This means that the vehicle

stability control is in the self−check mode

and does not indicate a malfunction.

The vehicle skid control system helps

to provide comprehensive control of the

systems such as anti−lock brakes, trac-

tion control, engine control, etc. This

system automatically controls the out-

put of the brakes or engine to help

prevent the vehicle from skidding under

adverse condition.

Four−wheel drive models only—

This switch can function only when the

four−wheel drive system is selected.

You can turn off the vehicle skid con-

trol system by pushing the center dif-

ferential lock switch. The “VSC OFF”

and center differential lock indicator

lights will come on. Pushing the center

differential lock switch a second time

turns on the system again. The “VSC

OFF” and center differential lock indica-

tor lights will go off.

When you turn the ignition switch on, the

slip indicator light will come on. The slip

indicator light will go off after about a few

seconds.

If the slip indicator light is left on after

the ignition is tuned on, have your vehicle

checked by your Toyota dealer as soon as

possible.

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If your wheels get stuck in a ditch or

when you are driving on severe off road

and sand, turn off the vehicle skid control

system because its function that controls

engine performance interferes with the

process of freeing your wheels.

Vehicle skid control system failure

warning

These lights warn that when there is a

problem somewhere in the vehicle skid

control system, traction control system

(two−wheel drive models), active traction

control system (four−wheel drive models).

NOTICE

If the “VSC/TRAC” warning light and

“TRAC OFF” (two−wheel drive models) or

“VSC OFF” (four−wheel drive models) indi-

cator light come on, have your vehicle

checked by Toyota dealer as soon as pos-

sible. However, it is no problem that the

“VSC/TRAC” warning light comes on when

the brake actuator temperature becomes

high. (For details, see “Traction control

system” and “Active traction control sys-

tem” in this section.)

Make sure that the center differential

lock indicator light goes off before

normal driving.

Two−wheel drive models

The “VSC/TRAC” warning light and “TRAC

OFF” (two−wheel drive models) or “VSC

OFF” (four−wheel drive models) indicator

light will come on when the ignition key

is turned to “ON”, and will go off after

about a few seconds.

The lights may come on for 60 seconds

after the ignition key is turned to the “ON”

position. It is normal if they go out after

a while.

Four−wheel drive models

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Parking brake

Depressing the brake pedal repeatedly

may turn on “VSC/TRAC” warning light

and “TRAC OFF” (two−wheel drive mod-

els) or “VSC OFF” (four−wheel drive mod-

els) indicator light. It is normal if they go

out after a few seconds.

CAUTION

D Active traction control system, ve-

hicle skid control system and anti−

lock brake system are electronic

systems designed to help the driver

maintain control under adverse con-

ditions. They are not a substitute

for safe driving practices. Factors

including speed, road conditions

and driver steering input can all af-

fect whether active traction control

system, vehicle skid control system

and anti−lock brake system will be

When the “VSC/TRAC” warning light and

“TRAC OFF” (two−wheel drive models) or

“VSC OFF” (four−wheel drive models) indi-

cator light come on, the vehicle skid con-

trol system does not operate, but there is

no problem to continue your driving.

In the following cases, contact your Toyota

dealer:

When parking, firmly apply the parking

brake to avoid inadvertent creeping.

effective in preventing

a

loss of

D The “VSC/TRAC” warning light and

“TRAC OFF” (two−wheel drive models)

or “VSC OFF” (four−wheel drive mod-

els) indicator light do not come on af-

ter the ignition is turned to on.

control. Always keep safety driving

in mind. If the slip indicator light

flashes, sounding an alarm, special

care should be taken while driving.

To set: Pull up the lever. For better hold-

ing power, first depress the brake pedal

and hold it while setting the parking

brake.

D Only use tires of specified size. The

size, manufacture, 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 skid control sys-

tem may not function correctly.

When replacing the tires or wheels,

contact your Toyota dealer. (See

“Checking and replacing tires” in

Section 7−2.)

D The “VSC/TRAC” warning light and

“TRAC OFF” (two−wheel drive models)

or “VSC OFF” (four−wheel drive mod-

els) indicator light are left on after the

ignition is turned to on.

To release: Pull up the lever slightly (1),

press the lock release button (2), and low-

er (3).

To remind you that the parking brake is

set, the parking brake reminder light in

the instrument panel remains on until you

release the parking brake.

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Cruise control

The cruise control allows you to cruise

the vehicle at a desired speed over 40

km/h (25 mph) even with your foot off

the accelerator pedal.

CAUTION

Before driving, be sure the parking

brake is fully released and the park-

ing brake reminder light is off.

Your cruising speed can be maintained up

or down grades within the limits of engine

performance, although

change may occur when driving up or

down the grades. On steeper hills,

a

slight speed

a

greater speed change will occur so it is

better to drive without the cruise control.

CAUTION

TURNING ON THE SYSTEM

D To help maintain maximum control

of your vehicle, do not use the

cruise control when driving in

heavy or varying traffic, or on slip-

pery (rainy, icy or snow−covered) or

winding roads.

To operate the cruise control, press the

“CRUISE ON−OFF” button. This turns the

system on. The indicator light in the

instrument panel shows that you can now

set the vehicle at

a

desired cruising

speed. Another press will turn the system

completely off.

D Avoid vehicle speed increases when

driving downhill. If the vehicle

speed is too fast in relation to the

cruise control set speed, cancel the

cruise control then downshift the

transmission to use engine braking

to slow down.

CAUTION

To avoid accidental cruise control en-

gagement, keep the “CRUISE ON−

OFF” switch off when not using the

cruise control.

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If you need acceleration—for example,

RESETTING TO A FASTER SPEED

when passing—depress the accelerator

pedal enough for the vehicle to exceed

the set speed. When you release it, the

vehicle will return to the speed set prior

to the acceleration.

Push the lever up in the “RES/ACC” direc-

tion and hold it. Release the lever when

the desired speed is attained. While the

lever is held up, the vehicle will gradually

gain speed.

CANCELLING THE PRESET SPEED

However, a faster way to reset is to ac-

celerate the vehicle and then push the

lever down in the “SET/COAST” direction.

You can cancel the preset speed by:

a. Pulling the lever in the “CANCEL”

direction and releasing it.

RESETTING TO A SLOWER SPEED

b. Depressing the brake pedal.

Push the lever down in the “SET/COAST”

direction and hold it. Release the lever

when the desired speed is attained. While

the lever is held down, the vehicle speed

will gradually decrease.

If the vehicle speed falls below about 40

km/h (25 mph), the preset speed will auto-

matically cancel out.

SETTING AT A DESIRED SPEED

The transmission must be in “D” before

you set the cruise control speed.

If the vehicle speed drops 16 km/h (10

mph) below the preset speed, the preset

speed will also automatically cancel out.

However, a faster way to reset is to de-

press the brake pedal and then push the

lever down in the “SET/COAST” direction.

Bring your vehicle to the desired speed,

push the lever down in the “SET/COAST”

direction and release it. This sets the ve-

hicle at that speed. If the speed is not

satisfactory, tap the lever up for a faster

speed, or tap it down for a slower speed.

Each tap changes the set speed by 1.6

km/h (1.0 mph). You can now take your

foot off the accelerator pedal.

If the preset speed automatically cancels

out other than for the above cases, have

your vehicle checked by your Toyota deal-

er at the earliest opportunity.

Even if you turn off the overdrive switch,

with the cruise control on, engine braking

will not be applied because the cruise

control is not cancelled. To decrease the

vehicle speed, reset to a slower speed

with the cruise control lever or depress

the brake pedal. If you use the brake

pedal, cruise control is cancelled.

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RESUMING THE PRESET SPEED

If the preset speed is cancelled by pulling

the control lever or by depressing the

brake pedal or clutch pedal, pushing the

lever up in the “RES/ACC” direction will

restore the speed set prior to cancellation.

However, once the vehicle speed falls be-

low about 40 km/h (25 mph), the preset

speed will not be resumed.

CRUISE CONTROL FAILURE WARNING

If the “CRUISE” indicator light in the

instrument cluster flashes when using the

cruise control, press the “CRUISE ON−

OFF” button to turn the system off and

then press it again to turn it on.

If any of the following conditions then oc-

curs, there is some trouble in the cruise

control system.

D The indicator light does not come on.

D The indicator light flashes again.

D The indicator light goes out after it

comes on.

If this is the case, contact your Toyota

dealer and have your vehicle inspected.

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Ignitionswitch,TransmissionandParkingbrake for Your Toyota 4 Runner SUV Third Generation (1996-2002)

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