InformationbeforedrivingyourToyota for Your Toyota 4 Runner SUV Third Generation (1996-2002)

’01 4Runner_U (L/O 0008)  
SECTION  
2
INFORMATION BEFORE DRIVING YOUR  
TOYOTA  
Off−road vehicle precautions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 190  
Break−in period . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 191  
Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 191  
Operation in foreign countries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 193  
Three−way catalytic converter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 194  
Engine exhaust cautions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 195  
Facts about engine oil consumption . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 195  
Twin ground electrode spark plugs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 196  
Brake system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 197  
Brake pad wear limit indicators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 200  
Luggage stowage precautions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 201  
Your Toyota’s identification . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 201  
Theft prevention labels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 202  
Suspension and chassis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 203  
Types of tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 203  
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Off−road vehicle precautions  
This vehicle belongs to the utility ve-  
CAUTION  
hicle class, which has higher ground  
clearance and narrower tread in relation  
to the height of its center of gravity to  
make it capable of performing in a wide  
variety of off−road applications. Specific  
design characteristics give it a higher  
center of gravity than ordinary passen-  
ger cars. This vehicle design feature  
causes this type of vehicle to be more  
likely to rollover. And, utility vehicles  
have a significantly higher rollover rate  
than other types of vehicles. An advan-  
tage of the higher ground clearance is  
a better view of the road allowing you  
to anticipate problems. It is not de-  
signed for cornering at the same  
speeds as ordinary passenger cars any  
more than low−slung sports cars de-  
signed to perform satisfactorily under  
off−road conditions. Therefore, sharp  
turns at excessive speeds may cause  
rollover.  
Always observe the following precau-  
tions to minimize the risk of serious  
personal injury or damage to your ve-  
hicle:  
D In a rollover crash, an unbelted per-  
son is significantly more likely to  
die than a person wearing a seat  
belt. Therefore, the driver and all  
passengers should fasten their seat  
belts whenever the vehicle is mov-  
ing.  
D Avoid sharp turns or abrupt maneu-  
vers, if at all possible. Failure to  
operate this vehicle correctly may  
result in loss of control or vehicle  
rollover causing death or serious  
injury.  
D Avoid loading any items on the roof  
that will raise the vehicle’s center  
of gravity.  
D Always slow down in gusty cross-  
winds. Because of its profile and  
higher center of gravity, your ve-  
hicle is more sensitive to side  
winds than an ordinary passenger  
car. Slowing down will allow you to  
have better control.  
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Break−in period  
Fuel  
Drive gently and avoid high speeds.  
FUEL TYPE  
D When driving off−road or in rugged  
terrain, do not drive at excessive  
speeds, jump, make sharp turns,  
strike objects, etc. This may cause  
loss of control or vehicle rollover  
causing death or serious injury. You  
are also risking expensive damage  
to your vehicle’s suspension and  
chassis.  
Your vehicle does not need an elaborate  
break−in. But following a few simple tips  
for the first 1600 km (1000 miles) can add  
to the future economy and long life of  
your vehicle:  
Your new vehicle must use only un-  
leaded gasoline.  
To help prevent gas station mix−ups, your  
Toyota has a smaller fuel tank opening.  
The special nozzle on pumps with un-  
leaded fuel will fit it, but the larger stan-  
dard nozzle on pumps with leaded gas will  
not.  
D Do not drive over 88 km/h (55 mph).  
D Run the engine at moderate speed be-  
tween 2000 and 4000 rpm.  
At  
a
minimum, the gasoline you use  
D Do not drive horizontally across  
steep slopes. Driving straight up or  
straight down is preferred. Your ve-  
hicle (or any similar off−road ve-  
hicle) can tip over sideways much  
more easily than forward or back-  
ward.  
D Avoid full−throttle starts.  
should meet the specifications of ASTM  
D4814 in the U.S.A. and CGSB 3.5−M93  
in Canada.  
D Try to avoid hard stops during the first  
300 km (200 miles).  
D Do not drive for a long time at any  
single speed, either fast or slow.  
NOTICE  
D Do not tow a trailer during the first  
800km (500miles).  
Do not use leaded gasoline. Use of  
leaded gasoline will cause the three−  
way catalytic converter to lose its ef-  
fectiveness and the emission control  
system to function improperly. Also,  
this can increase maintenance costs.  
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OCTANE RATING  
QUALITY GASOLINE  
Automotive manufacturers in the U.S.,  
Europe and Japan have developed  
OXYGENATES IN GASOLINE  
Select Octane Rating 87 (Research Oc-  
tane Number 91) or higher.  
Toyota allows the use of oxygenate  
blended gasoline where the oxygenate  
content is up to 10% ethanol or 15%  
MTBE. If you use gasohol in your  
Toyota, be sure that it has an octane  
rating no lower than 87.  
a
specification for quality fuel named  
World−Wide Fuel Charter (WWFC) that  
is expected to be applied world wide.  
The WWFC consists of three categories  
that depend on required emission lev-  
els. In the U.S., category 3 has been  
adopted. The WWFC improves air quali-  
ty by providing for better emissions in  
vehicle fleets, and customer satisfaction  
through better vehicle performance.  
Use of unleaded gasoline with an octane  
rating or research octane number lower  
than stated above will cause persistent  
heavy knocking. If it is severe, this will  
lead to engine damage.  
Toyota does not recommend the use of  
gasoline containing methanol.  
If your engine knocks...  
SULFUR IN GASOLINE  
If you detect heavy knocking even when  
using the recommended fuel, or if you  
hear steady knocking while holding  
steady speed on level roads, consult your  
Toyota dealer.  
If your vehicle is certified to California  
Emission Regulations, the vehicle is de-  
signed to operate on California cleaner  
burning gasoline (CBG) that contains  
lower sulfur. If you cannot use Califor-  
nia CBG, your emission control system  
may suffer damage and turn on the  
Malfunction Indicator Lamp.  
a
CLEANER BURNING GASOLINE  
Cleaner burning gasoline, including re-  
formulated gasoline that contains oxy-  
genates such as ethanol or MTBE is  
available in many areas.  
However, now and then, you may notice  
light knocking for a short time while accel-  
erating or driving up hills. This is no need  
of concern.  
Toyota recommends the use of cleaner  
burning gasoline and appropriately blended  
reformulated gasoline. These types of gas-  
oline provide excellent vehicle perfor-  
mance, reduce vehicle emissions, and im-  
prove air quality.  
If the malfunction is caused by the type  
of fuel used, repairs may not be covered  
by your warranty.  
GASOLINE CONTAINING DETERGENT  
ADDITIVES  
Toyota recommends the use of gasoline  
that contains detergent additives to  
avoid build−up of engine deposits.  
GASOLINE CONTAINING MMT  
Some gasoline contain an octane en-  
hancing additive called MMT (Methylcy-  
clopentadienyl Manganese Tricarbonyl).  
However, all gasoline sold in the U.S.  
contains detergent additives to keep clean  
and/or clean intake systems.  
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Operation in foreign countries  
Toyota does not recommend the use of  
gasoline that contains MMT. If fuel con-  
taining MMT is used, your emission con-  
trol system may be adversely affected.  
The Malfunction Indicator Lamp on the in-  
strument cluster may come on. If this hap-  
pens, contact your Toyota dealer for ser-  
vice.  
FUEL TANK CAPACITY  
If you plan to drive your Toyota in  
another country...  
70 L (18.5 gal., 15.4 Imp. gal.)  
First, comply with the vehicle registration  
laws.  
Second, confirm the availability of the cor-  
rect fuel (unleaded and minimum octane  
number).  
GASOLINE QUALITY  
In a very few cases, you may experience  
driveability problems caused by the partic-  
ular gasoline that you are using. If you  
continue to have unacceptable driveability,  
try changing gasoline brands. If this does  
not rectify your problem, then consult your  
Toyota dealer.  
NOTICE  
z Do not use gasohol other than  
stated above. It will cause fuel sys-  
tem damage or vehicle performance  
problems.  
z If driveability problems occur (poor  
hot starting, vaporizing, engine  
knock, etc.), discontinue the use.  
z Take care not to spill gasohol dur-  
ing refueling. Gasohol may cause  
paint damage.  
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Three−way catalytic converter  
NOTICE  
z Keep your engine in good running  
order. Malfunctions in the engine  
electrical system, electronic ignition  
system/distributor ignition system  
or fuel systems could cause an ex-  
tremely high three−way catalytic  
converter temperature.  
A
large amount of unburned gases  
flowing into the three−way catalytic  
converter may cause it to overheat  
and create a fire hazard. To prevent  
this and other damage, observe the  
following precautions:  
z If the engine becomes difficult to  
start or stalls frequently, take your  
vehicle in for a check−up as soon  
as possible. Remember, your Toyota  
dealer knows your vehicle and its  
three−way catalytic converter sys-  
tem best.  
z Use only unleaded gasoline.  
z Do not drive with an extremely low  
fuel level; running out of fuel could  
cause the engine to misfire, creat-  
ing an excessive load on the three−  
way catalytic converter.  
The three−way catalytic converter is an  
emission control device installed in the  
exhaust system.  
z Do not allow the engine to run at  
idle speed for more than 20 min-  
utes.  
z To ensure that the three−way cata-  
lytic converter and the entire emis-  
sion control system operate proper-  
ly, your vehicle must receive the  
periodic inspections required by the  
Toyota Maintenance Schedule. For  
scheduled maintenance information,  
refer to the “Scheduled Maintenance  
Guide” or “Owner’s Manual Supple-  
ment”.  
The purpose is to reduce pollutants in the  
exhaust gas.  
z Avoid racing the engine.  
z Do not push−start or pull−start your  
vehicle.  
CAUTION  
z Do not turn off the ignition while  
the vehicle is moving.  
D Keep people and combustible mate-  
rials away from the exhaust pipe  
while the engine is running. The  
exhaust gas is very hot.  
D Do not drive, idle or park your ve-  
hicle over anything that might burn  
easily such as grass, leaves, paper  
or rags.  
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Facts about engine oil  
consumption  
Engine exhaust cautions  
FUNCTIONS OF ENGINE OIL  
D Keep the back door and back win-  
dow closed while driving. An open  
or unsealed back door and back  
window, may cause exhaust gases  
to be drawn into the vehicle.  
CAUTION  
Engine oil has the primary functions of  
lubricating and cooling the inside of the  
engine, and plays a major role in main-  
taining the engine in proper working order.  
D Avoid inhaling the engine exhaust.  
It contains carbon monoxide, which  
is a colorless and odorless gas. It  
can cause unconsciousness or even  
death.  
ENGINE OIL CONSUMPTION  
D To allow proper operation of your  
vehicle’s ventilation system, keep  
the inlet grilles in front of the wind-  
shield clear of snow, leaves, or oth-  
er obstructions.  
It is normal that an engine should con-  
sume some engine oil during normal  
engine operation. The causes of oil  
consumption in a normal engine are as  
follows.  
D Make sure the exhaust system has  
no holes or loose connections. The  
system should be checked from  
time to time. If you hit something,  
or notice a change in the sound of  
the exhaust, have the system  
checked immediately.  
D If you smell exhaust fumes in the  
vehicle, drive with the windows  
open and the back door and back  
window closed. Have the cause im-  
mediately located and corrected.  
D Oil is used to lubricate pistons, piston  
rings and cylinders. A thin film of oil  
is left on the cylinder wall when a pis-  
ton moves downwards in the cylinder.  
High negative pressure generated when  
the vehicle is decelerating sucks some  
of this oil into the combustion chamber.  
This oil as well as some part of the oil  
film left on the cylinder wall is burned  
by the high temperature combustion  
gases during the combustion process.  
D Do not run the engine in a garage  
or enclosed area except for the  
time needed to drive the vehicle in  
or out. The exhaust gases cannot  
escape, making this a particularly  
dangerous situation.  
D Do not remain for a long time in a  
parked vehicle with the engine run-  
ning. If it is unavoidable, however,  
do so only in an unconfined area  
and adjust the heating or cooling  
system to force outside air into the  
vehicle.  
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Twin ground electrode spark  
plugs  
D Oil is also used to lubricate the stems  
of the intake valves. Some of this oil  
is sucked into the combustion chamber  
together with the intake air and is  
burned along with the fuel. High tem-  
perature exhaust gases also burn the  
oil used to lubricate the exhaust valve  
stems.  
The diluting ingredients evaporate out  
when the vehicle is then driven at high  
speeds, as on an expressway, making it  
appear that oil is excessively consumed  
after driving at high speeds.  
IMPORTANCE OF ENGINE OIL LEVEL  
CHECK  
One of the most important points in prop-  
er vehicle maintenance is to keep the en-  
gine oil at the optimum level so that oil  
function will not be impaired. Therefore, it  
is essential that the oil level be checked  
regularly. Toyota recommends that the oil  
level be checked every time you refuel  
the vehicle.  
The amount of engine oil consumed de-  
pends on the viscosity of the oil, the  
quality of the oil and the conditions the  
vehicle is driven under.  
More oil is consumed by high−speed driv-  
ing and frequent acceleration and decel-  
eration.  
Your engine is fitted with twin ground  
electrode spark plugs.  
A new engine consumes more oil, since  
its pistons, piston rings and cylinder walls  
have not become conditioned.  
NOTICE  
NOTICE  
Failure to check the oil level regularly  
could lead to serious engine trouble  
due to insufficient oil.  
Use only twin ground electrode spark  
plugs and do not adjust gaps for your  
engine performance.  
When judging the amount of oil con-  
sumption, note that the oil may become  
diluted and make it difficult to judge  
the true level accurately.  
For detailed information on oil level check,  
see “Checking the engine oil level” in Sec-  
tion 7−2.  
As an example, if a vehicle is used for  
repeated short trips, and consumes a nor-  
mal amount of oil, the dipstick may not  
show any drop in the oil level at all, even  
after 1000 km (600 miles) or more. This  
is because the oil is gradually becoming  
diluted with fuel or moisture, making it  
appear that the oil level has not changed.  
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Brake system  
This brake system has 2 independent hy-  
draulic circuits. If either circuit should fail,  
the other will still work. However, the ped-  
al will be harder to press, and your stop-  
ping distance will be longer. Also, the  
brake system warning light may come on.  
Depressing the brake pedal repeatedly  
ANTI−LOCK BRAKE SYSTEM  
(with “ABS” warning light)  
may turn on the brake system warning  
light and buzzer. It is normal if the light  
turns off and the buzzer stops sounding  
after a few seconds.  
The anti−lock brake system is designed  
to help prevent lock−up of the wheels  
during a sudden braking or braking on  
slippery road surfaces. This assists in  
providing directional stability and steer-  
ing performance of the vehicle under  
these circumstances.  
You may hear a small sound in the engine  
compartment after the engine is started or  
the brake pedal is depressed repeatedly.  
This is a pump pulsating sound of the  
brake system, and it is not a malfunction.  
CAUTION  
Do not drive your vehicle with only a  
single brake system. Have your  
brakes fixed immediately.  
Effective way to press the ABS brake  
pedal: When the anti−lock brake system  
function is in action, you may feel the  
brake pedal pulsating and hear a noise.  
In this situation, to let the anti−lock  
brake system work for you, just hold the  
brake pedal down more firmly. Do not  
pump the brake in a panic stop. This  
will result in reduced braking performan-  
ce.  
CAUTION  
D Do not pump the brake pedal if the  
engine stalls. Each push on the  
pedal uses up your brake fluid  
pressure reserve.  
BRAKE BOOSTER  
The brake booster uses brake fluid pres-  
surized by the pump to power−assist the  
brakes. If the brake booster fails during  
driving, the brake system warning light  
comes on and buzzer sounds continuous-  
ly. In this case, the brakes may not work  
properly. If they do not work well, depress  
the brake pedal firmly. If the brake system  
warning light comes on, immediately stop  
your vehicle and contact your Toyota deal-  
er.  
D Even if the power assist is com-  
pletely lost, the brakes will still  
work. But you will have to push the  
pedal hard, much harder than nor-  
mal. And your braking distance will  
be longer.  
The anti−lock brake system becomes op-  
erative after the vehicle has accelerated  
to a speed in excess of approximately 10  
km/h (6 mph). It stops operating when the  
vehicle decelerates to  
approximately 5 km/h (3 mph).  
a
speed below  
The brake system warning light may stay  
on for about 60 seconds after the ignition  
key is turned to the “ON” position. It is  
normal if the light turns off after a while.  
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Depressing the brake pedal on slippery  
road surfaces such as on the manhole  
cover, the steel plate under the construc-  
tion, joints in the bridge, etc. on a rainy  
day tends to activate the anti−lock brake  
system.  
D Driving with tire chains installed.  
CAUTION  
D Driving over the steps such as the  
joints on the road.  
Do not overestimate the anti−lock  
brake system: Although the anti−lock  
brake system assists in providing ve-  
hicle control, it is still important to  
drive with all due care and maintain  
a moderate speed and safe distance  
from the vehicle in front of you, be-  
cause there are limits to the vehicle  
stability and effectiveness of steering  
wheel operation even with the anti−  
lock brake system on.  
D Driving on roads where the road  
surface is pitted or has other differ-  
ences in surface height.  
You may hear a click or motor 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  
anti−lock brake system is in the self−  
check mode, and does not indicate a mal-  
function.  
Install all 4 tires of specified size at  
appropriate pressure: The anti−lock  
brake system detects vehicle speeds  
using the speed sensors for respec-  
tive wheels’ turning speeds. The use  
of tires other than specified may fail  
to detect the accurate turning speed  
When the anti−lock brake system is ac-  
tivated, the following conditions may  
occur. They do not indicate a malfunc-  
tion of the system:  
If tires grip performance exceeds its  
capability, or if hydroplaning occurs  
during high speed driving in the rain,  
the anti−lock brake system does not  
provide vehicle control.  
resulting in  
tance.  
a
longer stopping dis-  
D You may hear the anti−lock brake sys-  
tem operating and feel the brake pedal  
pulsating and the vibrations of the ve-  
hicle body and steering wheel. You  
may also hear the motor sound in the  
engine compartment even after the ve-  
hicle is stopped.  
Anti−lock brake system is not de-  
signed to shorten the stopping dis-  
tance: Always drive at the moderate  
speed and maintain a safe distance  
from the vehicle in front of you.  
Compared with vehicles without an  
anti−lock brake system, your vehicle  
D At the end of the anti−lock brake sys-  
tem activation, the brake pedal may  
move a little forward.  
may require  
tance in the following cases:  
a
longer stopping dis-  
D Driving on rough, gravel or snow−  
covered roads.  
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“ABS” warning light  
If either of the following conditions oc-  
curs, this indicates a malfunction some-  
where in the parts monitored by the  
warning light system. Contact your To-  
yota dealer as soon as possible to ser-  
vice the vehicle.  
The light comes on when the ignition key  
is turned to the “ON” position. If the anti−  
lock brake system and the brake assist  
system work properly, the light turns off  
after a few seconds. Thereafter, if either  
of the systems malfunctions, the light  
comes on again.  
D The light does not come on when the  
ignition key is turned to the “ON” posi-  
tion, or remains on.  
When the “ABS” warning light is on (and  
the brake system warning light is off), the  
anti−lock brake system, the brake assist  
system, the traction control system (two−  
wheel drive vehicles), the active traction  
control system (four−wheel drive vehicles)  
and the vehicle skid control system do not  
operate, but the brake system still oper-  
ates conventionally.  
D The light comes on while you are dri-  
ving.  
A warning light turning on briefly during  
operation does not indicate a problem.  
Type A  
CAUTION  
If the “ABS” warning light remains on  
together with the brake system warn-  
ing light, immediately stop your ve-  
hicle at a safe place and contact your  
Toyota dealer.  
When the “ABS” warning light is on (and  
the brake system warning light is off), the  
anti−lock brake system does not operate  
so that the wheels could lock up during  
a sudden braking or braking on slippery  
road surfaces.  
In this case, not only the anti−lock  
brake system will fail but also the  
vehicle will become extremely unsta-  
ble during braking.  
“TRC” or “VSC/TRAC” warning light may  
come on with the “ABS” warning light  
(brake assist system warning light) when  
there is a malfunction somewhere in the  
anti−lock brake system (brake assist sys-  
tem).  
Type B  
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Brake pad wear limit indicators  
Either of the following conditions do  
not indicate the malfunction.  
For an explanation of this system’s warn-  
ing light, see “Service reminder indicators  
and warning buzzers” in Section 1−5.  
D The light may stay on for about 60  
seconds after the ignition key is turned  
to the “ON” position. It is normal if it  
turns off after a while.  
D Depressing the brake pedal repeatedly  
may turn on the light. It is normal if it  
turns off after a few seconds.  
BRAKE ASSIST SYSTEM  
When you slam the brakes on, the  
brake assist system judges as an emer-  
gency stop and provides more powerful  
braking for a driver who cannot hold  
down the brake pedal firmly.  
The brake pad wear limit indicators on  
your disc brakes give a warning noise  
when the brake pads are worn to where  
replacement is required.  
When you slam the brakes on, more pow-  
erful braking will be applied. At this time,  
If you hear a squealing or scraping noise  
while driving, have the brake pads  
checked and replaced by your Toyota  
dealer as soon as possible. Expensive ro-  
tor damage can result if the pads are not  
replaced when necessary.  
you may hear  
a
sound in the engine  
compartment and feel the vibrations of the  
brake pedal. This does not indicate a mal-  
function.  
The brake assist system becomes opera-  
tive after the vehicle has accelerated to  
a speed in excess of approximately 10  
km/h (6 mph). It stops operating when the  
vehicle decelerates to  
approximately 5 km/h (3 mph).  
a
speed below  
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Your Toyota’s identification—  
—Vehicle identification  
number  
Luggage stowage precautions  
When stowing luggage or cargo in the  
vehicle, observe the following:  
D Never allow anyone to ride in the  
luggage compartment. It is not de-  
signed for passengers. They should  
ride in their seats with their seat  
belts properly fastened. Otherwise,  
they are much more likely to suffer  
serious bodily injury, in the event  
of sudden braking or a collision.  
D Put luggage or cargo in the luggage  
compartment when at all possible. Be  
sure all items are secured in place.  
D Be careful to keep the vehicle bal-  
anced. Locating the weight as far for-  
ward as possible helps maintain bal-  
ance.  
D Do not place anything on the lug-  
gage cover. Such items may be  
thrown about and possibly injure  
people in the vehicle during sudden  
braking or an accident. Secure all  
items in a safe place.  
D For better fuel economy, do not carry  
unneeded weight.  
CAUTION  
The vehicle identification number (VIN)  
is the legal identifier for your vehicle.  
This number is on the left top of the  
instrument panel, and can be seen  
through the windshield from outside.  
D To prevent luggage or packages  
from sliding forward during braking,  
do not stack anything in the lug-  
gage compartment higher than the  
seatbacks. Keep luggage or pack-  
ages low, as close to the floor as  
possible.  
D Do not drive with objects left on  
top of the instrument panel. They  
may interfere with the driver’s field  
of view. Or they may move during  
sharp vehicle acceleration or turn-  
ing, and impair the driver’s control  
of the vehicle. In an accident they  
may injure the vehicle occupants.  
This is the primary identification number  
for your Toyota. It is used in registering  
the ownership of your vehicle.  
D Do not place anything on the flat-  
tened seat or it may slide forward  
during braking.  
NOTICE  
Do not load the vehicle beyond the  
vehicle capacity weight specified in  
Section 8.  
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Theft prevention labels  
(except for Canada)  
—Engine number  
Your new vehicle carries theft preven-  
tion labels which are approximately 56  
mm (2.20 in.) by 16 mm (0.63 in.).  
The purpose of these labels is to reduce  
the incidence of vehicle thefts by facilitat-  
ing the tracing and recovery of parts from  
stolen vehicles. The label is designed so  
that once it is applied to a surface, any  
attempt to remove it will result in destroy-  
ing the integrity of the label. Transferring  
these labels intact from one part to anoth-  
er, will be impossible.  
NOTICE  
The vehicle identification number (VIN) is  
also on the Certification Label.  
The engine number is stamped on the  
engine block as shown.  
You should not attempt to remove the  
theft prevention labels as it may vio-  
late certain state or federal laws.  
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Suspension and chassis  
Types of tires  
Determine what kind of tires your ve-  
hicle is originally equipped with.  
CAUTION  
CAUTION  
1. Summer tires  
Do not modify the suspension/chassis  
with lift kits, spacers, springs, etc. It  
can cause dangerous handling charac-  
teristics resulting in loss of control.  
D Do not mix summer and all season  
tires on your vehicle as this can  
cause dangerous handling charac-  
teristics, resulting in loss of con-  
trol.  
Summer tires are high−speed capability  
tires best suited to highway driving under  
dry conditions.  
Since summer tires do not have the same  
traction performance as snow tires, sum-  
mer tires are inadequate for driving on  
snow−covered or icy roads. For driving on  
snow−covered or icy roads, we recom-  
mend using snow tires. If installing snow  
tires, be sure to replace all four tires.  
D Do not use tire other than the  
manufacturer’s designated tires, and  
never mix tires or wheels of the  
sizes different from the originals.  
2. All season tires  
All season tires are designed to provide  
better traction in snow and to be adequate  
for driving in most winter conditions, as  
well as for use all year round.  
All season tires, however, do not have  
adequate traction performance compared  
with snow tires in heavy or loose snow.  
Also, all season tires fall short in accel-  
eration  
and  
handling  
performance  
compared with summer tires in highway  
driving.  
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