OPERATIONOFINSTRUMENTSANDCONTROLS -> Automatic transmission for Your Toyota 4 Runner SUV Fourth Generation (2003-2009)

07 12.25  
Automatic transmission  
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 engine  
switch in “ON” position).  
(a) Selector lever  
The shift position is also displayed on the  
instrument cluster.  
P: Parking, engine starting and key  
removal  
R: Reverse  
N: Neutral  
D: Normal driving  
(shifting into overdrive possible)  
4: Engine braking  
(shifting into overdrive not possible)  
3, 2: Stronger engine braking  
L: Maximum engine braking  
With the brake pedal depressed  
(The engine switch must be in  
“ON” position.)  
Shift normally.  
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(b) Normal driving  
2. With your foot holding down the brake  
pedal, shift the selector lever to “D”.  
Vehicles with multimode control—  
1. Start the engine as instructed in “How  
to start the engine” on page 370 in  
Section 3. The transmission must be in  
“P” or “N”.  
Always use the “D” position for better fuel  
economy and quieter driving. If the engine  
coolant temperature is low or when the  
multimode control switch knob is in “L4”  
(lowspeed position, fourwheel drive) and  
center differential locked, the transmission  
will not shift into the overdrive gear even  
in the “D” position. (See “Fourwheel drive  
system (multimode fourwheel drive  
models)” on page 171 in this Section for  
information of the multimode control.)  
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.  
Vehicles with fourwheel drive control—  
When the fourwheel drive control and  
switch knob is in “L4” (lowspeed position)  
and center differential locked, the driving  
pattern selector setting has no effect on  
gear shift timing. (See “Fourwheel drive  
system (fulltime fourwheel drive mod-  
els)” on page 168 in this Section for in-  
formation of the fourwheel drive control.)  
Twowheel drive models—  
Always use the “D” position for better fuel  
economy and quieter driving. If the engine  
coolant temperature is low, the transmis-  
sion will not shift into the overdrive gear  
even in the “D” position.  
CAUTION  
Vehicles with fourwheel drive control—  
Vehicles with multimode control—  
Never put your foot on the accelera-  
tor pedal while shifting.  
Always use the “D” position for better fuel  
economy and quieter driving. If the engine  
coolant temperature is low or when the  
fourwheel drive control switch knob is in  
“L4” (lowspeed position) and center dif-  
ferential locked, the transmission will not  
shift into the overdrive gear even in the  
“D” position. (See “Fourwheel drive sys-  
tem (fulltime fourwheel drive models)”  
on page 168 in this Section for informa-  
tion of the fourwheel drive control.)  
When the multimode control switch knob  
is in “L4” (lowspeed position, fourwheel  
drive) and center differential locked, the  
driving pattern selector setting has no ef-  
fect on gear shift timing. (See “Fourwheel  
drive system (multimode fourwheel drive  
models)” on page 171 in this Section for  
information of the multimode control.)  
3. Release the parking brake and brake  
pedal. Depress the accelerator pedal  
slowly for smooth starting.  
If the automatic locking operation linked  
with the shift position is set, all the side  
doors and back door are automatically  
locked when the shift lever is moved out  
of the “P” position with the engine running  
and all the side doors and back door are  
closed. For details, see “—Automatic door  
locking and unlocking functions” on page  
25 in Section 12.  
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07 12.25  
(c) Using engine braking  
4.7 L V8 (2UZFE) engine  
4.7 L V8 (2UZFE) engine  
To use engine braking, you can downshift  
the transmission as follows:  
Fourwheel drive control switch  
knob at “H4”  
Fourwheel drive control switch  
knob at “H4”  
139 km/h (86 mph)  
94 km/h (58 mph)  
D Shift into the “4” position. The trans-  
mission will downshift to fourth gear  
and engine braking will be enabled.  
Fourwheel drive control switch  
knob at “L4”  
Fourwheel drive control switch  
knob at “L4”  
54 km/h (34 mph)  
36 km/h (22 mph)  
D Shift into the “3” position. The trans-  
mission will downshift to third gear  
when the vehicle speed drops down to  
or lower than the following speed, and  
stronger engine braking will be en-  
abled.  
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.  
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.  
Twowheel drive models  
Twowheel drive models  
Twowheel drive models  
4.0 L V6 (1GRFE) engine  
133 km/h (83 mph)  
4.0 L V6 (1GRFE) engine  
4.0 L V6 (1GRFE) engine  
88 km/h (54 mph)  
42 km/h (26 mph)  
4.7 L V8 (2UZFE) engine  
139 km/h (86 mph)  
4.7 L V8 (2UZFE) engine  
4.7 L V8 (2UZFE) engine  
94 km/h (58 mph)  
40 km/h (25 mph)  
Fourwheel drive models  
Fourwheel drive models  
Fourwheel drive models  
4.0 L V6 (1GRFE) engine  
4.0 L V6 (1GRFE) engine  
4.0 L V6 (1GRFE) engine  
Multimode control switch knob  
at “H2” or “H4”  
Multimode control switch knob  
at “H2” or “H4”  
Multimode control switch knob  
at “H2” or “H4”  
133 km/h (83 mph)  
88 km/h (54 mph)  
42 km/h (26 mph)  
Multimode control switch knob  
at “L4”  
Multimode control switch knob  
at “L4”  
Multimode control switch knob  
at “L4”  
51 km/h (31 mph)  
34 km/h (21 mph)  
16 km/h (9 mph)  
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4.7 L V8 (2UZFE) engine  
(d) Using “3”, “2” and “L” positions  
NOTICE  
Fourwheel drive control switch  
knob at “H4”  
The “3”, “2” and “L” positions are used for  
strong engine braking as described pre-  
viously.  
z Be careful not to overrev 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:  
40 km/h (25 mph)  
Fourwheel drive control switch  
knob at “L4”  
With the selector lever in “3”, “2” or “L”,  
you can start the vehicle in motion as  
with the lever in “D”.  
15 km/h (9 mph)  
When the cruise control is being used,  
even if you downshift from “D” to “4”,  
engine braking will not be enabled be-  
cause the cruise control is not cancelled.  
With the selector lever in “3” or “2”, the  
vehicle will start in first gear and automat-  
ically shift to third gear or second gear.  
Twowheel drive models  
4.0 L V6 (1GRFE) engine  
“3” . . . . . . . 146 km/h (90 mph)  
“2” . . . . . . . 100 km/h (62 mph)  
“L” . . . . . . . . 58 km/h (36 mph)  
With the selector lever in “L”, the trans-  
mission is engaged in first gear.  
For ways to decrease the vehicle speed,  
see “Cruise control” on page 203 in this  
Section.  
4.7 L V8 (2UZFE) engine  
“3” . . . . . . . 146 km/h (90 mph)  
“2” . . . . . . . 100 km/h (62 mph)  
“L” . . . . . . . . 58 km/h (36 mph)  
CAUTION  
Be careful when downshifting on a  
slippery  
surface.  
Abrupt  
shifting  
could cause the vehicle to skid or  
spin.  
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07 12.25  
(f) Parking  
Fourwheel drive models  
4.0 L V6 (1GRFE) engine  
Multimode drive control  
z Do not continue hill climbing or  
hard towing for a long time in the  
“3”, “2” or “L” position. This may  
cause severe automatic transmis-  
sion damage from overheating. To  
prevent such damage, “4” position  
should be used in hill climbing or  
hard towing.  
1. Bring the vehicle to a complete stop.  
2. With the brake pedal pressed down,  
fully depress the parking brake pedal  
to apply the parking brake securely.  
switch knob at “H2” or “H4”  
“3” . . . . . 146 km/h (90 mph)  
“2” . . . . . 100 km/h (62 mph)  
“L” . . . . . . 58 km/h (36 mph)  
3. With the brake pedal pressed down,  
shift the selector lever to the “P” posi-  
tion.  
Multimode  
drive  
control  
switch knob at “L4”  
(e) Backing up  
CAUTION  
“3” . . . . . . 57 km/h (35 mph)  
“2” . . . . . . 39 km/h (24 mph)  
“L” . . . . . . 22 km/h (14 mph)  
1. Bring the vehicle to a complete stop.  
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.  
2. With the brake pedal held down with  
your foot, shift the selector lever to the  
“R” position.  
4.7 L V8 (2UZFE) engine  
Fourwheel  
drive  
control  
switch knob at “H4”  
NOTICE  
“3” . . . . . 146 km/h (90 mph)  
“2” . . . . . 100 km/h (62 mph)  
“L” . . . . . . 58 km/h (36 mph)  
Never shift into reverse while the ve-  
hicle is moving.  
If the automatic unlocking operation linked  
with the shift position is set, all the side  
doors and back door are automatically un-  
locked when the selector lever is moved  
to the “P” position with the engine switch  
is in the “ON” position. For details, see  
“—Automatic door locking and unlocking  
functions” on page 25 in Section 12.  
Fourwheel  
drive  
control  
Vehicles with rear view monitor system—  
switch knob at “L4”  
“3” . . . . . . 57 km/h (35 mph)  
“2” . . . . . . 39 km/h (24 mph)  
“L” . . . . . . 26 km/h (16 mph)  
When the selector lever is shifted into “R”  
position with the engine switch in the  
“ON” position, rear view monitor system  
will activate. For instructions, see “Rear  
view monitor system” on page 312 in Sec-  
tion 110.  
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