'08 Questions

[BRK]

Hello all, first post. I've been a resolute Toyota only owner since 1986. Used to own a '96 4-Runner and loved it. Just got a 52,000 mile '08 and have a couple of questions: (Not used to all this modern stuff on a car, hadn't driven an automatic in 35 years.)

I bought a Haynes manual to try and learn a little about the car. Practically everything you do, they want you to disconnect the battery, presumably to safe the airbags. When you reconnect the battery, the list of things to do includes reprogramming the theft code of the radio and CD player. I bought the car used in another state, can I get the code from a local dealer, or do I have to have the dealer take care of it? If so, at what cost? The Haynes manual says refer to the owner's manual for programming instructions; can't find them there.

How are these cars improved with elimination of the transmission dipstick and corresponding pain in the neck to check fluid?

Do you really have to remove half the intake manifold to replace spark plugs? (V-6)

Seems like the road clearance went away with this one too; fixed that with a Daystar lift at Desert Rat today.

Thanks for any information offered.

 

[CJ3Flyr]

Hello all, first post. I've been a resolute Toyota only owner since 1986. Used to own a '96 4-Runner and loved it. Just got a 52,000 mile '08 and have a couple of questions: (Not used to all this modern stuff on a car, hadn't driven an automatic in 35 years.)

I bought a Haynes manual to try and learn a little about the car. Practically everything you do, they want you to disconnect the battery, presumably to safe the airbags. When you reconnect the battery, the list of things to do includes reprogramming the theft code of the radio and CD player. I bought the car used in another state, can I get the code from a local dealer, or do I have to have the dealer take care of it? If so, at what cost? The Haynes manual says refer to the owner's manual for programming instructions; can't find them there.

How are these cars improved with elimination of the transmission dipstick and corresponding pain in the neck to check fluid? No clue...

Do you really have to remove half the intake manifold to replace spark plugs? (V-6) No way, it's very easy. 6 bolts... One for each of the coils that sits right on the plug.

Seems like the road clearance went away with this one too; fixed that with a Daystar lift at Desert Rat today. True...

Thanks for any information offered.

Welcome!:worthless:

 

[li_runner]

No, with a V-6 you don't need to remove the manifold to replace the plugs. It's actually the easiest engine ever to replace them IMO. Just have a long enough extension for the 3/4 Ratchet wrench and your golden.

I do agree with the missing dipstick.

 

[Nuke]

If nothing else, I found one of the biggest improvements (besides the added power) on my 4th gen V6 as compared to my 2nd and 3rd gen V6's was the location of the oil filter and access to the drain plug. I no longer have to remove the skid plate to do an oil change! WOO HOO!!!

arty:

 

[toto]

I bought a Haynes manual to try and learn a little about the car. Practically everything you do, they want you to disconnect the battery, presumably to safe the airbags. When you reconnect the battery, the list of things to do includes reprogramming the theft code of the radio and CD player.

The OEM radios don't have codes, so don't worry about that.
See this thread for more info about what needs to be reset when you disconnect the battery.

 

[BRK]

Thanks for the responses. Very gratifying to learn about the sparkplugs. Will switch my anger at Toyota for making it hard to change plugs to Haynes for lying about it.