2016 4R Ltd.

[GaryL]

I just traded in my 2011 Tacoma for a new 2016 4 Runner Limited. Love it so far just as I loved my Tacoma 4X4.

I did a lot of research but found it near impossible to find all the available options over and above what comes in the Limited package. The web site is clearly lacking in this regard.

I live in the NY Catskill mountains and winters are cold and severe. I wish I had known there is an optional heated steering wheel available and would certainly have bought it. Now my question is, Does the steering wheel in my truck already have the heating coil in it so I can add the necessary switch and get the wheel warm or must the entire steering wheel be replaced? My drive is 12 miles and the wheel is a cold blooded beast for the entire drive every morning while the heated seats, mirrors and windshield electric defrosters are a pleasure.

I count at least 4 dummy plugs where other switches could have been installed for various other optional equipment but I see no way to find what those options could have been.

 

[philsey]

Highly unlikely. Pretty commonly accepted that the 5th Gen contains absolutely nothing beyond that which appears on the Monroney sticker. No wiring, no connectors, nada.

 

[GaryL]

Highly unlikely. Pretty commonly accepted that the 5th Gen contains absolutely nothing beyond that which appears on the Monroney sticker. No wiring, no connectors, nada.

You certainly could be right Phil but I will hope that someone who knows for sure will jump in. My basic thought is if it was a completely different steering wheel then I would expect the switch to activate it would be on the wheel. The one LTD I have seen with this option has the switch on the dash. It does make sense that there might just be only one 4R steering wheel rather than one with and another without the coil.

When I take it in for the first service I will ask what it would take to add that option and how much it would cost. I would bet that if it requires a new wheel and the switch that the electric disconnect already has the necessary wires for plug and play.

 

[philsey]

..... It does make sense that there might just be only one 4R steering wheel rather than one with and another without the coil.
.

You're mistaken if you think Toyota spent even $15 extra on all its LE steering wheels just so someone might want to upgrade it someday. You're also mistaken if you think there is anyone at your dealership who even cares.

I don't know why you bothered to ask, you have already made up your mind.

Let's ask [MENTION=66316]1engineer[/MENTION] to move this to the 5G section, and see what they say. This type question comes up frequently - the answer is always the same.

Carry on.

 

[GaryL]

You're mistaken if you think Toyota spent even $15 extra on all its LE steering wheels just so someone might want to upgrade it someday. You're also mistaken if you think there is anyone at your dealership who even cares.

I don't know why you bothered to ask, you have already made up your mind.

Let's ask [MENTION=66316]1engineer[/MENTION] to move this to the 5G section, and see what they say. This type question comes up frequently - the answer is always the same.

Carry on.

Thanks Phil. If you can get my question moved to the 5G section then please do so.

 

[1engineer]

You're mistaken if you think Toyota spent even $15 extra on all its LE steering wheels just so someone might want to upgrade it someday. You're also mistaken if you think there is anyone at your dealership who even cares.

I don't know why you bothered to ask, you have already made up your mind.

Let's ask [MENTION=66316]1engineer[/MENTION] to move this to the 5G section, and see what they say. This type question comes up frequently - the answer is always the same.

Carry on.

Done.

 

[JayceeP]

Why not wear leather gloves (or whatever you deem appropriate) and call it a day? Problem solved + it helps your hands not get as dried out and cracked from the dry cold air.

 

[msp]

I just traded in my 2011 Tacoma for a new 2016 4 Runner Limited. Love it so far just as I loved my Tacoma 4X4.

I did a lot of research but found it near impossible to find all the available options over and above what comes in the Limited package. The web site is clearly lacking in this regard.

I live in the NY Catskill mountains and winters are cold and severe. I wish I had known there is an optional heated steering wheel available and would certainly have bought it. Now my question is, Does the steering wheel in my truck already have the heating coil in it so I can add the necessary switch and get the wheel warm or must the entire steering wheel be replaced? My drive is 12 miles and the wheel is a cold blooded beast for the entire drive every morning while the heated seats, mirrors and windshield electric defrosters are a pleasure.

I count at least 4 dummy plugs where other switches could have been installed for various other optional equipment but I see no way to find what those options could have been.

I looked at the 2016 brochure and didn't see it as an option. Is it a regional thing or aftermarket? It's going to be about -10 tonight. A heated steering wheel would come in handy.

 

[Danimal]

A heated steering wheel would come in handy.

Oh! I see what you did there...

 

[msp]

Oh! I see what you did there...

Don't confuse my limited midwestern vocabulary with being clever, or corny, or punny....

 

[GaryL]

I looked at the 2016 brochure and didn't see it as an option. Is it a regional thing or aftermarket? It's going to be about -10 tonight. A heated steering wheel would come in handy.

That was a good part of my point for asking this question. You simply cannot find in any brochure or even at the on line site what factory options can be ordered. I am pretty sure the dealer probably has a complete list he can walk you through when you are Special Ordering a 4R to be made to your exact specifications. Most of us however find one on the dealers floor or through a dealer to dealer trade and accept what comes on it. As an example you can get a 4R with auto retracting side boards or you can get permanent side boards or none. My brother's 4R came with a plastic hood deflector while my 4R came with a protective mylar film on the hood nose. I would not expect to see a heated steering wheel in the southern zones but sure would like to have one here in the north.

 

[dsimonl]

This is going to sound really stupid. Can You order a limited with softex seats? My wife doesn't want leather in her farm truck, but would rather have AWD.

 

[GaryL]

This is going to sound really stupid. Can You order a limited with softex seats? My wife doesn't want leather in her farm truck, but would rather have AWD.

I am certainly not an expert on this but I do believe that the Limited is a package that comes standard with leather. You might need to step down to a lesser package and then build in the things from the Limited package you want to get the fabric seats.

 

[1engineer]

This is going to sound really stupid. Can You order a limited with softex seats? My wife doesn't want leather in her farm truck, but would rather have AWD.

First it's not AWD it's full time 4WD. There is a huge difference and well documented in the new owner sticky above.

Next you can only get that option in the LE and that only comes with leather.

Lastly, unless Toyota added a heated steering wheel in 2016 the option to get it does not exist. It could be a 3rd party wheel the dealer added but as far as I know it is not a Toyota option nor even a port installed option.

 

[GaryL]

First it's not AWD it's full time 4WD. There is a huge difference and well documented in the new owner sticky above.

Next you can only get that option in the LE and that only comes with leather.

Lastly, unless Toyota added a heated steering wheel in 2016 the option to get it does not exist. It could be a 3rd party wheel the dealer added but as far as I know it is not a Toyota option nor even a port installed option.

Thank you #1. I am going by what my brother claims his new 4R has. He takes delivery of it tomorrow afternoon and I plan to be there when he arrives home with it just to verify it does in fact have this elusive heated wheel or not.

What I do know is his window sticker price is a bit higher than mine so I should be able to see the additional options he does have and report back tomorrow. Seeing is believing on this one I think!

 

[Ripple]

I just traded in my 2011 Tacoma for a new 2016 4 Runner Limited. Love it so far just as I loved my Tacoma 4X4.

I did a lot of research but found it near impossible to find all the available options over and above what comes in the Limited package. The web site is clearly lacking in this regard.

I live in the NY Catskill mountains and winters are cold and severe. I wish I had known there is an optional heated steering wheel available and would certainly have bought it. Now my question is, Does the steering wheel in my truck already have the heating coil in it so I can add the necessary switch and get the wheel warm or must the entire steering wheel be replaced? My drive is 12 miles and the wheel is a cold blooded beast for the entire drive every morning while the heated seats, mirrors and windshield electric defrosters are a pleasure.

I count at least 4 dummy plugs where other switches could have been installed for various other optional equipment but I see no way to find what those options could have been.

Did you test drive the trail prem? I was wondering if the driver seat has the same level of support as the limited. The standard trail seats were very uncomfortable.

 

[qs933]

That was a good part of my point for asking this question. You simply cannot find in any brochure or even at the on line site what factory options can be ordered.

My 2015 (paper) brochure has a page titled "4Runner Grades." Under the Limited, there is a list of options (in a section titled "Options"):

- Automatic running boards
- Leather trimmed 50/50 split fold-flat third row seat
- Sliding rear cargo deck

There's also a page titled "Features" with a list of features and whether it's standard or optional by trim grade.

I'm guessing what's confusing is the distinction between factory options, Toyota accessories (distributor or dealer-installed), and completely third-party, distributor or dealer-installed items. The lines can be blurry for the last two, especially when the distributor installs it.

 

[Blitzkrieg]

1) There is no such thing as a heated steering wheel in a 4Runner
2) The Trail seats are NOT uncomfortable. In fact I would say they are some of the most comfortable seats I have had in an SUV.
3) The seats in a Trail and Trail Premium are exactly the same except for the upholstery.

And.....

4) To the dude whose wife wants an LE with Softex because its her "farm truck"? Are you serious? Buy her a 1995 Chevy Tahoe and kick her butt into it to go feed the cows.

Why would you want to use a new $40K+ SUV as a farm truck??? Does she also want to remove the tailgate to make hay bale loading easier LOL.

 

[GaryL]

1) There is no such thing as a heated steering wheel in a 4Runner
2) The Trail seats are NOT uncomfortable. In fact I would say they are some of the most comfortable seats I have had in an SUV.
3) The seats in a Trail and Trail Premium are exactly the same except for the upholstery.

And.....

4) To the dude whose wife wants an LE with Softex because its her "farm truck"? Are you serious? Buy her a 1995 Chevy Tahoe and kick her butt into it to go feed the cows.

Why would you want to use a new $40K+ SUV as a farm truck??? Does she also want to remove the tailgate to make hay bale loading easier LOL.

Nice Blitz! I guess I will be posting tomorrow that my brother with the elusive heated wheel was mistaking about all his options over mine. Too bad because the 4R really does need a heated wheel in this climate up north.

As far as seat comfort goes, we came from nice Tacoma's and Rav4s for the past 8-9 years and the 4R with leather sure does spank both of them. Buy seat covers if you are worried about the leather being trashed but they are better than all the milk crates in our past Toys. Heat in my seat is nice right now and I will let you know what the cooling does around July or August next year.

 

[Jhalko]

Nice Blitz! I guess I will be posting tomorrow that my brother with the elusive heated wheel was mistaking about all his options over mine. Too bad because the 4R really does need a heated wheel in this climate up north.

As far as seat comfort goes, we came from nice Tacoma's and Rav4s for the past 8-9 years and the 4R with leather sure does spank both of them. Buy seat covers if you are worried about the leather being trashed but they are better than all the milk crates in our past Toys. Heat in my seat is nice right now and I will let you know what the cooling does around July or August next year.

Probably a dealer option for a heated steering wheel, you can buy a kit and add it to any car.

To the comments around the seats, at first I was really worried about comfort as they seem very different to other vehicles. After nearly 80k miles I find them to be quite comfortable. First impression may not be great with 4Runner seats but they are good.