4th Generation T4R Haynes Manual Now Available! :)

[blaniac22]

Haynes manuals are very valuable, but as noted above should be approached with some caution before tearing everything apart. I recently put a new timing belt on my Camry after the one in the car broke. All of the instructions dealt with a simple remove and replace. The instructions on how to set the cam where it was supposed to be were non existent for my situation. Furthermore, the drawings and photos all had the engine sitting straight up and down on a stand - which of course isn't how the engine sat in the car. So if you used the pictures at a reference you'd have your car all back together and the timing would be off.

I ended up getting a Chilton's manual from the library and the factory service manual from Camry Forums - which explained how to remove the valve cover and line the sprocket marks up with the mark inside.

Again, it's a good tool to have so I would recommend getting it - but you may want to double check some of the steps and thoroughly review what you are getting into.

 

[Bossman]

Hey Annoyed,

Yes, I was simply passing along the information from Haynes. I am in no way affiliated with them, nor do I fully endorse their manual.

I would agree that this 03-09 T4R Haynes manual is not as comprehensive as the Factory Service Manuals. I have used Haynes manuals from previous Toyota vehicle model years (1982 Celica and 1997 Camry) that gave much more information than this T4R manual.

But it is a good starting point and does provide good basic info for someone starting out and wanting to know more about their T4R and routine maintenance items.

I have both the FSMs and now this Haynes manual in my collection.

Unfortunately, despite Bossman's description (which is copied verbatim from the haynes promotional materials) recent Haynes manuals have not been all that detailed, at least not in comparison to their publications 30+ years ago.

Yes, they contain most of the specs you would need for routine servicing, and some specific information, I find that a great deal of their contents in the past 15 years or so is simply common sense and standard "best practices" applied to whatever the book's subject vehicle is.

I'll stick with the PDF version of the FSM that's available online.

 

[Bossman]

Hey riverider,

Yes, Haynes was likely waiting for the model run (i.e., 4th generation) to be almost complete, along with having enough T4Rs sold to make it worth their while to produce the manual.

I finally got my copy of the 03-09 T4R Haynes manual after some hassles with Canadian Tire (they are a distributor for Haynes manuals up here in Canada). To make a long story short, Canadian Tire was not able to provide me with the manual (even though I placed an order with them, which they then said several weeks later that they did not stock it - even though the Haynes website said they did) so the people from Haynes sent me a complimentary copy for all my troubles.

Haynes has been in the repair Manual printing for many years. It's lucky a vehicle has enough buyers that Haynes will take the time to put a repair manual together for it. So far they have not made one for the Kia Sorento. I just am glad they now have this one covering the 08 4Runner. If you have a local PepBoys they have some of the Haynes Manuals but not all of them.