Hi all....so I pull into my driveway, which is on an incline, and stop because one of the kid's toys are in the way, take my foot off the brake, and my 4runner slides down (like a stick shift car does)! I try to hit the gas but get a clanging sound and a beep! What gives? This is happening more often now too!! Is this a defect, TSB, or what as it is a major safety issue. Is that clanging hurting the transmission? I am afraid to stop on an incline now!
Help! My runner is backing up by itself!
- Thread starter rhlitt
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silver4x419
New member
I think you need to read up in your owners manual. I think that is your Hill Start Assist Control. What year is your 4Runner?
I went through the same thing the first time the hill assist activated.
Here is what I think is going on:
You take your foot off the brake, and the truck begins to roll back.
You get to the gas pedal just as the beeps and the sound of the hill assist tapping the brakes starts. This is very startling. You aren't giving it much gas, and it sounds like the transmission is slipping.
But you don't give it ENOUGH gas because you think you are damaging your truck.
Truth is you just need to give it a little more and the truck will move forward and the beeps etc. will stop.
I would bet your truck is doing exactly what it is designed to do (granted it is an '03 or newer).
Here is what I think is going on:
You take your foot off the brake, and the truck begins to roll back.
You get to the gas pedal just as the beeps and the sound of the hill assist tapping the brakes starts. This is very startling. You aren't giving it much gas, and it sounds like the transmission is slipping.
But you don't give it ENOUGH gas because you think you are damaging your truck.
Truth is you just need to give it a little more and the truck will move forward and the beeps etc. will stop.
I would bet your truck is doing exactly what it is designed to do (granted it is an '03 or newer).
There's nothing wrong with that. An automatic will roll backward if the incline is steep enough. The 4th 4runner has "Hill-Start Assist Control." Even though I mentioned it, in this situation HSC wouldn't engage. It only engages when you are stopped and let off the brake. If the vehicle detects that its rolling backward, it'll apply the brakes until the gas is hit. (for more info, read your manual.)rhlitt said:
This feature is the traction control. You hit your gas just hard enough to cause the wheel to slip. The 4runner uses the brakes in order to prevent a wheel from slipping. The clanging sound was the ABS controlling the brakes while the beep (and probably light) was the traction control letting you know what was going on.
Your 4runner is just fine.
4RunnerLaker
New member
I had the same problem, only couple topics down, and yeah the 4runner experts on here are correct! 
Saved me a trip to the stealership! Isnt this board greeeeeat!
Saved me a trip to the stealership! Isnt this board greeeeeat!
Coolhand
New member
Yeah I fought with this one for awhile on the general discussion board, exact same situation - inclined driveway, etc. Even worse when you're on an inclined boat ramp with a boat on back. I don't like it - if the HAC is going to engage the brakes, I don't see why it can't apply them progressively instead of chattering away with the ABS. That doesn't seem to make much sense and caused a good deal of panic for me.
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