Housekeeping...

[pbwolf]

So I finally got my 4Runner, 01' SR5, 4x4 auto with 153k on it...

A few questions...

I know the mileage is a little high, but what maintenance would you guys recommend? The engine runs like a top, very quiet, all fluids look good.. no issues with it really, but I'm curious if there is anything I should be looking out for. The previous owner only had it for about 3 months, apparently didn't like the gas mileage, just bought it for it's good looks The owner before that was the original owner, and they had traded it in at a dealership. They also said the timing belt and water pump had been replaced, but I'm not sure when..

There is a slight shake when cruising at about 70mph but I've been told that's probably just the tires. It's got the 16" factory wheels with Goodyear Tracker's that have hardly any wear on them.. maybe just a balance issue?


Otherwise, I have the same issue as many, no key fob came with it.. So I've been reading posts around the board, and it's obvious my 4Runner has the standard keyless system. I have the Toyota Security light that blinks, but the real question is - how do I find out which FCC ID# I have, so I don't get screwed and buy the wrong key fob? I want the one that lets me roll down the back window

On another note, it has the stock am/fm/cassette/cd player, and when the dash light's dimmer is on (meaning headlights are on and the dash lights are set at anything other than off or max) there is a slight hum coming through that can only be heard when the volume is low, if I turn the volume knob all the way down, it goes away, a slight turn up and it's back.. does this mean it's coming in at the preamp or amp stage? The amp is seperate from the headunit, right? The frequency of the hum changes with the dimmer level, of course. It was annoying me at first, until I realized that I could turn the dash lights to max and it would go away, but I still would like to know where the problem is.

Oh well, any help/advice/suggestions are truly appreciated.

 

[DavidAlexander]

....you want me fluff your pillow?
Sorry that is my favorite scene in Black Sheep.

As for the alarm, sorry mine is older so I don't think it is the same.
The noise coming from your radio, does it stop when playing cd's? I would think it could be interference that the radio is picking up from the dimmer switch.

 

[Matt Starr]

ok, first off, your 70mph shaking is your tie rods. Look up any thread on this website about 70mph shaking and tie rods is usually the final answer. There is the small case that its your wheel balance because toyota makes their wheels really weird. Here's a link to a site that explains it and pretty much anything else you want to know about the 4runner http://www.gadgetonline.com/Vibration.htm
as for your FCC ID# go to a toyota dealership, give them your vin# and have them pull up all the info on your 4runner. They will be able to get your FCC ID# from there, and if the keyless system doesnt have the rear window roll down option you're gonna have to get a different system.
And you humming sound is caused by your dimmer wire interfering with either a speaker wire or a power wire (constant or ignition). There is a dimmer wire in the cd players harness and its just loose or something. Someone who owned it before you probably put in an aftermarket head unit and when they sold it they put the stock head unit back in and some nimrod probably pull they wiring harness too hard, very common.
and if the timing belt/water pump was replaced already you dont need to worry about replacing it again till about 180k-200k miles.
And 150k is nothing to worry about in a toyota. One of my dads company fleet tacomas has 368,000 miles and its only had rutine maintanence. And the company is the original owner. Good luck with your new runner, welcome to the group and if you have any questions feel free to ask.

 

[MGP]

For 2001 SR5, the standard remote key fob FCC ID : HYQ1512Y

I have the same model and year and snagged a couple on ebay. I paid about $30 ea. for them (used but in very good shape) and they came with programming instructions and a new battery. Quite a few of us here have the same remotes and can provide programming instructions if you need them. Mine work great, btw, even rolling down the rear window.

 

[pbwolf]

Thanks for the help! I will look into the tierods issue, and check out the wiring harness to see what I can find out. I do know at one point it had a car cell system hooked up, then antenna mount is still in the back drivers side window, and I found a small wire coming out from behind the center console with a fuse on it, so I know it's had some modifications done.

As for the FCC ID - awesome, I was hoping someone would know which one was stock for that year/trim. All of the threads I read ended with someone trying to call a dealership to no avail.

And btw, when I said high mileage, I really only meant higher than average miles per year, even though it's not a whole lot higher, really. For the engine itself, it's nothing

 

[Matt Starr]

Thanks for the help! I will look into the tierods issue, and check out the wiring harness to see what I can find out. I do know at one point it had a car cell system hooked up, then antenna mount is still in the back drivers side window, and I found a small wire coming out from behind the center console with a fuse on it, so I know it's had some modifications done.

As for the FCC ID - awesome, I was hoping someone would know which one was stock for that year/trim. All of the threads I read ended with someone trying to call a dealership to no avail.

And btw, when I said high mileage, I really only meant higher than average miles per year, even though it's not a whole lot higher, really. For the engine itself, it's nothing

Sweet. By the way you described the antenna and wire coming from behind the console that sounds more like satillite radio or gps. I've never heard of a bluetooth cell phone set up having an antenna. Next time you get a chance look at the antenna itself and if it say xm or sirius on it, its sat. radio. If it say like tom tom, magellen or garmin on it, its gps

 

[pbwolf]

Hehe, If I remember correctly it said Cingular, so I was assuming it was for a mobile phone, but it seemed kind of odd to me to have an antenna mounted on the car.. I guess the signal was that bad.

 

[pbwolf]

Alrighty - got the key fob off ebay for about 35 shipped, it shipped out yesterday so we will see how it goes!

And oh yeah, here's a pic from this morning!

 

[SIKHILUXSURF]

ok, first off, your 70mph shaking is your tie rods. Look up any thread on this website about 70mph shaking and tie rods is usually the final answer.

incorrect most of the time it is a wheel balance issue. check your balance first on the wheels

 

[pbwolf]

incorrect most of the time it is a wheel balance issue. check your balance first on the wheels

After reading the link he provided, and other threads/websites, I started to get the same idea.. Everything I saw pointed to wheel balance due to the hub centric/lug centric issue. It doesn't bother me that much because it's very slight, but it could be putting some uneven wear on the tires, right?

 

[ChildrenOfBodom]

Mine was wheel balance too. I had that issue for the first month or so of ownership.

 

[SIKHILUXSURF]

After reading the link he provided, and other threads/websites, I started to get the same idea.. Everything I saw pointed to wheel balance due to the hub centric/lug centric issue. It doesn't bother me that much because it's very slight, but it could be putting some uneven wear on the tires, right?

yes it will put uneven wear on your tires even possible cupping of the tires as well. i am speaking from experience as a tire guy and a ex Toyota technician.

 

[Matt Starr]

incorrect most of the time it is a wheel balance issue. check your balance first on the wheels

ok let me re-phrase that. If the vehicle just kinda shakes a little bit then it the wheel balance but if the steering wheel actually wobbles a little bit then its the tie rods. Bad tie rods is a common problem on 3rd gens and so is the wheel balance. when i first got my runner the steering wheel shook at 70mph and I just had aftermarket wheels put on so balance was no longer an issue but it still shook at 70mph. Then I replace the rack and pinion bushings and it still shook. Then I replaced the struts...and its still shook. then after looking around on this site and yotatech I found that a lot of people had the same problem and they all said that they replace the tie rods and the shaking went away, so I replaced my tie rods and..........the shaking went away. The End.

 

[luigi123]

So I finally got my 4Runner, 01' SR5, 4x4 auto with 153k on it...

A few questions...

I know the mileage is a little high, but what maintenance would you guys recommend? The engine runs like a top, very quiet, all fluids look good.. no issues with it really, but I'm curious if there is anything I should be looking out for. The previous owner only had it for about 3 months, apparently didn't like the gas mileage, just bought it for it's good looks The owner before that was the original owner, and they had traded it in at a dealership. They also said the timing belt and water pump had been replaced, but I'm not sure when..

Oh well, any help/advice/suggestions are truly appreciated.

Welcome to the 4runner family.
A lot of times if the timing belt is changed the shop puts a sticker on the front of the engine with the mileage it was changed.

Get your diff fluids changed and the t-case too if that maintenence history is not none also, better safe than sorry.
Have the tranny fluid checked.

My experience with the wheel shakes is that if the shake goes away at +5 MPH's higher than when the shake started its a tire balance problem. I had the same issue at 65 MPH on mine and I went and got a tire balance and it went away.