Questions about my new 4Runner

[rsimpson]

Hi Guys,

Well my lease expired on my 06 Tundra. I was completely convinced of Toyota's reliability and ride quality, so I wanted to get into another Toyota, but didn't need a truck. Naturally, a 4Runner appealed to me.

I found an 04 Limited V8 in great condition with low miles and decided to buy it. It's been about a 1,000 miles now and I've been very happy with it.

A few questions. I purchased the truck from a Mazda dealer and they knew very little about it, and weren't able to answer my questions.

1. Was the 2004 V8 offered in both a full-time 4wd and 2wd? I was originally under the impression that the full-time 4wd was all that was available. Slightly embarrassing, I do not know which mine is. (4x4 was obviously not a deciding factor for me)

2. How do I know if mine came with the Xraes suspension? Anything to look for under the hood or under carriage that will give me a hint?

3. My absolute favorite thing about the truck is how quiet and smooth it is. Very very little road vibration emanates from the tires, BUT I do feel road vibration in the brake pedal of all places. Anyone else experiencing this? Also, occasionally I feel a faint clunk in the brake pedal and only right when I begin to deccelerate slowly. I hate to use the word clunk because I do not think it is the infamous driveline clunk of the V8s. It happens only occasionally and only when I brake, not when I accelerate from a stop. Maybe I'm in denile! Could it be the AC compressor? Another brake issue?

4. Regarding the Auto Cimate Control - When the system is set to "auto", is the A/C always on? The light on the A/C button is always lit, but I believe the manual states that when the climate control is set to auto, the system will choose to run A/C depending on the conditions. Is this true?

Many thanks!
Ryan

 

[gptoy96]

Congrats on the new ride!

I'm no expert but I'll offer what I can.

1. Up here we don't have 2wd's but I beleive a person could get them in both in the states, with either the V6 or V8. If it is a V8 with 4wd then it's full time, the V6's got part time systems. So the V6 could be driven in 2wd only even if it was a 4wd truck. (This sounds way less confusing in my head, hope it makes sense!).

2. If you look at your rear shocks you'll see a line coming out of the cylinder, this is Xreas. If you don't have that extra line coming out, then you don't have it.

3. Sorry, can't help here.

4. I beleive the system engages it, and only uses it as necessary. From what I've gathered it acts as a dehumidifier as well as cooling when required.

Not sure how much this helps but enjoy the ride regardless! You shouldn't be disappointed.

 

[phishtaco]

1) do you have a dial left of your stereo and below the rear window button? yes, you have 4wd no, you have 2wd

 

[rsimpson]

1) do you have a dial left of your stereo and below the rear window button? yes, you have 4wd no, you have 2wd

Oh, ok. I don't. Thought the dial was only there for the V6 4wd system. Thanks.

 

[4boer]

V8 =4wd

Climate...play around with that recirc button (lower right). It seems to have majic powers (I haven't figured it out yet!).

 

[Forenaftrunner]

V8 =4wd

That's what I thought too when I first joined here. And to guys like you and me in Northern climates, it would seem true as that's all we get. But in the Southern parts of the US you can actually get a V8 with 2wd.

 

[rsimpson]

That's what I thought too when I first joined here. And to guys like you and me in Northern climates, it would seem true as that's all we get. But in the Southern parts of the US you can actually get a V8 with 2wd.

Sounds like I'm still getting both sides.
There is no 4WD badging on the door. Do all V8 4WDs have it? I have seen the 4WD badge on the newer 06 and up 4Runners, but mine is an 04. Just says Limited.

Going to embarrass myself on here again, but what can I look for under the truck/hood to tell me? Would the sticker on the inside of the door tell me?

 

[Forenaftrunner]

Sounds like I'm still getting both sides.
There is no 4WD badging on the door. Do all V8 4WDs have it? I have seen the 4WD badge on the newer 06 and up 4Runners, but mine is an 04. Just says Limited.

Going to embarrass myself on here again, but what can I look for under the truck/hood to tell me? Would the sticker on the inside of the door tell me?

Just look for the dial like the post says above. If you have 4wd, there is a rather large dial on the dash to switch from 4hi to 4lo. If your truck has 4wd, you'll easily see it. If you don't have the switch, then you have 2wd.

 

[rsimpson]

Just look for the dial like the post says above. If you have 4wd, there is a rather large dial on the dash to switch from 4hi to 4lo. If your truck has 4wd, you'll easily see it. If you don't have the switch, then you have 2wd.

Got it. I'm a little dense.

no dial, no 4WD

Thank you

 

[SubSonic]

3. As to vibration and "clunk" in the brake pedal: Can't comment on tire or road vibration in the brake pedal - it could be that you need an alignment or balancing.

As for the "clunk", yes, I feel it too on occasion. I think, if your 04 has the same system as the 08, that is part of the VSC/smart braking system. Our braking systems are predictive, and if it thinks you are about to go to 100% braking (panic stop) it will immediately apply 100% brake force via the computer and will beat you to 100% by a few milliseconds - which will also then kick in the VSC/traction control and everything else it thinks it needs to do to keep you out of trouble. I think the "clunk" we feel is the system sampling our brake pedal pressure and timing, and weighs that against the speed and inertial meters in the computer to see if it needs to "help us out" of a bad situation.

I test drove several 4Runners before having mine shipped in (with the features I wanted - there were none like it on the lot) and they all had that faint "clunk" in their brake pedals at times...generally all the time except for the easiest of stops. Once I got mine, I noticed it on the test drive as I underestimated my distance to a stop sign and had to step on the brake a little firmer.

Anyway, that's my best guess...I haven't really worried about it since I drove 3 different T4Rs (V6 2wd/4wd & V8 2wd) prior to taking delivery to mine (V8 4wd), and they all 4 did it. You could call a Toyota dealer/service center and ask them about it.

 

[Mark86]

2. If you have the ride height button just below your center console, you more than likely have XREAS because those two options were paired. Other than that, I don't know how else to determine if your truck has XREAS besides physically looking at the shocks.

4. The A/C compressor will always be on after you press the AUTO button. You can press the A/C button to turn the compressor off and the system will still be in auto mode.

 

[peter78]

V8 =4wd

I'd say now, BOY DOWN HERE IN THE SOUTH we have both 2WD and those fangle wierd 4WD, but don't see them around too much.

So, yes they sell 2WD, I saw one in 2003 and thought about buying it. It was of course white.

 

[SubSonic]

I'd say now, BOY DOWN HERE IN THE SOUTH we have both 2WD and those fangle wierd 4WD, but don't see them around too much.

So, yes they sell 2WD, I saw one in 2003 and thought about buying it. It was of course white.

Yup, they had a Limited V8 2WD at the dealer where I bought mine. They tried HARD to sell me on it, but I was set on 4WD, and made them track me one down (was somewhere way down in Georgia) and bring it up here to sell to me - which they did. Toyota, back in December anyway, was more than happy to get rid of their remaining '08s. Didn't charge me for getting it and sold it to me under MSRP and with 0% financing (0% saved me $12k-13k over the term and is why I chose it over the $4000 "cash back")

And I *LIKE* my "fangle wierd 4WD" thank you very much. lol She is really sure-footed on these rutted southern sun-baked black top roads that love to fill with water and become