The Toyota 4Runner is a popular vehicle for daily commuting and some off-road fun. However, like any vehicle, you may run into a situation where you need to access your spare tire. When a flat tire occurs, follow the steps below to change your tire.
To access the spare tire on your Toyota 4runner, follow these steps:
- First, turn off the vehicle [on hazards] and open the back liftgate.
- A compartment with a yellow label is to the left of the cargo area.
- Lay down the back seat and open the compartment.
- Remove the tool pouch first, and then remove the jack by loosening the bolt.
- Next, you will need to open the tool pouch, and you will need the two straight black pieces and a black L-shaped bar.
- Connect the two straight bars and hand tighten them.
- Once connected, take the black bar and put it into the slot right above the bumper, angling to the vehicle's passenger side [don't put it in straight].
- Once the straight bar is connected to the spare tire release, attach the L-shape bar with the bottom of the bar pointing away from the vehicle.
- Crank the bar to the left to lower the tire.
- When the tire is lowed to the ground, lift it and remove the connecting chain.
- Lastly, change your tire and put away the tools in the compartment.
As you can see, there are a few more steps into changing a 4-Runner tire. This article will discuss how to access the spare tire on a Toyota 4-Runner and change the flat. In addition, we will answer other frequently asked questions about the Toyota 4-Runner, so read on!
How To Get Spare Tire Off A Toyota 4Runner
Almost every vehicle has a spare tire that you access if you get a flat. However, each spare tire is located in a different place and has a different access process. For example, for the Toyota 4Runner, you will access the spare tire by opening the back liftgate and locating a compartment with a yellow label attached to it.
If you get a flat tire, it is a good idea to get off the road as far as you can, turn on your hazards, and shut the vehicle off to be safe.
If you are on a highway and have hazard cones to layout, then do so to help oncoming traffic be aware of the situation.
Open the back liftgate and access the compartment with the yellow label. The compartment will be on the left side. It is essential to take out the tool pouch first because you won't be able to get the jack out if you don't.
Set it to the side once the pouch is out and unscrew the bolt on the jack to release it from the compartment.
How to release the spare tire from a 4-Runner
When you open the tool pouch, you can set aside a lug wrench, another silver piece, and the question mark-shaped tool [black]. So now you will be left with two black metal pieces and one L-Shaped.
To release the tire, you will first need to connect the two straight pieces. Then, a bolt tightened on the piece can be tightened using your hands.
When putting the straight bars into the spare tire slot, you need to go at an angle towards the passenger side of the 4-Runner. If you go in straight, then you will miss the release mechanism.
Once you have the straight bar locked into the spare tire release, you can now attach the L-shape bar and crank it counter-clockwise. Once the tire is on the ground, you will have to disconnect the chain from the tire.
If you have someone to help you, it makes this process easier. First, lift the spare tire and slide the chain through the wheel. Once that is done, you can take the tire out from under the vehicle and change the flat tire.
Where is the spare tire on a Toyota 4Runner?
The spare tire is located underneath the back bumper of a Toyota 4-Runner. This location can be seen as a good and a bad thing.
The good thing is that it gives you more cargo space, and it doesn't interfere with the vehicle's ground clearance. However, it can be more time-consuming and difficult for some to get the tire out.
If you are doing the tire change yourself, it can be frustrating to get the tire out. First off, the tires to a 4Runner are heavy, and the final step can be challenging to remove the chain.
Second, getting the perfect angle with the straight bars can take some practice. If you come in too straight, you will miss the unlocking slot underneath the vehicle. However, when you get to the right angle, you will feel the bar lock into place.
How do you jack up a 4Runner?
When you jack up your Toyota 4Runner, it is vital to be sure you place the jack in the right place. If you don't, you run the risk of the jack slipping out from under the vehicle and causing serious injury to you or damage to the vehicle.
When jacking up the 4Runner, you will need to place the jack under the axle of the tire you are changing. A good tip is to partially raise the jack before putting it under the axle to save you time.
Once you have the jack underneath the axle, use the black bars to raise the Toyota 4Runner off of the ground. Once the flat tire is high enough off the ground, you can proceed to remove the lug nuts to remove the tire.
How do you put on a spare tire?
Putting on the spare tire can be done like any other tire by following these steps:
- First, remove the lug nuts with the lug wrench and loosen them with your hands. If the lug nuts are tight, put the lug nut wrench with the handle facing up and crank down. This will give you more force to loosen the lug nuts.
- Once all the lug nuts are removed, you can start taking off the tire.
- After the flat tire is off of the vehicle, remove it out of the way and off of the road. You can put the tire on and hand-tighten each lug nut in a cross pattern. Ensure that the tire is on all the ways and the lug nuts are on the thread correctly.
- Now you can use your lug nut wrench to tighten each lug nut. But, first, make sure the tire isn't moving and is on securely.
- You can either choose to put the flat tire in your cargo area or back under the vehicle.
Does a 4Runner have a full-size spare?
The Toyota 4Runner does have a full-size spare tire. However, if you put different tires on your 4Runner, the spare won't match and should be driven temporarily.
Having a full-size spare does come in handy if you have a flat tire when off-roading. It will ensure that you have something more durable to get back onto the main road.
How long can you drive on a spare tire?
Whether you have a full-size tire or a donut, you shouldn't drive too far. Typically, you shouldn't drive over 50mph and a distance of 70 miles. Even if you have a full-size tire, the tread will differ from the other three tires.
Over time this will cause wear on the other tires, and you will have uneven tread making the unbalance. In addition, your other tires will wear faster, and you will need new ones sooner than you should.
If you get a flat tire, you are better to go directly to a tire shop after putting on the spare.
Can you only replace one tire on a 4Runner?
If you are worried about having to change all four tires in the case of a flat, you may be in luck. If your tires are newer and still have 4/32 of their depth, then you can do a single tire replacement.
However, if your other three tires are worn down to past the level, you will need to get all four. Also, since Toyota 4Runner has bigger tires, they come with a bigger cost. Expect to pay $15-$500 a tire, depending on the type and brand.
Final Thoughts
Let's face it; no one likes having a flat tire. It's no fun having to change it on the side of the road or in a busy parking lot. It is even worse if you have to do all four tires on your Toyota 4Runner.
However, small changes like knowing how to jack up your 4Runner and changing a tire can make life easier when something goes wrong.
If you liked this article, then you should also read:
Does The Lexus NX Have A Spare Tire?