If you own a 4th generation Toyota 4Runner and are still running OEM wheels, you may be looking into upgrading your wheels. One of the common things that people look to do is to upgrade to wheels that have more negative offset. This effectively pushes your wheels out towards the outside of the vehicle for a more aggressive stance. A popular option and one that I’m a big fan of is using 5th generation Toyota 4Runner OEM wheels to replace the stock 4th generation ones.

When I purchased my Acura CL-S from the original owner a couple years back, I continued to use the OEM battery that was installed. Since I didn’t get to drive the car much, the battery had gone dead several times already and after jumping it and recharging it so many times, I felt it was probably about time to replace the battery. Plus, it would be nice to get a battery that had some more cold-cranking amps (CCA’s) to help with cold starts.

The serpentine belt (also known as the drive belt) is a reinforced rubber belt that delivers power from the crankshaft to multiple accessories of a vehicle such as the air conditioning, alternator, water pump, etc. Since it drives critical components of a vehicle, it is important to perform regular inspections of the serpentine belt and to replace it when it is required to do so. he replacement of the serpentine belt can be a quick and easy job if you are aware of a couple things that could possibly throw you off-course.

I’ve had enough of the existing PGM-FI relay issues and decided to finally just replace the relay. To my relief, these things are not expensive if you purchase them aftermarket. And to my surprise, the replacement part works like a charm.

The spark plug replacement on a 4th generation Toyota 4Runner is a job that you will need set aside 2-3 hours for. The replacement of the spark plugs themselves doesn’t take long, but most of the time will be spent removing components in the engine bay to get access to the spark plugs. I recommend using a step stool to get some additional height as you will be working closer to the middle and back of the engine bay; this is especially needed if you have a 4Runner that has a lift on it. This guide is written for the 4.0L V6 (1GRE-FE engine code) on the 4th Generation Toyota 4Runner.

As I continue to slowly do work on my 2003 Acura CL-S to get it back in proper shape, I had to address one of the issues that I experience every time I take the car out for a drive to keep the battery from dying. And that’s a simple one: the windshield wiper blades. The original wiper blades that came with the car have fallen apart and the rubber portion was barely hanging on by a thread. Every time I turned on the wiper blades, I’d hear screeching as the metal parts of the wiper arm scratched against the windshield. Although this is an easy fix, it’s a very effective one and is a good reminder to regularly change out the wiper blades on your car.

It’s a common issue on the 4th generation Toyota 4Runner to encounter the ‘VSC TRAC’ and ‘VSC OFF’ warning lights come on randomly and stay on. These lights may come on whenever you have an engine trouble code, which will be apparent when the engine light also comes on at the same time. However, if you are experiencing only the ‘VSC TRAC’ and ‘VSC OFF’ lights on without the check engine light on, then there might be a quick fix to getting rid of those lights.

If you’re a 4th generation Toyota 4Runner owner, you may have heard of the phrase, “use it or lose it” being used. This term basically means that you should use your four-wheel drive system on a regular basis, otherwise it may stop working later down the road. The electronically-controlled 4WD actuator that is located inside of the transfer case can potentially seize up if not used for prolonged periods of time. Since the actuator is located inside of the transfer case, the transfer case itself needs to be opened before gaining access to the actuator. As you can conclude, if the 4WD actuator fails, you will end up with a costly repair. So “use it or lose it” to save yourself from future headaches.

Lubricating the driveshaft (a.k.a. propeller shaft) is a key maintenance item on the 4th generation Toyota 4Runner that every owner should be doing. Armed with a grease gun and appropriate grease, it is easy to grease up the driveshaft and keep your driveline working properly. There is a bit of variability in information related to how often you should be greasing your driveshaft, as well as what type of grease you should be using on the various components of the propeller shafts. Once you navigate through the confusion around the the maintenance interval and the grease type, the maintenance itself is quite easy and ensures you keep your driveline in tip-top shape.