Okay I’m towing a horse trailer with my 2002 4 runner off road, how do I get it out of overdrive?

I’m towing a horse trailer with my 2022 toyota 4 runner off road and don’t have over drive button but says to take it out of drive and put it on 3 or 4. My 4 runner doesn’t have numbers on the shifter. Can anyone help me out here please?

 

Just move the shifter to the left, and use "S" mode. S4 should be fine for most towing, but if you are towing heavy and/or going up and down steeper inclines, you might want S3 occasionally. The selected gear will appear on the dash.

I'd start in S4, and bump it down to S3 if it starts to downshift a lot. Also, keep the speed down. Below 65 is ideal (and recommended by the manual).

 

Put it in S and shift.

 

You don't use S to shift, only to limit the top gear.

 

Yeah limit it in 1 then switch to 2 and so on so you can sound like a "bad ass" over revving down the road.

Make like you driving the only manual 5Gen 4R on the road.

I know a bunch of you guys have done that before with the fart can civics.

 

Don't forget revving in neutral then slamming it into gear so it sounds like you're slipping a clutch.

 

I could be wrong, but I don't think this is really a "ricer" crowd here. I'm sure there are exceptions, though.

FWIW, it's been literally impossible to over-rev an engine for decades, unless you had a tune, stand alone engine management, etc.

Also: are we trying to give advice here? Or, talking about stupid shit that stupid people used to do?

Oh the classic neutral drop. Were Chevy transmissions ever really as bad as people said, or was it a result of abuse?

 

I think we want to help this young lady and she should:

Put the vehicle in S4 and leave it there while towing period. There is no need to try to “shift” simply put in S4 and keep there while towing. Unless maybe if in mountainous area as suggested earlier go down a gear.

By putting your vehicle in S4 prevents your 4Runner from going into overdrive which is basically the fifth gear.

I had some confusion on this also and did not realize just put it in S4 when you have your trailer and go.

If memory serves me correctly thatbassguy gave me this guidance. Please correct me if I have mis stated.

 

I've been preaching S4 for years.

But, I'm not the only one.

 

This, and a little common sense good it is.

 

OP I hope you stick around. There’s a mix of good and *joking* info that’s been posted here (all in good fun I think).

When in drive gear (D), if you push the shift stick to the left you’ll enter “S-mode 4”. The 4runner has five gears. 5th gear is overdrive. When you bump it into S-mode, it’ll immediately be in S4.

S4 won’t let the transmission access 5th gear (the overdrive gear). That’s really all you need to know to safely tow your horse and trailer.

PS: We’d love to see some horse and trailer photos!!! We see lots of adventure photos around here but definitely not enough horse photos!

Edit: I assumed OP had a 5th gen. Anyone know if a 2002 works the same way?

 

@4 runner girl: there’s not a person on this board who hasn’t asked a newbie question at one time or another. It’s like panning for gold. You have to sift through the mud to get to the nuggets! Is that your video on YouTube about removing the center console?

 

I'm just adding bs to the thread no serious advice given here.

I'm sure there is some guys that were ricers back in the day. I mean Fast and the Furious is now on what movie 10?

 

I was hoping to get a good look at the mythical 2002 4Runner Off Road...

Good advice (for the most part) given above.

 

I remember having a ect button on my 02 that gave it a little better performance.

 

4runnergirl like others mention you should be driving around town and towing in S4 mode all the time, 5th gear overdrive in these trucks is for highway cruising with spec size tires, no additional weight and nothing in the roof carrier.

 

I drive around town now almost exclusively in S4.