99 4Runner canadian model questions (1 Viewer)

[LCS]

Just bought a 99 4Runner Limited 158k this weekend for $6600. I believe I got a pretty good deal. It's very clean & fully loaded. I was looking through my owners manual and it appears it's a Canadian model. The climate control panel displays C instead of F. Also it has the daytime headlight feature (which the book states for Canadian models only).

My questions are:

1) Can I convert the climate control to F? If so, how?

2) The climate control panel doesn't light up like the stereo does. Is there replaceable bulbs? if so, how hard is it? Also, the controls on the right side of the climate contol display panel don't light up. I'm sure there's replaceable bulbs in there, but are these bulbs easy to get to?

3) Is there a way to disable the daytime headlights?

4) It has the rear & center diff locks. Can the rear diff lock be modified to work in high?

Thanks for any possible help. I know my way around Cruisers, but new the 4Runners.

 

[hoch]

Hey, nice pick up. 99-00 Limited's are my favorite 3rd Gen 4Runners. If it's a Canadian model, is the odometer/speedometer in KM's, too? If not, I'd be suspicious of a cluster swap, which means the mileage might be off. I'm not sure if the Canadian models had the side view mirror heaters or not, but if it does, then it's for sure a Canadian model.

To answer some of your questions:

1) Not sure on this one, sorry.

2) The bulbs are burnt out. Unfortunately, it's common. LINK

3) On the 99-00 Models, all you have to do is unplug it from the engine bay. The DRL plug is located by the battery and the fender well. You might want to wrap some plastic around it and tape it off to keep it clean. LINK And the US models had this option, so it's not a Canadian-only thing.

4) Grey wire mod. I also just did this in my Tacoma. Works in 2HI and 4HI. Very easy to do and very worth it. LINK

5) Not asked, but I recommend the rear diff breather mod. LINK

 

[LCS]

Hey, nice pick up. 99-00 Limited's are my favorite 3rd Gen 4Runners. If it's a Canadian model, is the odometer/speedometer in KM's, too? If not, I'd be suspicious of a cluster swap, which means the mileage might be off. I'm not sure if the Canadian models had the side view mirror heaters or not, but if it does, then it's for sure a Canadian model.

To answer some of your questions:

1) Not sure on this one, sorry.

2) The bulbs are burnt out. Unfortunately, it's common. LINK

3) On the 99-00 Models, all you have to do is unplug it from the engine bay. The DRL plug is located by the battery and the fender well. You might want to wrap some plastic around it and tape it off to keep it clean. LINK And the US models had this option, so it's not a Canadian-only thing.

4) Grey wire mod. I also just did this in my Tacoma. Works in 2HI and 4HI. Very easy to do and very worth it. LINK

5) Not asked, but I recommend the rear diff breather mod. LINK

Thank you very much for the links and tips, I'll check them out when I get a chance.

The speedo is in MPH w/kmph below it. It doesn't have heated side mirrors. Not sure about the headlight thing, my manual says it's a Canadian only option.

Also, what's the center diff lock for and how does it work?

Thanks again!

 

[hoch]

US models had the DRL's as an option. I believe it's the law in Canada.

Center Diff Lock - When you press the 4WD button, it goes into an AWD mode, which means you can run it on dry pavement. Very useful if you're on the road with patchy snow/ice. If you want to lock the center diff, pull the x-fer case lever down to 4HI and you're locked, which means don't run it on dry pavement. It's just mostly for off-roading. Works just like the CDL on LC's.

 

[Duane]

The instrument cluster with the MPH on the top and the Km/h below does not sound like the typical Canadian layout.
That's the first thing I look at when checking out used 4runners is to see if the bigger on top units are MPH as this typically indicates an american 4runner.
Yes the DRL's are required up here as in the above case if we import a 4runner from the US we have to modify the lights for DRL.

I love the rear diff lock... had to use it today as I got temporarily hung up in some deep snow on top of some ice and had to slide it into 4LO and push the rear diff lock button... what a great option!

 

[hoch]

Duane - Might want to look into the grey wire mod! Literally takes 10 minutes to do. You could've just pushed the diff lock button in 4HI (with the mod done).

 

[jasonmt]

The climate control switching between °C and °F on its own seems to be a somewhat common issue so I would not take the presence of °C on the climate control as proof that the truck was built for the Canadian market.

Easiest way to see if it was originally a US market vehicle or a Canadian market vehicle is by the manufacturers compliance label, a Canadian market vehicle will have a Transport Canada National Safety Mark on the compliance label:

Rather than:

 

[Duane]

Duane - Might want to look into the grey wire mod! Literally takes 10 minutes to do. You could've just pushed the diff lock button in 4HI (with the mod done).

apologies if I am hijacking this thread...
cackalak han..any reason why Toyota didn't offer the "grey wire mod" as the stock approach? or just too hard on a diff and perhaps accident prone if people used it at high speeds?

 

[hoch]

apologies if I am hijacking this thread...
cackalak han..any reason why Toyota didn't offer the "grey wire mod" as the stock approach? or just too hard on a diff and perhaps accident prone if people used it at high speeds?

Yes, it had to do with liability issues, I believe. They wanted to make sure that when someone was using the rear locker, they knew what they were doing. They probably figured if you knew how and when to use 4LO, you'd probably know how to use a rear locker. Most people don't even know how to engage 4LO. Also probably to keep from accidental engagement.

Still, that doesn't prevent idiots from using the locker at the wrong times. I ran into an old man that used to have a 98 Tacoma and he said the rear locker was a POS, because he engaged it going up a mountain pass during a snow storm and the rear end slid all over the place and he almost went off of a cliff. Glad his new truck is an 07 Sport w/o a locker.

But the locker isn't any harder on the diff whether you're in 2/4HI or LO. I use it in 2HI all the time.