Installation and Overview on the Sprint Booster for the 5th Gen 4Runner
The 5th Gen 4Runner has a rather non-responsive skinny pedal.
When you begin to accelerate, the factory throttle response is minimal and for lack of better words, mushy. You really have to press down on the pedal to feel the 4Runner accelerate.
If you want to increase the response from the gas pedal, a throttle response controller will help.
By installing a throttle response controller, you can literally “control” the response you feel when pressing down on the gas pedal.
Sprint Booster Or Pedal Commander?
The Sprint Booster is similar to that of a previously reviewed Pedal Commander. Both units control the accelerators response but differ in a few ways.
The Sprint Booster (SB) has a smaller selector switch than the Pedal Commander (PC).
The PC comes with a detachable selector switch and the SB comes with 3M backing. If you wanted to make the SB detachable, however, buying some hook and loop backing to do it yourself would be pretty simple. The PC also has a few more settings than the SB.
What I like about the SB over the PC is that the unit is much smaller and more compact. The unit also doesn’t have any flashy colors on it so if you mount it on your dash somewhere, it may be less noticeable whereas the PC is larger, takes up more real estate, attaches to a big clip, and has bright yellow accents on it.
This is not going to be a Sprint Booster Vs. Pedal Commander article because they are very comparable and both units are worth the price and are far superior over driving stock.
It really comes down to where you want to mount the unit and how you intend on using it.
The Sprint Booster Is Impressive!
This is a quick overview of how to install, and use the Sprint Booster on the 5th Gen 4Runner.
After you install the Sprint Booster and take your truck for a test drive… WOW, prepare to be absolutely floored, pun intended.
The response you get from the Sprint Booster is unbelievable compared to stock. Having one of these installed is like driving a completely different vehicle.
It’s really amazing what these little units are able to accomplish.
We bought our Sprint Booster from Amazon, sold by Mini Mania which is ironically located about 30-min from our office.
What’s in the box:
Use coupon code “trail4runner” for 10% off!!
- Sprint Booster (2010 – 2020): Check Price
- Sprint Booster (2004 – 2009): Check Price
- Selector Switch
- Instruction manual
- QuickStart guide
- Double-sided tape
- Operation manual
- Zip-ties
Open Truck Door
Shut your truck off and leave your door open for 5 minutes. Just after the 4Runner shuts off, the CANBUS system diagnostics will run. To prevent check engine lights from triggering once you install the Sprint Booster, you want to give the system time to run a full diagnostic.
Choose the type of transmission
Locate the auto and manual transmission select tab on the side of the selector switch. On the right side of the selector, there is a slide switch where you can toggle to automatic or manual depending on your transmission.
Move the selector to the M/T position for vehicles equipped with a manual transmission or the A/T position for vehicles equipped with the automatic transmission.
For the 5th Gen 4Runner, you will leave the default selector and the A/T position.
Connect the selector switch
After you have selected automatic or manual transmission you can connect the selector switch to the actual Sprint Booster unit.
Locate the white socket on the sprint booster and take the selector switches connector and connect it to the Sprint Booster. If you do not connect the selector switch to the sprint booster, you will restore factory settings or otherwise known as a “valet mode“.
Again, before installing the Sprint Booster in your 4Runner, open your door and set your keys aside (away from the truck) for 10 minutes.
During this time the vehicle is checking the electronic systems of the car through the CANBUS system.
Installing the Sprint Booster
Locate the harness connector on the accelerator (skinny) pedal. Remove the harness connector from the pedal.
Connect a sprint booster to the pedal
Make sure that the Sprint Booster is properly aligned with the pedal connector during installation. Then connect the harness connector onto the Sprint Booster. Make sure all connections are firmly in place and run the harness connector from the Sprint Booster back up to the 4Runner’s dash.
Mounting the selector switch
Once you install the Sprint Booster you can attach the selector switch anywhere on the dashboard using the double-sided tape attached to the back of the switch.
Before attaching the selector switch to your dashboard clean your preferred area on the dashboard with a dry cloth. As a safety precaution make sure that the wire does not interfere with your foot, knee, or the accelerator pedal.
After testing the Sprint Boosters settings, I knew that the Sport setting set at 9 was where I would stay so leaving the Sprint Booster in one place was not a big deal to me. Once you find your settings, you don’t change them that much, at least I don’t anyways.
If you think you are going to play with the settings often, grab some hook and loop backing. With added hook and loop, you can pull the unit off frequently without wearing out a single double-sided 3m tape that the Sprint Booster comes with.
We had wires running from the fuse box to the center dash so we just connected our sprint booster to these wires.
Using the sprint booster selector switch
- Off: no light
- Sport: green light (improves the response up to 30%)
- Race: red light (improves response up to 60%)
To cycle through the modes, press the main Sprint Booster button one time. Pressing the button once will turn it on into sport mode and then into race mode and then one more time for off.
Each mode has nine selections. In sport mode (1-9), and in race mode (1-9).
Use the right arrow to increase the throttle response up to 9, and the left arrow to decrease response down to 1.
Press and hold the main button for three seconds to switch off the LED display, this is completely optional.
When you turn off the LED display, the arrow buttons are deactivated and the programs (1-9) cannot be changed. The programs you had selected or stored in memory. After you switch off the LED display, you will only have the LED light on (sport or race) that indicates the mode you are on.
Will this work for a 2022 TRD Sport?
Yep – I have it installed on my ‘22 ORP
Love, Love my Sprint Booster. Can’t say anything about the Pedal Comm. But why would I want a box sticking to my interior that everyone can see?! In my ’15 Trail there is a little notch out of the dash (you can just barely see it in the above photo captioned “mounting the selector switch”. At the top of the picture). The selector fits perfectly in there and no one is the wiser. My daughter asks to turn it off when she drives because of the added “boost”. I love that.
I’ve had the Beast (kids named it being that it’s all black) in the dealership a couple times and forgot to unplug it. No problems and no issues with warranty, etc.
So I’d recommend the Sprint Booster in a heart beat. Enjoy.
pedal commander is a rip off from Turkey. Original is SPrint B; buy USA.
Does anyone know if this install voids the factory warranty? I called the shop at a dealer in town and the bro on the phone gave me a pretty non-committal answer. If I just uninstalled it before bringing it in would they be able to tell from the computer that something had been modifying the factory settings?
I installed the Sprint Booster on my new 2019 TRD Off-Road Premium, and it made all the difference. Instead of an exponential curve for throttle response, it’s now more linear — as it should be. I didn’t spend time experimenting with settings, I just used the Sport 9 that Brenan selected, and it works very nicely. Piece of cake to install, and the selector is tucked up out of sight but easily accessible if needed. These gizmos are pricey but worth it.
Steve, for $75 I bought the Eittar Throttle Controller from ebay (made in China, but what isn’t?!).
It showed up at the door before promised, nicely packaged and it works as well, as any other throttle controller that cost 4 times as much.
I am very happy with it. My work truck 2018 F150 3.3-Liter was so much more lively than my stock 2019 4runner Off-Road was. Not anymore!
I am very happy with the purchase.! It’s a very simple electrical gizmo, no reason to pay a lot of money for it.
Sorry, I don’t get it. Why can’t i just push on the accelerator more? Gas is gas it would seem, and these slugs of a truck can only get up to speed based on HP, torque, and weight do they not? How is it “Responsive” more than just pressing the gas more?
Matthew, you absolutely can live with the factory setting. But I don’t like having to push the accelerator half-way to the floor to get a response. On any other vehicle I’ve driven, if I push the accelerator a little, I get a little response. If I push a little more, I get a little more. In other words, the engine response is linear — the more I push the accelerator, the more response I get. With the 4Runner, when I left the dealer I was surprised that the accelerator didn’t work this way. I had to push the accelerator quite far before the engine would rev and provide much power. The power was there — it just wasn’t being made available in the same way as with other vehicles. So, for me, it was worth the cost to have the truck drive the way I expect and prefer. But everyone is different, so if you’re happy with the way the accelerator works, you are free to ignore this device and save your money.
Did the gas mileage change in any way?
Gustavo, I don’t know, I don’t bother to track fuel mileage.
Matthew – the 4Runners have a “fly by wire” throttle, rather than an actual throttle cable. The pedal is “programmed” to be less responsive by default. The Pedal Commander (PC) and Sprint Booster (SB) don’t provide any more power, just a reprogrammed, more responsive pedal (versus sort of stepping on a sponge type feel that the stock pedal provides).
Plenty of people will tell you to simply step on the gas harder, but it’s not the same than it is with a PC or SB. I know the that PC has a 30 day money back guarantee. Try it – I bet you’ll like it… 🙂
Steve/Eric, this is very helpful thank you!
I have the PC and I wouldn’t drive without it. Rented a 4Runner on an out of town ski trip… hated it, ha. Side note – in case it isn’t mentioned in the comparison – the PC has a bluetooth feature that allows you to change settings on the fly from your phone (while driving).
I went with the Bluetooth version of the Pedal Commander, and am very happy with it. I tucked it underneath the dash, above the pedals. There’s a metal bracket there which it can be easily zip-tied to.
It’s out of sight, and on the rare occasion that I want to change settings now, it’s easy to do via a phone app.
How did your fuel economy change with the different modes?
Love my Sprint Booster. Zip fuel economy change!
I have my SB set to sport 4. I have a much better throttle response, and the truck has a much better feel to it as well. I have found, that personally, I am getting about 1mpg BETTER gas milage.
Logically, fuel economy would not change if your driving behavior doesn’t change. In other words, if you were pressing the pedal way down to get a certain amount of acceleration before, and with the modification you press the pedal less to get the same response, you’ll get the same fuel mileage. Nothing has changed except the distance you have to move the pedal to get the same engine response. Fuel economy would only change if you change the way you drive after installing this gizmo.
If you leave the Sprint Booster around the low sport settings, meaning Sport 1 or Sport 2, then your MPG will likely get better (so they claim). But, when you do this, the response is still somewhat non-responsive. I have not actually tested the SB in regards to an MPG difference when compared against multiple settings.
I have a pedal commander and installed it in my glove box. There is a blank switch location inside the glove box, so I passed the cable through that and ran the cable down and behind the dashboard to the pedal. Out of sight and out of mind. I used a plastic pry tool to remove the switch cover and only had to pull off two plastic kick panels down in the foot-well. I did not need to remove the glove box.
Nicholas, nice yeah I saw someone do that on one of the forums. Super clean.