Can you tell if it's equipped with KDSS by the VIN?

I've been researching new & used OR/ORPs for sale online and KDSS never seems to be mentioned in the descriptions or included as a filter in the listings. If I check the specs with Toyota's VIN lookup tool, should it explicitly say "KDSS" or "Kinetic Dynamic Suspension System" in the Mechanical and Performance section? Maybe all of the VINs I've tried happened to be non-KDSS trucks, but I'd like to be sure.

Thanks.

 

Not quite answering your specific question but this tip may help: https://www.reddit.com/r/4Runner/comments/12dnj3l/figured_out_how_to_tell_kdss_vs_non_kdss_online/

 

Visual only as far as I have seen unless you can pull up the full build. Look for the bellows on the sway bar mounts. Driver side front and driver side rear.

 

I ran my VIN through the Toyota.com, and it don’t mention KDSS even though it does have it.

 

Don't all limited have this? My Sr5P did not, but made sure before purchase.

 

What is the KDSS in layman’s terms? I assume it is a desirable option to have?

 

Thanks, dabigono. That's what I wanted to know. I just didn't have a VIN for a vehicle that I knew had KDSS.

Icebear, whippersnapper(0) --- thanks for your comments. I'll have to look more closely at the photos on the listings. Most often, they don't seem to show shots of the suspension. If I see one advertised locally, I can always look underneath myself. I've found that most (not all) salesmen don't have a clue what's on their inventory unless they're reading the sticker.

I only know what I've read, but KDSS is a hydraulic system that stiffens the sway bars, reducing body roll. I'd like to find out what it's like to drive a 4Runner with and w/o KDSS.

 

It essentially disconnects the swaybar at low speed and connects, firms suspension, at higher speed. Reduces body roll at higher speed and allows more articulation at low speed.

 

The Limited has X-REAS.

The sway bars are attached on one side with a hydraulic ram, which is controlled by an accumulator. The rams are held solid above 12 mph allowing the sway bars to function normally. Below 12 mph, the rams flex freely, allowing increased articulation over the standard sway bar setup. They also use a stiffer sway bar, providing more stability in curves than the standard sway bar setup at speed.

 

Hi @ShoppinAround welcome to the forum. The workings of the KDSS system are hard to understand without lengthy explanation. I suggest you watch a few YouTube videos to get a thorough understanding.

At one point we had two 4Runners in the family, with and without KDSS. I love the system. It’s technologically ingenious and it makes my 4Runner feel less ponderous on the street. But having driven both, if I were buying a used 4Runner, whether or not it had KDSS would be way down the list of priorities, behind mileage, condition, and price.

 

The analogy is to tape two empty plastic bottles together, with one of them squashed to eliminate the air. Imagine how you can squeeze one and the air goes to the other, but if you squeeze both they fight against each other. Same with KDSS - front and rear each have a hydraulic piston on one side that compresses, pushing fluid to the middle of the vehicle (technically, the center left frame rail). If the right front and left rear both compress at the same time - no issue because the rear fluid flows to the front - one takes the other gives. But if you try to compress both left wheels, both ends push fluid to the center, with nowhere to go. The result is a suspension that resists lean but allows articulation. And it loosens up at low speed in 4 Low.

It is desirable if you like a firmer suspension with better control for on-road turns and exit ramps, with a little added articulation under the right conditions off-road. You can upgrade the suspension with a 2-3 inch lift, keeping KDSS. But if you want more extreme modifications, or hate the added complexity, save the $$ and go without.