There are few things about the 5th Generation Toyota 4Runner we can find fault with. While we may be a little biased, it’s generally noted that its throttle response makes it feel sluggish and uninspiring to drive around town. While we can’t recommend that everyone should make major engine modifications and flash their ECU, we can suggest adding a Pedal Commander PC27 to their rig. In this Pedal Commander PC27 Review we weigh out the good, bad, and ugly, and really dig into why you should add one to your 2010-2023 Toyota 4Runner. Let’s go!

Pedal Commander has been manufactured in Turkey since 2011 and is the leader in throttle response control units having the fastest processors on the market. They’re easy to install and drastically change the driving dynamics of your 4Runner right away. With 36 individual settings, Pedal Commander gives you the ability to adjust your throttle input exactly to your liking.

What’s Included?

- Pedal Commander PC27 Throttle Response Controller
- Mounting Bracket
- 2 Zip Ties
- Alcohol Swab (wipe)
- Mounting Velcro
- Installation Manual

Installation and Setup

Installing the Pedal Commander PC27 in my 4Runner was so fast and easy I did it in the parking lot after grocery shopping and got home before my ice cream melted.

Step 1.)

Let your 4Runner power all the way down. I spent enough time in the store to let my ECU shut down completely. If you drive a push-to-start 4Runner, you may want to do this at home so you can leave your car unlocked and leave your key fob inside so it doesn’t wake the beast.

Step 2.)

Unplug your throttle pedal position sensor connector. It’s the only cable connected to your throttle pedal, so it’s pretty straight forward. Don’t break it though. That would really suck.

Step 3.)

Connect the female cable end of the Pedal Commander to your throttle pedal, and connect the male cable end of the Pedal Commander to the cable you initially unplugged.

Step 4.)

Mount your Pedal Commander PC27 wherever you want to. It’s your 4Runner! Use your imagination and have fun with it! Just be smart with it. You need to be able to access the buttons to change settings if you don’t plan to use the bluetooth enabled app on your smartphone. Use the included bracket and velcro to fix the pedal commander where you can reasonably access it, and use the zip ties to secure the wiring away from any moving parts behind your dash.

Step 5.)

Turn your car on and boot it up. You can pair it with the Pedal Commander app at this time, but you don’t have to. It will default to City 0 mode.

 

Initial Reaction & Using Different Settings

If you’re like us, at some point you’ve installed something on your 4Runner and thought to yourself, “Did that even do anything?” The Pedal Commander PC27 is definitely NOT one of those mods. The moment you turn it on and start driving you’ll notice the difference in throttle response. We started simple with the Pedal Commander set to CITY 0 Mode. It offered a much better driving experience than stock without feeling like we were burning the tires off every time we stepped on the gas. From there we turned things up through the different settings in CITY mode and found that CITY 3 or CITY 4 was a great spot to be in for daily driving.

As things go, we wanted to test out the capabilities of the Pedal Commander’s other modes and settings. In ECO mode, the throttle response was actually more delayed than stock, but it’s been reported this feature can help improve gas mileage (something much appreciated as our precious 87 octane sits around $4/gallon). ECO mode isn’t as fun to drive with as other modes, but it’s a novel idea and some of you will likely use it.

Next we moved into SPORT mode and worked through the full range of settings from -4 to +4. SPORT 2 mode is probably the most engaging mode to drive in. The throttle response is punchy without being overbearing. It doesn’t help your gas mileage by any means, but it sure makes driving the 270hp 4Runner feel like driving a 270hp vehicle.

Sport+ 4!!

We had to make a separate section for SPORT+. This mode is outrageous! Setting your Pedal Commander PC27 to SPORT+ mode (and level 4 beyond that) is enough to make you giggle like a child and scare you at the same time. It’s like opening the floodgates to your throttle body and having access to everything your engine has to give. We’ve even read with some users that they have chirped the tires (probably worn tires) in this mode. We don’t recommend using this setting for daily driving, but we do suggest trying it at least once. It’s really meant for high-speed, track oriented driving and probably shouldn’t be used on public roads, but we’ll leave that up to you.

Final Thoughts and Recommendations

The Pedal Commander PC27 for Toyota 4Runner (2010-2023) is quite possibly the best overall mod you can do to improve the performance and drivability of your rig. It’s easy to install and makes a noticeable difference right away. There’re are many reasons why thousands of people have installed the Pedal Commander on their Toyota 4Runner, but the main reason is it makes the throttle response more enjoyable and practical for everyday driving. Let us know in the comments if you have a Pedal Commander in your 4Runner, or if you don’t and are planning to add one. Thanks for reading! 

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