fuel TOYOTA TACOMA 2003 (in English) User Guide

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The gauge indicates the engine coolant
temperature when the ignition switch is
on. The engine operating temperature
will vary with changes in weather and
engine load.
If the needle moves into the red zone,
your engine is too hot. If your vehicle
overheats, stop your vehicle and allow the
engine to cool.
Your vehicle may overheat during severe
operating conditions, such as:
Driving up a long hill on a hot day.
Reducing speed or stopping after high
speed driving.
Idling for a long period with the air
conditioning on in stopandgo traffic.
Towing a trailer.
NOTICE
Do not remove the thermostat in
the engine cooling system as this
may cause the engine to overheat.
The thermostat is designed to con-
trol the flow of coolant to keep the
temperature of the engine within
the specified operating range.
 Do not continue driving with an
overheated engine. See “If your ve-
hicle overheats” in Section 4.
The tachometer indicates engine speed
in thousands of rpm (revolutions per
minute). Use it while driving to select
correct shift points and to prevent en-
gine lugging and overrevving.
Driving with the engine running too fast
causes excessive engine wear and poor
fuel economy. Remember, in most cases
the slower the engine speed, the greater
the fuel economy.
NOTICE
Do not let the indicator needle get
into the red zone. This may cause
severe engine damage.
Tachometer

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This meter displays the odometer and
two trip meters.1. Odometer—Shows the total distance the vehicle has been driven.
2. Two trip meters—Show two different distances independently driven since
the last time each trip meter was set
to zero.
You can use one trip meter to calculate
the fuel economy and the other to
measure the distance on each trip. All
trip meter data is cancelled if the elec-
trical power source is disconnected. 3. Trip meter reset knob—Resets the two
trip meters to zero, and also change
the meter display.
To change the meter display, quickly
push and release the knob. The meter
display changes in the order from the
odometer to trip meter A to trip meter
B, then back to the odometer each
time you push.
To reset the trip meter A to zero, dis-
play the meter A reading, then push
and hold the knob until the meter is
set to zero. The same process can be
applied for resetting the trip meter B.
Odometer and two trip meters

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NOTICE
Do not drive the vehicle with the
warning light on—even for one block.
It may ruin the engine.
(e) Malfunction Indicator Lamp
This lamp comes on when the ignition
key is turned to the “ON” position and
goes off after the engine starts. This
means that the warning light system is
operating properly.
If the lamp remains on, or the lamp
comes on while driving, first check the
followings.
Empty fuel tank
If the fuel tank is empty, refuel immedi-
ately.
Loose fuel tank cap
If the fuel tank cap is loose, securely
tighten it.
These cases are temporary malfunctions.
The malfunction indicator lamp will go off
after taking several driving trips.
If the lamp will not go off even after the
several trips, contact your Toyota dealer
as soon as possible. If the fuel tank is not empty or the fuel
tank cap is not loose...
There is a problem somewhere in the
engine, emission control system, auto-
matic transmission electrical system or
warning light system itself.
Contact your Toyota dealer as soon as
possible to service the vehicle.
Fourwheel drive models and Pre Runner
with 5VZFE engine only—
If the engine speed does not increase with
the accelerator pedal depressed down to
about the middle position, there may be
a problem somewhere in your electronic
throttle control system.
At this time, if you depress the accelera-
tor pedal more firmly and slowly, you can
drive your vehicle at low speeds. Have
your vehicle checked by your Toyota deal-
er as soon as possible.
Even if the abnormality of the electronic
throttle control system is corrected during
low speed driving, the system may not be
recovered until the engine is stopped and
the ignition key is turned to “ACC” or
“LOCK” position.
CAUTION
Be especially careful to prevent erro-
neous pedal operation.
Emissions Inspection and Maintenance
(I/M) programs
Your vehicle may not pass a state
emission inspection if the malfunction
indicator lamp remains on. Contact your
Toyota dealer to check your vehicle’s
emission control system and OBD
(OnBoard Diagnostics) system before
taking your vehicle for the inspection.
For details, see “Emissions Inspection and
Maintenance (I/M) programs” in Section 6.
(f) Low Fuel Level Warning Light
This light comes on when the fuel level
in the tank becomes nearly empty. Fill up
the tank as soon as possible.
On inclines or curves, due to the move-
ment of fuel in the tank, the low fuel level
warning light may come on earlier than
usual.

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(j) Automatic Transmission Fluid Tem-perature Warning Light
This light warns that the automatic trans-
mission fluid temperature is too high.
If this light comes on while you are driv-
ing, slow down and pull off the road. Stop
the vehicle at a safe place and put the
selector lever in “P”. With the engine id-
ling, wait until the light goes off. If the
light goes off, you may start the vehicle
again. If the light does not go off, call a
Toyota dealer or qualified repair shop for
assistance.
(k) Low Windshield Washer Fluid Level Warning Light (on some models)
The light warns that the windshield washer
fluid level is too low. Add washer fluid at
your earliest opportunity. (For instructions,
see “Adding washer fluid” in Section 73.)
(l) Key Reminder Buzzer
This buzzer reminds you to remove the
key when you open the driver ’s door with
the ignition key in the “ACC” or “LOCK”
position. CHECKING SERVICE REMINDER
INDICATORS (except the low fuel level
warning light and low windshield
washer fluid level warning light)
1. Apply the parking brake.
2. Turn the ignition key to “ON”, but do not start the engine.
All the service reminder indicators
should come on. The “ABS” warning
light goes off after a few seconds. The
SRS warning light goes off after about
6 seconds.
If any service reminder indicator or warn-
ing buzzer does not function as described
above, have it checked by your Toyota
dealer as soon as possible.

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(b) Overdrive switch
You can select either third gear (with
overdrive off) or fourth gear (with over-
drive on) by pushing this switch.
To turn the overdrive off, push the switch.
The “O/D OFF” indicator light should come
on. To turn the overdrive on again, push
the switch again. The “O/D OFF” indicator
light should go off.
Always drive your vehicle with the over-
drive on for better fuel economy and
quieter driving.
If the engine is turned off when the over-
drive is off and restarted, the overdrive
will be on automatically.Vehicles with cruise control—When the
cruise control is being used, even if you
downshift the transmission by pushing and
releasing the overdrive switch, engine
braking will not be enabled because the
cruise control is not cancelled.
For ways to decrease the vehicle speed,
see “Cruise control” in this section.
(c) Normal driving
1. Start the engine as instructed in “How to start the engine” in Section 3. The
transmission must be in “P” or “N”.
When the front drive control lever is in
“L4” (lowspeed position, fourwheel
drive), the driving pattern selector setting
has no effect on gear shift timing. (See
“Fourwheel drive system” in this section
for information of the front drive control
lever.)
2. With your foot holding down the brake pedal, shift the selector lever to “D”.
When the lever is in the “D” position, the
automatic transmission system will select
the most suitable gear for running condi-
tions such as normal cruising, hill climb-
ing, hard towing, etc. Always turn the overdrive switch on for
better fuel economy and quieter driving. If
the engine coolant temperature is low or
when the front drive control lever is in
“L4” (lowspeed position, fourwheel
drive), the transmission will not shift into
the overdrive gear even with the overdrive
on. (See “Fourwheel drive system” in this
section for information of the front drive
control lever.)
CAUTION
Never put your foot on the accelera-
tor pedal while shifting.
3. Release the parking brake and brake
pedal. Depress the accelerator pedal
slowly for smooth starting.
(d) Using engine braking
To use engine braking, you can downshift
the transmission as follows:
Push the overdrive switch. The “O/D
OFF” indicator light will come on and
the transmission will downshift to third
gear.

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(h) Good driving practice
If the transmission repeatedly shifts up
and down between third gear and over-
drive when climbing a gentle slope, the
overdrive should be turned off. Be sure
to turn the switch on immediately after-
ward.
When towing a trailer, in order to main-
tain engine braking efficiency, do not
use overdrive.
CAUTION
Always keep your foot on the brake
pedal while stopped with the engine
running. This prevents the vehicle
from creeping.
NOTICE
Always use the brake pedal or the
parking brake to hold the vehicle on
an upgrade. Do not attempt to hold
the vehicle using the accelerator ped-
al, as this can cause the transmission
to overheat.
(i) Driving in “POWER” mode (fourwheel drive models and Pre
Runner)
In the “POWER” mode, the transmission
is shifted up and down at a higher vehicle
speed than in the “NORMAL” mode and a
more powerful acceleration is achieved. To
set the “POWER” mode, push in the driv-
ing pattern selector button. The POWER
mode indicator light comes on.
For ordinary driving, Toyota recommends
using the “NORMAL” mode to improve fuel
economy. (j) If you cannot shift the selector le-
ver out of “P” position
If you cannot shift the selector lever from
the “P” position even though the brake
pedal is depressed, use the shift lock
override lever. For instructions, see “If you
cannot shift automatic transmission selec-
tor lever” in Section 4.

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The shift pattern is as shown above.
Press the clutch pedal down fully while
shifting, and then release it slowly. Do not
rest your foot on the pedal while driving,
because it will cause clutch trouble. And
do not use the clutch to hold the vehicle
when stopped on an uphill grade–use the
parking brake.
Recommended shifting speeds
The transmission is fully synchronized and
upshifting or downshifting is easy.
For the best compromise between fuel
economy and vehicle performance, you
should upshift or downshift at the following
speeds:2RZFE engine
Low altitude
—1219 m (4000 ft.) or lower gear km/h (mph)
1 to 2 or 2 to 1 24 (15)
2 to 3 or 3 to 2 40 (25)
3 to 4 or 4 to 3 64 (40)
4 to 5 or 5 to 4 72 (45)
High altitude
—Higher than 1219 m (4000 ft.) Upshifting
gear km/h (mph)
1 to 2 24 (15)
2 to 3 40 (25)/58 (36)∗
3 to 4 64 (40)/72 (45)∗
4 to 5 72 (45)/88 (55)∗
Downshifting
gear km/h (mph)
2 to 1 24 (15)
3 to 2 40 (25)
4 to 3 64 (40)
5 to 4 72 (45)
∗: Applicable under heavy acceleration conditions. 3RZFE engine
Upshifting gear km/h (mph)
1 to 2 24 (15)
2 to 3 40 (25)/58 (36)
∗
3 to 4 64 (40)/72 (45)∗
4 to 5 72 (45)/88 (55)∗
Downshifting gear km/h (mph)
2 to 1 24 (15)
3 to 2 40 (25)
4 to 3 64 (40)
5 to 4 72 (45)
∗: Applicable under heavy acceleration
conditions.
5VZFE engine
gear km/h (mph)
1 to 2 or 2 to 1 24 (15)
2 to 3 or 3 to 2 40 (25)
3 to 4 or 4 to 3 64 (40)
4 to 5 or 5 to 4 72 (45)
Downshift to the appropriate gear if accel-
eration is needed when you are cruising
below the above downshifting speeds.
Manual transmission

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Upshifting too soon or downshifting too
late will cause lugging, and possibly ping-
ing. Regularly revving the engine to maxi-
mum speed in each gear will cause ex-
cessive engine wear and high fuel
consumption.
Maximum allowable speeds
To get on a highway or to pass slower
traffic, maximum acceleration may be nec-
essary. Make sure you observe the follow-
ing maximum allowable speeds in each
gear:
Twowheel drive models2RZFE engine gear km/h (mph)1 48 (29)
2 89 (55)
3 137 (85)
4 165 (103)
5VZFE engine gear km/h (mph)
1 54 (33)
2 101 (62)
3 146 (90)
4 180 (111) Fourwheel drive models
3RZFE engine
gear km/h (mph)
“H2” and “H4” “L4”
1 46 (28) 17 (10)
2 85 (52) 33 (20)
3 132 (81) 51 (31)
4 165 (102) 70 (43)
5VZFE engine gear km/h (mph) “H2” and “H4” “L4”
1 47 (29) 18 (11)
2 88 (54) 34 (21)
3 127 (78) 49 (30)
4 165 (102) 70 (44)
NOTICE
Do not downshift if you are going
faster than the maximum allowable
speed for the next lower gear.
Good driving practice
If it is difficult to shift into reverse, put
the transmission in neutral, release the
clutch pedal momentarily, and then try
again.
When towing a trailer, in order to main-
tain engine braking efficiency, do not
use fifth gear.
CAUTION
Be careful when downshifting on a
slippery surface. Abrupt shifting
could cause the vehicle to spin or
skid.
NOTICE
Make sure the vehicle is completely
stopped before shifting into reverse.

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INFORMATION BEFORE DRIVING YOUR
TOYOTA
Offroad vehicle precautions192
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Breakin period 193
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Fuel 193
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Operation in foreign countries 195
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Threeway catalytic converters 195
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Engine exhaust cautions 196
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Facts about engine oil consumption 197
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Twin ground electrode spark plugs 198
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Brake system 198
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Brake pad wear limit indicators 201
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Luggage stowage precautions 202
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Rear step bumper 202
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Step side bed 203
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Your Toyota’s identification 203
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Suspension and chassis 204
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Types of tires 205
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SECTION 2

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When driving offroad or in rugged
terrain, do not drive at excessive
speeds, jump, make sharp turns,
strike objects, etc. This may cause
loss of control or vehicle rollover
causing death or serious injury. You
are also risking expensive damage
to your vehicle’s suspension and
chassis.
Do not drive horizontally across
steep slopes. Driving straight up or
straight down is preferred. Your ve-
hicle (or any similar offroad ve-
hicle) can tip over sideways much
more easily than forward or back-
ward.
Drive gently and avoid high speeds.
Your vehicle does not need an elaborate
breakin. But following a few simple tips
for the first 1600 km (1000 miles) can add
to the future economy and long life of
your vehicle:
Avoid full throttle acceleration when
starting and driving.
Avoid racing the engine.
Try to avoid hard stops during the first
300 km (200 miles).
Do not drive slowly with the manual
transmission in a high gear.
Do not drive for a long time at any
single speed, either fast or slow.
Do not tow a trailer during the first 800
km (500 miles).FUEL TYPE
Your new vehicle must use only un-
leaded gasoline.
To help prevent gas station mixups, your
Toyota has a smaller fuel tank opening.
The special nozzle on pumps with un-
leaded fuel will fit it, but the larger stan-
dard nozzle on pumps with leaded gas will
not.
At a minimum, the gasoline you use
should meet specifications of ASTM
D4814 in the U.S.A. and CGSB 3.5M93
in Canada.
NOTICE
Do not use leaded gasoline. Use of
leaded gasoline will cause the three
way catalytic converter to lose its ef-
fectiveness and the emission control
system to function improperly. Also,
this can increase maintenance costs.
Breakin period
Fuel