TOYOTA TACOMA 2016 Owners Manual (in English)
Page 501 of 640
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8
When trouble arises
8-1. Essential information
If your vehicle has to be stopped in an
emergency
Steadily step on the brake pedal with both feet and firmly depress it.
Do not pump the brake pedal repeatedly as this will increase the effort
required to slow the vehicle.
Shift the shift lever to N.
If the shift lever is shifted to N
After slowing down, stop the vehicle in a safe place by the road.
Stop the engine.
If the shift lever cannot be shifted to N
Keep depressing the brake pedal with both feet to reduce vehicle
speed as much as possible.
Vehicles without a smart key
system: Stop the engine by
turning the engine switch to the
“ACC” position.
Vehicles with a smart key sys-
tem: To stop the engine, press
and hold the engine switch for
2 consecutive seconds or more,
or press it briefly 3 times or
more in succession.
Stop the vehicle in a safe place by the road.
Only in an emergency, such as if it becomes impossible to stop
the vehicle in the normal way, stop the vehicle using the follow-
ing procedure:
1
2
3
4
3
4
Press and hold for 2 seconds or more
or press briefly 3 times or more
4
5
Page 502 of 640
5028-1. Essential information
WARNING
■If the engine has to be turned off while driving
●Power assist for the brakes and steering wheel will be lost, making the
brake pedal harder to depress and the steering wheel heavier to turn.
Decelerate as much as possible before turning off the engine.
●Vehicles without a smart key system:
Never attempt to remove the key, as doing so will lock the steering wheel.
Page 503 of 640
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When trouble arises
8-2. Steps to take in an emergency
If your vehicle needs to be towed
The following may indicate a problem with your transmission. Contact
your Toyota dealer or commercial towing service before towing.
●The engine is running but the vehicle does not move.
●The vehicle makes an abnormal sound.
Do not tow with a sling-type truck
to prevent body damage.
From the front
Use a towing dolly under the rear
wheels.
If towing is necessary, we recommend having your vehicle
towed by your Toyota dealer or commercial towing service,
using a wheel-lift type truck or flatbed truck.
Use a safety chain system for all towing, and abide by all state/
provincial and local laws.
Situations when it is necessary to contact dealers before towing
Towing with a sling-type truck
Towing with a wheel-lift type truck
Page 504 of 640
5048-2. Steps to take in an emergency
From the rear
Use a towing dolly under the front
wheels.
If your vehicle is transported by a flatbed truck, it should be tied down
at the locations shown in the illustration.
If you use chains or cables to tie
down your vehicle, the angles
shaded in black must be 45.
Do not overly tighten the tie
downs or the vehicle may be dam-
aged.
Using a flatbed truck
Ty p e AType B
FrontFront
Page 505 of 640
5058-2. Steps to take in an emergency
8
When trouble arises
If a tow truck is not available in an emergency, your vehicle may be
temporarily towed using cables or chains secured to the emergency
towing hook(s). This should only be attempted on hard surfaced roads
for at most 50 miles (80 km) at under 18 mph (30 km/h).
A driver must be in the vehicle to steer and operate the brakes. The
vehicle’s wheels, drivetrain, axles, steering and brakes must be in
good condition.
Securely attach a cables or chains to the towing hook(s).
Take care not to damage the vehicle body.
Vehicles without a smart key system:
Enter the vehicle being towed and start the engine.
If the engine does not start, turn the engine switch to the “ON” position.
Vehicles with a smart key system:
Enter the vehicle being towed and start the engine.
If the engine does not start, turn the engine switch to IGNITION ON mode.
4WD models: Put the front-wheel drive control switch in “2WD”.
Shift the shift lever to N and release the parking brake.
Vehicles with an automatic transmission: When the shift lever can-
not be shifted. (P. 553)
■While towing
If the engine is not running, the power assist for the brakes and steering will
not function, making steering and braking more difficult.
Emergency towing
Emergency towing procedure
1
Ty p e AType B
2
3
4
Page 506 of 640
5068-2. Steps to take in an emergency
WARNING
Observe the following precautions.
Failure to do so may result in death or serious injury.
■When towing the vehicle
2WD models: Be sure to transport the
vehicle with all four wheels raised off the
ground. If the vehicle is towed with the
tires contacting the ground, the drivetrain
and related parts may be damaged or an
accident may occur due to a change in
direction of the vehicle.
4WD models: Be sure to transport the
vehicle with all four wheels raised off the
ground. If the vehicle is towed with the
tires contacting the ground, the drivetrain
or related parts may be damaged, the
vehicle may fly off the truck.
■While towing
●When towing using cables or chains, avoid sudden starts, etc., which
place excessive stress on the towing hook(s), cables or chains. The tow-
ing hook(s), cables or chains may become damaged, broken debris may
hit people, and cause serious damage.
●Do not turn the engine switch to the “LOCK” position (vehicles without a
smart key system) or off (vehicles with a smart key system).
There is a possibility that the steering wheel is locked and cannot be
operated.
Page 507 of 640
5078-2. Steps to take in an emergency
8
When trouble arises
NOTICE
■To prevent damage to the vehicle when towing using a wheel-lift type
truck
●Vehicles without a smart key system:
Do not tow the vehicle from the rear when the engine switch is in the
“LOCK” position or the key is removed.
The steering lock mechanism is not strong enough to hold the front wheels
straight.
●Vehicles with a smart key system:
Do not tow the vehicle from the rear when the engine switch is off.
The steering lock mechanism is not strong enough to hold the front wheels
straight.
●When raising the vehicle, ensure adequate ground clearance for towing at
the opposite end of the raised vehicle. Without adequate clearance, the
vehicle could be damaged while being towed.
■To prevent damage to the vehicle when towing with a sling-type truck
Do not tow with a sling-type truck, either from the front or rear.
■To prevent damage to the vehicle during emergency towing
Do not secure cables or chains to the suspension components.
Page 508 of 640
5088-2. Steps to take in an emergency
If you think something is wrong
●Fluid leaks under the vehicle.
(Water dripping from the air conditioning after use is normal.)
●Flat-looking tires or uneven tire wear
●Engine coolant temperature gauge needle continually points higher
than normal.
●Changes in exhaust sound
●Excessive tire squeal when cornering
●Strange noises related to the suspension system
●Pinging or other noises related to the engine
●Engine misses, stumbling or running roughly
●Appreciable loss of power
●Vehicle pulls heavily to one side when braking
●Vehicle pulls heavily to one side when driving on a level road
●Loss of brake effectiveness, spongy feeling, pedal almost touches
the floor
If you notice any of the following symptoms, your vehicle proba-
bly needs adjustment or repair. Contact your Toyota dealer as
soon as possible.
Visible symptoms
Audible symptoms
Operational symptoms
Page 509 of 640
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When trouble arises
8-2. Steps to take in an emergency
Fuel pump shut off system
Follow the procedure below to restart the engine after the system is
activated.
Vehicles without a smart key system:
Turn the engine switch to the “ACC” or “LOCK” position.
Vehicles with a smart key system:
Turn the engine switch to ACCESSORY or turn it off.
Restart the engine.
To minimize the risk of fuel leakage when the engine stalls or
when an airbag inflates upon collision, the fuel pump shut off
system stops supply of fuel to the engine.
NOTICE
■Before starting the engine
Inspect the ground under the vehicle.
If you find that fuel has leaked onto the ground, the fuel system has been
damaged and is in need of repair. Do not restart the engine.
1
2
Page 510 of 640
5108-2. Steps to take in an emergency
If a warning light turns on or a warning
buzzer sounds
Calmly perform the following actions if any of the warning lights
comes on or flashes. If a light comes on or flashes, but then
goes off, this does not necessarily indicate a malfunction in the
system. However, if this continues to occur, have the vehicle
inspected by your Toyota dealer.
Warning light and warning buzzer list
Warning lightWarning light/Details/Actions
(U.S.A.)
(Canada)
Brake system warning light
• Low brake fluid
• Malfunction in the brake system
*1
Immediately stop the vehicle in a safe place and con-
tact your Toyota dealer.
Charging system warning light*2
Indicates a malfunction in the vehicle’s charging system
Immediately stop the vehicle in a safe place and con-
tact your Toyota dealer.
Low engine oil pressure warning light*2
Indicates that the engine oil pressure is too low
Immediately stop the vehicle in a safe place and con-
tact your Toyota dealer.
(U.S.A.)
(Canada)
Malfunction indicator lamp
Indicates a malfunction in:
• The emission control system;
• The electronic engine control system;
• The electronic throttle control system; or
• The electronic automatic transmission control system.
Have the vehicle inspected by your Toyota dealer
immediately.
SRS warning light
Indicates a malfunction in:
• The SRS airbag system;
• The front passenger occupant classification system; or
• The seat belt pretensioner system
Have the vehicle inspected by your Toyota dealer
immediately.