brake fluid TOYOTA TACOMA 1997 Owners Manual

6
Anti-lock brake system warning light * 1
Brake system warning light * 1
Seat belt reminder light* 1
Discharge warning light* 1
Low oil pressure warning light* 1
Malfunction indicator light* 1
Low fuel level warning light * 1
SRS airbag warning light* 1 Automatic transmission fluid
temperature warning light*
1
Turn signal indicator lights
Headlight high beam indicator light
Over-drive indicator light
Unengaged Parkºwarning light * 1
Low windshield washer fluid level light*1
Driving pattern (POWERº
model) indicator light
Four-wheel drive indicator light
Automatic transmission indicator lights
Indicator symbols on the instrument panel

60
(a) Brake System Warning Light This light has the following functions: Parking brake reminder
If this light is on, make sure the parking
brake is fully released. The light should go
off.
Low brake fluid level warning
If this light comes on and stays on while
you are driving, slowdown and pull off the
road. Then stop the vehicle carefully.There may be a problem somewhere in
the brake system. Check the fluid level of
the see-through reservoir.
To make sure the parking brake has not
caused the warning light to come on,
check to see that the parking brake is fully
released.
If the brake fluid level is low...
At a safe place, test your brakes by start-
ing and stopping. If you judge that the brakes still work
adequately, drive cautiously to yournearest dealer or shop for repairs.
If the brakes are not working, have the
vehicle towed in for repairs. (For tow-
ing information, see Part 4.)
It is dangerous to continue driving
normally when the brake fluid level
is low. CAUTION
!
If the brake fluid level is correct...
Have the warning system checked by
your Toyota dealer. (b) Seat Belt Reminder Light and Buzzer
Once the ignition key is turned to ONº or
STARTº, the reminder light and buzzer
come on if the driver's seat belt is not fas-
tened. Unless the driver fastens the belt,
the light stays on and the buzzer stops af-
ter about 4 to 8 seconds.
(c) Discharge Warning Light
This light warns that the battery is being discharged.
If it comes on while you are driving, there
is a problem somewhere in the charging system.

62(h) SRS Airbag Warning Light
This light will come on when the igni-
tion
key is turned to the ACCº or ONº
position. After about 6 seconds, the
light w ill go off. This means the airbag
system is operating properly.
The warning light system monitors the air-
bag sensor assembly, inflator, warning light, interconnecting wiring and power sources.
If either of the following conditions occurs, this indicates a malfunction somewhere in the parts monitored by the warning light
system. Contact your Toyota dealer as
soon as possible to service the vehicle. The light does not come on when the
ignition key is turned to the ACCº or
ONº position or remains on.
The light comes on while driving.
(i) Light Reminder Buzzer
This buzzer will sound if the driver's door is opened while the ignition switch isturned to the LOCKº position with the
headlight switch on. Removing the key will
not stop the buzzer as long as the head- light switch is on. (j) Key Reminder Buzzer
This buzzer reminds you to remove the
key when you open the driver's door withthe ignition key in the ACCº or LOCKº position.
(k) Unengaged Parkº Warning Light
(vehicles with automatic tranmis- sion)
The light warns that the transmission
Parkº mechanism is not engaged. If the
front drive control lever is in the Nº posi-
tion while the selector lever is in the Pº
position, the transmission will disengage
and the wheels will not lock.
To restore the park function, shift
the front drive control lever out of
Nº, or the vehicle can move. CAUTION
!
(l) 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 driving,
slow down and pull off the road. Stop the
vehicle at a
safe place and put the selector
lever in Pº. With the engine idling, 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.
(m)Low Windshield Washer Fluid
Level Warning Light (Canada)
The light warns that the windshield wash-
er fluid level is too low. Add washer fluid at
your earliest opportunity. (For instruc-
tions, see Adding washer fluidº in Chap- ter 7-3.)
CHECKING SERVICE REMINDER INDI-
CATORS (except the low fuel level
warning light)
1. Apply the parking brake.
2. Turn ignition key to ACCº. The SRS airbag warnign light should
come on. it goes off after about 6 sec- onds.

131
Make sure you have ethylene-glycol
antifreeze in the radiator.
Do not use alcohol type antifreeze.
NOTICE
Check the condition of the battery and cables. Cold temperatures reduce the capacity of
any battery, so it must be in top shape to provide enough power for winter starting.Chapter 7-3 tells you how to visually in-
spect the battery. Your Toyota dealer and
most service stations will be pleased tocheck the level of charge.
Make sure the engine oil viscosity is
suitable for the cold weather.
See Chapter 7-2 for recommended vis-
cosity.
Leaving a heavy summer oil in your
vehicle during winter months may cause
harder starting. If you are not sure about
which oil to use, call your Toyota dealer- he will be pleased to help. Keep the door locks from freezing. Squirt lock de-icer or glycerine into the
locks to keep them from freezing. To open
a frozen lock, try heating the key before in-serting it. Use a washer fluid containing an anti-
freeze solution.
This product is available at your Toyota
dealer and most auto parts stores. Follow
the manufacturer's directions for how
much to mix with water.
Do not use engine antifreeze or any
other substitute because it may
damage your vehicle's paint.
NOTICE
Do not use your parking brake when there is a possibility it could freeze. When parking, put the transmission into
Pº (automatic) or into first or reverse
(manual) and block the front wheels. Do
not use the parking brake, or snow or wa-
ter accumulated in and around the parkingbrake mechanism may freeze, making it
hard to release. Keep ice and snow from accumulating
under the fenders.
Ice and snow built up under your fenders
can make steering difficult. During bad winter driving, stop and check under the
fenders occasionally. Depending on where you are driving,
we recommend you carry some emer- gency equipment.
Some of
the things you might put in the ve-
hicle are tire chains, window scraper, bag of sand or salt, flares, small shovel, jump- er cables, etc.
Winter driving tips

143
If your engine coolant temperature
gauge indicates overheating, if you
experience a loss of power, or if you
hear a
loud knocking or pinging noise,
the engine has probably overheated.
You should follow this procedure 0
1. Pull safely off the road, stop the ve- hicle and turn on your emergency
flashers. Put the transmission in Pº
(automatic) or neutral (manual) and
apply the parking brake. Turn off the
air conditioning if it is being used.
2. If coolant or steam is boiling out of the radiator or reservoir, stop the engine.
Wait until the steam subsides before
opening the hood. If there is no coolant
boiling over or steam, leave the engine running.
To help avoid personal injury, keep
the hood closed until there is no steam. Escaping steam or coolant is
a sign of very high pressure. CAUTION
! 3. Visually check to see if the engine
drive belt (fan belt) is broken or loose.
Look for obvious coolant leaks from
the radiator, hoses, and under the ve-
hicle. However, note that water drain-ing from the air conditioning is normal if it has been used.
When the engine is running, keep
hands and clothing away from the
moving fan and engine drive belts. CAUTION
!
4. If the engine drive belt is broken of the coolant is leaking, stop the engine im-
mediately. Call a Toyota dealer for as- sistance.
5. If The engine drive belt is O.K. and there are no obvious leaks, you may
help the engine cool down more quick-
ly by running it at about 1500 rpm for
a few minutes with the accelerator
pedal lightly depressed.
6. Check the coolant reservoir. If it is dry, add coolant to the reservoir while the
engine is running. Fill it about half full.
Do not attempt to remove the
radiator cap when the engine and
radiator are hot. Serious injury
could result from scalding hot fluid
and steam blown out underpressure. CAUTION
!
7. After the engine coolant temperature has cooled to normal, again check the
coolant level in the reservoir. If neces-
sary, bring it up to half full again. Seri-
ous coolant loss indicates a leak in the
system. You should have it checked as
soon as possible at your Toyota deal-
er.
If your vehicle overheats

169
Tire surface and wheel nuts Check the tires carefully
for cuts, damage
or excessive wear. See Chapter 7-2 for
additional information. When checking the tires, make sure no nuts are missing,
and check the nuts for looseness. T ighten
them if necessary.
Tire rotation
Rotate the tires every 12000 km (7500
miles). See Chapter 7-2 for additional in- formation.
Fluid leaks Check underneath for leaking fuel, oil, wa-
ter or other fluid after the vehicle has been
parked for a while. If you smell fuel fumes
or notice any leak, have the cause found
and corrected immediately. Doors and engine hood Check that all doors including tailgate op- erate smoothly and all latches lock se-
curely. M ake sure the engine hood secon-
dary latch secures the hood from opening
when the primary latch is released. INSIDE THE VEHICLE Items listed below should be checked
regularly, e.g. while performing peri-
odic services, cleaning the vehicle,etc. Lights Make sure the headlights, stop lights, tail lights, turn signal lights, and other lights are all working. Check headlight aim. Service reminder indicators and
warn-
ing buzzers Check that all service reminder indicators
and warning buzzers function properly. Steering wheel
Be alert for changes in steering condition, such as hard steering or strange noise. Seats Check that all front seat controls such as
seat adjusters, seatback recliner, etc. op- erate smoothly and that all latches lock
securely in any position. Check that the
head restraints move up and down
smoothly and that the locks hold securely
in any latched position. For folding-down
seatback (bench seat), check that the
latches lock securely. Seat belts
Check that the seat belt system such as
buckles, retractors and anchors operate
properly
and smoothly. Make sure the belt
webbing is not cut, frayed, worn or dam-aged. Accelerator pedal Check the pedal for smooth operation and
uneven pedal effort or catching. Clutch pedal Check the pedal for smooth operation. Brake pedal Check the pedal for smooth operation and
that the pedal has the proper clearance. Check the brake booster function. Brakes
At a safe place, check that the brakes do not pull to one side when applied. Parking brake Check that the lever has the proper travel and that, on a safe incline, your vehicle is
held securely with only the parking brake applied.

170Automatic transmission Parkº
mech-
anism
Check the lock release button of the se-
lector lever for proper and smooth opera-
tion. On a safe incline, check that your ve-
hicle is held securely with the selector lever in ºPº position and all brakes re- leased.
IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT Items listed below should be checked
from time to time , e.g. each time when
refueling.
Washer fluid
Make sure there is sufficient fluid in the
tank. See Chapter 7-3 for additional infor-
mation.
Engine coolant level Make sure the coolant level is between
the FULLº and LOWº lines on the see-
through reservoir when the engine is cold.
See Chapter 7-2 for additional informa-tion.
Battery electrolyte level Make sure the electrolyte level of all bat-
tery cells is between upper and lower level
lines on the case. Add only distilled water
when replenishing. See Chapter 7-3 for
additional information. Brake fluid level
Make sure the brake fluid level is correct. See Chapter 7-2 for additional informa- tion.
Engine oil level
Check the l
evel on the dipstick with the en-
gine turned off and the vehicle parked on
a level spot. See Chapter 7-2 for addition-
al information. Power steering fluid level Check the level on the dipstick. The level
should be in the HOTº or COLDº range
depending on the fluid temperature. SeeChapter 7-2 for additional information. Exhaust system
If you notice any change in the sound of
the exhaust or smell exhaust fumes, have the cause located and corrected immedi-
ately. (See engine exhaust cautions in
Part 2.) Be on the alert for changes in perfor-
mance, sounds, and visual tip-offs
that in-
dicate service is needed. Some important
clues are as follows: Engine missing, stumbling, or pinging
Appreciable loss of power
Strange engine noises
A leak under the vehicle (however, wa-
ter dripping from the air conditioning
after use is normal.)
Change in exhaust sound (This may
indicate a dangerous carbon monox-
ide leak. Drive with the windows open
and have the exhaust system checked
immediately.)
Flat-looking tire; excessive tire squeal
when cornering; uneven tire wear
Vehicle pulls to one side when drivingstraight on a level road
Strange noises related to suspensionmovement
Loss of brake effectiveness; spongy
feeling brake or clutch pedal; pedal al-
most touches floor; vehicle pulls to one
side when braking
Engine coolant temperature continual-
ly higher than normal
Does your vehicle need repairing?

1741. Windshield washer fluid tank (type A)
2. Engine oil filler cap
3. Brake fluid reservoir
4. Fuse block
5. Battery
6. Engine coolant reservoir
7. Power steering fluid reservoir
8. Engine oil level dipstick
9. Windshield washer fluid tand (type B)
Engine compartment overview
2RZ-FE and 3RZ-FE engines

175
1. Windshield washer fluid tank (type A)
2. Engine oil filler cap
3. Brake fluid reservoir
4. Fuse block
5. Battery
6. Engine coolant reservoir
7. Engine oil level dipstick
8. Power steering fluid reservoir
9. Windshield washer fluid tand (type B)

5VZ-FE engine

178
Be careful not to scratch the glass
surface with the wiper frame.
When closing the engine hood,
check to see that you have not for-
gotten any tools, rags, etc.
Here is a list of parts and tools you will
need on performing do-it-yourself main-
tenance. Rememver all Toyota parts are
designed in metric sizes, so your tools
must be metric. Checking the engine oil level Parts (if level is low): Engine oil API SH, Energy-Conserv-
ing IIº multigrade or ILSAC multigrade
having viscosity proper for your cli- mate
Tools: Rag or paper towel
Funnel (only for adding oil)
Checking the engine coolant level Parts (if level is low): Ethylene-glycol antifreeze
Demineralized or distilled water
Tools: Funnel (only for adding coolant)
Checking brake fluid Parts (if level is low): SAE J1703 or FMVSS No. 116 DOT 3 brake fluid
Tools: Rag or paper towel
Funnel (only for adding fluid) Checking power steering fluid Parts (if level is low):
Automatic transmission fluid DEX- RON [
-II or III
Tools: Rag or paper towel
Funnel (only for adding fluid)
Checking battery condition Non-maintenance batteriesÐ
Tools: Warm water
Baking soda
Grease
Conventional wrench (for terminal clamp bolts)
Parts and tools