roof TOYOTA TACOMA 1997 Owners Manual

Part 1Keys
9
OPERATION OF INSTRUMENTS ANDCONTROLSÐ
Chapter 1-2 Keys and Doors
Keys
Side doors
Power windows
Quarter windows
Rear windows
Tailgate
Hood
Fuel tank cap
Detachable moon roof
Detachable sun shade
KEY PLATE This key works in every lock.
Since the doors can be locked without a
key, you should always carry a spare key
in case you accidentally lock your keys in-
side the vehicle.
KEY NUMBER PLATE
Your key number is shown on the
plate. Keep the plate in a safe place
such as your wallet, not in the vehicle.
If you should lose your keys or if you need
additional keys, duplicates can be made
by a Toyota dealer using the key number.
You should also put a copy of the key
number with your important papers.

162. To remove the fuel tank cap, turn
the cap slowly counterclockwise,
then pause slightly before remov-
ing it. after removing the cap, hang
it on the cap hanger.
It is not unusual to hear a slight swoosh
when the cap is opened. When installing,
turn the cap clockwise till you hear a click.
If the cap is not tightened securely, the malfunction indicator lamp comes on.
Make sure the cap is tightened securely.
The indicator lamp goes off after driving several times. If the indicator lamp does
not go off, contact your Toyota dealer as soon as possible.
CAUTION!
Make sure the cap is tightened se-
curely to prevent fuel spillage in
case of an accident.
Use only a genuine Toyota fuel tankcap for replacement. It has a built incheck valve to reduce fuel tank vac- uum.
CAUTION!
To avoid serious personal injury, you
must do the following. While the vehicle is moving, always
keep the head, hands and other
parts of the body of all occupants away from the roof opening. Other-
wise, you could be seriously in-
jured if the vehicle stops suddenly
or if the vehicle is involved in an ac- cident.
Never sit on top of the vehicle
around the roof opening.
Never attempt to remove the moon
roof panel while driving. Other-
wise, the panel may become a haz-ard by falling into or flying off the vehicle.
After installing the moon roof pan-
el, make sure they are firmly se-
cured by pushing up on the under-
side of the panel.
Never put your hands between the
moon roof panel and the surround-
ing roof.
To tilt up the moon roof , first pull
down on the handle while pushing in
one of the lock buttons. Then push up
the moon roof until it locks. After tilting up the moon roof, make sure the handle is securely in place.
When closing the moon roof, slowly pull
down the handle while supporting the roof
with your hand. Close and lock the moon
roof by pushing the handle. Be sure to use
your palm to push the handle. After clos-
ing the moon roof, make sure it is securely locked. ÐTilting up and closing
Detachable moon roofÐ ÐMoon roof precautions

17
1. Pull the handle down while push-ing in one of the lock buttons.2. Push in the retaining springs armsas shown and push up the moon roof.3. Push back the auxiliary catch to re-lease it from the hook. Then lift the
moon roof panel and pull it out.
ÐRemoving

18
1. Insert the flat hinges of the moonroof panel into the cutouts on the
body. Then slowly lower it while
holding the roof with your hands
Make sure both flat hinges are insertedinto the cutouts.2. Press in the retaining spring arms and insert them into the holes.
Then push the handle up with the
palm of your hand and lock the roof.To remove: Support the sun shade
panel with your hand while you unlock
the sun shade by turning the knob counter-clockwise.
To install: Hang the two hinges of the
sun shade panel onto the hooks pro-
vided. Then push up the sun shade
panel while turning the knob counter- clockwise
CAUTION!
For safety, do not remove the sun
shade while driving.
Detachable sun shade
ÐInstalling

Part 2Off-road vehicle precautions
(four-wheel drive models only)
11 3
INFORMATION
BEFORE DRIVING
YOUR TOYOTA
Off-road vehicle precautions
Break-in period
Fuel
Operation in foreign countries
Three-way catalytic converter
Engine exhaust cautions
Facts about engine oil consumption
Twin ground electrode spark plugs
Brake system
Brake pad wear limit indicators
Luggage stowage precautions
Rear step bumper
Your Toyota's idenitification
Suspension and chassis
Types of tires
This vehicle is one of the class of ve-
hicles which have higher ground
clearance and narrower tread in rela-
tion to the height of their center of
gravity to make them capable of per- forming in a wide variety of off-road applications. Specific design charac-
teristics give it a hi
gher center or grav-
ity than ordinary cars. An advantage ofthe higher ground clearance is a better view of the road allowing you to antici-
pate problems. It is not designed for
cornering at the same speeds as con-
ventional two-wheel drive vehicles
any more than low-slung sports cars
are designed to perform satisfactorily under off-road conditions.
CAUTION!
Always obeserve the following pre-
cautions to minimize the risk of seri-
ous personal injury or damage to
your vehicle: Avoid sharp turns or abrupt maneu-
vers, if at all possible. As with other
vehicles of this type, failure to oper-
ate this vehicle correctly may result
in loss of control or vehicle rol-
lover.
Avoid l oading any items on the roof
that will make the center of gravity
even higher.
Always slow down in gusty cross-
winds. Because of its high center of
gravity, your vehicle is more sensi-
tive to side winds than an ordinary
passenger car. Slowing down will
allow you to have much better con- trol.
Do not drive horizontally across
steep slopes. Driving straight up or
straight down is preferred. Your ve-
hicle (or any similar off-road ve-
hicle) can tip over sideways much
more easily than forward or back- ward.

168Where to go for service?
Toyota technicians are well-trained spe- cialists
and are kept up to date with the lat-
est service information through technical
bulletins, service tips, and in-dealership
training programs. They learn to work on
Toyotas before they work on your vehicle,
rather than while they are working on it.
You can be confident that your Toyota
dealer's service department performs the
best job to meet the maintenance require-
ments on your vehicleÐreliably and eco-
nomically.
Your copy of the repair order is proof that
all required maintenance has been per-
formed for warranty coverage. And if any
problems should arise with your vehicle
while under warranty, your Toyota dealer
will promptly take care of it. Again, be sure
to keep a copy of the repair order for any
service performed on your Toyota.
What about do-it-yourself mainte- nance?
Many of the maintenance items are easy
to do yourself if you have a little mechani-
cal ability and a few basic automotive
tools. Simple instructions for how to per-
form them are presented in Part 7. If you are a skilled do-it-yourself me-
chanic, the Toyota service manuals are recommended. Please be aware that do-
it-yourself maintenance can affect your
warranty coverage. See Owner's Guide,
Owner 's
Manual Supplement or W arranty
Booklet for the details. Listed
below are the general maintenance
items that should be performed as fre-quently as specified. In addition to check-
ing the items listed, if you notice any un-
usual noise, smell or vibration, you should
investigate the cause or take your vehicle
to your T oyota dealer or a qualified service
shop immediately. It is recommended
that any problem you notice be brought to
the attention of your dealer or the qualified service shop for their advice.
Make these checks only where
adequate ventilation can be obtain-
ed if you run the engine. CAUTION
!
OUTSIDE THE VEHICLE
Items listed below should be per-
formed from time to time, unless
otherwise specified.
Tire pressure Check the pressure with a gauge every
two weeks, or at least once a month. See Chapter 7-2 for additional information. General maintenance