engine TOYOTA TACOMA 1998 Owner's Manual

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Parking, engine starting and
key removal position
Reverse position Neutral position
Normal driving position
Position for engine braking
Position for stronger engine
braking than that in 2º
position
With the brake pedal depressed,
shift while holding the lock release
button in. (The ignition switch must
be in ONº position.)
Shift while holding the lock
release button in Driving pattern selector button
For selecting a driving pattern
suited to existing driving conditions
Overdrive switch
For selecting either a three- speed
or four- speed transmission
OFFº position
(Shifting into overdrive
not possible) ONº position
(Shifting into
overdrive possible)
Lock release button
To prevent misshifting
O/D OFFº indicator light
Shows the overdrive
switch is in OFF position
NORMALº
(Normal) mode
for general driving
conditions
POWERº
(Power) mode
for powerful
acceleration
POWER mode indicator light
on the instrument panel shows
the driving pattern selector
button is the POWERº mode.
Shift normally
Vehicles with cruise controlÐWhen the cruise control is being used, eve n if you downshift the transmission by turning off the overdrive
switch, engine braking will not be applied because the cruise cont rol is not cancelled. For ways to decrease the vehicle speed, see
ºCruise controlº in this chapter. Automatic transmission
(electronically controlled typeÐfour- wheel drive models and Pre Runner
)

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Your automatic transmission has a shift
lock system to minimize the possibility of
incorrect operation. This means you can
only shift out of ºPº position when the
brake pedal is depressed (with the ignition
switch in ºONº position and the lock re-
lease button depressed).
(a) Normal driving
1. Start the engine as instructed in ºHow to start the engineº in Part 3. The
transmission must be in ºPº or ºNº.
When the front drive control lever is in
ºL4º (low-speed position, four-wheel drive),
the driving pattern selector setting has no
effect on gear shift timing. (See ºFour-
wheel drive systemº in this Chapter for
information of the front drive control le-
ver.) 2. With your foot holding down the brake pedal, shift the selector lever to ºDº.
In ºDº position, the automatic transmission
system will select the most suitable gear
for running conditions such as normal
cruising, hill climbing, 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
ºL4º (low-speed position, four-wheel drive),
the transmission will not shift into the ov-
erdrive gear even with the overdrive
switch on. (See ºFour-wheel drive systemº
in this Chapter 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.
(b) Using engine braking
To use engine braking, you can downshift
the transmission as follows: Turn off the overdrive switch. The ºO/D
OFFº indicator light will come on and
the transmission will downshift to the
third gear.
Shift into the º2º position. The trans-
mission will downshift to the second
gear when the vehicle speed drops
down to or lower than the following
speed, and more powerful engine brak-
ing will be obtained.
Front drive control lever
in ºH2º and ºH4º
3RZ- FE engine.....106 km/h (66 mph)
5VZ- FE engine.....114 km/h (71 mph)
Front drive control lever
in ºL4º 3RZ- FE engine.....36 km/h (22 mph)
5VZ- FE engine.....38 km/h (24 mph)
Shift into the ºLº position. The trans-
mission will downshift to the first gear
when the vehicle speed drops down to
or lower than the following speed, and
maximum engine braking will be ap-
plied.
Front drive control lever
in ºH2º and ºH4º
3RZ- FE engine.....51 km/h (32 mph)
5VZ- FE engine.....55 km/h (34 mph)
Front drive control lever
in ºL4º 3RZ- FE engine.....9 km/h (6 mph)
5VZ- FE engine.....10 km/h (6 mph)

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Vehicles with cruise control±When the
cruise control is being used, even if you
downshift the transmission by turning off
the overdrive switch, engine braking will
not be applied because the cruise control
is not cancelled. For ways to decrease
the vehicle speed, see ºCruise controlº in
this chapter.
CAUTION
Be careful when downshifting on a
slippery surface. Abrupt shifting
could cause the vehicle to spin or
skid.
(c) Using º2º and ºLº positions
The º2º and ºLº positions are used for
strong engine braking as described pre-
viously.
With the selector lever in º2º or ºLº, you
can start the vehicle in motion as with the
lever in ºDº.
With the selector lever in º2º, the vehicle
will start in the first gear and automatical-
ly shift to the second gear.
With the selector lever in ºLº, the trans-
mission is engaged in the first gear.
NOTICE
Be careful not to overrev the en-
gine. Watch the tachometer to keepengine rpm from going into the redzone. The approximate maximum al-
lowable speed for each position isgiven below for your reference:
Four-wheel drive models Front drive control lever in ºH2º orºH4ºÐ
3RZ- FE engine º2º 109 km/h (68 mph) . . . .
ºLº 60 km/h (37 mph) . . . .
5VZ- FE engine º2º 120 km/h (75 mph) . . . .
ºLº 66 km/h (41 mph) . . . .
Front drive control lever in ºL4ºÐ
3RZ- FE engine º2º 43 km/h (27 mph) . . . . . .
ºLº 22 km/h (14 mph) . . . . . .
5VZ- FE engine º2º 46 km/h (29 mph) . . . . . .
ºLº 25 km/h (16 mph) . . . . . .
Pre Runner
3RZ- FE engine º2º 114 km/h (71 mph) . . . . . .
ºLº 63 km/h (39 mph) . . . . . .
5VZ- FE engine º2º 120 km/h (75 mph) . . . . . .
ºLº 66 km/h (41 mph) . . . . . .
Do not continue hill climbing for a
long time in the º2º or ºLº posi-
tion. This may cause severe auto-matic transmission damage from overheating. To prevent such dam-
age, use ºDº position for hill climb-ing or hard towing.
(d) Backing up
1. Bring the vehicle to a complete stop.
2. With the brake pedal held down with your foot, shift the selector lever to the
ºRº position.
NOTICE
Never shift into reverse while the ve-
hicle is moving.

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(e) Parking
1. Bring the vehicle to a complete stop.
2. Pull the parking brake lever fully to securely apply the parking brake.
3. With the brake pedal pressed down, shift the selector lever to the ºPº posi-
tion.
CAUTION
While the vehicle is moving, never
attempt to move the selector lever
into ºPº position under any circum-
stances. Serious mechanical damage
and loss of vehicle control may re-
sult.
(f) Good driving practice
If the transmission is repeatedly up-
shifted and downshifted between third
gear and overdrive when climbing a
gentle slope, the overdrive switch
should be turned off. Be sure to turn
the switch on immediately afterward.
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
Do not hold the vehicle on an up-
grade with the accelerator pedal. Itcan cause the transmission to over- heat. Always use the brake pedal or
parking brake.
(g) Driving in ºPOWERº mode
In the ºPOWERº mode, the transmission
is shifted up and down at a higher vehicle
speed than in the ºNORMALº mode and a
more powerful acceleration is achieved. To
set the ºPOWERº mode, push in the driv-
ing pattern selector button. The POWER
mode indicator light comes on.
For ordinary driving, Toyota recommends
using the ºNORMALº mode to improve fuel
economy. (h) Rocking your vehicle if stuck
CAUTION
If your vehicle becomes stuck in
snow, mud, sand, etc., then you may
attempt to rock the vehicle free by
moving it forward and backward. Do
not attempt this procedure if people
or objects are anywhere near the ve-
hicle. During the rocking operation
the vehicle may suddenly move for-
ward or backward as it becomes un-
stuck, causing injury or damage to
nearby people or objects.

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NOTICE
If you rock your vehicle, observe the following precautions to prevent dam-age to the transmission and otherparts.
Do not depress the accelerator ped-al while shifting the selector lever or before the transmission is com-
pletely shifted to forward or reversegear.
Do not race the engine and avoidspinning the wheels.
If your vehicle remains stuck after
rocking the vehicle several times,consider other ways such as tow-
ing.
(i) If you cannot shift the selector le- ver out of ºPº position
If you cannot shift the selector lever from
the ºPº position even though the brake
pedal is depressed, use the shift lock
override lever. For instructions, see ºIf you
cannot shift automatic transmission selec-
tor leverº in Part 4. Manual transmission
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:2RZ- FE engine
Low altitude
Ð1219 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
ÐHigher 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)/85 (53) *
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.

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3RZ- FE 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)/85 (53) *
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.
5VZ- FE 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. 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:
Two-wheel drive models
2RZ- FE engine
gear km/h (mph)1 48 (30)
2 88 (55)
3 136 (85)
4 165 (103)
5VZ- FE engine gear km/h (mph)
1 54 (34)
2 101 (63)
3 144 (89)
4 165 (103) Four-wheel drive models
3RZ- FE engine gear km/h(mph)
ºH2º and ºH4º ºL4º
1 46 (29) 17 (11)
2 86 (53) 33 (21)
3 135 (84) 52 (32)
4 165 (103) 66 (41)
5VZ- FE engine
gear km/h (mph)ºH2º and ºH4º ºL4º
1 48 (30) 18 (11)
2 88 (55) 34 (21)
3 128 (80) 49 (30)
4 165 (103) 72 (45)
NOTICE
Do not downshift if you are going
faster than the maximum allowablespeed for the next lower gear.

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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 the 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.
Use the front drive control lever to se-
lect the following transfer modes.
ºH2º (high speed position, two-wheel
drive): Lever at ºH2º
Use this for normal driving on dry hard-
surfaced roads. This position gives greater
economy, quietest ride and least wear.
ºH4º (high speed position, four-wheel
drive): Lever at ºH4º
Use this for normal driving on wet, icy or
snow-covered roads. This position pro-
vides greater traction than two-wheel
drive. ºNº (neutral position):
Lever at ºNº
No power is delivered to the wheels. The
vehicle must be stopped.
ºL4º (low speed position, four-wheel
drive): Lever at ºL4º
Use this for maximum power and traction.
Use ºL4º for climbing or descending steep
hills, off-road driving, and hard pulling in
sand, mud or deep snow.
The four-wheel drive indicator light comes
on when the ºH4º, ºNº or ºL4º mode is
selected.
See º(d) Shifting procedure (lever type)º
for further instructions.
Four-wheel drive systemÐ
(a) Front drive control
(lever type)

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To check the indicator bulb, turn the ignition
key to the ºONº position, but do not start
the engine.
CAUTION
Do not keep driving with the differen-
tial lock switch on.
Parking brake
When parking, firmly apply the parking
brake to avoid inadvertent creeping.
To set: Pull out on the lever. For better
holding power, first depress the brake
pedal and hold it while setting the parking
brake.
To release: Press the lock release button,
turn the lever, and push it in.
To remind you that the parking brake is
set, the parking brake reminder light in
the instrument panel remains on until you
release the parking brake.
CAUTION
Before driving, be sure the parking
brake is fully released and the park-
ing brake reminder light is off.

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Cruise control
The cruise control allows you to cruise
the vehicle at a desired speed over 40
km/h (25 mph) even with your foot off
the accelerator pedal.
Your cruising speed can be maintained up
or down grades within the limits of engine
performance, although a slight speed
change may occur when driving up or
down the grades. On steeper h
ills, a
greater speed change will occur so it is
better to drive without the cruise control.
CAUTION
To help maintain maximum control
of your vehicle, do not use the
cruise control when driving in
heavy or varying traffic, or on slip-
pery (rainy, icy or snow-covered) or
winding roads.
Avoid vehicle speed increases when
driving downhill. If the vehicle
speed is too fast in relation to the
cruise control set speed, cancel the
cruise control then downshift the
transmission to use engine braking
to slow down.TURNING ON THE SYSTEM
To operate the cruise control, press the
ºCRUISE ON-OFFº button. This turns the
system on. The indicator light in the
instrument panel shows that you can now
set the vehicle at a desired cruising
speed. Another press will turn the system
completely off.
CAUTION
To avoid accidental cruise control en-
gagement, keep the ºCRUISE ON-
OFFº switch off when not using the
cruise control.
SETTING AT A DESIRED SPEED
On vehicles with automatic transmission,
the transmission must be in ºDº before
you set the cruise control speed.
Bring your vehicle to the desired speed,
push the lever down in the ºSET/COASTº
direction and release it. This sets the ve-
hicle at that speed. If the speed is not
satisfactory, tap the lever up for a faster
speed, or tap it down for a slower speed.
Each tap changes the set speed by 1.6
km/h (1.0 mph). You can now take your
foot off the accelerator pedal.

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If you need acceleration±for example,
when passing±depress the accelerator
pedal enough for the vehicle to exceed
the set speed. When you release it, the
vehicle will return to the speed set prior
to the acceleration.
CAUTION
For manual transmission:
While driving with the cruise control
on, do not shift to neutral without
depressing the clutch pedal, as this
may cause engine racing or overrev-
ving.
CANCELLING THE PRESET SPEED
You can cancel the preset speed by:
a. Pulling the lever in the ºCANCELº
direction and releasing it
b. Depressing the brake pedal
c. Depressing the clutch pedal (manual transmission)
If the vehicle speed falls below about 40
km/h (25 mph), the preset speed will auto-
matically cancel out.
If the vehicle speed drops 16 km/h (10
mph) below the preset speed, the preset
speed will also automatically cancel out.
If the preset speed automatically cancels
out other than for the above cases, have
your vehicle checked by your Toyota deal-
er at the earliest opportunity.
RESETTING AT A FASTER SPEED
Push the lever up in the ºRES/ACCº direc-
tion and hold it. Release the lever when
the desired speed is attained. While the
lever is held up, the vehicle will gradually
gain speed.
However, a faster way to reset is to ac-
celerate the vehicle and then push the
lever down in the ºSET/COASTº direction.
RESETTING AT A SLOWER SPEED
Push the lever down in the ºSET/COASTº
direction and hold it. Release the lever
when the desired speed is attained. While
the lever is held down, the vehicle speed
will gradually decrease.
However, a faster way to reset is to de-
press the brake pedal and then push the
lever down in the ºSET/COASTº direction.
On vehicles with automatic transmission,
even if you turn off the overdrive switch
with the cruise control on, engine braking
will not be applied because the cruise
control is not cancelled. To decrease the
vehicle speed, reset to a slower speed
with the cruise control lever or depress
the brake pedal. If you use the brake
pedal, cruise control is cancelled.
RESUMING THE PRESET SPEED
If the preset speed is cancelled by pu
lling
the control lever or by depressing the
brake pedal or clutch pedal, pushing the
lever up in the ºRES/ACCº direction will
restore the speed set prior to cancellation.
However, once the vehicle speed falls be-
low about 40 km/h (25 mph), the preset
speed will not be resumed.