battery TOYOTA TACOMA 1998 Owners Manual

'98 Tacoma (U)37
This SRS airbag system has a service
reminder indicator to inform the driver of
operating problems. If either of the follow-
ing conditions occurs, this indicates a mal-
function of the airbags. Contact your
Toyota dealer as soon as possible to ser-
vice the vehicle. The light does not come on when the
ignition key is turned to the ºACCº or
ºONº position, or remains on.
The light comes on while driving.
NOTICE
Do not disconnect the battery cables
before contacting your Toyota dealer.
In the following cases, contact your Toyota
dealer as soon as possible:
The SRS airbags have been inflated.
The front part of the vehicle (shaded
in the illustration) was involved in an
accident not of the extent to cause the
SRS airbags to inflate.
The pad section of the steering wheel
or front passenger airbag cover
(shaded in the illustration) is scratched,
cracked, or otherwise damaged.
Indicator light
This system is designed to disable the
passenger airbag in order to allow
usage, if necessary, of a rear- facing
child restraint system in the front seat.
Disable the passenger airbag only when
you put a rear facing child restraint
system on the front seat unavoidably.
Switch the system as follows:
Insert key into the keyhole and turn it.
To turn passenger airbag on: Turn the key
to the ONº position.
To turn passenger airbag off: Turn the key
to the OFFº position.
The indicator comes on when the passen-
ger airbag system is off. Passenger airbag cutoff
system

'98 Tacoma (U)61
Part 1
OPERATION OF
INSTRUMENTS AND
CONTROLSÐ
Chapter 1- 4
Lights and Wipers
Headlights and turn signals
Emergency flashers
Instrument panel light control
Interior lights
Personal lights
Ignition switch light
Windshield wipers and washer
Headlights and turn signals
HEADLIGHTS
To turn on the following lights: Twist
the headlight/turn signal lever knob.
Position 1ÐParking, tail, license plate and
instrument panel lights
Position 2ÐHeadlights and all of the
above
If you turn the ignition switch to the
ºLOCKº position with the headlights left
on, a buzzer reminds you to turn the
lights off when you open the driver 's door.
NOTICE
To prevent the battery from being dis-
charged, do not leave the lights onfor a long period when the engine is not running.
Daytime running light system (Canada
only)
The headlights turn on at reduced intensi-
ty when the parking brake is released with
the engine started, even with the light
switch in the ºOFFº position. They will not
go off until the ignition switch is turned
off.
To turn on the other exterior lights and
instrument panel lights, twist the knob to
the position 1.
Twist the knob to the position 2 to turn
to full intensity for driving at night.

'98 Tacoma (U)63
NOTICE
To prevent the battery from being dis-charged, do not leave the switch onlonger than necessary when the en-gine is not running.
Instrument panel light control
To adjust the brightness of the instru-
ment panel lights, turn the knob. Interior lightsFront light
Rear light (Xtra-cab models)

'98 Tacoma (U)71
(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, slow down and pull off
the road. Then stop the vehicle carefully.
Remember that stopping distance and ped-
al effort may be increased. There may be
a problem somewhere in the brake sys-
tem. 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 your
nearest 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.)
CAUTION
It is dangerous to continue driving
normally when the brake fluid level is
low.
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 ºONº or
ºSTARTº, the reminder light and buzzer
come on if the driver's seat belt is not
fastened. Unless the driver fastens the
belt, the light stays on and the buzzer
sounds for 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. The engine ignition will continue to oper-
ate, however, until the battery is dis-
charged. Turn off the air conditioning,
blower, radio, etc., and drive directly to
the nearest Toyota dealer or repair shop.
NOTICE
Do not continue driving if the engine
drive belt is broken or loose.
(d) Low Oil Pressure Warning Light
This light warns that the engine oil pres-
sure is too low.
If it flickers or stays on while you are
driving, pull off the road to a safe place
and stop the engine immediately. Call a
Toyota dealer or qualified repair shop for
assistance.
The light may occasionally flicker when
the engine is idling or it may come on
briefly after a hard stop. There is no
cause for concern if it then goes out when
the engine is accelerated slightly.
The light may come on when the oil level
is extremely low. It is not designed to
indicate low oil level, and the oil level
must be checked using the level dipstick.

'98 Tacoma (U)75
Part 1
OPERATION OF
INSTRUMENTS AND
CONTROLSÐ
Chapter 1- 6
Ignition switch,
Transmission
and Parking brake
Ignition switch with steering lock
Automatic transmission
Manual transmission
Four- wheel drive system
Rear differential lock system
P ar k ing br ak e
Cruise control
Clutch start cancel switch
Ignition switch with steering lock
ºSTARTºÐStarter motor on. The key
will return to the ºONº position when
released.
For starting tips, see Part 3.
ºONºÐEngine on and all accessories on.
This is the normal driving position.
ºACCºÐAccessories such as the radio
operate, but the engine is off.
If you leave the key in the ºACCº or
ºLOCKº position and open the driver's
door, a buzzer will remind you to remove
the key.
ºLOCKºÐEngine is off and the steering
wheel is locked. The key can be re-
moved only at this position.
You must push in the key to turn the key
from ºACCº to the ºLOCKº position. On
vehicles with an automatic transmission,
the selector lever must be in the ºPº posi-
tion before pushing the key.
When starting the engine, the key may
seem stuck at the ºLOCKº position. To
free it, first be sure the key is pushed all
the way in, and then rock the steering
wheel slightly while turning the key gently.
CAUTION
For manual transmission:
Never remove the key when the ve-
hicle is moving, as this will lock the
steering wheel and result in loss of
steering control.
NOTICE
Do not leave the key in the ºONº
position if the engine is not running.The battery will discharge and the ignition could be damaged.

'98 Tacoma (U)107
1 2 3 4 5 6 (Preset buttons)
These buttons are used to preset and
tune in radio stations.
To preset a station to a button: Tune in
the desired station (see ºTUNEº button).
Push and hold down the button until you
hear a beep
'this will set the station to
the button. The button number will appear
on the display.
To tune in to a preset station: Push the
button for the station you want. The but-
ton number and station frequency will ap-
pear on the display.
These systems can store one AM and one
FM station for each button. The preset
station memory will be canceled out if the
power source is interrupted (battery dis-
connected or fuse blown). AM
FM
Push ºAM
F Mº to switch between the AM
and FM bands. ºAMº or ºFMº will appear
on the display.
If the audio system is off, you can turn
on the radio by pushing ºAM
FMº. BAL (Balance)
Turn the ºBALº knob with pulling to adjust
the balance between the right and left
speakers.
PWR´VOL (Power´Volume)
Push ºPWR´VOLº to turn the audio system
on and off. Turn ºPWR´VOLº to adjust the
volume.
ST (Stereo reception) display
Your radio automatically changes to stereo
reception when a stereo broadcast is re-
ceived. ºSTº appears on the display. If the
signal becomes weak, the radio reduces
the amount of channel separation to prev-
ent the weak signal from creating noise.
If the signal becomes extremely weak, the
radio switches from stereo to mono recep-
tion.
TONE
Move the ºTONEº ring around ºBALº to
adjust the tone.
TUNE
Tuning
Your Toyota has an electronic tuning radio
(ETR). Push and release the º
~º (up) or
º ! º (down) side of ºTUNEº to step up or
down the station band. (If you hear a
beep, you held the button too long and
the radio will go into the seek mode.)
Seeking
In the seek mode, the radio finds and
plays the next station up or down the
station band.
To seek a station, push and hold the º ~º
or º !º side of ºTUNEº until you hear a
beep. Do this again to find another sta-
tion.

'98 Tacoma (U)109
1 2 3 4 5 6 (Preset buttons)
These buttons are used to preset and
tune in radio stations.
To preset a station to a button: Tune in
the desired station (see ºTUNEº button).
Push and hold down the button until you
hear a beep
'this will set the station to
the button. The button number will appear
on the display.
To tune in to a preset station: Push the
button for the station you want. The but-
ton number and station frequency will ap-
pear on the display.
These systems can store one AM and one
FM station for each button. The preset
station memory will be canceled out if the
power source is interrupted (battery dis-
connected or fuse blown).
(Eject button)
Push this button to eject a cassette. AM
FM
Push ºAM
F Mº to switch between the AM
and FM bands. ºAMº or ºFMº will appear
on the display.
If the audio system is off, you can turn
on the radio by pushing ºAM
FMº. Also,
push ºAM
F Mº to switch from cassette
operation to radio operation. BAL (Balance)
Move the ºBALº ring around ºTONEº to
adjust the balance between the right and
left speakers
FF (Fast forward)
Push the ºFFº to fast forward a cassette
tape.
To stop the tape while it is fast forward-
ing, lightly push the ºREWº.
If a tape fast forwards completely, the
cassette player will play the other side of
the tape, using the auto- reverse feature.
PROG (Program)
Push ºPROGº to select the other side of
a cassette tape.
Auto- reverse feature: After the cassette
player reaches the end of a tape side, it
automatically reverses and begins to play
the other side. This is true whether the
cassette was playing or fast forwarding.
REW (Rewind)
Push the ºREWº to rewind to a tape.
To stop the tape while it is rewinding,
lightly push the ºFFº.
If a tape side rewinds completely, the cas-
sette player will stop and then play that
same side.
ST (Stereo reception) display
Your radio automatically changes to stereo
reception when a stereo broadcast is re-
ceived. ºSTº appears on the display. If the
signal becomes weak, the radio reduces
the amount of channel separation to prev-
ent the weak signal from creating noise.
If the signal becomes extremely weak, the
radio switches from stereo to mono recep-
tion.
TA P E
Push ºTAPEº to switch from radio opera-
tion to cassette operation. If the audio
system is off, you can turn on the cas-
sette player by pushing ºTAPEº. In both
cases, a cassette must already be loaded
in the player.
TONE
Turn the ºTONEº knob to adjust the tone.

'98 Tacoma (U)
132
Cigarette lighter and ashtray
CIGARETTE LIGHTER
To use the cigarette lighter, press it in.
When it becomes heated, it automatical-
ly pops out ready for use.
If the engine is not running, the key must
be in the ºACCº position.
Do not hold the cigarette lighter pressed
in.
Use a Toyota genuine cigarette lighter or
equivalent for replacement.
ASHTRAY
To use the ashtray, pull it out.
When finished with your cigarette, thor-
oughly extinguish it in the ashtray to pre-
vent other cigarette butts from catching
fire. After using the ashtray, push it back
in completely.
To remove the ashtray, press down on the
lock spring plate and pull out.
CAUTION
To reduce the chance of injury in
case of an accident or sudden stop
while driving, always push the ash-
tray back in completely after using.
Power outlets
The power outlets are designed for
power supply for car accessories.
The key must be in the ºACCº or ºONº
position for the power outlets to be used.
NOTICE
To prevent the fuse from being
blown, do not use the electricityover the total vehicle capacity of12V/120W.
To prevent the battery from being discharged, do not use the poweroutlets longer than necessary when
the engine is not running.

'98 Tacoma (U)155

Sand and mud that has accumulated
in brake drums and around brakediscs may affect braking efficiency and may damage brake system com-
ponents.
Always perform a maintenance in-spection after each day of off-road
driving that has taken you throughrough terrain, sand, mud, or water.For scheduled maintenance informa-
tion, refer to the separate ºOwner'sManual Supplement/MaintenanceScheduleº.
Winter driving tips
Make sure you have ethylene-glycol an-
tifreeze in the radiator.
NOTICE
Do not use alcohol type antifreeze.
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 start-
ing. Chapter 7- 3 tells you how to visually
inspect the battery. Your Toyota dealer
and most service stations will be pleased
to check the level of charge.
Make sure the engine oil viscosity is
suitable for the cold weather.
See Chapter 7- 2 for recommended viscos-
ity. 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
inserting 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.NOTICE
Do not use engine antifreeze or any
other substitute because it may dam-age your vehicle's paint.
Do not use your parking brake when
there is a possibility it could freeze.
When parking, put the transmission into
ºPº (automatic) or into first or reverse
(manual) and block the front wheels. Do
not use the parking brake, or snow or
water accumulated in and around the
parking brake 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.

'98 Tacoma (U)
164
Part 4
IN CASE OF AN
EMERGENCY
If your vehicle will not start
If your engine stalls while driving
If your vehicle overheats
If you have a flat tire
If your vehicle needs to be towed
If you cannot shift automatic
transmission selector lever
If you lose your keys
Before making these checks, make sure
you have followed the correct starting pro-
cedure given in ºHow to start the engineº
in Part 3 and that you have sufficient fuel.
If the engine is not turning over or is
turning over too slowlyÐ
1. Check that the battery terminals are tight and clean.
2. If the battery terminals are O.K., switch on the interior light.
3. If the light is out, dim or goes out when the starter is cranked, the battery
is discharged. You may try jump start-
ing. See º(c) Jump startingº for further
instructions.
If the light is O.K., but the engine still will
not start, it needs adjustment or repair.
Call a Toyota dealer or qualified repair
shop.
NOTICE
Do not pull- or push-start the vehicle. It may damage the vehicle or causea collision when the engine starts. Also the three-way catalytic converter
may overheat and become a fire haz-ard.
If the engine turns over at its normal
speed but will not startÐ
1. Check that all the push-on connectors are tight. (For example, connectors at
the spark plugs, ignition coil and/or dis-
tributor)
2. If the connectors are O.K., the engine may be flooded because of repeated
cranking. See º(b) Starting a flooded
engineº for further instructions.
If your vehicle will not startÐ
(a) Simple checks