cooling TOYOTA TACOMA 2000 Owners Manual (in English)

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The gauge indicates the engine coolant
temperature when the ignition switch is
on. The engine operating temperature
will vary with changes in weather and
engine load.
If the needle moves into the red zone,
your engine is too hot. If your vehicle
overheats, stop your vehicle and allow the
engine to cool.
Your vehicle may overheat during severe
operating conditions, such as:
Driving up a long hill on a hot day.
Reducing speed or stopping after high
speed driving.
Idling for a long period with the air
conditioning on in stop−and−go traffic.
Towing a trailer.
NOTICE
Do not remove the thermostat in
the engine cooling system as this
may cause the engine to overheat.
The thermostat is designed to con-
trol the flow of coolant to keep the
temperature of the engine within
the specified operating range.
 Do not continue driving with an
overheated engine. See If your ve-
hicle overheats" in Section 4.
Tachometer
The tachometer indicates engine speed
in thousands of rpm (revolutions per
minute). Use it while driving to select
correct shift points and to prevent en-
gine lugging and overrevving.
Driving with the engine running too fast
causes excessive engine wear and poor
fuel economy. Remember, in most cases
the slower the engine speed, the greater
the fuel economy.
NOTICE
Do not let the indicator needle get
into the red zone. This may cause
severe engine damage.

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If following another vehicle on a dusty
road, or driving in windy and dusty
conditions, it is recommended that the
air intake selector be temporarily set to
RECIRCULATE, which will close off the
outside passage and prevent outside
air and dust from entering the vehicle
interior.
Heating
For best results, set controls to:
Fan speed Any setting except OFF"
Temperature To w a r d s WA R M
(red zone)
Air intakeFRESH (outside air)
Air flowFLOOR
Air conditioningOFF
For quick heating, select recirculated
air for a few minutes. To keep the
windows from fogging, select fresh af-
ter the vehicle interior has been
warmed.
Press the A/C" button on for dehumidi-
fied heating.
Choose floor/windshield air flow to heat
the vehicle interior while defrosting or
defogging the windshield. Air conditioning
For best results, set controls to:
Fan speed Any setting except OFF"
Temperature To w a r d s COLD
(blue zone)
Air intakeFRESH (outside air)
Air flowPANEL
Air conditioningON
For quick cooling, move the air intake
selector to recirculate for a few min-
utes.
Ventilation
For best results, set controls to:
Fan speed Any setting except OFF"
Temperature To w a r d s COLD
(blue zone)
Air intakeFRESH (outside air)
Air flowPANEL
Air conditioningOFF

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Defogging
The inside of the windshield
For best results, set controls to:Fan speed Any setting except OFF"
Temperature To w a r d s WA R M
(red zone) to heat;
COLD (blue zone) to
cool
Air intakeFRESH (outside air)
Air flowWINDSHIELD
Turning the Air Flow Selector to wind-
shield position turns on the defroster to
clear the front view more quickly.
Vehicles with A/C" button
Press the A/C" button for dehumidified
heating or cooling. This setting clears the
front view more quickly.
On humid days, do not blow cold air
on the windshieldthe difference be-
tween the outside and inside tempera-
tures could make the fogging worse. Defrosting
The outside of the windshield
For best results, set controls to:
Fan speed Any setting except OFF"
Temperature To w a r d s WA R M
(red zone)
Air intakeFRESH (outside air)
Air flowWINDSHIELD
Turning the Air Flow Selector to wind-
shield position turns on the defroster to
clear the front view more quickly.
Vehicles with A/C" button
Press the A/C" button for dehumidified
heating or cooling. This setting clears the
front view more quickly.
To heat the vehicle interior while de-
frosting the windshield, choose floor/
windshield air flow.
Side vents
If air flow control is not satisfactory, check
the side vents. The side vents may be
opened or closed as shown.

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Exhaust emission label
To distinguish your vehicle, refer to the
exhaust emission label back of your en-
gine hood. The letter printed on the
label as shown means:
USA: LEV
FED & CANADA : Except LEV
Engine exhaust cautions
CAUTION
Avoid inhaling the engine exhaust.
It contains carbon monoxide, which
is a colorless and odorless gas. It
can cause unconsciousness or even
death.
Make sure the exhaust system has
no holes or loose connections. The
system should be checked from
time to time. If you hit something,
or notice a change in the sound of
the exhaust, have the system
checked immediately.
Do not run the engine in a garage
or enclosed area except for the
time needed to drive the vehicle in
or out. The exhaust gases cannot
escape, making this a particularly
dangerous situation.
Do not remain for a long time in a
parked vehicle with the engine run-
ning. If it is unavoidable, however,
do so only in an unconfined area
and adjust the heating or cooling
system to force outside air into the
vehicle.
To allow proper operation of your
vehicle’s ventilation system, keep
the inlet grilles in front of the wind-
shield clear of snow, leaves, or oth-
er obstructions.
If you smell exhaust fumes in the
vehicle, drive with the windows
open. Have the cause immediately
located and corrected.
Toyota does not recommend occu-
pying the rear cargo area when it
is fitted with a slide−in camper,
camper shell or other type cover
while the engine is running. This
caution applies to both driving and
stopped or parked situations with
the engine running. Particular care
should be taken to prevent exhaust
gases from entering camper bodies,
trailers or other enclosures on or
around your vehicle. If exhaust
fumes are detected, open all win-
dows and thoroughly ventilate the
area.

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FUNCTIONS OF ENGINE OIL
Engine oil has the primary functions of
lubricating and cooling the inside of the
engine, and plays a major role in main-
taining the engine in proper working order.
ENGINE OIL CONSUMPTION
It is normal that an engine should con-
sume some engine oil during normal
engine operation. The causes of oil
consumption in a normal engine are as
follows.
Oil is used to lubricate pistons, piston
rings and cylinders. A thin film of oil
is left on the cylinder wall when a pis-
ton moves downwards in the cylinder.
High negative pressure generated when
the vehicle is decelerating sucks some
of this oil into the combustion chamber.
This oil as well as some part of the oil
film left on the cylinder wall is burned
by the high temperature combustion
gases during the combustion process.
Oil is also used to lubricate the stems
of the intake valves. Some of this oil
is sucked into the combustion chamber
together with the intake air and is
burned along with the fuel. High tem-
perature exhaust gases also burn the
oil used to lubricate the exhaust valve
stems.
The amount of engine oil consumed de-
pends on the viscosity of the oil, the
quality of the oil and the conditions the
vehicle is driven under.
More oil is consumed by high−speed driv-
ing and frequent acceleration and decel-
eration.
A new engine consumes more oil, since
its pistons, piston rings and cylinder walls
have not become conditioned.
When judging the amount of oil con-
sumption, note that the oil may become
diluted and make it difficult to judge
the true level accurately.
As an example, if a vehicle is used for
repeated short trips, and consumes a nor-
mal amount of oil, the dipstick may not
show any drop in the oil level at all, even
after 1000 km (600 miles) or more. This
is because the oil is gradually becoming
diluted with fuel or moisture, making it
appear that the oil level has not changed. The diluting ingredients evaporate out
when the vehicle is then driven at high
speeds, as on an expressway, making it
appear that oil is excessively consumed
after driving at high speeds.
IMPORTANCE OF ENGINE OIL LEVEL
CHECK
One of the most important points in prop-
er vehicle maintenance is to keep the en-
gine oil at the optimum level so that oil
function will not be impaired. Therefore, it
is essential that the oil level be checked
regularly. Toyota recommends that the oil
level be checked every time you refuel
the vehicle.
NOTICE
Failure to check the oil level regularly
could lead to serious engine trouble
due to insufficient oil.
For detailed information on oil level check,
see Checking the engine oil level" in Sec-
tion 7−2.
Facts about engine oil
consumption

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API service symbol
ILSAC certification mark
Oil identification marks
Either or both API registered marks are
added to some oil containers to help
you select the oil you should use.
The API Service Symbol is located any-
where on the outside of the container.
The top portion of the label shows the oil
quality by API (American Petroleum Insti-
tute) designations such as SJ. The center
portion of the label shows the SAE viscos-
ity grade such as SAE 5W−30. Energy−
Conserving" shown in the lower portion,
indicates that the oil has fuel−saving ca-
pabilities.
The ILSAC (International Lubricant Stan-
dardization and Approval Committee) Certi-
fication Mark is displayed on the front of
the container.Look at the see−through coolant reser-
voir when the engine is cold. The cool-
ant level is satisfactory if it is between
the F" and L" lines on the reservoir.
If the level is low, add ethylene−glycol
type coolant for a proper corrosion
protection of aluminum components.
The coolant level in the reservoir will vary
with engine temperature. However, if the
level is on or below the L" line, add
coolant. Bring the level up to the F" line.
Always use ethylene−glycol type coolant
for a proper corrosion protection of alumi-
num components. See information in the
next column.
If the coolant level drops within a short
time after replenishing, there may be a
leak in the system. Visually check the
radiator, hoses, radiator cap and drain
cock and water pump.
If you can find no leak, have your Toyota
dealer test the cap pressure and check
for leaks in the cooling system.
Checking the engine coolant
level

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CAUTION
To prevent burning yourself, do not
remove the radiator cap when the en-
gine is hot.
Coolant type selection
Use of improper coolants may damage
your engine cooling system. Your coolant
must contain ethylene−glycol type coolant
for a proper corrosion protection of your
engine that contains aluminum
components. Use TOYOTA Long Life
Coolant" or equivalent.
In addition to preventing freezing and
subsequent damage to the engine, this
type of coolant will also prevent corrosion.
Further supplemental inhibitors or additives
are neither needed nor recommended.
Read the coolant container for information
on freeze protection. Follow the manufac-
turer’s directions for how much to mix
with plain water (preferably demineralized
water or distilled water). The total capacity
of the cooling system is given in Section
8. We recommend to use 50% solution for
your Toyota, to provide protection down to
about −35
C (−31 F). When it is extreme-
ly cold, to provide protection down to
about −50 C (−58 F), 60% solution is rec-
ommended. Do not use more than 70%
solution for better coolant performance.NOTICE
Do not use alcohol type antifreeze or
plain water alone.
Checking brake fluid
Ty p e A
Ty p e B

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CAUTION
Do not drive with the snow tires
incorrectly inflated.
Never drive over 120 km/h (75 mph)
with any type of snow tires.
TIRE CHAIN SELECTION
Use the tire chains of correct size.
Regulations regarding the use of tire
chains vary according to location or
type of road, so always check them
before installing chains.
CHAIN INSTALLATION
Install the chains on the rear tires as
tightly as possible. Do not use tire
chains on the front tires. Retighten
chains after driving 0.51.0 km
(1/41/2 mile).
When installing chains on your tires, care-
fully follow the instructions of the chain
manufacturer.
If wheel covers are used, they will be
scratched by the chain band, so remove
the covers before putting on the chains.
CAUTION
Do not exceed 50 km/h (30 mph) or
the chain manufacturer’s recom-
mended speed limit, whichever is
lower.
Drive carefully avoiding bumps,
holes, and sharp turns, which may
cause the vehicle to bounce.
Avoid sharp turns or locked−wheel
braking, as use of chains may ad-
versely affect vehicle handling.
Replacing wheels
WHEN TO REPLACE YOUR WHEELS
If you have wheel damage such as
bending, cracks or heavy corrosion, the
wheel should be replaced.
If you fail to replace damaged wheels, the
tire may slip off the wheel or cause loss
of handling control.
WHEEL SELECTION
When replacing wheels, care should be
taken to ensure that the wheels are re-
placed by ones with the same load ca-
pacity, diameter, rim width, and offset.
Correct replacement wheels are available
at your Toyota dealer.
A wheel of a different size or type may
adversely affect handling, wheel and bear-
ing life, brake cooling, speedometer/odom-
eter calibration, stopping ability, headlight
aim, bumper height, vehicle ground clear-
ance, and tire or snow chain clearance to
the body and chassis.

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ENGINE LUBRICATION
Oil capacity (drain and refill), L (qt., Imp.
qt.):
Two−wheel drive models except Pre
Runner2RZ−FE engineWith filter 5.5(5.8,4.8)
Without filter 4.8(5.0,4.2)
5VZ−FE engine With filter 5.4(5.7,4.8)
Without filter 5.1(5.4,4.5)
Four−wheel drive models and Pre
Runner
3RZ−FE engineWith filter 5.4(5.7,4.8)
Without filter 4.7(5.0,4.1)
5VZ−FE engine With filter 5.2(5.5,4.6)
Without filter 4.9(5.2,4.3)
Oil grade: API grade SJ, Energy−Conserving" or
ILSAC multigrade engine oil is recom-
mended. Recommended oil viscosity (SAE):
COOLING SYSTEM
Total capacity, L (qt., Imp. qt.):
Two−wheel drive models except Pre
RunnerWith manual transmission2RZ−FE engine 8.0(8.5,7.0)
5VZ−FE engine 9.7(10.3,8.5)
With automatic transmission 2RZ−FE engine 7.8(8.2,6.9)
5VZ−FE engine 9.5(10.0,8.4) Four−wheel drive models and Pre
Runner
With manual transmission3RZ−FE engine 8.3(8.8,7.3)
5VZ−FE engine 10.1(10.7,8.9)
With automatic transmission 3RZ−FE engine 8.2(8.7,7.2)
5VZ−FE engine 10.0(10.5,8.8)
Coolant type: TOYOTA Long Life Coolant" or equiva-
lent
With ethylene−glycol type coolant for a
proper corrosion protection of aluminum
components
Do not use alcohol type antifreeze or
plain water alone.
BATTERY
Open voltage
∗ at 20 °C (68 °F):
12.612.8 V Fully charged
12.212.4 V Half charged
11.812.0 V Discharged
∗: Voltage that is checked 20 minutes
after the key is removed with all the
lights turned off
Charging rates: 5 A max.