TOYOTA TACOMA 2009 Owners Manual (in English)

481
6-1. Specifications
6
Vehicle specifications
NOTICE
■
Notice on gasoline quality
●Do not use leaded gasoline.
Leaded gasoline can cause damage to your vehicle’s three-way catalytic
converters causing the emission control system to malfunction.
● Do not use gasohol other than that stated here.
Other gasohol may cause fuel system damage or vehicle performance
problems.
● Use of unleaded gasoline with an Octane rating lower than 87 may result
in engine knocking. Persistent knocking can lead to engine damage.
■ Fuel-related poor driveability
If after using a different type of fuel, poor driveability is encountered (poor
hot starting, vaporization, engine knocking, etc.), discontinue the use of that
type of fuel.
■ When refueling with gasohol
Take care not to spill gasohol.
It can damage your vehicle’s paint.

482
6-1. Specifications
Tire infor mation
Typical tire symbols
Tire size( P. 484)
DOT and Tire Identification Number (TIN) ( P. 483)
Location of treadwear indicators ( P. 373)
Tire ply composition and materials
Plies are layers of rubber-coated parallel cords. Cords are the
strands which form the plies in a tire.
Uniform tire quality grading
For details, see “Uniform tire quality grading” that follows.
Load limit at maximum cold tire inflation pressure ( P. 487)
Maximum cold tire inflation pressure ( P. 487)
This means the pressure to which a tire may be inflated.
TUBELESS or TUBE TYPE
A tubeless tire does not have a tube and air is directly filled in the
tire. A tube type tire has a tu be inside the tire and the tube
maintains the air pressure.

483
6-1. Specifications
6
Vehicle specifications
Typical DOT and tire identification number (TIN)
DOT symbol
*
Tire Identification Number
(TIN)
Tire manufacturer’s
identification mark
Tire size code
Manufacturer’s optional tire
type code (3 or 4 letters)
Manufacturing week
Manufacturing year
*:The DOT symbol certifies thatthe tire conforms to applicable
Federal Motor Vehicle Safety
Standards.
Radial tires or bias-ply tires
A radial tire has RADIAL on the sidewall. A tire not marked RADIAL
is a bias-ply tire.
Summer tire or all season tire ( P. 377)
An all season tire has M+S on the sidewall. A tire not marked M+S
is a summer tire.

484 6-1. Specifications
Tire size■ Typical tire size information
The illustration indicates typical
tire size.
Tire use
(P = Passenger car,
T = Temporary use)
Section width (millimeters)
Aspect ratio
(tire height to section width)
Tire construction code
(R = Radial, D = Diagonal)
Wheel diameter (inches)
Load index (2 digits or 3 digits)
Speed symbol
(alphabet with one letter)
■ Tire dimensions
Section width
Tire height
Wheel diameter

485
6-1. Specifications
6
Vehicle specifications
Tire section names
Bead
Sidewall
Shoulder
Tread
Belt
Inner liner
Reinforcing rubber
Carcass
Rim lines
Bead wires
Chafer
Uniform tire quality gradingThis information has been prepared in accordance with regulations
issued by the National Highway Tr affic Safety Administration of the
U.S.A. Department of Transportation.
It provides the purchasers and/or prospective purchasers of Toyota
vehicles with information on uniform tire quality grading.
Your Toyota dealer will help answ er any questions you may have as
you read this information.
■ DOT quality grades
All passenger vehicle tires mu st conform to Federal Safety
Requirements in addition to these grades. Quality grades can be
found where applicable on the tire sidewall between tread shoulder
and maximum section width.
For example: Treadwear 200 Traction AA Temperature A

486 6-1. Specifications
■Treadwear
The treadwear grade is a comparative rating based on the wear
rate of the tire when tested und er controlled conditions on a
specified government test course.
For example, a tire graded 150 would wear one and a half (1 - 1/2)
times as well on the government course as a tire graded 100.
The relative performance of tires depends upon the actual conditions
of their use, however, and may depart significantly from the norm due
to variations in driving habits, service practices and differences in
road characteristics and climate.
■ Traction AA, A, B, C
The traction grades, from highest to lowest, are AA, A, B and C,
and they represent the tire’s ab ility to stop on wet pavement as
measured under controlled cond itions on specified government
test surfaces of asphalt and concrete.
A tire marked C may have poor traction performance.
Warning: The traction grade assigned to this tire is based on braking
(straight ahead) traction tests and does not include cornering
(turning) traction.
■ Temperature A, B, C
The temperature grades are A (the highest), B, and C,
representing the tire’s resistance to the generation of heat and its
ability to dissipate heat when te sted under controlled conditions on
a specified indoor laboratory test wheel.
Sustained high temperature can cause the material of the tire to
degenerate and reduce tire life, and excessive temperature can lead
to sudden tire failure.
The grade C corresponds to a level of performance which all
passenger car tires must meet under the Federal Motor Vehicle
Safety Standard No. 109.
Grades B and A represent higher levels of performance on the
laboratory test wheel than the minimum required by law.

487
6-1. Specifications
6
Vehicle specifications
Warning: The temperature grades for this tire are established for a
tire that is properly inflated and not overloaded.
Excessive speed, underinflation,
or excessive loading, either
separately or in combination, can cause heat buildup and possible
tire failure.
Glossary of tire terminology
Tire related termMeaning
Cold tire inflation
pressure
Tire pressure when the vehicle has been
parked for three hours or more, or has not
been driven more than 1 mile or 1.5 km under
that condition
Maximum inflation
pressureThe maximum cold inflated pressure to which a
tire may be inflated, s hown on the sidewall of
the tire
Recommended
inflation pressureCold tire inflation pressure recommended by a
manufacturer
Accessory weight
The combined weight (in excess of those
standard items which may be replaced) of
transmission, power steering, power brakes,
power windows, power seats, radio and heater,
to the extent that these items are available as
factory-installed equipment (whether installed
or not)
Curb weight
The weight of a motor vehicle with standard
equipment, including the maximum capacity of
fuel, oil and coolant, and if so equipped, air
conditioning and additional weight optional
engine
Maximum loaded
vehicle weight
The sum of:
(a) Curb weight
(b) Accessory weight
(c) Vehicle capacity weight
(d) Production options weight

488 6-1. Specifications
Normal occupant
weight150 lb. (68 kg) times the number of occupants
specified in the second column of Table 1
* that
follows
Occupant distributionDistribution of occupants in a vehicle as
specified in the third column of Table 1
* below
Production options
weight
The combined weight of installed regular
production options weighing over 5 lb. (2.3 kg)
in excess of the standard items which they
replace, not previously considered in curb
weight or accessory weight, including heavy
duty brakes, ride levelers, roof rack, heavy duty
battery, and special trim
RimA metal support for a tire or a tire and tube
assembly upon which the tire beads are seated
Rim diameter
(Wheel diameter)Nominal diameter of the bead seat
Rim size designationRim diameter and width
Rim type designationThe industry manufacturer's designation for a
rim by style or code
Rim widthNominal distance between rim flanges
Vehicle capacity
weight (Total load
capacity)The rated cargo and luggage load plus 150 lb.
(68 kg) times the vehicl e's designated seating
capacity
Vehicle maximum load
on the tire
The load on an individual tire that is determined
by distributing to each axle its share of the
maximum loaded vehicle weight, and dividing
by two
Vehicle normal load
on the tire
The load on an individual tire that is determined
by distributing to each axle its share of curb
weight, accessory weight, and normal
occupant weight (distr ibuted in accordance
with Table 1
* below), and dividing it by two
Tire related termMeaning

489
6-1. Specifications
6
Vehicle specifications
Weather sideThe surface area of the rim not covered by the
inflated tire
Bead
The part of the tire that is made of steel wires,
wrapped or reinforced by ply cords and that is
shaped to fit the rim
Bead separationA breakdown of the bond between components
in the bead
Bias ply tire
A pneumatic tire in which the ply cords that
extend to the beads are laid at alternate angles
substantially less than 90 degrees to the
centerline of the tread
CarcassThe tire structure, except tread and sidewall
rubber which, when inflated, bears the load
ChunkingThe breaking away of pieces of the tread or
sidewall
CordThe strands forming the plies in the tire
Cord separationThe parting of cords from adjacent rubber
compounds
CrackingAny parting within the tread, sidewall, or
innerliner of the tire ex
tending to cord material
CT
A pneumatic tire with an inverted flange tire
and rim system in which the rim is designed
with rim flanges pointed radially inward and the
tire is designed to fit on the underside of the
rim in a manner that encloses the rim flanges
inside the air cavity of the tire
Extra load tire
A tire designed to operate at higher loads and
at higher inflation pressures than the
corresponding standard tire
GrooveThe space between two adjacent tread ribs
Innerliner
The layer(s) forming the inside surface of a
tubeless tire that contains the inflating medium
within the tire
Tire related termMeaning

490 6-1. Specifications
Innerliner separationThe parting of the innerliner from cord material
in the carcass
Intended outboard
sidewall
(a)The sidewall that contains a whitewall, bears white lettering, or bears manufacturer,
brand, and/or model name molding that is
higher or deeper than the same molding on
the other sidewall of the tire, or
(b)The outward facing sidewall of asymmetrical tire that has a particular side that must
always face outward when mounted on a
vehicle
Light truck (LT) tire
A tire designated by its manufacturer as
primarily intended for use on lightweight trucks
or multipurpose passenger vehicles
Load ratingThe maximum load that a tire is rated to carry
for a given inflation pressure
Maximum load ratingThe load rating for a tire at the maximum
permissible inflation pressure for that tire
Maximum permissible
inflation pressureThe maximum cold inflation pressure to which
a tire may be inflated
Measuring rimThe rim on which a tire is fitted for physical
dimension requirements
Open spliceAny parting at any junction of tread, sidewall, or
innerliner that extends to cord material
Outer diameterThe overall diameter of an inflated new tire
Overall width
The linear distance between the exteriors of
the sidewalls of an inflated tire, including
elevations due to labeling, decorations, or
protective bands or ribs
Passenger car tire
A tire intended for use on passenger cars,
multipurpose passenger vehicles, and trucks,
that have a gross vehicle weight rating
(GVWR) of 10,000 lb. or less
Tire related termMeaning