TOYOTA TACOMA 2010 Owners Manual (in English)

131 1-7. Safety information
1
Before driving
CAUTION
■When installing a child restraint system
●When a booster seat is installed, always ensure that the shoulder belt is
positioned across the center of the child’s shoulder. The belt should be
kept away from the child’s neck, but not so that it could fall off the child’s
shoulder. Failing to do so may result in death or serious injury in the event
of sudden braking, sudden swerving or an accident.
●Ensure that the belt and tab are securely locked and the seat belt is not
twisted.
●Push and pull the child restraint system from side to side and forward to be
sure it is secure.
●After securing the child restraint system, never adjust the seat.
●Follow all installation instructions provided by the child restraint system
manufacturer.
■Do not use a seat belt extender
If a seat belt extender is used when installing a child restraint system, the
seat belt will not securely hold the child restraint system, which could cause
death or serious injury to the child or other passengers in the event of sud-
den braking, sudden swerving or an accident.
■To correctly attach a child restraint system to the anchors
When using the LATCH anchors, be sure that there are no foreign objects
around the anchors and that the seat belt is not caught behind the child
restraint. Make sure the child restraint system is securely attached, or it may
cause death or serious injury to the child or other passengers in the event of
a sudden stop, sudden swerve or accident.
●Only put a forward-facing or booster
child seat on the front seat when it is
unavoidable. When installing a forward
-facing or booster child seat on the front
passenger seat, move the seat as far
back as possible even if AIR BAG OFF
indicator light is illuminated. Failing to
do so may result in death or serious
injury if the airbags deploy (inflate).

132 1-7. Safety information

When driving2
133
2-1. Driving procedures
Driving the vehicle............ 134
Engine (ignition) switch .... 144
Automatic
Transmission.... 147
Manual Transmission ....... 150
Turn signal lever .............. 153
Parking brake ................... 154
Horn ................................. 156
2-2. Gauges and meters
Gauges and meters ......... 157
Indicators and warning
lights .............................. 160
Accessory meter .............. 163
2-3. Operating the lights and
wipers
Headlight switch ............... 164
Fog light switch ................ 166
Windshield wipers and
washer ........................... 1672-4. Using other driving systems
Cruise control ................... 170
Rear view monitor system
(vehicles with auto
anti-glare inside rear
view mirror) .................... 173
Four-wheel drive
system ........................... 177
Active traction control
system ........................... 181
AUTO LSD system........... 183
Rear differential lock
system ........................... 185
Downhill Assist Control
system ........................... 188
Clutch start cancel
switch ............................. 190
Driving assist systems ..... 191
2-5. Driving information
Off-road precautions
(4WD models and
PreRunner) .................... 197
Cargo and luggage .......... 202
Vehicle load limits ............ 207
Winter driving tips ............ 209
Trailer towing ................... 213
Dinghy towing .................. 226

134
2-1. Driving procedures
Driving the vehicle
The following procedures should be observed to ensure safe driv-
ing.
■Starting the engine
P. 144
■Driving
Automatic transmission
With the brake pedal depressed, shift the shift lever to D.
(P. 147)
Release the parking brake. (P. 154)
Gradually release the brake pedal and gently depress the
accelerator pedal to accelerate the vehicle.
Manual transmission
With the clutch pedal fully depressed, shift the shift lever to
1. (P. 150)
Release the parking brake. (P. 154)
Gradually release the clutch pedal. At the same time, gently
depress the accelerator pedal to accelerate the vehicle.
■Stopping
Automatic transmission
With the shift lever in D, depress the brake pedal.
If necessary, set the parking brake.
When the vehicle is stopped for an extended period of time, shift
the shift lever to P or N. (
P. 1 4 7)
Manual transmission
With the clutch pedal fully depressed, depress the brake
pedal.
If necessary, set the parking brake.
When the vehicle is stopped for an extended period of time, shift
the shift lever to N. (P. 150)

135 2-1. Driving procedures
2
When driving
Starting on a steep uphill
Automatic transmission
With the brake pedal depressed, firmly set the parking brake
and shift the shift lever to D.
Gently depress the accelerator pedal.
Release the parking brake.
Manual transmission
With the parking brake firmly set and the clutch pedal fully
depressed, shift the shift lever to 1.
■Parking the vehicle
Automatic transmission
With the shift lever in D, depress the brake pedal.
Set the parking brake. (P. 154)
Shift the shift lever to P. (P. 147)
When parking on a hill, if necessary, block the wheels.
Turn the engine switch off to stop the engine.
Lock the door, making sure that you have the key on your
person.
Manual transmission
With the clutch pedal fully depressed, depress the brake
pedal.
Set the parking brake. (P. 154)
Shift the shift lever to N. (P. 150)
When parking on a hill, shift the shift lever to 1 or R. If necessary,
block the wheels.
Turn the engine switch off to stop the engine.
Lock the door, making sure that you have the key on your
person.

136 2-1. Driving procedures
Lightly depress the accelerator pedal at the same time as
gradually releasing the clutch pedal.
Release the parking brake.
■Driving in the rain
●Drive carefully when it is raining, because visibility will be reduced, the
windows may become fogged-up, and the road will be slippery.
●Drive carefully when it starts to rain, because the road surface will be
especially slippery.
●Refrain from high speeds when driving on an expressway in the rain,
because there may be a layer of water between the tires and the road
surface, preventing the steering and brakes from operating properly.
■Breaking in your new Toyota
To extend the life of the vehicle, the following precautions are recommended
to observe:
●For the first 200 miles (300 km):
Avoid sudden stops.
●For the first 500 miles (800 km):
Do not tow a trailer.
●For the first 1000 miles (1600 km):
• Do not drive at extremely high speeds.
• Avoid sudden acceleration.
• Do not drive continuously in the low gears.
• Do not drive slowly with the manual transmission in a high gear.
• Do not drive at a constant speed for extended periods.
■Operating your vehicle in a foreign country
Comply with the relevant vehicle registration laws and confirm the availability
of the correct fuel. (P. 475)
CAUTION
■When starting the vehicle
Vehicles with an automatic transmission, always keep your foot on the brake
pedal while stopped with the engine running. This prevents the vehicle from
creeping.

137 2-1. Driving procedures
2
When driving
CAUTION
■When driving the vehicle
●Do not drive if you are unfamiliar with the location of the brake and accel-
erator pedals to avoid depressing the wrong pedal.
• Accidentally depressing the accelerator pedal instead of the brake
pedal will result in sudden acceleration that may lead to an accident
that could result in death or serious injury.
• When backing up, you may twist your body around, leading to a diffi-
culty in operating the pedals. Make sure to operate the pedals properly.
• Make sure to keep a correct driving posture even when moving the
vehicle only slightly, allowing you to depress the brake and accelerator
pedals properly.
• Depress the brake pedal using your right foot. Depressing the brake
pedal using your left foot may delay response in an emergency, result-
ing in an accident.
●Do not drive the vehicle over or stop the vehicle near flammable materials.
The exhaust system and exhaust gases can be extremely hot. This may
cause a fire if there is any flammable material nearby.
●Vehicles with an automatic transmission, do not let the vehicle roll back-
wards while the shift lever is in a driving position, or roll forward while the
shift lever is in R.
Doing so may cause the engine to stall or lead to poor brake and steering
performance, resulting in an accident or damage to the vehicle.
●If the smell of exhaust is noticed inside the vehicle, open the windows and
check that the back window is closed. Large amounts of exhaust in the
vehicle can cause driver drowsiness and an accident, resulting in death or
a serious health hazard. Have the vehicle inspected by your Toyota dealer
immediately.
●On vehicles with an automatic transmission, do not shift the shift lever to P
while the vehicle is moving.
Doing so can damage the transmission and may result in a loss of vehicle
control.
●Do not shift the shift lever to R while the vehicle is moving forward.
Doing so can damage the transmission and may result in a loss of vehicle
control.

138 2-1. Driving procedures
CAUTION
●Do not shift the shift lever to D (vehicles with an automatic transmission) or
1 (vehicles with a manual transmission) while the vehicle is moving back-
ward.
Doing so can damage the transmission and may result in a loss of vehicle
control.
●Moving the shift lever to N while the vehicle is moving will disengage the
engine from the transmission. Engine braking is not available when N is
selected.
●During normal driving, do not turn off the engine. Turning the engine off
while driving will not cause loss of steering or braking control, but the
power assist to these systems will be lost. This will make it more difficult to
steer and brake, so you should pull over and stop the vehicle as soon as it
is safe to do so.
However, in the event of an emergency, such as if it becomes impossible
to stop the vehicle in the normal way: (P. 431)
●Use engine braking (downshift) to maintain a safe speed when driving
down a steep hill.
Using the brakes continuously may cause the brakes to overheat and lose
effectiveness. (P. 149151)
●When stopped on an inclined surface, use the brake pedal and parking
brake to prevent the vehicle from rolling backward or forward and causing
an accident.
●Do not adjust the position of the steering wheel, the seat, or the inside or
outside rear view mirrors while driving.
Doing so may result in a loss of vehicle control that can cause accidents
that may result in death or serious injury.
●Always check that all passengers’ arms, heads or other parts of their bod-
ies are not outside the vehicle, as this may result in death or serious injury.
●Do not drive in excess of the speed limit. Even if the legal speed limit per-
mits it, do not drive over 85 mph (140 km/h) unless your vehicle has high-
speed capability tires. Driving over 85 mph (140 km/h) may result in tire
failure, loss of control and possible injury. Be sure to consult a tire dealer
to determine whether the tires on your vehicle are high-speed capability
tires or not before driving at such speeds.

139 2-1. Driving procedures
2
When driving
CAUTION
■When driving on slippery road surfaces
●Sudden braking, acceleration and steering may cause tire slippage and
reduce your ability to control the vehicle, resulting in an accident.
●Sudden changes in engine speed, such as engine braking caused by up-
shifting or down-shifting, may cause the vehicle to skid, resulting in an
accident.
■When driving on slippery road surfaces
●After driving through a puddle, lightly depress the brake pedal to make
sure that the brakes are functioning properly. Wet brake pads may prevent
the brakes from functioning properly. If the brakes on only one side are wet
and not functioning properly, steering control may be affected, resulting in
an accident.
■When shifting the shift lever
Vehicles with an automatic transmission, be careful not to shift the shift lever
with the accelerator pedal depressed.
This may lead to unexpected rapid acceleration of the vehicle that may
cause an accident and result in death or serious injury.
■When the vehicle is stopped
●Do not race the engine.
If the vehicle is in any gear other than P (automatic transmission only) or
N, the vehicle may accelerate suddenly and unexpectedly, and may cause
an accident.
●Do not leave the vehicle with the engine running for a long time.
If such a situation cannot be avoided, park the vehicle in an open space
and check that exhaust fumes do not enter the vehicle interior.
●Vehicles with an automatic transmission, in order to prevent accidents due
to the vehicle rolling away, always keep depressing the brake pedal while
the engine is running, and apply the parking brake as necessary.
●If the vehicle is stopped on an incline, in order to prevent accidents caused
by the vehicle rolling forward or backward, always depress the brake pedal
and securely apply the parking brake as needed.

140 2-1. Driving procedures
CAUTION
●Avoid revving or racing the engine. Running the engine at high speed
while the vehicle is stopped may cause the exhaust system to overheat,
which could result in a fire if combustible material is nearby.
■When the vehicle is parked
●Do not leave glasses, cigarette lighters, spray cans, or soft drink cans in
the vehicle when it is in the sun.
Doing so may result in the following.
• Gas may leak from a cigarette lighter or spray can, and may lead to a
fire.
• The temperature inside the vehicle may cause the plastic lenses and
plastic material of eye glasses to deform or crack.
• Soft drink cans may fracture, causing the contents to spray over the
interior of the vehicle, and may also cause a short circuit in the vehi-
cle’s electrical components.
●Always apply the parking brake, shift the shift lever to P (automatic trans-
mission only), stop the engine and lock the vehicle.
Do not leave the vehicle unattended while the engine is running.
●Do not touch the exhaust pipe while the engine is running or immediately
after turning the engine off.
Doing so may cause burns.
●Do not leave the engine running in an area with snow build-up, or where it
is snowing. If snowbanks build up around the vehicle while the engine is
running, exhaust gases may collect and enter the vehicle. This may lead
to death or a serious health hazard.
■Exhaust gases
Exhaust gases include harmful carbon monoxide (CO) that is colorless and
odorless. Inhaling exhaust gases may lead to death or a serious health haz-
ard.
●If the vehicle is in a poorly ventilated area, stop the engine. In a closed
area, such as a garage, exhaust gases may collect and enter the vehicle.
This may lead to death or a serious health hazard.