TOYOTA TACOMA 2012 Owners Manual (in English)

5
When trouble arises
501
5-1. Essential information
Towing with a wheel lift-type truck from the rear
2WD models Turn the engine switch to the
ACC position.
4WD models We recommend to use a towing
dolly under the front wheels.
When not using a towing dolly,
turn the engine switch to the ACC
position, shift the shift lever to N
and put the front-wheel drive con-
trol switch in H2.
NOTICE
■To prevent damaging the vehicle
●Do not tow the vehicle with the key removed or in the LOCK position.
The steering lock mechanism is not strong enough to hold the front wheel
straight.
● When raising the vehicle, ensure adequate ground clearance for towing at
the opposite end of the raised vehicle. Without adequate clearance, the
vehicle could be damaged while being towed.

502 5-1. Essential information
Using a flat bed truckIf your Toyota is transported by a
flat bed truck, it should be tied
down at the locations shown in
the illustration.
If you use chains or cables to tie
down your vehicle, the angles
shaded in black must be 45.
Do not overly tighten the tie
downs or the vehicle may be
damaged.
Apply the parking brake firmly.
Front

5
When trouble arises
503
5-1. Essential information
If you think something is wrong
If you notice any of the following symptoms, your vehicle probably
needs adjustment or repair. Contact your Toyota dealer as soon as
possible.
■ Visible symptoms
●Fluid leaks under the vehicle
(Water dripping from the air cond itioning after use is normal.)
● Flat-looking tires or uneven tire wear
● Engine coolant temperature g auge needle continually points
higher than normal
■ Audible symptoms
●Changes in exhaust sound
● Excessive tire squeal when cornering
● Strange noises related to the suspension system
● Pinging or other noises related to the engine
■ Operational symptoms
●Engine missing, stumbling or running rough
● Appreciable loss of power
● Vehicle pulls heavily to one side when braking
● Vehicle pulls heavily to one side when driving on a level road
● Loss of brake effectiveness, s pongy feeling, pedal almost
touches the floor

504
5-1. Essential information
Fuel pump shut off system
Follow the procedure below to restart the engine after the system is
activated.Turn the engine switch to the ACC or LOCK position.
Restart the engine.
NOTICE
■Before starting the engine
Inspect the ground under the vehicle.
If you find that fuel has leaked onto the ground, the fuel system has been
damaged and is in need of repair. Do not restart the engine.
To minimize the risk of fuel leakage when the engine stalls or an air-
bag inflates upon collision, the fuel pump shut off system stops sup-
plying fuel to the engine.

5
When trouble arises
505
5-2. Steps to take in an emergency
If a war ning light turns on or a war ning buzzer sounds...
Stop the vehicle immediately. Continuing to drive the vehicle may be dangerous.
The following warning indicates a possible problem in the brake sys-
tem. Immediately stop the vehicle in a safe place and contact your
Toyota dealer.
*: Parking brake engaged warning buzzer:
The buzzer sounds to indicate that parking brake is still engaged (with the
vehicle having reached a speed of 3 mph [5 km/h])
Warning lightWarning light/Details
(U.S.A.)
(Canada) Brake system warning li
ght (warning buzzer)*
• Low brake fluid
• Malfunction in the brake system This light also comes on when the parking brake is
not released. If the light turns off after the parking
brake is fully released, the system is operating nor-
mally.
Calmly perform the following actions if any of the warning lights turn
on or flash. If a light turns on or flashes, but then turns off, this does
not necessarily indicate a malfunction in the system.

506 5-2. Steps to take in an emergency
Stop the vehicle immediately.The following warnings indicate the possibility of damage to the vehi-
cle that may lead to an accident. Immediately stop the vehicle in a
safe place and contact your Toyota dealer.
*: 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 engine
oil level dipstick.
Have the vehicle inspected immediately.
Failing to investigate the cause of the following warnings may lead to
the system operating abnormally and possibly cause an accident.
Have the vehicle inspected by your Toyota dealer immediately.
Warning lightWarning light/Details
Charging system warning light Indicates a malfunction in the vehicle’s charging sys-
tem.
Low engine oil pressure warning light Indicates that the engine oil pressure is too low*.
Warning lightWarning light/Details
(U.S.A.)
(Canada) Malfunction indicator lamp
Indicates a malfunction in:
• The electronic engine control system;
• The electronic throttle control system;
• The electronic automatic transmission control sys-tem; or
• Emission control system.

5
When trouble arises
507
5-2. Steps to take in an emergency
SRS warning light
Indicates a malfunction in:
• The SRS airbag system;
• The front passenger occupant classification system; or
• The seat belt pretensioner system.
(U.S.A.)
(Canada) ABS warning light
Indicates a malfunction in:
• The ABS; or
• The brake assist system.
Slip indicator The indicator comes on to indicate a malfunction in:
• The VSC;
• The TRAC;
• The active traction control system (if equipped);
• The AUTO LSD system;
• The downhill assist control system (if equipped);
• The hill-start assist control system (if equipped); or
• The Trailer Sway Control (if equipped).
(Flashes) Cruise control indicator light (if equipped)
Indicates a malfunction in the cruise control system.
(Flashes or comes on) Automatic transmission
fluid temperature warn-
ing light (if equipped)
• Comes on: Indicates that the automatic transmission fluid temperature is too high.
• Flashes: Indicates a malfunction in the automatic transmission system
Warning lightWarning light/Details

508 5-2. Steps to take in an emergency
Follow the correction procedures.After taking the specified steps to correct the suspected problem,
check that the warning light turns off.
Warning lightWarning light/DetailsCorrection procedure
Open door warning light Indicates that a door is
not fully closed. Check that all doors
are closed.
(On the instrument cluster) Driver’s seat belt
reminder light
(warning buzzer)
*
Warns the driver to fas-
ten his/her seat belt.
Fasten the seat belt.
(On the center panel) Front passenger’s seat
belt reminder light
(warning buzzer)
*
Warns the front passen-
ger to fasten his/her seat
belt.
Fasten the seat belt.

5
When trouble arises
509
5-2. Steps to take in an emergency
Tire pressure warning
light
When the light comes on:
Low tire inflation pressure
such as
• Natural causes
( P. 510)
• Flat tire ( P. 515) Adjust the tire inflation
pressure to the speci-
fied level.
The light will turn off
after a few minutes.
In case the light
does not turn off
even if the tire infla-
tion pressure is
adjusted, have the
system checked by
your Toyota dealer.
• When the light stays on after blinking for 1
minute: Malfunction in
the tire pressure warning
system. ( P. 511) Have the system
checked by your
Toyota dealer.
Low fuel level warning
light
Low level of fuel. Refuel the vehicle.
(U.S.A.) Engine oil replacement
reminder light
• Illuminates for about 3
seconds and then flashes
for about 15 seconds: Indi-
cates that the engine oil is
scheduled to be changed. Check the engine oil,
and change if neces-
sary.
• Comes on and remains: Indicates that the engine
oil should be changed. Check and change the
engine oil.
Warning lightWarning light/DetailsCorrection procedure

510 5-2. Steps to take in an emergency
*: Driver’s and front passenger’s seat belt buzzer:The driver’s and front passenger’s seat belt buzzer sounds to alert the driver
and front passenger that their seat belt is not fastened. Once the engine
switch is turned to the ON or START position, the buzzer sounds for 6 sec-
onds. The buzzer sounds once if the driver’s or front passenger’s seat belt is
unfastened when the vehicle reaches a speed of 12 mph (20 km/h). Then, if
the seat belt is still unfastened after 30 seconds elapse, the buzzer will
sound intermittently for approximately 10 seconds, followed by a different
tone for approximately 20 more seconds.
■ Key reminder buzzer
The buzzer indicates that the key has not been removed (with the engine
switch in the ACC or LOCK position and the driver’s door opened).
■ If the malfunction indicator lamp comes on while driving
First check the following:
● Is your vehicle low on gas?
If it is, refuel the vehicle immediately.
● Is the fuel tank cap loose?
If it is, tighten it securely.
The light will go off after taking several driving trips.
If the light does not go off even after several trips, contact your Toyota dealer
as soon as possible.
■ Front passenger detect ion sensor and passenger seat belt reminder
If luggage or other load is placed on the front passenger seat, depending on
its weight, the reminder light to flash and buzzer to sound.
■
When the tire pressure warning light comes on
Check the tire inflation pressure and adjust to the appropriate level.
Pushing the tire pressure warning reset switch does not turn off the tire
pressure warning light.
■The tire pressure warning light ma y turn on due to natural causes
The tire pressure warning light may turn on due to natural causes such
as natural air leaks or tire inflation pressure changes caused by temper-
ature. In this case, adjusting the ti re inflation pressure will turn off the
warning light (after a few minutes).