automatic transmission TOYOTA TACOMA 2012 Owners Manual (in English)

TABLE OF CONTENTSIndex
2
1-1. Key informationKeys ..................................... 34
1-2. Opening, closing and locking
the doors
Wireless remote control ....... 36
Side doors ............................ 39
Access doors (Access Cab models only) ....................... 43
Tailgate ................................ 44
1-3. Adjustable components
(seats, mirrors, steering
wheel)
Front seats ........................... 49
Rear seats (Access Cab and Double Cab models) .......... 54
Head restraints ..................... 58
Seat belts ............................. 63
Steering wheel ..................... 69
Anti-glare inside rear view mirror .................................. 70
Outside rear view mirrors ..... 75
1-4. Opening and clos ing
the windows
Pow er windows .................... 78
Back window (vehicles with sliding type) ........................ 80
1-5. Refueling Opening the fuel tank cap .... 81 1-6. Theft deterrent system
Engine immobilizer system ... 84
1-7. Safety information Correct driving posture ......... 87
SRS airbags ......................... 89
Front passenger occupant classification system ......... 103
Child restraint systems ....... 108
Installing child restraints ..... 112
2-1. Driving procedures Driving the vehicle .............. 132
Engine (ignition) switch....... 143
Automatic transmission ...... 146
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
2-3. Operating the li ghts and
wipers
Headlight switch ................. 164
Fog light switch ................... 167
Windshield wipers and washer .............................. 168
1Before driving
2When driving

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
5
4-3. Do-it-yourself maintenanceDo-it-yourself service precautions ....................... 430
Hood ................................... 434
Engine compartment ........... 436
Tires .................................... 452
Tire inflation pressure ......... 461
Wheels ................................ 466
Air conditioning filter............ 469
Wireless remote control battery ............................... 472
Checking and replacing fuses ................................. 474
Light bulbs........................... 484
5-1. Essential information Emergency flashers ............ 496
If your vehicle needs to be towed ........................... 497
If you think something is wrong ................................ 503
Fuel pump shut off system .............................. 504 5-2. Steps to take in an emergency
If a warning light turns on or a warning buzzer
sounds... .......................... 505
If you have a flat tire ........... 515
If the engine will not start.... 532
If the shift lever cannot be shifted from P (vehicles
with an automatic
transmission) .................... 533
If you lose your keys........... 534
If the vehicle battery is discharged........................ 535
If your vehicle overheats .... 539
If the vehicle becomes stuck ................................. 542
If your vehicle has to be stopped in
an emergency .................. 544
6-1. Specifications Maintenance data (fuel, oil level, etc.) ........... 548
Fuel information.................. 569
Tire information .................. 572
6-2. Customization Customizable features........ 583
Items to initialize ................. 587
5When trouble arises
6Vehicle specifications

17
Bench type front seat
Separated type front seats with an automatic transmission
Shift lever P. 146, 150Cup holders P. 367
Shift lever P. 146
Cup holders
P. 367
1: If equipped
Shift lock override button P. 533
Cup holders

P. 367
Shift lock override button2 P. 533
2: Vehicles with an automatic transmission

21
Pictorial indexInstrument panel
Auxiliary box P. 370
Gauges and meters P. 157
Hood lock release lever P. 434
Tilt and telescopic steering
lock release lever
P. 69
Bottle holders P. 369
Parking brake pedal P. 154
Tire pressure warning
reset switch
P. 453
: Vehicles with an automatic transmission

When driving2
131
2-1. Driving proceduresDriving the vehicle............ 132
Engine (ignition) switch .... 143
Automatic transmission .... 146
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
2-3. Operating the lights and wipers
Headlight switch ............... 164
Fog light switch ................ 167
Windshield wipers and washer ........................... 168 2-4. Using other driving systems
Cruise control ................... 174
Rear view monitor system (vehicles with auto
anti-glare inside rear
view mirror) .................... 178
Four-wheel drive system ........................... 186
Active traction control system ........................... 190
AUTO LSD system........... 192
Rear differential lock system ........................... 194
Downhill Assist Control system ........................... 197
Clutch start cancel switch ............................. 199
Driving assist systems ..... 200
2-5. Driving information Off-road precautions (4WD models and
PreRunner) .................... 207
Cargo and luggage .......... 212
Vehicle load limits ............ 217
Winter driving tips ............ 219
Trailer towing ................... 223
Dinghy towing .................. 244

132
2-1. Driving procedures
Driving the vehicle
The following procedures should be observed to ensure safe driv-
ing.
■ Starting the engine
P. 143
■ Driving
Automatic transmission
With the brake pedal depressed, shift the shift lever to D. ( P. 146)
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 6)
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)

133
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.
■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. 146)
When parking on a hill, if necessary, block the wheels.
Turn the engine switch to the LOCK position 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 to the LOCK position to stop the
engine.
Lock the door, making sure that you have the key on your
person.

135
2-1. Driving procedures
2
When driving
CAUTION
■
When starting the vehicle (vehicl es with an automatic transmission)
Always keep your foot on the brake pedal while stopped with the engine run-
ning. This prevents the vehicle from creeping.
■ 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 st op 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.
● On vehicles with an automatic transmission, do not let the vehicle roll
backwards 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.

136 2-1. Driving procedures
CAUTION
■When driving the vehicle
●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.
● 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. 544
● 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. 146150)
● 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.

137
2-1. Driving procedures
2
When driving
CAUTION
■
When driving the vehicle
●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.
■ 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.
● 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
On 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.
● On 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.