TOYOTA TACOMA 2018 Owners Manual (in English)

4917-1. Maintenance and care
7
Maintenance and care
■Aluminum wheels (if equipped)
●Remove any dirt immediately by using a neutral detergent.
● Wash detergent off with water immediately after use.
● To protect the paint from damage, make sure to observe the following pre-
cautions.
• Do not use acidic, alkaline or abrasive detergent
• Do not use hard brushes
• Do not use detergent on the wheels when they are hot, such as after driv-
ing or parking in hot weather
■ Bumpers and side moldings
Do not scrub with abrasive cleaners.
WARNING
■When washing the vehicle
Do not apply water to the inside of the engine compartment. Doing so may
cause the electrical components, etc., to catch fire.
■ Precautions regarding the exhaust pipe
Exhaust gases cause the exhaust pipe to become quite hot.
When washing the vehicle, be careful not to touch the pipe unti l it has
cooled sufficiently, as touching hot exhaust pipe can cause bur ns.

4927-1. Maintenance and care
NOTICE
■To prevent paint deterioration an d corrosion on the body and compo-
nents (aluminum wheels, etc.)
● Wash the vehicle immediately in the following cases:
• After driving near the sea coast
• After driving on salted roads
• If coal tar or tree sap is present on the paint surface
• If dead insects, insect droppings or bird droppings are presen t on the
paint surface
• After driving in an area contaminated with soot, oily smoke, mine dust,
iron powder or chemical substances
• If the vehicle becomes heavily soiled with dust or mud
• If liquids such as benzene and gasoline are spilled on the paint surface
● If the paint is chipped or scratched, have it repaired immediat ely.
● To prevent the wheels from corroding, remove any dirt and store in a place
with low humidity when storing the wheels.
● Clean the drainage hole of the deck
regularly.
If the drainage hole is stopped up, the
water will not be able to flow, and it will
cause rust.

4937-1. Maintenance and care
7
Maintenance and care
NOTICE
■Cleaning the exterior lights
● Wash carefully. Do not use organic substances or scrub with a h ard brush.
This may damage the surfaces of the lights.
● Do not apply wax to the surfaces of the lights.
Wax may cause damage to the lenses.
■ When using a high pressure car wash
Do not bring the nozzle tip close to boots (rubber or resin man ufactured
cover), connectors or the following parts. The parts may be damaged if they
come into contact with high-pressure water.
• Traction related parts
• Steering parts
• Suspension parts
• Brake parts
■ Cleaning the high mounted stoplight and cargo lamps
When using high-pressured car washers, the tip of the nozzle sh ould be at
least 20 in. (50 cm) from the car body. Water can seep lamp hou sing or the
vehicle cabin if the nozzle is closer to the car body.

4947-1. Maintenance and care
Cleaning and protecting the vehicle interior
●Remove dirt and dust using a vacuum cleaner. Wipe dirty surface s
with a cloth dampened with lukewarm water.
● If dirt cannot be removed, wipe it off with a soft cloth dampen ed with
neutral detergent dilut ed to approximately 1%.
Wring out any excess water from the cloth and thoroughly wipe o ff
remaining traces of detergent and water.
● Remove dirt and dust using a vacuum cleaner.
● Wipe off any excess dirt and du st with a soft cloth dampened wi th
diluted detergent.
Use a diluted water solution of approximately 5% neutral wool d etergent.
●Wring out any excess water from the cloth and thoroughly wipe o ff
all remaining traces of detergent.
● Wipe the surface with a dry, soft cloth to remove any remaining
moisture. Allow the leather to dry in a shaded and ventilated a rea.
● Remove dirt and dust using a vacuum cleaner.
● Wipe it off with a soft cloth da mpened with neutral detergent d iluted
to approximately 1%.
● Wring out any excess water from the cloth and thoroughly wipe o ff
remaining traces of detergent and water.
The following procedures will hel p protect your vehicle’s interior
and keep it in top condition:
Protecting the vehicle interior
Cleaning the leather areas
Cleaning the synthetic leather areas

4957-1. Maintenance and care
7
Maintenance and care
■Caring for leather areas
Toyota recommends cleaning the interior of the vehicle at least twice a year to
maintain the quality of the vehicle’s interior.
■ Shampooing the carpets
There are several commercial foaming-type cleaners available. U se a sponge
or brush to apply the foam. Rub in overlapping circles. Do not use water.
Wipe dirty surfaces and let them dry. Excellent results are obt ained by keep-
ing the carpet as dry as possible.
■ Seat belts
Clean with mild soap and lukewarm water using a cloth or sponge . Also
check the belts periodically for excessive wear, fraying or cut s.
WARNING
■Water in the vehicle
● Do not splash or spill liquid in the vehicle.
Doing so may cause electrical components, etc., to malfunction or catch
fire.
● Do not get any of the SRS components or wiring in the vehicle i nterior wet.
( P. 36)
An electrical malfunction may cause the airbags to deploy or no t function
properly, resulting in death or serious injury.
■ Cleaning the interior (esp ecially instrument panel)
Do not use a polish wax or polish cleaner. The instrument panel may reflect
off the windshield, obstructing the driver’s view and leading t o an accident,
resulting in death or serious injury.

4967-1. Maintenance and care
NOTICE
■Cleaning detergents
● Do not use the following types of detergent, as they may discol or the vehi-
cle interior or cause streaks or damage to painted surfaces:
• Non-seat portions: Organic substances such as benzene or gasol ine,
alkaline or acidic solutions, dye, and bleach
• Seats: Alkaline or acidic solutions, such as thinner, benzene, and alcohol
● Do not use a polish wax or polish cleaner. The instrument panel’s or other
interior part’s painted surface may be damaged.
■ Preventing damage to leather surfaces
Observe the following precautions to avoid damage to and deterioration of
leather surfaces:
● Remove any dust or dirt from leather surfaces immediately.
● Do not expose the vehicle to direct sunlight for extended perio ds of time.
Park the vehicle in the shade, especially during summer.
● Do not place items made of vinyl, plastic, or containing wax on the uphol-
stery, as they may stick to the leather surface if the vehicle interior heats
up significantly.
■ Water on the floor
Do not wash the vehicle floor with water.
Vehicle systems such as the audio system may be damaged if wate r comes
into contact with electrical components such as the audio syste m above or
under the floor of the vehicle. Water may also cause the body to rust.
■ When cleaning the inside of the windshield (vehicles with Toyota
Safety Sense P)
Do not allow glass cleaner to contact the lens. Also, do not to uch the lens.
( P. 230)

4977-2. Maintenance
7
Maintenance and care
Maintenance requirements
General maintenance should be performed on a daily basis. This can
be done by yourself or by a Toyota dealer.
Scheduled maintenance should be performed at specified intervals
according to the maintenance schedule.
For details about maintenance items and schedules, refer to the “Sched-
uled Maintenance Guide” or “Owner’s Manual Supplement”.
You can perform som e maintenance procedures by yourself.
Please be aware that do-it-yourse lf maintenance may affect warranty
coverage.
The use of Toyota Repair Manuals is recommended.
For details about warranty coverage, see the separate “Owner’s Warranty
Information Booklet” or “Owner’s Manual Supplement”.
■ Repair and replacement
It is recommended that genuine Toyota parts be used for repairs to ensure
performance of each system. If non-Toyota parts are used in rep lacement or if
a repair shop other than a Toyota dealer performs repairs, conf irm the war-
ranty coverage.
To ensure safe and economical driving, day-to-day care and reg-
ular maintenance are essential. I t is the owner’s responsibility to
perform regular checks. Toyota recommends the following main-
tenance:
General maintenance
Scheduled maintenance
Do-it-yourself maintenance

4987-2. Maintenance
■Resetting the message indicating ma intenance is required (U.S.A. only)
After the required maintenance is performed according to the ma intenance
schedule, please reset the message.
To reset the message, follow the procedure described below:
Press “<” or “>” of meter control switches and select on the m ulti-infor-
mation display.
Press “
” or “” of meter control switches and select “Settings”, and then
press .
Press “
” or “” of meter control switches and select “Maintenance Reset”,
and then press .
Select the “YES” and press .
■ Allow inspection and repairs to b e performed by a Toyota dealer
● Toyota technicians are well-trained specialists and are kept up to date with
the latest service information. They are well informed about th e operations
of all systems on your vehicle.
● Keep a copy of the repair order. It proves that the maintenance that has
been performed is under warranty coverage. If any problem should arise
while your vehicle is under warranty, your Toyota dealer will p romptly take
care of it.
WARNING
■ If your vehicle is no t properly maintained
Improper maintenance could result in serious damage to the vehi cle and
possible death or serious injury.
■ Handling of the battery
● Engine exhaust, some of its constituents, and a wide variety of automobile
components contain or emit chemicals known to the State of California to
cause cancer and birth defects and other reproductive harm. Wor k in a
well ventilated area.
● Oils, fuels and fluids contained in vehicles as well as waste p roduced by
component wear contain or emit chemicals known to the State of Califor-
nia to cause cancer and birth defects or other reproductive har m. Avoid
exposure and wash any affected area immediately.
● Battery posts, terminals and related accessories contain lead a nd lead
compounds which are known to cause brain damage. Wash your hand s
after handling. ( P. 516)
1
2
3
4

4997-2. Maintenance
7
Maintenance and care
General maintenance
Listed below are the general maintenance items that should be
performed at the intervals specified in the “Owner’s Warranty
Information Booklet” or “Own er’s Manual Supplement/Sched-
uled Maintenance Guide”. It is recommended that any problem
you notice should be brought to the attention of your Toyota
dealer or qualified s ervice shop for advice.
Engine compartment
ItemsCheck points
BatteryCheck the connections. (P. 516)
Brake fluidIs the brake fluid at the correct level? ( P. 513)
Engine coolantIs the engine coolant at the correct level? ( P. 511)
Engine oilIs the engine oil at the correct level? (P. 509)
Exhaust systemThere should not be any fumes or strange sounds.
Power steering fluidIs the power steering fluid at correct level?
(P. 514)
Radiator/condenserThe radiator and condenser should be free from for-
eign objects. ( P. 513)
Washer fluidIs there sufficient washer fluid? (P. 518)

5007-2. Maintenance
Vehicle interior
ItemsCheck points
Accelerator pedal• The accelerator pedal should move smoothly(without uneven pedal effort or catching).
Automatic transmission
“Park” mechanism• When parked on a slope and the shift lever isin P, is the vehicle securely stopped?
Brake pedal
• Does the brake pedal move smoothly?
• Does the brake pedal have appropriate clear-ance from the floor? ( P. 632)
• Does the brake pedal have the correct amount of free play? ( P. 632)
Brakes
• The vehicle should not pull to one side when
the brakes are applied.
• The brakes should work effectively.
• The brake pedal should not feel spongy.
• The brake pedal should not get too close to the floor when the brakes are applied.
Clutch pedal
• Does the clutch pedal move smoothly?
• Does the clutch pedal have correct amount of
free play?
Head restraints• Do the head restraints move smoothly andlock securely?
Indicators/buzzers• Do the indicators and buzzers function prop-erly?
Parking brake
• Does the parking brake lever move smoothly?
• When parked on a slope and the parkingbrake is on, is the vehicle securely stopped?
Seat belts• Do the seat belts operate smoothly?
• The seat belts should not be damaged.
Seats• Do the seat controls operate properly?
Steering wheel
• Does the steering wheel rotate smoothly?
• Does the steering wheel have the correctamount of free play?
• There should not be any strange sounds com-
ing from the steering wheel.