TOYOTA TACOMA 2021 Owners Manual (in English)

1714-1. Before driving
4
Driving
■Breaking in your new Toyota
To extend the life of the vehicle, observing the following prec autions is recom-
mended:
● 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 low gears.
• 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. 548)
■ When turning off the engine
The emission system operating sounds may continue for a short time after
the engine is turned off. This is not a malfunction, and helps to ensure optimal
performance of the emission system.

1724-1. Before driving
WARNING
Observe the following precautions.
Failure to do so may result in death or serious injury.
■When starting the vehicle (vehic les with an automatic transmission)
Always keep your foot on the brake pedal while stopped with the engine
running. 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 b rake
pedal will result in sudden acceleration that may lead to an accident.
• When backing up, you may twist your body around, leading to di fficulty
in operating the pedals. Make sure to operate the pedals proper ly.
• Make sure to keep a correct driving posture even when moving t he
vehicle only slightly. This allows you to depress the brake and accelera-
tor 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. Thes e hot
parts may cause a fire if there is any flammable material nearby.
● During normal driving, do not turn off the engine. Turning the engine off
while driving will not cause loss of steering or braking contro l, but the
power assist to these systems will be lost. This will make it m ore difficult to
steer and brake, so you should pull over and stop the vehicle a s soon as it
is safe to do so.
However, in the event of an emergency, such as if it becomes im possible
to stop the vehicle in the normal way: P. 467
● 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. 210, 215)
● Do not adjust the positions 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.
● Always check that all passengers’ arms, heads or other parts of their body
are not outside the vehicle.

1734-1. Before driving
4
Driving
WARNING
Observe the following precautions.
Failure to do so may result in death or serious injury.
■When driving the vehicle
● Do not drive in excess of the speed limit. Even if the legal sp eed limit per-
mits it, do not drive over 85 mph (140 km/h) unless your vehicl e has high-
speed capability tires. Driving over 85 mph (140 km/h) may resu lt 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 c apability
tires or not before driving at such speeds.
■ When driving on slippery road surfaces
● Sudden braking, acceleration and steering may cause tire slippa ge and
reduce your ability to control the vehicle.
● Sudden acceleration, engine braking due to shifting, or changes in engine
speed could cause the vehicle to skid.
● After driving through a puddle, lightly depress the brake pedal to make
sure that the brakes are functioning properly. Wet brake pads m ay prevent
the brakes from functioning properly. If the brakes on only one side are wet
and not functioning properly, steering control may be affected.
■ When shifting the shift lever
● On vehicles with an automatic transmission, do not let the vehi cle roll
backward while the shift lever is in a driving position, or rol l forward while
the shift lever is in R.
Doing so may cause the engine to stall or lead to poor brake an d steering
performance, resulting in an accident or damage to the vehicle.
● On vehicles with an automatic transmission, do not shift the sh ift 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 o f vehicle
control.
● Do not shift the shift lever to a driving position while the ve hicle is moving
backward.
Doing so can damage the transmission and may result in a loss o f 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 w hen N is
selected.
● On vehicles with an automatic transmission, be careful not to s hift the shift
lever with the accelerator pedal depressed. Shifting the shift lever to a
gear other than P or N may lead to moving unexpectedly of the vehicle
that may cause an accident.

1744-1. Before driving
WARNING
■If you hear a squealing or scrap ing noise (brake pad wear limit indica-
tors)
Have the brake pads checked and replaced by your Toyota dealer as soon
as possible.
Rotor damage may result if the pads are not replaced when neede d.
It is dangerous to drive the vehicle when the wear limits of the brake pads
and/or those of the brake discs are exceeded.
■ When the vehicle is stopped
● Do not race the engine.
If the vehicle is in any gear other than P (automatic transmiss ion only) or
N, the vehicle may move suddenly and unexpectedly, causing an a ccident.
● On vehicles with an automatic transmission, in order to prevent accidents
due to the vehicle rolling away, always keep depressing the bra ke pedal
while the engine is running, and apply the parking brake as nec essary.
● If the vehicle is stopped on an incline, in order to prevent ac cidents caused
by the vehicle rolling forward or backward, always depress the brake pedal
and securely apply the parking brake as needed.
● Avoid revving or racing the engine.
Running the engine at high speed while the vehicle is stopped m ay 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 d rink 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 le ad to a
fire.
• The temperature inside the vehicle may cause the plastic lenses and plastic material of glasses to deform or crack.
• Soft drink cans may rupture, causing the contents to spray ove r the
interior of the vehicle, and may also cause a short circuit in the vehicle’s
electrical components.
● Do not leave cigarette lighters in the vehicle. If a cigarette lighter is in a
place such as the glove box or on the floor, it may be lit acci dentally when
luggage is loaded or the seat is adjusted, causing a fire.
● Do not attach adhesive discs to the windshield or windows. Do n ot place
containers such as air fresheners on the instrument panel or da shboard.
Adhesive discs or containers may act as lenses, causing a fire in the vehi-
cle.

1754-1. Before driving
4
Driving
WARNING
●Do not leave a door or window open if the curved glass is coate d with a
metallized film such as a silver-colored one. Reflected sunligh t may cause
the glass to act as a lens, causing a fire.
● On vehicles with an automatic transmission, always apply the pa rking
brake, shift the shift lever to P, stop the engine and lock the vehicle.
Do not leave the vehicle unattended while the engine is running .
If the vehicle is parked with the shift lever in P but the park ing brake is not
set, the vehicle may start to move, possibly leading to an acci dent.
● Do not touch the exhaust pipes while the engine is running or i mmediately
after turning the engine off.
Doing so may cause burns.
■ When taking a nap in the vehicle
Always turn the engine off. Otherwise, if you accidentally move the shift
lever or depress the accelerator pedal, this could cause an acc ident or fire
due to engine overheating. Additionally, if the vehicle is park ed in a poorly
ventilated area, exhaust gases may collect and enter the vehicl e, leading to
death or a serious health hazard.
■ When braking
● When the brakes are wet, drive more cautiously.
Braking distance increases when the brakes are wet, and this ma y cause
one side of the vehicle to brake differently than the other sid e. Also, the
parking brake may not securely hold the vehicle.
● If the brake booster device does not operate, do not follow oth er vehicles
closely and avoid hills or shar p turns that require braking.
In this case, braking is still possible, but the brake pedal sh ould be
depressed more firmly than usual. Also, the braking distance wi ll increase.
Have your brakes fixed immediately.
● Do not pump the brake pedal if the engine stalls.
Each push on the brake pedal uses up the reserve for the power-assisted
brakes.
● The brake system consists of 2 individual hydraulic systems; if one of the
systems fails, the other will still operate. In this case, the brake pedal
should be depressed more firmly than usual and the braking dist ance will
increase. Have your brakes fixed immediately.
■ If the vehicle becomes stuck
Do not spin the wheels excessively when any of the tires is up in the air, or
the vehicle is stuck in sand, mud, etc. This may damage the driveline com-
ponents or propel the vehicle forward or backward, causing an a ccident.

1764-1. Before driving
NOTICE
■When driving the vehicle
● Do not depress the accelerator and brake pedals at the same tim e during
driving, as this may restrain the engine output.
Vehicles with an automatic transmission
● Do not use the accelerator pedal or depress the accelerator and brake
pedals at the same time to hold the vehicle on a hill.
Vehicles with a manual transmission
● Do not shift gears unless the clutch pedal is fully depressed. After shifting,
do not release the clutch abruptly. Doing so may damage the clu tch, trans-
mission and gears.
● Do not rest your foot on the clutch pedal while driving.
Doing so may cause clutch trouble.
● Do not use any gear other than the first gear when starting off and moving
forward.
Doing so may damage the clutch.
● Do not use the clutch to hold the vehicle when stopping on an uphill grade.
Doing so may damage the clutch.
● Do not shift the shift lever to R when the vehicle is still moving. Doing so
may damage the clutch, transmission and gears.
■ When parking the vehicle (vehicl es with an automatic transmission)
Always set the parking brake, and shift the shift lever to P. F ailure to do so
may cause the vehicle to move or the vehicle may move suddenly if the
accelerator pedal is accidentally depressed.
■ Avoiding damage to vehicle parts
● Do not turn the steering wheel fully in either direction and ho ld it there for
an extended period of time.
Doing so may damage the power steering pump.
● When driving over bumps in the road, drive as slowly as possibl e to avoid
damaging the wheels, underside of the vehicle, etc.

1774-1. Before driving
4
Driving
NOTICE
■If you get a flat tire while driving
A flat or damaged tire may cause the following situations. Hold the steering
wheel firmly and gradually depress the brake pedal to slow down the vehi-
cle.
● It may be difficult to control your vehicle.
● The vehicle will make abnormal sounds or vibrations.
● The vehicle will lean abnormally.
Information on what to do in case of a flat tire ( P. 505)
■ When encountering flooded roads
Do not drive on a road that has flooded after heavy rain, etc. Doing so may
cause the following serious damage to the vehicle:
● Engine stalling
● Short in electrical components
● Engine damage caused by water immersion
In the event that you drive on a flooded road and the vehicle i s flooded, be
sure to have your Toyota dealer check the following:
● Brake function
● Changes in quantity and quality of oil and fluid used for the engine, trans-
mission, transfer (4WD models) differentials, etc.
● Lubricant condition for the propeller shaft, bearings and suspe nsion joints
(where possible), and the function of all joints, bearings, etc .

1784-1. Before driving
Cargo and luggage
Side rails
To use the deck rails, you must
install genuine Toyota accessories
or their equivalent for the deck
rails.
Follow the manufacturer’s instruc-
tions and precautions when install-
ing a genuine Toyota accessory or
equivalent.
Take notice of the following information about storage precau-
tions, cargo capacity and load:● Stow cargo and luggage in the rear deck whenever possible.
● Be sure all items are secured in place.
● Be careful to keep the vehicle level. Placing the weight as far for-
ward as possible helps m aintain vehicle balance.
● For better fuel economy, do no t carry unnecessary weight.
Deck rails
1
WARNING
■When you secure cargo with the deck rails
Be sure to follow the instructions below in order to avoid the cargo coming
loose.
● Do not install accessories (tie-down cleats, storage boxes, etc .) at more
than the following number of locations per deck rail.
• Side rail: Short deck—Max. 3 locations
Long deck—Max. 4 locations
● Spread out tie-down/support locations evenly along the length o f the rails.
● Do not exceed a total tensile load of 440 lb. (200 kg) per deck rail.
● To prevent luggage or cargo from sliding forward during braking , make
sure the deck rail accessories such as storage box are securely attached
on the deck rails.

1794-1. Before driving
4
Driving
Cargo capacity depends on the total weight of the occupants.
(Cargo capacity) = (Total load capacity)  (Total weight of occupants)
Steps for Determining Correct Load Limit —
(1) Locate the statement “The co mbined weight of occupants and
cargo should never exceed XXX kg or XXX lbs.” on your vehicle’s
placard.
(2) Determine the combined weight of the driver and passengers t hat
will be riding in your vehicle.
(3) Subtract the combined weight of the driver and passengers fr om
XXX kg or XXX lbs.
(4) The resulting figure equals the available amount of cargo an d lug-
gage load capacity.
For example, if the “XXX” amount equals 1400 lbs. and there wil l be
five 150 lb passengers in your vehicle, the amount of available
cargo and luggage load capacity is 650 lbs. (1400  750 (5150) =
650 lbs.)
(5) Determine the combined weight of luggage and cargo being loa ded
on the vehicle. That weight may n ot safely exceed the available
cargo and luggage load capac ity calculated in Step 4.
(6) If your vehicle will be towing a trailer, load from your tra iler will be
transferred to your vehicle. Consult this manual to determine h ow
this reduces the available cargo and luggage load capacity of y our
vehicle. ( P. 182)
Capacity and distribution

1804-1. Before driving
Cargo capacity
Total load capacity (vehicle
capacity weight) (P. 535)
When 2 people with the combined weight of A lb. (kg) are riding in
your vehicle, which has a total load capacity (vehicle capacity weight)
of B lb. (kg), the available amount of cargo and luggage load c apacity
will be C lb. (kg) as follows:
B
*2 lb. (kg)  A*1 lb. (kg) = C*3 lb. (kg)
*1: A = Weight of people
*2: B = Total load capacity
*3: C = Available cargo and luggage load
In this condition, if 3 more passengers with the combined weigh t of
D lb. (kg) get on, the availabl e cargo and luggage load will be reduced
E lb. (kg) as follows:
C lb. (kg)  D*4 lb. (kg) = E*5 lb. (kg)
*4: D = Additional weight of people
*5: E = Available cargo and luggage load
As shown in the above example, if the number of occupants
increases, the cargo and luggage load will be reduced by an amo unt
that equals the increased weight due to the additional occupant s. In
other words, if an increase in the number of occupants causes a n
excess of the total load capacity (combined weight of occupants plus
cargo and luggage load), you must reduce the cargo and luggage on
your vehicle.
Calculation formul a for your vehicle
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