TOYOTA TACOMA 2021 Owners Manual (in English)

1914-1. Before driving
4
Driving
Use the correct trailer ball for your application.Trailer ball load rating
Matches or exceeds the gross
trailer weight rating of the trailer.
Ball diameter
Matches the size of the trailer cou-
pler. Most couplers are stamped
with the required trailer ball size.
Shank length
Protrudes beyond the bottom of the lock washer and nut by at le ast 2
threads.
Shank diameter
Matches the ball mount hole diameter size.
Weight carrying ball position:
52.0 in. (1320.8 mm)
Hitch receiver pin hole position:
45.2 in. (1148.8 mm)
Selecting trailer ball
1
2
Trailer classIVII and IIII
Typical trailer ball size2 5/16 in.2 in.1 7/8 in.
Positions for towing hitch receiver and hitch ball
3
4
1
2

1924-1. Before driving
Use the wire harness stored in the
rear end of the vehicle.
The tow lighting system is
designed for 54 watts/4.5 amps of
electrical current per side (right
and left) for the trailer brake/turn
light functions.
Please contact your Toyota dealer
with any questions or concerns.
■ Service connector for towing br ake controller (vehicles with a towing
package)
Connecting trailer lights
Your vehicle is equipped with a service
connector for the trailer brake controller
as shown.

1934-1. Before driving
4
Driving
Your vehicle will handle differently when towing a trailer. To help avoid
an accident, death or serious injury, keep the following in min d when
towing:
● Speed limits for towing a trailer vary by state or province. Do not
exceed the posted to wing speed limit.
● Toyota recommends that the vehicl e-trailer speed limit is 65 mph
(104 km/h) on a flat, straight, dry road. Do not exceed this li mit, the
posted towing speed limit or the speed limit for your trailer a s set
forth in your trailer owner’s manu al, whichever is lowest. Instability
of the towing vehicle-trailer combination (trailer sway) increa ses as
speed increases. Exceeding speed limits may cause loss of contr ol.
● Before starting out, check the trailer lights, tires and the vehicle-
trailer connections. Recheck af ter driving a short distance.
● Practice turning, stopping and reversing with the trailer attac hed in
an area away from traffic until you become accustomed to the fe el
of the vehicle-trailer combination.
● Reversing with a trailer attached is difficult and requires pra ctice.
Grip the bottom of the steering wheel and move your hand to the
left to move the trailer to the left. Move your hand to the rig ht to
move the trailer to the right. (This is generally opposite to r eversing
without a trailer attached.) Avoid sharp or prolonged turning. Have
someone guide you when reversing to reduce the risk of an acci-
dent.
● As stopping distance is increased when towing a trailer, vehicl e-to-
vehicle distance should be increased. For each 10 mph (16 km/h)
of speed, allow at least one v ehicle and trailer length.
● Avoid sudden braking as you may skid, resulting in the trailer jack-
knifing and a loss of vehicle control. This is especially true on wet or
slippery surfaces.
● Avoid jerky starts or sudden acceleration.
● Avoid jerky steering and sharp turns, and slow down before maki ng
a turn.
● Note that when making a turn, the trailer wheels will be closer than
the vehicle wheels to the inside of the turn. Compensate by mak ing
a wider than normal turning radius.
Trailer towing tips

1944-1. Before driving
●Slow down before making a turn, in crosswinds, on wet or slippe ry
surfaces, etc.
Increasing vehicle speed can destabilize the trailer.
● Take care when passing other vehicles. Passing requires consider-
able distance. After passing a vehicle, do not forget the lengt h of
your trailer, and be sure you have plenty of room before changi ng
lanes.
● Vehicles with an automatic transmission: To maintain engine bra k-
ing efficiency and charging system performance when using engin e
braking, do not use the transmission in D. If in the S mode, th e
transmission shift range posit ion must be in 5 or lower.
● Vehicles with a manual transmiss ion: To maintain engine braking
efficiency and charging system performance when using engine
braking, do not use the sixth gear.
● Instability happens more frequently when descending steep or lo ng
downhill grades. Before descending, slow down and downshift. Do
not make sudden downshifts while descending steep or long down-
hill grades.
● Avoid holding the brake pedal down too long or applying the bra kes
too frequently. This could cause the brakes to overheat and result in
reduced braking efficiency.
● Due to the added load of the trailer, your vehicle’s engine may over-
heat on hot days (at temperatures over 85°F [30°C]) when drivin g
up a long or steep grade. If the engine coolant temperature gau ge
indicates overheating, immediately turn off the air conditionin g (if in
use), pull your vehicle off the road and stop in a safe spot.
(  P. 528)

1954-1. Before driving
4
Driving
●Always place wheel blocks under both the vehicle’s and the trai ler’s
wheels when parking. Apply the parking brake firmly, and put th e
transmission in P (automatic transmission) or in 1 or R (manual
transmission). Avoid parking on a slope, but if unavoidable, do so
only after perform ing the following:
Apply the brakes and keep them applied.
Have someone place wheel blocks under both the vehicle’s and
trailer’s wheels.
When the wheel blocks are in pl ace, release the brakes slowly
until the blocks absorb the load.
Apply the parking brake firmly.
Shift into P (automatic transmission) or 1 or R (manual transmi s-
sion) and turn off the engine.
● When restarting afte r parking on a slope:
With the transmission in P (autom atic transmission) or the clutch
pedal (manual transmission) depr essed, start the engine. On
vehicles with an automatic transmission, be sure to keep the
brake pedal pressed.
Shift into a forward gear. If reversing, shift into R.
Release the parking brake (and also the brake pedal on vehicles
with an automatic transmission), and slowly pull or back away
from the wheel blocks. S top and apply the brakes.
Have someone retrieve the blocks.
1
2
3
4
5
1
2
3
4

1964-1. Before driving
■Matching trailer ball height to trailer coupler height
■ Before towing
Check that the following conditions are met:
●Ensure that your vehicle’s tires are properly inflated. ( P. 545)
● Trailer tires are inflated according to the trailer manufacture r’s recommen-
dation.
● All trailer lights work as required by law.
● All lights work each time you connect them.
● The trailer ball is set at the proper height for the coupler on the trailer.
● The trailer is level when it is hitched.
Do not drive if the trailer is not level, and check for imprope r tongue weight,
overloading, worn suspension, or other possible causes.
● The trailer cargo is securely loaded.
● The rear view mirrors conform to all applicable federal, state/provincial or
local regulations. If they do not, install rear view mirrors ap propriate for tow-
ing purposes.
● Depress power mode button (vehicles with an automatic transmiss ion).
( P. 211)
No matter which class of tow hitch
applies, for a more safe trailer hookup,
the trailer ball setup must be the proper
height for the coupler on the trailer.
Coupler
Trailer ball
1
2

1974-1. Before driving
4
Driving
■Break-in schedule
If your vehicle is new or equipped with any new power train com ponents
(such as an engine, transmission, differential or wheel bearing ), Toyota rec-
ommends that you do not tow a trailer until the vehicle has bee n driven for
over 500 miles (800 km).
After the vehicle has been driven for over 500 miles (800 km), you can start
towing. However, for the next 500 miles (800 km), drive the veh icle at a speed
of less than 50 mph (80 km/h) when towing a trailer, and avoid full throttle
acceleration.
■ Maintenance
●If you tow a trailer, your vehicle will require more frequent m aintenance due
to the additional load. (See “Owner’s Warranty Information Book let” or
“Scheduled Maintenance Guide”/“Owner’s Manual Supplement”.)
● Retighten the fixing bolts of the towing ball and bracket after approximately
600 miles (1000 km) of trailer towing.
■ If trailer sway occurs
One or more factors (crosswinds, passing vehicles, rough roads, etc.) can
adversely affect handling of your vehicle and trailer, causing instability.
● If trailer swaying occurs:
• Firmly grip the steering wheel. Steer straight ahead.
Do not try to control trailer swaying by turning the steering wheel.
• Begin releasing the accelerator pedal immediately but very gra dually to
reduce speed.
Do not increase speed. Do not apply vehicle brakes.
If you make no extreme correction with the steering or brakes, your vehicle
and trailer should stabilize. (if enabled, Trailer Sway Control can also help to
stabilize the vehicle and trailer.)
● After the trailer swaying has stopped:
• Stop in a safe place. Get all occupants out of the vehicle.
• Check the tires of the vehicle and the trailer.
• Check the load in the trailer.
Make sure the load has not shifted.
Make sure the tongue weight is appropriate, if possible.
• Check the load in the vehicle. Make sure the vehicle is not overloaded after occupants get in.
If you cannot find any problems, the speed at which trailer swaying occurred
is beyond the limit of your particular vehicle-trailer combinat ion.
Drive at a lower speed to prevent instability. Remember that sw aying of the
towing vehicle-trailer increases as speed increases.

1984-1. Before driving
WARNING
■Trailer towing precautions
To tow a trailer safely, use extreme care and drive the vehicle in accordance
with the trailer’s characteristics and operating conditions. Failure to do so
could cause an accident resulting in death or serious injury. V ehicle stability
and braking performance are affected by trailer stability, brak e setting and
performance, and the hitch. Your vehicle will handle differentl y when towing
a trailer.
■ To avoid accident or injury
● Do not exceed the TWR, unbraked TWR, GCWR, GVWR or GAWR.
● If the gross trailer weight is over 2000 lb. (907 kg), a sway control device
with sufficient capacity is required.
● If the gross trailer weight is over 5000 lb. (2268 kg), a weigh t distributing
hitch with sufficient capacity is required.
● Adjust the tongue weight within the appropriate range. Place he avier loads
as close to the trailer axle as possible.
● Do not exceed 65 mph (104 km/h), the posted towing speed limit or the
speed limit for your trailer as set forth in your trailer owner ’s manual,
whichever is lowest. Slow down sufficiently before making a turn, in cross-
winds, on wet or slippery surface, etc., to help avoid an accid ent. If you
experience a vehicle-trailer instability from reducing a certain speed, slow
down and make sure you keep your vehicle speed under the speed of
which you experience the instability.
● Do not make jerky, abrupt or sharp turns.
● Do not apply the brakes suddenly as you may skid, resulting in jackknifing
and loss of vehicle control. This is especially true on wet or slippery sur-
faces.
● Do not exceed the trailer hitch assembly weight, gross vehicle weight,
gross axle weight and trailer tongue weight capacities.
● Do not use cruise control (if equipped) or dynamic radar cruise control (if
equipped) when towing.
● Slow down and downshift before descending steep or long downhill
grades. Do not make sudden downshifts while descending steep or long
downhill grades.
● Vehicle-trailer instability is more likely on steep long downhi lls. Before
descending steep or long downhill grades, slow down and downshi ft. Do
not make sudden downshifts when descending steep or long downhi ll
grades. Avoid holding the brake pedal down too long or applying the
brakes too frequently. This could cause the brakes to overheat and result
in reduced braking efficiency.
● Do not tow a trailer when the temporary spare tire is installed on your vehi-
cle.

1994-1. Before driving
4
Driving
WARNING
■Hitch
Trailer hitch assemblies have different weight capacities estab lished by the
hitch manufacturer. Even though the vehicle may be physically capable of
towing a higher weight, the operator must determine the maximum weight
rating of the particular hitch assembly and never exceed the ma ximum
weight rating specified for the trailer-hitch. Exceeding the ma ximum weight
rating set by the trailer-hitch manufacturer can cause an accid ent resulting
in death or serious personal injuries.
■ When towing a trailer
Toyota recommends trailers with brakes that conform to any appl icable fed-
eral and state/provincial regulations.
● If the gross trailer weight exceeds unbraked TWR, trailer brake s are
required. Toyota recommends trailers with brakes that conform t o all appli-
cable federal and state/provincial regulations.
● Never tap into your vehicle’s hydraulic system, as this will lo wer the vehi-
cle’s braking effectiveness.
● Never tow a trailer without using a safety chain securely attac hed to both
the trailer and the vehicle. If damage occurs to the coupling u nit or hitch
ball, there is danger of the trailer wandering into another lan e.
NOTICE
■When installing a trailer hitch
Use only the position recommended by your Toyota dealer. Do not install
the trailer hitch on the bumper; this may cause body damage.
■ Do not directly splice trailer lights
Do not directly splice trailer lights. Directly splicing traile r lights may damage
your vehicle’s electrical system and cause a malfunction.

2004-1. Before driving
Dinghy towing
Your vehicle is not designed to be dinghy towed (with 4 wheels
on the ground) behind a motor home.
NOTICE
■To avoid serious damage to your vehicle
Do not tow your vehicle with the four wheels on the ground.