TOYOTA TACOMA 2021 Owners Manual (in English)

4016-1. Maintenance and care
6
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. 38)
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.

4026-1. 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. 237)

4036-2. Maintenance
6
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

4046-2. 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. 422)
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4056-2. Maintenance
6
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. 422)
Brake fluidIs the brake fluid at the correct level? ( P. 419)
Engine coolantIs the engine coolant at the correct level? (P. 417)
Engine oilIs the engine oil at the correct level? (P. 415)
Exhaust systemThere should not be any fumes or strange sounds.
Power steering fluidIs the power steering fluid at correct level?
(P. 420)
Radiator/condenserThe radiator and condenser should be free from for-
eign objects. ( P. 419)
Washer fluidIs there sufficient washer fluid? (P. 424)

4066-2. 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. 544)
• Does the brake pedal have the correct amount of free play? ( P. 544)
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.

4076-2. Maintenance
6
Maintenance and care
Vehicle exterior
ItemsCheck points
Doors• Do the doors operate smoothly?
Engine hood• Does the engine hood lock system work prop-erly?
Fluid leaks• There should not be any signs of fluid leakageafter the vehicle has been parked.
Tires
• Is the tire inflati on pressure correct?
• The tires should not be damaged or exces- sively worn.
• Have the tires been rotated according to the maintenance schedule?
• The wheel nuts should not be loose.
Lights• Do all the lights come on?
Windshield wipers
• The wiper blades should not show any signs
of cracking, splitting, wear, contamination or
deformation.
• The wiper blades should clear the windshield without streaking or skipping.
WARNING
■If the engine is running
Turn the engine off and ensure that there is adequate ventilati on before per-
forming maintenance checks.

4086-2. Maintenance
Emission inspection and maintenance (I/M)
programs
The OBD system determines that a problem exists somewhere in th e
emission control system. Your vehicle may not pass the I/M test and
may need to be repaired. Contact your Toyota dealer to service the
vehicle.
● When the battery is disc onnected or discharged
Readiness codes that are set duri ng ordinary driving are erased.
Also, depending on your driving habits, the readiness codes may
not be completely set.
● When the fuel tan k cap is loose
The malfunction indicator lamp comes on indicating a temporary
malfunction and your vehicle m ay not pass the I/M test.
The error code in th e OBD system will not be cleared unless the vehi-
cle is driven 40 or more times.
Contact your Toyota dea ler to prepare the vehicle for re-testin g.
Some states have vehicle emission inspection programs which
include OBD (On Board Diagnostics) checks. The OBD system
monitors the operation of t he emission control system.
If the malfunction indicator lamp comes on
Your vehicle may not pass the I/M test in the following situations:
When the malfunction indicator lamp still remains on after sev-
eral driving trips
If your vehicle does not pass the I/M test

4096-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
6
Maintenance and care
Do-it-yourself ser vice precautions
If you perform maintenance by yourself, be sure to follow the
correct procedure as given in these sections.
ItemsParts and tools
Battery condition
(  P. 422)• Warm water• Baking soda• Grease
• Conventional wrench (for terminal clamp bolts)
Brake fluid level
( P. 419)• FMVSS No.116 DOT 3 or SAE J1703 brake fluid
• Rag or paper towel
• Funnel (used only for adding brake fluid)
Engine coolant
level ( P. 417)
• “Toyota Super Long Life Coolant” or a similar high
quality ethylene glycol-based non-silicate, non-
amine, non-nitrite and non-borate coolant with long-
life hybrid organic acid technology
For the U.S.A.:
“Toyota Super Long Life Coolant” is pre-mixed with
50% coolant and 50% deionized water.
For Canada:
“Toyota Super Long Life Coolant” is pre-mixed with
55% coolant and 45% deionized water.
• Funnel (used only for adding coolant)
Engine oil level
(  P. 415)• “Toyota Genuine Motor Oil” or equivalent
• Rag or paper towel
• Funnel (used only for adding engine oil)
Fuses
( P. 448)• Fuse with same amperage rating as original
Light bulbs
( P. 451)
• Bulb with same number and wattage rating as origi-
nal
• Phillips-head screwdriver
• Flathead screwdriver• Wrench
Power steering
fluid level

(
P. 420)
• Automatic transmission fluid DEXRON® II or III
• Rag or paper towel
• Funnel (used only for adding power steering fluid)
Radiator and
condenser
(
P. 419)

Tire inflation
pressure
(  P. 436)• Tire pressure gauge
• Compressed air source
Washer fluid
( P. 424)• Water or washer fluid containing antifreeze (for win-
ter use)
• Funnel (used only for adding water or washer fluid)

4106-3. Do-it-yourself maintenance
WARNING
The engine compartment contains many mechanisms and fluids that may
move suddenly, become hot, or become electrically energized. To avoid death
or serious injury, observe the following precautions.
■When working on the engine compartment
● Keep hands, clothing and tools away from the moving fan and eng ine
drive belt.
● Be careful not to touch the engine, radiator, exhaust manifold, etc., right
after driving as they may be hot. Oil and other fluids may also be hot.
● Do not leave anything that may burn easily, such as paper and r ags, in the
engine compartment.
● Do not smoke, cause sparks or expose an open flame to fuel or t he bat-
tery. Fuel and battery fumes are flammable.
● Be extremely cautious when working on the battery. It contains poisonous
and corrosive sulfuric acid.
■ Safety glasses
Wear safety glasses to prevent flying or falling material, fluid spray, etc.,
from getting in your eyes.
NOTICE
■If you remove the air cleaner filter
Driving with the air cleaner filter removed may cause excessive engine wear
due to dirt in the air.