1997 TOYOTA TACOMA lights

54To turn on the interior light, slide the switch.
The interior light has the following posi- tion:
ONºÐKeeps the light on all the time.
OFFºÐTurns the light off.
DOORºÐTurns the light on when either
door is opened. The light goes off when both doors are closed.
The personal lights operate separately
with each other switch.
To turn on the light, push the switch on
your side. To turn the light off, push the
switch once again.
The center switch has the following posi- tions:
Position 1ÐTurns both lights on when ei-
ther
door is opened. The lights go off when
both doors are closed.
Position 2ÐThe lights are off unless you operate either outerswitch.For easy access to the ignition switch,
the ignition switch light comes on
when the driver's door is opened.
The light remains on for a some time after
the driver's door is closed.
Ignition switch light
Personal light

100Seeking
In the seek mode, the radio finds and plays the next station up or down the sta-tion band.
To seek a station, push and hold the 
~º or
vº side of TUNEº until you hear a beep. Do this again to find another station.
NOTICE
To ensure the correct audio system operation:
Be careful not to spill beveragesover the audio system.
Do not put anything other than acassette tape into the slot.
ILLUMINATION CONTROL LOGIC
On some audio-units, when the instru-
ment panel lights are on, the letters on op-
erable buttons of the mode in current use
light up together with the mode selection and eject buttons. RADIO RECEPTION
Usually, a problem with radio reception
does not mean there is a problem with
your radioÐit is just the normal result of
conditions outside the vehicle.
For example, nearby buildings and terrain
can interfere with FM reception. Power
lines or telephone wires can interfere with
AM signals. And of course, radio signals
have a limited range, and the farther you are from a station, the weaker its signal
will be. In addition, reception conditions
change constantly as your vehicle moves. Here are some common reception prob- lems
that probably do not indicate a prob-
lem with your radio: FM
Fading and drifing stationsÐGenerally,
the effective range of FM is about 40 km
(25 miles). Once outside this range, you
may notice fading and drifting, which in- crease with the distance from the radio
transmitter. They are often accompanied by distortion.
Multi-pathÐFM signals are reflective,
making it possible for two signals to reach
your antenna at the same time. If this hap-
pens, the signals will cancel each other
out, causing a momentary flutter or loss of
reception.
Static and flutteringÐThese occur when
signals are blocked by buildings, trees, or other large objects. Increasing the bass
level may reduce static and fluttering.
Station swappingÐIf the FM signal you are listening to is interrupted or weak-
ened, and there is another strong station
nearby on the FM band, your radio may
tune in the second station until the original
signal can be picked up again.
ÐCar audio system operating hints

Part 1Clock
109
OPERATION OF INSTRUMENTS ANDCONTROLSÐ
Chapter 1-8 Other equipment
Clock
Cigarette lighter and ashtray
Glovebox
Cup holder
Floor mat
The digital clock indicates the time.
The key must be in the ``ACCº or ``ON'' position.
To reset the hour: Push the Hº button.
To reset the minutes: Push the Mº button.
If quick adjustment to a full hour is de- sired, push the :00º button. When the instrument panel lights are turned
on, the brightness of the time indi-
cation will be reduced.
For example, if the :00º button is de-
pressed when the time is between
1:01Ð1:29, the time will change to 1:00.
If the time is between 1:30Ð1:59, the time
will change to 2:00. Once the electrical power source has
been disconnected from the clock, the
time is automatically set to 1:00 (oneo'clock). When the instrument panel lights turned
on, the brightness of the time indication
will be reduced.

11 0
CIGARETTE LIGHTER
To use the cigarette lighter, press it in.
When it becomes heated, it automati-
cally pops out ready for use.
If the engine is not running, the key must be in the ACCº position.
Do not hold the cigarette lighter pressed in.
Use a Toyota genuine cigarette lighter or equivalent for replacement.ASHTRAY
To use the ashtray, pull it out. When finished with your cigarette, thor-
oughly extinguish it in the ashtray to pre-
vent other cigarette butts from catching
fire. After using the
ashtray, close the ash-
tray cover completely.
To remove the ashtray, press down on the lock spring plate and pull out.To reduce the chance of injury in
case of an accident or sudden stop
while driving, always close the ash-
tray cover completely after use. CAUTION
!
To open the glovebox door, pull the le- ver
.
On some models, the glovebox light will come on when the glovebox is open withthe instrument panel lights on.
To reduce the chance of injury in
case of an accident or sudden stop,
always keep the glovebox door
closed while driving. CAUTION
!
Cigarette lighter and ashtray
Glovebox

Part 3How to start the engineÐ
(a) Before cranking
Before starting the engine
127
STARTING AND DRIVING
Before starting the engine
How to start the engine
Tips for driving in various conditions
Off-road driving precautions
Winter driving tips
Trailer towing
How to save fuel and make your
vehicle last longer, too
1. Check
the area around the vehicle be-
fore entering it.
2. Adjust seat position, seatback angle, seat cushion angle, head restraint
height and steering wheel angle.
3. Adjust inside and outside rear view mirrors.
4. Lock both doors.
5. Fasten seat belts. 1. Apply the parking brake firmly.
2. Turn off unnecessary lights and acces-
sories.
3. Manual transmission: Press the
clutch pedal to the floor and shift the
transmission into neutral. Hold theclutch pedal to the floor until the engine
is started. A starter safety device willprevent the starter from operating if
the clutch pedal is not fully depressed.
Automatic transmission: Put the se-
lector lever in Pº. If you need to restart
the engine while the vehicle is moving, put the selector lever in Nº. A starter
safety device will prevent the starter
from operating if the selector lever is in
any drive position.
4. Automatic transmission only: De-
press the brake pedal and hold it to the
floor until driving off.

134
Never tow a trailer without using a
safety chain securely attached to
both the trailer and the vehicle. If
damage occurs to the coupling
unit or hitch ball, there is danger of
the trailer wandering over into
another lane.
TIRES Ensure that your vehicle's tires are
properly inflated.
The trailer tires should be inflated to
the pressure recommended by the
trailer manufacturer in respect to the
total trailer weight.
TRAILER LIGHTS Trailer lights must comply with federal,
state/provincial and local regulations. See your local recreational vehicle
dealer or rental agency for the correct type of wiring and relays for your trail-
er. Check for correct operation of the
turn signals and stop lights each time
you hitch up. Direct splicing may dam-
age your vehicle's electrical system
and cause a malfunction of your lights. BREAK-IN SCHEDULE
Toyota recommends that you do not
tow a trailer with a new vehicle or a ve-
hicle with any new power train compo-
nent (engine, transmission, differen- tial, wheel bearing, etc.) for the first
800 km (500 miles) of driving.
MAINTENANCE If you tow a trailer, your vehicle will re-
quire more frequent maintenance due
to the additional load. For this informa-
tion, please refer to the scheduled
maintenance information in the Own-
er 's Manual Supplement/Maintenance Scheduleº.
Retighten all fixing bolts of the towing
ball and bracket after approximately
1000 km (600 miles) of trailer driving.
PRE-T OWING SAFETY CHECK Check that your vehicle remains level
when a loaded or unloaded trailer is
hitched. Do not drive if the vehicle has
an abnormal nose-up or nose-down
condition, and check for improper
tongue load, overload, worn suspen-
sion or other possible causes.
Make sure the trailer cargo is securely
loaded so that it cannot shift.
Check that your rear view mirrors con-
form to any applicable federal, state/
provincial or local regulation. If not,
install the rear view mirrors required
for towing purpose.
TRAILER TOWING TIPS
When towing a trailer, your vehicle will
handle differently than when not tow- ing. The three main causes of vehicle
trailer accidents are driver error, ex-
cessive speed and improper trailer
loading. Keep these in mind when tow-
ing: Before starting out, check operation of
the lights and all vehicle-trailer con-
nections. After driving a short dis-
tance, stop and recheck the lights and
connections. Before actually towing a
trailer, practice turning, stopping and
backing with a trailer in an area away
from traffic until you learn the feel.

137

Avoid engine lug or overrevving.
Use a gear position suitable for the
road on which you are travelling.
Avoid continuous speeding up and
slowing down. Stop-and-go driving
wastes fuel.
Avoid unnecessary stopping andbraking. Maintain a steady pace. Try
to time the traffic signals so you only
need to stop as little as possible or take
advantage of through streets to avoid
traffic lights. Keep a proper distance
from other vehicles to avoid sudden braking. This will also reduce wear on your brakes.
Avoid heavy traffic or traffic jams
whenever possible.
Do not rest your foot on the clutch
or brake pedal. This causes needless
wear, overheating and poor fuel econ-
omy.
Maintain a moderate speed on highways. The faster you drive, the
greater the fuel consumption. By re-
ducing your speed, you will cut down
on fuel consumption.
Keep the front wheels in properalignment. Avoid hitting the curb and
slow down on rough roads. Improper
alignment not only causes faster tire
wear but also puts an extra load on the
engine, which, in turn, wastes fuel.
Keep the bottom of your vehicle
free from mud, etc. This not only
lessens weight but also helps prevent corrosion.
Keep your vehicle tuned-up and in
top shape. A dirty air cleaner, improp-
er valve clearance, dirty plugs, dirty oil
and grease, brakes not adjusted, etc.
all lower engine performance and con-
tribute to poor fuel economy. For lon-
ger life of all parts and lower operating
costs, keep all maintenance work on
schedule, and if you often drive under severe conditions, see that your ve-
hicle receives more frequent mainte-
nance (For scheduled maintenance in-
formation, please refer to the separate
Owner 's Manual Supplement/Main-
tenance Scheduleº).
CAUTION
Never turn off the engine to coast
down hills. Your power steering and
brake booster will not function with-
out the engine running. Also, the
emission control system operates
properly only when the engine is run-
ning.!

140If the engine will not start, your engine
may be flooded because of repeated cranking.
If this happens, turn the key to STARTº with the accelerator pedal held down.
Keep
the key and accelerator pedal so for
15 seconds and release them. Then try
starting the engine with your foot off the accelerator pedal.
If the engine does not start after 15 sec-
onds of cranking, release the key, wait a few minutes and try again.
If the engine still will not start, it needs ad-
justment or repair. Call a Toyota dealer or
qualified repair shop for assistance.
NOTICE
Do not crank for more than 30 sec- onds at a time. This may overheat
the starter and wiring systems.
To avoid serious personal injury and
damage to your vehicle which might
result from battery explosion, acid
burns, electrical burns, or damaged
electronic components, these instruc-
tions must be followed precisely.
If you are unsure about how to follow this procedure, we strongly recommend that you seek the help of a competent me-
chanic or towing service.
Batteries contain sulfuric acid
which is poisonous and corrosive.
Wear protective safety glasses
when jump starting, and avoid
spilling acid on your skin, cloth-
ing, or vehicle.
If you should accidentally get acid
on yourself or in you eyes, remove
any contaminated clothing and
flush the affected area with water
immediately. Then get immediate
medical attention. If possible, con-
tinue to apply water with a sponge
or cloth while en route to the medi- cal office. CAUTION
!

The gas normally produced by a battery will explode if a flame or
spark is brought near. Use only
standardized jumper cables and
do not smoke or light a match
while jump starting.
NOTICE
The battery used for boosting must be 12 V. Do not jump start unless
you are sure that the booster batteryis correct.
JUMP STARTING PROCEDURE
1. If the booster battery is installed in another vehicle, make sure the ve-
hicles are not touching. T urn off all un-
necessary lights and accessories.
2. If required, remove all the vent plugs from the booster and discharged bat-
teries. Lay a cloth over the open vents
on the batteries. (This helps reduce
the explosion hazard, personal injuries
and burns.)
(b) Starting a flooded engine (c) Jump starting