1997 TOYOTA TACOMA Owners Manual

184
Type A
Type BTo check the fluid level, simply look at
the see through reservoir. The level
should be between the MAXº and
MINº lines on the reservoir. It is normal for the brake fluid level to go
down slightly as the
brake pads wear. So
be sure to keep the reservoir filled. If the reservoir needs frequent refilling, it may indicate a serious mechanical prob- lem.
If the level is low, add SAE J1703 or
FMVSS No. 116 DOT 3 brake fluid to the
brake reservoir. Remove and replace the reservoir cover by hand. Fill the brake fluid to the dotted
line. This brings the fluid to the correct lev-
el when you put the cover back on.
Use only newly opened brake fluid. Once
opened, brake fluid absorbs moisture
from the air, and excess moisture can cause a dangerous loss of braking.
CAUTION
Take care when filling the reservoir
because brake fluid can harm your
eyes and damage painted surfaces. If
fluid gets in your eyes, flush your
eyes with clean water.!
If you spill the fluid, be sure to wash
it off with water to prevent it from
damaging the parts or paint.
NOTICE
Checking brake fluid

185
Check the fluid level through the reser-
voir. If necessary, add automatic trans-
mission fluid DEXRON [
II or -III.
If the vehicle has been driven around 80
km/h (50 mph) for 20 minutes (a little more
in frigid temperatures), the fluid is hot (40 C ' 80 C or 104 F ' 175 F). You
may also check the level when the fluid is
cold (about room temperature, 0 C '
40 C or 32 F ' 104 F) if the engine has
not been run for about five hours.
a. Clean all dit from outside of the reser- voir tank.
b. Remove the filler cap by turning it
counterclockwise and wipe the dipstick clean. c. Reinstall the filler cap.
d. Remove the filler cap again and look at the fluid level. If the fluid is cold, the level
should be in the COLDº range. Similarly, if it is hot, the fluid level should be in the
HOTº range. If the level is at
the low side
of either range, add automatic transmis-
sion fluid DEXRON -II or III to bring the
level within range.
e. After replacing the filler cap, visually check the steering box case, vane pump
and hose connections for leaks or dam-age.
CAUTION
The reservoir tank may be hot so be careful not to burn yourself.!
Avoid overfilling, or the power steering could be damaged.
NOTICE
Keep your tire pressures at the proper level.
The recommended cold tire pressures, tire size and the cargo weight are also giv-
en in Part 8.
You should check the tire pressures every two weeks, or at least once a month. And
don't forget the spare!
Incorrect tire pressure can reduce tire
life and make your vehicle less safe to drive.
Low tire pressure results in excessive
wear, poor handling, reduced fuel econo-
my, and the possibility of blowouts from
overheated tires. Also, low tire pressure
can cause poor sealing of the tread bead.
If the tire pressure is excessively low,
there is the possibility of wheel deforma- tion and/or tire separation.
High tire pressure produces a harsh ride,
handling problems, excessive wear at the center of the tire tread, and a greater pos-
sibility of tire damage from road hazards.
If a tire frequently needs refilling, have it
checked by your Toyota dealer.
Checking power steering fluid
Checking tire pressure

186The following instructions for check-
ing tire pressure should be observed:
The pressure should be checked
only when the tires are cold. If your
vehicle has been parked for at least 3hours and has not been driven for
more than 1.5 km or 1 mile since, you
will get an accurate cold tire pressure reading.
Always use a tire pressure gauge.
The appearance of a tire can be mis-
leading. Besides, tire pressure that
are even just a few pounds off can de-
grade handling and ride.
Do not bleed or reduce tire pres-sure after driving. It is normal for the
tire pressure to be higher after driving.
Never exceed the cargo weight ra-tio. The luggage weight should bedis-
tributed evenly.
Be sure to reinstall the tire inflation
valve caps. Without the valve caps,
dirt or moisture could get into the valve
core and cause air leakage. If the caps
have been lost, have new ones put onas soon as possible.
CHECKING YOUR TIRES Check the tire tread for the tread wear
indicators. If the indicators show, re-place the tires.
The tires on your Toyota have built-in tread wear indicators to help you know
when the tires need replacement. When
the tread depth wears to 1.6 mm (0.06 in.)
or less, the indicators will appear. If you
can see the indicators in two or more adja-
cent grooves, the tire should be replaced.
The lower the tread, the higher the risk of skidding. The effectiveness of snow tires is lost
if the tread wears down below 4 mm (0.16 in.). Check the tires regularly for damage
such as cuts, splits and cracks. If any
damage is found, consult with a tech-
nician and have the tire repaired or re- placed. Even if the damage does not appear seri-
ous, a qualified technician should ex-
amine the damage. Objects which have penetrated the tire may have caused in-ternal damage.
Any tires which are over six years old
must be checked by a qualified techni-
cian even if damage is not obvious.
Tires deteriorate with age even if they
have never or seldom been used.
This
also applies to the spare tire and tires
stored for future use. REPLACING YOUR TIRES
When replacing a tire, use only the
same size and construction as origi-
nally installed and with the same or
greater load capacity.
Using any other size or type of tire may se-
riously affect handling, ride, speedomeet-
er/odometer calibration, ground clear-
ance, and clearance between the body
and tires or snow chains.
Checking and replacing tires

187
CAUTION
Do not mix radial, bias belted, or
bias-ply tires on your vehicle. It
can cause dangerous handling
characteristics, resulting in loss of control.
Do not use tire or wheels other than
the manufacturer's recommended size.!
Toyota recommends all four tires, or at
least both of the front or rear tires be
replaced at a time as a set.
See If you have a flat tireº in Part 4 for tire
change procedure.
When a tire is replaced, the wheel
should always be balanced.
An unbalanced wheel may affect vehicle
handling and tire life. Wheels can get out
of balance with regular use and should
therefore be balanced occasionally.
When replacing a tubeless tire, the air
valve should also be replaced with a
new one.
Two-wheel drive models with steel wheels
Two-wheel drive models with alumi-
num wheels and four-wheel drive models To equalize tire wear and help extend
tire life, Toyota recommends that you
rotate your tires every 12000 km (7500
miles).
However, the most appropriate
timing for tire rotation may vary ac-
cording to your driving habits and
road surface conditions.
See If you have a flat tireº in Part 4 for tire
change procedure. When rotating tires, check for even wear
and damage. Abnormal wear is usually
caused by incorrect tire pressure, improp-
er wheel alignment, out-of-balance
wheels, or severe braking.
Rotating tires

188WHEN TO USE SNOW TIRES OR CHAINS
Snow tires or chains are recom-
mended when driving on snow or ice.
On wet or dry roads, conventional tires
provide better traction than snow tires. SNOW TIRE SELECTION
If you need snow tires, select tires of
the same size, construction and load capacity as the original tires on your
Toyota.
Do not use tires other than those men-
tioned above. Do not install studded tires
without first checking local regulations for
possible restrictions.
SNOW TIRE INSTALLATION
Snow tires should be installed on all wheels. Installing snow tires on the front wheels
only can lead to an excessive difference
in road grip capability between the front
and rear tires which would cause loss of
vehicle control.
When storing removed tires, you should
store them in a cool dry place.
Mark the direction of rotation and be sure to install them in the same direction when replacing.
CAUTION
Do not drive with the snow tires in- correctly inflated.
Never drive over 120 km/h (75 mph)
with any type of snow tires.!
TIRE CHAIN SELECTION
Use the tire chains of correct size and type.
Regulations regarding the use of tire
chains vary according to location or
type of road, so always check then be-
fore installing chains.
CHAIN INSTALLATIONInstall the chains on the front tires as
tightly as possible. Do not use tire
chains on the rear tires. Retighten
chains after driving 0.5 '1.0 km
(1/4 '1/2 mile).
When installing chains on your tires, care- fully follow the instructions of the chain
manufacturer.
If wheel covers are used, they will be
scratched by the chain band, so remove the covers before putting on the chains.
Do not exceed 50 km/h (30 mph) or
the chain manufacturer's recom-
mended speed limit, whichever is
lower.
Drive carefully avoiding bumps,
holes, and sharp turns, which may cause the vehicle to bounce.
Avoid sharp turns or locked-wheel
braking, as use of chains may ad- versely affect vehicle handling.
CAUTION!
Installing
snow tires and
chains

189
WHEN TO REPLACE YOUR WHEELS
If you have wheel damage such as
bending, cracks or heavy corrosion,
the wheel should be replaced.
If you fail to replace damaged wheels, the
tire may slip off the wheel or they may cause loss of handling control. WHEEL SELECTION
When replacing wheels, care should
be taken to ensure that the wheels are
replaced by ones with the same load
capacity, diameter, rim width, and off-set.
Correct
replacement wheels are available
at your Toyota dealer.
A wheel of a different size or type may ad-
versely affect handling, wheel and bear-
ing life, brake cooling, speedometer/
odometer calibration, stopping ability,
headlight aim, bumper height, vehicle
ground clearance, and tire or snow chain clearance to the body and chassis. Replacement
with used wheels is not rec-
ommended as they may have been sub-jected to rough treatment or high mileage
and could fail without warning. Also, bent
wheels which have been straightened
may have structural damage and there-
fore should not be used. Never use an in-
ner tube in a leaking wheel which is de-
signed for a tubeless tire.
After driving your vehicle the first 1600
km (1000 miles), check that the wheel
nuts are tight.
If you have rotated, repaired, or
changed your tires, check that the
wheel nuts are still tight after driving
1600 km (1000 miles).
When using tire chains, be careful not
to damage the aluminum wheels.
Use only the Toyota wheel nuts and
wrench designed for your aluminumwheels.
When balancing your wheels, use only
Toyota balance weights or equivalent
and a plastic or rubber hammer.
As with any wheel, periodically checkyour aluminum wheels for damage. If
damaged, replace immediately.
Aluminum wheel precautions
Replacing wheels

190

Part 7Checking battery conditionÐ ÐPrecautions
191
DO-IT-YOURSELF MAINTENANCEÐ
Chapter 7-3 Electrical components
Checking battery condition
Battery recharging precautions
Checking and replacing fuses
Adding washer fluid
Replacing light bulbs
BATTERY PRECAUTIONS The battery produces flammable and explosive hydrogen gas.
Do not cause a spark from the bat-
tery with tools.
Do not smoke or light a match near
the battery.
The electrolyte contains poisonous
and corrosive sulfuric acid. Avoid contact with eyes, skin or clothes.
Never ingest electrolyte.
Wear protective safety glasses
when working near the battery.
Keep children away from the bat-
tery.
EMERGENCY MEASURES If electrolyte gets in your eyes,
flush your eyes with clean water
immediately and 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
!
If electrolyte gets on your skin,
thoroughly wash the contact area.
If you feel pain or burning, get
medical attention immediately.
If electrolyte gets on your clothes,
there is a possibility of its soaking
through to your skin, so immedi- ately take off the exposed clothing
and follow the procedure above, if
necessary.
If you happen to swallow electro-
lyte, drink a large quantity of water
or milk. Follow with milk of mag-
nesia, beaten raw egg or vegetable
oil. Then go immediately for emer-
gency help.