1997 TOYOTA TACOMA check engine

Part 4If your vehicle will not startÐ
(a) Simple checks
139
IN CASE OF AN EMERGENCY
If your vehicle will not start
If your engine stalls while driving
If your vehicle overheats
If you have a flat tire
If your vehicle needs to be towed
If you cannot shift automatic
transmission selector lever
If you lose your keys
Before making these checks, make sure
you have followed the correct starting pro-
cedure given in How to start the engineº
in Part 3 and that you have sufficient fuel.
If the engine is not turning over or is
turning over too slowlyÐ
1. Check that the battery terminals are
tight and clean.
2. If the battery terminals are O.K., switch on the interior light.
3. If the light is out, dim or goes out when the starter is cranked, the battery is
discharged. You may try jump starting.
See (c) Jump startingº for further in- structions.
If the light is O.K., but the engine still will
not start, it needs adjustment or repair.
Call a Toyota dealer or qualified repair shop.
NOTICE
Do not pull- or push-start the vehicle. It may damage the vehicle
or cause a collision when theengine starts. Also the three-way catalytic converter may overheatand become a fire hazard.
If the engine turns over at its normal
speed but will not startÐ
1. Check that all the push-on connectors are tight. (For example, connections at the spark plugs, ignition coil and/or dis-
tributor)
2. If the connectors are O.K., the engine may be flooded because of repeated
cranking. See (b) Starting a flooded
engineº for further instructions.

142
Connecting point for 2RZ-FE and
3RZ-FE engines
Connecting point for 5VZ-FE engineDo not connect the cable to or near any
part that moves when the engine is cranked.
When making the connections, to
avoid serious injury, do not lean over the battery or accidentally let
the jumper cables or clamps touchanything except the correct battery
terminals or the ground.
CAUTION
!
5. Start your engine in the normal way. After starting, run it at about 2000 rpm
for several minutes with the accelera- tor pedal lightly depressed.
6. Carefully disconnect the cables in the exact reverse order: the negative
cable and then the positive cable.
7. Carefully dispose of the battery cover clothsÐthey may now contain sulfuricacid.
8. If removed, replace all the battery vent plugs.
If the cause of your battery discharging is
not apparent (for example, lights left on), you should have it checked. If your engine stalls while driving
0
1. Reduce your speed gradually, keeping
a straight line. Move cautiously off the
road to a safe place.
2. Turn on your emergency flashers.
3. Try starting the engine again.
If the engine will not start, see If your ve-
hicle will not startº.
If the engine is not running, the
power assist for the brakes and
steering will not work so steering
and braking will be much harder
than usual. CAUTION
!
If your engine stalls while driving

143
If your engine coolant temperature
gauge indicates overheating, if you
experience a loss of power, or if you
hear a
loud knocking or pinging noise,
the engine has probably overheated.
You should follow this procedure 0
1. Pull safely off the road, stop the ve- hicle and turn on your emergency
flashers. Put the transmission in Pº
(automatic) or neutral (manual) and
apply the parking brake. Turn off the
air conditioning if it is being used.
2. If coolant or steam is boiling out of the radiator or reservoir, stop the engine.
Wait until the steam subsides before
opening the hood. If there is no coolant
boiling over or steam, leave the engine running.
To help avoid personal injury, keep
the hood closed until there is no steam. Escaping steam or coolant is
a sign of very high pressure. CAUTION
! 3. Visually check to see if the engine
drive belt (fan belt) is broken or loose.
Look for obvious coolant leaks from
the radiator, hoses, and under the ve-
hicle. However, note that water drain-ing from the air conditioning is normal if it has been used.
When the engine is running, keep
hands and clothing away from the
moving fan and engine drive belts. CAUTION
!
4. If the engine drive belt is broken of the coolant is leaking, stop the engine im-
mediately. Call a Toyota dealer for as- sistance.
5. If The engine drive belt is O.K. and there are no obvious leaks, you may
help the engine cool down more quick-
ly by running it at about 1500 rpm for
a few minutes with the accelerator
pedal lightly depressed.
6. Check the coolant reservoir. If it is dry, add coolant to the reservoir while the
engine is running. Fill it about half full.
Do not attempt to remove the
radiator cap when the engine and
radiator are hot. Serious injury
could result from scalding hot fluid
and steam blown out underpressure. CAUTION
!
7. After the engine coolant temperature has cooled to normal, again check the
coolant level in the reservoir. If neces-
sary, bring it up to half full again. Seri-
ous coolant loss indicates a leak in the
system. You should have it checked as
soon as possible at your Toyota deal-
er.
If your vehicle overheats

156Towing in this manner may be done only
on hard-surfaced roads for a short dis-
tance and at low speeds. Also, the
wheels, axles, drive train, steering and brakes must all be in good condition.
CAUTION!
Use extreme caution when towing
vehicles. Avoid sudden starts or
erratic driving maneuvers which
would place excessive stress on the
emergency towing hook and towing
cable or chain. The hook and towing
cable or chain may break and cause
serious injury or damage.
NOTICE
Use only a cable or chain specific- ally intended for use in towing
vehicles. Securely fasten the cableor chain to the towing hook provided.
Before towing, release the parking brake, put the transmission in neutral (manual)
or Nº (automatic) and set the transfer inH2º mode. The key must be in ACCº (en-
gine off) or ONº (engine running).
CAUTION!
If the engine is not running, the
power assist for the brakes and
steering will not work so steering
and braking will be much harder
than usual.
Before emergency towing, check that
the hook is not broken or damaged and
that the installation bolts are not loose.
Fasten the towing cable or chain se-curely to the hook.
Do not jerk the hook. Apply steady and
even force.
To avoid damaging the hook, do not
pull from the side or at a vertical angle.
Always pull straight ahead.
ÐEmergency towing hook precautions
(four-wheel drive models)

158
3. Insert the screwdriver or equivalent
into the hole to push up the shift
lock override button. You can shift
out of Pº position only while push-
ing the button.
4. Shift into Nº position.
5. Insert the cover.
6. Start the engine. For your safety, keep the brake pedal depressed.
Be sure to have the system checked by
your Toyota dealer as soon as possible.If you cannot shift the selector lever
out of Pº position to other positions
even though the brake pedal is de-pressed, use the shift lock override
button as follows:
1. Turn the ignition key to LOCKº position. Make sure the parking brake is set.
2. Pry up the cover with a flat-bladed screwdriver or equivalent.3. Insert your finger into the hole tomove the shift lock override lever
backward. You can shift out of Pº
position only while holding back
the lever.
4. Shift into Nº position.
5. Insert the cover.
6. Start the engine. For your safety, keep the brake pedal depressed.
Be sure to have the system checked by
your Toyota dealer as soon as possible.
If you cannot shift automatic
transmission selector lever
(floor shift)

168Where to go for service?
Toyota technicians are well-trained spe- cialists
and are kept up to date with the lat-
est service information through technical
bulletins, service tips, and in-dealership
training programs. They learn to work on
Toyotas before they work on your vehicle,
rather than while they are working on it.
You can be confident that your Toyota
dealer's service department performs the
best job to meet the maintenance require-
ments on your vehicleÐreliably and eco-
nomically.
Your copy of the repair order is proof that
all required maintenance has been per-
formed for warranty coverage. And if any
problems should arise with your vehicle
while under warranty, your Toyota dealer
will promptly take care of it. Again, be sure
to keep a copy of the repair order for any
service performed on your Toyota.
What about do-it-yourself mainte- nance?
Many of the maintenance items are easy
to do yourself if you have a little mechani-
cal ability and a few basic automotive
tools. Simple instructions for how to per-
form them are presented in Part 7. If you are a skilled do-it-yourself me-
chanic, the Toyota service manuals are recommended. Please be aware that do-
it-yourself maintenance can affect your
warranty coverage. See Owner's Guide,
Owner 's
Manual Supplement or W arranty
Booklet for the details. Listed
below are the general maintenance
items that should be performed as fre-quently as specified. In addition to check-
ing the items listed, if you notice any un-
usual noise, smell or vibration, you should
investigate the cause or take your vehicle
to your T oyota dealer or a qualified service
shop immediately. It is recommended
that any problem you notice be brought to
the attention of your dealer or the qualified service shop for their advice.
Make these checks only where
adequate ventilation can be obtain-
ed if you run the engine. CAUTION
!
OUTSIDE THE VEHICLE
Items listed below should be per-
formed from time to time, unless
otherwise specified.
Tire pressure Check the pressure with a gauge every
two weeks, or at least once a month. See Chapter 7-2 for additional information. General maintenance

169
Tire surface and wheel nuts Check the tires carefully
for cuts, damage
or excessive wear. See Chapter 7-2 for
additional information. When checking the tires, make sure no nuts are missing,
and check the nuts for looseness. T ighten
them if necessary.
Tire rotation
Rotate the tires every 12000 km (7500
miles). See Chapter 7-2 for additional in- formation.
Fluid leaks Check underneath for leaking fuel, oil, wa-
ter or other fluid after the vehicle has been
parked for a while. If you smell fuel fumes
or notice any leak, have the cause found
and corrected immediately. Doors and engine hood Check that all doors including tailgate op- erate smoothly and all latches lock se-
curely. M ake sure the engine hood secon-
dary latch secures the hood from opening
when the primary latch is released. INSIDE THE VEHICLE Items listed below should be checked
regularly, e.g. while performing peri-
odic services, cleaning the vehicle,etc. Lights Make sure the headlights, stop lights, tail lights, turn signal lights, and other lights are all working. Check headlight aim. Service reminder indicators and
warn-
ing buzzers Check that all service reminder indicators
and warning buzzers function properly. Steering wheel
Be alert for changes in steering condition, such as hard steering or strange noise. Seats Check that all front seat controls such as
seat adjusters, seatback recliner, etc. op- erate smoothly and that all latches lock
securely in any position. Check that the
head restraints move up and down
smoothly and that the locks hold securely
in any latched position. For folding-down
seatback (bench seat), check that the
latches lock securely. Seat belts
Check that the seat belt system such as
buckles, retractors and anchors operate
properly
and smoothly. Make sure the belt
webbing is not cut, frayed, worn or dam-aged. Accelerator pedal Check the pedal for smooth operation and
uneven pedal effort or catching. Clutch pedal Check the pedal for smooth operation. Brake pedal Check the pedal for smooth operation and
that the pedal has the proper clearance. Check the brake booster function. Brakes
At a safe place, check that the brakes do not pull to one side when applied. Parking brake Check that the lever has the proper travel and that, on a safe incline, your vehicle is
held securely with only the parking brake applied.

170Automatic transmission Parkº
mech-
anism
Check the lock release button of the se-
lector lever for proper and smooth opera-
tion. On a safe incline, check that your ve-
hicle is held securely with the selector lever in ºPº position and all brakes re- leased.
IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT Items listed below should be checked
from time to time , e.g. each time when
refueling.
Washer fluid
Make sure there is sufficient fluid in the
tank. See Chapter 7-3 for additional infor-
mation.
Engine coolant level Make sure the coolant level is between
the FULLº and LOWº lines on the see-
through reservoir when the engine is cold.
See Chapter 7-2 for additional informa-tion.
Battery electrolyte level Make sure the electrolyte level of all bat-
tery cells is between upper and lower level
lines on the case. Add only distilled water
when replenishing. See Chapter 7-3 for
additional information. Brake fluid level
Make sure the brake fluid level is correct. See Chapter 7-2 for additional informa- tion.
Engine oil level
Check the l
evel on the dipstick with the en-
gine turned off and the vehicle parked on
a level spot. See Chapter 7-2 for addition-
al information. Power steering fluid level Check the level on the dipstick. The level
should be in the HOTº or COLDº range
depending on the fluid temperature. SeeChapter 7-2 for additional information. Exhaust system
If you notice any change in the sound of
the exhaust or smell exhaust fumes, have the cause located and corrected immedi-
ately. (See engine exhaust cautions in
Part 2.) Be on the alert for changes in perfor-
mance, sounds, and visual tip-offs
that in-
dicate service is needed. Some important
clues are as follows: Engine missing, stumbling, or pinging
Appreciable loss of power
Strange engine noises
A leak under the vehicle (however, wa-
ter dripping from the air conditioning
after use is normal.)
Change in exhaust sound (This may
indicate a dangerous carbon monox-
ide leak. Drive with the windows open
and have the exhaust system checked
immediately.)
Flat-looking tire; excessive tire squeal
when cornering; uneven tire wear
Vehicle pulls to one side when drivingstraight on a level road
Strange noises related to suspensionmovement
Loss of brake effectiveness; spongy
feeling brake or clutch pedal; pedal al-
most touches floor; vehicle pulls to one
side when braking
Engine coolant temperature continual-
ly higher than normal
Does your vehicle need repairing?