1997 TOYOTA TACOMA steering

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

153
Two-wheel drive modelsÐ
(a) Towing with wheel lift type truck From frontÐ
Manual transmission
We recommend using a towing dolly un-
der the rear wheels. If you do not use a
towing dolly, release the parking brake
and put the transmission in neutral. Automatic transmission:
Use a towing dolly under the rear wheels.
NOTICE
Never tow a vehicle with an automatic transmission from the
rear with the front wheels on theground, as this may cause serious damage to the transmission.
From rearÐ Place the ignition key in the
ACCº position.
NOTICE
When lifting wheels, take care to
ensure adequate ground clear-
ance for towing at the opposite
end of the raised vehicle. Other-wise, the bumper and/or under-
body of the towed vehicle will be
damaged during towing.
Do not tow with the key removedor in the LOCKº position, as the
steering lock mechanism is notstrong enough to hold the front
wheels straight while towing.
(b) Using flat bed truck Four-wheel drive modelsÐ
(a) Towing with wheel lift type truck From frontÐ
Manual transmission:
We recommend using a towing dolly un-
der the rear wheels. If you do not use a
towing dolly, release the parking brake,
put the transmission in neutral and set the
transfer in H2º mode. Automatic transmission:
Use a towing dolly under the rear wheels.
NOTICE
Never tow a vehicle with an automatic transmission from the
rear with the front wheels on theground, as this may cause serious damage to the transmission.

154From rear
ÐWe recommend using a tow
dolly under the front wheels. If you do not
use a towing dolly, place the ignition key
in the ACCº position, put the transmis-
sion in neutral and set the transfer in H2º
mode. Disengage both free-wheeling
hubs if so equipped.
NOTICE
Do not tow with the key removed or in the LOCKº position when
towing from the rear without atowing dolly. The steering lock mechanism is not strong enough tohold the front wheels straight.
(b) Using flat bed truck
All modelsÐ
(c) Towing with sling type truck
NOTICE
Do not tow with sling type truck, either from the front or rear. This
may cause body damage.
If towing is necessary, we recommend
you to have it done by your Toyota
dealer or a commercial tow truck ser-vice.
If towing service is not available in an
emergency, your vehicle may be tem-
porarily towed by a cable or chain se-
cured to one of the emergency towing
eyelets under the front of the vehicle.
Use extreme caution when towing the vehicle.
A driver must be in the vehicle to steer it and operate the brakes.
ÐEmergency towing (two-wheel drive models)

155
Towing 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 eyelet and
towing cable or chain. The eyelet
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 eyelet provided.
Before towing, release the parking brake
and put the transmission in neutral
(manual) or Nº (automatic). The key must
be in ACCº (engine 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.
If towing is necessary, we recommend
you to have it done by your Toyota
dealer or a commercial tow truck ser-vice.
If towing service is not available in an
emergency, your vehicle may be tem-
porarily towed by a cable or chain se-
cured to the emergency towing hook
under the front of the vehicle. Use ex-
treme caution when towing the ve-hicle.
A driver must be in the vehicle to steer it and operate the brakes.
ÐEmergency towing (four-wheel drive models)

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)

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?

1741. Windshield washer fluid tank (type A)
2. Engine oil filler cap
3. Brake fluid reservoir
4. Fuse block
5. Battery
6. Engine coolant reservoir
7. Power steering fluid reservoir
8. Engine oil level dipstick
9. Windshield washer fluid tand (type B)
Engine compartment overview
2RZ-FE and 3RZ-FE engines