1997 TOYOTA TACOMA weight

122When stowing luggage or cargo in the ve-
hicle, observe the following:
Put luggage or cargo in the trunk when
at all possible. Be sure all items are se- cured in place.
Be careful to keep the vehicle bal-
anced. Locating the weight as far for-
ward as possible helps maintain bal- ance.
For better fuel economy, do not carryunneeded weight.
CAUTION!
To prevent luggage or packages
from sliding forward during brak-
ing, do not stack anything behind
the front seats higher than the
seatbacks (Xtra-cab models).Keep luggage or packages low, as
close to the floor as possible.
Never allow anyone to ride in the
rear deck. It is not designed for
passengers. They should ride in
their seats with their seat belts
properly fastened. Otherwise,
they are much more likely suffer
serious bodily injury, in the event
of sudden braking or a collision.
Do not drive with objects left on
top of the instrument panel. They
may interfere with the driver's
field of view. Or they may move
during sharp vehicle acceleration
or turning, and impair the driver's
control of the vehicle. In an acci-
dent they may injure the vehicle occupants.
Do not load the vehicle beyond the
vehicle capacity weight specified in
Part 8.
NOTICE
The rear step bumper is for rear end
protection and easier step-up load- ing.
CAUTION!
Do not allow more than one per-
son to get on the rear step bumper at a time. It is designed for only
one person.
Never drive the vehicle with any-
one on the rear step bumper.
Luggage stowage precautions
Rear step bumper

132
Your vehicle is designed primarily as a
passenger-carrying vehicle. Towing a
trailer will have an adverse effect on han-
dling, performance, braking, durability
and driving economy (fuel consumption,
etc.). Your safety and satisfaction
depend
on the proper use of correct equipment
and cautious driving habits. For your safe-
ty and the safety of others, you must not
overload your vehicle or trailer. Ask your
local Toyota dealer for further details be- fore towing. WEIGHT LIMITS
Before towing, make sure the total
trailer weight, gross combination
weight, gross vehicle weight, grossaxle weight and trailer tongue load are
all within the limits.
The total trailer weight and tongue load
can be measured with platform scales
found at a highway weighing station,
building supply company, trucking com-
pany, junk yard, etc.
CAUTION
The total trailer weight (trailer
weight plus its cargo load) must
not exceed the following. Exceed-
ing this weight is dangerous. If
towing a trailer over 907 kg (2000lb.), it is necessary to use a sway
control device with a sufficient ca-
pacity.
2RZ-FE and 3RZ-FE engines 1587 kg (3500 lb.)
5VZ-FE engine
2267 kg (5000 lb.)
The gross combination weight
(sum of your vehicle weight plus
its load and the total trailer weight)
must not exceed the following.
Two-wheel drivemodels
2RZ-FE engine
3038 kg (6700 lb.)
5VZ-FE engine
3764 kg (8300 lb.)
Four-wheel drive models 3RZ-FE engine 3355 kg (7400 lb.)
5VZ-FE engine 4081 kg (9000 lb.)!
The gross vehicle weight must not
exceed the Gross Vehicle Weight
Rating (GVWR) indicated on the
Certification Label. The gross ve-
hicle weight is the sum of weights
of the unloaded vehicle, driver,
passengers, luggage, hitch and
trailer tongue load. It also includes
the weight of any special equip-
ment installed on your vehicle.
The load on either the front or rearaxle resulting from distribution of
the gross vehicle weight on both axles must not exceed the Gross
Axle Weight Rating (GAWR) listed on the Certification Label.
Trailer towing

133
The trailer cargo load should be
distributed so that the tongue load
is 9 to 11% of the total trailer weight,
not exceeding 158 kg (350 lb.).
However, if towing with a fifth
wheel trailer, the cargo load must be distributed so that the tongue-
load is 19 to 21 % of the total trailer
weight. Never load the trailer with
more weight in the back than in the front. About 60 % of the trailer load
should be in the front half of the
trailer and the remaining 40 % in the
rear. HITCHES
Use only a weight carrying hitch de-
signed for the total trailer weight. Toyo-
ta does not recommend using a weight
distribution (load equalizing) hitch.
The hitch must be bolted securely to
the vehicle frame and installed accord-
ing to the hitch manufacturer's instruc- tions.
If using a fifth wheel hitch, the center
of the king pin must be forward of the
axis of the vehicle's rear wheels, and
installed according to the manufactur-
er's instructions.
The hitch ball and king pin should have a light coat of grease.
Toyota recommends that the trailer
hitch, except fifth wheel hitch, be re-moved when not towing to prevent in- jury and/or damage by the hitch in
event of a rear end collision. After re-moving the hitch, the installation area
should be sealed to prevent entry of exhaust fumes and mud.
Do not use an axle-mounting hitch
as it may cause damage to the axle
housing, wheel bearings, wheelsand/ or tires.
NOTICE
BRAKES AND SAFETY CHAINS Toyota recommends trailers with brakes that conform to any applicable
federal and state/provincial regula- tions.
A safety chain must always be used
between the towing vehicle and the
trailer. Leave sufficient slack in the
chain for turns. The chain should cross
under the trailer tongue to prevent thetongue from dropping to the ground in
case it becomes damaged or sepa-
rated. For correct safety chain proce-
dures, follow the hitch or trailer
manufacturer 's recommendations.
CAUTION
If the total trailer weight exceeds
453 kg (1000 lb.), trailer brakes are required.
Never tap into your vehicle's hy-
draulic system as it would lower its
braking effectiveness.!

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.

136
4. Apply the parking brake firmly.
5. Shift into first or reverse (manual) or
Pº (automatic) and turn off the engine.
When restarting out after parking on a slope:
1. With the transmission in Pº position (automatic) or the clutch pedal de-
pressed (manual), start the engine.
(With an automatic transmission, be
sure to keep the brake pedal de- pressed.)
2. Shift into gear.
3. Release the parking brake (also foot brake on automatic transmission ve- hicles) and slowly pull or back away
from the wheels blocks. Stop and ap- ply your brakes.
4. Have someone retrieve the blocks.
Do not exceed 72 km/h (45 mph) or
the posted towing speed limit,
whichever is lower. Because insta- bility (swaying) of a towing vehicle
trailer combination usually in-
creases as the speed increases, ex-
ceeding 72 km/h (45 mph) maycause loss of control.
Slow down and downshift before
descending steep or long downhill
grades. Do not make sudden down-
shifts
Avoid holding the pedal down too
long or too frequently. This could
cause the brakes to overheat and
result in reduced braking
efficiency.
CAUTION! Getting
more kilometers/mileage from a li-
ter/gallon of fuel is easy-just take it easy.
It will help make your vehicle last longer,
too. Here are some specific tips on how to
save money on both fuel and repairs: Keep your tires inflated at the cor- rect pressure. Underinflation causes
tire wear and wastes fuel. See Chapter
7-2 for instructions.
Do not carry unneeded weight in
your vehicle. Excess weight puts a
heavier load on the engine, causing greater fuel consumption.
Avoid lengthy warm-up idling.
Once the engine is running smoothly,
begin drivingÐbut gently. Remember,
however, that on cold winter days this
may take a little longer.
Accelerate slowly and smoothly.
Avoid jackrabbit starts. Get into high
gear as quickly as possible.
Avoid long engine idling. If you have
a long wait and you are not in traffic, it
is better to turn off the engine and start
again later.
How to save fuel and make
your vehicle last longer, too

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.!

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