2000 TOYOTA TACOMA lights

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Instrument panel light control
To adjust the brightness of the instru-
ment panel lights, turn the knob.
Interior lights
Front light
Rear light (Xtra−cab models)
To turn on the interior light, slide the
switch.
The interior light switch has the following
positions:
ON"Keeps the light on all the time.
OFF"Turns the light off.
DOOR"Turns the light on when either
door is opened. The light goes off when
both doors are closed.

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Personal lights
The personal lights operate separately
with each outer 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 1Turns both lights on when ei-
ther door is opened. The lights go off
when both doors are closed.
Position 2The lights are off unless you
operate either outer switch.
Ignition switch light
For easy access to the ignition switch,
the ignition switch light comes on when
either door is opened.
The light remains on for some time after
both doors are closed.To turn on the windshield wipers, move
the lever to the desired setting.
The key must be in the ON" position.Lever position
Speed setting
Position 1Intermittent
Position 2Slow
Position 3Fast
The INT TIME" band lets you adjust the
wiping time interval when the wiper lever
is in the intermittent position (position 1).
Twist the band upward to increase the
time between sweeps, and downward to
decrease it.
Windshield wipers and
washer (intermittent type)

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(h)Take vehicle to
To y o t a
d ealer
immediately.
(g) Take vehicle to
Toyota dealer.
(i) Shift front drive control lever out of
N".
If the indicator or
buzzer comes on...
Do this.
(type B)
(type A)
(f) Fill up tank.
If the indicator or
buzzer comes on...
(l) Turn off lights.
(m) Remove key. Key reminder
buzzer Light reminder
buzzer Do this.
(j) Stop and check.
(k) Add washer fluid.(a) Brake System Warning Light
This light has the following functions:
Parking brake reminder
If this light is on, make sure the parking
brake is fully released. The light should
go off.
Low brake fluid level warning
If this light comes on and stays on while
you are driving, slow down and pull off
the road. Then stop the vehicle carefully.
Remember that stopping distance and ped-
al effort may be increased. There may be
a problem somewhere in the brake sys-
tem. Check the fluid level of the see−
through reservoir.
To make sure the parking brake has not
caused the warning light to come on,
check to see that the parking brake is
fully released.
If the brake fluid level is low...
At a safe place, test your brakes by start-
ing and stopping.
If you judge that the brakes still work
adequately, drive cautiously to your
nearest dealer or shop for repairs.
If the brakes are not working, have the
vehicle towed in for repairs. (For tow-
ing information, see Section 4.)

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Clock
The digital clock indicates the time.
The key must be in the ACC" or ON"
position.
To reset the hour: Push the H" button.
To reset the minutes: Push the M" button.
If quick adjustment to a full hour is de-
sired, push the :00" button.
For example, if the :00" button is de-
pressed when the time is between
1:011:29, the time will change to 1:00.
If the time is between 1:301:59, the
time will change to 2:00.If the electrical power source has been
disconnected from the clock, the time dis-
play will automatically be set to 1:00 (one
o’clock).
When the instrument panel lights are
turned on, the brightness of the time in-
dication will be reduced.
Cigarette lighter and ashtray
CIGARETTE LIGHTER
To use the cigarette lighter, press it in.
When it becomes heated, it automatical-
ly pops out ready for use.
If the engine is not running, the key must
be in the ACC" position.
Do not hold the cigarette lighter pressed
in.
Use a Toyota genuine cigarette lighter or
equivalent for replacement.

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Glove box
To open the glove box door, pull the
lever.
On some models, the glove box light will
come on when the glove box is open with
the instrument panel lights on.
CAUTION
To reduce the chance of injury in
case of an accident or a sudden stop,
always keep the glove box door
closed while driving.
Cup holder
The cup holder is designed for holding
cups or drink−cans securely in its
holes.
To use the second cup holder, pull it out.
CAUTION
Xtra−cab models only: Do not use
the second cup holder when you
move passenger ’s seat for rear seat
entry. The seat may interfere with
second cup holder and the drink
may spill over the occupants. If the
spilled drink is hot, it may cause
burns.
Do not place anything else other
than cups or drink−cans on the cup
holder, as such items may be
thrown about in the compartment
and possibly injure people in the
vehicle during sudden braking or in
an accident.
To reduce the chance of injury in
case of an accident or sudden stop
while driving, keep the second cup
holder closed when it is not in use.
NOTICE
Xtra−cab models only: Do not use the
second cup holder when you move
passenger ’s seat for rear seat entry.
The seat may interfere with the sec-
ond cup holder and the spilled drink
may cause a malfunction on the elec-
trical components.

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Before starting the engine
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 the 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 trans-
mission into neutral. Hold the clutch
pedal to the floor until the engine is
started. A starter safety device will pre-
vent the starter from operating if the
clutch pedal is not fully depressed.
Automatic transmission: Put the se-
lector lever in P". If you need to re-
start the engine while the vehicle is
moving, put the selector lever in N".
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.
(b) Starting the engine
Before starting the engine, be sure to fol-
low the instructions in (a) Before crank-
ing".
Normal starting procedure
The multiport fuel injection system/sequen-
tial multiport fuel injection system in your
engine automatically controls the proper
air−fuel mixture for starting. You can start
a cold or hot engine as follows:
1. With your foot off the accelerator ped- al, crank the engine by turning the key
to START". Release it when the en-
gine starts.
2. After the engine runs for about 10 se- conds, you are ready to drive.
If the weather is below freezing, let the
engine warm up for a few minutes before
driving.
If the engine stalls...
Simply restart it, using the correct proce-
dure given in normal starting.
If the engine will not start...
See If your vehicle will not start" in Sec-
tion 4.
How to start the engine
(a) Before cranking

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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.
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. See Section 7−2 for
instructions.
The trailer tires should be inflated to
the pressure recommended by the trail-
er 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
vehicle with any new power train com-
ponent (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
require more frequent maintenance due
to the additional load. For this informa-
tion, please refer to the scheduled
maintenance information in the Sched-
uled Maintenance Guide" or Owner ’s
Manual Supplement".
Retighten all fixing bolts of the towing
ball and bracket after approximately
1000 km (600 miles) of trailer driving.
PRE−TOWING 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 suspension
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.

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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, exces-
sive speed and improper trailer loading.
Keep these in mind when towing:
Before starting out, check operation of
the lights and all vehicle−trailer connec-
tions. After driving a short distance,
stop and recheck the lights and con-
nections. Before actually towing a trail-
er, practice turning, stopping and back-
ing with a trailer in an area away from
traffic until you learn the feel.
Backing with a trailer is difficult and
requires practice. Grip the bottom of
the steering wheel and move your hand
to the left to move the trailer to the
left. Move your hand to the right to
move the trailer to the right. (This pro-
cedure is generally opposite to that
when backing without a trailer). Also,
just turn the steering wheel a little at
a time, avoiding sharp or prolonged
turning. Have someone guide you when
backing to reduce the risk of an acci-
dent.
Because stopping distance may be in-
creased, vehicle−to−vehicle distance
should be increased when towing a
trailer. For each 16 km/h (10 mph) of
speed, allow at least one vehicle and
trailer length between you and the ve-
hicle ahead. Avoid sudden braking as
you may skid, resulting in jackknifing
and loss of control. This is especially
true on wet or slippery surfaces.
Avoid jerky starts or sudden accelera-
tion. If your vehicle has a manual
transmission, prevent excessive clutch
slippage by keeping engine rpm low
and not racing the engine. Always start
out in first gear.
Avoid jerky steering and sharp turns.
The trailer could hit your vehicle in a
tight turn. Slow down before making a
turn to avoid the necessity of sudden
braking.
Remember that when making a turn,
the trailer wheels will be closer than
the vehicle wheels to the inside of the
turn. Therefore, compensate for this by
making a larger than normal turning
radius with your vehicle.
Crosswinds and rough roads will ad-
versely affect handling of your vehicle
and trailer, causing sway. Pay attention
to the rear from time to time to pre-
pare yourself for being passed by large
trucks or buses, which may cause your
vehicle and trailer to sway. If swaying
happens, firmly grip the steering wheel
and reduce speed immediately but
gradually. Never increase speed. Steer
straight ahead. If you make no extreme
correction with the steering or brakes,
the vehicle and trailer will stabilize.