Page 49 of 270

’00 Tacoma(U)
42
Do not sit on the edge of the seat
or lean over the dashboard when
the vehicle is in use. The airbags
inflate with considerable speed and
force; you may be killed or serious-
ly injured. Sit up straight and well
back in the seat, and always use
your seat belt.Do not allow a child to stand up,
or to kneel on the front passenger
seat. The airbag inflates with con-
siderable speed and force; the child
may be killed or seriously injured.
Do not hold a child on your lap or
in your arms. Use a child restraint
system in the rear seat. For instruc-
tions concerning the installation of
a child restraint system, see Child
restraint" in this section.
Do not put objects or your pets on
or in front of the dashboard or
steering wheel pad that houses the
airbag system. They might restrict
inflation or cause death or serious
injury as they are projected rear-
ward by the force of deploying air-
bags. Likewise, the driver and front
passenger should not hold things in
their arms or on their knees.
Page 50 of 270

’00 Tacoma(U)
43
Do not modify or remove any wir-
ing. Do not modify, remove, strike
or open any components, such as
the steering wheel pad, steering
wheel, column cover, front passen-
ger airbag cover, front passenger
airbag or airbag sensor assembly.
Doing any of these may cause sud-
den SRS airbag inflation or disable
the system, which could result in
death or serious injury.
Failure to follow these instructions
can result in death or serious injury.NOTICE
Do not perform any of the following
changes without consulting your
Toyota dealer. Such changes can
interfere with proper operation of the
SRS airbag system in some cases.
Installation of electronic devices
such as a mobile two−way radio,
cassette tape player or compact
disc player
Modification of the suspension sys-
tem
Modification of the front end struc-
ture
Attachment of a grille guard (bull
bar, kangaroo bar, etc.), snowplow,
winches or any other equipment to
the front end
Repairs made on or near the front
fenders, front end structure, con-
sole, steering column, steering
wheel or dashboard near the front
passenger airbag
This SRS airbag system has a service
reminder indicator to inform the driver of
operating problems. If either of the follow-
ing conditions occurs, this indicates a
malfunction of the airbags. Contact your
Toyota dealer as soon as possible to
service the vehicle.
The light does not come on when the
ignition key is turned to the ACC" or
ON" position, or the light remains on.
The light comes on while driving.
Page 51 of 270

’00 Tacoma(U)
44
In the following cases, contact your Toyota
dealer as soon as possible:
The SRS airbags have been inflated.
The front part of the vehicle (shaded
in the illustration) was involved in an
accident that was not severe enough to
cause the SRS airbags to inflate.
The pad section of the steering wheel
or front passenger airbag cover
(shaded in the illustration) is scratched,
cracked, or otherwise damaged.
NOTICE
Do not disconnect the battery cables
before contacting your Toyota dealer.
Indicator light
This on−off switch is designed to dis-
able the passenger airbag in order to
allow usage, if necessary, of a member
of a passenger risk group identified in
TABLE 1 is occupying the right front
passenger seating position. (For details,
see SRS driver and front passenger
airbags" in this section.)
Operate on−off switch as follows:
Insert key into the keyhole and turn it.
To turn passenger airbag on: Turn the key
clockwise to the ON" position.
To turn passenger airbag off: Turn the key
counterclockwise to the OFF" position.
The indicator comes on when the passen-
ger airbag system is off.
CAUTION
Make sure that the indicator light is
off.
Do not turn off the passenger air-
bag manual on−off switch except
when a member of a passenger risk
group identified in TABLE 1 is oc-
cupying the right front passenger
seating position.
When the passenger airbag manual
on−off switch is turned off, the pas-
senger airbag will not inflate in a
collision and turning off the pas-
senger airbag can reduce the occu-
pant protection which your vehicle
safety systems can provide to you
in certain accidents and increase
the likelihood of serious personal
injuries.
For details, see SRS driver and front
passenger airbags" in this section.
Passenger airbag manual
on−off switch
Page 52 of 270

’00 Tacoma(U)
45
Toyota strongly urges the use of child
restraint systems for children small
enough to use them.
The laws of all fifty states in the U.S.A.
and Canada now require the use of a
child restraint system.
Your vehicle conforms to SAEJ1819.
If a child is too large for a child restraint
system, the child should sit in the seat
and must be restrained using the vehicle’s
seat belt. See Seat belts" for details.
CAUTION
For effective protection in automo-
bile accidents and sudden stops,
children must be properly re-
strained using a seat belt or child
restraint system depending on the
age and size of the child. Holding
a child in your arms is not a sub-
stitute for a child restraint system.
In an accident, the child can be
crushed against the windshield, or
between you and the vehicle’s inte-
rior.
NORMAL−CAB MODELS
Toyota strongly urges use of a
proper child restraint system which
conforms to the size of the child.
XTRA−CAB MODELS
Toyota strongly urges use of a
proper child restraint system which
conforms to the size of the child
and is put on the rear seat. Accord-
ing to accident statistics, the child
is safer when properly restrained in
the rear seat than in the front seat.
Never put infant or child age 1 to
12 in a passenger risk group on the
right front seat with the passenger
airbag manual on−off switch in the
ON" position. In the event of an
accident, the force of the rapid
inflation of the passenger airbag
can cause death or serious injury
to the child.
If you must put infant or child age
1 to 12 in a passenger risk group
on the right front seat, make sure
the passenger airbag manual on−off
switch is in the OFF" position and
that the indicator light is on. (For
details, see SRS driver and front
passenger airbags" in this section.)
Make sure that you have complied
with all installation instructions pro-
vided by the child restraint
manufacturer and that the system is
properly secured.
Child restraint
Child restraint precautions
Page 53 of 270

’00 Tacoma(U)
46
Child restraint system
A child restraint system for a small
child or baby must itself be properly
restrained on the seat with either the
lap belt or the lap portion of the lap/
shoulder belt. You must carefully con-
sult the manufacturer’s instructions
which accompany the child restraint
system.
To provide proper restraint, use a child
restraint system following the manufactur-
er ’s instructions about the appropriate age
and size of the child for the child restraint
system.
Install the child restraint system correctly
following the instructions provided by its
manufacturer of the system. General
directions are also provided under the fol-
lowing illustrations.
The child restraint system should be
installed on the rear seat if your vehicle
is equipped with rear seats. According to
accident statistics, the child is safer when
properly restrained in the rear seat than
in the front seat.CAUTION
Never put infant or child age 1 to
12 in a passenger risk group on the
right front seat with the passenger
airbag manual on−off switch in the
ON" position. In the event of an
accident, the force of the rapid
inflation of the passenger airbag
can cause death or serious injury
to the child.
If you must put infant or child age
1 to 12 in a passenger risk group
on the right front seat, make sure
the passenger airbag manual on−off
switch is in the OFF" position and
that the indicator light is on. (For
details, see SRS driver and front
passenger airbags" in this section.)
After installing the child restraint
system, make sure it is secured in
place according to the manufactur-
er’s instructions. If it is not re-
strained securely, it may cause
death or serious injury to the child
in the event of a sudden stop or
accident.
When not using the child restraint system,
keep it secured with the seat belt. This
will prevent it from injuring passengers in
the event of a sudden stop or accident.
Page 54 of 270
’00 Tacoma(U)
47
Child restraint systems are classified into
the following 3 types depending on the
child’s age and size.
(A) Infant seat
(B) Convertible seat
(C) Booster seat
Install the child restraint system following
the instructions provided by its manufac-
turer.
(A) Infant seat
(B) Convertible seat
(C) Booster seat
Types of child restraint
system
Page 55 of 270
’00 Tacoma(U)
48
(A) INFANT SEAT INSTALLATION
An infant seat is used in rear−facing
position only.With the child restraint system installed,
check that your driving position is satis-
factory and that the child restraint system
does not interfere with your driving.
If your driving position is not satisfactory,
or the child restraint system interferes
with your driving, install it at another posi-
tion.
Split bench seat
Adjust the passenger ’s seat forward and
rearward travel as well as seatback posi-
tion so that the child restraint system is
securely restrained.CAUTION
Ignoring the above instructions may
result in a serious injury in case of
an accident.
CAUTION
Never put a rear−facing child restraint
system on the front seat with the
passenger airbag manual on−off
switch in the ON" position. In the
event of an accident, the force of the
rapid inflation of the passenger air-
bag can cause death or serious injury
to the child.
Installation with 2−point
type seat belt
Page 56 of 270
’00 Tacoma(U)
49
When you put a rear−facing child re-
straint system on the front seat, turn
the passenger airbag manual on−off
switch counterclockwise to the OFF"
position. (For details, see SRS driver
and front passenger airbags" in this
section.)
The indicator comes on when the system
is off.
CAUTION
If you must put a rear−facing child
restraint system on the front seat,
make sure the passenger airbag
manual on−off switch is in the OFF"
position and that the indicator light is
on.
1. Run the center lap belt through oraround the infant seat following the
instructions provided by its manufactur-
er and insert the tab into the buckle
taking care not to twist the lap belt.