2003 TOYOTA TACOMA four wheel drive

’03 Tacoma U (L/O 0209)
1332003 MY TACOMA (OM35800U)
Upshifting too soon or downshifting too
late will cause lugging, and possibly ping-
ing. Regularly revving the engine to maxi-
mum speed in each gear will cause ex-
cessive engine wear and high fuel
consumption.
Maximum allowable speeds
To get on a highway or to pass slower
traffic, maximum acceleration may be nec-
essary. Make sure you observe the follow-
ing maximum allowable speeds in each
gear:
Twowheel drive models2RZFE engine gear km/h (mph)1 48 (29)
2 89 (55)
3 137 (85)
4 165 (103)
5VZFE engine gear km/h (mph)
1 54 (33)
2 101 (62)
3 146 (90)
4 180 (111) Fourwheel drive models
3RZFE engine
gear km/h (mph)
“H2” and “H4” “L4”
1 46 (28) 17 (10)
2 85 (52) 33 (20)
3 132 (81) 51 (31)
4 165 (102) 70 (43)
5VZFE engine gear km/h (mph) “H2” and “H4” “L4”
1 47 (29) 18 (11)
2 88 (54) 34 (21)
3 127 (78) 49 (30)
4 165 (102) 70 (44)
NOTICE
Do not downshift if you are going
faster than the maximum allowable
speed for the next lower gear.
Good driving practice
If it is difficult to shift into reverse, put
the transmission in neutral, release the
clutch pedal momentarily, and then try
again.
When towing a trailer, in order to main-
tain engine braking efficiency, do not
use fifth gear.
CAUTION
Be careful when downshifting on a
slippery surface. Abrupt shifting
could cause the vehicle to spin or
skid.
NOTICE
Make sure the vehicle is completely
stopped before shifting into reverse.

’03 Tacoma U (L/O 0209)
1342003 MY TACOMA (OM35800U)
Use the front drive control lever to se-
lect the following transfer modes.
“H2” (high speed position, twowheel
drive): Lever at “H2”
Use this for normal driving on dry hard
surfaced roads. This position gives greater
economy, quietest ride and least wear.
“H4” (high speed position, fourwheel
drive): Lever at “H4”
Use this for normal driving on wet, icy or
snowcovered roads. This position pro-
vides greater traction than twowheel
drive. “N” (neutral position): Lever at “N”
No power is delivered to the wheels. The
vehicle must be stopped.
“L4” (low speed position, fourwheel
drive):
Lever at “L4”
Use this for maximum power and traction.
Use “L4” for climbing or descending steep
hills, offroad driving, and hard pulling in
sand, mud or deep snow.
The fourwheel drive indicator light comes
on when the “H4”, “N” or “L4” mode is
selected.
See “(c) Shifting procedure (lever type)”
for further instructions.Use the front drive control lever and
“4WD” button to select the following
transfer modes.
“H2” (high speed position, twowheel
drive): Lever at “H”, “4WD” button left out
Use this for normal driving on dry hard
surfaced roads. This position gives greater
economy, quietest ride and least wear.
“H4” (high speed position, fourwheel
drive): Lever at “H”, “4WD” button pushed
in
Use this for normal driving on wet, icy or
snowcovered roads. This position pro-
vides greater traction than twowheel
drive.
Fourwheel drive system—
(a) Front drive control
(lever type) (a) Front drive control
(lever/button type)

’03 Tacoma U (L/O 0209)
1352003 MY TACOMA (OM35800U)
“N” (neutral position): Lever at “N”
No power is delivered to the wheels. The
vehicle must be stopped.
“L4” (low speed position, fourwheel
drive): Lever at “L4”
Use this for maximum power and traction.
Use “L4” for climbing or descending steep
hills, offroad driving, and hard pulling in
sand, mud or deep snow.
The fourwheel drive indicator light comes
on when the “H4”, “N” or “L4” mode is
selected.
See “(c) Shifting procedure (lever/button
type)” for further instructions. The A.D.D. can be engaged or disen-
gaged by the shifting operations de-
scribed in “(c) Shifting procedure”.
You should drive in fourwheel drive for
at least 16 km (10 miles) each month.
This will assure that the front drive com-
ponents are lubricated.
SHIFTING BETWEEN “H2” AND “H4”
To shift from “H2” to “H4”,
reduce your
speed to less than 80 km/h (50 mph) and
move the front drive control lever. You
need not depress the clutch pedal.
If you have trouble shifting in cold weath-
er, reduce your speed or stop the vehicle
and reshift.
CAUTION
Never move the front drive control
lever if wheels are slipping. Stop the
slipping or spinning before shifting.
To shift from “H4” to “H2”, simply move
the front drive control lever.
This can be done at any vehicle speed.
You need not depress the clutch pedal.
If the indicator light does not go off when
you shift the transfer into “H2”, drive
straight ahead while accelerating or decel-
erating, or drive in reverse.
(b) A.D.D. (automatic
disconnecting differential) (c) Shifting procedure (lever
type with manual transmission)

’03 Tacoma U (L/O 0209)
1422003 MY TACOMA (OM35800U)
On vehicles with automatic transmission,
even if you turn off the overdrive switch
with the cruise control on, engine braking
will not be applied because the cruise
control is not cancelled. To decrease the
vehicle speed, reset to a slower speed
with the cruise control lever or depress
the brake pedal. If you use the brake
pedal, cruise control is cancelled.
RESUMING THE PRESET SPEED
If the preset speed is cancelled by pulling
the control lever or by depressing the
brake pedal or clutch pedal, pushing the
lever up in the “RES/ACC” direction will
restore the speed set prior to cancellation.
However, once the vehicle speed falls be-
low about 40 km/h (25 mph), the preset
speed will not be resumed.CRUISE CONTROL FAILURE WARNING
If the “CRUISE” indicator light in the
instrument cluster flashes when using the
cruise control, press the “CRUISE ON
OFF” button to turn the system off and
then press it again to turn it on.
If any of the following conditions then oc-
curs, there is some trouble in the cruise
control system.
The indicator light does not come on.
The indicator light flashes again.
The indicator light goes out after it
comes on.
If this is the case, contact your Toyota
dealer and have your vehicle inspected.
To crank the engine without depressing
the clutch pedal, push the switch with
the ignition on.
The switch stays on as long as the igni-
tion is on. And it will automatically turn off
when the ignition is off. An indicator light
will illuminate to indicate the system is
operating.
This switch cancels the clutch start sys-
tem, which is designed to keep the starter
motor from operating if the clutch pedal is
not depressed all the way down.
The switch allows the vehicle to be driven
out of difficult situations by cranking the
engine with the clutch engaged.
Clutch start cancel switch
(fourwheel drive models with
manual transmission)

’03 Tacoma U (L/O 0209)
1902003 MY TACOMA (OM35800U)
CAUTION
Make sure the floor mat is properly
placed on the floor carpet. If the floor
mat slips and interferes with the
movement of the pedals during driv-
ing, it may cause an accident.
Valance panelLonger
tapping screws
Front license plate Shorter
tapping screws
Install the front license plate using the
following procedure:
1. Remove and discard the front license plate frame (if installed on the vehicle
at delivery).
2. Align the holes on the front license plate with the dimples on the valance
panel.
3. Install the two longer tapping screws through the upper holes, and the two
shorter tapping screws through the low-
er holes of the license plate, into the
dimples on the valance panel.
Do not drill holes in the dimples on the
valance panel. The 4 tapping screws are enclosed in a
plastic bag in the glove box. If your ve-
hicle was not equipped with the screws at
delivery, contact your Toyota dealer.
Installing front license plate
(fourwheel drive models and
Pre Runner)

’03 Tacoma U (L/O 0209)
1922003 MY TACOMA (OM35800U)
This vehicle has higher ground clear-
ance and narrower tread in relation to
the height of its center of gravity to
make it capable of performing in a wide
variety of offroad applications. Specific
design characteristics give it a higher
center of gravity than ordinary passen-
ger cars. This vehicle design feature
causes this type of vehicle to be more
likely to rollover. And, it has a signifi-
cantly higher rollover rate than other
types of vehicles. An advantage of the
higher ground clearance is a better
view of the road allowing you to antici-
pate problems. It is not designed for
cornering at the same speeds as ordi-
nary passenger cars any more than
lowslung sports cars are designed to
perform satisfactorily under offroad
conditions. Therefore, sharp turns at
excessive speeds may cause rollover.
CAUTION
Always observe the following precau-
tions to minimize the risk of serious
personal injury or damage to your ve-
hicle:
In a rollover crash, an unbelted per-
son is significantly more likely to
die than a person wearing a seat
belt. Therefore, the driver and all
passengers should fasten their seat
belts whenever the vehicle is mov-
ing.
Avoid sharp turns or abrupt maneu-
vers, if at all possible. Failure to
operate this vehicle correctly may
result in loss of control or vehicle
rollover causing death or serious
injury.
Loading cargo on the roof luggage
carrier will make the center of the
vehicle gravity higher. Avoid high
speeds, sudden starts, sharp turns,
sudden braking or abrupt maneu-
vers, otherwise it may result in loss
of control or vehicle rollover due to
failure to operate this vehicle cor-
rectly.
Always slow down in gusty cross-
winds. Because of its profile and
higher center of gravity, your ve-
hicle is more sensitive to side
winds than an ordinary passenger
car. Slowing down will allow you to
have much better control.
Offroad vehicle precautions
(fourwheel drive models and
Pre Runner)

’03 Tacoma U (L/O 0209)
1952003 MY TACOMA (OM35800U)
NOTICE
Do not use gasohol other than
stated above. It will cause fuel sys-
tem damage or vehicle performance
problems.
 If driveab ility problems occur (poor
hot starting, vaporizing, engine
knock, etc.), discontinue the use.
 Take care not to spill gasohol dur-
ing refueling. Gasohol may cause
paint damage.
FUEL TANK CAPACITY
Twowheel drive models
except Pre Runner
60 L (16.0 gal., 13.3 Imp. gal.)
Fourwheel drive models
and Pre Runner 70 L (18.5 gal., 15.4 Imp. gal.) If you plan to drive your Toyota in
another country...
First,
comply with the vehicle registration
laws.
Second, confirm the availability of the cor-
rect fuel (unleaded and minimum octane
number).The threeway catalytic converter is an
emission control device installed in the
exhaust system.
The purpose is to reduce pollutants in the
exhaust gas.
CAUTION
Keep people and combustible mate-
rials away from the exhaust pipe
while the engine is running. The
exhaust gas is very hot.
Do not idle or park your vehicle
over anything that might burn easi-
ly such as grass, leaves, paper or
rags.
Operation in foreign countries Threeway catalytic converters

’03 Tacoma U (L/O 0209)
2092003 MY TACOMA (OM35800U)
NOTICE
Do not crank for more than 30 se-
conds at a time. This may overheat
the starter and wiring systems.
 Do not race a cold engine.
 If the engine becomes difficult to
start or stalls frequently, have the
engine checked immediately.
Always slow down in gusty crosswinds.
This will allow you much better control.
Drive slowly onto curbs and, if pos-
sible, at a right angle. Avoid driving
onto high, sharpedged objects and
other road hazards. Failure to do so
can lead to severe tire damage result-
ing in tire bursts.
Drive slowly when passing over bumps
or travelling on a bumpy r oad. Other-
wise, the impact could cause severe
damage to the tires and/or wheels.
When parking on a hill, turn the front
wheels until they touch the curb so
that the vehicle will not roll. Apply the
parking brake, and place the transmis-
sion in “P” (automatic) or in first or
reverse (manual). If necessary, block
the wheels.
Washing your vehicle or driving through
deep water may get the brakes wet. To
see whether they are wet, check that
there is no traffic near you, and then
press the pedal lightly. If you do not
feel a normal braking force, the brakes
are probably wet. To dry them, drive
the vehicle cautiously while lightly
pressing the brake pedal with the park-
ing brake applied. If they still do not
work safely, pull to the side of the road
and call a Toyota dealer for assistance.
Fourwheel drive models—Toyota rec-
ommends not using fourwheel drive on
dry hardsurfaced roads, because four
wheel driving will cause unnecessary
noise and wear, and poor fuel econo-
my.
Fourwheel drive models—In cold tem-
peratures, noise may occur when driv-
ing in twowheel drive before the trans-
fer is warmed up. Therefore, first drive
in fourwheel drive until the transfer is
warmed up.
Tips for driving in various
conditions