2003 TOYOTA TACOMA low oil pressure

’03 Tacoma U (L/O 0209)
62003 MY TACOMA (OM35800U)
Seat belt reminder light∗1
Low engine oil pressure warning light∗1
Low fuel level warning light∗1
Brake system warning light∗1
Discharge warning light∗1
Malfunction indicator lamp∗1
Antilock brake system warning light∗1
SRS warning light∗1
or
Automatic transmission fluid temperature warning
light∗1
Unengaged “Park” warning light∗1
Low windshield washer fluid level warning
light∗1
Headlight high beam indicator light
Overdriveoff indicator light Turn signal indicator lights
Driving pattern (POWER mode) indicator light
Indicator symbols on the instrument panel

’03 Tacoma U (L/O 0209)
1212003 MY TACOMA (OM35800U)
(a) Brake System Warning Light
This light comes on in the following cases
when the ignition key is in the “ON” posi-
tion.
When the parking brake is applied...
When the brake fluid level is low...
CAUTION
It is dangerous to continue driving
normally when the brake fluid level is
low.
Have your vehicle checked at your
Toyota dealer in the following case:
The light does not come on even if the
parking brake is applied when the igni-
tion key is in the “ON” position.
CAUTION
If the light does not turn off even
after the parking brake is released
while the engine is running, immedi-
ately stop your vehicle at a safe
place and contact your Toyota dealer.
In this case, the brakes may not work
properly and your stopping distance
will become longer. Depress the brake
pedal firmly and bring the vehicle to
an immediate stop.
(b) Seat Belt Reminder Light and Buzz-er
This light and buzzer remind you to
buckle up the driver’s seat belt.
Once the ignition key is turned to “ON” or
“START”, the reminder light flashes and
buzzer comes on if the driver’s seat belt
is not fastened. Unless the driver fastens
the belt, the light stays on and the buzzer
sounds for about 4 to 8 seconds.
(c) Discharge Warning Light
This light warns that the battery is being
discharged.
If it comes on while you are driving, there
is a problem somewhere in the charging
system. The engine ignition will continue to oper-
ate, however, until the battery is dis-
charged. Turn off the air conditioning,
blower, radio, etc., and drive directly to
the nearest Toyota dealer or repair shop.
NOTICE
Do not continue driving if the engine
drive belt is broken or loose.
(d) Low Engine Oil Pressure Warning
Light
This light warns that the engine oil pres-
sure is too low.
If it flickers or stays on while you are
driving, pull off the road to a safe place
and stop the engine immediately. Call a
Toyota dealer or qualified repair shop for
assistance.
The light may occasionally flicker when
the engine is idling or it may come on
briefly after a hard stop. There is no
cause for concern if it then goes out when
the engine is accelerated slightly.
The light may come on when the oil level
is extremely low. It is not designed to
indicate low oil level, and the oil level
must be checked using the level dipstick.

’03 Tacoma U (L/O 0209)
1972003 MY TACOMA (OM35800U)
To allow proper operation of your
vehicle’s ventilation system, keep
the inlet grilles in front of the wind-
shield clear of snow, leaves, or oth-
er obstructions.
If you smell exhaust fumes in the
vehicle, drive with the windows
open. Have the cause immediately
located and corrected.
Toyota does not recommend occu-
pying the rear cargo area when it
is fitted with a slidein camper,
camper shell or other type cover
while the engine is running. This
caution applies to both driving and
stopped or parked situations with
the engine running. Particular care
should be taken to prevent exhaust
gases from entering camper bodies,
trailers or other enclosures on or
around your vehicle. If exhaust
fumes are detected, open all win-
dows and thoroughly ventilate the
area.
FUNCTIONS OF ENGINE OIL
Engine oil has the primary functions of
lubricating and cooling the inside of the
engine, and plays a major role in main-
taining the engine in proper working order.
ENGINE OIL CONSUMPTION
It is normal that an engine should con-
sume some engine oil during normal
engine operation. The causes of oil
consumption in a normal engine are as
follows.
Oil is used to lubricate pistons, piston
rings and cylinders. A thin film of oil
is left on the cylinder wall when a pis-
ton moves downwards in the cylinder.
High negative pressure generated when
the vehicle is decelerating sucks some
of this oil into the combustion chamber.
This oil as well as some part of the oil
film left on the cylinder wall is burned
by the high temperature combustion
gases during the combustion process.
Oil is also used to lubricate the stems
of the intake valves. Some of this oil
is sucked into the combustion chamber
together with the intake air and is
burned along with the fuel. High tem-
perature exhaust gases also burn the
oil used to lubricate the exhaust valve
stems.The amount of engine oil consumed de-
pends on the viscosity of the oil, the
quality of the oil and the conditions the
vehicle is driven under.
More oil is consumed by highspeed driv-
ing and frequent acceleration and decel-
eration.
A new engine consumes more oil, since
its pistons, piston rings and cylinder walls
have not become conditioned.
When judging the amount of oil con-
sumption, note that the oil may become
diluted and make it difficult to judge
the true level accurately.
As an example, if a vehicle is used for
repeated short trips, and consumes a nor-
mal amount of oil, the dipstick may not
show any drop in the oil level at all, even
after 1000 km (600 miles) or more. This
is because the oil is gradually becoming
diluted with fuel or moisture, making it
appear that the oil level has not changed.
The diluting ingredients evaporate out
when the vehicle is then driven at high
speeds, as on an expressway, making it
appear that oil is excessively consumed
after driving at high speeds.
Facts about engine oil
consumption

’03 Tacoma U (L/O 0209)
2262003 MY TACOMA (OM35800U)
If your engine coolant temperature
gauge indicates overheating, if you ex-
perience a loss of power, or if you hear
a loud knocking or pinging noise, the
engine has probably overheated. You
should follow this procedure...1. Pull safely off the road, stop the ve- hicle and turn on your emergency
flashers. Put the transmission in “P”
(automatic) or neutral (manual) and ap-
ply the parking brake. Turn off the air
conditioning if it is being used.
2. If coolant or steam is boiling out of the radiator or reservoir, stop the engine.
Wait until the steam subsides before
opening the hood. If there is no coolant
boiling over or steam, leave the engine
running.
CAUTION
To help avoid personal injury, keep
the hood closed until there is no
steam. Escaping steam or coolant is
a sign of very high pressure.
3. Visually check to see if the enginedrive belt (fan belt) is broken or loose.
Look for obvious coolant leaks from the
radiator, hoses, and under the vehicle.
However, note that water draining from
the air conditioning is normal if it has
been used.
CAUTION
When the engine is running, keep
hands and clothing away from the
moving fan and engine drive belts.
4. If the engine drive belt is broken or thecoolant is leaking, stop the engine im-
mediately. Call a Toyota dealer for as-
sistance.
5. If the engine drive belt is O.K. and there are no obvious leaks, you may
help the engine cool down more quickly
by running it at about 1500 rpm for a
few minutes with the accelerator pedal
lightly depressed.
6. Check the coolant reservoir. If it is dry, add coolant to the reservoir while the
engine is running. Fill it about half full.
CAUTION
Do not attempt to remove the radiator
cap when the engine and radiator are
hot. Serious injury could result from
scalding hot fluid and steam blown
out under pressure.
7. After the engine coolant temperaturehas cooled to normal, again check the
coolant level in the reservoir. If neces-
sary, bring it up to half full again. Seri-
ous coolant loss indicates a leak in the
system. You s hould have it checked as
soon as possible at your Toyota dealer.
If your vehicle overheats

’03 Tacoma U (L/O 0209)
2532003 MY TACOMA (OM35800U)
What about doityourself maintenance?
Many of the maintenance items are easy
to do yourself if you have a little mechani-
cal ability and a few basic automotive
tools. Simple instructions for how to per-
form them are presented in Section 7.
If you are a skilled doityourself mechan-
ic, the Toyota service manuals are recom-
mended. Please be aware that doityour-
self maintenance can affect your warranty
coverage. See “Owner ’s Warranty Informa-
tion Booklet” or “Owner ’s Manual Supple-
ment” for the details.Listed below are the general maintenance
items that should be performed as fre-
quently as specified. In addition to check-
ing the items listed, if you notice any
unusual noise, smell or vibration, you
should investigate the cause or take your
vehicle to your Toyota dealer or a quali-
fied service shop immediately. It is recom-
mended that any problem you notice be
brought to the attention of your dealer or
the qualified service shop for their advice.
CAUTION
Make these checks only where ade-
quate ventilation can be obtained if
you run the engine.
OUTSIDE THE VEHICLE
Items listed below should be performed
from time to time, unless otherwise
specified.
Tire pressure
Check the pressure with a gauge every
two weeks, or at least once a month. See
Section 72 for additional information.Tire surface and wheel nuts
Check the tires carefully for cuts, damage
or excessive wear. See Section 72 for
additional information. When checking the
tires, make sure no nuts are missing, and
check the nuts for looseness. Tighten
them if necessary.
Tire rotation
Rotate the tires according to the mainte-
nance schedule. (For scheduled mainte-
nance information, please refer to the
“Scheduled Maintenance Guide” or “Own-
er ’s Manual Supplement”.) See Section
72 for additional information.
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. Make sure the engine hood sec-
ondary latch secures the hood from
opening when the primary latch is re-
leased.
General maintenance

’03 Tacoma U (L/O 0209)
2682003 MY TACOMA (OM35800U)
Oil identification marks
Either or both API registered marks are
added to some oil containers to help
you select the oil you should use.
The API Service Symbol is located any-
where on the outside of the container.
The top portion of the label shows the oil
quality by API (American Petroleum Insti-
tute) designations such as SL. The center
portion of the label shows the SAE viscos-
ity grade such as SAE 5W30. “Energy
Conserving” shown in the lower portion,
indicates that the oil has fuelsaving ca-
pabilities.
The ILSAC (International Lubricant Stan-
dardization and Approval Committee) Certi-
fication Mark is displayed on the front of
the container.
To ensure excellent lubrication perfor-
mance for your engine, the “Toyota
Genuine Motor Oil” range is available,
which has been specifically tested and
approved for all Toyota engines.
Please contact your Toyota dealer for fur-
ther details of the “Toyota Genuine Motor
Oil” range.Look at the seethrough coolant reser-
voir when the engine is cold. The cool-
ant level is satisfactory if it is between
the “F” and “L” lines on the reservoir.
If the level is low, add ethyleneglycol
type coolant for a proper corrosion
protection of aluminum components.
The coolant level in the reservoir will vary
with engine temperature. However, if the
level is on or below the “L” line, add
coolant. Bring the level up to the “F” line.
Always use ethyleneglycol type coolant
for a proper corrosion protection of alumi-
num components. See information in the
next column.
If the coolant level drops within a short
time after replenishing, there may be a
leak in the system. Visually check the
radiator, hoses, radiator cap and drain
cock and water pump.
If you can find no leak, have your Toyota
dealer test the cap pressure and check
for leaks in the cooling system.
Checking the engine coolant
level