Page 22 of 311
’03 Tacoma U (L/O 0209)
162003 MY TACOMA (OM35800U)
To open the hood:1. Pull the hood lock release lever. The hood will spring up slightly.
CAUTION
Before driving, be sure that the hood
is securely closed and locked. Other-
wise, the hood may open unexpected-
ly while driving and an accident may
occur.
2. In front of the vehicle, pull up theauxiliary catch l ever and lift the
hood.
3. Hold the hood open by inserting the support rod into the slot.
Before closing the hood, check to see that
you have not forgotten any tools, rags,
etc. and return the support rod to its
clip—this prevents rattles. Then lower the
hood and make sure it locks into place.
If necessary, press down gently on the
front edge to lock it.
CAUTION
After inserting the support rod into
the slot, make sure the rod supports
the hood securely from falling down
on to your head or body.
Hood
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’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
Page 259 of 311
’03 Tacoma U (L/O 0209)
2532003 MY TACOMA (OM35800U)
What about do it yourself 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 do it yourself mechan-
ic, the Toyota service manuals are recom-
mended. Please be aware that do it your-
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 7 2 for additional information.Tire surface and wheel nuts
Check the tires carefully for cuts, damage
or excessive wear. See Section 7 2 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
7 2 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
Page 289 of 311
’03 Tacoma U (L/O 0209)
2832003 MY TACOMA (OM35800U)
1. Open the hood. Unplug the connec-tor. Remove the rubber cover.
If the connector is tight, wiggle it.2. Release the bulb retaining spring and remove the bulb. Install a new
bulb and the bulb retaining spring.
To install a bulb, align the tabs of the
bulb with the cutouts of the mounting
hole.3. Install the rubber cover with the “TOP PULL” mark upward and fit it
securely on the boss. Then plug in
the connector.
Make sure the rubber cover fits securely
on the bulb base and the mounting body.
Aiming is not necessary after replacing
the bulb. When aiming adjustment is nec-
essary, contact your Toyota dealer.
—Headlights
