2005 TOYOTA TACOMA steering

2952005 TACOMA from Mar. ’05 Prod. (OM35862U)
TOWING CONNECTOR FOR TRAILER
LIGHTS
Your vehicle is equipped with a wire
harness stored in the rear end under
body. Some models are fitted with a
socket for trailer lights under the rear
bumper. Use either of them to connect
and operate the trailer lights. However,
the trailer lights must comply with fed-
eral, state/provincial and local regula-
tions. See your local recreational ve-
hicle dealer or rental agency for the
correct type of wiring and relays for
your trailer. Check for correct operation
of the turn signals and stop lights each
time you hitch up. Direct splicing may
damage your vehicle’s electrical system
and cause a malfunction of your lights.
The towing connector can be also con-
nected to the trailer brake and trailer
sub battery.
BREAKIN 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
information, please refer to the
scheduled maintenance information in
the “Scheduled 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.
PRETOWING 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 regulations. If not,
install the rear view mirrors required
for towing purpose. 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.

2962005 TACOMA from Mar. ’05 Prod. (OM35862U)
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.
Be careful when passing other ve-
hicles. Passing requires considerable
distance. After passing a vehicle, do
not forget the length of your trailer and
be sure you have plenty of room be-
fore changing lanes.
In order to maintain engine braking effi-
ciency, do not use fifth gear (5 −speed
manual transmission) or sixth gear
(6 −speed manual transmission), or do
not put the transmission in “D” (auto-
matic transmission).
Because of the added load of the trail-
er, your vehicle’s engine may overheat
on hot days (at temperatures over
30 C [85 F]) when going up a long or
steep grade with a trailer. If the engine
coolant temperature gauge indicates
overheating, immediately turn off the air
conditioning (if in use), pull off the road
and stop in a safe spot. Refer to “If
your vehicle overheats” on page 304 in
Section 4.
Always place wheel blocks under both
the vehicle and trailer wheels when
parking. Apply the parking brake firmly.
Put the transmission in “P” (automatic)
or in first or reverse (manual). Avoid
parking on a slope with a trailer, but
if it cannot be avoided, do so only
after performing the following:
1. Apply the brakes and hold.
2. Have someone place wheel blocks un- der both the vehicle and trailer wheels.
3. When the wheel blocks are in place, release your brakes slowly until the
blocks absorb the load.
4. Apply the parking brake firmly.
5. Shift into first or reverse (manual) or “P” (automatic) and turn off the engine.

2982005 TACOMA from Mar. ’05 Prod. (OM35862U)
Accelerate slowly and smoothly.
Avoid jackrabbit starts. Get into high
gear as quickly as possible.
Avoid long engine idling. If you have
a long wait and you are not in traffic,
it is better to turn off the engine and
start again later.
Avoid engine lugging or overrev-
ving. Use a gear position suitable for
the road on which you are travelling.
Avoid continuous speeding up and
slowing down. Stop−and− go driving
wastes fuel.
Avoid unnecessary stopping and
braking. Maintain a steady pace. Try
to time the traffic signals so you only
need to stop as little as possible or
take advantage of through streets to
avoid traffic lights. Keep a proper dis-
tance from other vehicles to avoid sud-
den braking. This will also reduce wear
on your brakes.
Avoid heavy traffic or traffic jams
whenever possible.
Do not rest your foot on the clutch
or brake pedal. This causes premature
wear, overheating and poor fuel econo-
my.
Maintain a moderate speed on high-
ways. The faster you drive, the greater
the fuel consumption. By reducing your
speed, you will cut down on fuel con-
sumption.
Keep the front wheels in proper
alignment. Avoid hitting the curb and
slow down on rough roads. Improper
alignment not only causes faster tire
wear but also puts an extra load on
the engine, which, in turn, wastes fuel.
Keep the bottom of your vehicle free
from mud, etc. This not only lessens
weight but also helps prevent corrosion
Keep your vehicle tunedup and in
top shape. A dirty air cleaner,
improper valve clearance, dirty plugs,
dirty oil and grease,brakes not
adjusted, etc. all lower engine
performance and contribute to poor fuel
economy. For longer life of all parts
and lower operating costs, keep all
maintenance work on schedule, and if
you often drive under severe
conditions, see that your vehicle
receives more frequent maintenance.
(For scheduled maintenance
information, please refer to the
“Scheduled Maintenance Guide” or
“Owner ’s Manual Supplement”.)
CAUTION
Never turn off the engine to coast
down hills. Your power steering and
brake booster will not function with-
out the engine running. Also, the
emission control system operates
properly only when the engine is run-
ning.

3032005 TACOMA from Mar. ’05 Prod. (OM35862U)
Do not connect the cable to or near
any part that moves when the engine
is cranked.
CAUTION
When making the connections, to
avoid serious injury, do not lean over
the battery or accidentally let the
jumper cables or clamps touch any-
thing except the correct battery termi-
nals or the ground.
5. Start your engine in the normal way.After starting, run it at about 2000 rpm
for several minutes with the accelerator
pedal lightly depressed.
6. Carefully disconnect the cables in the exact reverse order: the negative cable
and then the positive cable.
7. Carefully dispose of the battery cover cloths—they may now contain sulfuric
acid.
8. If removed, replace all the battery vent plugs.
If the cause of your battery discharging is
not apparent (for example, lights left on),
you should have it checked at your Toyota
dealer. If the first start attempt is not success-
ful...
Check that the clamp on the jumper
cables are tight. Recharge the discharged
battery with the jumper cables connected
for several minutes and restart your en-
gine in the normal way.
If another attempt is not successful, the
battery may be depleted. Have it checked
at your Toyota dealer.
If your engine stalls while driving...
1. Reduce your speed gradually, keeping a straight line. Move cautiously off the
road to a safe place.
2. Turn on your emergency flashers.
3. Turn the ignition key to “ACC” or “LOCK”, and try starting the engine
again.
If the engine will not start, see “If your
vehicle will not start” on page 300 in this
Section.CAUTION
If the engine is not running, the pow-
er assist for the brakes and steering
will not work so steering and braking
will be much harder than usual.
If your engine stalls while
driving

3172005 TACOMA from Mar. ’05 Prod. (OM35862U)
From rear—Place the ignition key in the
“ACC” position.
NOTICE
 When lifting wheels, take care to
ensure adequate ground clearance
for towing at the opposite end of
the raised vehicle. Otherwise, the
bumper and/or underbody of the
towed vehicle will be damaged dur-
ing towing.
 Do not tow with the key removed or
in the “LOCK” position, as the
steering lock mechanism is not
strong enough to hold the front
wheels straight while towing.
(b) Using flat bed truck Fourwheel drive models—
(a) Towing with wheel lift type truck
From front—
Manual transmission:
We recommend using a towing dolly under
the rear wheels. If you do not use a tow-
ing dolly, release the parking brake, put
the transmission in neutral and the front
drive control switch knob in “H2”.
Automatic transmission:
Use a towing dolly under the rear wheels.
NOTICE
Never tow a vehicle with an automatic
transmission from the front with the
rear wheels on the ground, as this
may cause serious damage to the
transmission.
From rear— We recommend using a tow-
ing dolly under the front wheels. If you do
not use a towing dolly, place the ignition
key in the “ACC” position, put the trans-
mission in “N” (automatic) or neutral
(manual) and the front drive control switch
knob in “H2”.
NOTICE
Do not tow with the key removed or
in the “LOCK” position when towing
from the rear without a towing dolly.
The steering lock mechanism is not
strong enough to hold the front
wheels straight.
(b) Using flat bed truck

3182005 TACOMA from Mar. ’05 Prod. (OM35862U)
LS40028
(c) Towing with sling type truck
All models—
(c) Towing with sling type truck
NOTICE
Do not tow with sling type truck, ei-
ther from the front or rear. This may
cause body damage.
LS40031a
If towing is necessary, we recommend
you to have it done by your Toyota
dealer or a commercial tow truck ser-
vice.
If towing service is not available in an
emergency, your vehicle may be tempo-
rarily towed by a cable or chain se-
cured to one of the emergency towing
eyelet under the front of the vehicle.
Use extreme caution when towing the
vehicle.
NOTICE
Only use specified towing eyelet;
otherwise your vehicle may be dam-
aged.
A driver must be in the vehicle to steer
it and operate the brakes.
Towing in this manner may be done only
on hard− surfaced roads for a short dis-
tance and at low speeds. Also, the
wheels, axles, drive train, steering and
brakes must all be in good condition.
CAUTION
Use extreme caution when towing the
vehicle. Avoid sudden starts or errat-
ic driving maneuvers which would
place excessive stress on the emer-
gency towing eyelet and towing cable
or chain. The eyelet and towing cable
or chain may break and cause serious
injury or damage.
NOTICE
Use only a cable or chain specifically
intended for use in towing vehicles.
Securely fasten the cable or chain to
the towing eyelet provided.
—Emergency towing (fourwheel
drive models and PreRunner
without offroad package)

3192005 TACOMA from Mar. ’05 Prod. (OM35862U)
Before towing, release the parking brake
and put the transmission in neutral (manu-
al) or “N” (automatic). The key must be
in “ACC” (engine off) or “ON” (engine run-
ning).
Four−wheel drive models—Put the front
drive control switch knob in “H2”.
CAUTION
If the engine is not running, the pow-
er assist for the brakes and steering
will not work so steering and braking
will be much harder than usual.
LS40030a
If towing is necessary, we recommend
you to have it done by your Toyota
dealer or a commercial tow truck ser-
vice.
If towing service is not available in an
emergency, your vehicle may be tempo-
rarily towed by a cable or chain se-
cured to the emergency towing hook
under the front of the vehicle. Use ex-
treme caution when towing the vehicle.
NOTICE
Only use specified towing hook;
otherwise your vehicle may be dam-
aged.
A driver must be in the vehicle to steer
it and operate the brakes.
Towing in this manner may be done only
on hard− surfaced roads for a short dis-
tance and at low speeds. Also, the
wheels, axles, drive train, steering and
brakes must all be in good condition.
CAUTION
Use extreme caution when towing the
vehicle. Avoid sudden starts or errat-
ic driving maneuvers which would
place excessive stress on the emer-
gency towing hook and towing cable
or chain. The hook and towing cable
or chain may break and cause serious
injury or damage.
NOTICE
Use only a cable or chain specifically
intended for use in towing vehicles.
Securely fasten the cable or chain to
the towing hook provided.
—Emergency towing (fourwheel
drive models and PreRunner with
offroad package)

3202005 TACOMA from Mar. ’05 Prod. (OM35862U)
Before towing, release the parking brake
and put the transmission in neutral (manu-
al) or “N” (automatic). The key must be
in “ACC” (engine off) or “ON” (engine run-
ning).
Four−wheel drive models—Put the front
drive control switch knob in “H2”.
CAUTION
If the engine is not running, the pow-
er assist for the brakes and steering
will not work so steering and braking
will be much harder than usual.
Before emergency towing, check that
the hook is not broken or damaged and
that the installation bolts are not loose.
Fasten the towing cable or chain se-
curely to the hook or eyelet.
Do not jerk the hook. Apply steady and
even force.
To avoid damaging the hook and eye-
let, do not pull from the side or at a
vertical angle. Always pull straight
ahead.
CAUTION
If the emergency towing hook is used
to get out when your vehicle becomes
stuck in the mud, sand or other
condition from which the vehicle can-
not be driven out under its own pow-
er, make sure to observe the precau-
tions mentioned below. Otherwise, ex-
cessive stress will be put on the
hook and the towing cable or chain
may break, causing serious injury or
damage.
If the towing vehicle can hardly
move, do not forcibly continue the
towing. Contact your Toyota dealer
or a commercial tow truck service
for assistance.
Tow the vehicle as straight ahead
as possible.
Keep away from the vehicle during
towing.
—Emergency towing hook and
eyelet precautions