2006 TOYOTA TACOMA Owners Manual (in English)

3672006 TACOMA from Jan.’06 Prod. (OM35871U)
Keep your tire inflation pressures
at the proper level.
The recommended cold tire inflation
pressures, tire sizes and the com-
bined weight of occupants and cargo
(vehicle capacity weight) are de-
scribed on page 392 in Section 8.
They are also described on the tire
and loading information label as
shown.
You should check the tire inflation
pressure every two weeks, or at least
once a month. And do not forget the
spare! The following instructions for
checking tire inflation pressure
should be observed:
 The pressure s hould be
checked only when the tires are
cold. If your vehicle has been
parked for at least 3 hours and has
not been driven for more than 1.5
km or 1 mile since, you will get
an accurate cold tire inflation pres-
sure reading.
 Always use a tire pressure
gauge. The appearance of a tire
can be misleading. Besides, tire
inflation pressures that are even
just a few pounds off can degrade
ride and handling.
 Do not bleed or reduce tire
inflation pressure after driving.
It is normal for the tire inflation
pressure to be higher after driving.
 Never exceed the vehicle capac-
ity weight. Passenger and lug-
gage weight should be located so
that the vehicle is balanced.
LS72003
Tire pressure
gauge
INSPECTION AND ADJUSTMENT
PROCEDURE
1. Remove the tire valve cap.
2. Press the tip of the tire pressure gauge to the tire valve.
3. Read the pressure using the grad- uations of the gauge.
4. In case the tire inflation pressure
is not within the prescribed range,
insert the compressed air from the
valve. In case of applying too
much air, press the center of the
valve and release the air to adjust.

3682006 TACOMA from Jan.’06 Prod. (OM35871U)
5. After completing the tire inflationpressure measurement and ad-
justment, apply soapy water to the
valve and check for leakage.
6. Install the tire valve cap.
If a gauge and air pump are not avail-
able, have your vehicle checked by
your Toyota dealer.
CAUTION
Be sure to reinstall the tire valve
caps. Without the valve caps, dirt
or moisture could get into the
valve core and cause air leakage.
If the caps have been lost, have
new ones put on as soon as pos-
sible.
Incorrect tire infl ation pressure may
waste fuel, reduce the comfort of driv-
ing, reduce tire life and make your ve-
hicle less safe to drive.
If a tire frequently needs refilling,
have it checked by your Toyota deal-
er.
CAUTION
Keep your tires properly inflated.
Otherwise, the following condi-
tions may occur and cause an ac-
cident resulting in death or seri-
ous injuries.
Low tire pressure ( underinfla-
tion)—
 Excessive wear
 Uneven wear
 Poor handling
 Possibility of blowouts from an
overheated tire
 Poor sealing of the tire bead
 Wheel deformation and/or tire
separation
 A greater possibility of tire
damage from road hazards
High tire pressure (overinfla-
tion)—
Poor handling
 Excessive wear
 Uneven wear
 A greater possibility of tire
damage from road hazards

3692006 TACOMA from Jan.’06 Prod. (OM35871U)
Tread wear indicator
CHECKING YOUR TIRES
Check the tire’s tread for tread
wear indicators. If the indicators
show, replace the tires. The loca-
tion of tread wear indicators is
shown by the “TWI” or “
Δ” marks,
etc., molded on the sidewall of
each tire. The tires on your Toyota have built
−in
tread wear indicators to help you
know when the tires need replace-
ment. When the tread depth wears to
1.6 mm (0.06 in.) or less, the indica-
tors will appear. If you can see the
indicators in two or more adjacent
grooves, the tire should be replaced.
The lower the tread, the higher the
risk of skidding.
The effectiveness of snow tires is
lost if the tread wears down below
4 mm (0.16 in.).
If you have tire damage such as
cuts, splits, cracks deep e nough to
expose the fabric, or bulges indi-
cating internal damage, the tire
should be replaced.
If a tire often goes flat or cannot be
properly repaired due to the size or
location of a cut or other damage, it
should be replaced. If you are not
sure, consult with your Toyota dealer. If air loss occurs while driving, do not
continue driving. Driving even a short
distance can damage a tire beyond
repair.
An y ti res wh i ch are over 6 years
old must be checked by a qualified
technician even if damage is not
obvious.
Tires deteriorate with age even if they
have never or seldom been used.
This applies also to the spare tire and
tires stored for future use.
Checking and replacing tires

3702006 TACOMA from Jan.’06 Prod. (OM35871U)
REPLACING YOUR TIRES
When replacing a tire, use a tire of
the same size and construction,
and the same or greater maximum
load as the originally installed
tires. Also, on fourwheel drive
models, all the tires must be the
same brand and have the same
tread patterns.
Using any other size or type of tire
may seriously affect handling, ride,
speedometer/odometer calibration,
ground clearance, and clearance be-
tween the body and tires or snow
chains.
Check that the maximum load of the
replaced tire is greater than 1/2 of the
Gross Axle Weight Ratings (GAWR)
of either the front axle or the rear
axle, whichever is greater. As for the
maximum load of the tire, see the load
limit at maximum cold tire inflation
pressure mentioned on the sidewall
of the tire, and as for the Gross Axle
Weight Ratings (GAWR), see the Cer-
tification Label.For details about the sidewall of the
tire and the Certification Label, see
“Tire information” on page 285 in Sec-
tion 2 and “Your Toyota’s identifica-
tion” on page 282 in Section 2.
CAUTION
Observe the following instruc-
tions. Otherwise, an accident
may occur resulting in death or
serious injuries.

Do not mix radial, bias belted,
or biasply tires on your ve-
hicle, as this may cause dan-
gerous handling characteris-
tics resulting in loss of control.
 Do not use tires other than the
manufacturer’s recommended
size, as this may cause danger-
ous handling characteristics
resulting in loss of control.
Fourwheel drive models:
Do not use tires of different
brands, sizes, construction or
tread patterns, as this may
cause dangerous handling
characteristics resulting in
loss of control.
Toyota recommends all four tires,
or at least both of the front or rear
tires be replaced at a time as a set.
See “If you have a flat tire” on page
321 in Section 4 for tire change proce-
dure.
When a tire is replaced, the wheel
should always be balanced.
An unbalanced wheel may affect ve-
hicle handling and tire life. Wheels
can get out of balance with regular
use and should therefore be balanced
occasionally.
When replacing a tubeless tire, the
air valve should also be replaced
w i t h a new on e.

3712006 TACOMA from Jan.’06 Prod. (OM35871U)
The tire pressure warning system
must be initialized when the
specified tire inflation pressure is
changed due to tire replacement.
See “Tire pressure warning
system” on page 192 in Section
17.NOTICE
When the tires must be re-
paired or replaced, have them
repaired or replaced by the
nearest Toyota dealer or au-
thorized tire dealer. Failure to
do so may cause the tire
pressure sensors to be dam-
aged when the tires are re-
moved or installed.
 Remove the air pressure sen-
sors before replacing the
tires to prevent the sensors
from being damaged.
LS72010
With a spare tire of the same
wheel type as the installed tires
LS72012
With a spare tire of different
wheel type from the installed
tires
Rotating tires

3722006 TACOMA from Jan.’06 Prod. (OM35871U)
To equalize the wear and help
extend tire life, Toyota
recommends that you rotate your
tires according to the maintenance
schedule. (For scheduled
maintenance information, please
refer to the “Scheduled
Maintenance Guide” or “Owner’s
Manual Supplement”.) However,
the most appropriate timing for tire
rotation may vary according to
your driving habits and road
surface conditions.
See “If you have a flat tire” on page
321 in Section 4 for tire change proce-
dure.
When rotating tires, check for uneven
wear and damage. Abnormal wear is
usually caused by incorrect tire pres-
sure, improper wheel alignment, out −
of −balance wheels, or severe braking. The tire pressure warning system
must be initialized when the
specified tire inflation pressure is
changed due to tire rotation. See
“Tire pressure warning system” on
page 192 in Section 17.WHEN TO USE SNOW TIRES OR
CHAINS
Snow tires or chains are recommended
when driving on snow or ice.
On wet or dry roads, conventional tires
provide better traction than snow tires.
SNOW TIRE SELECTION
If you need snow tires, select tires of
the same size, construction and load
capacity as the originally installed tires.
Also, on fourwheel drive models, all
the tires must be the same brand and
have the same tread patterns.
Do not use tires other than those men-
tioned above. Do not install studded tires
without first checking local regulations for
possible restrictions.
CAUTION
Observe the following instructions.
Otherwise, an accident may occur re-
sulting in death or serious injuries.
Do not use snow tires other than
the manufacturer ’s recommended si-
ze, as this may cause dangerous
handling characteristics resulting in
loss of control.
Installing snow tires and
chains

3732006 TACOMA from Jan.’06 Prod. (OM35871U)
Fourwheel drive models:
Do not use snow tires of different
brands, sizes, construction or tread
patterns, as this may cause danger-
ous handling characteristics result-
ing in loss of control.
SNOW TIRE INSTALLATION
Snow tires should be installed on all
wheels.
Installing snow tires on the rear wheels
only can lead to an excessive difference
in road grip capability between the front
and rear tires which could cause loss of
vehicle control.
When storing removed tires, you should
store them in a cool dry place.
Mark the direction of rotation and be sure
to install them in the same direction when
replacing.
CAUTION
Do not drive with the snow tires
incorrectly inflated.
Never drive over 120 km/h (75 mph)
with any type of snow tires.
G72017
Side chain
Cross chain
TIRE CHAIN SELECTION
Use the tire chains of correct size.
Use the following type chains.
mm (in.)
A Diameter of side chain: 5.0 (0.20)
B Diameter of cross chain: 6.3 (0.25)
Regulations regarding the use of tire
chains vary according to location or
type of road, so always check local reg-
ulations before installing chains.
NOTICE
If the wrong combination of tire and
chain is used, the chains could dam-
age the vehicle body.
CHAIN INSTALLATION
Install the chains on the rear tires as
tightly as possible. Do not use tire
chains on the front tires. Retighten
chains after driving 0.5—1.0 km
(1/4—1/2 mile).
When installing chains on your tires, care-
fully follow the instructions of the chain
manufacturer.
If wheel covers are used, they will be
scratched by the chain band, so remove
the covers before putting on the chains.

3742006 TACOMA from Jan.’06 Prod. (OM35871U)
CAUTION
Do not exceed 50 km/h (30 mph) or
the chain manufacturer ’s recom-
mended speed limit, whichever is
lower.
Drive carefully avoiding bumps,
holes, and sharp turns, which may
cause the vehicle to bounce.
Avoid sharp turns or lockedwheel
braking, as use of chains may ad-
versely affect vehicle handling.
When driving with chains installed,
be sure to drive carefully. Slow
down before entering curves to
avoid losing control of the vehicle.
Otherwise an accident may occur.
NOTICE
Snow tires or chains may affect the
tire pressure warning system. See
“Tire pressure warning system” on
page 192 in Section 17.
WHEN TO REPLACE YOUR WHEELS
If you have wheel damage such as
bending, cracks or heavy corrosion, the
wheel should be replaced.
If you fail to replace a damaged wheel,
the tire may slip off the wheel or cause
loss of handling control.
WHEEL SELECTION
When replacing wheels, care should be
taken to ensure that the wheels are re-
placed by ones with the same load ca-
pacity, diameter, rim width, and offset.
Correct replacement wheels are available
at your Toyota dealer.
A wheel of a different size or type may
adversely affect handling, wheel and bear-
ing life, brake cooling, speedometer/odom-
eter calibration, stopping ability, headlight
aim, bumper height, vehicle ground clear-
ance, and tire or snow chain clearance to
the body and chassis.Replacement with used wheels is not rec-
ommended as they may have been sub-
jected to rough treatment or high mileage
and could fail without warning. Also, bent
wheels which have been straightened may
have structural damage and therefore
should not be used. Never use an inner
tube in a leaking wheel which is designed
for a tubeless tire.
CAUTION
Observe the following instructions.
Otherwise, an accident may occur re-
sulting in death or serious injuries.
Do not use wheels other than the
manufacturer ’s recommended size,
as this may cause dangerous han-
dling characteristics resulting in
loss of control.
Fourwheel drive models:
Do not use wheels of different
brands, sizes and types, as this
may cause dangerous handling
characteristics resulting in loss of
control.
Replacing wheels